Second Protagonist [3]

"Wait… what do you mean, Dash?" 

"That useless C-rank ability?"

Yes, that's exactly the one. No need to remind me. But I also have [Blue Flame], though I'd rather keep it discreet to avoid drawing unnecessary attention by revealing multiple abilities at once. 

"…Yeah…" 

I replied, looking away. 

"…" 

"Tsk—" 

Without another word, Han Yeon-seo walked past me, completely ignoring my presence. 

"I understand now why you think it's unfair that your future is determined by your talent… Only those with weak abilities dare to say such things." 

"I wonder how I even brought myself to talk to you—no, to look you in the eye in the first place…" 

She stopped and turned toward me, her gaze dark and full of disdain. 

"Talentless nobodies like you disgust me." 

'…' 

Following those words… 

[Information: Kim Sugil's mental strength has been destabilized.] 

Han Yeon-seo left without saying anything else, leaving me frozen in place. 

"…It's because of your shitty personality that Yeon-Ha died…" 

'Shit, what did I just say!?' 

"Ha… A… wait—" 

Before I could react, a scorching heat grazed my cheek. 

As I regained my composure, I looked at Yeon-seo, who had raised her magic scepter toward me. Fiery particles floated in the air. Her gaze was filled with contempt and doubt. 

When I turned around, I saw a burn mark on the white wall behind me. 

'S…she was just trying to intimidate me… right?' 

[Information: A character in the story has developed doubts about you.] 

"You… how do you know about—" 

The school bell rang, signaling the start of class, interrupting Yeon-seo and breaking her concentration. 

'She's not looking my way—I have to take advantage of this!' 

Without hesitation, I bolted, trying to lose her. But that wouldn't help much. She could cast spells from any distance, so she wouldn't have any trouble hitting me with one. 

"HEY, GET BACK HERE! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU!" 

She shouted, charging another spell. 

'Damn it, if that hits me, I might end up with a serious burn!' 

'I have to use Dash!' 

'But how?!' 

and right when I thought about it, an information window appeared in front of me

[Information: Would you like to use the ability of the character Kim Arrieta Marcus: Dash? 

Warning: The ability can only be activated if the player focuses on it intensely.] 

[This prompt will no longer appear after pressing one of the buttons.] 

[Y/N] 

Without thinking, I pressed "Yes." 

[Simply think about the ability to activate it.] 

'Dash.' 

Suddenly, I felt as if I had broken through a wall of air and was flying forward. I shut my eyes, nearly losing my balance, but I kept running. 

When I turned back, Yeon-seo was nowhere in sight. Perfect. But this relief wouldn't last long—I couldn't keep avoiding her forever, especially since we were in the same class. Sooner or later, I'd have to face her and explain what I had just said. 

But that would come later. Right now, I was late !

.

.

.

Luckily, Mrs. Kang allowed me into class despite my few minutes of tardiness. But that didn't matter to me—what mattered was that Yeon-seo was also here, shooting dark glares at me. 

'Damn it, just knowing she's staring at me makes me feel sick…' 

Because of what I said to Yeon-seo, I had accelerated an event in the storyline… 

In the original plot, her twin sister Yeon-Ha's death gradually consumes her, leading to the corruption of her mana and turning her into a half-human, half-monster. She became the novel's first so-called "villain," even though she would later be one of the main protagonists. 

'Damn it, what have I done?!' 

"Hey, Sugil," 

whispered Kim Sae-jin, sitting beside me. 

"Ah… hem… Sae-jin?" 

"Man, you made quite an entrance at the cafeteria with that pretty girl. Who was she?" 

"Ah… hem… my sister… Kim Eve…" 

"Oh… I see. Here I thought she was your girlfriend…" 

"Don't say nonsense! We just started classes. How can I already have a girlfriend ?!" 

Sae-jin burst into laughter. 

Strangely, he had warmed up to me quite quickly. In the original novel, he and Marcus barely spoke, except on rare occasions. 

But that didn't change the fact that, because of me, Sae-jin wouldn't have time to develop more abilities, and the novel's first villain would attack earlier than expected…