Chick 296
by Cristae296
Before long, the children of the Chick class gathered cozily in front of the screen to watch the video, and a tidal wave began to approach them.
‘Fortunately, they don’t seem too scared.’
If the children started squealing in fear because of the 4D effects, the plan could fall apart.
But instead, the kids were fascinated and amused.
Gru’s face turned bright red with excitement as she took turns exclaiming to the friends on either side of her.
Confirming this, Kwon Riyeong glanced at the sprinkler. She’d already made sure it was shut off and couldn’t operate.
After all, nothing suits an incident quite like a fire.
The plan was as follows:
‘Because they were experiencing a 4D video, the Chick class teacher and kids failed to respond in time to the fire, and as luck would have it, the sprinkler system was shut off that day, resulting in a near-disaster. However, thanks to Kwon Riyeong the docent’s quick response, catastrophe was averted.’
In other words, she intended to become a hero who saved the kindergarten children.
Coincidentally enough, among them was the daughter of On Joorim, guild leader.
She believed this was a plan that could put others in her debt without causing real harm to the children.
Kwon Honggyun had scoffed, saying this couldn’t possibly be enough, but she was confident of her success.
Fortune had always been on her side.
Click.
In other words, she hadn’t included the possibility of being unlucky in her planning.
Click.
‘Hm?’
Click. Click. Click!
Cold sweat trickled down Kwon Riyeong’s back as she kept pressing the ignition device switch.
Click, click.
No matter how many times she pressed, there was no response.
She quietly slipped behind the screen to inspect the device.
Sizzle—
‘A short circuit?!’
Kwon Riyeong’s face twisted in dismay.
Because it was a 4D theater, the water sprayed for the tidal wave video seemed to have seeped into the ignition system.
‘Malfunctioning? Right now?’
Of all times?
‘Damn it!’
A flush of anger surged up, turning her face scarlet and a curse rose to her throat.
‘Patience. Patience. Patience…….’
She squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, then opened them.
Just in case, she’d prepared another plan.
Moving to a corner of the theater, she took out the whistle hanging around her neck.
Fweee—
No sound came from the whistle. Only a faint hiss of air escaping.
But it would reach Mara, the beloved hunting dog she had raised with such care.
The second plan was to wake up the monsters on display.
On the first floor, low-level monsters were displayed, and her dog would herd them into the theater.
Just then, the video of tidal waves and seismic upheaval ended, and a Tyrannosaurus appeared on the screen, lowering its face toward the children.
Thanks to 4D effects, it must have seemed to the kids as though the dinosaur was coming right out of the screen.
“Kyaaaa!”
Amid shrieking laughter burst forth. The children seemed to love the experience of encountering a dinosaur in 4D.
At that moment, there came a furious scratching sound at the door. It seemed Mara had completed her task and returned.
Seeing even the Chick class teacher was absorbed in the video, Kwon Riyeong quietly opened the door, and a large black retriever slipped inside.
Its tail was tucked between its legs, whining anxiously.
“Mara?”
What’s wrong? Kwon Riyeong was baffled, and then it happened.
Shrrraaaak—!
A massive arm, covered with scales like ice, ripped through the center of the screen with razor-sharp claws.
“Kyaaaaaa!”
“Wowww!”
The children laughed and applauded.
Through the torn screen, the long, reptilian head of a creature poked out.
With its elongated snout, golden eyes, and vertical pupils, this monster strongly resembled a dinosaur wreathed in frost.
It sniffed at the children, then opened its giant mouth wide.
“KRRAAAAAAA!”
The roar sent shivers spiking down the spine.
Yet, even the teacher, let alone the kids, only reacted as though the illusion was all too convincing.
Only Kwon Riyeong and Bailach wore looks of stony horror.
‘That one’s real.’
Only now did Kwon Riyeong realize why Mara was so terrified.
[Failed Remnant of the Snowfield (A)]
A failed specimen.
The one before them was not an F or E-class monster from the museum’s collection, but an A-class.
The Chick class teacher first sensed something was wrong when another Remnant burst through the entrance below the screen.
“KRRAAAAA!”
The children squealed and laughed again, but the teacher, face set, began scooping up children at random.
“Chick class friends! Everyone up! Let’s go outside now!”
Fortunately, the monsters hadn’t attacked yet, but she had to get the children out before something terrible happened.
The children, puzzled, began to rise slowly one by one.
“Teacher, why are we going out?”
“Will we not see any more dinosaurs?”
Carrying three kids at once, the teacher dashed for the rear door.
“Kwon Riyeong!”
“Y-Yes!”
Snapped from her daze by the teacher’s call, Kwon Riyeong came to her senses.
The children’s safety came first. She quickly began carrying the children outside.
The Remnants of the Snowfield entered the theater, rolling their eyes as if searching for Mara.
‘Four A-class monsters?’
Kwon Riyeong swallowed with pale horror.
The ‘Failed Remnant of the Snowfield’ was a massive, scaly reptile cloaked in a frosty chill, freezing its surroundings with a breath of freezing air.
‘Mara… Just where did you find something like that…’
Her heart pounded. The plan was not just unraveling—it had grown beyond her ability to control.
Mara was huddled in a dark corner, but the Remnants were combing the area, about to discover her.
Kwon Riyeong reached for a weapon, determined to save Mara.
“Kwon Riyeong! Gru! Gru isn’t out yet!”
Ongru?
“I’ll go get her! Get everyone else to safety first!”
Casting around hurriedly, Kwon Riyeong caught sight of a shocking scene.
A tiny child stood, bird perched on her head and hamster on her shoulder, brandishing a fork with majestic confidence.
“……?!”
Kwon Riyeong’s face twisted in alarm just as Gru dashed boldly toward the Remnant of the Snowfield.
‘Insane!’
Kwon Riyeong rushed to grab Gru’s hand and raced the other way.
Suddenly seized, Gru’s mouth rounded in surprise.
“Eh?”
“It’s dangerous, what do you think you’re doing?”
Dangerous? Gru’s eyes whirled as she blinked, confused.
At that moment, her senses picked up something overhead.
“Gru, keep running!”
Kwon Riyeong released the small hand and gave Gru a firm push on the back.
Tadadat!
Thud!
The steel frame supporting the screen crashed down where Gru had been.
The twisted metal now separated the two of them like a massive fence.
A shuddering breath escaped through clenched teeth.
A single step’s difference.
If she’d been even a bit slower, not only the child but Kwon Riyeong herself would have been crushed to death.
‘No wonder Death was depicted on that card.’
Gnashing her teeth, unsettled, Kwon Riyeong heard the monsters’ roars rising behind her.
These were not from the National Museum’s collection, nor were they monsters she herself had prepared.
‘Where did these come from?’
No matter how much she’d become an icon of bad luck, she couldn’t summon something from nothing.
“Te-Teacher!”
Gru’s voice cut through her thoughts.
Gru stood in front, hopping with anxious urgency.
She hadn’t run away yet? Kwon Riyeong shouted at her.
“Run, now!”
Gritting her teeth, she summoned her sword.
Shakily exhaling, Kwon Riyeong steeled herself.
At this point, the child’s safety was all that mattered.
Meanwhile, outside the National Museum, emergency measures were underway in response to the sudden appearance of an A-class monster.
As part of the response, Guild Brom received an emergency call and rushed to the scene.
“This is Brom. What’s the situation?”
Guild leader Cheon Gyuri of Brom was being briefed as she prepared her equipment.
“Guild leader On Joorim, Brom will handle this incident—”
Pushing past a restraining officer, Joorim approached Cheon Gyuri and said,
“Guild Leader Cheon. This time, I’ll go in.”
“What?”
Why all of a sudden?
While she stood dumbfounded, the Chick class teacher and children came pouring out of the museum doors under the police special unit’s guidance.
“Yustitia Chick class is out!”
‘Yustitia…’
Realizing that On Joorim’s daughter attended Yustitia, Cheon Gyuri studied the children.
Screeeech—!
“Heeyeon!”
Driving straight through the crowd of reporters and officials, Gu Shinhoo leapt from his car, calling Heeyeon’s name as he dashed over.
“Daddy!”
When Gu Heeyeon flung herself into his arms, Gu Shinhoo exhaled deeply in relief.
Meanwhile, Joorim’s gaze trembled as he checked each child’s face.
With disbelief, he checked the faces of the other visitors as well.
Where? Where was she? Why couldn’t he see her?
“Gru…”
Swallowing hard, Joorim finally managed to speak, but the Chick class teacher shouted, trembling,
“There are still people inside! The docent teacher too! She said she’d look after one of our class’s children, but I don’t think they made it out yet!”
At that moment.
Screeeeeech—
A piercing sound rang in Cheon Gyuri’s ears.
At the same time, she stiffened, sensing an abrupt disturbance in the surrounding magic.
Anyone with magical sensitivity would have felt it—a pressure like feeling the earth itself shift beneath one’s feet.
Feeling she could not let On Joorim go in like this, Cheon Gyuri urgently grabbed Joorim’s wrist.
“Guild Master On. Let me go. I’ll bring Gru back safe—I promise.”
The National Museum was shielded to prevent unauthorized entry since it housed precious exhibits.
On Joorim looked as if she might break through that shield at any moment, her face fierce and sharp.
“Guild Leader On! Guild Leader Cheon!”
Just then, a middle-aged man accompanied by a retinue of assistants stepped in front of the two guild leaders.
It was Kwon Honggyun.
With a voice heavy with distress, he clutched Joorim’s hand and spoke.
“There… that’s my daughter left in there alone. Please. I’m begging you. Please save my daughter, Guild Leader.”