A Genius's Preparations Are Always Thorough
The Korean Sorcery Academy dorms were impressively well-equipped.
High-rise apartments divided by grade.
The grade representative even had the privilege of using the entire top floor as a private suite.
"…Wow. The grade rep's dorm is nothing like the regular students'. I'm jealous."
"Modest for famous family blood. A Tsuchimikado living in dorms?"
"Even exchange students face big restrictions on setting up bases abroad as sorcerers."
Ren Tsuchimikado had boldly entered the boys-only dorm alone, accepting my invitation.
…But how did things end up like this?
Maybe she'd steered the conversation so I couldn't refuse.
Especially after I'd publicly declared her my new fiancée right in front of Gong Seoyul—parting ways on the spot would've looked off.
I'd had no choice but to follow her lead into the elevator, just the two of us. Gong Seoyul had glared daggers at me until the doors shut.
Women getting invited to the boys' dorm wasn't common.
They'd assume I'd forgotten my ex-fiancée and snagged a new one in the interim.
A guy who turns a famous family girl into his fiancée and lures her to his dorm on his first day back from suspension. Another unintended bad-boy point stacked up.
But it wasn't all bad.
Watching Gong Seoyul's face twist in utter misery up close let me reevaluate just how valuable Ren's presence was.
She was top-shelf goods, groomed at the family level for honey traps—flawless on the surface.
Parading a girl like that as my fiancée? Their sense of deprivation would be massive.
The best revenge is living well, right?
While their family crumbled and plans derailed, the vengeful prick thrives happily.
I couldn't even imagine the humiliation.
"That said, bringing an overage virgin into your lair—does that mean you've accepted the engagement?"
Ren lounged on the sofa across from me, crossing her legs provocatively and folding her arms with smug self-satisfaction.
Everything according to her plan.
I didn't bother denying it. Silently, I opened the documents she'd handed over.
Her treatment would depend on this intel first.
Rustle.
The first page grabbed my attention: Gongmyeongdang had ditched its family status overnight to become a Hwaseong Group branch family.
The Void Resonance Art leak was just yesterday, but they'd moved fast.
Better to limp on as a branch than collapse entirely.
To salvage their shattered house, Gong Jin-cheol had bowed that stiff neck of his.
How'd it feel for a traditional family head to demote himself to branch manager? I wanted to ask in person.
"These idiots are already married? Ha. Can't even pop out kids recklessly now."
Most intriguing part: Choi Taeseong and Gong Seoyul were already legally wed.
Her being pregnant made sense, but that thug tying the knot properly? Unexpected.
Sorcerers entering official records carried heavy weight.
Bloodlines and secrets were guarded fiercely—gave families and even the state leverage to meddle.
No simple divorce like civilians.
That made Gong Seoyul's earlier begging pointless.
Legal marriage? No room for an outsider like me to wedge in.
"More detailed than I expected. How'd you dig this up from Japan?"
"Hehe. Spies, bribes, info brokers. Means galore."
I shot a glance at Ren puffing out her chest proudly, then looked back down.
Rustle.
Flipping further revealed a map of the academy and surroundings, ringed with red dots. Attached profiles of multiple people.
All 2nd Grade sorcerers or higher. Mostly familiar names.
Gongmyeongdang sorcerers had relocated en masse near the academy.
Encircling it—like they wouldn't miss me stepping out.
"No, they mobilized before the entrance ceremony. Planned to nab me before I even enrolled."
Post-disownment cleanup, academy paperwork.
I'd shuttled between the Otherworld and modern world for errands, so they'd tracked those and prepped.
Hell, I was a Korean citizen. Personal info management was a joke.
"But they haven't pulled back. How'd you slip that net to reach the academy?"
"…Just walked in."
"Eh…? Our investigators had zero gaps—enough to freak them out."
Scoffing at them, I'd vanished for two months, so they'd prepped thoroughly too.
Meanwhile, enrollment ticked along. Must've driven them nuts.
"Working their asses off. Really."
I tossed the papers lightly onto the table with a smirk.
For enrollment, I'd Dimensional Arrived right near the academy main gate.
Pure coincidence.
But if a encirclement or barrier spells could neutralize it, it wouldn't qualify as my unique sorcery.
Their scheme had crumbled unnoticed.
Still not withdrawing? Aiming for my exit, then.
Void Resonance Art was public now—no desperate need to take me out.
Not budging anyway? Petty pride.
Sorcerer-level pettiness.
"Alright. Your fake engagement ploy. I accept."
My affirmative words brought a faint glow to Ren's face.
The intel was solid enough.
Looks went without saying. Her strong ego was a hassle, but not a dealbreaker.
A touch ironic. By pedigree, hadn't the tables turned?
"Wonderful choice! Then the details…"
"No heavy meddling in each other's business."
Fake engagement—no need to inflate the sham.
Stick together publicly when convenient, declare fiancée status. Done.
Who'd pry with personalities like ours?
"…But without my help, won't you be the one in a bind, Siwoo-ssi? Trapped in the academy for four years?"
"Pass on trusting and eating betrayal again. Solo's easier."
Plus, she hadn't answered straight when I asked why me.
High regard? Exchange student agenda?
Not core reasons.
"No way you'd sidle up to a Hwaseong foe for that."
"That's…"
"Whatever your angle, if it's useful to me, fine."
Her brow twitched faintly.
She claimed to hate honey traps, but her moves screamed seduction playbook.
Family clout for unasked intel. Fake engagement with perks. Protection offered.
All hitting my needs spot-on.
Slowly, I reached toward her chest.
"W-Wait…! Even so, this sudden…!"
"You came on strong first."
"Eek…"
Flutter.
I snatched an item from her rigid form.
In my hand: a talisman peeking from her bosom.
Honey-trap trained, yet she stone-froze here. Amusing.
Nah—most prefer virgins, so they skipped the practical bits.
I stepped back from her statue-stiff self and extended the Tsuchimikado talisman.
"W-What is it?"
"Can't just take it—might claim favors later. You owe me."
I'd picked up Onmyodo spells an Onmyoji like Ren would crave.
Lead with this payoff, and she'd play obedient minion awhile.
"Urgent Shikigami Command."
Channeling joryeok into the incantation, wind took visible form via the talisman catalyst.
Japan's sorcery was dubbed Onmyodo locally.
In this modern world, connections snagged basic gear easy.
Sorcery sealed till two months back, I naturally eyed shikigami as combat proxies.
Used 'em plenty in early Otherworld runs.
Wind coalesced at my will into a mini-whirlwind, birthing an independent ego.
Evoking an elf's sylph spirit.
"…A shikigami. Impressive output from nothing here, but."
Regaining poise, Ren eyed my creation indifferently.
As if it meant zilch before an Onmyodo master, Tsuchimikado direct descendant.
Her gaze broadcast quiet skepticism.
—Urgent Shikigami Command.
Whoosh—!
But only briefly. Her eyes flew wide as she watched impassively.
Lips that'd held elegant poise gaped endlessly.
"Shikigami wielding Onmyodo…? Without even a secret art?!"
Before her loomed a shikigami brewing a tiny thunderhead.
Crackle—!
A petite storm: cloud-shrouded, raining, lightning crashing.
She'd see it clear—the Onmyodo source was me, not the shikigami.
"My tweak on Onmyodo. Value clear?"
Improved a secret art like Void Resonance Art? Tweaking basic Onmyodo was cake.
If anything, life-or-death stakes meant more polish than Void Resonance Art.
"This… Repurposing task-locked shikigami as remote artillery? Tsuchimikado never cracked it, and you just…"
I lobbed a book at the dazed mumbler.
Basic Onmyodo tome referenced for completion— crammed with my notes and edits.
"No need family excuses. This buys four peaceful years? Outvalues half-baked secret arts."
"Yes… Mimics other clans' secret art effects."
Jackpot for any Onmyoji, yet her face darkened oddly.
What schemes in that head?
Least, she'd wanted me leashed. Fat chance.
"Then scram. Catch you post-suspension."
No plans to probe her sob story deep.
Good intel, fiancée act to irk Choi Taeseong and Gong Seoyul steadily? Job done.
Wasting brainpower on the insincere? Peak time sink.
Ironic as hell.
Hates being family pawn, yet begs to pawn for me.
"No."
Eviction notice ignored. She didn't budge.
Instead, gazed up reproachfully, pale cheeks burning red.
"Not reason enough…? You shot me down before we even talked proper?! Want my real motives? Listen once!!"
Elegance incarnate till now, she clawed her hair, erupting.
…Overstressed?
"I wanted a boyfriend too…! Miss this shot, I'm solo through school!!"
Ren voiced a dream anyone mouths, few chase.