Chapter 102
Chapter 102
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 102
Chapter Title: 19. Pursuit
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A black world came into view.
A still place, devoid of anything. Yet even in that pitch-black space, my surroundings were perfectly clear.
In the pitch-black world, I moved forward without hesitation. Soon, the scenery around me changed. Dozens of passages appeared nearby, and shadowy shapes flickered in and out of existence around them. Piles of paper-like scraps sometimes tumbled at my feet. They always vanished in an instant, only to reappear again.
In truth, this path was a labyrinth.
If you took a wrong turn, you might never find your way out. Of course, that only applied if you'd stumbled here by chance.
But it was different for someone who knew exactly where they were and remembered the place they needed to return to. Even a complete novice could make it back to their spot and open their eyes, barring a few exceptional circumstances.
I closed my eyes for a moment, then opened them. The scene around me shifted.
Ripples spread out like water from a disturbed pond, and beneath them, I saw the face I'd been searching for.
A voice buzzed in my ears.
「I wonder what faces those guys will make when they find out what I did.」
I sank to the ground right there. The surface below rippled like waves. The surroundings were utter, pitch-black silence. I swept my hand across the rippling surface, as if wiping a mirror clean. It showed Minhee, sitting beside the man, asleep as if dead to the world. Anxiety twisted in my chest, but I clenched my fist tight and sealed my lips.
「A bit of a shame, really. That girl seemed like she'd be the most fun to play with.」
A chill ran through me at those words, and I hugged myself, trembling. Gross! But I snapped out of it and regained my composure. More importantly, was Minhee okay?
The dream world was a distant realm from reality, yet it was connected to reality in some form. Faint traces from the real world filtered through sporadically. Minhee's mana was enveloped in an unfamiliar energy, unlike her usual self. The dream was inching closer to reality, the surroundings gradually being overtaken by real-world colors.
Feeling anxious, I suddenly grew curious. Come to think of it, he hadn't failed to take me—he'd chosen not to. He'd stopped trying to grab me midway. Why?
「But... her abilities are useful, though she'll probably break soon. Her mind's too fragile. And she doesn't respond to hypnosis either. Forcing it might shatter her... Sigh.」
By then, I knew where they were. Inside a car. Scenery flashed by outside the window. Minhee was dozing in the passenger seat. The man reached out and stroked her cheek. I recoiled in disgust. She's asleep, and you're doing that...!
「Well, I'm sort of part of that group, so I should do something useful, right?」
After saying that, the man looked ahead again. He fell silent for a while. The scenery rushed by, then paused repeatedly. I fidgeted impatiently, tapping my feet.
If they kept going like that, they'd reach their destination eventually. From what he'd said, Minhee had probably been kidnapped to be groomed as an organization member. Once they arrived at that unknown place, it'd be too late. With a tense expression, I scoured the area around the man and Minhee for clues.
Another voice echoed. It was the man's, but his lips weren't moving, so it seemed like his inner thoughts.
‘A direct confrontation with Daehyeon would be a hassle. No way I could win.’
A cool, clear-headed assessment. The man's eyes gleamed purple.
‘But that's only if they can track me down...’
The man chuckled.
"This is some pretty thrilling cat-and-mouse game."
I bit my lip hard. What incredible mental fortitude. I wanted to unleash a torrent of abuse at him. That's when something caught my eye.
“……!”
Seeing it, my eyes widened.
The moment I woke from the dream, I threw on the first coat I saw hanging nearby and rushed outside. Mom, Dad, and Auntie Seona's place were all empty, so there was no one to stop me. The patient gown bothered me, but there was no helping it.
I started to teleport but hesitated as a fact occurred to me. Teleportation magic was banned in hospital rooms for safety reasons. Feeling urgent, I headed outside anyway.
But once outside, I just stood there stamping my feet in frustration, unsure what to do. I'd come out on my own, but I didn't know who to tell. I needed to inform the people tracking Minhee. Joo Je-hyeon oppa and the teachers were surely among them. But I had no idea where they were. I could only guess they were at school.
Going after the man and Minhee alone was impossible. I'd lose 100%. One wrong move, and I might actually die this time. That wasn't courage or adventure—it was reckless, stupid, and foolish.
Should I just contact them with my student ID or phone? But then I'd be sidelined as an outsider, waiting cluelessly for Minhee to return.
‘No, I hate that.’
The chances of that happening were high. I was just a kid who'd been badly hurt fighting that man. The poison in my arm was mostly neutralized, but the adults would still worry. Biting my lip anxiously, I thought it over. But Minhee was my friend, kidnapped right in front of me. I didn't want to hear about it after everything was over.
After hesitating, I reached into my pocket—no, I stopped myself. Right, I was in a hospital gown with just a cardigan over it. No phone.
Panicking briefly, I glanced around, then checked my wrist. Thankfully, my student ID was still there. That could've been a total disaster. Then I flinched and slipped a hand inside my collar. A sigh of relief—good, the ring was still safely around my neck.
I teleported using the student ID. From a quick look around, this was the hospital near school. I'd been admitted here a few times before, so I knew. Student ID teleports required some personal mana, which was convenient for me.
...What I'd forgotten was that today was a weekday. The moment I teleported to the school grounds, the kids there all turned and stared in surprise.
“Huh? Isn't that Eunha?”
“It's really her—Eunha sunbae!”
“Wasn't she sick and absent today?”
And I was still in my patient gown. Overwhelmed by the stares, I covered my face in embarrassment and teleported away again.
I teleported to the school rooftop and leaned against the door leading downstairs, slumping down. No one below should see me from here. Calming my pounding heart and ragged breaths from the unexpected situation, I realized—right, it was a weekday. My friends aside, the other kids would be at school, and I'd blanked on that.
Once the embarrassment settled, I looked around. The school had various security barriers, of course, but they weren't as advanced as mine. They were just basic blocking wards. After a moment's thought, I cast a message spell. Who among the people working to rescue Minhee would I know? How many?
First, I projected a holographic school map onto my student ID. Were my friends there too? They'd met that man together... Right, Teacher had asked them to guide her to the café where they'd encountered him. So they should be together.
With a complicated mix of feelings, I sighed. Either way, I couldn't waste more time. I had to relay what I'd learned as soon as possible. On the school map, I wrote the names of Inha and Joo Je-hyeon oppa.
『Kang Inha』 『Joo Je-hyeon』
Lights blinked on the map. After a brief hesitation, I linked a message spell to a spot just outside the building where they were. Then I teleported.
My vision shifted, and a building loomed before me. I flung the door open and rushed inside. I followed the colors of their mana. Inha's lemon yellow, Hansu's green, Hyunho's blue, Joo Je-hyeon oppa's black—all clearly visible. The chairman's gold and Teacher's pink stood out sharply too.
Soon, I reached the door where everyone was gathered. Taking a deep breath, I knocked anxiously. After a moment, the door opened. Everyone stared at me in shock.
“Eunha? Why are you here...?”
Eunhee unnie, Joo Je-hyeon oppa, Cheonho oppa, Seonghu oppa, my friends, the teachers—everyone I'd expected was there. And not just them. The chairman and members from other school organizations too.
Familiar and unfamiliar eyes turned to me. Swallowing nervously, I strode toward Teacher with as much poise as I could muster. My voice trembled, so I hesitated, then stood on tiptoe and whispered in her ear.
“I had a dream.”
“……!”
Teacher was one of the few who knew what my “dreams” meant. Only my parents, friends, and the teachers knew.
“I found Minhee.”
Feeling my heart pound, I lowered my voice further. It was so quiet, everyone seemed to hear. Ignoring the pressure, I pressed on.
“She's in Busan. Near Yuran School in Busan. I saw a huge Yuran School building flash by outside the car window. The main gate and signboard too. M-Minhee's asleep in the car, and that guy's... some organization's member. Seems like he kidnapped her for her talent. That's all the info from the dream.”
Everyone held their breath. I was no longer whispering just to Teacher. My voice grew louder, then soft again.
“…….”
Silence fell. The weight of it made me dart behind Inha, Hansu, and Hyunho. Their eyes followed me. The chairman looked to Teacher and asked.
“How reliable is that?”
“100%.”
Teacher stated firmly.
“Dreams are closely linked to all reality. She calls them pathways to people's consciousness. Regardless, her dreams always tie directly to reality or someone's mental world. Everything she's called 'real' has been accurate without fail. It's as good as seeing it firsthand.”
That's right. That's how my dreams worked.
No, not just mine. All dreams are connected. Dreams are pathways of consciousness. I could assert that the dream world, unnoticed by people, linked the consciousness of everyone in this world.
I glanced around the room, then whispered to Inha.
“What's the situation?”
“We're still tracking. They're questioning us about him, requesting searches from police and allied groups. Next, we were heading to the café where he worked for clues.”
I nodded, then clenched and unclenched my fist with a dark expression. What if... they went off-planet? If the organization was extraterrestrial, tracking them would be nearly impossible.
“Then we'll head to Busan right away...!”
“We should request cooperation from Yuran School too!”
People sprang into action. Even the unfamiliar faces were ones I'd seen around. As Joo Je-hyeon oppa and Eunhee unnie hurried out, they thanked me and patted my head. I watched them with somber eyes.
The chairman turned to Teacher Min, who wore a complicated expression.
“Yoo Min. Jeong Junhwi.”
He pointed to the two.
“Take these kids and check the café where Han Jae-il worked. There might be traces left. Junhwi, you can use 'wind reading' too.”
Wind reading—Jeong Junhwi Teacher's special ability, akin to psychometry. Teacher Min looked up in dismay.
“But...!”
“Investigation is as crucial as pursuit. We might find a motive or destination.”
In the now mostly empty room, Jeong Junhwi Teacher nodded in place of the hesitant Teacher Min.
“Understood.”
Jeong Junhwi Teacher bowed to the chairman, then led Teacher Min toward us. He scanned me worriedly and asked.
“Are your injuries okay now?”
“Yeah. Doesn't hurt at all.”
I answered as firmly as possible. He looked at me, then sighed shortly.
“Contacted your parents?”
“......No.”
“Figured. You look like you rushed out.”
Jeong Junhwi Teacher hesitated, then met my eyes directly.
“You can come along. But stay right by our side. No wandering off because you found something, no jumping into fights for revenge. You get what I mean?”
I met Jeong Junhwi Teacher's gaze steadily. But Hansu, Inha, and Hyunho panicked instead.
“Eek?! Why?! We can fight too!”
“Yeah, don't underestimate us!”
“We can't do that.”
“You kids...”
I blocked my friends with one outstretched arm, sparing Jeong Junhwi Teacher a headache. With a resolute expression, I said.
“I'm not so childish as to mistake recklessness for courage. He was Teacher Min's rival, so at least B-rank. I won't drag everyone down by jumping into a fight where I can't help. Even if things go south, I promise to focus on rear defense with my best skills or protecting myself and my friends above all.”
My friends fell silent, lips pursed in dissatisfaction. Even as I spoke with firm resolve, my body trembled at my own powerlessness. Teeth gritted.
Jeong Junhwi Teacher looked at me with mild surprise, then smiled reassuringly.
“Good. That's enough.”
But I'd felt it clearly in our fight—he was beyond me, and I couldn't contribute to this battle. I was an underage mage who couldn't even take the ranking exam yet, while he was a formidable B-rank, upper tier—no, unlike the Black Jaguar guy who'd targeted me before, he was top among B-ranks. This incident had drilled home the vast gap between C and B.
I couldn't match him. But there were ways to help without direct combat. Rear support wasn't bad—in fact, it suited me best.
Handing over dream intel like this was my optimal choice.
I followed Jeong Junhwi Teacher as he led the way. My friends went out first, and Teacher Min trailed behind us with a sunken expression. She glanced back suddenly, meeting the chairman's eyes.
I bowed my head and headed out.
We piled into Teacher Min's car and directed her to the café. Investigations confirmed it was the one he'd run, not far from school. The area had battle damage, closed briefly, but reopened after repairs.
As we drove, Teacher Min briefly shared stories of her friend 'Han Jae-il' with my friends. I'd just finished contacting my parents using Inha's phone.
“He was a close friend since we were smaller than you kids.”
His voice held emptiness and bitterness. He was telling everyone what he'd shared with me before.
“We met on a battlefield, both refugees protected by school in a war zone. Well... we were foul-tempered, morally ragged delinquents who only caused trouble.”
I knew. That's why Teacher Min felt a kinship with him. They became best friends, and even after the bad stuff with Jeong Junhwi Teacher, he couldn't cut ties. It was an inescapable bond.
Their relationship had cooled a lot, not as close as before. But Teacher Min's curses toward him always carried worry.
“He was like me. Not anymore, though.”
“…….”
“I knew he was crazy long ago. But since I'd gotten better, I figured he'd sort himself out on his own.”
We got out in a familiar bustling street. Police already surrounded the building. Jeong Junhwi and Teacher Min talked with them, then beckoned us in.
Ding-a-ling.
The café interior was just as we'd left it. Potted plants by the window, atmospheric tablecloths on the tables.
Wandering inside, I glanced back at the spot where our eyes first met. There at the counter, he'd been smiling while making desserts.
We checked the first floor briefly, then went up to the second. Apparently, that was Han Jae-il's living space.
“Not just a code—it's magically locked too.”
Jeong Junhwi Teacher muttered at the electronic lock. He'd entered the code, but it sparked and rejected his hand.
He placed his hand there and murmured something. A spell incantation. I widened my vision to watch and listen. His mana enveloped the door's magic, unraveling the woven strands one by one. The mana lost its binding and dissipated. Magical dispelling—dispel magic.
‘Dispel works like that? So it's not just learning a spell; it's reverse-engineering the structure step by step...’
I tilted my head, then looked at my hand. I could copy most spells with these eyes. They let me see the sequence of spell completion, mana flow—everything. So maybe this kind of magic would suit me?
High chance. Since gaining copy ability, I'd been dissecting spells visually. My mana sensing had grown rapidly as a result.
But I shook my head and followed Jeong Junhwi Teacher inside. Not the time for that.
Stepping in, I was briefly surprised. Unlike the resident's image, the room had a surprisingly warm atmosphere. Curtains and decor were mostly white, with bright flowers blooming in white pots on the window frames.
Truly unexpected. Nothing like the impression from what I'd heard or seen. The room exuded gentle vibes, from bookshelves to furniture—all light colors. If anything, like sunlight...
‘Ah, right. Similar to Teacher's room...’
“Ugh.”
Unlike me pondering the surprise, Hansu scowled the moment he looked around. We turned puzzled eyes to him. Understandably—the room had plenty of potted plants. For Hansu, a plant-harmonious space should appeal, yet... His next words explained.
“Those are all poisonous plants.”
“…….”
......We shut our mouths. Talk about creepy. Grimacing, I scanned the near-studio apartment room. Spacious for a studio, like a large house's living room.
We spread out to search. I rummaged near the desk, glancing at Jeong Junhwi Teacher.
His eyes were closed in focus. Wind reading—his special ability. It read memories in the drifting air. They faded over time and were less precise than foreseeing magic, but still useful.
Even I couldn't copy special abilities. Nor did I need to. I could do something similar, applied to people.
‘Any clues? At least which organization he's tied to...’
Recalling the man's face from the dream, I desperately thought if there was more to glean.
Then it hit me: his organization might be powerful. His speech suggested it. Something like...
‘Well, I'm sort of part of that group, so I should do something useful, right?’
He was upper B-rank, confirmed by both teachers. An organization even he deferred to. B-ranks didn't join weak groups. And kidnapping talent without contracts screamed dark organization. But we couldn't rule out legitimate ones—though data banks would've flagged Han Jae-il if so. So likely dark.
Eyes open wide, scanning every corner while moving my hands, thinking. Bookshelf—flipped through notebooks. No keywords in mind, so visual judgment only. Notebooks full of cake and dessert recipes. Midway, I noticed differing handwriting and paused.
『Vanilla scent isn't great here...』
『Who stole my recipe?』
The different script felt familiar, catching me off guard. I closed and opened my eyes, expanding vision. Emotion colors appeared. Fingertips tracing letters, feelings of affection and endearment left me speechless. Amid darker emotions, this warmth remained untarnished.
“…….”
Right—he wasn't without feelings. He might act selfishly, but his regard for Jeong Junhwi and Teacher Min was genuine. Friendship or love, he truly cherished them.
It hit so deeply I choked up. Infuriating, since unforgivable. Thinking of the teachers' feelings sank my heart further. I skimmed it roughly, closed it, and looked around again.
Clutching the notebook, scanning for lingering emotion colors. Distracted by the notebook's warmth, I frowned at the rest. Remaining emotions were all selfish. Few items held any, and those were mostly twisted curiosity. Most floated midair.
Then I spotted an item thick with deep emotion. Hand reached instinctively, but too short—used telekinesis. Oddly, mana scattered nearing the book.
Face stiffening, I decided to grab it manually. Couldn't reach standing, so climb the shelf. Notebook in way.
I set it down on the desk with a thud. Something slipped from between pages.
“……?”
Rustle. I unfolded the paper.
『I'll return it. Sorry.』
I swallowed hard, looked up, and stomped.
Thud!
“What, what is it?”
If you're gonna act like this, why betray the teachers? Don't apologize after what you did. I snapped venomously at startled Hyunho.
“Dunno. Pisses me off.”
Tucked the note back, set notebook on desk, climbed shelf. One step up, barely reachable. Leaped, grabbed the binder as balance faltered, landed with a spin. Hansu and Teacher Min approached, flustered.
“Hey! Don't climb!”
“What're you doing? Dangerous. Use a chair.”
“No, too lazy for chair... Not worth levitation either...”
Inha eyed me reproachfully too. I scratched my head awkwardly. Hey, I'd trained in martial arts too. They did flips midair from standing starts.
“So, what's that?”
“No clue. Lots of residual emotions... So...”
Muttering, I opened the binder. Frowned. English—my worst subject. Damn.
Tried magic translation—failed. Stared holes through it holding the binder.
Space... ah, I know that. Space. Planet... planet...
“The largest recently discovered planet, Emera?”
Reading the title, I blinked. Huh? Did I know 'development' meant that?
“Emera—famous for green skies. Several organizations at war with natives there, I think? Natives are melee-mage types... developed using raw mana for power instead of spells. Tough and aggressive, giving trouble.”
“Hmm.”
“Civilization level's low, though...”
I scanned down. Weird—I suck at English, but sometimes grasped paragraph context. From reading lots? Sentence intuition skill? Mostly skipped unknowns. Then, a memo in familiar script—from recipes. In Korean.
“‘Pale’......”
“Short for the only spaceship that can reach Emera currently. Related?”
“Content's just standard Emera intel?”
“...Related?”
Jeong Junhwi Teacher and Teacher Min whispered behind me. They read English fluently. I flipped pages.
Another memo fell. Unfolded it.
『Daehyeon High student. Barrier magic and shooting magic.』
Below, unknown handwriting.
『Shooting magic. Suitable. Bring both if possible.』
“Link magic!”
At Jeong Junhwi Teacher's words, I read the memo's mana.
Unique mana. Caused document's mana scatter. But I stopped—link already severed.
We searched longer, but only memos found.
“By the way, Teacher, wind reading?”
“Just his worthless thoughts. Tsk.”
Jeong Junhwi Teacher clicked tongue disgustedly.
We'd expected little left—he knew we knew him. At least I did. Unlikely unprepared. Even this was a miracle.
No gains, we prepared to leave. Then contact from Teacher via Jeong Junhwi Teacher.
[Found anything?]
“Yeah... one thing. Seems tied to planet Emera. Detailed Emera survey docs left. Maybe linked to warring organizations there...? But doesn't explain rushed kid-napping.”
[Emera... I see.]
Jeong Junhwi Teacher summarized hypothesis. Best guess now. Teacher looked at me behind him on video.
[Nothing more, head back. And... Eunha, check dream world once more.]
Hands clasped, anxious face toward Teacher.
“Couldn't find them?”
[Got a tail on them. But they vanished. Need you to look.]
“Ah, yes.”
[You're only one who can track now.]
“Yes.”
I nodded.
We left promptly. Outside, police still cordoned. Greeted them, back in Teacher Min's car.
“Then Eunha, please.”
Seated, nodded, closed eyes. One, two, three. Counted seconds, opened eyes—dream world welcomed me again.