Chapter 02
“‘An undergraduate…?’
Putting aside the fact that the blond man had spoken in fluent Korean, it was a bizarre question.
But on second thought, it was also a rather distinctive question. After all, who else would come out of a door with a suspicious nameplate and ask ‘Are you an undergraduate?’…
‘A professor.’
Then this place was probably… Gwangryun Comprehensive University.
I secretly swallowed dry saliva. I had fallen into the very place I’d read about in the manual right before entering? Could something that lucky really happen to me?
Of course, that didn’t mean I could let my guard down. For starters, that man, no matter how he spoke, couldn’t possibly be a real professor. He didn’t look even thirty, and more importantly, Gwangryun Comprehensive University had been closed for a long time.
He was likely not even a person, let alone a professor.
“Student?”
‘Ugh…’
Instead of answering rashly, I gave a small nod.
“What business does an undergraduate have in my lab?”
“Oh, well…”
The man tilted his head, and his nearsighted glasses reflected the light, glinting.
What should I say?
According to the survival manual, freaks like to imitate humans, and if you don’t play along naturally with their imitation, they’ll immediately try to ‘replace’ you.
I didn’t know what ‘replacement’ meant, but if I could avoid it, I’d do my best.
In this situation, I had no choice but to act like an undergraduate at Gwangryun Comprehensive University. But how? I’d never even set foot on a college campus.
As I hesitated, the man began walking toward me.
The pale green light flickered over his straight forehead and pale blond hair. Thud, thud, his indoor slippers echoed on the corridor floor.
‘Wait… this isn’t a real university anyway. That person—no, that thing—isn’t a real professor either. In other words, I’m not the only one who’s never been near a university.’
Then I just needed to come up with the most natural and convincing answer possible, within reason—something that wouldn’t get me called out even if I was exposed as an outsider.
“I-I came to… audit! I came to apply for an audit!”
Stop.
The man stopped in his tracks.
“Audit…?”
“Yes, yes… I’ve really wanted to attend one. So… your lecture, Professor.”
If I wasn’t mistaken, the corner of the man’s mouth twitched slightly.
‘Did he… smile?’
But it was only for a moment. The man’s cool, expressionless face returned.
“I announced it, though.”
“…?”
“All my lectures this semester have been canceled. Insufficient… enrollment.”
“I… see.”
What the hell. This answer is so normal it’s creepy.
No, this isn’t the time. I should see this as an opportunity.
“Oh, well then, I guess there’s nothing to be done. It’s a real shame, but I’ll be on my way, Professor.”
Just as I was about to naturally turn around—
“What lecture?”
“Pardon…?”
“You said you really wanted to attend. What lecture looked so interesting?”
“Uh…”
The man was waiting for my answer with that unreadable expression.
Just then, flicker, the light above momentarily dimmed. The eyes behind his glasses were a strange blue-gray.
It was a face you’d only see in overseas fashion magazines, but his gaze was somehow desolate.
Gulp, I swallowed quietly and spoke.
“An… introductory lecture?”
This time, I wasn’t mistaken.
The man narrowed his long eyes and smiled. Then, in a surprisingly gentle voice, he asked,
“Want to talk in my office? It’s right there.”
The man pointed to the door at the end of the corridor—the one he had just come out of.
Just reading the nameplate had made my nose bleed—what would happen if I went inside?
I had to avoid going in there at all costs. I forced an awkward smile and shook my head.
“No, Professor. There’ll be another time. I’m really sorry for bothering you!”
And without looking back, I turned and hurried back down the corridor. Fortunately, the man didn’t follow.
The long, narrow corridor turned left at the end, and I tried not to look back as I rounded the corner.
What spread out before me was, again, a green corridor. No doors, no windows, not even a sign.
Just the sound of my own footsteps, thud, thud.
Now that I thought about it, my body felt oddly light. Was it the adrenaline?
For someone who’d been locked in a warehouse for half a day, drugged with some unknown substance, and stranded in another dimension, my mind was eerily calm and clear.
Then this wasn’t my imagination either—the sensation that the green corridor was stretching infinitely before my eyes.
“…”
Flicker. The light dimmed for a moment, then brightened.
I stopped walking and glanced back. Still an empty corridor. It looked the same in either direction.
Was the corner really that far? Had I come this far?
I hurriedly tried to retrace my steps. I walked faster and faster, eventually nearly running.
But the corner was still so far away.
Damn it. Why did I think the only danger was the professor?
‘Freak’ doesn’t just refer to living organisms. I should’ve expected something like being trapped in an infinite corridor.
Flicker.
I started running.
Flicker.
I sprinted at full speed.
“Huff… haah…”
And just as I barely caught up to the corner that kept receding in real time—what I saw before me was the same empty corridor as before.
No, not the same. The wooden door with the nameplate I’d seen earlier was gone, and the ceiling light that had been pale green just a moment ago was now—
Flicker.
Red.
“Hah… haha…”
Cold sweat ran down my back.
It was hard to tell which was more dangerous. Standing still here? Or walking endlessly down a corridor with no end in sight?
— Pfft.
A strange laugh made me jump back in fright.
Where? Which direction?
Which way had I come from, and which way was I trying to go?
— Shh… shhh…
I pressed my back flat against the corner.
The voice was now right by my ear. A low whisper, giggling. And…
— Are… are you trying to hide…?
I pressed myself even tighter against the wall.
Where? Where is it?
— No, not here, not here…
I tried to cover my ears, but it was useless.
“I’m the one who’s supposed to hide here!”
“……!!”
I started running like crazy.
Ahah… ahahah… ahah…
A sound I couldn’t tell was laughter or moaning echoed through the red corridor.
If it had been my own voice, that would’ve been great, but unfortunately, my voice wasn’t that high-pitched, screeching tone.
I clenched my teeth and ran.
Until I tasted metal in my throat.
Will this ever end? The moment I thought that, the light above flickered once more.
Another set of footsteps approached.
Where? Which direction?
But whichever it was, I couldn’t change direction now. From beyond the opposite corner, something large came bursting out.
And I, unable to slow down, slammed face-first into its chest.
Thump.
“Oof.”
‘Oof…?’
A large hand grabbed my arm. As I staggered and barely regained my balance—flicker, the light changed again.
Under the green light, the man from before was looking at me.
“…Professor?”
I muttered, dazed.
“No running in the hallway.”
“Ah… yes, sorry.”
The professor let go of my arm. I gasped and looked around.
A normal corridor.
‘I can’t hear the voice anymore. Is it because of this man?’
Behind the professor, I could see the wooden door with the nameplate. But this time, I could read it.
Malo
‘Malo…?’
“Student.”
The professor looked down at me for a moment, then rummaged through the pocket of his white coat.
“Do you like candy?”
“…Candy?”
He held out his hand. In his large palm lay four colorful candies.
“Uh… no, I’m fine. Thank you.”
I refused with a trembling voice, but he didn’t back down. I hesitated, then reached out to pick one of the candies in his palm.
“No.”
The professor gently grabbed my wrist. Then, with a light clap, he flipped his hand over. Clatter, the candies spilled into my palm.
“Eat it.”
I looked up at him suspiciously. The professor blinked back at me.
“…Later. Thank you anyway.”
I roughly shoved the candies into my pocket. Fortunately, the professor didn’t press me further.
As my mind calmed down, I finally took in the professor’s appearance. His slightly disheveled blond hair, glasses, and slightly hunched posture due to his height—as he looked down at me, he seemed harmless, almost a bit clumsy.
“I… I’m sorry about earlier. I was a bit startled.”
“That’s understandable. But if you’ve changed your mind… I’d like to discuss it further.”
“Are you talking about the audit?”
The professor nodded.
“Uh… but why go that far…”
“Because I’m a professor.”
“…?”
Without taking his eyes off me, he spoke in that suspiciously gentle voice.
“If I don’t teach a student, I can’t really call myself a professor, can I?”
“…”
Whatever his true nature was, at least his purpose seemed clear.
If I could use that to my advantage… maybe I could get help from this person—or being.
‘Besides, I don’t have any other option.’
“Then first… can you help me get out of here? I seem to have lost my way.”
“Perhaps?”
“Will you?”
Hmm, his lips parted slightly. His exposed canine teeth looked especially sharp.
