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Chapter 29
“Gah…”
Startled by the sensation of her body floating, Jaelin grabbed Lionel’s shoulder and let out a small scream.
Lionel lifted her effortlessly using only the strength of his arms.
The sleeves of Lionel’s uniform stretched tight, revealing the definition of his forearm muscles.
Suddenly seeing the world from a higher vantage made Jaelin feel dizzy.
Lionel placed Jaelin on the unicorn’s back, and seeing her flounder as she struggled to maintain her balance, he stood beside her and held one of her hands.
“Hold onto the mane.”
Once she felt more stable, Jaelin followed Lionel’s instructions and grasped the unicorn’s mane.
Its soft, cotton-like texture seeped between her fingers.
Only then did she manage to glance around. Her elevated view made everything look different. The golden eyes that usually looked down on her now met her gaze from below.
“How is it?”
With every breath the unicorn took, Jaelin’s body moved up and down.
“It feels… weird. My view is so much higher than usual.”
“Aren’t you scared?”
Jaelin pressed her lips together and nodded. Though she said no, anyone could see how frightened she actually was.
Then, seemingly displeased by something, the unicorn suddenly snorted roughly and shook its whole body.
It was a small movement, but for Jaelin riding on its back, it felt louder than thunder.
She screamed, clutching the unicorn’s neck. She was scared. She didn’t want to stay on its back anymore.
“I-I want to get down.”
A low laugh from Lionel echoed inside the control room.
“Hold my hand. I’ll get you down.”
Jaelin grabbed the hand he extended and leaned toward him. His trained, firm arms held her securely.
To keep her balance, Jaelin wrapped her arms around Lionel’s shoulders. Her face heated up again for no reason.
Just as Lionel, carrying her effortlessly, was about to set her back on the ground, heavy footsteps and a loud voice rang out from beyond the control room.
“Hey, who’s in there?”
“Shh!”
Lionel set Jaelin down and pressed a finger to his lips, lowering his body.
Jaelin followed his lead, holding her breath.
The control room handle rattled violently, as if it might burst open at any moment.
“What? I swear I heard something inside. Why is it locked?”
When the door wouldn’t open, the man knocked. The loud sound made Jaelin flinch.
“Sounds like a guard. Stay put.”
Lionel whispered, then quietly stood.
The sound of jingling keys came from outside. Lionel quickly approached the control panel and switched off the holographic board.
In an instant, the three-horned unicorn vanished.
Lionel gestured for Jaelin to follow him to the back door.
She did, and the jingling of keys outside abruptly stopped as she reached him.
Nervously, Jaelin instinctively gripped his sleeve tightly.
The sound of the key turning in the lock echoed slowly.
“When I give the signal, run. Got it?”
After confirming she nodded, Lionel removed her hand from his sleeve and held it in his own.
As the front door opened, Lionel opened the back door and stepped into the corridor.
They walked quietly down the hallway, careful not to alert the guards. Meanwhile, a guard checking the control room muttered in confusion.
“That’s strange… I could’ve sworn I heard someone talking. Did I imagine it?”
Then Jaelin’s shoes squeaked against the floor.
Lionel stopped and signaled her to be quiet. She nodded and held her breath.
But the guard, already hearing a presence, rushed into the corridor.
“Who’s there?”
A bright light from the guard shone on Jaelin and Lionel.
“Run!”
Lionel pulled her strongly toward him.
They ran down the long corridor. Darkness surrounded them, with only faint moonlight guiding their way like a lighthouse.
Lionel led her without hesitation, as if the darkness didn’t exist.
“This way.”
“Stop right there─!”
Judging that Jaelin couldn’t outrun the guard at her pace, Lionel turned the corner and slipped into the shadows as soon as they reached the stairs.
The guard followed, looking around. Jaelin and Lionel held their breath.
Not spotting them, the guard ran off somewhere.
Lionel led Jaelin in the opposite direction of where the footsteps faded.
“Haa… haa…”
Jaelin’s breathing became ragged. They kept running outside, the cool night air hitting their faces.
Lionel closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of the wind through his hair on his forehead.
He didn’t push himself to run at full speed to match her pace, but he still exhaled heavily, his chest threatening to burst.
After running for a while, Lionel finally stopped.
“You okay?”
“Y-Yes… yes, I’m fine.”
Catching her breath, Jaelin hesitated, as if wanting to say something, and looked up at him.
“Why?”
“I-I… just this…”
Only then did Lionel realize she had been holding his hand and let go.
“Ah, sorry. It was a sudden situation.”
Jaelin nodded and fiddled with her hand. Though his hand was gone, she could still feel its warmth.
“Were we not supposed to go into the control room at night?”
“Yes.”
Lionel’s concise answer left her slightly speechless.
He glanced around, then loosened the tie around his neck, which had been tight until then.
They left the library together, his tie loosened but still on.
It had been so long since he’d run like this without a thought. Was this what it felt like to be alive?
The weight in his chest seemed a little lighter, an unexpected sense of liberation.
A laugh escaped him.
Jaelin looked puzzled, but he couldn’t stop laughing once it came out.
He couldn’t remember when it had begun. He ran forward without looking back, never before moving without thinking of the consequences.
Lionel had never deviated from his path for a single moment. His life was like a wheel—always predictable. Eating, resting, living, everything.
After learning the truth about his mother’s death from his father, he had only driven himself harder.
He had never acted impulsively like this.
A suffocating pressure had followed him like a shadow, never allowing a single mistake. Freedom had always seemed impossibly distant.
But now, at this moment, he could breathe freely. The air of the world felt like it belonged to him.
Lionel lifted his head and inhaled deeply. Thousands, millions of stars shone in the night sky.
The night breeze, heavy with dew, tousled his hair and filled his lungs with cool air. The scent of freedom, long unexperienced, filled him.
Even though it lasted only a moment, it was infinitely sweet.
“The world’s really going to hell, huh.”
Stefan sipped water from his canteen while scrolling through posts online.
Jaelin and Stefan’s team were training in the practice field, preparing for a monster simulation test. They had taken a brief break in a corner, interrupted by Stefan’s antics.
Adrian tilted his head back as he drank, his Adam’s apple moving visibly.
Removing the canteen from his mouth, he wiped the water trickling down his face and frowned.
“Stop looking at useless stuff.”
“Useless? Gossip like this is so entertaining!”
“You’re right, Adrian. If you have time for that, run another lap on the practice field.”
Sasha nodded in agreement, and Stefan pouted, mumbling.
“A ghost that couldn’t get first place is haunting me. How can I not be allowed to rest for even a second?”
Sasha, not fully hearing Stefan’s small voice, snapped.
“What did you say?”
Intimidated, Stefan shut his mouth and shook his head, pretending it was nothing.
“Oh? So what’s this interesting gossip? I’m curious.”
Nathan, intrigued by Stefan’s words, joined in.
Excited by Nathan’s interest, Stefan bounced and babbled.
“Listen to this. Last night, two students were caught dating in the hologram control room by a guard, and they ran like crazy! Can you believe it?”
Jaelin, quietly drinking water while listening, choked on it. She knew exactly who those two students were.
Unable to stop coughing, she caught Stefan’s attention. He tapped her back.
“Jaelin, are you okay? Choked?”
“How can you even drink with that happening?”
Adrian scowled, grumbling.
