Friends

 

It was orthodox.

We just purely studied.

The protagonist was a guy with absolutely no interest in women, the type of person around whom women who fell for his face and personality naturally gathered.

In other words, a person created to fulfill the vicarious satisfaction of total loners.

To be honest, I just didn’t like her. Objectively speaking, Hiyeon has a pretty appearance.

Of course, so do I.

Although I hated to admit it, ‘Bia’ originally had an appearance designed to be a heroine in this dating sim game.

Even in the original game, there were daily arguments between those who said “Does it make sense to do laundry after killing someone?” and those who said “She’s pretty, so just let her off this once…”

A world where crimes disappear just because of pretty looks.

It’s really a great place to live.

“I don’t understand this one.”

“Ah, that problem…”

Ryu Seong and Hiyeon began studying in front of me.

At best, I was just sitting there sucking a cup of coffee through a straw.

What they generally taught at the academy was far from what I had in mind.

If it were an ordinary university, students would have created their own schedules, and if it were an ordinary school, there would have been many general subjects like Korean or math.

But at the academy, such types of subjects were nowhere to be found.

Strictly speaking, you could find them, but they were like ghost lectures where no one attended and no one taught.

Our protagonist, who is perfect in every way, boasts overwhelming top grades in the special subject taught at the academy called ‘Ability Studies.’

Despite only needing to study two subjects because his ability was classified as combat and composite, this madman was memorizing all other ability types of his own volition.

A crazy person who can’t be described with the word ‘model student.’

If you asked him why he was doing such a thing, he’s the type of person who could calmly answer, ‘If I’m going to do it anyway, I should do it diligently.’

That was the protagonist.

And I found it utterly disgusting.

“Bia, do you have any questions?”

“…No.”

“Really? Combat and composite categories have a lot to learn, so it’s tough. You must be smart.”

“It’s uncomfortable to hear that from someone who memorizes all combat, composite, recovery, and creation categories.”

“Haha…”

Let me kindly change the unfriendly proper nouns for you.

First, Combat.

It’s simple. As the name suggests, most abilities that would be helpful in combat fall into this category. The reason why most ability users in the game have 2 or more attributes is due to this ambiguous classification system.

Next is Composite.

Roughly, it can do everything. Let me use my shadow as an example. You can store items in the shadow, use it as a high-speed means of transportation when applied, bind opponents, or block vision. It’s versatile but ambiguous.

Recovery.

As the name suggests, it’s just recovery. There’s a setting that overseas ability users originally classify recovery abilities together with the creation category, but doesn’t this country regard doctors as if they were some special official position? That’s the reason.

Lastly, Creation.

Generally, abilities use or control things that already exist. Even abilities with many changes typically transform one object into another. Therefore, abilities that change nothing into something are in a different league from other abilities.

If I were classified using the above method, I’d be in combat and composite categories.

So I only attend two types of classes.

For now, the protagonist’s ability can encompass all 4 categories mentioned above, but because his limits aren’t clear and he’s never used it to the point of endangering himself, he was classified as combat and composite.

Anyway, in the first semester, he’ll be reclassified after getting involved in the ‘Black Market Incident.’

Lastly, Hiyeon’s ability is recovery.

It involves rewinding time, its range is very limited, and it was classified as such based on the fact that it rewinds what already exists.

It was never creating something from nothing.

‘I wonder if I can win.’

Later, I’m going to kill the protagonist with my own hands.

When that moment comes, I can kill without hesitation. No, I must kill. Because that was the only path left for me.

Even in preparation for the end, I always had to devise methods.

Limited omnipotence obtained at the cost of one’s memory, lifespan, part of the body, or assets.

How can I kill him?

“…What did you ask?”

“Huh?”

“No, you keep staring at me. It’s a bit embarrassing.”

“I was wondering if your hair color is natural.”

“This is probably… a side effect from when I was young. Like, when my ability wasn’t well-controlled, I accidentally sacrificed the color of my hair? Something like that.”

“You don’t know either?”

“Yeah. It’s hard to remember things from when you were young.”

I’ve never heard this story in the original. Is it a setting I don’t know about?

More importantly, your childhood friend is glaring at me like she wants to kill me. Can you do something about it? I’m seriously a bit scared?

So a creature called a woman in love can become so blindly fierce.

For me, who has had everyone I loved or became attached to die, it’s an emotion I can never understand or acquire.

I envy you, who can look at others with a gaze engraved with jealousy.

“Anyway, I need to go to the bathroom for a moment.”

The protagonist, perhaps sensing the sensitive air, left using the bathroom as an excuse.

Hiyeon, who had been watching me with eyes full of chills until just a moment ago, changed her expression like switching masks in a Chinese face-changing performance, and with a bright smile, told him to go well.

Women’s expressions and masks are truly frightening.

Hiyeon looked at me again.

I’ve become like a concubine receiving the jealousy of the legal wife, but I’m not a heroine. Stupid girl.

“You like him, don’t you?”

“…W-What?!”

“I have no interest at all. Originally, I prefer older men. This suit was also a gift.”

There was some lie in there.

The suit was his possession, and it was true that I preferred older people, but it wasn’t men.

However, asking someone to believe without any evidence seems a bit off, doesn’t it?

So I sold some things.

Sorry, mister.

“T-Then…”

“If you really don’t believe me, shall I help you two get together?”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

When I said I would help them get together, her eyes immediately sparkled and came to life. The gaze that had been full of jealousy changed like a melted puppy.

At a glance, she also looked like an innocent country girl about to be swindled by a con artist.

I raised the corners of my mouth and moved my chair closer to her side.

The distance became close enough to share whispers, and I slowly brought my head close to her ear.

‘Didn’t you say that predetermined events will happen?’

: Yes. That’s right.

‘Then, is the story of Jay appearing briefly as a guest instructor also a predetermined event?’

: Yes. There’s just a difference in the order.

‘…That means you can arbitrarily bring the story forward, right?’

: Is there a story you want?

‘Let’s bring forward the black market episode.’

: Didn’t you say you would only follow my orders? You’re suddenly very enthusiastic about this strange plan.

‘You ordered me to get along with these guys. It’s necessary.’

: For now, I understand.

‘Oh, and one last question.’

: Yes?

‘Can that guy already bring out the sword?’

: Yes.

I whispered to her about the black market.

The Black Market Episode.

The protagonist goes to rescue a captured heroine. On the way, he meets a girl captured in the black market. And he adds that girl to his harem.

It’s a mid-story full of that kind of cliché.

Originally, it’s a 2nd-year 1st-semester story where Hiyeon, Ryu Seong’s childhood friend, heads to the black market to find a special ring and potion to ‘confess’ to Ryu Seong—that’s the rough plot.

And I know.

The girl the protagonist rescues in the black market episode becomes his helper. Later, after she grows up, she appears as a heroine in a spin-off.

Then, what if I rescue her instead?

What would happen if I steal the connection that Ryu Seong was supposed to have?

I slowly began to whisper.

“You know the extraterritorial area around the academy, right?”

“…The black market?”

“That’s right. The ability of the ability user in charge of the black market is so rare that even the government can’t touch it.”

“What kind of ability is it?”

“With enough time and materials, it can create elixirs of immortality or love potions… the ability of [Alchemy].”

Gulp-

She swallowed loudly.

My story must be very tempting to her.

You want to gain his love using all sorts of obscene methods, don’t you? Until you give up on your own.

So, in the future, you went to the black market alone. Just from hearing there was a love potion!

It’s not your positive, bright, and smiling appearance that’s needed.

Hiyeon, I like your ugly appearance, desperately struggling in the swamp of sticky desires to get what you want.

The protagonist will sacrifice something precious because of your mistake. Because to save you, he’ll have to defeat [Alchemy]. He’ll use his ability, I tell you.

“Among the special items distributed in the black market with the [Alchemy] ability, I’ve heard there’s a ‘love potion’ that makes the drinker fall in love at once.”

“…Really?”

“What do you think?”

“B-But…”

“Think about it carefully.”

The seed has been planted.

Soon, Hiyeon will secretly head to the black market late at night.

Targeting her unique hair color, her status as an academy student, and her rare [Restoration] ability, [Alchemy] will kidnap her.

Ryu Seong will immediately sacrifice something precious to rescue her.

You’re that kind of person, aren’t you?

Right?

Ryu Seong sat at the table with two cups of coffee topped with sweet whipped cream.

“This is my treat. By the way, you two have gotten closer?”

“Thanks. We just chatted a bit.”

“I’ll enjoy it…!”

The preparations are complete.