First Class with the Demon
Early morning. It was the first day of the first semester.
Unlike the evaluation period, the academy's main gate was packed with students. They walked in groups of twos and threes, laughing and chatting noisily. Seha walked among them. And beside him strode a tall woman with snow-white hair….
"Hey, look over there."
One student elbowed his friend. A beat later, the hallway fell quiet. One by one, murmurs spread.
"Wait, who's that?"
"An adult? With horns on her head?"
"She's gorgeous…."
"Hey, isn't that Seha?"
"Seha? The summoner class failure?"
"Yeah. He got first place this time, though. You didn't see?"
"Makes no sense. How's a guy who can't even summon anything…."
Seha forced himself to ignore the stares and voices as he kept walking.
"I did get permission from the professor…."
He glanced sideways. Dahong looked utterly unbothered by the attention, casually scanning her surroundings with a bored expression.
"You really have to behave yourself. Got it?"
"I know. You've told me a million times."
"No leaving during class."
"Got it."
"And no messing with me either."
"Mess with you how?"
"No pranks. I'm serious."
Dahong stared at Seha blankly.
"When have I ever caused trouble?"
Seha gawked at her in disbelief. The memory flashed by—last night, her sitting on his back. Pressing down with her feet.
"…Are you serious right now?"
"Yeah."
"Don't you remember what you did last night?"
"I was helping with your workout. You begged me for it."
"I begged?!"
"You got down on your stomach and pleaded. 'Please let me do it.'"
"That never happened! And that was you climbing on me out of nowhere!"
"Couldn't even hit ten reps. Pathetic."
"Wha— I did!"
"That was with my feet."
The hallway murmurs swelled even louder.
"What? Are they fighting with his summoned beast?"
"What's that about?"
"Begging on his stomach? Climb on…? Ten reps?"
"…Hey."
"No way he's…."
"Oh my god, he's lost it!"
"!?"
Only then did Seha realize how their conversation sounded. His face burned crimson.
"D-Dahong! Seriously…!"
"Pfft. What?"
Dahong averted her eyes, lips quivering.
"You just laughed!"
"Puhaha—!!"
She finally burst out laughing. The surroundings went dead silent in an instant. The beauty clutched her stomach, tears streaming down her face.
"Ugh, really…!"
Seha glanced around wildly, then grabbed Dahong's hand and hurried toward his classroom.
"Kyahaha!"
Dahong kept laughing hysterically even as she was dragged along.
Seha sighed as he spoke.
"Please, just hold it together at school. My reputation's bad enough already."
"I'll try."
As they climbed the stairs, a crowd of students came into view.
"What's going on?"
A notice was posted on the hallway wall in front of the classroom. Students clustered around, peering at it.
Seha approached too.
1st Semester Class Assignment Results
Based on: Overall Evaluation Semester Grades
A Class
Seha
Isol
Sangjun
[and others…]
Seha scanned the list with his finger. A Class. Seha. His name was right at the top.
A Class was the top combat track. Reserved for the top 20 from the evaluation semester.
"Phew…."
Seha let out a relieved breath.
"First in theory and practical? Duh."
Dahong leaned in, peering over his shoulder.
"Still, I was worried…. I failed every single class last semester."
Seha checked the list again. Right below his name: a familiar one.
Isol. A Class. As expected.
And.
"…Sangjun's in A Class too."
About midway down. Of course. Sangjun's theory scores were average, but he'd dominated practicals for years.
In the A Class classroom, Seha set his bag by a window seat in the back. He'd have preferred the front, but with Dahong, the rear seemed safer.
The room was still rowdy before the professor arrived.
"Dahong, no disruptions during class."
"Got it."
"For real."
"Got it."
"And…."
Drag—bang!
The classroom door flew open noisily. Everyone turned.
It was Sangjun. Bloodshot eyes, breathing heavily—clearly not in his right mind.
He scanned the room, spotted Seha, and stormed over.
As Seha started to stand—
Grab.
His collar was seized.
"Ugh!"
"Hey, Seha…."
A low, raspy growl. The classroom hushed.
"What the fuck did you do?"
"Wait, Sangjun—."
"It started during evaluations."
Sangjun's hand trembled.
"Ever since your summoned bitch touched my Salamander, I can't summon it anymore."
"…What?"
"No reaction, no matter how much mana I pour in. You know I'm signing with an A-rank guild? They came for the Salamander. What now?!"
"…."
Seha was speechless.
"Everything's fucked. The scout, the signing bonus—all gone."
Sangjun's voice shook with rage.
"Because of you…!"
As his grip tightened—
"Starting fights on day one? So full of energy, huh?"
A sharp voice cut between them. A young woman stood at the door—unfamiliar. Beside her, Isol gaped wide-eyed.
"…Who?"
Someone muttered.
"Who else? Your homeroom teacher."
The woman smacked the attendance roster against the wall.
"Seats! Now!"
Sangjun clicked his tongue, released Seha, and returned to his spot.
Once everyone sat, the woman stepped to the podium.
"I'm Seoyeun. Your temporary homeroom teacher and guest lecturer for the semester."
"Temporary?"
"Yeah. Your original prof had something come up, so I'm filling in."
Seoyeun swept her gaze over the class. It lingered briefly on the white-haired woman by the window behind the collar-grab victim—staring outside.
'That's the problem summon…. Can't even unsummon it, from what I heard?'
White hair. Red eyes. Massive horns. Matched the report.
Humanoid, nothing too special otherwise…. Succubus? No tail or wings visible….
The summon sensed her stare and turned, locking eyes.
"…."
Seoyeun calmly checked her roster.
'Whatever. Plenty of time to figure it out.'
"Introductions done. First day—we need time to size each other up. You don't know me, I don't know you."
She rapped the podium.
"Everyone, to the training grounds."
Seoyeun gathered the students at the outdoor training grounds and had them warm up.
"Alright, let's pair up."
She opened the roster.
"I'll decide. No fun if friends team up."
Murmurs rose. She called pairs from the list.
"Isol, Kim Taejun."
"Yes."
"…Ugh."
Isol's partner slunk to a corner, doomed expression.
"Park Minsu, Oh Jihun."
Seha took deep breaths, waiting for his name.
Then—footsteps beside him.
"Seha."
Sangjun. Still bloodshot.
"Fight me."
A guttural snarl. Seha froze.
"Time to settle who's better."
"Sangjun."
Seoyeun's voice intervened. He and Seha turned. She eyed Sangjun.
"No spars with grudges."
"Grudge? I'm just—."
"Your eyes say it all."
"…."
"Who takes the blame if shit happens? No way."
Sangjun scowled.
"Back to your spot."
He glared at Seha once more, then complied.
Seoyeun glanced at the roster and called the last pair.
"Seha, Park Seojin."
Seha looked up. A mid-tier student from class. His opponent gulped, tense—probably from seeing Dahong erase Sangjun's Salamander.
Seha clenched his fist and turned to his side.
"Dahong, let's do this."
No reply.
"Dahong?"
He checked beside him. Gone. Behind, opposite side—nowhere.
"…?"
Seha blinked. She was right there. Where'd she go?
"Seha."
His name again.
"Ready?"
Seemed they were going by grades.
"Uh, wait… um…."
Seha stammered.
'Without Dahong, I'm nothing….'
Seoyeun checked her watch.
"Hurry it up. Not enough time for everyone."
"Y-Yes."
Seha entered the grounds, glancing back once more. No Dahong.
'Where the hell….'
He took position. Opponent used swords like Isol. With a summon for combo, he'd have the edge.
If he had one….
'No.'
Seha gritted his teeth.
'Can't rely on Dahong forever. As a summoner, I need to control my own summon.'
"Ready."
Seoyeun raised her hand. Park Seojin gathered mana.
Seha balled his fists.
'It's fine.'
Calmly drew up his mana.
'I can do this.'
His face hardened. He felt his opponent tense.
'I flunked before 'cause I couldn't summon. But now?'
Time to show everyone. Things were different. The old Seha was gone.
His hair fluttered.
"Begin—!"
Mana surged to his fingertips. The summoning ritual deployed in a flash.
'Come on, Dahong—!'
Shwaaak—!!
The canteen.
A snow-white woman stood before the display case. Dahong.
She peered inside seriously. Past her reflection: breads galore.
Red bean buns. Cream buns. Sausage buns. Pizza buns.
"Welcome!"
The canteen lady greeted brightly.
Dahong set a pizza bun and cream bun on the counter.
"Apple juice too."
"Sure thing! New teacher? Haven't seen you before."
"Summon."
"A summon at the canteen? Wild."
The lady grabbed a pack from the fridge.
"Total: 3,100 won!"
Dahong slid over Seha's student ID—cum-card.
His name and photo on it.
"…."
Seha lay sprawled on the ground, staring at the sky.
Blue expanse. Clouds drifting lazily.
In the corner of his vision: a panicked Seoyeun rushing over.
'Dahong….'
Seha closed his eyes slowly.
'Where are you…. For real.'