Dragon Hunter.
Those also called dragon slayers are heroic warriors who have captured the rare-to-see dragons, and there even exist kingdoms that grant noble titles solely based on that title.
It signifies just how exceptional these dragon hunters are, beings with no lack in either physical or intellectual strength.
Not only that─ capturing a massive and powerful creature like a dragon has always been an event tied to the honor of all warriors and knights, making dragon hunters objects of everyone’s admiration.
Of course, they aren’t something an ordinary academy student could ever become.
‘In the first place, you can’t even see a dragon near the academy, so what kind of dragon hunter…’
Thinking this, Kyle recalled the terrorists who had attacked the academy not long ago. When he had left the auditorium to save Arthur, there was indeed a dragon flying in the sky.
At the time, saving Arthur had been his top priority, and since the principal had flown off chasing the dragon, he hadn’t given it much thought…
‘He’s saying he caught that dragon?’
Kyle looked down at Sera with a skeptical gaze. Feeling his stare, Sera tilted her head from side to side.
She clearly remembered introducing herself, yet this muscle-brained guy seemed to be ignoring everything she said.
“Hey, didn’t you hear me?”
“Heard you.”
“Kim Sera, I’m telling you, I’m a dragon hunter!”
“So what?”
Shrugging as if he didn’t understand, Kyle made Sera shiver slightly as she leaned back and glared at him.
“Wow—your tone is exactly like his. Creepy.”
“Who?”
“Ahh, there’s this person. You don’t know them. Anyway—Kail Meyer.”
With that, Sera began explaining why she had come looking for Kail.
“I came to recruit you!”
That’s right—it was about recruiting Kail.
* * *
Sera was a player. After some incident, she had reincarnated into the world of Diaros Academy, her favorite game.
This world was truly fantastic. It was exactly the world she had dreamed of back on Earth.
Using her knowledge as a player to the fullest, Sera managed to enter the academy as the second-ranked student, achieved remarkable growth, minimized damage during the terrorist attack, and even helped the principal take down the dragon.
As a result of her achievements, the principal bestowed upon her the title of Dragon Hunter, giving her the opportunity to advance further as a player.
‘Though I couldn’t save Arthur, that’s just part of the original story…’
However, despite the countless players of Diaros Academy putting in tremendous effort, none had managed to succeed in saving Arthur.
To begin with, she hadn’t even considered it. The enemy trying to kidnap Arthur was Expert Level, and unlike the weak-point-having pseudo-dragon, this opponent had no apparent weaknesses, making it impossible for her to defeat.
Moreover, if she somehow managed to reach Expert Level specs and challenged it, the enemy would evolve to near Master Level. It was deliberately set as an unbeatable difficulty, and thus, all players enjoying this game acknowledged Arthur’s death as an unchangeable storyline.
But then.
“What? There are… no missing persons?”
“That’s right. Some people died…but there are no unidentifiable individuals. The investigation into the damages is complete.”
“T-that can’t be…”
Sera stared at the investigator in disbelief. Seeing Sera, the investigator nodded understandingly. Probably one of those kids believing their family member went missing instead of dying. Poor thing.
The investigator once again opened the list of victims and spoke.
“There are no missing persons. Whether dead or injured, this list contains all the victims.”
“What…what does this mean…”
Thanks to the investigator’s kindness, Sera was able to thoroughly examine the victim list from beginning to end. Surprisingly, Arthur’s name wasn’t on it.
Did this mean Arthur didn’t exist in this world at all? Or did her arrival as a player somehow alter the original fate?
True to her nature as a player, Sera immediately sprang into action. And thus, she discovered that Arthur indeed existed.
‘What? Arthur exists?’
Surprisingly, Arthur was real. In other words, Arthur survived despite facing a near Master Level enemy. How? Figuring that out wasn’t difficult.
Her original game knowledge and the authority gained from the title of Dragon Hunter allowed her to uncover most things without much trouble.
Sera promptly investigated the recent terrorist incident in detail and uncovered the name Kail Meyer.
In the original story, he was a rather insignificant NPC—Yuri Grace’s fiancé, whose role was to lose Yuri to the player.
Shockingly, this Kail Meyer had killed one of the terrorists and was now imprisoned for investigation.
“This can’t be…”
While she didn’t know who Kail fought or who the terrorist was—Sera instinctively sensed that Kail had fought Damian, who was trying to kidnap Arthur.
Assuming that, all the puzzle pieces fit perfectly. Arthur not dying, and the surprisingly low number of victims.
Of course, there was one thing she couldn’t quite understand.
‘How did this guy beat a Master?’
If it were an Expert Level—yeah, she could understand. Experts were common enough within the academy.
But a Master Level? Within the academy, there were only two Masters, and that number wouldn’t change unless a player specifically nurtured an NPC.
‘In the original, he was a nobody NPC… What changed to make this happen?’
Perhaps, like herself, another Earth player had reincarnated into him? She diligently investigated. Investigating nobles wasn’t easy—but luckily, she was the second-ranked student in the magic department.
As the fiancée of Kail and the top-ranked student in the magic department, Yuri had plenty of reason and skill to become close with her.
“Yuri! I have something to ask!”
“…What?”
“It’s about Kail…”
Yuri felt awkward discussing Sera and Kail—but Sera pressed on relentlessly, digging out information.
No one had ever boldly demanded something from her, the icy-natured daughter of a duke, so unknowingly, Yuri ended up spilling details about Kail.
Having successfully gathered Kail’s information, Sera became certain that he wasn’t a fellow player like herself.
‘Hmm… He was rude to the Duke upon their first meeting, and at ten years old, he talked back to a prince?’
If he were a player like her—there was no way he’d do such a thing. Being rude to a duke and outright talking back to a prince?
Doing something like that could get you executed. Noble or not, there was no leniency. Acting so carelessly wasn’t something a player would do. It just didn’t make sense.
‘Then… is this a bug?’
For some unknown reason, her reincarnation into this world might’ve caused some change in Kail, resulting in him becoming a Master—a plausible scenario.
If that were true, Kail was like a gem lying on the ground. If he became a Master because of her, then surely no one else knew about it…!
The chance to recruit a wandering Master. A hardcore gamer like Sera would never pass up such an opportunity, so she immediately went to find Kail.
Upon meeting Kail, Sera was certain of one thing above all.
‘…Big.’
There was definitely a bug.
Anyway—after meeting Kail, she rushed over to propose recruitment.
* * *
“You’re mine!”
“What?”
“Oh, that’s not right. Make a contract with me and become my familiar─.”
“What nonsense are you spouting since earlier…”
I met an old childhood friend. Seeing his face brought back memories, and nostalgia bubbled up naturally.
But that was it—I had already lived 15 years in this world, and those turbulent 15 years had eroded away the memories and nostalgia from Earth.
“Is that all you wanted to say?”
“No, that’s not it… um—I need you! Kail!”
“Oh, really. Sorry, but I don’t consider women with smaller chests than me as people.”
“Huh?”
Brushing past Sera, I walked ahead, and suddenly—dada-da-da—Sera came running up front, pointing at me incredulously.
With trembling hands, she pointed at me and cautiously opened her mouth.
“Y-you, y-you’re… you?”
“Yeah. It’s me.”
“Don’t joke around… really? Is it really you?”
“Who are you?”
“Str─”
“I’m Kail Meyer.”
Watching Sera try to utter my name from Earth, I coldly cut her off.
Sera looked up at me with teary eyes.
“…You really aren’t him, are you?”
Looking down at her tearful expression, I chuckled softly.
“Do I seem like him?”
“…Ah, ah…”
Realizing she had been deceived, she began to feel indignant. Then, just like the last image I saw before dying, she started screaming and running towards me.
“You idiot─ go dieeeeee!”
Watching my childhood friend scream and run away in the distance, I let out a chuckle.
* * *
And so I thought we parted ways.
“Due to the recent terrorist attack, some classes have been changed. I am Professor Taylor, who will be handling your basic magic studies from today onward. You may form partnerships with the people I call out now. First, Max……”
“Well, looks like we meet again here.”
“Oh.”
First period after the terrorist attack.
In the new class, Sera and I became partners.
