Episode 270. Student Council President Moon Surin (2)

It’s an unfamiliar ceiling.

When I opened my eyes, all I could see was pitch-black darkness.

By the light shining through a single, tiny window, I could tell this place was underground.

‘No, that’s not it.’

As I regained a bit more consciousness and felt the sensation on my skin, I realized it was just dried blood covering my eyelids.

But my body was still throbbing painfully, making it difficult to move.

Is this what it feels like to have absolutely no strength left? My mind is clear, but I can’t move at all, like being sleep-paralyzed.

Right before Surin noona came to save me in the end, I was really moving purely on willpower.

The cause is probably the special skill [Sharp Mind].

And my high natural healing power.

If it weren’t for these two things, I would have truly died. I wouldn’t have lasted until Surin noona arrived.

Still, the reassuring thing is that I can see a bright light.

Just escaping from that opaque, insane, plot-breaking barrier was satisfying enough.

Seriously, who developed something like that? It wasn’t in the original work, so I seriously need to think about it.

Slowly, my body awakened and my senses returned.

Then, I noticed the sound of crying nearby.

• Sob, hic… Sniffle…

• D-Don’t cry. Lucy… sob.

‘…What is this?’

The first thing I heard was the voices of the Lucy-Lumi twins.

No, more like sobbing cries than voices.

They must be sad because I’m hurt.

I wanted to comfort them, but then I remembered my body wouldn’t move.

I quickly checked my body’s condition.

The fatigue and strain accumulated throughout my body were still there, but the mana I naturally absorbed as I escaped the barrier was still quite substantial.

Using that, I circulated my mana circuits.

This would help with recovery, even if just a little.

• F-First, I’ll call the medical team quickly.

• Y-Yeah. Quickly!

The twins called the medical team.

The medical team.

If they call the medical team, Baek Ahyoung will probably come too.

I hope she comes soon. My whole body hurts.

I was doing my best to apply first aid by circulating my mana circuits, but when I focused my hearing, I could hear other voices too.

“Thank you so much for saving Hoyeon,”

“Oh, it’s nothing. Look up, Daeun.”

Nam Daeun’s and Moon Surin’s voices.

I don’t know why they’re here together… but it seems saving me wasn’t just Surin noona’s doing.

“Not at all. Alice, thank you so much too. If anything I said earlier offended you, I apologize.”

“…Okay.”

What’s more, Alice’s voice was there too.

How did so many heroines end up gathered here?

A whopping five of them.

It wasn’t just two or three; this was the first time five had gathered.

I wanted to get up immediately and see what was going on, but my body still wouldn’t obey me.

“D-Daeun. Look up now. You went through a lot too.”

Moon Surin reacted to Nam Daeun’s gratitude with a surprised voice.

A scene of mutual gratitude and understanding.

Though I couldn’t see it, it was truly beautiful.

Still, the fortunate thing is that there’s no friction among the heroines.

Catfights or anything like that, I absolutely hate.

This is a matter of life and death for the harem.

The best outcome would be the heroines naturally becoming friends…

“Daeun. I have something I want to ask you.”

Just then. Alice’s voice struck my ears.

A very sweet… salesperson-like lady’s tone.

“…Yes.”

“With Hoyeon, how far have you progressed?”

Hearing Alice’s words made my heart sink. It wasn’t a joke; my body temperature probably dropped by a degree.

Wait a second.

What’s wrong with her?

What is she unhappy about?

Just wait.

Is she sulking because I didn’t give her a massage?

That’s not something that should come up in the flow of conversation so far. You were clearly thanking each other just moments ago!

‘Calm down.’

It’s okay.

Fortunately, the one who brought up that topic is Nam Daeun.

Nam Daeun, who can do anything for me…

“…? Alice. What are you talking about? Daeun and Hoyeon…”

“I don’t know why you’re curious about that… but if you are curious, I can tell you.”

“Huh?”

Moon Surin reacted with bewilderment to Nam Daeun’s words, looking confused.

‘No, why would you answer like that right there!’

You shouldn’t be doing that, right?

You said you’d live for me.

Daeun…!

The sobbing voices of Lucy and Lumi also disappeared.

They were probably focusing on the conversation.

‘If I let this go on, I’m really fucked.’

My instincts were warning me. No, even without a warning, any normal person would know that this is a dangerous situation.

Five women who are interested in me are gathered here.

What’s more, they aren’t weak girls. They are women with great power.

A situation where real bloodshed could occur.

I quickly racked my brain.

I had to come up with a way to stop that conversation, no matter what.

Fortunately, a method I could execute immediately popped into my head, and without going through any review process, I put it into action.

“Gack…!”

I manipulated my mana to stimulate the nerves behind my uvula.

This naturally induced a gag reflex, and the blood pooled in my mouth flowed down my cheek with a light cough.

It was a reaction like a patient coughing to regain consciousness.

“A-Are you okay?!”

“Hoyeon-ssi!”

“Hoyeon-ah!”

Fortunately, as intended, I succeeded in distracting them.

My body hurts like hell, but it’s fine.

It’ll probably heal in a day or two anyway.

*

“…”

Just as something important was about to be said, Lee Hoyeon coincidentally regained consciousness.

The situation unfolding as if planned made Alice frown. But even so, she couldn’t continue the conversation now that Lee Hoyeon had woken up.

The Lucy-Lumi twins and Moon Surin rushed to Lee Hoyeon, while Nam Daeun stared blankly at Alice, as if daring her to continue. Her face, devoid of any emotion, was slightly chilling.

Alice turned her gaze from Nam Daeun to Moon Surin.

“President.”

“Yes. Huh?”

• It’s the medical team!

“…Haa.”

Alice felt like the world was conspiring against her. The timing couldn’t have been worse.

The Saintess I saw earlier was also running over with the medical team. Was it because she heard Lee Hoyeon was injured? She seemed less composed than before.

In the end, Alice looked at Moon Surin and quietly added one last thing.

“…Think carefully.”

Baek Ahyoung, who had run over with her hair wildly disheveled, sent a warm light into Lee Hoyeon’s chest.

“Ah, ah… Ah. Thank goodness. Thank goodness. Y-You… gasp.”

Baek Ahyoung squeezed her eyes shut and placed her hand on her chest. It was to calm her heart, startled by the news of Lee Hoyeon’s injury.

Fortunately, after examining him directly, his life was not in danger. Judging by his appearance, it wouldn’t have been strange if he died right then, but internally, he was fine. Although immense fatigue had accumulated, he would need to rest well for about a day.

Baek Ahyoung looked around after checking on Lee Hoyeon’s condition.

Lucy and Lumi. Moon Surin. Nam Daeun. Alice.

Now that I see it, the condition of the other students wasn’t great either. They had all used a lot of mana.

“Medical team. Please examine them one by one first. And, huh? W-Wait, Miss Alice. What’s wrong with your condition?!”

“What? What are you talking about?”

My head hurts a little and my body is throbbing, but it’s not that bad.

Thump-

“…Ah.”

After taking one step forward, her legs gave out completely, and only as she collapsed onto the ground did Alice grasp her own condition. As the tension released, nausea and dizziness suddenly washed over her. Her entire body felt like it was screaming to release its mana.

“Here! This is an emergency patient!”

“Saintess! Student Moon Surin’s condition is also….”

“This way too!”

“Saintess!”

“…Just transport everyone!”

*

“…Ugh.”

Lee Hoyeon and Alice were carried away on stretchers. Nam Daeun and the Lucy-Lumi twins walked away, supported by others.

Moon Surin, who had watched everything from behind, scratched her head. Maintaining that barrier was apparently incredibly difficult.

“I hope everyone stays healthy.”

Ironically, she, who had directly engaged in combat, was in the best condition. Of course, Baek Ahyoung recommended she get checked up just in case, but Moon Surin couldn’t stand the thought of someone else’s turn being pushed back because of her.

“…”

After everyone had left like that, and silence fell, reality finally hit Moon Surin. It felt like a scene from a movie had just finished filming.

The emotions she had suppressed surged upon her all at once.

Today, she had met her father, who had become a demon after ten years, and fought him. She had watched the man she liked get beaten to the brink of death, and barely managed to save him.

Moreover, the meaningful words she heard afterward kept echoing in Moon Surin’s ears.

‘With Hoyeon, how far have you progressed?’

Why did Alice ask Nam Daeun something like that? It wasn’t just anyone; it was Alice. The daughter of the information guild, Iris Guild. If it was her saying it, it wasn’t unbelievable.

Nam Daeun and Lee Hoyeon might have something going on. The coincidence of them leaving the dormitory together also existed, so that suspicion grew stronger within Moon Surin.

And finally, Alice’s words to “think carefully.”

Moon Surin’s mind grew increasingly complicated.

Thump-thump.

Just then. Footsteps that broke through Moon Surin’s thoughts were heard.

“…Surin-ah.”

A middle-aged gait carrying weight and a deep voice. It was the voice of the Chairman, filled with concern for his granddaughter.

Usually, she disliked hearing her grandfather’s voice, but somehow, Moon Surin felt her chest tighten now.

“Grandfather.”

“Are you alright… Surin-ah?”

The Chairman couldn’t hide his surprise upon seeing his granddaughter. Her usually confident eyes were red and teary. Since she had matured, Moon Surin had never shown weakness, so he was even more surprised.

“Grandfather… I saw Dad.”

Moon Surin couldn’t contain the emotions welling up inside her. She felt tears flowing down her cheeks, but the sorrow overwhelmed any sense of shame.

“Wh-What? What are you talking about? Your father? Surin-ah. Surin-ah?!”

“I, I… I…”

Everything that had been building up inside her seemed to explode at once.

Stress and resentment.

Loneliness.

All her negative emotions erupted.

“…Surin-ah, come here. My child… Try to speak slowly.”

Chairman Moon Jae-cheol, who had been about to excitedly press Moon Surin upon hearing the word “father,” calmed himself upon seeing her state. A fragile child on the verge of breaking.

‘How did it come to this?’

Moon Jae-cheol slowly patted his granddaughter’s back. As if soothing a small child, very slowly.

“D-Dad. Dad… he attacked me. He tried to kidnap me… sob…”

“…Yes. My child. Tell me comfortably.”

Moon Jae-cheol exerted his mana to create a barrier, so that no one else could see his granddaughter’s vulnerable state. No one could see her sobbing figure.