It’s already too late.
It’s inevitable that I look like a strange person in the eyes of others.
I must appear to be someone who has done something wrong.
And in reality, I am.

[8 hours 5 minutes]

The decline of time is too steep.
It’s because I’ve created two weapons.
I don’t know how to make them disappear.
It’s the military-grade drugs.
Drugs made for fighting against enemies.
I ponder who the enemy is.

“Disappear, damn it.”

Han Si-hu says something.
But I can’t hear it.
The sound of my heartbeat is too loud.

I can no longer see Lena, who was frozen in place.
Where did she go?
I did tell her to disappear.
But that was because of the sword in my hand.

I think it over again.
Who is the enemy?
It’s not the academy students.
They are talented individuals trying to become heroes at the academy.
I want to be a hero too.

I just have to kill villains and monsters.
That should be enough to prove it.
I’m on your side too.

I need to change the direction of the sword.
There’s no one who has benefited from attacking the main characters.
Let’s kill the villain.
But where is the villain?

[7 hours 33 minutes]

I recall what happened last time.
The drug the doctor gave me.
It amplified my emotions to an unusual degree.
That’s the one.
This is a similar type of drug.

It’s a similar situation as before, but this time I’m not attacking.
Maybe I’ve gained some self-control, or the drug’s effect is weaker.

It was just a simple misunderstanding.
There’s no reason to be angry.
Even before the misunderstanding, I broke at least one arm.
I was told I was subduing them.
So it wouldn’t be strange if a similar situation arose this time.

But this time I have strength, so it’s different.
I won’t let anything be taken away from me now.

But I’ve already lost everything.
I have no friends.
I have no home.

The place where I belong has always been too narrow.

[6 hours 58 minutes]

The drug's effect is insufficient.
The enemies I need to kill are nowhere to be seen.

Where did Lena go?
I need to avoid surprise attacks.
I step back, pressing my back against the wall.

Silver hair is easy to spot.
But I can’t see her.
Did she go outside?

But, you know.
When it’s just Han Si-hu and me, it feels like a good match.
The place where Yoo Seo-ah should have been is now taken by Lena.
Is it arrogant to say “instead”?

“Ah…”

I don’t know.
Now even thinking feels like a luxury.
My instincts gradually begin to take control of my actions.

[6 hours 22 minutes]

“I don’t know.”

The weapons I created won’t disappear.
I feel like they’ll stay like this until I win a battle.
I sense it instinctively.
The fact that my fear is dulling is terrifying.

[5 hours 55 minutes]

I definitely need more drugs.
I think the person preventing me from using the drugs is the enemy.
Who has the drugs?
Han Si-hu?

No, Han Si-hu just receives the drugs too.
Lee Yu-ram has them.
Then what?
I’ll kill him and take them.

Should I go down to the basement?
I never liked it from the start.
If the academy really wanted to help me, it wouldn’t be like this.

The enemy is Lee Yu-ram.
I’ll take care of him first and get more drugs.
And then?
I’ll raid the factory where the drugs are made.
I believe a way will appear.

“…Found you.”

I spot Lee Yu-ram coming up the stairs.
He’s holding a syringe in one hand and a bag in the other.

With the weapons I have now, I can’t reach him.
It’s too far to run, and he might escape.

—Thwack.

I extend the sword, lengthening it like a spear, longer than a spear.

[4 hours 36 minutes]

The consumption of time is severe.
But I successfully lengthen the weapon.
A long, sharp thorn stretches toward Lee Yu-ram.
Soon, it reaches his neck—

“[Purification].”

The word is clear to hear.
I don’t know the reason at all, but the word mixed with some sort of power resonates well.
It’s one of the skills Han Si-hu has.

It’s a passive skill, but if activated directly, it’s stronger.
Was it activated while in contact with his body?
Contact with the body?
Before I know it, my arm is being held.

“Han Si-hu?”

Purification.
What was its effect again?
It feels like something is about to be purified.

Crunch.

The weapon I was holding crumbles like a snack.
Black magical energy scatters in pieces.

[1 hour 21 minutes]

Time feels strange.

“Uh.”

I need to stop.
Time is dangerous.
Han Si-hu must think that purification is the right action.
To some extent, that’s true.
I stopped trying to attack Lee Yu-ram.
But this puts me in trouble.

“Don’t.”

I understand.
Since he failed last time, Han Si-hu probably found his own way.
But that’s not the important part.

“D-Don’t do that.”

I push Han Si-hu away.
But the hand holding me doesn’t loosen.
He shows no sign of hostility toward me.
That’s the problem.

With one skill, four hours disappeared.
If I go any further, it will really be dangerous.

“It’s fine now, so don’t do it.”

[1 hour 14 minutes]

Not yet.
Not yet.

“I’m sane. I wasn’t really trying to fight.”

Is he thinking of saving me?
It’s justice.
I can see the shining justice.
Han Si-hu seems to be preparing his next skill.
That’s how it looks.

“I’m fine…”
I mumble again.
My voice has grown too weak.
Now it sounds like my words can’t even convince me.

“This skill… is for monsters, right…”
The light of justice is treating me like a monster.
But I’m still a human.
I’m neither a villain nor a monster.

Han Si-hu pauses for a moment before letting go of my hand.

I am a human.
Maybe.
I am a human.
Aren’t I?

“So, hey, the drugs…”

[56 minutes]

I don’t feel human.
I think I look too pathetic.
I don’t want to live like this.

—Thud.

Ah.
It’s the medicine.

[12 hours 32 minutes]

“Things are a mess.”

Lee Yu-ram says this as he surveys the first-floor lobby.
Chairs with broken legs, tables with knife marks.

This is within the expected range.
If I managed to get by without using that drug, that would be weirder.
Lee Yu-ram thinks of the military dog that was given the drug.
Yoo Seo-ah overlaps in his mind.

“It’s my fault for letting Seo-ah meet Lena.”

Han Si-hu feels guilty.
This situation likely arose from the triggering of some trauma.
Even now, Han Si-hu doesn’t truly know Yoo Seo-ah’s condition.
It was intentional.

“I thought this problem might arise, so I was going to put Seo-ah in the special class.”

“Excuse me?”

“Just like last time when Seo-ah tried to attack you, I can’t guarantee that something similar won’t happen. In a way, you could say it’s isolation…”

That’s a plausible reason.
To some extent, it’s true.
I knew Yoo Seo-ah would cause trouble.

‘Purification is unexpected. Given her condition, does it remove even the effects of drugs mixed with mana?’
Lee Yu-ram planned to intervene when the situation became serious.
He also had a sedative prepared in advance.
But Yoo Seo-ah suddenly changing her target to Lee Yu-ram was unexpected.
The nape of his neck, which had almost been touched by the blade, feels cold.

If Han Si-hu hadn’t moved, Lee Yu-ram would have had to subdue Yoo Seo-ah directly.
Still, as a professor at the academy, there should be a way to neutralize Yoo Seo-ah.

“Here, this is the sedative I used earlier. There’s a syringe, and this is a pill, so if things seem off, give it to her.”

He says this while handing over the medicine.
It’s a path that Yoo Seo-ah chose with her own will.
He hadn’t planned to give her military-grade drugs, but she wanted them so badly.

The plan to quietly start in the special class was just moved up a bit.

“Will this actually heal her?”

Han Si-hu asks with doubt.
Yoo Seo-ah’s condition.
Is she better than when she attacked Han Si-hu last time?
He believes she’s genuinely saying she doesn’t want to attack.
But she was still holding a sword.

“Healing isn’t that easy. We need to take our time and wait. That’s why your role is important.”

The problem will get more serious.
I should have escaped when I was told to.
Lee Yu-ram thinks this as he continues.

“Be careful when you meet people, and if it’s really difficult, ask for help. There’s a way for the academy to manage things directly.”

But that’s not what Han Si-hu wants.
He doesn’t trust the academy to that extent.

“I know, that’s not what I want, right? It looks like the academy is holding Seo-ah hostage. I’m keeping an eye on things, but you have to take care of her well.”

Even so, as long as the academy is the supplier of the drugs, Han Si-hu can’t rebel against them.

“Okay. Thank you.”

“And about that purification earlier, it seems like it’s a burden for Seo-ah. It might be better not to use it.”

He calculates whether Han Si-hu’s ability might interfere with the development of military-grade drugs.
Lee Yu-ram decides to mark this as a point of concern.

“Yeah. I thought it was dangerous for the teacher…”

“Just leaving it alone would have been fine. He’s skilled enough for that. It’s different if he were a regular student.”

The weapon increases in size at will.
In a way, the form of attack has evolved.
When I first met Han Si-hu, he was just swinging a sword.

“You were with Lena, right? Then it’s probably best to inform her separately.”

The fewer witnesses, the better.
It’s not good if rumors spread too widely.

“Oh, I’m here.”

Lena steps out from behind a pillar, looking around cautiously.
It seems she was using a stealth skill.

“Yeah. Okay. You probably have a rough idea of what’s going on, right? If you want to say something…”

I’m trash.
I’m something similar to a monster.
As long as I have the drugs, I can somehow manage.

That’s what I wanted to say.

[10 hours 33 minutes]

So it’s back to the dormitory.
Am I on the bed?
I feel sluggish and weak.

They said it’s a sedative.
It feels good in its own way, but I question whether it’s appropriate for humans.
From the remaining effects, it seems like it could render someone unconscious for at least several hours.

“Ugh…”

I haven’t even entered the academy, and I’ve already made a mess.
I don’t even know what I’ve done.
Lee Yu-ram wouldn’t get angry and refuse to give me the drugs, right?
It seemed odd that he inserted the sedative as if it was prepared beforehand.
I thought he was a nice person.

“…Ah.”

I finally manage to lift my body.
I feel somewhat refreshed.
Strangely, it feels empty.

“Where did my clothes go…”

The bandages have been changed.
There’s ointment on the places where I had wounds.
Even on the bruises on my stomach.

“Y-You’re awake?”

It’s not Han Si-hu.
It’s Lena, who has her face covered with a hat, mask, and sunglasses.
She tried to hide her striking silver hair, but there’s no way that would work.

She seems to have covered herself, thinking I might recognize her and attack.
But now, it’s fine.
The effects of the military-grade drugs are minimal.
The sedative is too strong.

“Ah, I was in the middle of changing the bandages.”

But why is she here?
What conversation did she have with Lee Yu-ram?
I don’t know where Han Si-hu went.

“Don’t worry, I’m a friend who’s here to help you!”

Thanking her for saying that to someone who was trying to attack her just a few hours ago is a bit ironic.
But I don’t know why she’s doing this here.
This is definitely Han Si-hu’s room.

“…Whatever happened in the past, I’ll help you.”

What is she saying?
I can’t understand, maybe because of the sedative.