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

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Translator: Vine

Chapter Title: Hell Training (1)

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"Kang Dohee! Watch your footing!"

"Lee Yuri, focus! You're losing aggro!"

"Sophia, too fast! I told you not to waste your heals!"

"Ga-eul Sunbae…! Please!"

The Velvet Academy's holographic training ground.

Sharp voices continuously filled the space.

Haaah—

Haaah—

After the intense training, all the party members were drenched in sweat, collapsing onto the ground.

And I, looking at them, couldn't hide my grim expression.

'What's wrong with everyone?'

Of course, I understand.

I get that they need time to adapt, especially since their strength suddenly increased by 4%.

And with Ichika, a special position, newly added, it's bound to feel awkward forming formations differently than before.

Yes, I'm well aware of all that.

Even so.

'Seriously, what is wrong with everyone?'

What disappointed me the most was their focus.

Training to form new formations and coordinate their moves.

Even with all the focus in the world, it wouldn't be enough, yet the atmosphere throughout the training was chaotic, as if everyone's minds were elsewhere.

I even tried training without Ichika, thinking she might be the problem, but it was the same.

Kang Dohee, who seemed to have completely forgotten all the coordination we'd built up, charged out alone, went solo, and sustained critical injuries.

Sophia, who missed every single heal timing I constantly emphasized, and whose usually high accuracy faltered, even healing enemy monsters.

Im Ga-eul, who kept spamming skills, and I don't even know how many magic stones she's already burnt through.

And even that reliable 'Gukbap' of ours.

'…No, after coming back from the Jukai Forest. The kids have gotten even weaker.'

Not knowing why they were acting like this only made me more frustrated.

"Ha, seriously, what's wrong with everyone? I need you to say something so I can understand."

Despite asking the same question for the nth time, they remained silent.

If they'd just give me a clear answer, I could figure out the cause and fix it, but their silence only added to my exasperation.

"Haaah—. Seriously, what is going on…?"

Just as I ordered the party members to rest and sighed deeply, pressing a hand to my forehead.

Poke.

Poke.

'Hm?'

I felt someone poking me with a finger from behind, so I turned to look.

There was a blue-haired figure with an expressionless face.

Ichika.

Seeing her, my stiff expression softened slightly.

Even though she had just joined and was still adapting.

She was the one who seemed most like her usual self.

Of course, her vision wasn't broad enough yet, so the timing and placement of her shadows were off, but it was at an acceptable level.

"Ah, Ichika. I'm sorry. We're not usually like this…. And this isn't because of you, so please don't worry about it too much."

Honestly, I felt embarrassed in front of her.

I had bragged about how amazing Utopia was while recruiting her,

But what we actually showed her was this pathetic mess.

It was a situation where I couldn't say anything, even if I had ten mouths.

"It's fine."

Ichika nodded at me, with an attitude that implied there was nothing to worry about.

"Do you need help now?"

"Huh? Help? Ichika, if you just keep doing as you are…"

"No, someone else."

"Someone else?"

"That's why I called. Friend."

"Friend…?"

I tilted my head, listening to her words.

'This person is good in every way… but her communication and sense of personal space are a bit…'

Even now, Ichika was talking to me, pressed right up close.

'Anyway, a friend? Does Ichika have a friend here?'

Just then.

Beep—

[ Shin Sehee, student affiliated with the Utopia Party. Entry approved. ]

An artificial female voice echoed from the air.

Whoosh—

The protective shield lifted, and a person walked into the training ground.

It was Shin Sehee.

At Shin Sehee's sudden appearance, my eyes widened.

'Huh? Didn't she say she was busy today with Ichika's enrollment?'

*

Shin Sehee, who had entered after receiving Ichika's call, walked in with her arms crossed, her heels clicking, and her posture straight.

Pfft—

Shin Sehee looked at the party members, then let out a chuckle.

'What a mess. Just by looking at their state, I can roughly tell what happened.'

Just a quick glance at the training ground's atmosphere and the party members' condition was enough to realize that today's training hadn't gone well.

And even the cause.

'Everyone seems to be too distracted by Jin Yuha's favorability ratings, aren't they?'

She understood.

If she hadn't heard about the others' favorability from Ichika, she probably would have been just as distracted and unable to focus on her duties.

'Actually, the way to solve this is quite simple.'

Just revealing everything.

Since everyone except Ichika was at 4% anyway.

If she told them that fact, their trivial worries about who had a higher rating would instantly vanish.

'But this is a joker card I've held onto for a while; it'd be a waste to use it here.'

Was there a way to solve Utopia's situation, appeal her competence to Jin Yuha, and keep her hand hidden—a win-win-win?

Shin Sehee's mind raced as she looked at the party members.

'Hmm, come to think of it, that person was also wearing a ring, wasn't she?'

Then, a person's face flashed through her mind.

It was Baek Seolhee, who had suddenly intervened between Jin Yuha and herself the day before.

And Shin Sehee hadn't missed the ring on her hand.

She didn't know Baek Seolhee's favorability rating yet.

And investigating her recklessly was on a completely different level of danger compared to the other party members.

'If I use that person, this might work out well?'

"Excuse me, Jin Yuha."

Shin Sehee called Jin Yuha first.

"Oh, Shin Sehee. What brings you here? I thought you were busy today."

"Ah, my friend asked for help."

"…Friend?"

Following Shin Sehee's gaze, Jin Yuha turned around.

There was Ichika, making a V-sign with her fingers, her face expressionless.

"Just when did you two…?"

"Jin Yuha, what did you talk about with the instructor yesterday? I think there might be a way to resolve the current situation."

Shin Sehee cut Jin Yuha off and went straight to the point.

"Ah, well…"

And Jin Yuha told Shin Sehee about what had happened the day before.

That she had also been affected by the ring's power.

And how she had earned her displeasure because of it.

However, Shin Sehee wore a strange smile as she listened.

'Hmm, I don't think that's why the instructor was angry…'

The quick-witted Shin Sehee accurately grasped Baek Seolhee's situation.

* * *

"...No, Commander, expensive things that boys would like? How would we know anything about that?"

"Exactly! You've been working us so hard, you haven't even given us time to shop!"

"I haven't even been on a single date with a cool guy since joining the Demon Extermination Squad!"

"So you had before you joined?"

"…Shut up."

The night before, Baek Seolhee had boldly left, declaring she'd show Jin Yuha a lesson with money.

Rina would know best about expensive gifts, but there was no way she could ask her.

In the end, the only people she could ask were the members of the Demon Extermination Squad.

However, the squad members barely had any private lives, always busy dealing with demons.

So they were just as clueless about men.

'Tsk, no one useful here…'

Vzzzzzz—

Just as she clicked her tongue, her phone vibrated.

Baek Seolhee took her phone out of her pocket.

'Hm? This person is… Shin Sehee?'

A message had come from someone she didn't usually contact, despite their instructor-student relationship.

Baek Seolhee tilted her head and turned on her phone.

[Flower Petal ✿] ─ Instructor, may I contact you for a moment?

[Baek Seolhee] ─ What is it?

[Flower Petal ✿] ─ I'd like to propose a deal.

Baek Seolhee frowned at the message from Shin Sehee.

'A deal…?'

She remembered this girl as being quite twisted.

She had left her alone because it wasn't directed at her students, but she wasn't exactly her favorite type of person.

For such a person to suddenly propose a deal to her was highly suspicious.

[Baek Seolhee] ─ A deal?

[Flower Petal ✿] ─ Yes, I imagine you don't like beating around the bush, so I'll get straight to the point. What I can offer is a way to raise Jin Yuha's favorability.

'What…!?'

Baek Seolhee's eyes twitched and widened.

[Flower Petal ✿] ─ And what I'll receive in return is the percentage increase in your abilities, Instructor. How does that sound?

[Baek Seolhee] ─ Then tell me how much your abilities have increased too.

[Flower Petal ✿] ─ That wouldn't be a fair trade. I'm offering a method to increase favorability; you'll need to offer a bit more, won't you?

[Baek Seolhee] ─ I know the increase in Director Rina's stats.

[Flower Petal ✿] ─ …Deal.

* * *

Shin Sehee, who had been on her phone by herself for a while.

She suddenly chuckled ominously, "Heheheh—"

"...Hah, honestly. Director Rina. She should just focus on managing the academy. What, did she use some kind of charm magic? 7%? What on earth did she do behind the scenes to get such a ridiculous number? Is it because she's a national hero, so they're counting the admiration towards a hero? Or is it—"

"...Shin Sehee?"

I called out to her, as she was suddenly muttering to herself.

She instantly turned her face, her expression smoothing out.

"Oh, yes? Did you call me?"

"Didn't you say you had a solution?"

"Ah, I just made a call about that. In conclusion, it's hell training."

"…Hell training?"

I tilted my head.

"Yes, hell training overseen by Instructor Baek Seolhee."

"…!"

I was truly surprised.

That Shin Sehee had requested hell training from my master.

And that my master had actually accepted it.

'My master always refused when I begged her to look after the other kids, but now…?'

"Yes, Jin Yuha. Instructor Baek Seolhee told you to be prepared for the next class anyway, didn't she?"

"…Uh, yeah."

"Utopia will all be receiving it together."

"Uh. W-will it be okay? The instructor's training is no joke…. If someone like her told us to be prepared…"

I asked back, my voice filled with worry.

Shin Sehee, however, shook her head decisively.

"To straighten out our currently lax minds, there's nothing that'll snap us back into focus like her training, is there?"

"Ah, that's true."

"And every training manual you use for us, Jin Yuha, you learned it all from her."

"…That's right."

"So learning directly from her would be even more effective, wouldn't it? And…"

Shin Sehee suddenly lowered her voice and said.

"That hell training, wouldn't it be more beneficial for you, Jin Yuha, to receive it all together, rather than enduring it alone?"

My eyes snapped open.

Just the day before, after hearing my master's words about seeing me in the next class,

I had lost sleep worrying about what kind of training awaited me this time.

But for the entire Utopia party to receive it together?

'That's right… Instructor's training would definitely snap our lax minds back into place. Because if we don't focus, we die. Plus, since we're all receiving it together, we can support each other, and the training won't be focused entirely on me!?'

The more I thought about it, the more it seemed like a win-win, no, a win-win-win solution.

Absolutely, truly, I had no thought whatsoever of not wanting to die alone.

Grab!

I grabbed Shin Sehee's arm and said.

"...Shin Sehee! You're the best!!!"

In response, Shin Sehee smiled lightly, as if embarrassed.

She subtly glanced at Ichika behind her and communicated with her eyes.

'This is how you do politics, Ichika.'

Ichika nodded and gave a thumbs-up.

"Certainly. Same side, good. Good."