"I curse every bastard to suffer without end! May they meet a horrific end!"
Once again, that curse woke me up.
I was gasping, breathing like someone who had just been pulled out of the water. You know the feeling when your lungs feel like they're being pierced? Even breathing makes blood rise to your throat. It's like drowning, but worse.
"Rowe?"
The girl beside me flinched at the sound of my ragged breath. "Hey, are you okay? Are you hurt? Should I call the school nurse?"
Seeing her alive and sitting beside me made my chest suddenly complicated.
"No… just a nightmare. Don't worry."
She clearly wanted to keep talking — a rare chance that had finally come her way.
"Oh… I see. But…"
I kept my face cold and didn't give her another word.
Silence. Awkwardness.
"Hmph!" She tossed her head in annoyance. What's her problem? What did I do wrong? Sure, I'm good-looking, but I'm not a gentleman!
What she didn't know… I kept my distance to protect her life.
[Save Point Loaded: Carlen University — Magic Engineering Class A]
[Remaining Loads: 3/5]
Dead again. Three chances left.
Last time I'd been overconfident. You know the type — an old general stepping onto the stage full of pride… only to be stabbed with his own banner.
The power gap between us was absolutely crushing. Helena is no longer the weak Helena I once knew. I don't even have the mind to fight her anymore.
The only way to survive… is to run.
As soon as that thought came, I stood up from my seat.
I had to get out before Helena started looking for me in class.
Ahead, the girl who'd just been dumped was sobbing, surrounded by friends trying to calm her. I pushed through them impatiently and walked quickly toward the door.
"Hey! Why're you pushing?!"
"Rowe, seriously!"
"Just moved here and already acting arrogant!"
Those whispers followed behind me, but I didn't care.
A few seconds later...
"Rowe, your girlfriend's looking for you!"
"Rowe?"
Every eye snapped to the beautiful girl standing in the doorway.
"Hmph! She's gone!" My classmate snorted, clearly annoyed.
Helena furrowed her brow. This time she didn't wear the mask of a shy girl. "Brother… I mean, Rowe. Where did she go?"
"Don't know." One of my friends shrugged, glancing toward the hallway window. "Left just now. Probably still on campus."
"Oh, thank you."
Helena's gaze swept the crowd outside, following the dispersing students. It didn't take long for her to find me — tense, rigid, trying to sneak toward the main gate.
A thin smile appeared on her lips.
Got you, Brother…
I walked out of campus with a blank expression, my eyes scanning unfamiliar, bustling streets.
A shelter could be a temporary safe place, but it's a dead end — quiet, isolated, the perfect place to die without anyone hearing your screams.
The school wasn't much better. It's called "Carlen Royal Magical Science Academy," but don't be mistaken — there's almost no real magic there. "Magical Engineering" is just a technical term, like mechanical engineering back in my world. Dry, exhausting STEM.
Outside the academy felt safer. It's near the upper district, where wealthy families live and where real law enforcement protects the area.
This city has organizations like the Holy Decree Knights and the St. Carlen Special Affairs Bureau — official groups that deal with "anomalous beings."
Those knights are hard to find. So I had only one option left: the police station.
If you're in trouble, go to the police. It's that simple, right?
I decided to report it.
But maybe because I ran in a panic, the first two patrol officers noticed me before I could find the station.
"Hey, you! Stop!"
I looked up. Two uniformed officers were watching me suspiciously from the corner of the street.
They wore dark navy coats, almost black, with round caps bearing the shiny St. Carlen Police emblem.
Instead of slowing, I ran toward them with hope on my face.
The two officers were taken aback; their hands reflexively moved toward their holsters.
"Freeze! Don't move! Hands up!"
Their standard revolvers were raised shakily.
I grinned with relief and raised both hands as ordered. "Help me! Someone's trying to kill me!"
"That's a monster! Variant! Evil creature!!"
They glanced at each other, clearly confused. Who reports to the police with a wide smile like that?
Maybe they thought I was a crazy student who liked pranking officers. The academy is full of odd people.
"Calm down," one of them said cautiously. "What actually happened? Where's this monster?"
"It's behind me! It must've followed me here!" I nervously glanced at the crowd. The street was busy, many unfamiliar faces. Helena could be hiding anywhere.
One officer began frisking me while the other watched the street. Nothing odd — just the usual bustle of the upper district.
After confirming I wasn't armed, their doubt deepened.
"So, your little sister turned into a monster?"
"And now she's hunting you? At school?"
One of them even tugged at my eyelid, as if checking for intoxication. "Young man… are you on drugs?"
I could only force a bitter smile. Street-level cops are like this — they've never seen true horror.
If these were the Holy Decree Knights, they would have razed a whole street just in case.
"I swear I'm telling the truth…" I said, bitterly, then quickly added, "At least you've heard of Chief Raymond, right? He's an old friend."
That caught their attention.
Chief Raymond is a legend at headquarters, famous for handling strange cases. A mysterious figure to other cops.
"You say you know Chief Raymond?" The first officer looked at me suspiciously.
"Everyone in St. Carlen knows him," the other scoffed. "Kid, if you want to mess with the police, find a new trick. This one's tired."
I fell silent. A big case had landed in their hands, but they were brushing it off. No wonder they're still street patrols at this age.
I hurriedly scanned the area again — rail tracks, steam buses, unfamiliar faces. Helena must be watching.
They began to turn away.
That's when I realized the safest place in all of St. Carlen… was inside the police station itself.
A thin smile rose at my lips. Before one of them could step away, I grabbed his arm.
"Hey! What are you—"
I didn't give him a chance to finish. A full-powered punch landed on his face, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Attacking an officer! Arrest him!!"
The other officer sprang up, face flushed, scr
ambling for his revolver.
I raised my hands again, wearing an innocent smile.
"Sorry, Officer. But whose fault is it for not believing me?"
[TO BE CONTINUED]