Lea leaned against the bus window, peering between the seats at the German team’s coach, Thomas Kunz.
He was furiously scrolling on his phone, his ears red with anger.
The clamor of the other team members and coaches could also be heard.
Even if the Korean team had two S-Ranks, bringing along a kindergartener was nothing but outrageous arrogance and an insult, they fumed.
'I’ll have to give it my all.'
With a soft grunt, Lea sank back into her seat to avoid notice.
Now losing to Korea was unthinkable.
It would be more than a national disgrace—since Lea herself had pushed hard for this exchange with Korea, the backlash would inevitably fall on her.
'But that child is in Korea...'
Truthfully, Lea hadn’t cared much about the exchange. She only needed an excuse to go to Korea to find that child.
Just then, the bus came to a stop.
[“Are we here?”]
[“Looks just like Yustitia.”]
[“Really doesn’t look all that different from our school.”]
The kids murmured their impressions as they looked out the window at Korea’s Yustitia International School.
Soon, after the coach and staff got off, the students followed.
The German team would be staying in the dorms here until the exchange match concluded.
While the coaches conversed among themselves on the way to their lodging, the students lingered, gazing around the buildings.
[“Have a quick look around and then get back to the dorm.”]
Coach Kunz handed out key cards, and a brown-haired boy who seemed to be the leader replied, “We’ll be quick.”
And from afar, someone was secretly watching them...
Guru peeked her head out from behind a tree near the parking lot, spying on the German team.
There were so many other glances flying about that no one seemed to notice her.
'Even better.'
Guru knew perfectly well how many people were worried about her joining the Korean team.
To everyone, she was just “extra baggage,” “Hyeonak’s freebie,” “the 2-for-1,” or “the drone’s actual body.”
“But Gwuu gonna hewp too.”
“Pii!”
Mephisto, perched on her head, flapped his wings proudly as if to say he could do it.
Today was “Help the Korean Team” Operation One.
Know your enemy and know yourself, and you’ll never lose a hundred battles.
She was sneaking around to uncover the German team’s weaknesses.
Just as Guru was about to trail after the German team in their uniforms and duffel bags—
“Wait.”
Thump!
A strange voice came from behind.
'The German team?!'
Had they realized she was spying on them?
Creak, creak.
Like a broken robot, Guru slowly turned her head, blinking at the speaker.
It wasn’t the German team who had called her, but someone completely unexpected.
It was the bespectacled boy she had met at the Management Bureau.
His glasses were so thick that his face was barely visible behind the compressed lenses.
Now he wore a Yustitia school uniform, with a name tag that read Yurian.
Yurian stared intently at Guru before suddenly asking:
“How exactly did you deal with Dominic?”
Dominic?
'What’s Dominic?'
Guru gaped dumbly, her face showing she had no idea.
“Dominic. That SSS—no, wait...”
Yurian frowned in frustration, then suddenly opened his hand.
“You know this, right?”
On his palm, a sticky, slime-like liquid coalesced and began to take shape.
In moments, it morphed into two forms: Dominic’s upper body and that of a monster.
“Eek!”
Guru clapped both hands over her mouth.
That was—
'Da hentai?!'
The monster that had kidnapped Veilach and Mephisto, only to be turned into takoyaki by Guru and fed to Mephisto.
Guru narrowed her eyes as she remembered.
'He was a nasty one.'
She was about to say she knew, but a sudden thought made her close her mouth again.
Why was he looking for that bad guy? Dominic was a monster.
She tilted her head, puzzled.
A human had no reason to go searching for a monster. He was in uniform, so it wasn’t like he was a cop investigating.
Which left only one possibility.
'Could it be... they’re friends?'
Like Guru and Veilach—maybe Dominic had a human friend too.
At that thought, her heart sank, and cold sweat trickled down from head to toe.
'Then I absolutely can’t tell him I turned his friend into takoyaki and fed him to Mephisto!'
Eating someone’s friend—there was no way to explain that. It was barbaric, horrific.
If someone ate Veilach...
Guru shuddered.
So instead of admitting to such a chilling crime, she was about to feign ignorance—
But before she could open her mouth, Mephisto blurted out shamelessly.
“Pee-peeet!” (That bad guy, I ate him!)
“Eek!”
Guru’s eyes went round as she stared up at Mephisto.
But Mephisto just puffed hot breaths proudly from atop her head.
Thankfully, Yurian didn’t understand. Even Guru had only guessed the meaning.
Still, perhaps sensing something off, Yurian stared at Mephisto suspiciously.
'I don’t know what skill he has, but if we stay here, we might get found out...!'
There was only one solution.
'Run.'
“G-Gwuu dunno dat!”
Snatching Mephisto into her arms and covering his beak, Guru bolted.
“Hey! Hey!”
Yurian lunged to grab «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» her by the scruff, but Guru ducked low and slipped past.
Startled by her quick movement, Yurian froze.
Taking advantage of his miss, Guru glanced back once and sprinted harder.
'My heawt goin’ thump-thump!'
Then Yurian gave chase.
“You know something, don’t you? Stop right there!”
“Gwuu dunno anythin’!”
Deciding a straight sprint would get her caught, Guru veered around the gym’s outer wall.
Her decision was smart—but the sharp turn twisted her ankle.
“Ugyah!”
She cried out as she collapsed, her knees hitting the ground.
Yurian faltered for a moment—
Whoosh!
A sharp sound of wind, followed by a fast, firm but slender fist.
Crunch!
The fist punched into the wall, gouging a hole. Chunks of concrete clattered to the ground.
Guru’s pale eyes shook like a boat in a storm.
'She broke the wall...!'
Lea glared fiercely at Yurian, who had just narrowly dodged.
[“What do you think you’re doing to a baby?”]
As she shouted, Guru blinked blankly.
It looked like the boy had been bullying an innocent child—but in truth, Guru was the one at fault.
'Gwuu was wyin’ and twyin’ to wun away!'
But Yurian’s reaction was odd.
He didn’t explain, didn’t make excuses. He just raised his arm to hide his face—then vanished in a flash.
Lea frowned at the suspicious behavior.
But there was no way to chase someone already gone.
Sighing, she went to Guru and helped her up.
[“Little one, are you okay?”]
She brushed off Guru’s tennis skirt, tidying her up.
'Huh?'
Wavy, light brown hair. Beneath it, bright coral-colored eyes.
The two locked gazes, quietly studying each other.
Guru’s eyes lingered on the same-colored irises as hers before rolling nervously toward the broken wall.
Gulp.
Taking small steps backward, Guru bowed repeatedly.
“Th-thank. Th-thank you.”
In her head spun the thought: The German team can smash walls with their fists...
'Scawy!'
As Guru trembled and tried to sneak away, suddenly—clap! Her shoulder was caught.
“Hiiieek!”
[“You’re hurt.”]
Lea tucked her hair behind her ear and bent down.
Her gaze landed on Guru’s knee, red and scraped.
At that moment, the German starters sauntered over.
[“Why’d you run off?”]
[“Lea, what are you doing there?”]
Lea easily lifted Guru and hugged her close.
[“Look. Isn’t she cute? Just found her.”]
[“Don’t just pick up anything.”]
[“She is cute. But she’s hurt?”]
[“Yeah, looks like she fell while running. Let’s heal her. Where’s the coach?”]
[“He must’ve gone on ahead to the dorm.”]
[“Then let’s go to the dorm too. We can’t let the baby be scarred—better get a potion.”]
With that, Lea tucked Guru under her arm and began walking toward the dorm building.
Dangling helplessly, Guru’s head sprouted a giant question mark.
'Eh?'

Comments

Loading...