The Boundary of Dreams (14)
The worries Yeon Minha had voiced before our departure turned out to be completely unfounded. The serene landscape unfolding before us made it impossible to believe this was a frontier city bordering the no-man’s land. Tall structures rose at intervals across the plains surrounding the barrier, each one occupied by two or three people busily working atop them.
“What are those?”
“They are towers used to inscribe weather magic for supplying moisture to the crops. They’ve been working on a large-scale formula for days now. If you’re unlucky, you might get rained on when you leave.”
Chief Cheon Hwa-seong answered with a warm smile as one of the students asked the question.
After passing through the city’s barrier and the shadow of its massive gate, a wide boulevard and the open vista of the city spread out before us. The buildings and facilities had a somewhat aged feel, yet they carried a distinct atmosphere and tradition that felt well-preserved, different from the capital. Most striking of all were the bakeries tucked into nearly every alley and house. The rich aroma of butter and baking bread filled the air, and our travel-weary group looked around with sparkling eyes.
“Wow…”
“Not bad…”
“Jinling has been famous for its bread since the old civilization. There’s even an old joke that the most powerful person in Jinling back then was the bakery owner. If you’re interested, I recommend taking one of the related tours.”
The freshmen’s eyes shone even brighter at Chief Cheon’s continued explanation. The second-years clicked their tongues and shushed them.
As we continued forward, another group stood in formation at the plaza, ready to welcome us. An elderly man at the front stepped forward and offered Yeon Minha and me a deeply respectful bow.
“Welcome. I am Yang Jeong-cheol, Governor of the South. It is a true honor to meet the young lady of Jeokhwa.”
Yeon Minha accepted the courteous greeting as if it were the most natural thing in the world. A southern governor would mean he was the highest authority in this city, yet she received his deference without batting an eye. Hadn’t I heard that Jeokhwa had been gradually losing influence under the pressure of the Pacheon faction? The fact that she was still treated this way showed just how powerful the backing of the Five Families truly was.
Thinking about how I had treated someone like her all this time, I suddenly felt as if my sense of reality had grown a little dull.
“Please do not worry about anything, young lady of Jeokhwa. I, Yang, have been crushing every single rebel I see. You and your party may rest comfortably until the final transport is prepared.”
The stubborn old man thumped his chest with a bold declaration. Despite being at an age where most would retire, the particle arranger on his wrist suggested he was a mage quite confident in his own abilities. That was probably why he held the governor’s post in a place like this.
The sun was already beginning to set, so after the lavish welcoming ceremony, we headed straight to the district where our accommodations had been arranged. Children ran about waving balloons, and the wide, straight rows of old-fashioned houses and alleys stretched on endlessly. If not for the double barrier erected toward the no-man’s land and the strict security visible atop it, the peaceful scenery would have made it impossible to believe we were in a frontline region.
Yet as we walked, I gradually sensed something uncomfortable in the gazes directed at us. Fear. Terror. Hatred. Or perhaps all three at once.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt it. One of the female students walking ahead cautiously spoke to Chief Cheon, who was guiding us.
“Um…”
“What is—ah.”
He looked around as he asked her business, then seemed to grasp the atmosphere and gave an awkward smile.
“…They are probably the original inhabitants of this place. People like them don’t particularly like those from the capital. Your group’s attire is quite noticeable, which may be making it worse.”
The party that had come down to the south was wearing not the Academy’s standard equipment but lavish gear sponsored by various corporations, so we certainly stood out as outsiders.
“Why is that…?”
“The native residents here suffered greatly a few years ago during the suppression of the rebels. In many cases, every other household lost someone executed by the central army on charges of treason. The administrative office has been established and public order has stabilized to some degree, but it will take more time to ease that kind of resentment.”
Another male student picked up the questioning.
“From what I understand, many of them went beyond cooperation and actively participated with the rebels. I also heard the number of people who turned themselves into black mages was considerable.”
“It is true we cannot deny the treason. However, as you will learn later, it is extremely difficult for ordinary people to make a living in the borderlands. Various benefits and policies are concentrated in the capital, deepening their sense of alienation. If you think about it, even the creation of the agricultural zones was done for the center, so it probably doesn’t look good to the natives. The rebels exploited that point to incite the people.”
The man’s expression grew even more troubled.
“The increasing number of people turning to black magic follows the same logic. People often say mages are humans chosen by the gods, but black mages can be created simply by receiving a ‘transition.’ Eight out of ten end up with disabilities or mutations in the process, but the desperate commoners living hand-to-mouth don’t consider such things. If life at the bottom doesn’t improve, black mages will keep appearing no matter how many we catch…”
By the time his explanation ended, our lodging had come into view in the distance. It was an unusually clean, modern building with white marble decorating its exterior walls.
“Ahem. I spoke too much. The manager on our side will attend to you once you go inside. Please rest well tonight without any worries. We will begin detailed briefings tomorrow. Once again, welcome to Jinling.”
He bowed respectfully to Yeon Minha and the rest of the group. When we entered the lodging, the manager bowed at the waist and led us to the banquet hall. The various dishes prepared hot and ready at the perfect time made the eyes of our travel-weary companions sparkle once more.
The evening meal began in a rather harmonious atmosphere. The awareness that we had come all the way to the distant south for a request melted away in an instant, replaced by comfort. A single round of drinks was passed around without anyone getting drunk, and Yeon Minha continued eating with elegant movements, her small lips working delicately.
As time passed and the meal drew to a close, a different second-year female student stepped forward in Yeon Minha’s place and began explaining various precautions to the freshmen.
“…Absolutely do not go outside after curfew. We’ll be assigning rooms now… Boys? If any of you even think about entering the girls’ area, I’ll give you demerits on the spot and make sure you’re handed over to the disciplinary committee the moment we return to the Academy.”
“That’s too much. Like the girls aren’t going to come over too? Always making such a fuss…”
At the quiet snickering from behind, the female student shot a sharp glare that way and added,
“…The same goes for the reverse. Now, I’ll begin the room assignments. First, second floor…”
Listening to her explanation, I realized one inconvenient point. The guest room assigned to me was on the third floor, while Yeon Minha’s room was on the top floor. Not only were there other people between us, making it impossible to deploy the Blockade, the distance was far beyond its reach to begin with. From her reaction last time, it seemed unlikely she could last a single night without it. She might even have another seizure-like episode.
I pondered lightly for a moment, but in the end there was only one thing I could do. I followed after Yeon Minha, who had just finished her meal and was about to head up to her room. Then, making sure no one else could hear, I brought my lips close to her ear and whispered.
“I’ll come up later once I can slip away. Leave the window open.”
“Hic… hiccup…”
Startled by the sudden whisper, Yeon Minha’s body trembled. She answered with a small hiccup instead of words.
The area around the rooms was pitch dark. It seemed everyone, exhausted from the long journey, had gone to bed early. I locked my own room door, opened the window, and slipped out onto the railing. A quick glance upward showed the top-floor room assigned to Yeon Minha. A faint light from the interior lamp leaked between the curtains, suggesting she still hadn’t fallen asleep.
I climbed the outer wall of the lodging, gripping the gaps in the stone. The feeling of having become a cat burglar wasn’t pleasant, but openly using the hallway would only invite unnecessary scandal.
I grabbed the balcony railing and vaulted over. The window latch was open, but I knocked twice just to be sure.
“Hic…”
Soon I heard movement inside, followed by the soft sound of the window sliding open. I parted the curtains and stepped in. The room, lit by a dim interior lamp, unfolded before my eyes.
“Y-you…”
A voice calling me came from the side. I turned to see Yeon Minha standing rigidly in place, staring at me. It looked as if she had washed not long ago; a light flush colored her fair skin. Her still slightly damp hair gleamed with even more luster. Wearing only a thin camisole trimmed with lace, the sweet narcissus scent she usually gave off poured out so thickly it was almost dizzying.
“Good evening, senior.”
“…”
Yeon Minha stared at me without answering. Then she suddenly dashed for the bed. She wrapped her entire body in the blanket like a roll, and tears began to well up in her trembling eyes.
“…?”
Her unusually fearful attitude left me puzzled. I hadn’t been that rough with her lately…?
“T-this isn’t what I meant…”
“What do you mean?”
“No matter what… I’m still… your senior…”
“So what—”
“Y-you can’t just… treat my body so casually… In the long run… it’ll be a loss for you too… so…”
The large tears that had formed in her eyes were now on the verge of falling. Only then did I dimly realize what she was worried about.
Had I ever told her the effective range of the Blockade?