episode_0029

With the magazine photoshoot wrapped up without a hitch, there wasn’t much left to do.

Just attending classes without incident, doing assignments without incident… well, just another ordinary day.

I kept the magazine shoot a secret for now. Didn’t want to make a big fuss over nothing.

There were a few juniors who seemed eager to get closer to me, whether subtly or not, but honestly, unless there was some personal chemistry, I didn’t really get that close to them.

Guess it’s like Jungmin-nim said—it isn’t easy.

But what can you do? When it comes to relationships, some people just click, and some don’t.

Plus, more and more people have started asking for my number lately……

……Yeah.

“Um, can I get your number……?”

“I’m not interested in dating. Sorry.”

“Oh, it’s not for dating! I just want to get to know you better.”

“Sorry~”

Situations like this.

Not for dating, my foot. No matter how you slice it, the glint in their eyes screams, “I want to take down a Variant just once.”

Guess the interview from before must’ve spread through the university that I’m not that dangerous of a Variant after all.

That came with pros and cons. The pro? People don’t really fear or avoid me.

The con? Situations like just now. Opportunists trying to weasel their way closer to me, exploiting the fact that I’m not out to hurt anyone.

Wait, I was a guy before, right? What the hell do they even want from someone who hasn’t even been a girl for that long?

Ugh, disgusting.

“Man, your college life sure got a lot livelier after becoming a Variant.”

“You saying that like it’s someone else’s problem?”

“Nah, just thought it was kinda rough.”

While heading to the next class, Hangel chimed in. That bastard was grinning like crazy.

“Enjoying it, aren’t you?”

“How could I not? Seeing Yun Seohyun getting hit on by guys is a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle. You think they’d still be scrambling for your number if they knew what you were like before?”

“Hell no. Unlike you guys.”

“Exactly. Anyway… so, how’s department life treating ya?”

“It’s fun, but exhausting.”

“Yeah, figures you’d still be a shut-in at heart.”

“Well, if you think about it, dragons are usually the type to hole up in their nests and sleep all day, so maybe I just inherited that trait.”

“Says the one who’s been running around nonstop.”

“……Fair point.”

Hanyeol stared at me like I’d just spouted nonsense.

Come to think of it, he had a point.

After becoming a Variant, my range of activity had expanded insanely.

“Well, live however you want.”

“True. Guess I’m already doing just that.”

“So, uh, you met any other Variants lately?”

Then, Hanyeol asked if I’d met other Variants. Other Variants…? I had, but was it okay to talk about it?

…Eh, why not?

Not like I had much else to say anyway, so I gave him a quick rundown of the Variants I’d met recently.

“Just a while ago?”

“Yeah, you met someone? Who?”

“A High Elf and an Arachne.”

“High Elf…? Wait, the silver-haired elf who went to California? Oh, not silver-haired anymore, huh?”

“How’d you know about them?”

“They post occasionally in the Variant communities?”

“…You browse those too?”

“Way more people do than you think. A lot of folks are curious about Variants—I’m one of ’em.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep. So, you met the High Elf? How were they?”

He asked me what the High Elf was like. For Sia’s pride, I considered staying quiet, but… eh, Hanyeol wasn’t the type to blab anyway, so I just told him.

“She was shaking like a leaf around me.”

“Why?”

“Dunno. Some kinda racial fear or something? Y’know, like in fantasy—dragons oppressing elves and dwarves and all that. Probably some residual trauma.”

“Wait, that’s just a fantasy trope. You’re saying it’s actually real?”

“No clue about the details, but it sure seemed that way. And… she was adorable.”

“Adorable? Really? From what I’ve seen in the community, she seemed like she’d be causing chaos left and right.”

“Well… obviously, real life and online personas don’t match. She was pretty calm, actually. And those cheeks were so squishable.”

“How old?”

“A year younger than me.”

“Oho… What about the Arachne? Don’t tell me it was Seo Jinha?”

“How the hell do you know more about Variants than me?”

“Dude, even with casual interest, no one misses Seo Jinha. World-class artisan, daughter of a National Assembly member—hell, her dad’s super influential, so she’s basically the reason we got all those moderate Variant laws.”

…Wait, what about my sister? Why didn’t she know about Seo Jinha?

“Oh? My sister didn’t know either, so I just figured it was insider info.”

“Seriously? What, she live under a rock? She’s everywhere in the news—just turn on your phone.”

“I wouldn’t know. She probably buried herself in studies after college. Business programs are brutal, from what I hear. And then she had me—a Variant—to take care of. No way she had time for news.”

“Ah… yeah, that makes sense. Still, kinda surprising. Last time I saw her, she seemed like the type to be on top of this stuff. So, why’d you meet her?”

“She offered to make me clothes. Obviously, I jumped on that. For free.”

“WHAT?! Seriously?! Her most expensive pieces go for nearly hundreds of millions—you’re telling me you’re getting one of those?!”

“…Hundreds of millions?”

“Yep. Last auction she held, a suit went for—what was it? ‘The world’s only piece personally crafted by an Arachne-type Variant.’ Premium slapped on premium, sold for around a billion won, I think.”

For a second, I wondered if my ears were broken. What? How much? A billion?

“…You serious?”

“What do I gain from lying to you? So you’re seriously getting a free piece worth that much? Damn, bastard hit the jackpot becoming a Variant.”

“I had no idea it was that level. No wonder the quality was insane. Heard she does it free for Variants who ‘inspire’ her or something?”

Hanyeol stared at me, blatant envy dripping from his eyes.

Playfully, I teased him.

“Jealous?”

“Damn right I’m jealous. Sitting on ten billion won falling into your lap—who wouldn’t be?”

“You gonna ask me to treat you or something?”

“Will you?”

“You did just help me realize its worth, so sure.”

“Oh hell yeah. Evening, just the guys?”

“Just us. I’ve had enough junior attention lately—it’s exhausting.”

“Damn, look at you, Miss Popular. Fine, fine.“

As we chatted away while roaming the streets… suddenly, my phone rang.

Checking—it was Agent Choi Jungho.

…Huh? What’s happening at this hour?

“Gotta take this.”

“Got it. I’ll head to the lecture hall first?”

“Save me a seat.”

“You got it.”

As soon as Hanyeol was gone, I answered. The moment the call connected, the agent’s urgent voice crackled through.

—Seohyun-ssi? Are you near Korea University right now?

“Yeah, I’m on campus… what’s going on?”

The tension in Agent Choi’s voice told me something big was happening.

—Well… damn. Didn’t want to ask for help again like this, but it’s urgent. A dangerous wanted Variant is heading toward Korea University!

“Huh? Why would a Variant come here?”

—We don’t know either. This one’s illogical—both in behavior and ability. We’ve been struggling to track them for months. They’d been quiet lately, so we let our guard down… but they suddenly reappeared.

“How dangerous are we talking?”

—If we’re listing crimes—serial murder. Compared to last time’s Minotaur, this one’s body count is way higher, and they slip away effortlessly.

“What kind of Variant?”

—…A demon. A demon-type Variant. Normally, we can’t even pick up their trail, but they’ve been leaving traces everywhere—almost like a declaration. They’re heading straight for Korea University!

This was bad. A demon?

—I really hate to rope you into something this serious, but… we have no choice this time. Can you help?

“The payout better be good.”

—…The bounty on this bastard’s head is already our highest yet.

“Good enough. Starting to feel like a bounty hunter here.”

—I’m really sorry. If things get too dangerous, feel free to run. That’s our job to handle. Normally, we’d never push risks like this onto you… but our agents are outmatched. We need your help.

“Don’t worry. You’ve done a lot for me, so consider this payback. Plus… pretty sure this guy’s here for me. If this is happening because of me, then I’ll handle it.”

—…Thank you.

Instinct whispered the truth—that demon was after me.

I activated Clairvoyance, scanning the surroundings.

Right away, I spotted it—a blurry black mass moving toward me.

…Found you, you demonic bastard.

The speed at which it closed in was insane.

This… if I stay here, others will get caught in the crossfire.

But retreating wasn’t an option either.

It’d reach me before I could move.

And if it took hostages, better to face it head-on while I still controlled the battlefield.

Then—just as I thought that.

BOOOOOOM!

“KYAAAAAAAH!”

The ground erupted, flames geysering upward.

Chaos swallowed the campus as students screamed and fled.

“…Found you.”

A voice—hoarse, like metal scraping—rose from the Hell behind the smoke.

My eyes locked onto the figure.

A man—black horns like a ram’s, black wings, a tail darker than pitch.

No one would mistake him for anything but a demon.

And glaring straight at me, eyes overflowing with fury…

Yeah, no doubt about it.

This bastard was here for me.