Two Years Later (2): The Cradle's Command
"...Ah."
"Yolam...?"
The unit members finally wore expressions of understanding. But Lee Hyun only furrowed his brow slightly, as if the words made no sense to him.
"That's right."
"What is it?"
"Ah."
Hearing Lee Hyun's question, Sa Jaehyuk let out a small sigh. To mages, the existence of Yolam was nothing less than common knowledge. One more reason to send that bastard there, Sa Jaehyuk thought.
"Simply put, just think of it as a school. Technically it's classified as an academy."
"An academy...?"
"Yes. It's a model educational institution that takes young mages like you and educates them properly, raising them into talents who contribute to the nation's prosperity and social stability. On the surface, at least."
"Pfft..."
"On the surface, at least..."
The unit members burst into quiet laughter at Sa Jaehyuk's added remark. Lee Hyun, however, still couldn't fully grasp what he was saying.
"...I get the general idea of what kind of place it is. So what am I supposed to do there? VIP protection duty?"
"Protection duty? What the hell are you talking about? When a student goes to school, obviously they have to study."
"Student...?"
Sa Jaehyuk continued in a calm voice.
"That's right, Lee Hyun. You'll be enrolling in Yolam Academy this year as a recommended student from our Black Lotus Sa family. And..."
"...What kind of nonsense is this? Are you messing with me right now—"
"Does this look like a joke to you?"
"..."
When the incomprehensible words kept coming, Lee Hyun finally snapped. But Sa Jaehyuk's utterly confident attitude left him speechless once again.
"...I suppose I should listen to the end of the explanation, right? So..."
Sa Jaehyuk let out a light sigh at the sight, then continued.
The Black Lotus Sa family—Sa Jaehyuk's clan—had been one of the mage houses deeply involved in Yolam's founding. Those families held the annual right to enroll hand-picked students without entrance exams, all under the noble pretext of finding worthy talent to foster the nation's growth. Yet for the past fifteen years, the Black Lotus Sa family had never once exercised that recommendation privilege.
"...We've left the seat empty for far too long. As a result, our family's influence inside Yolam has been shrinking every year."
"...And?"
"You'll understand soon enough, but Yolam isn't just an educational institution. The connections you make there tend to last a lifetime. It's the only period when you can build genuine friendships with the children of prestigious families without restraint. And that's not all—if your skills are solid, you can even secure sponsorships from notable figures and corporations and form favorable relationships. In some ways, it might be the most important time in a person's life."
"He's right. There's even a saying that 'three years at the Cradle matter more than the next thirty.'"
Ryu Sehwa, listening from the side, chimed in to support Sa Jaehyuk.
"...Well said. Anyway, that's the situation. I couldn't care less about national development, but if things keep going like this, our family's influence will vanish completely. At such a critical place, no less. And you're the tool we've chosen to prevent that."
Sa Jaehyuk nodded at Sehwa's words and kept speaking. Lee Hyun asked in a doubtful tone.
"...Let's say the commander is right. But why do I have to do it? If you don't want me in the unit anymore..."
"Enough with the nonsense. Trust me, I'd rather handle it myself if I could. But we're all getting old."
Sa Jaehyuk shrugged. The protest, however, came from an unexpected direction first.
"Old...!"
"Hey! Sa Jaehyuk!! Take that back right now!!"
"No... no...!"
Ye Jin was so shocked she couldn't even finish her sentence. Yoon Chaewon jabbed a finger at Sa Jaehyuk and roared at him. Ryu Sehwa clutched her head with both hands, muttering to herself.
"Hey! All of you, shut up! How much did you drink?!"
Sa Jaehyuk bellowed at the members. After spending a good while calming them down, he turned back to Lee Hyun.
"...Ahem. Anyway, that's how it is. And it's about time you started earning your keep."
"Earning my keep? What are you talking about?"
"What do you think? I'm talking about the literal cost of all the food you've been eating. And that's not even the half of it. The medical expenses, all the examination fees, fuel costs, that custom-made stellite blade you use, the high-end anti-particle suit, even that mask. Not a single thing didn't come out of my pocket..."
"What the— Who in the world bills their own subordinate for stuff like that...!"
Lee Hyun protested fiercely against the sudden bombshell, but Sa Jaehyuk continued in the same calm voice.
"Just so we're clear, every single won spent on you came from my personal funds. There's no way the unit budget could cover it."
"You clearly said it was a fair trade. I've kept participating in rebel and monster subjugation missions—"
"You never officially enlisted as a combatant in our unit. Legally, you're nothing more than an auxiliary. Your combat record doesn't even exist. That can't be called a trade."
"That's just sophistry...!"
"Until now, I've faithfully carried out my responsibilities. I fed you, housed you, trained you, outfitted you with gear, and even passed on our family's unique magic. I refuse to believe you'd try to wash your hands of it all just because you cleaned up a few pieces of trash."
"...I'm eighteen. That place is supposed to accept students at seventeen..."
"Physical age doesn't mean much to mages. What matters is when they awakened. You're a special case, but no one cares about a year or two difference. Don't worry about it. And according to the documents, you're seventeen. You didn't forget that, did you?"
"There will be plenty of kids from good families... I don't know the first thing about etiquette. I'd only tarnish the family's reputation..."
"Do you think Yolam is some aristocratic finishing school? Half the incoming students are from backgrounds like yours. Just learn the important basics from your older sisters before you go. That'll be enough."
"I can't even study properly... I don't know any magic theory..."
"Yolam exists to teach kids like you. And while you're not on my level, you're still pretty sharp. No need to worry."
"Pfft..."
"What absolute bullshit... We all know exactly what your academy days were like..."
Ryu Sehwa and Ye Jin finally couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. Sa Jaehyuk ignored their whispering and pressed Lee Hyun again.
"Quiet. Any more questions?"
"..."
Lee Hyun stayed silent, apparently out of arguments. Seeing this, Sa Jaehyuk drove the final nail in.
"Looks like you've more or less understood. Let's summarize, then."
"..."
"Lee Hyun. Enroll at Yolam as a recommended student of the Black Lotus Sa family. Act on my behalf and the family's to build social connections and networks. As a proper student, acquire various forms of knowledge and actively participate in all school examinations."
"..."
"Faithfully carry out three years of academy life, achieve outstanding grades, and ultimately restore the reputation and influence of our Black Lotus Sa family from within Yolam. That is all."
"...Is this an order?"
"Yes. It's an order. A command from your superior, and a legitimate demand from the other party in our transaction."
Sa Jaehyuk's answer was sharp as a blade. Lee Hyun asked in a resigned voice.
"...If it's an order, I'll obey. When does it start?"
"There's still plenty of time. The major operation is over, so for now, do some light work and learn what you need from your older sisters. I'll give you the detailed schedule later."
"...Understood."
Lee Hyun answered in a deflated tone. He prepared to put his mask back on and return to his room. Yoon Chaewon quickly stopped him.
"Hyun-ah. You're leaving already? You haven't even eaten dinner. At least have a little—"
"...I'm sorry. I don't have much appetite... I'll head out first. Good night, everyone."
"Kid...!"
Before Chaewon's words could reach him, Lee Hyun had already slipped out of the office in an instant. A heavy silence settled over the room he left behind.
"Seriously... It breaks my heart every single time..."
Ryu Sehwa murmured, staring at the empty doorway.
"Who wouldn't feel that way? But Jaehyuk, weren't you too harsh on the kid? Food bill? What the hell kind of food bill? You could've worded it better!"
"...She's right."
At Chaewon's scolding, Ye Jin quietly agreed. Sa Jaehyuk sank deeper into the sofa.
"Shut it. That bastard needs to be pushed like this. Otherwise he'll spend his whole life trailing behind us. Is that what you want?"
"No, but still..."
Chaewon trailed off, clearly stung by the remark. Sa Jaehyuk clicked his tongue.
"He's smart. He understood everything. So stop babying him. It's because you all keep doing that that he's still—"
"By the way, Commander, that excuse was pretty well-crafted. I almost bought it myself."
"Right? Anyone listening would think you're obsessed with managing your reputation... As if someone like that would spend over ten years rotting away on the frontier..."
When Ye Jin changed the subject, Sehwa immediately jumped in. Including Chaewon, they all knew Sa Jaehyuk's true reason for sending Lee Hyun to Yolam. The members had been thinking along similar lines.
They had grown deeply attached to him over the past two years, so they didn't want to let him go. But he needed new experiences. Though they had dressed it up as social networking and relationship-building, the real intention was simply for him to go live a normal, enjoyable school life with people his own age.
If they had said it outright, Lee Hyun's personality meant he would never have accepted it willingly. That was why Sa Jaehyuk had deliberately used the strong word "order."
They had saved him that day, but for a child who had lost everything, reclaiming his life was no easy task. The only field that had sparked any interest in him was an unexpected one.
After learning magic properly from Sa Jaehyuk and the unit, Lee Hyun had constantly begged to be sent to the front lines. At first they refused, worried about his mental state, but the battlefield was always unpredictable. The northeastern front was the absolute forefront—demons invaded constantly, and the bandits who cooperated with them ran rampant.
In the end, Sa Jaehyuk judged it safer to keep him close and permitted his deployment. From then on, Lee Hyun unleashed his talent without reservation.
Every time he encountered demons or traitors, he slaughtered them with brutal cruelty. The unit itself wasn't merciful, but Lee Hyun's level was extreme. Had Sa Jaehyuk not intervened, he would have faced court-martial multiple times.
Given his past, such hatred was understandable. Even so, the current situation could hardly be called normal. Lee Hyun was like a glass bottle—one that looked ready to shatter at any moment.
Therefore, though Sa Jaehyuk's method had been rough, not a single member objected to the decision itself.
"Still, I'm all for him enrolling at Yolam... but will Hyun really be able to handle it...?"
Ryu Sehwa murmured, her voice heavy with worry.
"...Honestly, that's what worries me too..."
"He'll manage. Even someone like you graduated from Yolam just fine—"
Just as Chaewon tried to agree, Sa Jaehyuk cut her off in a grumpy voice.
"Well, even a hopeless delinquent like the commander graduated properly, so it's not entirely wrong..."
"Khup..."
"Pfft..."
Ye Jin muttered under her breath. Sehwa and Chaewon desperately tried to hold in their laughter.
Back in his room, Lee Hyun stood before the mirror. The space had no lamp, so it was pitch black. Only the sound of wind slipping through the window gaps echoed loudly.
He slowly raised a hand to his face. With a soft click, the mask came off. His bare face appeared in the mirror.
"Ugh..."
The moment Lee Hyun faced his own reflection, pain like burning skin spread outward from the scar. His flesh itched as if insects were crawling across it. His vision narrowed. His heart hammered violently.
Unable to bear it any longer, Lee Hyun put the mask back on. As if none of it had happened, all the discomfort vanished and comfort wrapped around him once more.
Even now, Lee Hyun could not look at himself in the mirror.