Prologue (1)
It was roughly two weeks before midterms.
A strange tension had settled over the entire Academy as exams drew near, and on one such day, an emergency all-hands meeting was called for the Swordsmanship Department.
"Since everyone's here, let's get started."
The elderly department head in charge of the third-years raised the agenda with a face more serious than usual.
"You're all aware that mana doping has become a problem lately, yes?"
Mana doping.
It referred to the use of certain drugs or magic to instantaneously amplify one's mana capacity and strengthen the body. Originally something practiced in secret among a small number of Explorers, it had recently surged into a full-blown social issue as young Explorers and Awakened who used it began causing all kinds of trouble.
"Not long ago, some Explorer in his twenties was arrested for mana doping… During the search and seizure, they found evidence that he was a dealer, along with his ledgers."
The atmosphere in the conference room grew steadily more rigid as the department head continued.
"And several of our students were on the list of people he'd been dealing with."
Sure enough — Academy students were involved.
"Fortunately, no one from our department turned up… But the matter is serious enough that we've decided to conduct our own internal investigation."
The department head instructed each class to investigate students who had suddenly improved or whose growth had been unusually steep, and to submit a list of names.
An investigation…?
Listening to all of that, I found myself thinking of one particular student.
Once the morning classes had wrapped up and lunch was about to begin, I headed to the cafeteria early with my fellow teachers and sent Cheon Seo-hui a message.
A reply came back not long after.
I stared at that short, questioning message for a moment, then moved my fingers again.
I'm telling you to come because it's something I can't say over the phone.
I let out a short sigh, sent a message stressing that it was important and that she should contact me before she came, and only then did Cheon Seo-hui finally relent and agree.
Looking at that flat, lifeless reply, a sigh rose unbidden from deep in my chest.
Wasn't her rebellious phase supposed to be over already? I really don't get her.
Lately, Cheon Seo-hui had been like this constantly. No matter what I said, she snipped back at me, half-listening at best. And yet when it came to texts or calls, she answered promptly — and if she missed one or replied late, she would launch into a long-winded explanation that she hadn't been ignoring me.
It was as if her words and her actions were completely out of sync.
Somehow, dealing with her felt far harder now than when I'd first started teaching her. At least back then, she hadn't talked back.
Difficult. So difficult.
Still, I consoled myself that at least she wasn't going radio silent, then pocketed my phone.
I ate lunch quickly and had just returned to my office when the thought hit me.
She'll probably take about thirty minutes, right?
Figuring I'd wait with a cup of coffee, I used the machine Choi Yeonjeong had gifted me to brew a pot, spritzing deodorizer around the office as I went — when someone knocked on the door.
Who is it?
Timing-wise, it couldn't be Cheon Seo-hui.
"Come in."
I raised my voice to signal them through, set down the deodorizer, and turned toward the door.
And then—
"Huh?"
The moment I saw the face of the person who opened the door, I let out a blank, stupid sound without meaning to.
"……"
The visitor to my office was none other than Cheon Seo-hui.
"Why are you here so early?"
Slightly flustered by a visit far sooner than expected, I asked with my eyes wide.
She narrowed her brows and shot back,
"…Should I leave and come back?"
The tone made it clear she was annoyed that I wasn't even glad to see her, reacting like that instead.
"No, that's not what I meant… J-just sit down for now."
"……"
Cheon Seo-hui shot me a sharp look, then obediently planted herself at the table. I scratched at my head for no good reason, then grabbed the freshly brewed coffee and a juice and sat down across from her.
"You didn't eat?"
Sitting ramrod straight with her gaze lowered, she took the juice and answered flatly,
"The menu wasn't great."
Today's menu had definitely been one of the things Cheon Seo-hui liked.
"Right, well…"
I didn't dig any deeper, just set out a few snacks Choi Yeonjeong had left behind and got to the point.
"Eat while you listen."
It was about the meeting from that morning.
"You know how mana doping has been making a lot of noise lately?"
She gave a little nod as she slowly pushed a stick-shaped cookie into her mouth like a squirrel.
Is she putting on a show, asking me to bite it for her?
That sudden flash of cuteness made me lose my train of thought for a second. I pulled myself together and continued the explanation.
"Apparently a few people got caught in other departments. There's a notice out to investigate kids whose skills suddenly improved and report them up the chain."
"…?"
Cheon Seo-hui's face said she had no idea why I was telling her any of this.
"You're on that list."
"…Me?"
She seemed to have no concept of how strong she actually was.
"Have you lost a single spar since you switched to dual swords?"
"…No."
Exactly. She was already far beyond the level of Class A-13. She'd always had the skill to be in the upper ranks — she was simply finding her proper place at last.
The problem was…
That wasn't how it would look to anyone else.
"I taught you myself, so I know what you're capable of. But other teachers and students might find it suspicious."
"So?"
"So if anyone starts doubting you or looking at you funny, tell them straight — 'This is just my real skill.' And if they don't buy it… use my name if you have to."
"…!"
The reason I'd called her in wasn't anything complicated. I was simply worried she might get caught up in something unnecessary. Of course, if anything did happen, I'd step in and handle it myself.
"……"
Having finally grasped my meaning, Cheon Seo-hui looked at me steadily with her eyes fully open. Her naturally sharp gaze made it look almost like she was glaring.
"Ah. And… this."
I stood up, pulled a small shopping bag I'd stashed behind the desk, and handed it to her.
"Take it home and eat them."
"…What is this?"
She peered carefully into the bag with a look full of wary suspicion.
"You think I'd give you poison? They're handmade cookies."
Once she confirmed the contents, she shot me a glance with her eyes gone round.
"I didn't make them myself. I bought them from a really famous hotel bakery. You like cookies and stuff, right?"
"…A hotel?"
She scrunched up her face, reacting to the strangest part of that sentence.
"I went there to eat, and the bakery was right next door."
Choi Yeonjeong had wanted to film a restaurant review and claimed she couldn't eat alone, so she'd dragged me along. I'd gone to absurd lengths to keep Nakyeong from spotting the shopping bag.
"Anyway. I bought them because I thought of you, so take them. …And don't give them to anyone else."
Whether she understood that feeling or not, Cheon Seo-hui stared at me with an odd look in her eyes.
"I'll… enjoy them."
Then she hugged the shopping bag carefully to her chest, chewed on her lip, and lowered her gaze. Maybe it was just my imagination, but she looked like someone who was extremely happy and trying very hard not to show it.
That same evening.
On a bustling downtown street glittering with dazzling billboards, Lee Sin-a crossed the night alone, heels clicking, her whole presence radiating cultivated maturity.
The place her footsteps led her to was…
A club, heavy bass thumping out through the walls.
"Hello~"
She greeted the security at the entrance with practiced ease, slipped past them, and stepped into a private room deeper inside the noisy club.
There, a fat middle-aged man sat alone, nursing a strong whiskey.
"……"
Lee Sin-a didn't so much as glance at him. She sat at a distance, crossed her legs, and toyed with her phone. The middle-aged man paid her no mind either.
"Hoo…"
"……"
That strange tableau continued for a while — until the door burst open and a man in a perfectly tailored suit strode into the room.
Somewhere in his twenties, perhaps. Tall, with a coldly handsome face that stood out even in a crowd.
"O-oh, you've arrived…!"
"Ah…!"
The man who'd been drinking and Lee Sin-a both shot to their feet and bowed to him with deep reverence, as if even looking upon his face were an honor too great.
"Th-this way, please…!"
The young man walked quietly past the fat man and took the seat of honor. Lee Sin-a immediately latched onto his side and began putting on coquettish airs.
"May I pour you a drink…?"
"Th-that bitch…"
Amazingly, the middle-aged man looked at Lee Sin-a with an expression full of jealousy. To both of them, the young man was that kind of existence.
"Enough."
With a single austere word, he cut them both off, then turned to Sin-a, who was twisting her whole body beside him.
"How are things at the Academy?"
"!"
Thrilled that he had spoken to her first, Sin-a launched into her report with a face full of joy.
"Today, the teachers were ordered to report any suspicious students up the chain. The police found Academy students in Kim Junho's ledger."
It was exactly the content of that morning's faculty meeting. How did she know something only the teaching staff should have known?
"I heard it directly from someone who attended the meeting, so it's solid."
Because she had already turned one of the teachers.
"Hmm…"
The young man listened in silence, then nodded and told her to continue. Then he addressed the middle-aged man.
"And the company?"
"Y-yes, sir! I'll report on the progress of the corporate establishment!"
The middle-aged man frantically pulled out a laptop and continued his report, sweating buckets. Sin-a watched him with a face twisted in open disgust.
"That concludes my report!"
Once the long-winded presentation was finally over, the young man nodded and offered praise to the thoroughly tense middle-aged man.
"Well done. Keep it up."
The middle-aged man trembled all over like someone in the throes of ecstasy, reacting with overwhelming gratitude.
"Th-thank you! I'll work myself to the bone and give it everything I've got!"
Watching that in silence, Sin-a pouted, looking displeased that she alone hadn't been praised.
"Tch…"
Noticing, the young man spoke to her lightly.
"What's wrong?"
"…Nothing…"
She hid her dissatisfaction, lowering her head to conceal her expression — but then,
He reached out, gently took her chin, and lifted her face.
"…Ah…"
He looked down at her as she melted under that soft touch, a soft gasp escaping her lips, and whispered,
"You're doing well enough too. Keep going. Just like this."
Their eyes met. Sin-a trembled all over and called his name in a low voice.
"Gu… Gu Won…"
He called himself Gu Won.
"Dad. How about this one?"
"Hmm… It's cute. But our Nakyeong is prettier."
"…I meant the clothes. Not the model. The clothes."
"Ah."
I was relaxing at home with Nakyeong plastered to me as usual when my phone, charging beside the TV, started buzzing.
"Who's calling at this hour?"
I carefully disentangled Nakyeong's arms and legs from around my body and checked the caller.
Incoming call…
Choi Yeonjeong.
"Yeah. Hello?"
Feeling a searing gaze on my back, I quietly retreated to the master bedroom and lowered my voice as I spoke with Choi Yeonjeong.
"Huh? You're near my place?"
Out of nowhere, she said she was in the area and asked if I could come out for a bit.
"…Right now?"
What on earth was this about all of a sudden…
"There's someone who keeps begging me to introduce you."
"Introduce… me?"
A completely unexpected request came through the line.