My Childhood Friend’s Stock Will Never Fail Chapter 13

Crackle.

 

Electricity coursed through the wall beneath his hand.

 

Every Esper possessed a unique mana attribute.

 

Seo Hyunho’s attribute happened to be electricity.

 

Like someone searching for an underground water vein, his mana wandered through the wall, probing for the hidden mechanism.

 

After some time—

 

“Found it.”

 

The moment Seo Hyunho muttered those words, the dead-end wall began to rumble.

 

Rrrrr…

 

As though someone had uttered, “Open sesame,” the outer layer of the wall slid away, revealing a door beyond it, illuminated by a single small light.

 

“Senior!”

 

Yoohee clapped both hands over her mouth, unable to hide her delight.

 

As expected of Seo Hyunho.

 

If she hadn’t brought him along, how could she possibly have cleared this scenario?

 

But under the glow of the light, Seo Hyunho’s expression was grim.

 

“It’s locked.”

 

“Then maybe you can—”

 

“I can’t open this one.”

 

He cut her off firmly.

 

Yoohee couldn’t understand why.

 

But the moment she saw the lock attached to the door, she immediately realized what he meant.

 

It was a heavy steel combination lock.

 

If it had been an electronic device powered by batteries, Seo Hyunho might have been able to disable it with his electricity.

 

But not a mechanical safe lock like this.

 

“We’ll have to enter the correct code.”

 

Four digits.

 

At least it wasn’t especially long.

 

But there was no way they could stand there trying every combination from 0000 to 9999.

 

“Sunbae… do you have any idea what the code might be?”

 

“No.”

 

Of course not.

 

Yoohee racked her brain, wondering whether the original novel had ever mentioned a clue.

 

Wait…

 

The Academy Director did appear once.

 

His personality had been so bizarre that she still remembered him.

 

He was a complete anime fanatic.

 

Looking back, traces of that obsession were scattered all over the academy.

 

Even the academy uniforms had supposedly been designed to resemble those worn by his favorite anime character as closely as possible.

 

The cafeteria offered free slices of bread because his favorite character was always shown running to school with toast in her mouth.

 

Then… could this password be related too?

 

The code might also reference that anime.

 

His favorite was Miku-chan… wasn’t it?

 

Interestingly, the original novel had used obvious parody names for real, famous anime.

 

Just like calling a detective anime Co×an instead of Conan, the author had written Mi×u-chan—

 

though everyone knew it was really Miku-chan.

 

Right.

 

A birthday would make sense.

 

If only she knew Miku-chan’s birthday…

 

But how would I know that?!

 

“W-When was Miku-chan’s birthday again…?”

 

Yoohee murmured under her breath.

 

Seo Hyunho looked down at her with an utterly fierce expression.

 

The look on his face plainly said,

 

Why would I know something like that?

 

And why are you asking me now of all times?

 

“N-No, it’s just—”

 

She was about to explain that it might be connected to the password—

 

when Seo Hyunho suddenly slapped a hand over her mouth.

 

Mmph?

 

Seriously? Asking about Miku-chan’s birthday is that terrible?

 

Feeling completely wronged, Yoohee lightly smacked the arm covering her mouth.

 

Instead of letting go, Seo Hyunho pressed his hand more firmly against her lips.

 

Then his entire body went rigid.

 

Tap… tap…

 

A few moments later,

 

the sound of footsteps echoed through the darkness.

 

A prison warden was definitely coming up to the fourth floor.

 

Only then did Yoohee realize what was happening.

 

Once she stopped struggling, Seo Hyunho slowly removed his hand from her mouth.

 

What do we do…?

 

At this rate, we’re going to get caught.

 

The suffocating tension closed in around her.

 

Yoohee bit down hard on her lip.

 

The staircase was too narrow.

 

Even if they tried to retreat now, they would inevitably run straight into the approaching warden.

 

The invisibility cloak only concealed them from sight.

 

It didn’t erase their physical forms.

 

There was only one way to avoid being discovered.

 

They had to open the door and reach the top floor before the warden arrived.

 

Clink.

 

The ring of keys hanging from the warden’s belt jingled softly.

 

As the footsteps drew closer, Yoohee’s mind went completely blank.

 

Then, a notification echoed beside her ear.

 

[Constellation, “The Solitary 2D Artisan,” clears their throat to remind you of their presence.]

 

[Constellation, “The Solitary 2D Artisan,” asks if you’d like to know Miku-chan’s birthday.]

 

Yoohee’s eyes flew open.

 

Without making a sound, she instinctively clasped her hands together as though praying.

 

Merciful Constellation… please.

 

Staring desperately into empty air, she silently pleaded.

 

Watching from another dimension, the Solitary 2D Artisan graciously answered.

 

[Constellation, “The Solitary 2D Artisan,” warns that they’re only helping you this once.]

 

[Constellation, “The Solitary 2D Artisan,” proudly declares that Miku-chan’s birthday is December 27th.]

 

[A handful of Constellations marvel at their incredible memory.]

 

1227.

 

There it was.

 

The four-digit password.

 

Before Seo Hyunho could react, Yoohee rushed to the lock herself.

 

Her hands trembled from the urgency, but she desperately entered the numbers.

 

The instant she entered the final digit—

 

Click.

 

The firmly locked door swung open.

 

At the same moment, surprise flashed across Seo Hyunho’s face.

 

But there wasn’t time to dwell on it.

 

…!

 

He immediately grabbed Yoohee and pulled her through the doorway.

 

Then, using his electricity, he restored the concealed wall behind them to its original state.

 

Tap. Tap.

 

A moment later, the warden reached the top of the stairs.

 

“I could’ve sworn I saw a light… Was I imagining it?”

 

Hidden behind the wall, Yoohee held her breath.

 

Her heart pounded so violently she thought it might burst.

 

Fortunately, the warden never stepped onto the fourth floor.

 

After a brief pause, he simply turned around and descended the stairs again.

 

…Haa.

 

She’d been so terrified it felt as though half her heart had stopped beating.

 

The strength drained from her legs, and she began to collapse.

 

Before she could sink to the floor, Seo Hyunho slipped a hand beneath her arm.

 

As if she weighed nothing at all, he effortlessly lifted her back onto her feet.

 

“How did you know the password?”

 

Still trying to calm her racing heartbeat, Yoohee answered in a small voice.

 

“I-I guess… it’s because I actually paid attention during the Director’s speeches.”

 

A trace of suspicion crossed Seo Hyunho’s face.

 

But after a moment, he decided to let it go.

 

Instead, he asked another question in his usual detached tone.

 

“You’re prepared, aren’t you?”

 

Prepared.

 

The top floor of Building F.

 

This was where Juhoon was.

 

She had never imagined meeting him would make her this nervous.

 

“Of course.”

 

A faint smile tugged at Seo Hyunho’s lips as he started walking.

 

Yoohee followed behind him into the long corridor.

 

They had escaped one crisis—

 

but they were far from safe.

 

The hallway itself proved it.

 

Several CCTV cameras drifted back and forth with a mechanical whirr.

 

Without the invisibility cloak, they would have been spotted by the wardens immediately.

 

After passing through the surveillance-lined corridor,

 

they finally reached the iron cell reserved for Danger-Rank students.

 

Inside the thick, tightly woven bars,

 

a lone man sat motionless on the floor.

 

Both his hands and feet were bound in heavy chains.

 

He was alive.

 

Yet somehow…

 

he didn’t look alive at all.