Why Is Everyone in This Dating Sim Trying to Kill Me?!

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: The Butterfly Effect (1)

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[ Master: I have something to say about your previous request. We should discuss it in person. Can you come out now? ]

'Huh? A request?'

A sudden message from Master.

'Oh, right.'

A few days ago, I'd sent a text because Gukbap was anxious that his family might have been kidnapped by demons.

[ Master, have there been any recent kidnapping incidents among the demons? If it's not too much trouble, could I ask you to investigate? ]

In truth, the possibility of demons being responsible for the kidnapping was extremely low, so I had only asked casually.

Immediately after, I was able to identify the culprit as a hunter named Kim Hye-ji, and I even dealt with her.

'Right after that, without even a moment to sort things out, I helped Gukbap's family move, and then other party members kept moving in…'

Since I hadn't contacted her at all after requesting the investigation,

Master must have been running in circles for days, all by herself!

'Oh, crap!'

If I told her now that everything had been resolved days ago, would Master really pretend it was nothing?

She probably would.

Master wasn't the kind of person to raise her voice at me for anything outside of training.

But even so, it would leave a bitter taste.

It seemed I should apologize and offer a small gift to lighten her mood.

'Hmm, what would be good…? Oh, I know!'

I remembered an item I had received and stashed away in my subspace the day I got it, never taking it out since.

It wasn't particularly necessary for me, who wielded the legendary sword Moonlight,

but it was an item coveted and desired by anyone who used a sword.

[ Sword Maintenance Kit ]

It was an item Kang Do-hee had given me as a gift when Utopia was first established.

Kang Do-hee had apparently barely managed to acquire it through her connections—a limited edition handcrafted by a world-renowned artisan.

This seemed like the perfect gift to appease Baek Seol-hee.

'Master probably wouldn't wait in line for a limited edition item like this.'

Mm-hmm.

With the gift decided, my mind felt a little lighter.

[ Yes, I'll be right there. ]

[ Master: Good, I'll wait. ]

"...I'm just stepping out for a bit. I should go alone."

*

But how did it end up like this?

I had intended to go quietly, but I got caught by Sophia and Im Ga-eul, and now I had company.

"I'm just going to see my Master for a personal matter, you know?"

I said that, trying to shake them off, but Im Ga-eul shook her head firmly.

Then she spoke in a mournful voice.

"Junior. I realized something new today. I've been too complacent."

"...About what?"

"That just because we're inside Utopia, we shouldn't let our guard down…!"

'...Well, that's a very good change, but why are you realizing it by following me on my personal errand?'

"Always, always. ALWAYS! I have to stick right by your side, Junior! That's how you get rice cakes even when you're just sitting in a massage chair!"

"..."

"We didn't even do the mid-term evaluation together this time! Take me with youuu—."

Im Ga-eul had tears welling at the corners of her narrowed eyes as she pressed my arm against her chest.

'Is this… the understanding Big Sis…?'

When did this person change so much?

'Anyway, I'll just explain it was a misunderstanding and come straight back. And she didn't say not to bring anyone else.'

I sighed and nodded.

"By the way, your Master?"

Sophia, who had been filming this with an intrigued expression, asked.

"Why are you filming that…? No, yes. The Academy Instructor. I just need to visit her and tell her something."

"Ah, the Instructor with the black bob cut?"

I looked surprised at Im Ga-eul's interjection from beside me.

'Ga-eul unnie hasn't met Master even once, has she?'

Although Instructor Baek Seol-hee was an academy instructor, she had said that my class was her first and last.

Due to her activities with the Demon Slaying Squad, she was rarely seen at the academy.

So, I couldn't help but be surprised that Im Ga-eul knew Baek Seol-hee.

"So the one who wields that clean sword was your Master, Junior. No wonder your swordplay matches hers so well."

"...You even saw her swordplay?"

"Huh? Uh-huh! I saw, I saw it!"

'Never mind seeing it, but she sensed the sword was clean? And she even figured out my swordplay was similar to hers.'

It seemed Im Ga-eul hadn't just been idle while we were taking our mid-term evaluation.

"Senior, you must have been working hard. When did you develop such a keen eye?"

Feeling quite pleased, I praised Im Ga-eul.

"...Huh? U-uh, yes! I-I worked hard! It's, it's basic!"

At Jin Yu-ha's sudden praise, cold sweat beaded on Im Ga-eul's forehead.

'I just repeated what was written in a comment on a video that just went up…'

Just then, the camera that had been filming Jin Yu-ha suddenly turned to Im Ga-eul.

"You're amazing! As expected, Senior Im Ga-eul!"

"...Junior, you, you know me?"

"Of course!! The one and only supporter of Utopia!"

Sophia nodded her head up and down as if she had a motor attached.

I knew Sophia had joined as a new healer this time,

but they hadn't even properly introduced themselves to each other yet.

Im Ga-eul was the type to respond, not to proactively approach others,

and Sophia had been too busy tracking one person's movements!

So, when a new junior whom she thought wouldn't know much about her said she did, Im Ga-eul felt a fresh sense of surprise.

But Sophia's words weren't over yet.

"A special constitution that converts magic stones into magic power! The only talent that can rival the Demon Lord in magic power if magic stones are infinite!"

"...!"

"The Green Watch of Flexible Control, which freely manipulates the time of others!"

"...!!"

"You've already been cut! The Silence Line that slices opponents with invisible threads! The Slit-eyed Mastermind!"

"...!!!"

*Thrum—*

Honestly, it was praise whose origin I couldn't quite pinpoint.

But Sophia's words deeply resonated in her heart.

"...R-really? Me? A talent that can rival even the Demon Lord?"

"Yes! If you had top-grade magic stones piled up like mountains, they say you could rival the Demon Lord in magic power!? Isn't that right?"

"W-well, it's not *not* true… But even so, to rival the Demon Lord… it's a bit…"

"As expected! You're amazing!"

Sophia looked at Im Ga-eul with sparkling eyes.

"Hmph! W-well, you know me well, Junior?"

"Of course, of course! I was originally a fan of Senior Im Ga-eul too!"

A fan!

What a beautiful sound.

To think she had a fan!

"Ahem! W-well, I don't usually step out much… S-so, you know me well…? J-Junior?"

"Originally, masterminds don't reveal their power outwardly! They say Utopia's party members' fast clear times are all thanks to Senior Ga-eul. You're truly amazing!!"

Im Ga-eul, whose self-esteem had plummeted just moments before from having her name mispronounced, being told she had no presence, and being compared to other party members.

Slowly, her shoulders straightened, and she puffed out her chest.

Then, with a serious expression, she lowered her voice.

"...It's not that I'm amazing, I just did what's natural as a supporter. The rear guard must always keep an eye on everything the vanguard does."

"Ooh…"

"Now that I think about it, Junior, you're also a rear guard, aren't you?"

"Yes, yes! I joined late, so there's a lot I don't know and many areas where I'm lacking. I'll make sure to observe and learn everything from you, Senior!"

Sophia replied with sparkling eyes.

A throbbing sense of satisfaction spread through Im Ga-eul's chest.

Ah. This was it.

The days when she was always overshadowed, simply because she had juniors who were too outstanding.

At a time like this, a junior who looked up to her like a sunflower.

And a senior who warmly embraced such a junior.

What a beautiful relationship!

It was the ideal she had dreamed of from the very beginning.

Her dormant maternal instincts, which had been unable to spread their wings, now unfurled.

"...Ahem, Junior Sophia. Is there anything you need? You're a junior in the same rear guard position, so just say what you want. Anything I can do for you."

"Wow! Really!?"

"Of course."

However, if there was one thing Im Ga-eul didn't know, it was this:

Sophia was a child far more faithful to her desires than expected.

Although she couldn't refuse Jin Yu-ha's requests.

"...Perhaps there are some secret stories about Jin Yu-ha-nim?"

"Not, not about me?"

"No, as I just said, I already know plenty about you, Senior."

"Oh, um. Y-yes. If it's about that, I'm an expert! You've come to the right place!"

"As expected, Slit-eyed Mastermind Senior!"

"Ehehe…"

'What are these two doing…?'

Sophia and Im Ga-eul whispered their secrets, unaware that Jin Yu-ha could hear every word because his detection skill was active.

'...So this is what they meant by Sophia being Im Ga-eul's natural enemy, chemically speaking? At this rate, she'll even co-sign for her.'

It seemed that if Im Ga-eul's training were left to Sophia, she would extract efficiency down to the bone marrow.

* * *

Baek Seol-hee's brow twitched when she saw who had come with Jin Yu-ha.

"...These brats."

Then Sophia stepped forward and spoke.

"Long time no see! Instructor! We're indebted to you for the last mid-term evaluation! We came along!"

"...I, I came along too."

Baek Seol-hee stared intently at the two of them, then clicked her tongue and turned her head away.

I felt a little puzzled by Baek Seol-hee's reaction.

'Hmm? Is she… upset that I brought them along?'

Nah, no way.

It was Baek Seol-hee, of all people. Why would she be upset just because I brought a few party members?

'Ah, she's probably embarrassed that she investigated the kidnapping incident and found nothing!?'

There was no reason to let any more misunderstandings pile up with Master Baek Seol-hee.

"Master."

"..."

"I-I'm sorry."

"What."

"First, please accept this."

I quickly pulled out the Sword Maintenance Kit from my subspace tattoo.

The iron box, embossed with luxurious patterns, shimmered with a purplish light.

It was exactly as it had been when Kang Do-hee gave it to me; not a speck of dust had accumulated on the Sword Maintenance Kit.

Baek Seol-hee's eyebrow twitched again when she saw it.

"...This is."

"Because I asked you for a favor, Master…"

She received the gift and opened the box. This time, Baek Seol-hee's lips twitched three times.

'Wow, she really likes it.'

The three twitches that only appeared when she was truly satisfied.

Since she rarely showed any change in expression, this was a lot for her. For anyone else, it would be a beaming smile.

It seemed giving her this was indeed the right answer.

Baek Seol-hee, who had been looking at the Sword Maintenance Kit for a moment as if she hadn't expected such a gift, stored it in her subspace tattoo.

"Hmm, I wasn't expecting this kind of reward, but…"

"I've only ever received from you, Master, and given nothing in return. So please, accept it as a gesture from your disciple."

"H-hm. Very well, I'll keep this."

Then she spoke in a much softer voice.

"And… those children will be helpful. You did well to bring them."

"...Huh?"

"The demons are carrying out large-scale kidnappings. Speed and recovery are crucial matters."

"...Excuse me?"

Baek Seol-hee began to calmly recount the progress of her investigation so far.

"...They've been primarily kidnapping humans who are difficult to notice when they disappear."

I listened to Baek Seol-hee's explanation, my eyes widening like saucers.

'Large-scale demon kidnappings are happening? Right now, at this point in time?'