Reunion (4)
As soon as Yeon’s greeting ended, gasps of awe and friendly cheers erupted from every corner of the crowd.
“Wow…!”
“So that’s the Baek family’s…”
“The real thing is even more…”
It was no less impressive than the principal’s address—if anything, it surpassed it. That wave of fervent admiration alone was enough to show just how firmly Yeon stood in Yolam now.
“Hehe. Thank you, juniors. Such a warm welcome leaves me truly embarrassed—I hardly know where to put myself.”
Yeon continued her welcoming speech with that signature elegant smile of hers. It was a smile I hadn’t seen in so long, one I had ached for with every fiber of my being.
After two years, the Yeon before me was even more radiant than the last time I had seen her. Her graceful bearing and refined aura carried an almost sacred dignity. Yet those golden eyes no longer looked at me.
…
The cherished daughter of the Paecheon Baek family. Blessed with peerless beauty and talent that far eclipsed even veteran hunters and active-duty soldiers. Because the family head doted on her so fiercely, she had never once appeared in high society—only revealing her brilliance to the world upon entering Yolam. Yet despite her noble status, she treated every student with equal kindness and fairness, regardless of their background. In the end, she had stood as last year’s undisputed victor.
But how could I have known that person was you?
Only now did I finally understand why Yeon had never revealed her true identity. I was a nobody from the remote countryside with no lineage to speak of. She was the young lady of the Baek clan—one of the most exalted houses among the nobility. From the beginning, we had never been fated to stand together.
…
My mind churned with confusion and turmoil. The noise around me grew distant, buzzing like static. I sank into an endless abyss, replaying the same thoughts over and over.
I was still trapped in the nightmare from two years ago. The deafening roar of gunfire. The stench of death riding on acrid smoke. The gaping hole torn through the barrier. The guard captain’s corpse, eyes wide in death. The demonic creatures so grotesque it was impossible to tell if they were beast or human. The tombstones of Mother and my friends standing in the ruined flowerbed. Every single icy word Yeon had spoken that day, and the faint, lingering scent of forget-me-nots left behind in the hospital room at dawn.
All of it remained as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
That day, an unfillable hole had been gouged into my heart. On windy nights, I still lay awake until dawn, groaning in agony. Yet unlike me, Yeon simply smiled with genuine pleasure. As though she had finally awakened from a long, tormenting nightmare…
“…Ah?”
“…Hyun?”
“…Hyuuun?”
“…Huh?”
The moment I registered something waving repeatedly before my eyes, I was yanked back to the surface. When I finally focused, I saw Yeseo puffing her cheeks in annoyance, waving her hand frantically.
“Aigoo, finally. Were you dozing off or something…?”
“…I guess I was a little tired.”
I barely managed to open my mouth and apologize. Only then did Yeseo lower her hand, her puffed cheeks slowly deflating.
“Who falls asleep during the entrance ceremony? You really must be exhausted. You didn’t hear a word I said, did you?”
“…Sorry. What did you say?”
“I was talking about Senior Baek Seoyeon. Doesn’t she seem incredible?”
“…Yeah. I think so too.”
“She looks like a princess straight out of a fairy tale. Her beauty, her personality… They say she treats even countryside students like me with the same fairness and kindness. My friends wouldn’t stop talking about her earlier.”
Satisfied that I had finally returned to my senses, Yeseo launched into another long stream of chatter. But the next words out of her mouth hit me like a cascade of heavy stones dropping onto my chest.
“Goodness, how happy must her fiancé be? It seems the senior truly cares for him. They say her whole face lights up whenever the topic comes up.”
“What…?”
“Oh, is this your first time hearing about it, Hyun? Yeah, you never seemed interested in that kind of thing. Honestly, who else would tell you if I wasn’t here…”
“…”
“But you know what’s really interesting? No one knows who the fiancé actually is…! Apparently the family kept the engagement completely secret, so—”
My breathing grew ragged. My vision narrowed. A savage, throbbing pain surged from the scar on my face.
“There was even an incident. Since she refused to reveal him, a few guys apparently went around claiming they were the fiancé. When the senior heard about it, she supposedly challenged them to a duel, beat them half to death… demanded their expulsion from Yolam… and in the end, they were kicked out…”
It felt as if a giant serpent was slowly crushing me. Yeseo kept muttering beside me, but her voice barely reached my ears.
“They say she even destroyed their entire households… But there’s no way someone like her would… It must be baseless rumor…”
I fought with everything I had to hold back the rising nausea, but it was futile. In the end, I bolted out of Hwayang-gwan.
***
“Hehe. Shall we end the boring talk here? We don’t have much time to laugh, chat, and get to know one another. Classes begin tomorrow, so I hope you’ll all simply relax and enjoy yourselves today. Once again, welcome to Yolam.”
-Clap, clap, clap!
The moment the welcoming speech ended, thunderous applause erupted from every direction. Baek Seoyeon smiled brightly, waved to the crowd, then descended from the platform and left Hwayang-gwan without hesitation. The rest of the second-years followed her out in a rush. Today’s ceremony belonged entirely to the freshmen.
Long mobile tables had been arranged throughout the hall, and trolleys loaded with food and drinks soon flooded in like a tidal wave. Following the senior’s advice, the new students gathered in small groups, sat down, and began introducing themselves and sharing stories.
“Her voice was incredible… I want to hear it again…”
At one table, a female student murmured quietly. Every time she leaned forward, her golden-blonde hair swayed. Her emerald eyes sparkled beneath the chandelier light.
“Did you see the particle luminescence flickering around her hair earlier? I’ve never seen golden particles like that in my life. Just how talented does someone have to be…?”
Another girl beside her quietly agreed.
“Seeing her in person really drives it home. No wonder she’s called the strongest of our generation.”
“Exactly. And her personality seems wonderful too. How can anyone smile with such elegance? I’d love to call her ‘unnie’ just once…”
“Tsk. She seemed too soft to me. With an attitude like that…”
A male student at the same table suddenly cut in. He had short-cropped hair and an impressively muscular build for a first-year—his uniform buttons looked ready to burst.
“If we’re talking about the strongest, I think Senior Yeon Minha fits better…”
The moment he snorted and spoke, the two girls who had been smiling brightly turned ice-cold and glared at him.
The blonde girl with the striking foreign features—Jin Yeseo, who had delivered the freshman oath earlier—snapped at him in a sharp tone.
“Soft? Hey, Choi Woojin. Have you lost your damn mind? Who are you to judge her? You couldn’t even reach the hem of her skirt.”
“Why are you freaking out again? Did I say something wrong? It’s true. If you stand above others, you should show dignity to the freshmen, not just smile like that, right?”
“Stand above others? Hey, wake up. This is a republic, remember? The Seongsan Choi family’s future looks bleak with an idiot like you in it. No wonder you’re always stuck at the bottom…”
“This crazy bitch… Hey, Jin Yeseo. You’re the one who needs to wake up. Just because people lump the Five Families together and praise you, you think you’re hot shit? Your White Light Jin family can’t even compare to the Black Lotus Sa family that’s been in seclusion for nearly fifteen years. What the hell are you so arrogant about? Must be that barbarian blood—makes you slow on the uptake…”
“You fucking pig, I swear I’m going to—”
“Stop, stop! Come on, you two! How can you fight on entrance ceremony day? Can’t you hold it in for one damn day?”
Choi Woojin and Jin Yeseo glared daggers at each other, trading curses. They were already reaching for their particle arrays when the good-natured male student sitting between them quickly intervened.
“…Ha.”
“…Tsk.”
With their momentum broken, both of them reined in their hostility and sat back down, turning their heads away from each other in pointed silence.
“Phew…”
“…Thanks for stepping in, Seungheon.”
The male student finally let out a sigh of relief and sat properly. The girl beside him gently took his hand.
“It’s fine. It’s always like this… Thank you, Yeoul…”
At Mun Yeoul’s comforting words, Ryu Seungheon offered a warm, kind smile. Her cheeks flushed slightly at the sight.
They were all children of the nation’s most prominent mage families—the Five Founding Families and the twenty-two prestigious houses that followed them. Collectively, people called these twenty-seven clans the 27 Magic Families. Though not officially rulers, they essentially controlled the Republic.
Each maintained private armies, operated massive corporations, and devoured wealth like black holes. With such power, they influenced both politics and the military, even sending their own directly into the administration. At the same time, they were intricately bound together through business interests and strategic marriages.
The students here had known one another since childhood. Being of similar age, they were especially close. Ryu Seungheon and Mun Yeoul were even engaged. Yet closeness often bred sharper conflicts. In that sense, Jin Yeseo and Choi Woojin were particularly incompatible—they had growled at each other since they were young, and duels between them were routine. It always fell to Ryu Seungheon to play peacemaker.
“…Huh? Hey, look at that guy. What’s with the thing on his face… Pfft—”
Choi Woojin, who had been glancing around, suddenly burst into laughter. His gaze had landed on a freshman wearing the same badge as them. Despite his decent height, the boy wore a smooth white mask covering the upper half of his face. It was certainly comical.
“Ah, just another eccentric. I thought it was something else…”
Mun Yeoul turned away, uninterested. “Eccentric” was Yolam slang for students who behaved strangely. Every year brought its share of oddballs—those who attached bizarre mechanical devices to their arms, wore witch hats from fairy tales, or refused to speak even when addressed, maintaining intimidating expressions. Most were from minor families desperately trying to catch the eye of the great houses or headhunters. Or first-generation mages with no background whatsoever.
Though she didn’t show it for her fiancé’s sake, Mun Yeoul disliked such students. She thought they dirtied the waters. In fact, during the earlier argument, she had secretly been thinking that Yeon Minha might be more suitable.
“Shouldn’t the academy just revoke admissions for people like that? This is supposed to be the greatest academy in the country.”
Choi Woojin wore a mocking sneer.
“My brother said it was the same when he attended. Don’t they ever get tired? If you want attention, do it with skill. Guys like that always lack real talent and end up dropping out anyway.”
The masked student stood motionless, staring fixedly at the platform where Baek Seoyeon had stood moments ago.
“What, did he fall for her at first sight? Look at him, he hasn’t moved an inch…”
“Even a guy like that has good taste, I suppose. As expected of Senior Baek Seoyeon…”
“…”
When Jin Yeseo murmured, Choi Woojin stared at her in disbelief.
“Don’t be so harsh. He might have his reasons. You shouldn’t judge people by appearance alone…”
Ryu Seungheon smiled wryly and calmed Choi Woojin. Mun Yeoul clung tighter to his arm.
“You really are kind. By the way, Seungheon, have you heard from your sister…?”
“…I received a letter a few days ago. She said she’ll be heading east on a mission soon and won’t be able to contact us for a while…”
Seungheon’s voice was bitter. Mun Yeoul pouted.
“…Sister really is too much. How can she treat her family like this? It’s been over ten years since she last came home…”
“Don’t say that. You know she’s doing it so she won’t burden me…”
Seungheon shook his head. It had been nearly fifteen years since his older sister, Ryu Sehwa, stopped setting foot in the family. She had already passed the position of successor to him long ago.
“True. And honestly, isn’t it better for Seungheon? The successor seat just fell into his lap.”
“…Jaeryong.”
Another male student who had stepped away to grab drinks from a trolley joined the conversation. Mun Yeoul looked at him with disdain.
“As if someone like you could understand delicate feelings…”
“A man doesn’t need to be delicate. But Seungheon, is that story true?”
Guk Jaeryong, second son of the Hwangseong Guk family, looked at him curiously.
“What story?”
“I heard the 66th Unit rips out demon hearts and drinks their blood. Their captain’s famous for being a lunatic. Has your sister ever mentioned anything—”
“…Jaeryong. That can’t possibly be true. Even coming from you, that kind of baseless rumor is too much.”
Seungheon cut him off mid-sentence. Though he was smiling, his voice had grown as cold as midnight. Seeing the rare steel in Seungheon’s eyes, Jaeryong awkwardly apologized.
“S-sorry… It really must be just a rumor. I thought so too…”
“Sigh, I knew you’d say that. I’ve met Sehwa unnie before—she’s definitely not that barbaric. Now, if it were someone like that…”
Mun Yeoul sighed and turned her gaze away again.
The masked student was still staring intently at the now-empty platform. Then, without warning, he turned and quickly left Hwayang-gwan. Behind him, a flustered female student who seemed to be his companion fidgeted helplessly in place.
“…What is with him? Is he actually mentally unstable…?”
Mun Yeoul muttered to herself, then suddenly turned back to Seungheon as if remembering something.
“Right. So which senior do you prefer, Seungheon?”
“I… I’d still say Senior Baek Seoyeon over Senior Yeon Minha. The latter feels a bit… intimidating. Haha…”
“…Tsk.”
Apparently dissatisfied with his answer, Mun Yeoul turned away so he wouldn’t see her puff her cheeks again. Jin Yeseo gazed at the spot where Baek Seoyeon had stood and murmured softly.
“Just how happy must the fiancé of someone like her be?”