That's Not Me...? (1)
That's Not Me...? (1)
January 8th, 2031.
Three days remained until the start of the Ceremony.
"Ughn..."
Jaden, sprawled across the sofa in the research lab, let out a groan as his eyes fluttered open.
He'd practically blacked out when he collapsed into sleep. The moment he was conscious, he snapped his wrist up to check the time.
AM 07 : 11
He exhaled.
He'd forgotten to set an alarm before passing out. By some stroke of luck, he'd avoided oversleeping.
'I never want to go through that again...'
The memories flickering through his head dragged a deep sigh from Jaden.
-Heh heh! I've got every single one of your patterns memorized!!
The female ability-type student shouting that declaration of total confidence as she charged in.
Right. Not an enhancement-type, but an ability-type—a female student screaming and rushing at him with a staff.
Crunch—!!
His shoulder caved under the morning star she swung. Right in front of him, the girl finished chanting the wind blade spell she'd been murmuring and blew the summoned creature's head clean off.
"...And she's not even a Battle Mage."
Why offer up your arm as bait if you supposedly had all the patterns figured out? If you can win, just win.
-After using her ability, the recoil leaves her stiffened for a moment.
He'd told them that weakness so they could exploit the gap.
Wooooom—!!
-With that much destructive power, I guess it's fair there's a risk like that!!
Then some lunatic had charged head-on into the opponent's ability—the ability she was supposed to dodge—and plunged a spear into the summon's chest.
The summon vanished, and the one who'd driven the spear in got ejected from the arena with a combat-incapable ruling.
-Alright, next!!
Not ten seconds later, she was leaping right back down into the arena.
He'd thought a bit more pain would eventually settle them down. It didn't.
While other students were challenging, they would scrap among themselves to reorder the challenge queue over and over. He'd assumed the madness would taper off after they cleared the 10th Stage. He was wrong.
The more students who cleared the 10th Stage, the more feverish the ones still waiting became. And that wasn't all. Nam Seo-hee and the other students who'd already cleared the 10th Stage started using force to subdue the waiting challengers so they themselves could jump back in and try to break through the 20th Stage.
It was pure frenzy.
Because of that, he and Cheon Ji-ho hadn't slept a wink until just yesterday. Every time the students came back from a defeat, they would recover their stamina and charge in again like they'd never tire, refusing to leave him alone.
Those miserable bastards. After all I've done for them.
Cheon Ji-ho had almost been worse—spending days utterly out of it, like someone who'd reached enlightenment, watching student after student casually sacrifice their own limbs.
"...I just want to get on the damn plane."
At least then he could sleep for another eight hours.
Jaden climbed off the sofa and packed the bag he hadn't gotten to the night before.
Special magically-treated sleep mask and earplugs. A cloud-fluffy pillow and his personal blanket. Finally, the formal uniform he'd wear for tomorrow's opening ceremony.
"...That should do it."
Besides, the Clock Tower was practically next door. He'd decided to procure anything else he needed locally as he stepped out of the lab.
**
In front of the faculty parking lot.
Standing before the two limousine buses, Kang Han-na tapped one foot against the ground, a faint frown on her brow.
It was nearly nine. Baek Ha-na and Nam Seo-hee had yet to arrive.
The other twenty-eight students were all on board, while Jaden and Cheon Ji-ho had arrived on time and were already seated in the bus assigned to the professors.
Beep—!!
Kang Han-na's smartwatch let out a short chime. Nine o'clock sharp.
"Hey!!"
At the same instant, she shouted toward the two figures far off in the distance, dragging their luggage closer: Baek Ha-na and Nam Seo-hee.
"Are you gonna run or what?! You're dead last!"
They didn't run. At most, they walked a bit faster.
'Good grief. If she weren't such a little darling, I'd knock her upside the— no, I can't do that.'
Nam Seo-hee was the youngest daughter of Namgung Min, Korea's finest sword, and Baek Ha-na had a solid guardian in Claire.
"Good morning."
"...Just go sit down."
Kang Han-na watched Nam Seo-hee climb aboard, half-supporting the drowsy Baek Ha-na, then stuck her head out the front bus door.
"All students have arrived. You're clear to depart."
"Understood......."
From the seat next to Jaden, Cheon Ji-ho, already wearing his sleep mask, raised a trembling hand in a feeble wave.
"Ahem. Right then."
Kang Han-na hastily backed away and boarded the bus with the students.
'......?'
Rushing to grab a seat, Kang Han-na paused at the sight of the back of the bus and felt a jolt of disbelief.
'What the— how did they even...?'
Just ten minutes ago, the back seats had looked perfectly ordinary. Now they'd been transformed into what looked like a bed, piled high with countless cushions. Shadows held the shapes together, keeping the cushions from collapsing.
"Um, professor?"
"Yes? Ah, sorry."
Kang Han-na quickly slid into her seat as the bus ahead pulled out.
A glance. Her eyes shifted to the rearview mirror.
Baek Ha-na was lying face-down on the cushion-bed, her head resting on Nam Seo-hee's lap. Her eyes were closed—clearly asleep. Yoon I-seul and Na Ju-hee were seated right in front, almost like they were standing guard.
'...Seriously, I'm dying of curiosity.'
What in the world had happened inside?
Kang Han-na shook her head at the students, who all seemed to accept this as totally normal, and leaned back into the plush seat.
"Let's go."
The waiting bus began rolling toward the airport.
**
-Alright, everyone off!!
"......?"
Still dazed and half-asleep, Baek Ha-na opened her eyes to the sound of Kang Han-na's voice at her ear.
"You're up."
"...Mm."
Baek Ha-na pushed herself upright, greeting Nam Seo-hee, who was looking down at her.
"......?"
She blinked at her surroundings.
She definitely remembered following Nam Seo-hee onto the bus, but why was she lying on a pile of cushions instead of a seat?
"Let's go."
"Uh, yeah......."
She wasn't entirely sure what had happened, but she was grateful to have traveled comfortably. She followed Nam Seo-hee off the bus.
-And Hwarang?
-They've already boarded.
Kang Han-na and Jaden were exchanging words a short distance away.
"So this is an airport..."
"First time?"
"Mm."
As Baek Ha-na looked around in wonder, Yoon I-seul, who was standing ahead, smiled and spoke up.
"Want to go on an overseas trip together this summer?"
"If you're going, go with me. I'll cover all the expenses."
Na Ju-hee quickly added, not to be outdone.
"Thank you. But I'll pass. You too, senior."
"Let me know if you change your mind."
"...Me too."
Na Ju-hee had been about to ask why, but at Yoon I-seul's backward step, she frowned and fell back as well.
"Alright, alright, keep moving!"
The professors followed Jaden into the terminal. Baek Ha-na and the students trailed behind Kang Han-na's back.
-Ah, you're here. This way, please.
The group arrived at the gate without passing through any sort of inspection.
"That's the plane we're taking?"
"Yeah. There's a restaurant inside and some light entertainment facilities."
"...Let's start with the restaurant."
"Sure."
Somewhere along the way, Baek Ha-na's eyes sparkled as she stared at the aircraft. Nam Seo-hee smiled gently and boarded the plane with her.
"See the numbers on the doors? Go in according to your ranking and take your seat. I'll brief you on the details after we're airborne."
Finishing what she had to say, Kang Han-na disappeared toward the front.
"Ha-na, see you later."
"Ah, yeah."
Baek Ha-na stared at the plane's interior—nothing like anything she'd seen online. She blinked blankly, then opened the door marked with the number "1" and stepped inside.
"...This feels bigger than my room."
Marveling at an interior that had everything conceivable—a bed, a sofa, even a refrigerator—she sank into her seat.
-We will be departing shortly. Please remain seated and fasten your seatbelts.
Not long after the announcement ended, the scenery outside the window began to slide slowly past.
"Wow......."
Baek Ha-na let out a purely wonderstruck breath at the view. A faint pang of regret stirred alongside it.
-Free period until we begin descent. No causing trouble. First-years, hold your seats for a moment.
After a brief pause, Kang Han-na's voice came through again.
-Since it's your first time, first up: the opening ceremony seating arrangement and the rules you'll have to follow.......
Even condensed down, it took quite a while before Kang Han-na granted the first-years their free time.
Click.
Baek Ha-na unbuckled her seatbelt and moved to the window. Below the vivid blue sky, a long bridge of fluffy clouds she'd only ever looked up at stretched out beneath her—so strange and wonderful.
'It would've been even better if we could watch this together....'
A swell of longing and regret rose in Baek Ha-na as she thought of Baek Woo-jin, whom she hadn't seen for a whole month.
'Should I try calling...?'
He had to be on board somewhere. If she texted him that she missed him, wouldn't he come see her?
"No, never mind......."
Baek Ha-na recalled the conversation she'd had with Claire that day and shook her head.
-Ha-na. Let's go to the restaurant.
"Ah, yeah. I'm coming out now."
Baek Ha-na slipped her smartphone into her pocket and left the room.