Lingering Doubts
"Haa… haa…!"
Jin Yeseo was once again spending her time in the training hall. Her eyes were sunken, and sweat glistened across her pale skin, yet she refused to stop. Standing at the very center of the hall, she manipulated the particle array device. With delicate precision, she designated points and drew lines of particles in predetermined shapes, connecting them one after another.
—Tick… tidick…
A faint friction sound echoed from somewhere, and soon a ring of blazing flames began to etch itself into the air around her. The flames, dyed as black as pitch, exuded an intensely peculiar atmosphere. She immediately widened the ring's diameter, spreading it outward in all directions. The circle of black fire expanded at tremendous speed, nearly reaching the point she had targeted.
—Pachang!
Once again, the flames scattered into the air before they could reach their mark. Jin Yeseo's face twisted with disappointment at the sight.
"…"
She stood there in a daze, her expression hollow. Her mother had succeeded in restoring the family's declining fortunes to their proper course, but the clan's signature magic—the black flames—remained incomplete. Now that responsibility had fallen to Jin Yeseo. Blessed with innate magical talent and an unwavering diligence that bordered on obsession, she had always been expected to master the black flames. Those expectations had followed her since childhood, at times feeling like an unbearable burden. Until recently, she had lived up to them faithfully, but her progress had stalled. No matter how grueling her training, she could not advance beyond a certain threshold. The singularity she had once felt was within reach now seemed impossibly distant.
"Haa…"
Jin Yeseo let out a frustrated sigh. Then, suddenly, her gaze fell upon an old wooden practice sword lying in the corner of the training hall.
"…"
Without thinking, she walked over and picked it up from the floor. After a moment of hesitation, she swung it lightly a few times. Despite its cheap, unremarkable appearance, the sword cut through the air with surprising lightness and grace. Before she knew it, Jin Yeseo had slipped into a basic stance. Though her specialty was emission magic, she had memorized a few fundamental circulation techniques. She flowed through a series of simple movements, her motions smooth and natural. A small smile crept onto her lips—an effortless sense of achievement she had never felt while forcing herself to practice the black flames.
But the next moment, she froze. Her expression darkened, and she tossed the wooden sword back onto the floor without a second thought.
—Thud!
The blade that had sliced so powerfully through the air now lay forgotten among the dust and clutter. She had no time for such distractions. The student council executive had already informed her of the upcoming duel. It was a match for the first-year representative seat, and her opponent was, of course, the masked male student. Jin Yeseo's face filled with anger. He was the most malicious obstacle blocking her path. A chance to redeem her past humiliation. A chance to support Yeon Minha's faction against Baek Seoyeon. Even without the student council position at stake, she had more than enough reasons to fight him. Defeating him was her immediate priority.
After taking a few deep breaths, Jin Yeseo threw herself back into training. Her opponent was formidable, but she had nowhere left to retreat.
"This time… I will win. No matter what."
***
An excited, restless atmosphere filled the Cradle. Even during the Falling Star Day festival period, nothing had changed. Weekday outings were still forbidden. Classes proceeded as usual, with only a modest banquet scheduled at Hwayang-gwan that evening. Yet even that was enough to set the students abuzz. And the festival wasn't the only event this week. The second ranking match was fast approaching. On top of that, I had to duel Jin Yeseo for the first-year representative seat beforehand. Instinctively, I could tell it was going to be a hectic week.
"So how many?"
"At least five for sure. If we're lucky, maybe ten…"
During magic combat class, while waiting my turn, I overheard two male students chatting behind me. They were betting on who would receive more candy. Conversations around the room were much the same—everywhere, the word "candy" was being thrown around. I had only recently learned that during the Falling Star Day festival, it was customary for girls to give candy to boys. Some, like Mu-yeong, loudly dismissed it as corporate marketing, but most students, starved for entertainment, paid little attention to such details.
"Pfft… You? That's ridiculous…"
"I'm telling you, it feels right this time. If things go well, I might get a whole basket…"
One voice continued to boast ambitiously, unfazed by the mockery.
"…"
I had thought I wasn't particularly interested in this sort of topic. Yet for some reason, my mind felt unsettled. Candy given during the festival carried two meanings: simple affection, or something deeper. Perhaps I would receive some from those two. Yeon Minha had openly asked if I liked candy, and what Yena had said carried a similar implication. So what truly disturbed my composure was something else entirely. My gaze drifted unconsciously to my left hand. The fourth finger felt especially empty. Someone would likely offer a gift carrying far deeper affection than mere friendship. And that person had mentioned having a fiancé…
—Kwaang!
Just as I was sinking into those sticky, gloomy thoughts, a thunderous crash yanked me back to reality. I looked up to see a sly-looking male student embedded upside-down in the sparring arena wall.
"Kuhk!"
The student groaned in pain, limbs trembling. In front of him stood a woman in a short training uniform, shaking her head in exasperation.
"Guk Jae-ryong. No matter how I look at it, emission magic suits you better."
Her short, swaying hair and toned physique—complete with visible abs—made her appear far younger than her position as a professor would suggest. It was Shin Jae-yu, the Cradle's magic combat professor.
"Not lasting even five seconds is a bit much, don't you think? Hmm? It's already been weeks since the semester started…"
"Professor… I think my bones are broken…"
"Quit exaggerating. I controlled my strength properly, so there's no way that happened. Assistant?"
She cut him off sharply and waved her hand. Assistants promptly carried the sprawled student out of the arena. The rest area nearby already held over a dozen students writhing in pain. Despite facing more than ten opponents alone, the female professor showed no signs of fatigue—only a faint sheen of sweat on her exposed abs. Weren't students supposed to have superior physical abilities? Mages were said to be strongest right after awakening, yet her strength and combat sense were astonishing.
"This year's batch is really… Haa, no wonder they're always losing to the emission students…"
She shook her head in dissatisfaction and scribbled something on her clipboard.
"Next!"
At her call, one of the boys who had been betting behind me stepped forward with a terrified expression. Less than a minute later, the familiar crash echoed again, and the assistants hauled yet another defeated student away. I, however, wasn't particularly invested in this class. My interest lay elsewhere—with Shin Jae-yu herself, not as a Cradle professor.
***
After the long hand-to-hand combat class ended, I approached Professor Shin Jae-yu as she tidied up equipment with the assistants.
"Professor."
She turned at the sound of my voice.
"Hm? What is it? Hoping for a better grade? Sorry, but I don't accept bribes."
"…"
As I hesitated, unsure how to respond, she sighed and grumbled.
"Oh, it was a joke. You're no fun."
We had barely spoken, yet her attitude toward me felt strangely different. She was already known among students for her good nature, but with me, she seemed even more approachable. Thinking back, it had been like this since the first class—asking me to demonstrate techniques and giving me top marks without hesitation. Only recently had I begun to understand the source of that peculiar trust. Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, who had received sponsorship from the Black Lotus as Danjang's motive. And Professor Shin Jae-yu, who interacted with him without formality. Though Danjang was widely regarded as a troublemaker, Professor Kwon had defended him. If she was close to Kwon, perhaps she was also on good terms with Danjang. They were said to be alumni of the Cradle, which would make her his junior as well. If that were true, her favorable attitude toward me made sense. And perhaps… she might know something about the woman from my dreams.
"So, what brings the 'Black Lotus Crown Prince' to see me?"
She continued in a teasing tone.
"Looking for advice before your duel?"
"That would violate school rules. I came for a different kind of consultation…"
"Consultation…?"
She tilted her head briefly before nodding.
"Alright. I understand. Just wait a moment. I'll finish cleaning up and then we can go."
***
I followed her to the faculty building. The moment she opened the door to her office, a chaotic mess of documents and clutter came into view. The sight alone revealed much about her personality. She left me standing there and began tidying up in a flurry.
"Could you wait there for a bit? I need to clean… Kyaa!"
She stumbled after stepping on a can rolling across the floor. How did she even manage to live and sleep in such a pigsty? While waiting, I glanced around—and something atop a towering stack of documents caught my eye. It seemed oddly out of place in a professional office, radiating a carefree vibe. A soft, silk-like black fabric adorned with ribbons and lace, featuring two small holes and one large one. It looked exactly like underwear…
"Oh my! Why is this here?!"
With a shriek, the professor snatched the item away at lightning speed.