Harbinger of the Incident
One week after Oh Ji-seok began teaching his course.
"Are you asking me to provide proof that Kaijin actually exist?"
Ji-seok had been laying out tactical maneuvers designed for combat against Kaijin when a student raised their hand, prompting his calm inquiry.
"We understand the theoretical framework well enough," the student answered. "However, we want to see reality, not just theories on a board."
"........."
"For an entire week of anti-magical beast training, we've been taught how to counter an enemy with no physical presence. If we are to place our trust in you and follow your instruction, Professor, we believe this is an essential step."
It was Lumia who had taken up the mantle to speak for the class, having been appointed interim class president based on academic standing prior to the upcoming class elections.
"Naturally, it must be difficult to believe at present. But I ask that you wait just a little longer."
"With such ambiguous assurances, it remains difficult for us to place our faith in..."
When Ji-seok offered his gentle explanation with a faint smile, Lumia countered in kind, returning his smile with one just as serene.
"Before the first semester ends, the existence of Kaijin will be laid bare before the entire world."
Ji-seok cut cleanly through her words, his distinct, unwavering voice echoing across the silent lecture hall.
"When that day comes, everything will change. From the Academy's tactical doctrine, which is currently specialized only for fighting mindless magical beasts, to the engagement protocols for villains, and even the unwritten rule demanding that heroes never take a life."
"Are you certain of this?"
"Yes, I am certain. Not just this classroom, but the entire world will be swept up in a violent, turbulent current. Should that fail to happen, I will step down from my adjunct professorship and submit to disciplinary action."
Confronted by such absolute conviction, no one dared to raise another open objection, even if doubts still lingered beneath the surface.
"There are two kinds of great heroes in this world."
Seeing the students fall silent, Ji-seok stole a glance at the clock on the wall, noting the bell was about to toll, and began wrapping up the lecture.
"Heroes forged by their era, and heroes who forge the era themselves. Those are the two."
The chime announcing the lunch period rang out precisely as he concluded his sentence, and Ji-seok calmly gathered his teaching materials.
"I hope that all of you become the kind of heroes who forge your own era."
Leaving those words behind, he stepped out of the classroom in silence.
".........."
Despite it being the lunch break most of them had eagerly anticipated, the students remained rooted to their seats for a long time, unable to move.
"So, do you think it's actually real?"
Gathered around the cafeteria tables for lunch, the students of Class 1-1 immediately began dissecting the topic.
"You mean the Kaijin he was talking about?"
"Listening to him, it kind of sounded like they might really exist..."
One by one, murmurs broke out across the table.
"I don't know, I'm still skeptical..."
"I mean, urban legends about 'Kaijin'—people hiding in normal society who can turn into magical beasts—have been around forever, haven't they?"
"At the end of the day, there's zero physical evidence, isn't there?"
"Who knows? He's from the Secret Intelligence Bureau. Maybe he actually knows something we don't..."
The general consensus among the students was split between doubt and curiosity. Over the past week, Oh Ji-seok had laid relentless emphasis on the physical reality of humanoid magical beasts, maintaining that the fabled Kaijin were walking among ordinary citizens.
"Well, he said he'd resign if it isn't proven before the semester ends anyway. Why not just wait and see?"
"Are you an idiot? The professor resigning isn't going to fix our midterm grades."
Though Ji-seok had put his own career on the line, the students looked anxious, knowing their academic standings were directly tethered to whatever he taught them.
"The professor is right."
Amid the growing unrest, a quiet voice resonated across the table.
"Kaijin truly exist."
In an instant, every gaze snapped toward the speaker.
"Shh."
Lumia, who had just set down her tray and taken a seat, pressed a slender index finger to her lips with a hushed murmur.
"Let's keep this our little secret for now."
"If the Child of Prophecy is backing it up..."
"Then... is all of it really true...?"
The atmosphere flipped in a single heartbeat.
Munch, chew...
Ariel, both cheeks stuffed with food, peeked over at the commotion from her isolated spot and muttered quietly in her thoughts.
Looks like everyone's already gotten close with each other.
It wasn't as if the rest of the class was ostracizing her. Despite her lingering poor public reputation, the students of Class 1-1 were a remarkably decent bunch, and they had consistently treated her with kindness. However, having failed to adjust to the social atmosphere during the early days, eating alone had solidified into a habit, leaving Ariel adrift from the class cliques. Above all, she worried that walking up to them now would only chill the mood.
...It's better this way.
More than anything, Ariel genuinely did not want to make friends. Those who were kind to her always seemed to meet a terrible end. Her older sister, for instance, had been no exception...
"Pardon the intrusion!"
"......?"
Just as Ariel's face began to darken with grim memories, a voice called out in front of her, causing her to widen her eyes and look up.
"There weren't any other open seats, you see!"
A girl sporting bouncy twintails sat down opposite her, an expression of sheer excitement plastered across her face.
It's my desk partner...
Ariel stared blankly at the girl, who for some inexplicable reason had been absent ever since their very first orientation class a week ago.
"Fufu. I have longed to sample such vulgar peasant food at least once."
"......?"
"A-Ah, no! I meant exquisite commoner cuisine!"
Hastily correcting her slip of the tongue, the girl picked up a piece of tteokbokki—which had returned to the cafeteria menu after a week—with her fork.
"Nom."
She chewed on the rice cake with boundless, sparkling anticipation.
"...!?"
Only seconds later, sheer horror seized her features.
"S-Something is wrong!"
"Pardon?"
"Something is gravely wrong with this dish!"
Frantically gasping, she seized her cup and threw a mouthful of water past her lips.
"I-It is no use! Even the water has turned spicy!"
"Excuse me..."
"To think heroes consume food like this on a daily basis to prepare for torture scenarios! I have severely underestimated heroes!"
"Um... if it's too spicy, you should drink milk."
"Hauuuuuh..."
Unable to watch the poor girl lose her sanity with red sauce smeared all over her mouth, Ariel offered gentle advice. Panting with her tongue sticking out like a desperate puppy, the girl reached her hands forward in panic.
".......!"
Yet there was no milk carton on her meal tray.
"Hweeeeh..."
Tears welled up in the corners of her eyes, leaving Ariel's desk partner in complete disarray.
"U-Um... If you don't have any, you can take mine..."
After agonizing over the decision a million times in the span of a single second, Ariel shut her eyes tight and reached out with trembling hands to offer her own carton of milk.
"It appears you have quite a low tolerance for spicy food."
Just then, a figure passing by their table extended his own carton of milk from his tray.
Gulp, chug, gulp...
Without even checking who had handed it to her, the girl snatched the carton and drank it down like the elixir of life itself.
"Pwah! Haaah..."
Setting down the flattened milk carton with a look of profound salvation, she cleared her throat and glanced up at her benefactor.
"Ahem. You have my deepest gratitu—I mean, thanks a lot."
"Don't mention it. You looked like you were suffering quite a bit."
Wearing a gentle smile, Oh Ji-seok was about to turn and continue on his way.
"I shall surely repay you for today's favor!"
"No, there's really no need for that..."
"I refuse your refusal!"
As Ji-seok waved his hand dismissively, she cut him off with unyielding determination.
"Repay any kindness received twofold! That is the teaching of my grandfather!"
"...What is your name, student?"
Ji-seok paused, visibly flinching at her words. Shrugging with a smug, self-satisfied grin, she declared with pride:
"I am Minamot—"
"........."
"M-Minamo... Hiroko!"
Catching herself mid-sentence as if biting her tongue, Ariel's desk partner stumbled briefly before raising her voice even louder to finalize her introduction.
"Is that so?"
Ji-seok stared intently at the girl who called herself Hiroko, then allowed his warm smile to return as he resumed walking.
"...No wonder you looked so familiar."
"Pardon?"
"It's nothing. Enjoy your lunch."
Ariel watched his wistful, melancholy expression as he walked away, only to suddenly freeze, her brow knitting together.
...Who is that next to him?
A striking beauty she had never once seen around the Academy was walking side-by-side with him.
Could she be... his lover?
Tightening her grip on her spoon at the sudden thought, Ariel quickly shook her head.
He only arrived as a temporary professor this term. There's no way.
Even so, who on earth was that woman?
Why was Professor Oh Ji-seok going to eat lunch with her?
For the past few days, the person who had consistently shared meals with him was Ariel herself. Why her, all of a sudden?
What am I even thinking?
Scraping her spoon against her empty metal tray, Ariel snapped back to her senses and scolded herself internally.
It's not as if the professor and I have any special relationship.
Oh Ji-seok had merely been fulfilling his duties as an educator. Always 'accidentally' purchasing two meal vouchers, sliding delicious side dishes onto her plate, looking at her with that steady, warm smile...
It was all purely out of professional responsibility.
"Ah, by the way... we're in the same class, right?"
"...Yes."
She knew that was all it was. So why did her chest tighten with bitter frustration the moment she caught sight of his radiant smile across the room?
"I look forward to being friends!"
"Haha..."
Managing a strained, brittle smile at Hiroko's cheerful greeting, Ariel quietly laid her silverware down on the table.
"...Same here."
For some reason, she had entirely lost her appetite.
"You."
An unexpected guest had intercepted me just as I was about to step into the cafeteria after my lecture concluded.
".......?"
Feeling a hand clamp down firmly onto my shoulder, I turned around to find a woman glaring at me, her face taut with guarded suspicion.
"Can I help you?"
I recognized who she was. Lilia Schultz. A professor at the Academy who had been on medical leave until very recently, currently serving as the homeroom teacher for Class 1-2. Yet that was the absolute limit of what my briefing files contained on her.
"Stop playing dumb, Trauma."
I tilted my head in confusion, but the moment those words left her lips, her true identity clicked into place.
"...Miracle Shine? Is that you?"
Judging by the way she sharply bit her lower lip, my deduction had struck dead center.
"What a surprise. I assumed you were at most one of the Academy's students. To think you were parading around as a full-fledged professor in such a mature guise..."
"Quiet! Shut your mouth!"
Pleased by the unexpected encounter, I had whispered my observation, but Miracle Shine hastily slapped a hand over my mouth in sheer panic.
"That other appearance only manifests when I transform...!"
"Is that so?"
Instantly, the surrounding gazes of students and faculty began shifting toward us.
"...Ahem. Mr. Oh Ji-seok, regarding the reference materials we discussed earlier."
Flinching under the envious glares of passing male students, she slung an arm around my shoulder with an awkward, stiffened cadence and pulled me forward into the cafeteria.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Pardon?"
Once we were past the threshold and into the noisy dining hall, she dropped her tone into a harsh, venomous murmur.
"The International Hero Seminar."
"........?"
The International Hero Seminar. A triennial convention that brought together the world's highest-ranking heroes for strategic cooperation—a symbolic summit of global peace where every single Top Hero assembled.
"Why were you invited there under the identity of Oh Ji-seok?"
"This is the first I've heard of it."
An invitation sent to me? What sort of scheme was unfolding now?
"Don't feign ignorance. The Hero Association Chairman explicitly gave instructions for it to be delivered directly to your hands."
"........"
"What kind of plot are you cooking up, you bastard?"
Dragged along in a loose headlock beside her, I finally grasped the broader trajectory of the board.
"...It seems to me that my side isn't the one doing the cooking."
"What?"
If someone took the trouble to extend an invitation, basic courtesy dictated that one ought to attend.
"The side cooking up a plot, that is."
Even if the banquet hall happened to be the very heart of enemy territory.
Meanwhile, at that exact moment.
"..........."
Clutching a gilded seminar invitation in her trembling hands, Lee Se-ah quietly rose from her seat, having invoked her long-dormant concept.
"...I have to go."
Scattered across a field of torn, eviscerated magical beasts and the motionless husk of a colossal abomination lay a corpse, horribly mangled—a man who bore an unbearable, exact resemblance to Kang Haneul.
Held within his cold embrace were Ariel and Great Order, their faces completely drained of color.
And standing quietly beside them, before her strength gave out and she collapsed to her knees in total devastation, was Lumia, battered and broken beyond recognition.
"I have to... uncover the truth."
Through her precognitive sight, she had already witnessed the catastrophic tragedy destined to erupt at the seminar only a few days from now.