The library was covered in thorny vines.
The vines coiled around the building, intertwining with one another and soaring high into the night sky as if to pierce it.
Seen from the ground, its form was reminiscent of a spire.
“Any incoming intel?”
“Well… I’m looking into it right now. The Intelligence Bureau says they’re going all out to assess the situation, and since the Chief is already on site, meaningful intel should come in soon.”
It had occurred unnoticed around midnight; because of that, it was a situation no one had been able to respond to.
By the time Do Sieun noticed the anomaly, it was already too late.
The thorny vines squirmed as if alive, completely blocking access from the outside.
The students who had remained late in the library to prepare for the midterms were all trapped inside.
“Have you made contact with the Library Chief?”
“No, not yet… From what I’ve checked, they were on library duty today. So if only we could make contact, it’d be easy to grasp the situation inside… but of all things, communications are completely down, to the point where we can’t even confirm whether they’re safe.”
“What do you think about the possibility that the Library Chief is behind this?”
“I won’t say I haven’t considered it, but I think it’s low. The Library Chief isn’t the type to do something like that, right?”
“They don’t have the backbone to pull something like this off, and they have no motive, either.”
“There’s no way that bookworm of a Library Chief would commit an act of terror in the library.”
“Still, we need to make contact to understand the situation. Tell the Intelligence Bureau to keep trying.”
“Got it, I’ll do that.”
“And gather the library department members. Ask them if they know anything.”
“I already called them just now.”
Having received a report from the Vice President in the middle of the night, she hurriedly dressed and summoned the Student Council executives.
As if that weren’t enough, she also issued mobilization orders to the relevant personnel and the Student Council’s own Library, Intelligence, Guidance, and Security Bureaus.
Then she headed to the scene.
‘Expecting support from the instructors… would be impossible for the moment.’
Unlike the students living in the dorms, the instructors mainly lived separately outside the grounds.
Even if they were informed at this hour, it would take considerable time for them to arrive at the Academy.
Asking Hunters for help was no different in terms of circumstances.
There were various restrictions on bringing outside personnel onto the grounds in the first place.
Do Sieun’s response inevitably had to be limited to alerting the instructors on duty to the situation.
‘What on earth is going on?’
The grounds, shrouded in night, were in an uproar.
Students leaning out of windows or those who had come outside could easily be seen everywhere one walked.
It was only natural, given that a massive amount of mana had suddenly erupted and a spire of thorny vines had appeared.
Kieeeeek!
Moreover, monsters had begun to emerge as rifts opened.
From the students’ perspective, it must have been surprising, confusing because they couldn’t understand what was happening, and frightening and uneasy.
Do Sieun guessed at their emotions as she looked up at the approaching sight with blue eyes.
“….”
In the darkness, the spire of thorny vines writhed.
It looked as though countless serpents had coiled themselves into knots.
Do Sieun felt threatened by the sight of its endless growth.
‘It’s spreading outward…’
The thorny vines extending along the ground were expanding their domain across the area.
Drawing Suyeongeom, Do Sieun immediately hacked away at the nearby thorn vine stems indiscriminately.
However, the results were meager.
Because new stems sprouted from the cut cross-sections in an instant.
She eventually created distance from the thorny vines that tried to engulf her.
Just then, the Intelligence Chief emerged from the darkness.
“It’s useless. They seem to be receiving nutrients; no matter how much we cut them, they keep growing. Unless we destroy the root, we won’t be able to stop the vines’ expansion.”
“…I see.”
Hearing the Intelligence Chief’s advice, Do Sieun readily sheathed her sword.
Soon, she gazed with blue eyes and spoke in a clear, ringing voice.
“I was planning to find the root anyway. Let me know how much of the situation you’ve grasped.”
“We’ve set up a command post over there, so I’ll brief you there.”
* * *
According to the game’s story.
The Min Arin episode occurs after the midterms.
Having entered the Academy as the top-ranked student and thereby proven her outstanding aptitude, she was utterly intoxicated by the admiration of others.
To her, Gang Hanbyeol—who had built fame through various exploits as the disciple of the Fighting Ghost—was a thorn in her side.
Her pride could not tolerate the fact that the eyes of the people were focused more on him than on her.
「Min Arin」
—Don’t get cocky! I’m still far superior to you!
The very person known as the prodigy of the Mado Min Clan, who had never lost a competition since birth, was Min Arin.
To prove her superiority, she showed competitive hostility toward Gang Hanbyeol.
But no matter how hard she trained, she could not defeat the game’s protagonist.
「Min Arin」
—I… lost…? How…? I’m Min Arin… why…
Starting from trivial things, Min Arin tasted the bitterness of defeat at the hands of Gang Hanbyeol at every turn.
She even lost in a duel witnessed by many people.
Because of this, she realized a sense of inferiority for the first time in her life.
Having lived arrogantly for seventeen years, she was slowly consumed by an emotion to which she possessed absolutely no immunity.
And during the midterms…
‘Gang Hanbyeol defeating Do Seungu becomes the trigger.’
Min Arin had almost all attention stolen from her by Gang Hanbyeol’s exploits.
Public opinion even spread that she could not match him.
She, possessing strong pride, could not possibly endure that situation.
「Min Arin」
—…Just you wait. On the final exam—on the final exams—I’ll definitely show everyone that I’m superior to that guy.
From that day onward, Min Arin focused on preparing for the finals with grim determination.
But there are limits to how much one can improve their skills in a short period, even with intense training.
Blinded by her competitive drive, she ultimately laid her hands on a forbidden tome that forcibly raised one’s rank.
「Min Arin」
—If only I have this, if only I have this, I…!
The outcome goes without saying.
Min Arin’s ambition failed.
Unable to control the forbidden tome’s magic, she became entangled in the spell and turned into its host, and the library was covered in thorny vines.
“What the—?! What happened?! What the hell is that…!”
“….”
Just as I am seeing now.
Having witnessed the thorn vine spire, I couldn’t answer Yong Haerang’s cry for an explanation.
In a situation that had deviated from the game’s flow, I was in the same boat, desperate for understanding.
‘What could have been the cause?’
An event that could have provoked Min Arin’s inferiority complex didn’t readily come to mind.
She had bonded with us earlier than in the game.
There had never been a time when she harbored competitiveness toward Gang Hanbyeol or tried to challenge him.
Worried that it might affect the story, I had intervened, and whenever such signs appeared, Go Eunbi had mediated between them.
Because of that, I had even harbored the thought that perhaps the Min Arin episode wouldn’t occur as it did in the game and would pass without incident.
‘But then why did the episode suddenly occur before the midterms…’
Had there been a trigger that touched off Min Arin’s inferiority complex, one that I had failed to notice?
The only thing that came to mind immediately was Yeon Haneul taking her place as the top-ranked student entering the Academy.
But the fact that she maintained an amicable relationship with us despite that undermined its credibility.
Even if it had stimulated her inferiority complex, it wouldn’t have been a decisive factor.
‘…There must have been another decisive trigger.’
No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t figure it out.
Unless I was Min Arin herself, there was no way I could know her inner thoughts.
In the first place, trying to dig into the cause after things had already happened was meaningless.
Solving the problem was the priority.
I had to rescue Min Arin.
‘One wrong move, and this world could be destroyed.’
In the game’s story, the Min Arin episode was the very first ending branch.
If we rescued her, bound at the topmost floor of the thorn vine spire, the story would continue.
But if we failed to save her, a bad ending awaited.
[Min Arin was arrogant.]
[Living a life revered by others, she was utterly consumed by towering pride, and having never once made a mistake, she lacked consideration and understanding for others.]
[But everyone tends to be indifferent to others who are not themselves. One cannot even understand oneself; how could one understand another?]
[The belief that one can understand is a deception.]
[Even so, humans are trapped by prejudice, judging others arbitrarily and falling into the delusion that they understand.]
[There is no greater arrogance. Humans are truly arrogant beings.]
[The reason the world cannot be at peace is because arrogant humans truly fail to understand one another.]
[But now, all is well.]
[The thorny vines born of her arrogance spread, beginning with covering the Academy, then the school city, and eventually across the entire world.]
[Humans—all living beings—became one by degenerating into nutrients for the thorny vines. Only then could they fully understand one another.]
[No more discord or conflict exists in the world. It is at peace.]
[And so, the world perished.]
[— Bad Ending —]
Commonly called the Nutrient Source Ending.
In the ending scene, Gang Hanbyeol and his companions are shown sleeping peacefully after having been assimilated into the thorny vines.
Naturally, not wanting that ending, I spoke to Yong Haerang.
“Haerang, grab your Device.”
“What?! Why the Device….”
“Are we just going to stand here and watch? People are trapped in the library, and it looks like monsters are emerging from rifts. We have to do something.”
“…I wasn’t thinking. People are in trouble; as a member of the Righteous Yong Clan, I can’t just stand by!”
Yong Haerang, seeming to realize what he had to do, hardened his expression.
We had brought our Devices to the training ground, so we put on the clothes we had taken off and quickly headed outside.
I didn’t forget to call Yeon Haneul either.
“Hello? Haneul, can you talk right now?”
[Yeah, I can talk. I was studying in my room with the others. Yuri’s here too. You’re calling because of what just happened, right?]
“You saw it too?”
[I’m out on the balcony with the others, watching. Gyeonu… what the hell is that?]
“The only way to describe it is… thorny vines. I don’t know the details either, but if we leave it like that, it’s clearly going to cause damage to the surrounding area.”
[…So it’s dangerous. Then we can’t just sit and watch.]
“That’s why I called you. Good thing the others are right there with you.”
[Got it, I’ll explain to them and bring them along. Where are you now?]
“I’m heading to the library with Haerang.”
[Then we’ll meet up there.]
“I’m counting on you. Bring the lackeys too. If they’re asleep, knock on their doors and wake them up if you have to.”
[Will do. Be careful.]
“You too.”
There was no need to desperately argue that the world might end if we weren’t careful.
Without asking for details, Yeon Haneul responded exactly as I wanted.
After hanging up with her, I immediately called Gang Hanbyeol.
“Hello? Hanbyeol, what are you doing right now?”
[I was eating chicken with Sagun!]
“Eat the chicken later….”
I conveyed the situation to Gang Hanbyeol as well.
Even though we had no obligation to step in, he did as I said without hesitation.
After telling him where we would meet, I kept my eyes on the path ahead.
Kieeeeek!
“Haerang, I’ll ask you to clear a path. I’ll cover you from behind.”
“Got it! Just trust me and follow! Charge!”
As we neared the thorn vine spire, monsters began to appear.
Yong Haerang and I cut down the creatures that lunged at us by instinct.
Before long, we reached our destination.
‘They should be somewhere around here…’
If my guess was right, the Student Council that had grasped the situation would be nearby.
I looked around to find one of them.
‘Found them.’
There was a makeshift tent at a spot not yet reached by the thorny vines.
I immediately moved toward Do Sieun, who was there.
“Noona.”
“Gyeonu, why are you here…?”
Do Sieun had been busily working while giving instructions to the students.
At my call, she turned her head.
Her blue eyes wavered when she found me.
To her, who seemed startled by our unexpected meeting, I said,
“You’re putting together a plan to resolve the situation, right? We’ll join in too, noona.”
* * *
The night was in turmoil.
The sounds carried on the wind were mixed with all manner of emotions.
Surprise, bewilderment, urgency, fear—such feelings mingled with the mana in the area, causing cracks in space.
From within those cracks came the howls of monsters.
Even without going outside to check, it was easy to guess what was happening on the grounds.
“What do you mean, what happened?”
“It seems a problem has occurred at the library. Thorny vines are growing there and eroding the surrounding area. It appears everyone who was in the library has been trapped. Communications aren’t connecting, so they say they can’t confirm the situation inside.”
It was a night with a full moon.
The moonlight falling onto the balcony through the open window looked especially beautiful tonight.
There seemed to be a bewitching power dwelling in that gentle glow.
It made sense that people who lived in the distant past would have linked the waxing and waning moon to human madness.
However, in the modern age, where magic and science had advanced, the idea that the moon possessed a special power was no mere misconception.
On nights when the full moon rose, atmospheric mana reached its finest state.
Perhaps that phenomenon affected human madness as well.
Just as monsters became violently ferocious on moonlit nights.
“Oh dear.”
What would happen if the mana environment unique to Academy City were added to that?
No one could guarantee what sort of abnormal phenomenon would occur.
The incident said to have taken place at the library was surely one of that sort.
“I’m quite worried about the students.”
“…”
The top floor of the faculty administration building, the chairwoman’s office.
So Hyeyul, the chairwoman of Geumgang Academy, listened to the report from Chief Secretary Oh Seunga and responded in a merely formal tone.
Her manner made it seem as though it had nothing to do with her.
Oh Seunga expressed no doubt at that reaction.
She simply remained silently in place and answered her questions.
“The cause?”
“The student council is looking into it. At present, it seems they haven’t discovered much information.”
“Hmm… Is that so. Student Council President Sieun must be under a great deal of stress. Any other news?”
“Student Council President Do Sieun has convened the student council and is attempting to resolve the situation. It appears several students who cannot simply stand by are following her as well.”
“We’ll have to repay the students who helped afterward.”
“Among them were Do Gyeonu, Yeon Haneul, Kang Hanbyeol… as well as the first-year students you have been keeping an eye on, Chairwoman.”
“…Really? They’re spirited children. Trying to stick their noses into an incident that has nothing to do with them…”
So Hyeyul, who had been leaning against the backrest and gazing out the window, turned toward Oh Seunga for the first time after hearing the report.
As though her interest in Do Gyeonu’s group had been piqued, a peculiar light filled her yellow eyes.
Oh Seunga added,
“And Student Council President Do Sieun requested a dispatch from the clans with which we have agreements a short while ago. It seems she is preparing in case the situation grows uncontrollable.”
“A wise decision, at least.”
According to regulations, the dispatch of outside personnel who were not affiliated with the academy required the chairwoman’s approval.
Only with So Hyeyul’s permission could they be brought in.
She smiled faintly as she replied,
“It seems I’ll have to be away from my seat, after all. Somewhere I can’t be reached… Yes, perhaps it would be best if I were inside some Gate.”
“Yes. Then I will handle it that way.”
To So Hyeyul, the students’ safety was not more important than her grand wish.
I Became the Childhood Friend of the Mid-Boss