No Matter What Happens From Now On, It's All Your Responsibility
The beautiful face, the long, slender legs, the narrow waist. It was hard to believe she held the title of Academy President. Choi Yi-seul, who had become the youngest academy president in her twenties, let out a deep sigh.
It was because of the sinister rumor circulating inside the academy. A male student had allegedly been stalking a female classmate. Choi Yi-seul muttered to herself.
“No matter how I think about it, it’s strange… Lee Hyunseung has always maintained first place in written exams without any issues until now. Why would he suddenly start stalking someone? No… does he even have the time for that?”
The written exams at Broad Academy were notoriously difficult. Even the children of prestigious guilds who came prepared with private tutoring rarely scored perfect marks. Yet Lee Hyunseung had never once lost the top spot in any written test since his enrollment. Of course, his practical scores—which required physical ability—were abysmal. Still, among the academy instructors, his reputation was generally positive.
In fact, there was no reason for it to be bad. He was quiet, diligent, never showed off his abilities, and maintained an impeccably proper attitude in class. Jung Yu-jin, the magic studies instructor standing beside her, also voiced her doubts.
“I share the same thoughts as you, President. Honestly, there are plenty of students who show no interest and doze off during lectures. But Lee Hyunseung always listened with a genuinely interested expression. In all my years of teaching, I’ve never seen a student study so passionately from the very front row. Even though his grades suggest he already knows everything, he never looked bored and kept paying attention… For a student like that to be accused of stalking… I honestly can’t believe it.”
“Hmm… So Instructor Jung Yu-jin feels the same way? In that case, shall we postpone Lee Hyunseung’s punishment until concrete evidence emerges? After all, we haven’t even confirmed that the phone found in his desk actually belongs to him.”
“I agree. Then we’ll proceed that way—”
While they were talking, a woman dressed in ostentatious jewelry and clearly expensive clothes burst through the door. It was Kim Heera, Yoo Heeyeon’s mother.
The president jumped up in surprise and greeted her. “Hello, you must be Yoo Heeyeon’s mother. What brings you here…”
Kim Heera was the wife of Yoo Hanbeom, leader of the Artemis Guild—the guild with the nation’s greatest military power—and Yoo Heeyeon’s mother. Her husband’s guild generated astronomical profits every year, and in terms of raw power, no other guild could even come close. Because of that, Kim Heera wielded influence comparable to the guild’s own authority.
Kim Heera ignored the president’s greeting entirely and glared at her. “President? I just heard some very unpleasant news. Apparently one of the worthless students here has been following my Heeyeon around and stalking her. Is that true?”
The president broke into a cold sweat. “W-well… the exact circumstances haven’t been confirmed yet…”
When the president tried to defend the situation, Kim Heera noticed immediately and began pressing her. “What? No concrete evidence yet? There was a phone in that bastard’s locker filled with photos and records of him following my Heeyeon. If that’s not solid evidence, then what the hell is?”
“……”
The president had nothing to say. In reality, the evidence was damning. But judging purely from the circumstances, she couldn’t believe Lee Hyunseung would do such a thing, so she had wanted to hold off judgment until more conclusive proof appeared.
“T-that’s… Lee Hyunseung isn’t the kind of student who would—”
“What? Are you seriously taking that stalker bastard’s side right now? Ha. This is exactly why a young bitch like you shouldn’t be president. You can’t even handle things properly! Is it true or not?”
Kim Heera looked at the president with utter contempt, then raised her phone. “You’ve messed with the wrong person. I’m going to call my husband right now and tell him to cut off every single sponsorship we give this academy. I’ll send people to sabotage every business you’re involved in. And those joint donation projects you run with the Artemis Guild? I’ll make sure we pull every last cent out of them. Got it?!”
The president flinched. A significant portion of the academy’s operating funds came from major sponsors. She used that money to create the best possible environment for students to focus on their studies and training, and to help those in need through joint initiatives.
One of those was the joint donation program, which provided relief supplies to orphaned and vulnerable children. President Choi Yi-seul spoke up.
“T-that would be problematic. I-I don’t care about anything else, but if you suddenly cut the joint donations… the children in the slums might all starve to death in an instant.”
“Fuck, what do I care if those worthless brats starve or not? I was pouring money into useless places just to take good care of my Heeyeon, and now the so-called president of this academy is defending a stalker? How do you think I’m supposed to react? If the evidence isn’t clear, at the very least you should isolate my Heeyeon from that bastard, shouldn’t you? If that’s too hard, then just suspend him!”
“……”
The president agonized for a long time. Then, at last, she answered.
“Understood. Suspension… we will issue a temporary suspension for now… and once concrete evidence appears, we will impose further sanctions. We’ll also assign security personnel to protect Yoo Heeyeon. So please… at least maintain the joint donations. Those children who have lost their parents and have nothing need our help.”
Only then did Kim Heera smile in satisfaction and pat the president on the back. “See? If you’d acted like this from the beginning, things would’ve been so much easier. I won’t touch the donation issue, so make sure you thoroughly crush the bastard who dared touch my Heeyeon. Who does he think he is, eyeing my daughter when he doesn’t even know his place? It’s ridiculous.”
Kim Heera muttered as if her anger still hadn’t subsided. “A worthless, unawakened failure who couldn’t even awaken a single class. He probably thought that studying hard would let him get close to my Heeyeon. We’ll make sure he learns exactly what happens when someone does something beyond their station.”
Kim Heera continued hurling insults at Lee Hyunseung for a while longer before finally leaving. Magic studies instructor Jung Yu-jin spoke in a troubled voice.
“President… do we really have to suspend him?”
“For now, let’s handle it as a temporary suspension. Make sure he doesn’t suffer any academic disadvantages because of it. He mustn’t receive excessive punishment before the real culprit is found. If Lee Hyunseung turns out to be innocent, we’ll have to compensate him appropriately. Let’s begin the investigation.”
A public announcement rang throughout Broad Academy.
Lee Hyunseung, please come to the faculty office immediately. I repeat. Lee Hyunseung, please come to the faculty office right now.
“Hey, Hyunseung. They’re calling for you. You unawakened criminal bastard.”
Seong Hyeon-uk sneered, pointing at the speaker broadcasting the announcement. I walked toward the faculty office under the disgusted stares of countless people.
When I arrived, magic studies instructor Jung Yu-jin explained why I had been called. It was, of course, related to the stalking incident involving Yoo Heeyeon. Then she delivered an absurd statement.
“I’m sorry. Starting tomorrow, you should stay home from school for a while.”
“…Excuse me?”
I stared at her blankly. “Instructor, I swear I never stalked anyone. There isn’t even any concrete evidence that I did it. The phone that came out of the locker isn’t mine! This is unfair! Please investigate however you want. I have nothing to hide. No matter what kind of investigation you conduct, I’ll accept it. But handling it this way… you know this isn’t right. If I get suspended, everyone will automatically assume I really am a stalker, won’t they?”
Jung Yu-jin lowered her head like someone who had committed a crime and spoke quietly. “I’m sorry… I know you’re not that kind of person… but from my position, there’s nothing I can do to intervene.”
“Did Yoo Heeyeon’s parents come and pressure you?”
“……”
It was obvious. Yoo Heeyeon’s father was the leader of the nation’s top guild, Artemis. Her mother could also wield the guild’s power. Broad Academy was not normally an institution that handled matters so radically. The way they were rushing through this as if being chased could only mean one thing—Yoo Heeyeon’s parents had applied pressure.
The proof was that Jung Yu-jin couldn’t meet my eyes and remained silent. ‘Fuck…’
The decision had already been made. There was nothing I could do here. I was an unawakened person without even a single class, while the people I was up against were the Artemis Guild, the most powerful guild in the country. Whether I had actually committed the crime or not didn’t matter. The truth always moved according to the will of those with power.
Realizing there was no point in talking anymore, I slammed the faculty office door shut and walked out. Yoo Heeyeon was waiting outside, glaring at me.
“So you really got suspended, huh? Why did you do it? If you had just gotten on your knees and begged me, I might have forgiven you. Be honest—why did you stalk me? Was I just too pretty?”
She was spewing utter garbage. And beyond that, she already knew I would be suspended. There was no doubt she had asked her parents to get me suspended.
Boiling with rage, I shouted at her. “You can’t do anything on your own, so you borrow your parents’ power and act like this? Fuck… And you’re not even that pretty. Why the hell would I like someone like you and follow you around?”
Yoo Heeyeon looked at my trembling figure and spoke with a dumbfounded expression. “If it wasn’t because you liked me, then were you curious how I got first place in practicals? Did you think you’d find some hidden secret? Wake up. A worthless unawakened bastard like you could spend your whole life trying and still never awaken a class. Was it that unfair that no matter how many times you got first in written exams, you were always dead last in practicals? Did you think stalking me would let you find some hidden piece or something? Pathetic. Whatever your reason for stalking me was, you’re nothing but a bug.”
I felt something surge inside me. It was true that I was an unawakened person without a class. But it was unfair. If I wanted to, I could become far stronger than her. Hidden classes, hidden items, hidden skills—I knew exactly where every single one of them was.
First place in practicals? I could achieve that whenever I wanted without doing something as stupid as stalking. I barely held back the urge to slap her across the face and spoke.
“I told you clearly—I didn’t do anything. And you were the one who provoked me first. No matter what happens from now on, remember that it’s all your responsibility.”
With those words, I turned my back on her. Behind me, countless girls and boys began hurling accusations.
They were all students from the same A-class as me.
“What a disgusting piece of trash, pretending like he’s innocent until the very end.”
“People like him are the scum of society. It gives me chills that I was in the same A-class as a guy like that.”
“This is exactly why you shouldn’t associate with unawakened people. He barely got into A-class through the written exam, and now his inferiority complex is rotting him from the inside.”
Unawakened… inferiority complex… stalking… Shut the fuck up.
Looking at the jeering crowd behind me and at Yoo Heeyeon staring at me like I was an insect, I made a vow.
‘Hidden pieces…’
From now on, I would collect every hidden piece. I would find the bastard who framed me for stalking and crush them. And finally, Yoo Heeyeon who put me in this situation, the Artemis Guild, and all those bastards who looked down on me—I would make every last one of them regret it.
By the time my suspension ended, there would be no one left in this academy who could look down on me as a stalker or an unawakened failure.