The Academy Geniuses I Raised and Dressed

I realized something was wrong on Tuesday afternoon.

Since all Hunter-related outdoor classes were conducted jointly, both Class A and Class B had gathered at the training grounds.

“Huh?”

Lumina, who had been glancing around, wore a puzzled expression.

“Meiling’s not here.”

“Maybe she just hasn’t come down yet?”

“Maybe.”

At my reply, Lumina tilted her head, looking toward the main building.

But even after class started, there was still no sign of Meiling.

I approached one of the Class A students to ask about her.

“Meiling? She didn’t show up today. Wouldn’t you know more about that than I would?”

The girl spoke with a look that said she had no idea why I was asking her.

No way.

If Meiling hadn’t shown up for class, it could mean her scenario had moved to the next stage.

After one round of training, I called her.

The call didn’t go through.

“Do you think she’s sick?” Lumina asked with concern.

“She could just be sleeping.”

I didn’t actually believe that, but it was the most natural answer to give.

Even during the next break, we took turns calling her, but she never picked up.

I could see Lumina’s expression grow darker with each attempt.

“This won’t do. I’m going to her room.”

Even though we still had class, Lumina ran off in her combat uniform.

She’s probably not going to let you in.

As expected, my guess was right.

Just before class resumed, Lumina returned, looking even gloomier than before—if this were a comic, her face would have been shaded pitch-black.

After class began, I tore a page from my notebook, scribbled a message, and had it passed to Lumina.

Did you see Meiling?

A short while later, the paper came back with her reply scrawled in shaky handwriting.

She told me not to come in. Said she doesn’t want to see us for a while.

It was a sudden, complete cutoff—completely different from her behavior on Saturday.

That confirmed it.

Don’t worry too much. I doubt she really doesn’t want to see us.

Really? How can you be so sure, Yein?

Because it’s too sudden. She must have another reason—one she can’t explain to us.

Lumina held onto the paper for a while before passing it back.

Okay. I’ll trust you.

I tucked the note into my pocket.

The reason for Meiling’s behavior was obvious—Kai.

He must have told her to dig for my weaknesses.

She was struggling with his orders.

For the first time, she had comrades. And though she’d never admit it, for the first time, she had friends.

Now she was being told to betray them because of her father’s orders.

For someone who despised lies and hypocrisy more than anyone, this was nothing short of mental suicide.

If this doesn’t get resolved, she could even end up taking her own life.

In other words, this was the final stage.

Now then, what’s the plan?

As Nam Yein—not the protagonist—I needed a concrete way to see Meiling’s scenario end in a happy ending.

In a room on the third floor of the girls’ dormitory, Meiling lay on her bed.

She stared at the ceiling without moving, like a corpse with its eyes open.

She hadn’t eaten or drunk anything all day, but she felt neither hunger nor thirst.

The pain inside her was far greater than either.

What am I even doing?

Record every conversation with Nam Yein and Lumina, and send them to me.

That was her father’s order from yesterday.

She hated it.

If they found out, their relationship would never be the same.

Just imagining Yein and Lumina looking down at her with faces full of contempt filled her with a despair she’d never felt before.

It was as if her blood had turned to ice water.

But refusing her father’s order was equally impossible.

She knew herself too well.

She was the daughter of the president of Forward Magic Engineer.

Without that title, she was just a brat with a bad personality.

Even buying clothes for the two of them and showing off had only been possible because she was Kai’s daughter.

So she had no choice but to obey him.

Defying him would be like destroying her own world.

In the end, her only choice was to run away.

She skipped school and shut herself in her dorm room.

But even that wasn’t true escape.

How long can I keep this up?

The academy staff had surely contacted Kai by now.

He could call her at any moment.

I can pretend to be sick for a day or two… but after that?

Soon, she would have to choose—remain her father’s daughter, or remain their comrade.

Meiling hugged her pillow, burying her face in it and screaming.

If she didn’t, she felt like her head would explode.

“Yein…”

Thursday morning.

The moment she saw me in class, Lumina called my name, her face full of worry and fear.

“Meiling still won’t open her door… What do we do?”

Her voice was on the verge of tears.

At this rate, Lumina was going to reach her limit first.

“I waited in the cafeteria, but she never showed. What if she dies like this?”

“Calm down. Meiling may be childish, stubborn, and not the most honest person, but she’s not stupid enough to starve herself.”

My words made Lumina blink in surprise.

“D-don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?”

“It’s all true.” I shrugged.

“Aren’t you worried about her, Yein?”

To be honest, not really.

Not because I’m a psychopath, but because I knew what would happen next.

“She knows she can’t just stay in her room forever.”

I said it to reassure her.

“When we see her again, let’s scold her for making us worry.”

“…Okay.” Lumina nodded.

That evening, after all classes were over, things finally changed.

[Yein! Meiling’s gone!!]

The moment I answered Lumina’s call in my room, she blurted it out.

“What do you mean gone?”

[The dorm supervisor said she left this afternoon—in regular clothes!]

Which meant she’d gone outside the academy.

“Lumina, change clothes and meet me at the front gate. We’re going to find her.”

[You know where she is!?]

“Yeah. I have a guess.”

[O-okay!]

It was the most determined I’d heard Lumina sound in days.

Running away again.

Walking down the street, Meiling almost laughed at herself out loud.

Her father had called that morning.

She could tell just from his voice that he’d reached his limit.

[Be in the classroom within 30 minutes. If you defy me again, I’ll send someone to drag you out by force.]

The fact that he gave an exact time meant he was dead serious.

Meiling bit her lip and reached into her wardrobe for her uniform—then froze.

For about five minutes, she stood there motionless. Then, instead of her uniform or one of her dresses, she grabbed a set of plain street clothes she rarely touched.

Using her unlimited leave pass, she walked straight out of the academy.

By now, Father’s people are already looking for me.

For the first time in her life, she was defying one of her father’s orders.

He’s probably furious enough to have ordered them to drag me straight to him.

What would she say if she got caught?

It didn’t matter—whatever she said, the end result would be the same.

She would end up following his orders and facing Nam Yein and Lumina with the false words, false smile, and false gestures she despised most.

Meiling glanced around.

She had taken a bus for the first time in her life, riding it all the way to the last stop.

The streetlights were sparse along this road.

There wasn’t a soul in sight—not even passing cars.

Maybe I should just leave the city entirely. Find some empty place and live alone…

She let out a short laugh.

As if I could do that. I can’t even cook rice on my own.

Impossible.

Just then, Yein’s voice echoed in her mind.

“If you want to break free from the chains binding you, you need a tool or power that can cut them—whatever form that may take.”

After saying that, Yein had told her she had the talent to acquire such things.

“Liar,” Meiling muttered, clenching her fist.

She had no idea what Yein thought she saw in her.

“—!!”

Headlights suddenly flared behind her.

A car—on this road that had been dead silent—had appeared out of nowhere.

Her instincts screamed danger.

She turned, tense, as the car stopped and people got out.

“There you are, Lady Meiling.”

“Miller…”

It was her father’s subordinate, the one who had acted as her attendant back when she lived at home.

“Please come with us. Wandering around the outskirts alone is dangerous.”

Her gaze shifted past Miller to the others with him—civilians, all except for him.

“…No.”

“Lord Kai has ordered us to bring you back.”

“I said no!”

Meiling shouted, reaching behind her waist. She was still wearing her inventory belt.

“Lady Meiling, please reconsider,” Miller said as he watched her equip a skill slot to her arm.

“If you resist, I’ll have no choice but to escort you by force.”

Instead of replying, Meiling used a movement skill.

In an instant, she closed the distance to freedom and bolted down the night streets.

“You take the car. I’ll chase her on foot,” Miller ordered.

“Yes, sir.”

Even without using any skills or abilities, Miller caught up to her in under a minute—

—and not just caught up.

He deliberately kept the gap just right, subtly herding her into a dead-end alley surrounded by abandoned houses.

Meiling glared at him.

“Please give up, milady,” Miller said flatly.

“How many times do I have to say I don’t want to go?”

This time, she pulled a magic wand from her inventory.

The crimson-glowing wand made Miller sigh.

“Lord Kai said that if you resisted to the very end, I should make you know your place before bringing you back.”

Her eyes widened.

“Please, milady. You’re still just a trainee. I don’t want to hurt you. Put the weapon away and come with me.”

Meiling felt her strength drain away.

Make you know your place.

That meant violence was on the table.

She wasn’t his daughter—she was a tool for Chen Kai’s ambitions.

Her relationships, her feelings—they meant nothing to him.

All that mattered was that she obey.

“…Ha.”

She had thought she couldn’t be disappointed in him anymore, but facing the reality left her feeling as though she’d fallen off a cliff.

So much for thinking I’d run out of reasons to be let down.

She lowered the wand in her hand. Seeing that, Miller began to step forward—

—

“After running all this way, you’re just going to give up that easily?”

“!?”

Her eyes widened.

“Who’s there!”

Miller quickly scanned the area, his gaze locking on the roof of a derelict house to the right.

“You…”

For the first time, his expression showed surprise.

“…Why are you here?”

Meiling muttered in disbelief at the completely unexpected sight.

Bathed in moonlight, Yein stood on the roof with his hands in his pockets.

He hopped down lightly, landing in front of Meiling.

“I told your boss before—stay out of our school life.”

A cold sweat slid down Miller’s back.

Ever since the incident in the Spirit Forest, Nam Yein had been someone Kai’s men were explicitly forbidden to touch.

That was Kai’s direct order.

Nam Yein was the one who had come back without a scratch after facing a Level 70 Spirit Queen.

Whether he’d done it alone or with help didn’t matter—the truth didn’t change the fact that Miller now stood at the edge of life and death.

“Or is this your little solo venture?”

Yein’s gaze bored into him.

“N-no. We only came because Lady Meiling had gone missing. We have no intention of interfering with your school life.”

“Is that true, Meiling?” Yein asked, turning to her.

“…”

“Meiling.”

“!”

Her eyes widened again—Yein had stepped forward and grabbed her wrist.

(End of Chapter)