Refrain from Obsession - Chapter 7

If he could only use polite speech consistently, it would be an action to distance himself from those two people because he didn’t like them.

However, people instead saw his behavior and said he was kind, gentle, and courteous.

Aer, who already had an adult’s perspective despite outwardly being the same age as them, could now see right through Ian’s true intentions.

If only she had realized what kind of person he was in the past, how much better it would have been.

If she could turn back time, she wouldn’t have confessed to Ian.

“It would be better to stay here.”

After roughly assessing the situation, Ian decided to stop moving and leave Anna at the current location.

Not far away, the characteristic stench and bloody smell of magical beasts wafted through the air.

Judging by the presence, there seemed to be about ten of them.

“Can’t Dylan just go alone and kill them? Ian, stay with me. I’m scared…”

Anna said, twisting her body while clasping her hands together.

“My lady.”

“Yes?”

Aer noticed the change in Ian’s tone and opened her eyes wide.

Sensing that something unusual was about to happen, she intended to watch with great interest.

“I’m warning you…”

“Watch out!”

In the meantime, Dylan, who must have gone ahead to the magical beasts, came running back like mad with something chasing him.

Aer felt goosebumps all over her body when she spotted the black-furred beast.

‘That, that idiot!’

The magical beast, made entirely of thick fur, came bouncing like a ball.

At first glance, it looked cute, but seeing its widely opened mouth and the countless teeth inside, any thought of cuteness vanished.

“Kyaaah!”

Aer, who had frozen in shock, came to her senses because of Anna’s ear-splitting scream beside her.

Gripping her dagger tightly, she recalled the magical tool weapons in her spatial bag one by one. She was prepared to protect herself if necessary.

Because she knew that no one would help her.

“Ian! I’m scared!”

Anna tried to rush towards him recklessly. At that moment, Ian’s gaze towards Anna turned vicious.

Aer felt chills at his appearance, having thrown off the mask of pretending to be polite.

So she acted on an unexpected impulse.

She grabbed Anna’s arm and pulled her back. After hiding her behind herself, she tightly gripped the dagger with trembling hands.

“Ian! These things stick like static electricity! It’s disgusting!”

Hearing Dylan’s cry, he clicked his tongue briefly.

“Tsk.”

Ian, suppressing his rising anger, used his ability towards the approaching magical beasts.

Sparks appeared around him. Small but numerous sparks surrounded the magical beasts.

Aer opened her eyes wide in wonder at the floating sparks.

“So this is elemental…”

It was the ability of an elemental Awakened that appeared in the original story. Ian’s father, who was the male lead in the original, was said to have used an even more powerful ability than this, but since she hadn’t seen it in person, she wasn’t sure how amazing it would be.

Following Ian’s hand gestures, the sparks began to press down on the magical beasts. The beasts, burning up in an instant, disappeared one by one with grotesque screams.

“As expected, Ian, you’re amazing!”

At that moment, Dylan spoke while grabbing Ian’s shoulder. Instantly, the sparks began to swirl around Dylan.

“This is too close! Ouch, hot!”

Startled by the sparks, Dylan let go of Ian’s shoulder. Ian then, not hiding his displeased expression, brushed off his shoulder while muttering.

“You shouldn’t think all Awakened are the same.”

“…Ian.”

“Don’t call my name so casually.”

Even Anna, standing behind Aer, held her breath at the ominous voice.

“…Got it.”

As the intimidated Dylan spoke, Ian added as if he had been waiting for this.

“Use formal speech. Shouldn’t we follow the academy rules?”

“…I understand.”

“Ah, that sounds much better.”

Everyone fell silent at the suddenly changed atmosphere. Ian, pleased with this moment, raised the corners of his mouth.

Aer, watching his every move, grumbled inwardly.

‘He’s showing his true colors faster than I thought. Why on earth did I like such a guy and even confess to him?’

She felt like hitting her past self, thinking that if she hadn’t confessed back then, she might have had a better academy life than now.

At that moment, a loud thumping vibration was heard not far away. It sounded like heavy stones falling to the ground.

“What’s that?”

Ian turned his head towards the direction of the sound. Being an Awakened with better physical abilities than ordinary people, his direction was accurate.

“Raymond. It seems there are more magical beasts.”

When the cowed Dylan spoke, Ian slightly furrowed his brow and glared in the direction of the approaching sound.

“But isn’t this sound too loud to be made by low-level magical beasts?”

Dylan’s words made Ian’s expression darken.

Although it was supposed to be a hunting ground managed only for low-level magical beasts, he strongly doubted there could be a mid-level beast.

However, thinking it wouldn’t hurt to be careful, he was about to evacuate the healer when the tree in front of them was uprooted and lifted.

“Kuooooo!”

It wasn’t the cute version of the furry magical beast they had seen earlier, but a furry beast that looked three times larger than a bear, lifting the tree with both hands and throwing it towards where they were.

“Dodge!”

Ian instantly burned the tree with his ability, but he couldn’t stop the beast that was charging towards them with thunderous steps.

Realizing that mediocre flames wouldn’t be enough to burn the beast, he tried to generate larger flames.

“Kyaaah!”

At that moment, the startled Anna screamed and ran wildly in the opposite direction. She seemed to have lost her mind at the sight of the mid-level magical beast she was seeing for the first time.

Of course, it might be too much for a noble lady to handle such a disgusting and dirty-looking beast.

And this was their first lesson.

“Aer, catch her!”

Though annoyed by Ian’s order, she followed, also worried about Anna.

Even if it was a place with only low-level magical beasts, it was only safe for Awakened ones, not for ordinary people or healers.

“Wait!”

She turned out to be not only quick with words but also incredibly fast on her feet.

“No!”

Anna, who had completely panicked, ran with all her might as if she had mistaken Aer, who was chasing her, for a magical beast.

Running frantically, Anna failed to check the ground beneath her and tripped over a protruding tree root.

Unfortunately, it was on a slope, and she started rolling down.

“Anna!”

The surprised Aer shouted as she hurriedly followed down.

“Kyaaah!”

Anna, who was dangerously rolling, was flung sideways after hitting a partially cut tree stump.

Anna, who fell face-down on the damp moss and rotten branches, was still trembling with an expression that hadn’t recovered from the shock.

“Anna, are you okay?”

When Aer approached, breathing heavily, and asked, Anna shouted with eyes that had finally regained focus.

“Why did you show up only now! Your duty is to protect me!”

Although Aer had been calling out to her while following her all along, she felt irritated by Anna’s yelling as if it wasn’t her fault for not stopping, but she held it in.

She’s a patient, a patient.

Treating her like a patient who had experienced extreme fear, Aer slowly approached Anna and said,

“Anna, listen to me carefully. Don’t move and stay right where you are.”

“What?”

“Now, don’t look down, just look at my eyes.”

“…Huh?”

She never listens, does she?

Aer grumbled inwardly while hurrying her steps. The place where Anna had precariously stopped wasn’t ordinary ground.

In the original story, there was a place where the female lead fell while running away, and the description of this ground was exactly the same.

Aer noticed that this wasn’t soil, but false ground created by accumulated branches and moss.

“Anna, please. Just look at me.”

Despite Aer’s plea, Anna once again struggled with unfocused eyes.

Each time she did, the area around her rippled, and a rumbling sound like something breaking could be heard from far away.

“Ah… What is this!”

“Anna!”

Aer quickly reached out her hand to Anna, who was suddenly sinking. This time, Anna properly listened to her words.

The moment of relief from the tightly grasped hand was brief as Aer panicked, feeling the ground around her slowly sinking as well.

“Kyaaah! No!”

Seeing this, Anna tried to climb up while pulling Aer, and due to that reaction, the ground seemed to fall even faster.

That’s when Louis appeared.

Judging by his hair sticking to his forehead with sweat, it seemed he had followed them diligently.

He quickly grabbed Anna, who was closer, and pulled her.

Kuaang!

At that moment, the ground completely collapsed. Aer was left dangling, relying on Anna’s hand that she was holding.

“My, my arm feels like it’s going to be torn off…”

Anna, in excruciating pain, shook her arm as if she was about to drop Aer, who was holding onto her hand.

“Anna!”

Aer tried not to let go of Anna’s hand, but she couldn’t prevent her from pulling it away.

“Aer!”

Louis reached out his hand again, but without even touching her fingertips, she fell.