Chapter 230. In the Clubroom (2)
Cute.
Just plain cute.
It was still a bit awkward, but seeing her slowly change was fun.
"Ugh...."
Nam Daeun, who had come into my arms, looked up and met my eyes.
"Should we do it again tonight?"
"... If you want to."
"Last night was amazing, wasn't it?"
"I don't know...."
Last night, since Liliana had fallen asleep, we couldn't do it together. I was alone with Nam Daeun.
Maybe tonight we could all be together.
I kissed the forehead of the blushing Nam Daeun and left the dorm.
'Pretty luxurious, huh.'
Even I didn't understand my own behavior.
Hugging a girl first, then kissing her forehead?
The me from the real world would never have imagined a life like this.
I really could die without regrets at this point.
Not that I actually want to die, of course.
I left the academy and entered the shopping district, aiming to visit a nearby real estate office.
"Wow~ the fruit is super cheap today."
"It's the season. Take a whole basket."
I could hear people chatting around me.
Hearing the sounds of others living their lives made me feel alive too.
"Real estate... this way."
Naturally, there were several real estate offices in the shopping district.
Since I wasn't going to stop at just one, I decided to start with the closest.
Following the path shown on my smartwatch, I entered a narrow alley.
And at that moment—
The surroundings went quiet.
"... Again?"
I strengthened the rune barrier I had activated for interference.
Then I tried to leave the alley—but it was like I'd hit a wall. I couldn't get out.
'Strong.'
Could I break through if I went all out?
Not sure.
That's how strong today's attacker was.
Slightly weaker than Rebecca, by my senses?
Thump—
But being weaker than Rebecca didn't mean it was safe.
Thump—
My heart was pounding. A premonition of combat sense kicking in.
'Why is this only happening to me?'
Are the other prodigies getting attacked like this every day too? Huh?
Hoo.
I took a deep breath and debated: wait for the attack, or move forward.
'I'm going in.'
When Rebecca attacked—
If she hadn't revealed herself, I'd have been endlessly ambushed.
But I had something to rely on.
This solid rune barrier.
I doubted anything could break through it.
If I couldn't escape anyway, I might as well move closer.
I followed the faint trail of mana deeper into the alley.
*
"What's this? He's coming this way? He figured out my position...? They weren't kidding about him being a genius mage."
Isaac smirked as he watched Lee Hoyeon approach.
Like he'd found an amusing toy.
"... Guildmaster. The target is a student. You really should show some restraint...."
"What, like I'm going to kill him? I'll just give him a scare. You have to assert dominance early if you want proper conversations."
"...."
Says the guy radiating real killing intent.
Scarlett regretted how the situation turned out.
If only she'd been more careful, maybe this wouldn't have happened.
'... Or maybe not?'
But seeing Isaac's smirk, she changed her mind.
Even if she hadn't said anything, the outcome would've been the same.
That crazy guildmaster would never sit still.
He'd probably just interrogated Sebas Chan harder, then showed up anyway.
'Haa.'
At least it wasn't nighttime.
If it were, this could have been truly dangerous. But for now, the moon hadn't risen.
Scarlett looked at Isaac as he slowly gathered his mana, thinking she'd have to throw herself in if things got too bad.
"…."
I walked quietly into the alley.
Naturally, I was tightly wrapped in rune barriers.
I kept alert to react to any attack, but couldn't see the enemy.
Step. Step.
The deeper I went into the alley, the stronger the mana residue.
Amid the silence broken only by steady breathing and footsteps, I focused all my [Mana Sensitivity] to track the opponent's magic.
The fight was in their favor.
They were hidden and waiting to ambush, while I had walked right into the trap.
Then, a mana-forged dagger flew at me from the front.
Clang!
'The front?'
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The opponent wasn't dumb enough to give away their position.
Almost simultaneously with the front attack, magic came from above, the right, and behind.
The flying blades were simple but fast and powerful.
I tried tracking the source through the mana strings attached to the daggers—but they were cut immediately.
'The attacks are weak.'
Like knocking on a watermelon to test its ripeness, the enemy was probing the strength of my barrier.
Clang! Clang!
Each step I took, more magic daggers came. I focused harder.
The hidden enemy was clearly more skilled than me.
If I wanted a real fight, I had to force them into view.
Whether they're strong or not, I need to face them to stand a chance.
It's a race: can I find them first, or will they break through my barrier?
Clang!
After deflecting several dozen attacks, I paused.
"... Something's off."
Strange.
Too many things didn't make sense.
First—the alley.
No matter how far I walked, it didn't end.
I've memorized the entire layout of the academy's commercial district.
Just in case I ever had to escape an ambush.
I'd been blocking attacks and moving for over twenty minutes.
I should've reached the main road long ago… but the dark alley still stretched ahead.
The sun was starting to set, and the night favored a hidden enemy.
But more important than the endless alley—
The killing intent I felt from the enemy was real.
And the pressure of their magic was top-tier.
I could tell just from the weight of their mana that this attacker was on another level.
In both quality and control—they were in a different league.
It felt just like when I met Im Sol or Rebecca.
My body was reacting to a true powerhouse.
Yet the attacks were weak.
For someone with that kind of mana, the spells were too light.
Sure, such people might exist—but a real powerhouse wouldn't have poor balance like that.
If they did, they wouldn't have reached that level in the first place.
Just like even among champions, there's always someone at the top—someone like Im Sol.
Moreover, the attacks were weak, but their follow-up was flawless.
Severing mana trails to hide their position was top-class.
'Are they holding back?'
A classic villain move.
Toying with the protagonist before getting overturned.
But stuff like that doesn't happen in reality.
"…."
I racked my brain.
A strangely strong attacker.
If they wanted to kill me, they should've finished it quickly—but they're dragging it out.
That means they want something.
Or maybe they're a psycho killer... but none that strong exist in this world.
At least, not that I know of.
And the timing.
If I retrace recent events, I might identify the attacker.
First, Pandemic's skull mask.
They attacked recently and clearly target me and Moon Surin.
But those guys wouldn't waste time like this.
Next, Rebecca.
Sure, we first met during an attack... but she has no reason to come after me again.
'A strong person connected to me....'
As I searched my memory, one possibility came to mind.
'Iris Guild.'
I gave Elise a massage just two days ago.
The reason I pulled Scarlett away out of concern—
I was worried Elise's doting guildmaster dad might come spy on me.
Isaac, the guildmaster, wasn't that major in the original story.
He's strong, yes—but not someone you'd expect in a heroine-conquest eroge.
Honestly, I don't think he ever even showed his face.
So I didn't think he'd actually come at me like this....
"…."
Hah, I can't think of anyone else.
Honestly, I've committed enough sins that even Moon Surin's grandpa, the academy director, kinda scares me—and the Association I stole Baek A-Young from, too.
But they wouldn't send someone to attack me.
"Hoo."
If they wanted to kill me, they'd have already launched a proper attack.
Assassins don't waste time.
I should proceed under the assumption that this is Isaac.
I deactivated the rune barrier wrapped around me.
Then—
'Blood Beat.'
Thump— Thump—
I expanded my mana circuits.
The mana flow became smoother, and the density of mana around me increased.
In this state, I could react to any attack instantly.
Against anyone else, it might be reckless... but if it's Isaac, this should work.
I only know two solid facts about him.
One—he's a massive daughter-con.
Two—his pride is ridiculously strong.
Even if it's not Isaac, it doesn't matter.
If I can provoke them into revealing themselves, that's a win.
If they intensify their attacks, I might be able to trace their mana and locate them.
'Not a bad plan.'
It's risky, but sitting still won't accomplish anything.
I have to drag them out, even by force.
I gathered my mana in preparation for the next wave and stepped further into the alley.