The Weight of a Name
Yeon Minha asked back as if genuinely surprised. "Why are you so shocked? I just told you that students from the Five Great Families are automatically assigned a seat upon enrollment."
"…Ah."
"You were only a recommended student until now, but you're the legitimate second son of Heukryeon. It's time you started acting like it."
The second son of Heukryeon. Even though we're not even blood-related…
"There's only one spot for first-years, but considering Heukryeon's influence, you could easily join the student council—"
"No thanks. Student council? I'm not interested in that kind of position."
"…If you don't take it, then the daughter of Baekgwang will."
The daughter of Baekgwang… Jin Yeseo? The image of a sharp-tongued girl with blonde hair and green eyes flashed through my mind.
"It's fine. I'm really not interested. Besides, I'm not even a real blood descendant of Heukryeon…"
Since Yeon Minha already knew the truth, she didn't press the issue. Besides, a position like the student council didn't suit me at all. With my lack of social skills and general ignorance, I'd probably just end up making mistakes.
"…Hmph."
Yeon Minha pouted, her expression sulky. I ignored her and finished tidying her hair before setting the comb down on the vanity.
"All done."
"…You really are good at this…"
Yeon Minha muttered while looking in the mirror. Though her expression remained pouty, the slight crescent shape of her eyes betrayed her satisfaction. As she adjusted her shirt collar and sleeves, she spoke again.
"…Fine. We'll revisit the student council idea later…"
Why was this woman reaching conclusions on her own? Before I could object, she swiftly changed the subject.
"So, which club are you planning to apply for?"
Clubs? Now that she mentioned it, there had been something about that. It came up briefly during the entrance orientation, and I'd seen upperclassmen handing out strange pamphlets while trying to recruit juniors. Something about self-cultivation through voluntary activities…
As I mulled it over, Yeon Minha shot me a knowing look.
"As expected, you hadn't thought about it at all, had you? This is different from the student council. First-years must join at least one club before the end of the first semester."
"Why is that?"
"Because club activity points are reflected in the overall ranking score. Even if it's not as significant as the ranking matches, the bonus is still substantial. Some students even tank their exams on purpose to pour everything into club achievements and make up the difference."
"Hmm…"
I still had a comfortable lead over Jin Yeseo, but I didn't want to give her any chance to catch up. Moreover, my theoretical and written subjects were quite weak… If I bombed even two or three exams, she could overtake me in an instant. But clubs seemed to revolve around hobbies, and I didn't have any particular hobbies to speak of. I couldn't just join anywhere at random either…
"Ugh. We'll talk about clubs later. If you really can't decide, I'll help you look…"
Yeon Minha let out a small sigh as she watched me sink back into thought.
"…Thank you. I'll take your help."
"…Honestly, what would you do without me…"
Since I genuinely needed the help, I didn't refuse. Yeon Minha straightened her appearance and stood up as if ready to leave. But then, as if remembering something she'd forgotten, she turned back toward me. Her fingers fidgeted as she glanced sideways at me. She looked exactly like someone with a favor to ask.
"Do you have something to say?"
"Um… Could I ask you for a favor…?"
"A favor?"
"…Yeah."
"What is it…?"
"…"
After hesitating for a long while, Yeon Minha finally spoke.
"…It's a little embarrassing to say out loud, but my family's authority has hit rock bottom. It'll take a long time to restore our former prestige. Just look at the graffiti from yesterday…"
She lowered her head, her voice barely above a whisper.
"There will definitely be a flood of people trying to devour me. Maybe my student council application will even get rejected because of it. So… if something like that happens… I was wondering if I could borrow your name and Heukryeon's…"
"Borrow our names?"
Yeon Minha's voice grew even smaller.
"You know, just to show off our close relationship… You're in the opposite situation from me… If people think Heukryeon is firmly connected to me… maybe some of the annoying things will decrease…"
I understood why her voice was shrinking. For someone as proud and haughty as her, this request must have wounded her pride considerably. She had to borrow the power of someone completely unrelated to her family just to survive. But from my perspective, it wasn't a difficult request at all.
Suddenly, I recalled the conversation I'd had with the family head and his wife just before leaving the Heukryeon estate.
'You're already like our own child.'
'Heukryeon will guarantee every decision you make at the Cradle. Never lose your confidence.'
Even now, I could feel the Heukryeon seal the family head had given me in my pocket. He'd said it was only for my personal safety and not to feel burdened by it… but it was an overwhelming favor, far beyond what such an explanation warranted. I still had no idea why they'd shown me such kindness.
But regardless, if I'd received their grace, it was only right to repay it as much as possible. Jeokhwa had destroyed itself trying to become a power that could support Heukryeon. Meanwhile, Paecheon’s forces remained solid. According to Mok Jinu, Heukryeon had returned to the Supreme Council, but nothing would be easy. So if there was anything I could do to help them, I should. Supporting Yeon Minha could be part of that. Even if it wasn't, I'd already promised long ago that I'd stay by her side no matter what happened. She could have asked boldly, and I would have agreed without hesitation.
"Do whatever is convenient for you, Senior."
I nodded at Yeon Minha.
"Whether it's my name or Heukryeon's, use them whenever you need. And if there's anything too difficult to handle alone, tell me."
"…Got it."
Her voice was still small, but after spending so many days together, I could tell immediately—she was in quite a good mood.
"What, why…"
"…It's nothing."
Yeon Minha blurted out in a brusque tone. It seemed I wasn't the only one whose senses had sharpened. With those words, she darted out of the dormitory.
Yeon Minha's steps toward the main building of the Cradle were remarkably light. She had never felt so secure. Though her current situation seemed like being thrown alone into a storm, Yeon Minha wasn't worried about anything. A solid, sturdy wall stood behind her now.
Besides, there was no way her student council application would actually be rejected. What she'd told him had been a slight exaggeration with some added drama. She'd try to coax him into joining the student council later. For now, Yeon Minha fell into another thought before her eyes sparkled.
"What if I just create a brand new club…?"
It seemed like a pretty good idea. Her lips curved into a satisfied smile.
"That could work… I'll make the entry requirements strict so those lowlifes can't even approach…"
Excited by the thought of creating a paradise just for the two of them, Yeon Minha continued on with light, cheerful steps.
The morning classroom felt like hell to me. As usual, I sat in an inconspicuous corner seat, hoping the day would pass without incident like always. But the moment the students saw me, they swarmed over like a hive of bees.
"Hey… I greeted you last time… Do you remember me?"
"You know me, right? We're in the same circulation system major…"
"Back then…"
"…!"
People whose faces I didn't even remember were desperately trying to flaunt their connections. I'd expected something like this to some degree, but experiencing it firsthand made the discomfort far worse. When I'd seen several students loitering in front of my empty dormitory on the way to school that morning, I couldn't even begin to describe how startled I'd been.
Maybe I really should consider moving out of the Zelkova dormitory and returning to my original one. The fact that more people were watching me meant there was a higher chance of my secret visits to Yeon Minha's dormitory being discovered. I didn't care about myself, but if that happened, Yeon Minha's reputation could fall to an irreparable level…
Fortunately, the time Yeon Minha could go without using her Authority was gradually increasing. I felt the need to discuss this matter with her soon.
"You lot. What kind of commotion is this on a Monday morning?"
The growing chaos was finally brought under control when Professor Kwon Chan-yeol appeared at the podium with a tired face.
"Sit down so I can take attendance. Anyone still standing after thirty seconds gets penalty points."
When he slammed the podium repeatedly, the students scattered to their seats. The professor began calling roll one by one.
"Next… Hmm. I don't know what to call you. Sa…? Or Yu…"
"…Just call me what you always have."
I hadn't expected him to add anything more. Changing my surname again here somehow felt uncomfortable. Besides, everyone already called me by my given name, Hyeon. No matter how fake it was, changing surnames three times… I just wasn't keen on it right now.
I couldn't focus on the lecture at all because of the dozens of gazes constantly scanning over me. An unpleasant, sticky discomfort clung to me all morning. It still hadn't gone away.
"Hey, what are you doing after class? If you don't have plans…"
Two or three girls chattered incessantly behind me as I walked down the hallway. My head was starting to ache. The halo of being from one of the Five Great Families really was enormous. But that only made me more repulsed. I understood that this was their own survival strategy, but that didn't mean I had any reason to tolerate this discomfort. Some of them had even been giving me openly hostile looks until recently. I had no desire to befriend people who changed their expressions so easily based on someone's background.
"…Hey."
"Huh, huh?"
I stopped walking and turned around. Startled by my sudden address, they trailed off. Perhaps because I'd ignored them until now, their eyes held a hint of anticipation. But there was only one thing I could say to them.
"Get lost."
"Hngh… Hngh!"
When I spoke with clear hostility, their faces turned deathly pale. They let out strange whimpers before hurriedly turning and disappearing down the corridor. Only then could I finally find some peace.
"…Haa."
After letting out a deep sigh, I was about to head to my next class when—
"…Team leader. You're working hard."
This time, a strangely familiar voice called out to me. A male student wearing glasses appeared, descending the stairs. His expression looked awkward, mismatched with his sharp features.
"Moo-young?"
"Sorry, Team Leader. I wasn't trying to hide it…"
"It's fine. That was bound to happen anyway."
Moo-young kept apologizing to me. The more he did, the more uncomfortable I felt. I had been a little surprised, but he hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, it was only natural. I hadn't shared much of my personal life with him either. I held no ill feelings or resentment toward him. In fact, Moo-young's very existence had meaning. Throughout our time together, I realized that no annoying women approached us. Even those who recognized the mask from afar would turn away the moment they got close. Some of them had been Yena and Sera, and even Yeoreum… but I could greet them separately later. He really was a good friend…
"But…"
"I told you, it's fine. More importantly, there's something else… Could you help me with something?"
I decided to change the subject to cut off Moo-young's continuing apologies. It also reminded me of something I'd been thinking about. He clenched his fist and nodded.
"What is it? Tell me anything. The branch manager told me to cooperate fully…"
"Is it possible to access the military's personnel database?"
"That's not particularly difficult. Why? Are you looking for someone?"
Moo-young nodded as if it were nothing.
"Well…"
The dream I'd had after returning from the south was still vivid in my memory. A strange discomfort kept rising, and I couldn't leave him alone any longer. I'd wanted to check what I could, but I hadn't been able to think of a way, so I'd been troubled. I told Moo-young about the personal details of someone I'd seen in the dream. Female. Affiliated with the Barrier Garrison. Rank of Lieutenant. Among those who met these conditions… was there anyone who had gone missing or left the military three years ago?
"…The Barrier Garrison might be a bit troublesome… but don't worry. It won't take that long."
Moo-young nodded with burning enthusiasm in his eyes. But honestly, right now, I was hoping the result would be that no such person existed. I really wished it had just been a meaningless dream.
"Thanks. I'll definitely repay this favor later. And about that witch you mentioned last time…"
I brought up the topic we'd left unfinished when I'd met Moo-young in the hospital ward.
"Ah, right. We were talking about that in the ward before we got cut off. Some nasty woman came to catch me…"
"…"
I felt strangely guilty and averted my gaze. It had been me who'd told the nurses his location. But there had been no other way when he needed treatment immediately. Still, it was better than dying, wasn't it?
"Well, it's nothing major. So, fifteen years ago… Huh?"
Moo-young suddenly stopped mid-sentence and frowned as he looked to the side. There, a female student was definitely walking toward us. A student with mixed Western blood. Jin Yeseo approached in an instant and blocked my path. Her emerald-like eyes, fixed on me, still burned with the same hostility. Maybe today really was just an unlucky day…