…
…
…
"Okay class, it's 9:00 AM so let's take a 10 minute break and come back."
The moment the teacher finished her phrase, I could hear sighs of relief and anticipation from the class.
I opened my bag to get a snack to eat as Miriam called my name.
"Hey…um wanna go eat outside the class with me…?"
While she was speaking, she twirled her black hair with her finger, her eyes switching from me and the ground.
'Shes probably just a shy person.'
I thought before answering her.
"Yeah sure. Lets go."
I looked at her hands and bag and noticed she didn't have anything to eat. I didn't want to make her feel bad or embarrassed about it…
"Ugh…I packed way too much snacks to eat. Theres no way I can finish this."
That wasn't true. I wasn't the type of person who ate a lot. I was always too tired and lazy to pack a real lunch anyway so just a few snacks dis the trick.
"…"
"If you want, you could grab some of my snacks?"
Miriam looked surprised, but also kind of embarrassed. She responded quickly.
"…I mean, if that's not a problem to you…"
"Really, it's fine."
I took two big cookies from my bag and handed them to her.
She hesitantly reached out to take them while smiling awkwardly.
"Thank you then…"
We walk out of the classroom together and found a place to seat.
I checked the time on my phone.
'Damn already 3 minutes have passed…?'
As a slow eater, 7 minutes was not enough for a break.
We started eating and I began to search for conversations in my head. After all, I didn't know this girl at all and how we met was quite…lets say weird.
"Phew, our first meeting really was something huh?"
"Haaah…yeah…never expected to make a friend in a dungeon like that. Also—sorry if I'm being annoying with it—but, thank you again for helping back there."
"No problem, I mean, looking out for each other is what people do."
"…ah yes…is your—"
"Hm?"
I noticed her starring at my leg.
"Is your leg a-alright now?"
I was taken by surprise by this sudden question.
"U-um yeah don't worry. I got it checked and it wasn't that big of a deal anyway…"
She looked at my leg for some time before responding.
"It does look okay thankfully…"
After that, I took out my phone and noticed that we had just a few minutes left before class.
Really? Why do breaks always pass so quickly, but five minutes of class feel so long?
"So…what program are you in?"
Miriam looked at the floor before locking eyes with me.
"I'm in Health Science."
I'm not comfortable with eye contact that much. So, I answered while looking at the floor.
"Hey! We're in the same program! That's cool. Which math teacher did you have on your first session?"
She sighed pretty loudly before answering. She seemed way more relaxed than before.
"Ugh…Min-joon…"
I physically recoiled hearing that name.
"Ah damn, me too…I still have trauma."
"Same."
We both took a bite or two of our food before she asked me more questions.
"S-so, where do you come from?"
I expected this question. I mean, I got it many times before since I don't look Korean.
"Well, it's pretty complicated. I was born and raised in Canada."
I could notice her curious gaze as I glanced quickly at her face.
"Do you speak French?"
"I do actually, it's my first language."
"Whoa…that's cool! English too?"
"Yeah."
My story is pretty complicated. I mean, it doesn't sound like it. But yeah, I was born in Canada and then moved to Korea with my family. I was born around the time Dungeons appeared, so I dont really remember the whole thing. I just remember that we moved to Korea when I was around 10 years old.
My parents thought it would be better since the economy in Korea was thriving. So many hunters, gates and dungeons were appearing after all. But in the end, mom still ended up loosing her job…
I asked Miriam a question.
"What do you want to do after you graduate?"
She pondered quite a while before answering.
"I-I don't really know actually…"
I could notice that she seemed shamed about it. I put my hand on her shoulder.
"Hey, me too. I have no idea what I want to do with my life. I'm just doing my best, hoping for the best and wishing for the best."
She let out a small laugh before taking out her phone and looking at the time.
"Ah! We really need to go back to class. Time passes so fast…"
I took out my phone and noticed that we only had one minute of break left.
"…damn you're right. Let's go."
…
…
…
…
"Ughhhh…I'm gonna kill myself, I swear."
I rolled my eyes so high up I bet I could have seen my small brain.
"D-dont…"
I turned around, towards Miriam. And gave her a confuse look.
"…?"
"Don't say things like that…"
Oh.
"Don't worry girl. I'm just joking."
"…"
We walked out of the class. It felt like it lasted forever and my head was hurting so bad. Thankfully, my day was over.
"I actually don't have another class after this."
"Really?? Lucky…I still have one more right now. Physics."
"Ewwww…"
Miriam laughed a little while talking.
"What?? Physics is fine."
How could someone think that? Physics was the literal death of me.
"W-well, I got to go! See you around Emy!"
She waved and I waved back.
"Bye! Can I get your socials by the way?"
Miriam stopped in her tracks and stood still for a moment. She seemed surprised or hesitant.
"…?"
She snapped out and handed me her phone.
"S-sure! Here you go."
I got her socials and waved bye to her.
***
Arthur and Jin-Hu both had a class together. Although they weren't in the same program, they luckily were in the same English class.
Since Arthur and Jin-Hu already spoke perfect English, they were placed in the highest level.
Arthur was alright with having to study and work more for an English class. However Jin-hu disliked this, because he thought it meant more studying for a lower grade.
While in class, both boys noticed three familiar faces: Suroko, Brad and Lily.
Jin-hu wondered how Suruko would do the oral presentations.
'He probably does it in signs alone with a teacher that can understand I guess.'
During the common two hour break, the five of them gathered at the cafeteria to eat.
…
…
Picking at the big sized salad she bought at the cafeteria, Lily sighed loudly.
"Can you believe that…11 900 Won for a salad?"
Brad looked at his two tuna sandwich in disappointment.
"I swear. How much do you think they make every year with all the money we give them? And they still make everything so expensive."
Both looked at each other before looking at their own food and taking a small bite.
Arthur was eating an egg sandwich Jin-Hu had made while passing the time on his phone.
Trying to look for conversations to have with those two new fellows, Jin-Hu recalled the argument Brad, Lily and Arthur had in the dungeon.
"Hey. Did you guys like…made up or something?"
Brad looked at Lily and Arthur for a short time. He was, in fact, the one who was being extremely annoying back there. However it seemed like he regretted it.
Trying to look as nonchalant as possible, looking at the wall far away in front of him, he continued eating while talking.
"*mmh* I was schressed back vere…"
Lily smiled and laughed while answering.
"I'm not the kind of person who holds grudges anyway. I can understand that it was a bad situation and sometimes people react badly…but that doesn't define their entire character you know?."
Arthur who was calm the entire time had the same opinion as Lily.
"She's right. We're all here now. The past is the past."
Suddenly, with a smile on her face, Lily slapped Brad in the back making him spit out his sandwich.
Arthur, who was in front of him quickly covered his face.
"Hey!"
"Pfff sorry sorry!"
Jin-laughed at Arthur while Lily laughed at Brad.
"By the way, he apologized after anyway so it's all fine."
Brad blushed and quickly stared at Lily.
"Huh..?! Shut up!"
"Hahahah!"
Lily laughed and continued teasing him as the four of them continued eating their food.
…
…
***
Anna-eun Ha decided to start with Beatrice. A day had passed since she woke up in the alley and she was thinking much more clearly.
Although she was furious and wanted to kill Beatrice, she was not stupid enough to simply kill her right now as she did not have any proof. Beatrice was a high ranking hunter in the Holy guild after all. Killing her herself with no proof could lend her in jail or even executed.
"Okay. First lets see."
Anna-eun Ha had gathered information during the whole night.
"First we have that damn Beatrice."
She talked out loud while holding her chin in her right hand. She paced around her bedroom.
"High ranking member of the Holy guild. The current temporary leader is Sophia."
Anna definitely needed to go have a talk with Sophia. Although, it would be very secretive in order to not leak information about what had happened.
"Second, the coffee shop."
Anna-eun Ha had looked up information on the person who served her's and Beatrice's coffees.
She remembered Beatrice talking with that man before coming back to chat.
The man was a nobody. Not even a known hunter. He was a weak E rank who happened to join the Holy guild.
But that was exactly what Anna found strange.
'Why are they letting an E rank in their guild? That doesn't make any sense…especially for that guild.'
At first, Anna had disregarded this information and simply thought the guild needed weaklings to do the bidings they didn't want to do themselves.
However…
"I know Sophia. She's not that kind of person. It's unlikely coming from the real leader too."
And so, Anna theorized.
"What if Beatrice or somone else working with her in the guild hired these E ranks?"
After all, Beatrice was the one who came to recuit her. Although it was a lie to drug her, she still has enough authority to recruit hunters without permission from the guild leader.
Anna-eun Ha knew where the waiter lived. She knew everything about him with the research she had made.
She had to go talk to him. Maybe pressure him. That way, she would find out what drugged her and even who provided the drug.
"…!"
Anna had just thought about this.
Where did Beatrice get the drug?
"This goes deep…if Beatrice is one who got it…but maybe she was supplied? Then there would be multiple people involved."
"Assuming there's many people involved… this is what I need to do."
Anna took the documents and pictures of the people involved.
"First, I'll talk with Sophia. Second, I'll question that weak waiter and hopefully find out where the drug is from and what it is. Lastly…"
Anna recalled the voice she heard while she was knocked out.
'An E rank like you couldn't possibly even heal a scratch on a ranker's body.'
"I have to find out who healed me."
The person who healed her maybe could also have information about the drug…?
Anna-eun Ha quickly opened a map from her inventory pointing to different E rank schools around Korea. She only took a look at those inside Seoul and by process of elimination—
"This one."
[COLLEGE ARI. GRADE E SCHOOL]
This school was the closest to the alley she woke up in. There were multiple habitations and apartments close to that school.
"Maybe…"
Anna halted that thought and quickly opened her laptop and searched:
[Classification tests: E rank schools.]
Anna-eun Ha was familiar with classification tests. When she had awakened at 10 years old, she was forced by the administration (like every hunter) to register and do a classification test. Those who avoid this test are also classified as 'Hiders'.
She browsed and read the articles she was searching for.
"[Drama at E rank school in Daegu!
Multiple Hiders found after a classification test was ordered!
Introduction
Last month, the amount of Hiders found by the administration has continued to rise. In the past week, a classification test was issued after many personnel suspected some students to be Hiders. The test was requested by many teachers, but only got through after the headmaster issued concerned about the situation.]"
Anna-eun Ha did not know you could request tests in E rank schools. She was not surprised, in fact it would have been strange not to. However, she was so detached from the world of E rank hunters that she barely had any care to learn that information in the first place.
She looked up the Ari school that was on her mind.
"[Grade E school Ari classification test.]"
"..!"
She had found the information she wanted, but it wasn't good.
"[After request from the Dungeon Management company, a classification test in the grade E Ari school was issued. However, the headmaster and many staff members opposed the test and viewed it as degrading.
'They spend so much money to do these goddamn tests and when a gate appears they sit on their a**es while students in this school die!'
Says a teacher at the school—]"
'Hm…'
'So the test didn't go through.'
Anna-eun Ha knew what she has to do.
"After meeting with Sophia and that waiter, I'll request a test myself. Being the second ranker of Korea, there's no way it won't go through."
With a determined look in her eyes, Anna closed her laptop and stood up.
***
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace
where there is hatred, let me sow love
where there is injury, pardon
where there is doubt, faith
where there is despair, hope
where there is darkness, light
where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Amen."
As she prayed, Sophia touched her cross necklace. She calmly opened her eyes feeling someone sitting next to her.
A young man.
His hair was completely white, styled in locks and he wore a black bandana with white patterns. His eyes were mint green, contrasting his dark skin making them more noticeable.
Arms relaxed and legs crossed, the man started talking to her.
"So you still go to church sis?"
"Yes Shuuya. It keeps my mind at peace."
"Good for you then."
"…"
"…"
Both stayed silent before Sophia broke the tension.
"Why are you here?"
Shuuya held both of his hands up.
"Hey! I'm just here to say hi to you. You don't even talk to me or Samuel anymore because of your work. Besides, I'm bored lately…no job is coming up."
Sophia's unfazed expression darkened a little upon hearing those words.
"Ignoring my siblings was never my intention. In fact, I want the best for both of you. But you…the path you're taking is paved in corpses."
Shuuya snickered while putting both of his hands behind his head in a relaxed manner. His eyes were looking at the church's ceiling.
"Don't tell me you're going to give me another life lesson?"
Sophia continued keeping her unfazed look. Trying not to fall for her brother's games.
"If by that you mean me telling you to stop being a mercenary and an assassin.? Then you'll be right."
He scoffed.
And with a sarcastic voice he retorted.
"My class isn't assassin tho—"
"You know what I mean."
They looked at each other for some time before Shuuya spoke.
"Welp, is Samuel doing good anyway?"
"Yes. It's been a while since he's joined the Black Cat guild now, but you already know that no?"
"Hm."
"…"
Shuuya got up to leave.
"I'll be going now. Tell Samuel I said hi. If you need someone to take care of your problems, you know who to call. I'll give you a sibling's discount."
Sophia kept looking in front of her as her younger brother left.
"I wish you the best brother."
Shuuya left the church.