Chapter 24:

Chapter 24:

Dungeon Practice

Time flew by, and it was already Friday.

After classes, during the after-school hours, I was hanging out with Lucy and Lumi in the classroom.

“Hey, Hoyeon... Can we actually create a new club?”

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it today.”

“Hoyeon said not to worry, so it should be fine, Lucy.”

“Yeah, I’m counting on you...!”

The sparkling eyes of the adorable twins felt a bit overwhelming.

After today, it will be impossible to start a new club this semester. Of course, there were no updates from the club department. Now I’m almost certain. Even if I think about it, there’s only one reason.

The Magic Research Club. We had a little spat. So since they made their move already, I have no choice but to return the favor.

Preparations were already complete, so I confidently went to the club department again. I told Lucy and Lumi to wait outside and not make any moves for now.

“Why? I want to go in and ask too. Wouldn’t it be better if there were more of us?”

“Well, it’s because I’ll be going as a student council executive. Just leave it to me.”

“Oh... I don’t really get it, but okay!”

Once I mentioned the student council, she decided to stay quiet. Power sure comes in handy.

I looked at the new club registration department. Today, there was a girl I had never seen before stationed there, not the guy I saw last time.

Rather than focusing on her facial features, I could say she had a face that wouldn’t look out of place with the word “diligence.”

“Hello. I’m here to register a new club.”

“Yes. Have you prepared all the documents?”

“I have the documents that I submitted last time. They were delayed due to a computer error. Has it been processed?”

“Lucy is listed as the club president, and there are three members. The club’s name is Friendship Club.”

The girl vigorously typed on the computer and spoke with a puzzled expression.

“I’m sorry, but such a club is not registered at all...”

“Oh, here comes the junior again.”

At that moment, that jerk’s face blocked my way. The club president interrupted the girl’s words and popped out.

“Senior...”

“It seems this is her first time on the job, so there must have been a mistake. There were many strange parts in Hoyeon’s club documents. Other clubs are also using fake documents, and the faculty advisor has expressed rejection.”

Considering the time they dragged out, they probably already set everything up. Yet here they are, acting all innocent.

“Oh, so that’s why it didn’t get approved?”

“Yes, unfortunately. But if you’d like, why don’t you try finding a new clubroom and a different faculty advisor? You have until this afternoon, so if you think quickly, you might be able to find one.”

Now they’re openly mocking me. They probably know nothing will work.

When I personally looked around, all the clubrooms were already full. The faculty advisors had all rejected me.

But the club president probably had no idea. He didn’t know that I have connections to handle this.

“Ah, I see. So all I need to do is find a new clubroom and a faculty advisor?”

“Yes. You have until 6 p.m. today, so there are about two hours left...”

“That’s fine. I already found them all.”

“Hmm?”

Before the club president could express his doubt, I handed him a new set of documents.

Since I had already prepared everything perfectly before coming, there’s nothing to worry about.

“Ha! This joke isn’t even funny. The faculty advisor is Professor Im Sol, and the clubroom is the student council PR department? You may be a student council junior, but there’s a limit to what I can tolerate. Hoyeon, the junior.”

“Just stop with the nonsense and process the application.”

“...What did you say?”

“I’ve already obtained all the necessary approvals, so please proceed with the computer processing. Senior.”

“...Damn it. You think you’re on good terms with the Student Council President just because you were scouted into the PR department? The President is naturally kind to everyone. You’re having some serious delusions.”

Then, he made a call to someone using my smartwatch.

“Yes, President. This is Park Minkang. One of the newcomers in the PR department has the audacity to ask for the PR department’s empty space as his personal clubroom.”

Park Minkang, huh? A name I’d rather not remember. I’ll just call him the club president. He’s smirking at me.

I wonder how long he can keep up that expression.

“Yes, and he wants Professor Im Sol to be the faculty advisor. I, as a senior, will personally take on the guidance here.... What? What did you say?”

The guy on the other end widened his eyes as he spoke through his smartwatch.

“Yes, yes. I’m sorry. I’ll make sure to double-check next time. Yes. Have a good day.”

The club president ended the call while bowing repeatedly to the air.

Thud.

“Hurry up, I don’t have much time. I’ve got places to be.”

“I can’t believe the rumors were true about you being close to Professor Im Sol... But how did you manage to involve the student council president...?”

Dealing with extras like him and his nonsense felt like a waste of time and tiresome. It drained my energy.

“Enough already. Just process the damn documents in front of me. I want to make sure if there are any errors or not.”

“...This matter will be rejected based on the student council president’s decision. There are many irregularities in the documents. I don’t want unnecessary disturbances.”

“Ugh, you’re so annoying.”

“What... What did you say?”

“Enough, you fuckface. I’m tired of playing along.”

I didn’t want to cater to this asshole anymore. I might humor a heroine or a girl, but why should guys get special treatment?

Lucy and Lumi were waiting outside, and the club president sent the female student who was working in the register away, so there’s no one to overhear our conversation.

I took out my smartwatch and made a call.

Sigh... The camaraderie I should rely on in our team was non-existent.

That guy, Lee Byunghoon, who kept getting close to Nam Daeun, seemed to have given up and sat silently, not uttering a word.

I’m really concerned about this practice.

***

“I can’t stand him.”

“Huh? Jinhyuk, why?”

“That guy, Hoyeon. Every time I see his face, it just gets on my nerves.”

Do Jinhyuk was having a conversation with his cronies at the back.

As Hoyeon and Lumi walked by, Do Jinhyuk’s expression turned rigid.

“Oh? Yeah, that’s right! I feel irritated every time I see him too!”

“Yeah, exactly. He pulled off that stunt, switching from a swordsman to a mage, unnecessarily got involved with the student council president, and there have been rumors of trouble with Professor Im Sol. Isn’t he just a delinquent?”

“I’ve heard the same. Jinhyuk, so that’s why you find him annoying?”

“....”

Do Jinhyuk felt a strange sensation in his core.

While those reasons might contribute to that feeling, they were merely things that got on his nerves to some extent. He sensed a deep aversion welling up from within him, as if it had been engraved in his heart since birth.

“Yeah, I guess so.”

However, he simply embraced those emotions. He made the choice to accept and express them. That choice, too, was a part of his destiny as the antagonist.

***

The dungeon practice had begun.

We determined the order to enter the dungeon by drawing lots. Our team was number 13.

Ten teams were sent into the first dungeon at once. Since I was team 13, we were the second group to be sent in.

The waiting teams could watch the previous team’s dungeon run on a large holographic screen suspended in the air.

Since the second dungeon we were entering was different from the others, there were no fairness issues.

“...”

“...”

Unlike the other teams who were chattering, fostering camaraderie and easing their tension, our team remained silent, standing firm like a reliable bowl of rice. Feeling a bit frustrated, I decided to get up and find the restroom.

As I walked, a passerby purposely bumped into my shoulder.

“Oops, my bad.”

“Hehehe, hey. Why apologize to a loser like you? You’d enjoy the attention, wouldn’t you?”

I turned my head to see Do Jinhyuk and his lackeys.

No, they’re the ones who should be apologizing. I haven’t done anything to them. We’ve hardly had any interaction, so I don’t understand why they’re acting like this.

Is it because I’m the protagonist? Is that my mistake?

Bullying among young students often starts for no reason, but this isn’t one of those cases.

“Be careful in the dungeon. I might mistake you for a monster and stab you with my sword. Haha!”

One of the lackeys, playing the role of a scrawny coward, sneered at me.

“As if I wouldn’t zap your sorry ass with my magic the instant I see you. Better watch your back.”

“What?! This bastard...”

Since he spoke like a bottom-feeder, I retorted in kind. There’s no need for empathy or compromise when dealing with scum like him.

The lackey, clearly nursing his bruised ego, made a feeble attempt to unsheathe his sword. In return, I heightened my magical energy—not with any intention to engage in a fight, but solely for self-defense.

“Cut it out. There are too many eyes watching.”

Just then, Do Jinhyuk, who had been observing from the sidelines, decided to intervene.

The lackey reluctantly obeyed Do Jinhyuk’s words and took a step back, wearing a disappointed expression.

“Tsk. Consider yourself lucky.”

Who does this guy think he is, mouthing off lines like a B-movie villain?

Do Jinhyuk glanced at me, then turned around and walked away.

Several students’ eyes were fixed on me. Wanting to avoid further attention, I decided to move away from that spot.

If we meet in the dungeon, I’ll play it off as an ‘accident’ and slap some magic on him.

I returned to my seat.

As I sat back down, the association hunters dispatched for the dungeon practice were being introduced.

“Hello. I’m Baek Ahyeong.”

Naturally, Baek Ahyeong, who was sent by the association, was also standing there.

“Wow, it’s the Saint. The Saint!”

“I really want to protect her... I definitely have to join the association.”

“You used to say you were joining the student council after seeing the student council president, and now it’s the association?”

She was called the “Saint” for a reason, in addition to her appearance, of course.

With black hair that cascaded down to her waist, fair skin, blue eyes, and her naturally unadorned face, had a way of invoking a strong desire to protect her. Anyone who talked to her had a look of awe on their face, so even a complete stranger could tell how ridiculously popular she was.

Ironically, she felt embarrassed being called the “Saint.”

She turned her head in various directions, then looked at me and waved her hand slightly.

“Seeing a pretty girl makes my hatred diminish.”

So, this is what it’s like to meet a pretty girl. My anger instantly dissipated when I see her face.

After the introductions of the dispatched hunters came to an end, Baek Ahyeong looked at me, raised the corners of her mouth slightly, and approached me.

“Ta-da! Surprised? It’s a surprise~”

She said that with her bright smile that was quite adorable.

***