I'm Going to the Academy (1)
Supernatural Ability—exactly as the name suggests, a power that exists outside all established norms. A force capable of interfering with the very limits set by the rules of this world. It could ignite flames in empty air, conjure water from nothing, move objects without touching them, or even manipulate the human mind. Truly, it was magic in every sense of the word.
And the rare few who possessed these abilities became heroes—fighting against crises and saving lives. I'd seen it plenty of times on television, but I'd always assumed it was nothing more than a story from a world that would never touch my own….
The train is now arriving at Seyeon Station. Passengers preparing to disembark, please make your way to the doors.
"Mmm…."
I had been resting my head against the window, soaking in the warm sunlight streaming in from outside, when I snapped back to awareness and lifted my head. It looked like I'd dozed off at some point. Thankfully, I hadn't missed my stop.
Once the rattling train came to a full stop, I grabbed the single carrier I'd brought with me and joined the crowd pouring onto the platform. I hadn't packed much, so moving around was mercifully easy.
After riding the escalator into the station proper, I glanced around and began searching for the person I'd been told to meet. It didn't take long. Near the entrance, I spotted a woman who looked exactly like the photo I'd been shown. Our eyes met as she too scanned the crowd, and she broke into a bright smile, waving enthusiastically. She seemed incredibly energetic….
"Hi! You must be Baek Seol, right? I've heard so much about you."
Before I knew it, she was right beside me, giving my shoulder a couple of friendly pats as she flashed that bright grin. Her short hair and red-striped tracksuit jacket and pants couldn't hide the impressive athletic build underneath. She looked every bit the typical sports-type person.
"Ah, yes. Hello. You're… Teacher Hyejin, correct?"
"That's me. Just call me Teach—it's fine. I'll call you Seol, too. Anyway, welcome. You hungry?"
"No…."
"Good. Let's get moving, then."
I returned a small smile and followed her light, energetic steps.
During the car ride, she seemed eager to fill the silence with explanations.
"You already know the basics, right? I'm a teacher at Baekhwa Academy, where you'll be studying from now on. My subject is Ether Combat Techniques—a required first-year course, so you'll be seeing plenty of me around campus."
"I see."
"I'm also the dormitory supervisor. If anything feels uncomfortable or you have suggestions while you're living there, come to me anytime. That said, I can't play favorites or give you special treatment just because it's you. You understand that, yes?"
She winked playfully. I nodded in response.
"Of course. I will live quietly so as not to become a burden to you, Teacher."
But my polite answer only made her burst into hearty laughter as she thumped my back.
"Hey now, students should skip a class or two, sneak a drink, and have some real fun while they're young. Just don't get caught. That's the key—don't get caught. Puhaha!"
"Ah… ahaha…."
I wasn't sure how to reply, so I stayed quiet for a moment. That's when I noticed the faint trace of pity in her eyes as she looked at me. My aunt must have told her everything.
…She really does seem like a good person. I don't particularly hate being pitied, but it still left me feeling a little melancholy.
Rather than show any of that, I simply looked at her face and offered a small smile.
"Seatbelt nice and tight?"
After she loaded my carrier into the trunk, I waited in the back seat as the car pulled out onto the road. In the brief lull that followed, I stared out the window at the city rushing past. Massive buildings indistinguishable from any other metropolis, roads packed with endless streams of cars. On the surface, it looked completely ordinary.
But this was a city built exclusively for ability users.
This was Seyeon Special City.
And the place I was heading to now was Baekhwa Academy, one of the four academies located within it.
I sank deeper into the car seat, feeling the gentle warmth of the late-winter sunlight through the glass.
Academy… In other words… school.
I never thought I'd be going back to school. A wave of complicated anxiety washed over me, like I'd been abandoned alone on an unfamiliar street and suddenly become lost.
Still… I had to try. For my aunt's sake, and for my own.
…Would I really be able to manage it?
"Mmm…."
After stepping into the large dormitory building, I made my way to the room Teacher Hyejin had indicated. I knocked politely, and when there was no answer, I carefully turned the key and opened the door.
"Um… Is anyone here?"
The door creaked open to reveal a completely empty space with no signs of life yet. Strange. I was certain I'd been told there would be a roommate….
The semester started tomorrow. Apparently there were people even lazier than me.
I glanced at the bathroom near the entrance before stepping fully inside. The room wasn't particularly spacious, but the beds and desks on either side gave it a practical feel. It probably wouldn't be great for running around, but it looked more than enough for studying and sleeping. There was even a large mirror toward the back.
"There we go."
I closed the carrier and slid it under the bed, finishing my unpacking. Since I'd only brought clothes, daily necessities, and study supplies, it hadn't taken long at all.
I sat on the edge of the bed for a moment, recalling the teacher's words.
I'm staying in the supervisor's office in the building right next to the dorm, so come find me there if you need anything. The campus store is over that way, but I think it opens tomorrow… There's an area for pets this direction, and over there is a space designed like a garden. Feel free to take walks whenever you feel bored.
I had nothing planned until tomorrow anyway, so it seemed like a good idea to explore the dormitory where I'd be living from now on. I slipped on the pair of slippers I'd left out earlier and headed back outside in the same clothes I'd arrived in.
Leaving behind the newly built dormitory, I soon found myself in a garden that carried the distinct weight of time and seasons.
"Whoa…."
A large pavilion stood at the center, surrounded on all sides by lush, vibrant greenery. With spring on the way, the flowers that had shyly begun to bloom displayed their beauty so vividly that their charm was unmistakable even if I didn't know their names. Behind the garden, enclosed by a low red-brick wall, countless large trees formed a dense forest.
It truly felt like standing in the heart of nature, and the pleasant sensation wrapped gently around me.
I stepped onto the roughly paved dirt path, savoring its comforting texture beneath my feet. I breathed in deeply, then out again. Each breath carried the fresh, clean scent of plants.
Having a garden like this behind the dormitory would definitely help clear my head whenever I needed a break from studying.
"Hm…?"
As I continued along the walking path, something unusual caught my eye. In a corner of the garden, beside a long wall thickly covered in ivy, lay a long figure collapsed on the ground. Dark black hair fanned out messily, threaded with soft light-green highlights that looked completely natural.
Her features were quite refined, though her closed eyes made it hard to see them clearly. The body beneath the white dress was elegantly long and slender. Overall, she gave the impression of a beauty who also felt strangely approachable and comfortable.
Yes. That was… No, it was clearly a person. Anyone would be able to tell it was a person.
"Excuse me?"
I moved forward calmly. Maybe she simply enjoyed lying down and sleeping in gardens. Though passing out in the middle of a dirt path seemed a bit extreme… but then again, barefoot walks were apparently trending these days. Perhaps it was her way of feeling closer to nature….
No. Stop overthinking.
"Um… Are you all right?"
When she didn't respond to several calls, I swallowed my fear and cautiously approached the fallen figure. As I tried to assess her condition from a distance, I noticed how deathly pale her face had become.
"!"
I rushed over and examined her more closely. Blue veins bulged vividly beneath her skin. The sudden pallor, the labored breathing, the swollen vessels….
Ether Runaway!
It was a phenomenon I'd witnessed many times before. The symptoms weren't critical yet, but….
Should I run and get the dorm supervisor? No—there was no telling how long she'd already been like this. The situation could worsen while I was gone.
I had no choice but to use my ability.
In that urgent moment, I knelt and took both her hands in mine. Her cold, bloodless fingers sent a chill through my skin. From the mysterious source beneath the two hemispheres of the brain came a tingling sensation. It raced along every nerve and vessel in my body as ether surged forth like lightning.
Finally, the ether that reached my fingertips manifested from person to world, transforming into mystery and scattering its form.
Like falling white snow, sparkling particles of ether swirled around me. A warm, bright energy—much like the sunlight filling the garden—flowed into her body.
The light spread through her entirely, calming the throbbing veins, steadying her breathing, and restoring color to her face.
"Mmm…."
"Huff… huff…."
Watching her let out a soft groan, I finally collapsed onto the ground as a wave of exhaustion washed over me.
"Mmm…?"
Some time later, she opened her eyes. Her complexion had returned to normal. I swallowed nervously and met her gaze—eyes now fully visible, holding large, jewel-like pupils that shone with brilliant clarity. They moved slowly, filled with confusion.
I was momentarily lost in the sheer beauty of that moment. Then she slowly sat up, looked at me, and spoke.
"…Who are you?"