Chapter 29

"Party creation authority…?"

Instructor Baek Seol-hee raised an eyebrow, surprised by my unexpected request.

"Yes, I want to form a party right after enrollment."

I glanced back at Kang Do-hee, who flinched at my words.

In Velvet School Life!, before the character I chose gained the authority to create a party, or in other words, before the midterm exams, the game forced players to go through the story on auto-battle.

'This is how our game works.'

In other words, it was a tutorial. So, my request was to skip the tutorial!

'The sooner I get this, the better. With party authority, I can clear dungeons early on.'

With no character gacha in the current situation, its importance had skyrocketed. If I put Lee Yoo-ri and Kang Do-hee's names on my party now, no one else could take them.

"...Hmm, your request is more unexpected than I thought."

"Can't I?"

"No, I'll do whatever I can to make it happen."

Instructor Baek Seol-hee pondered for a moment before nodding decisively.

'Yes!'

I inwardly rejoiced.

Tap─!

Instructor Baek Seol-hee snapped her fingers, changing the atmosphere.

"There was an unpleasant incident, but let's finish what we started. I'll give you an evaluation of today's joint training."

Everyone's faces stiffened.

"Special admission students. Kang Do-hee, Shin Se-hee."

"...Yes."

"...Yes."

"Do you know what your problem is?"

Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee bit their lips.

"You must have thought you could do everything alone. That parties are unnecessary, or that as long as you're not directly under my command, you only need to do enough."

Instructor Baek Seol-hee alternated her gaze between Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee.

"Of course, you could make excuses. Today, you were restricted by magic-limiting devices. If you remove these, it's a different story."

Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee fiddled with the devices on their arms.

"For convenience, I restricted your powers, but in reality, this training assumes facing much stronger enemies. So, Kang Do-hee, will you still not give any commands as the party leader and just rush ahead on your own? Shin Se-hee, will you still only do your own thing and act as if cooperation is unnecessary?"

"..."

"..."

"I'll deduct 10 points from both of you."

Kang Do-hee and Shin Se-hee bowed their heads.

"Jin Yuha."

"Yes."

Instructor Baek Seol-hee turned to me.

Her stern gaze seemed a little softer now.

"Considering the strengths of all party members, gathering information about the enemy, making judgments, and showing good sense and intuition. All of these are passable. You have excellent observation skills. Plus 30 points."

The instructor lowered the scores of the special admission students and raised mine.

The compliment from the demon detector was even better than the one from the game. I scratched my cheek, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Thank you."

But Instructor Baek Seol-hee soon frowned and added,

"However, taking away the party leader's command without any warning is a violation of discipline and order. That's a significant deduction of 30 points…"

"Wait a minute!"

Suddenly, Kang Do-hee interrupted.

"Hmm?"

"Th, Jin Yuha didn't take away the party leader's authority!"

Kang Do-hee's sudden defense.

'I thought she would just stay quiet while I take the blame since she was so annoyed…'

I looked at Kang Do-hee, puzzled.

"...Then?"

"Th, fr, from the beginning…! I was going to yield it to Jin Yuha…"

Instructor Baek Seol-hee smirked, already aware of what had transpired during the joint training.

Kang Do-hee's lie was too obvious.

But instead of pointing it out, she smiled in satisfaction.

"Okay. In that case, I'll cancel Jin Yuha's deduction. Kang Do-hee, do you yield your authority as the party leader to Jin Yuha?"

"From today onwards, I yield it to Jin Yuha."

Kang Do-hee said, looking at me.

'Why is she looking at me with such a pitiful face, like a drenched puppy…?'

I tilted my head, confused.

"Does anyone have any objections?"

"I, I'm fine…"

"None!"

"None!!"

Shin Se-hee's gaze seemed a little more dangerous now, and the quota students clapped enthusiastically.

Clap, clap, clap─!!!

And so, the joint training came to an end.

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Kang Do-hee returned home after training, her face devoid of expression.

"...He's not a demon."

She had thought that the request was specifically for her, but it wasn't.

It was natural. The role of catching demons was more likely to be given to instructors than prospective students.

So, the request she had received was only to observe and maintain distance, not to catch the demon.

Thud!

Thud!

Thud!

She banged her head against the wall, feeling incredibly stupid.

Ring─♪

Her phone buzzed in her pocket. She took it out and checked the notification.

[Designation Request Canceled.]

[A cancellation fee of 5,000,000 won has been paid.]

A text message informed her that the request had been canceled.

One-tenth of the completion fee she was supposed to receive. She hadn't done anything, yet 5 million won had been deposited into her account. But Kang Do-hee felt no joy as she looked at the amount on the screen.

Instead,

Guilt filled her heart.

'I knew…

People who point fingers and turn their backs without listening to denials, no matter how much you protest. People who get worn down and broken in that environment.

Kang Do-hee knew such a person. And she knew how that person's story ended.

The former guild master of Parandis, Choi Hye-seo, who had now retired.

But Kang Do-hee, who had witnessed the whole process right beside her, had almost caused trouble by accusing someone who wasn't a demon of being one, just because the circumstances were suspicious.

Just because of suspicion alone.

Of course, she hadn't actually done anything yet. But what if Jin Yuha hadn't been proven not to be a demon today?

Clearly, as the instructor said, she would have done something irreparable and regretted it for the rest of her life.

Kang Do-hee's heart sank.

Just then.

Ring─♪

Her phone buzzed again.

Sender – Black Snake.

[Jin Yuha Video VER.2]

'What's this…?'

The Hunter Management Bureau had sent another video of Jin Yuha.

'Why are they sending this even though it's been confirmed that Jin Yuha isn't a demon…? Ah, maybe they haven't received the news yet?'

While the higher-ups knew that Jin Yuha wasn't a demon, it seemed the low level employees hadn't been informed yet.

Kang Do-hee was about to press the delete button when she hesitated.

'Before I delete it… Let's, let's just take a look…'

Kang Do-hee swallowed hard and downloaded the video. As she played it, her eyes widened.

In yesterday's video, Jin Yuha had appeared to be oppressing the other students. It only showed him showcasing his overwhelming skills and cutting down other students with a wooden sword.

But today's video was different.

The setting was the same, but Jin Yuha was extending his hand to the quota students, who seemed to have been wronged.

And in the video, Jin Yuha says,

─ It's only natural to save your party members when they're in danger.

'Ah, that fight yesterday was to save them…!'

Ah─!

With this realization, a chill ran down her spine. Kang Do-hee bit her lip, overwhelmed by emotion.

Now that her mind was clear, she could see.

In such a dangerous situation, someone who casually extends a hand to help.

"Guild master…"

The guild master's face overlapped with Jin Yuha's.

'I need to apologize…'

But on what grounds…? With what nerve…?

In fact, I thought you were too suspicious to be human… So I tried to hand you over to the Management Bureau?

Kang Do-hee's face twisted.

Then, Jin Yuha's words came to mind.

─ From now on, I won't talk to you first. Just listen to what I'm saying now.

─ Later, if you come to me with any questions, I will always answer you honestly.

Ah.

Perhaps Jin Yuha had known from the beginning that he would be suspected.

With such abnormal strength in a man's body, he must have experienced such things many times before. That's why when he was suspected of being a demon, Jin Yuha casually asked if he should go to the Hunter Management Bureau.

'So, he's been hiding his strength until now… And he got caught just before coming to the Academy.'

─ And when I said I wanted to be friends with you, that won't change either. So, keep that in mind.

At the time, how had she responded?

─ What the hell kind of stupid thing are you saying? Do you think I'll ever come to you?

Jin Yuha had shrugged and said,

─ I don't know.

That casual remark now felt like a lifeline to her.

"...Ha. Shit."

Kang Do-hee covered her face with her hands and laughed bitterly.

"I, I'll do it…"

Jin Yuha had told her to come to him directly whenever she wanted to talk, but honestly, she didn't have the courage yet.

For now, yes.

First, she would get to know Jin Yuha better and follow his commands properly.

Apologizing,

Later.

Anyway, he was the party leader now.

Kang Do-hee nodded firmly.

Then, she played the video on her phone again.

Click.

─ It's only natural to save your party members when they're in danger.

"...Shit. So damn cool."

Kang Do-hee lay on her bed, watching Jin Yuha's video all night

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