Chapter 1 — And Wet
*(It is recommended to start from the Prologue.)*
My mother was a hero.
They say she sealed the Primordial Gate all by herself.
It was a story from twenty years ago. The world had adapted to the Gates, and those who awakened special abilities had built a new order.
The nation loudly promoted her legacy, and through bold investments centered on her, they laid the foundation for a new world.
As a result, Korea became the heart of the hunter industry.
And in that world, my parents did not exist.
**********
-Bip. Bip. Bip. Bip.
A rhythmic mechanical tone drummed against my eardrums.
"Mm..."
An unfamiliar ceiling. A faint antiseptic smell, purified air, an IV stand connected to the bedside. A hospital room.
I remembered the last thing clearly.
"Ah. White panties."
How could I forget that moment? It was a sight that etched itself into my soul.
An image of my own release played before my eyes unbidden.
"Whoa, look at this? Hard as a rock the moment you wake up?"
Huh?
An unfamiliar woman's voice came from nearby. The distance was closer than I expected, and her tone was brimming with mischief and curiosity.
And closer than I'd anticipated.
"When did you finally look over here? Did you sleep well?"
A blazing tuft of hair with tattoos on her forearm. Healthy skin with a light tan. She was so close I could feel her breath.
"...Who are you?"
"Whoa? Didn't the Heavenly Fox lady tell you?"
Heavenly Fox? Who the hell is that? At least, nobody I know goes by that name. Well, I don't really know many people to begin with.
"Tch. So you know nothing at all?"
"...Yes."
"That's fine then. Anyway, Cheonghwa will explain everything."
Who the hell is Cheonghwa?
"But don't you find that uncomfortable?"
She said.
Her fingertip pointed to—
"..."
A lumpy bulge in the blanket.
"...Should I pull it back a bit?"
"What?"
Without a care for my mortified expression, another brazen remark came from beside me.
"No, it's—"
"...Yes."
And Wet.
I moved toward her as if hypnotized.
She casually drew back the blanket. Then, as naturally as breathing, she whispered.
"Come here... get in."
A brief war raged between instinct and reason. But reason had never once won in moments like these.
No, who would resist this? If this were a trap meant to threaten me, a man should at least have the courage to bury himself in that body.
-Plap.
Wow.
Soft. Hehe.
"Mmph..."
She pressed her body against mine with startling naturalness. Her fiery hair grazed my face, and that intoxicating scent of skin seeped deep into my lungs—
-BAM!
"What are you doing?!"
The mood was shattered by the arrival of the blue-haired woman I'd seen yesterday.
"Yuyeon, I specifically said 'only treatment.' What exactly is this situation?"
"U-Uh... she jumped on me!"
Huh.
"Don't talk nonsense. You were the one who tempted a body in heat first, weren't you?"
"Mmph..."
"Master hasn't stabilized yet."
"Hmph. Whatever. Let's just drop it for now."
Whether her haughtiness had faded or not, the woman who'd been shamelessly tempting me moments ago began hastily pulling on the clothes she'd carelessly tossed at the foot of the bed.
"Oh, right."
She turned back just as I was about to leave.
"My name is Yu Yuyeon. Please take care of me, Master?"
-Clatter.
Then she walked out completely stark naked.
"Um... huh..."
I hadn't been awake long, yet so much had hit me at once. My head was gradually starting to throb as I emerged from my daze.
"...I apologize, Master."
"Huh? What?"
Ah. White panties.
"I understand you must still be confused. If the Heavenly Fox teacher didn't mention it, then that too must have been her careful arrangement."
"No, who is this Heavenly Fox, and why are you calling me Master? I remember the woman who suddenly appeared in front of me yesterday, but—"
Everyone was saying things I couldn't make heads or tails of. Just who the hell is this Heavenly Fox? And who are you?
"Oh, I see. I was late with the introduction. I am Yu Cheonghwa, the Vice Head of the Blue Dragon Hall. It is an honor to meet you, Master."
Hmm.
What the hell is the Blue Dragon Hall?
**********
The discharge process went much faster than I expected.
I hadn't anticipated this. The hospital room I'd been lying in wasn't an ordinary room. It was a private single room with a clean interior and perfect soundproofing.
An external-view shield automatically drew across the window, and beside the bed, state-of-the-art life-support equipment and monitors were neatly arranged. It was undeniably premium.
'...That must have cost a fortune...'
I started worrying about the hospital bill. Given my financial situation, this was clearly beyond what I could handle.
Reading my expression as if she'd read my mind, Yu Cheonghwa spoke first.
"Don't worry. The Blue Dragon Hall covered the costs."
She smiled slightly at the end of her words. It was a smile born of quiet consideration. She looked cold on the surface, but surprisingly, she had a thoughtful side.
"R-Really? It looked so expensive though. Are you sure it's okay?"
"The Blue Dragon Hall is not an organization that would flinch at that kind of expense. Besides, if Master is there, then no matter what the cost, the value is more than sufficient."
"That's... quite a flattering way to put it. If you use formal speech, it makes me uncomfortable."
"Ah... um... right. I'll drop the formal talk."
Since she said it was fine, there was no need to keep going.
"By the way, may I ask why Master was in such a dangerous place yesterday?"
She asked carefully.
Oh, that.
"It was the Academy entrance exam."
"The exam? In a place like that?"
An evaluation in which you break through a Gate with a supervisor present. It was the process proposed by the founder, where pass or fail was judged.
"They said it was the founder's direct evaluation method. Something about breaking through the Gate being a practical assessment."
"Is that even possible?"
"Well, I ended up getting completely wrecked by a giant monster, but whatever."
Cheonghwa fell silent as if lost in thought, then asked with a somewhat playful tone.
"Hmm... shall we make a bet?"
"What kind of bet?"
"I'll wager that Master passes. The stake is... one wish. What do you say?"
She ran away like a coward, got taken down by a single skill, so how is she passing?
"A wish? Any wish?"
"Yes. Whatever I can grant."
Her tone was playful, but her eyes were more serious than her words suggested.
"Really?"
"Yes."
Cheonghwa simply smiled.
"Alright. Let's do it."
"Very well. Then, shall we first visit the Heavenly Fox teacher?"
That damn Heavenly Fox or whatever. The person whose name kept coming up — I was starting to get curious about who she was.
"Let's go."
"It's just ahead. Please follow me."
The place she pointed to—
The Academy's main gate was faintly visible.
**********
"Wait, Cheonghwa? Yu Cheonghwa?"
"Yes, Master."
"This is the student-only entrance. How are you planning to get in?"
"You'll understand once we arrive."
No way. How strict is the security here...
-BEEP! Preparatory student Hwan Hyun, preparatory student Yu Cheonghwa. Identity confirmed.
Huh.
An electronic panel I'd seen before flickered to life with a green glow. The door slowly opened, clearing the way.
"Hehe... I told you, didn't I? You passed."
"You... knew about this already."
I got played! The bet was rigged since she knew the outcome!
"I won the bet."
"Hey, that's not fair!"
"Hehe... Anyway, since I won, Master must grant me one wish."
"Tch..."
"Don't worry. No matter what Master commands, we cannot refuse under the terms of our contract..."
Her eyes showed no wavering. She spoke as if reciting an obvious rule, yet simultaneously carried an air of inescapable fate.
It was as if she were casually explaining the chains she had bound herself with.
"Oh?"
I'd thought it was a joke at first. But Cheonghwa's tone was far from joking. A refined cadence, no embellishment in her speech. I got the feeling it was real.
"Really?"
She nodded with a smile.
"Yes. Would you like to test it now?"
Hmm. What should I try?
Just one word. A very simple command. But in that brief phrase, I felt something indescribable — an energy that felt like language itself had become a symbol of the world, capable of shaking its laws.
I extended my hand, and Cheonghwa slowly, carefully placed hers over mine.
I'd expected it to be cold, but it was warm. I'd expected delicate fingers, but they were firmer than I thought.
When her slender, long fingers touched my hand, a faint tremor ran through me like an electric current.
Without saying a word, it was certain.
I had just given a 'command.' And she was obeying it.
"Whoa... you seem more timid than I expected."
Cheonghwa said. Her tone was gentle, but beneath it lay a mischievous playfulness.
"When you were with that girl from the Vermillion Bird Hall, you seemed quite bold."
"What did you expect? I don't act like that on the street."
The one she'd called Yu Yuyeon, the woman who'd been lying beside me naked — it seemed she was a being connected to me through a servant contract.
"Then shall we head over?"
Cheonghwa's hand was soft.
The slender, delicate touch of her fingers was exquisitely alive, and when she gripped firmly, a faint pulse was barely perceptible.
How long had we been walking?
During the walk, I was strangely silent. No — I couldn't pay attention to my surroundings because I was focusing all my senses on the tips of my fingers.
"This is it."
The place we'd arrived at was the principal's residence at the back of the Academy.
"...Is this right? Did I take a wrong turn?"
"We came to see the principal, so this is the correct place. Come, please."
The Heavenly Fox teacher.
The person Cheonghwa had mentioned several times. It seemed she was the Academy's principal.
I felt like all the pieces were finally clicking into place.
I opened the door and stepped inside. The interior was unexpectedly cozy. An old wood scent and sunlight intertwined in a quiet stillness.
And in that moment, my heart dropped with a heavy thud.
Standing in the principal's residence, in that very spot, was none other than—
"My aunt?"
The only protector who had raised me until now. The sole guardian of my life.