I’ve heard that human beings tap into their full potential during moments of crisis. 

It’s something like a survival instinct. 

That instinct is now pushing my brain into overdrive, helping me quickly assess the situation.

Who is behind this stench? 

It had to be Gyun Jun-hwi. 

No one else would pull something like this.

How did he do it?

During the brief lull after the outbreak was contained, Gyun Jun-hwi must have secretly collected goblin blood. 

When mixed with sugar, goblin blood creates an unbearably potent stink bomb. 

The waiting room is stocked with sugary snacks, so acquiring sugar would not have been difficult. 

Rather than wait for me to leave the bathroom on my own, he’s employed a goblin stink bomb to smoke me out.

Can I endure this stench?

Not for long. 

I’m holding my breath now, but even one whiff made my eyes water and my stomach turn.

So… What’s my strategy?

Running or hiding isn’t an option. 

I’ll have to face Gyun Jun-hwi’s interrogation. 

All I need to do is hold out until Yeom Ju-wan comes to my rescue.

What are my chances?

As a devoted fan who’s read this story 33 times, with Gyun Jun-hwi being my absolute favorite character, I know everything about him. 

His personality, patterns, typical strategies, mindset, habits, preferences… every last detail. 

I can use that to my advantage.

My mind is racing at an unprecedented speed, surprising even myself. 

Maybe I’m actually quite intelligent? 

Perhaps I just haven’t had many opportunities to prove it, but when pushed, I can be quite clever. 

Anyhow, I’ve managed to piece together a rough plan. 

Time for the confrontation. 

Steeling myself, I kicked open the bathroom door.

“Ugh! Ugh!”

As soon as I start breathing again, I was overwhelmed with dry heaves, nearly collapsing. 

This is unbearable…

I fell to the ground, tears streaming down my face, when—

“Yeon So-ra?”

A handsome guy with black hair and red eyes approached.

It was Gyun Jun-hwi.

“Are you alright?”

He looked genuinely concerned! 

As if he wasn’t the one who set off the stink bomb!

Gyun Jun-hwi helped me move to a clean area, away from the monster stench. 

I was still dry heaving. 

Even after breathing fresh air, tears cover my face, and my body felt as limp as a wet cloth.

“That smell was dreadful. I wonder what happened?”

He said in an innocent tone. 

You did this, you!!

“You look terrible. Should I take you to the medical room?”

I shook my head vigorously in refusal. 

I knew Gyun Jun-hwi’s true intentions. 

This wasn’t concern. 

If he took me to the medical ward, Yeom Ju-wan couldn’t find me and take me away. 

Thus, Gyun Jun-hi would have more time to talk to me and uncover my identity.

“This won’t do. Let’s get you to the medical room.”

He tried to take me away. 

No way. 

I planted myself to the floor like gum. 

“The longer we wait, the worse it could get. Is walking too difficult?”

Gyun Jun-hwi’s expression showed such genuine worry, it was almost unbelievable. 

He was cold before the Awakening Test, but now he seemed so caring—almost enough to deceive me, though I knew better.

“Can you speak?”

Shake shake.

“If you can’t even talk, you really should see a doctor. I can carry you if needed.”

Shake shake. 

“This could be serious. You need medical attention.”

If I stay silent, he’ll probably just carry me away. 

I had no choice but to speak.

“If I leave without saying anything, Yeom Ju-wan… He’ll will be angry.”

Just then, another notification appeared.

[You have formed a bond with a character.]

[Would you like to check now? Y/N]

Why now? 

I’d love to check, but I can’t afford distractions. 

Just as I minimized the notification, Gyun Jun-hwi’s face filled my vision.

“Ah, you can speak? What a relief.”

His long, almond-shaped eyes curved into an enchanting crescent. 

Even in this situation, his beauty was undeniable. 

His smile was intoxicating, clouding my judgment. 

Somehow, Gyun Jun-hwi’s face projects an innocent, pure image, yet his eyes hold a decadent allure. 

A paradoxical blend of purity and seduction. 

And when he smiles like that, there’s just… this magnetism…

“Get it together!”

I pinched my hand to snap out of it. 

That smile can’t be trusted. 

When Gyun Jun-hwi smiles like that, he’s setting up some kind of scheme or trap. 

Sure enough, he got straight to the point.

“It’s quite a remarkable coincidence, wouldn’t you say?”

“What is?”

“Just as you predicted, there really was an outbreak.”

“Ah… yes, I was surprised too.”

“It gave me chills, honestly.”

The warmth in Gyun Jun-hwi’s smile shifted.

“A girl I just met today mentions an outbreak, and then one actually occurs in the tower? To call this coincidence is…..” 

Of all the people in the waiting room, I had approached the possessor. 

Then, I showed up at the outbreak scene wielding fire spears. 

Trying to pass this off as mere coincidence would be brazen. 

I took a steadying breath, preparing my response.

‘This is where I’ve got to be cautious.’

I know my favorite character’s patterns well. 

When Gyun Jun-hwi encounters someone suspicious, he ambushes them to investigate, fishing for clues. 

If he finds a lead? 

→ He keeps them under close observation. 

If he finds nothing? 

→ He eliminates them. 

The method of elimination varies with the threat level; for someone like Yeon So-ra, he’d most likely opt for “expulsion.” 

Setting up an incident, manipulating circumstances to frame someone, and getting them expelled would be child’s play for Gyun Jun-hwi; he’s done it to several villains before. 

“To be honest…”

I put on a serious expression and paused, catching Gyun Jun-hwi’s attention.

“You may not believe this, but this isn’t the first time. I occasionally dream of future events.”

“…!”

Gyun Jun-hwi reacted to the phrase “dreams of the future.” 

Being sharp, he should make the connection, right? 

In <Doomed Academy>, there are prophets who dream of future events. 

They’re people who awaken with foresight abilities like precognition, but even before awakening, they experience premonitions. 

This was my new strategy: I’m going to present myself (to Gyun Jun-hwi only) as a prophet. 

Having already blurted out nonsense about “dreaming of an outbreak” during our first meeting, this was the only setup that could maintain consistency.

‘After all, I do know the future.’

As a devoted reader who’s finished the novel, I knew what was coming. 

I could convincingly play the role of a prophet.

‘And there’s minimal risk of being exposed.’

In <Doomed Academy>, only three people can see the future. 

Two were already known, and the third never appeared by the story’s end. 

Gyun Jun-hwi searched extensively for this third prophet but never found him or her. 

In other words, the chances of a real prophet exposing me was practically non-existent.

Gyun Jun-hwi seemed to be processing my revelation. 

I could guess his thoughts.

– If Yeon So-ra is truly a prophet, why wasn’t she in the original story?

I already had my answer prepared.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For what you told me before the test… it helped me tremendously.”

I gazed into the distance with a wistful expression.

“Most people dismiss what I say, but you… you were different. You gave me courage. That’s why I survived.”

My message was clear:

“It’s all thanks to you!”

Indeed, Yeon So-ra survived because of the butterfly effect. 

So the story goes like this:

I’m a poor prophet who dreamed of an outbreak in the tower. 

It was too vivid to be just a nightmare. 

I told others about the dream, but they all laughed it off, saying a tower outbreak was impossible. 

(Indeed, this was the first outbreak in the tower’s history.) 

Their logic convinced me it was just a bad dream, but the anxiety lingered. 

So much so that I confided in a stranger in the waiting room. 

But this stranger didn’t dismiss me. 

Instead, he pressed for details about the monsters in my dream as if he believed me. 

This led me, the prophet, to consider that her dream might be real, preparing herself for the crisis. 

(Details pending, but the conclusion is:) 

In the original timeline, Yeon So-ra didn’t trust her dream, failed to awaken, and died. 

But now, she’s survived because she believed in the dream. 

Why? Thanks to Gyun Jun-hwi! 

The butterfly effect, courtesy of the possessor! 

Maybe it sounds contrived, but so what? 

Whether it fits perfectly or not doesn’t matter. 

And if we’re talking about forced explanations, Gyun Jun-hwi’s explanation to Ki Hyun-min was just as stretched. 

What I need is confidence and audacity! 

Yes, my survival is because of you. 

Now, will you let me go?

My quick thinking seemed to work, as Gyun Jun-hwi’s expression subtly changed. 

Just then—

“Yeon So-ra!”

A welcome voice called out. 

My devoted shadow, Yeom Ju-wan, had arrived.

“Hey, what’s wrong with your face? Have you been crying?”

Yeom Ju-wan’s expression darkened as he noticed my tear-stained cheeks. 

His gaze narrowed at Gyun Jun-hwi, suspecting him as the cause.

“Did you do this?”

Even facing the taller Gyun Jun-hwi, he showed no fear. 

Our little tiger, so full of spirit! 

But I couldn’t let my favorites fight.

“Ju-wan, it’s not like that.”

I quickly explained about the strange smell in the bathroom and how Gyun Jun-hwi had helped me. 

Ju-wan’s hostility melted away immediately.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding. And thank you.”

He bowed politely to Gyun Jun-hwi before turning to me.

“It’s our turn now, let’s go.”

After all that chaos, I’d finally escaped the biggest crisis. 

I gave Gyun Jun-hwi my warmest smile. 

See you next week, Jun-hwi!