Chapter 47
Chapter 47
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 47
"This is more intense than I expected. You don't think a real ghost's gonna pop out, do you?"
"T-Teacher! What kind of thing is that to say!"
"Haha, Lee Ji. You, a full-grown guy, scared of ghosts?"
"M-Me? Scared of something like ghosts? As if."
I took the lead and started down the path.
It was because of the simple security measureswe had to verify with my TA ID.
Man, this place really lives up to the ghost stories.
In the dead of night, there's no sign of human activity in the valley, not even the sounds of wild animals. Strangest of all, not even the whisper of wind reaches my ears.
All I can hear are our footsteps and the drip of water falling in the valley.
"This is seriously creepy. Yu-ra, any idea how much farther it is to that rumored spot?"
I asked No Yu-ra about the distance.
True to form for a girl her age who's always active on social media, she rattled it off without missing a beat.
"Between the gorge and the valley? Probably another twenty minutes or so."
"You know your stuff. Big fan of the academy grounds' layout, huh?"
"Well, posting pics of weird spots like this gets tons of attention on SNS."
"......Ah, right."
I couldn't really relate to what Yu-ra was saying.
Maybe it was because I'd spent so much time on the front lines, far from modern civilization.
People who are into social media just don't make sense to me.
I still can't figure out why anyone would waste time on that crap.
"Whats with the lukewarm reaction?"
"Just hit me how old I must be getting."
"You're still in your prime, TA. Say that in front of my dad, and he might've decked you."
I mumbled some vague agreement to Yu-ra and stared straight ahead.
We were starting to pass through the valley, and the gorge was coming into view.
Almost at the high ground.
Since we were nearly there, I picked up the pace and heightened my senses.
Whats this weird feeling?
Presence? No, too faint for that.
Something alive was nearby.
Not the students. Something elsenot human.
Too faint to call it human traces.
Not even an assassin would be this subtle.
More like a shadow.
And by 'shadow,' I don't mean the slang for assassins or shady groups. Literal shadow.
The kind that trails behind you naturally, blending perfectly with its surroundings.
Just in case, I spoke up.
In a low, steady tone.
"Everyone, stop."
"Why stop all of a sudden......?"
"If the TA says stop, there's a reason. Just hold still."
"......But why stop?"
They all halted at my words.
Lee Ji looked puzzled at the sudden order, but shut his mouth at Yu-ra's words. The other students spread out their artificial senses using mana detection.
But nothing turned up.
I narrowed my eyes sharply and said we should keep going.
Even as we walked, the faint trace lingered, and we stopped several more times. Being thorough is fine, but with no real threats, the kids started grumbling as the stops repeated.
Lee Ji especially.
"Teacher, aren't you being a bit too jumpy? How many times is this now?"
"......Weird. This shouldn't be happening."
"Ghosts don't exist in the first place. Magical beasts, maybe, but ghosts? What a load of nonsense."
Just moments ago, he'd jumped at leaves brushing his neck or twigs snapping, but now here he was, arms crossed, full of bravado. If a real ghost showed up, that'd be a sight.
Right then, No Yu-ra pointed behind Lee Ji.
"Huh. Those branches over there are shaking."
"Hah, you think I'll fall for that trick again?"
"Mm, this time really look behind you."
Isis spoke up, her voice as chilling as the cold prickling their skin, and Lee Ji turned, figuring he'd play along. And yeah, the branches really were shaking.
At an unnatural speed.
The early spring chill felt stronger tonight, but not enough to make branches sway like that.
Couldn't even blame it on someone using magic on academy grounds.
We're the only ones here.
I blinked hard, and my red pupils turned violet, turning the world monochrome as I scanned. No artificial mana flows caught my eye.
Meaning the branches were shaking naturally, not from any skill or spell.
Does that even make sense?
Right at that moment.
Thud!
Something dropped from above to the ground.
Not a loud noise, but Lee Ji, already on edge, freaked out.
"Wh-what was that......?!"
"......TA, there really isn't a ghost, right?"
"Whoa, my first ghost! It looks just like those blurry pics!"
At this point, even I started rationally suspecting the inexplicable ghost stories might be real. I let out a hollow chuckle.
"......Maybe the inexplicable really is real."
I'd pondered the word "inexplicable" before.
Why would Chilseong, with its perfectionist streak, tolerate vague terms like "inexplicable" or "bizarre"?
I've only been here as a TA for a month, but that's enough to gauge the general mindset of the people.
Professors, TAs, guards. Even the janitors.
Everyone at Chilseong takes immense pride in working here and belonging.
Why is that?
Because it's one of the world's top five academies? A sense of duty leading Korea's player industry?
Or maybe...
'The world's basic setup is just wired that way.'
No clear answer.
If I had to pick one, Chilseong is world-class, subjectively and objectively.
Who else invests this much in student education?
That's why the pride runs deep.
Like nobles sworn to royalty.
Anyway, Chilseong's noble-like professors don't tolerate ambiguity.
It goes against their pursuit of perfection.
The Seven Wonders of Chilseong are the same.
With "Chilseong" in the name, the professors wouldn't let it slide.
They'd have investigated everything.
Yet the tales persist, passed from seniors to freshmen.
Hard to even trace the origins anymore.
'In other words, even Chilseong's professors haven't uncovered anything in all that time.'
Maybe it's just worthless gossip no one cares about. But my gut says no.
If it were nothing, Nam Hwa-yeon wouldn't know about it.
She wouldn't bother remembering some debunked trivia.
She's keeping it in mind because there's something to it.
"......There's something."
Right then.
The artificial vibe someone with keen senses would pick up.
I caught it first and murmured low. The students behind me sharpened their senses.
"T-Teacher, you're not messing with us, right?"
"You think the TA would say that just to prank you? And you don't feel this weird vibe?"
"Wh-what weird vibe?"
"Shh...... Yu-ra, quiet......"
But sharpening senses doesn't mean everyone feels it.
No matter how much they honed with mana, Lee Ji sensed nothing and accused them of pranking him.
Yu-ra narrowed her eyes at that.
Not just doubting the sky-high TA, but failing to notice even the faint unease? Disappointing.
Chilseong admits the world's elites.
She couldn't comprehend missing something this basic.
Not looking down on him.
She genuinely couldn't understand.
Even the other students, mage Isabel and Isis, had noticed.
Yu-ra was about to say something when Seo Ye-rin spoke, silencing her.
No need to ask why she was called.
She realized instantly.
Their reliable TA at the front.
His red eyes sparkled like jewels.
Amethyst light rippling even in the dark, quietly peering beyond the brush.
Sharp gaze piercing every terrain feature beyond.
Yu-ra blushed and stared blankly.
Right then.
Rustle rustle!
The brush shook, twigs snapping underfoot.
The group, fully tensed, drew their weapons.
Isis wrapped cold air around her hand; Seo Ye-rin reached for the spear on her back.
Seong Yeon-hwa whipped out her waist sword like lightning, Isabel cloaked herself in tricolor light with a scowl.
Lee Ji trembled, clutching his hand axe in fear.
Weapons drawn by all.
Except No Yu-ra.
Her eyes stayed fixed on her first love.
Partly selfish desire to keep watching his serious face, but she wasn't so foolish as to lose reason to puppy love.
But the TA's expression was off.
No flames ignited, no tension or fear.
Just a blank look, like "Why is that here?" staring into the brush.
Right after.
Swooshsomething burst from the brush.
The group braced; Lee Ji screamed.
"Kyaeeeeek!"
A shriek too high-pitched for a guy.
Yu-ra didn't like that.
Only guy in the group, and while the girls stayed composed, he screams.
Well, his slight build set low expectations.
Still disappointing.
But what really disappointed her about Lee Ji came next.
Rustlesomething emerged from the brush.
Lee Ji reflexively leaped back, and the group's night-adapted eyes peered at the creature.
Totally unexpected.
"......A squirrel?"
"Aww, so cute. Was it scurrying around hunting for food?"
"So the branches were the squirrel too......?"
A squirrel the size of a palm.
That was the culprit rustling in the brush.
Tension snapped like a rubber band.
They scanned around without fully relaxing.
Nothing else besides the squirrel.
But they witnessed a shock rivaling any ghost.
"T-Teacher, is the ghost gone?"
"......Hey, what the hell are you doing?!"
Seo Ye-rin raised her voice at Lee Ji, who'd leaped back.
Of course. The moment she saw him in Baek Seung-woo's arms, her brows furrowed.
Smiling lips that weren't smiling.
Lee Ji was still clinging like a baby kangaroo; Baek Seung-woo glanced between squirrel and him.
"......Get down, kid."
Annoyed as hell.