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* * *After heading west for about three minutes, away from the path where the first-year main building could be seen, Yeomyeong turned around upon arriving at a forest with no CCTV or streetlights.“…So, why did you come to the academy?”There was no trace of friendliness in his voice. To be more precise, he was doing his best to suppress his hostility.The woman in the blue mask, who had followed him without making a sound, sighed and answered.“…You’re speaking as if I’m somewhere I’m not supposed to be.”“Ms. Moryne, I have no intention of engaging in wordplay with you. Did you come to visit your daughter? If so, you’ve taken the wrong path. The girls’ dormitory is on the other side.”Perhaps because of his unexpectedly sharp attitude, Moryne looked somewhat flustered as she gazed at Yeomyeong.After a brief silence, she tapped her lips as if realizing something.“Ah, I see… You are yet to use the key I gave you. Why is that? There shouldn’t be a reason to refuse such a precious Arcane Relic.”“…”The Blood Tear Key.The Arcane Relic Moryne had given him as a token of apology and reconciliation after ranting about the Saintess’ ‘snowfield’ while firing a gun at him.Yeomyeong was yet to use the key. To be precise, he hadn’t had the chance to use it.Back in Manchuria, just mastering the Comet Sword was already overwhelming, and he had no time after he arrived at the academy.Starting with the entrance ceremony to the terror attack, he kept getting caught up in various incidents.Even in the VIP room, where he briefly had some leisure time, he was partially confined. Hence, he hadn’t been able to use the Blood Tear Key in his dorm room.Anyway, Yeomyeong had no intention of giving an explanation about these trivial matters.He simply gave the masked figure facing him a cold response.“…How I use my belongings is none of your concern.”The corners of Moryne’s mouth stiffened a bit.“That’s true, but… I can’t help feeling that it’s somewhat of a shame. You wouldn’t be treating me with such hostility if you had gained the power of the key.”“…”“…But at least understand this. I also paid a rather steep price to give you that key.”Then, the conversation about the key did not continue any further because Yeomyeong, weary of this pointless conversation, turned around.And just as he was about to leave the forest, Moryne’s voice made him stop in his tracks.“Dung Beetle… I mean, Cheon Yeomyeong. Do you know that more and more flies will gather around you as your fame keeps increasing?”“…”“Our company alone has received hundreds of requests to trace your past. If we count the other places… perhaps thousands or tens of thousands are curious about your past?”Only then did Yeomyeong stop and turn around once more.“Of course, you don’t need to worry about it. We have already made sure that everything from your past is wiped clean.”“…That wasn’t part of our deal.”An awkward smile appeared on Moryne’s lips.“It is unrelated to our deal, so could you please just consider it to be a small apology for my mistake, if you will?”Although he was unable to see the exact expression she was making because of the mask, it wasn’t difficult to understand her intention.Her cautious tone and anxious gestures.She was feeling remorse or something similar towards Yeomyeong.If it was sincere, it was chilling; if it was an act, it would be very repulsive. Yeomyeong furrowed his brows and spoke.“…Let’s stop with this pointless chatter.”The hostility he had been suppressing had somewhat faded.While Moryne sighed in relief, Yeomyeong continued.“Let’s go back to the first question—for what reason did you come to the academy?”“… I came as the president of Blue Rat Company. The academy principal personally made a request to my company.”She certainly stayed longer than she should have for someone who had come here for the sake of work.Yeomyeong glanced at the sky, watching the sun as it sank beyond the horizon, and asked.“So, why did you come to find me? Was it to kill two birds with one stone; meet me while taking care of work?”As soon as his question ended, Moryne answered.“It’s not about my daughter or the other students… I had something I needed to tell you and Miss Hong Seti.”How do you know about Seti…? Yeomyeong swallowed the question that was on the tip of his tongue.It was a pointless question, anyway. Wasn’t the person in front of him a crazy woman who would start shooting at others without any explanation for the sake of her daughter?It would have been stranger if she didn’t know who her daughter’s only friend was.“Where should I start from… First of all, are you up to date with the latest happenings at the academy?”She gradually got closer to Yeomyeong and started her explanation.“The academy is currently under unprecedented pressure due to the recent terror attack.”It started with the typical political talk.“Countries in desperate need of Superhumans, regardless if they are powerful or developing countries, are eager to exert influence over the academy. Meanwhile, instead of mourning the deceased staff, numerous organizations are aiming for the academy’s storage…”Just when it felt like the explanation was about to go on for a while, Yeomyeong interrupted Moryne.“…How much longer is this conversation going to continue?”“We’ve just started… Why? Do you have something urgent you need to attend to?”Yeomyeong nodded.“I have an appointment, and it’s about time.”“…Is it with my daughter?”Her tone was hopeful, but Yeomyeong firmly shook his head, shattering her expectations.As Moryne clicked her tongue, Yeomyeong took out his phone and gave it a quick glance.…Is Seti still not there?Had things not gone well with the Saintess? Or was she yet to gather her sisters?She had only sent a single text saying, [I’m now at the dorm] and nothing else after that.If so, it meant there was still some time until she met her sisters…Yeomyeong turned his attention back to Moryne and said.“Just get to the point quickly.”“This is already the abridged version… But it can’t be helped if you don’t have time.”Even though she said that, Moryne’s explanation was not as short as expected.It was because the political situation in the academy was that complicated.The conflict between the board members and staff backed by external forces.The blatant pressure from authorities aiming for the academy’s martial arts and magic.And Principal Himena’s struggle to restore normalcy amid all this chaos.Only after giving him a background explanation that was neither too long nor too short did Moryne get to the main point.“The Principal plans to introduce a new educational program to address the external pressure and justification.”“…Do you think that will be enough to stabilize the situation?”It was a valid concern.Regardless of the damage to the students, the terror attack had already left a deep scar on the academy’s reputation.Implementing anti-terrorism education or other measures at a time like this would be like shutting the barn door after the horse was gone.However, Moryne shook her head.“If this was an ordinary school, that criticism might have still been valid. But this is Lord Howe—the most prestigious of the prestigious. Not once in its entire history has it accepted teachers from outside.”“…”“And that place is now breaking its tradition by declaring that it will accept teachers from outside. Half of them will be selected by the school, but the other half will be… individuals picked by other countries.”That basically meant they were giving external forces a chance to intervene, didn’t it?“Isn’t that a poor decision? If they’re not careful, not only the academy’s traditions but also its autonomy could be lost.”“That might have been a possibility if it was simply about recruiting teachers.”Hearing that, Yeomyeong crossed his arms and looked at Moryne as if to say, ‘Explain further.’She continued.“In reality, this entire recruitment is just a facade. You could call it a two-faced strategy—essentially a deception by the principal.”“…Deception?”Yeomyeong raised an eyebrow at the unexpected remark.“What she is actually doing is secretly gathering powerful individuals, who can easily quell public opinion, at the academy. Famous personalities whose names are widely recognized, reclusive Superhumans, active mercenaries…”Secretly gathering powerful individuals? Yeomyeong finally understood why the principal had summoned the Blue Rat and stifled a bitter smile.“…The Blue Rat was tasked to gather information on those powerful individuals. Including ways to attract them.”Moryne nodded silently in agreement.Although he expected the story to be complex due to the issues of justification and public opinion, the end result was no different from usual.If you were weak, they would take advantage of you; if you wished to protect yourself, you needed power—even if that power was something others avoided and considered dirty.After acknowledging the bitter truths of the world once more, Yeomyeong asked Moryne.“So, is there someone who might pose a problem for Seti and me among those teachers?”“You’re quite perceptive. That’s right. And to further elaborate… There is someone among the teachers recommended by one of the other countries who is targeting you and Seti.”“…Other countries?”“South Korea.”The moment the name of his homeland was brought up, Yeomyeong clenched his fist tightly to hide his restlessness.“It’s also the country that took the lead in piling the pressure on the academy this time.”Moryne kindly added an explanation. Yeomyeong took a moment to collect himself before speaking.“…How much do you know about Seti’s relationship with South Korea?”“Only that the South Korean government did something terrible to her. We were unable to dig any further beyond that.”Was it a lie, or was it the truth?He scrutinized Moryne’s face, but the mask concealed all hints.Should he extract more information from her by force? It wouldn’t be a bad approach, but Yeomyeong decided to be satisfied with this for now.The information she had provided was sufficiently useful.If a teacher with connections to the South Korean government was coming, Seti and he could have been in serious trouble if Moryne hadn’t warned him in advance.I need to lift the ban tonight.After settling his thoughts, Yeomyeong carefully responded to Moryne.“…Thank you for the valuable information.”“Save your thanks for later. I’m not done talking yet.”Saying this, Moryne extended her hand. In it was a single black feather.“Among the teachers recruited by the principal… there’s someone who can solve the problems concerning Seti and you.”It was similar to the crow feathers Yeomyeong had come across frequently during his time as a janitor, but it was a much larger black feather than an ordinary crow’s feather.“Corvus. The Master of Crows, the Seeker of Crossroads.”It seemed that she wasn’t as famous as the Holy Sword or Jose. Even Yeomyeong, who had watched many Superhuman documentaries, had never heard of her before.“Become her apprentice. If you succeed, neither you nor Seti will have to fear the teachers sent by the South Korean government.”However, the President of a major information guild and the mother of the Saintess had personally vouched for her abilities.She definitely was no ordinary Superhuman.“…What kind of person is she?”“She may not be as renowned as the Holy Sword who has tried to form a connection with you, but she is quite powerful.”Moryne stated this confidently as she extended the feather.“She will gladly accept you as her apprentice if you show her this feather. Oh, and you can express your thanks now.”Yeomyeong accepted the feather carefully. It was a feather imbued with a strange mana.After glancing at the feather for a moment, Yeomyeong sighed inwardly before bowing to Moryne.“…Thank you.”With the awkward thanks, the conversation with Moryne came to an end. Or rather, it should have.However, the question Yeomyeong asked unintentionally extended the conversation.“When will the external teachers start arriving at the academy?”Moryne, lifting her transparent cloak, answered lightly.“An announcement regarding the principal’s plans should be made tomorrow, so they might arrive the day after tomorrow at the earliest.”So there’s still some time. As Yeomyeong was about to sigh in relief, Moryne added.“But if someone has somehow managed to catch wind of the principal’s plans… there might be people arriving at the academy even today.”Today? Yeomyeong frowned.“Is it possible that the South Korean government has caught onto those plans…?”“The chances are fifty-fifty. It’s unlikely that anyone has figured it out because of the secrecy surrounding the place… However, it wouldn’t be surprising if South Korea knows about the plan, considering the amount they spent to pressure the academy.”Then, Moryne added as if to reassure him.“There’s no need to worry. Even if the South Korean government knows about it, they can’t cause any trouble at the school. Miss Hong Seti will be fine.”The moment she said that, Yeomyeong was certain of one thing.Moryne didn’t know about the ban on Seti.What if an external teacher arrived today and activated Seti’s ban?The academy would not be able to protect her.Yeomyeong frowned while thinking of the worst-case scenario. Then, without delay, he pulled out his phone and tried to call Seti.The call rang for a while, but it didn’t connect.[The customer is currently unavailable…]Yeomyeong folded his phone and bit his lip. Half of him was filled with a sense of foreboding, while the other half believed that nothing would happen.What should he do?His deliberation was brief, and his action was swift.He turned to Moryne, who was about to leave.“Moryne, may I ask you a favor? It’s important.”“…A favor? All of a sudden?”Moryne tilted her head at the unexpected request.And on hearing the request that followed, a look of astonishment appeared on her face.“Please lend me your Invisibility Cloak.”“Gasp… gasp… Director… p-please… slow down… just a bit…”Wollard, gasping for breath, clutched the railing of the stairs. How long had he been climbing ? His breathing was utterly ragged.However, Admissions Director Medga, who had been climbing the stairs ahead of him, didn’t even glance back.“You don’t have to force yourself to keep up with me. Take a break and follow me at a reasonable pace.”Wollard stared at Medga’s back as he kept walking with a hollow consolation, before forcing himself to move his legs.The last thing he wanted to happen was being left alone inside the academy.…What if I run into Cheon Yeomyeong when I’m all by myself?He remembered the warning the Saintess had left him with back in Manchuria. More precisely, the last warning she conveyed on Yeomyeong’s behalf.

And by no means did Wollard take that warning lightly.

From what he had observed so far, if Yeomyeong decided to kill someone, he would definitely follow through.Moreover, he had committed the sin of disturbing Jang Man. If Yeomyeong managed to catch him again, he certainly wouldn’t die peacefully.Therefore, he was doing his very best to stay out of Yeomyeong’s way.Even when he carried out the President’s orders to clean up Yeomyeong’s past and when he bribed the reporters in Manchuria, he was cautious—extremely cautious…However, he was now tangled up at the academy.I only came because I was only supposed to go to the port for this mission… Damn.Of course, it was not like any student would come to the northern island while it was being restored, but there was always a possibility.And Wollard had no intention of gambling with his life. Hence, he didn’t want to be separated from Medga, his lifeline.In any case, he finally managed to drag his creaking body to the rooftop with much difficulty.Only after reaching the vast rooftop was he finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.On the rooftop was the very person (?) he and Admission Director Megdna had been searching for.Under the dark sky was a massive crow with glimmering black feathers.“Corvus…”Wollard sighed in relief and walked towards her.Meanwhile, Medga, who had already arrived next to Corvus, spoke up.“Esteemed Guest, what are you doing up here?”Medga’s voice did not sound pleasant in the slightest. He had wasted the entire day chasing after this crow, from the port to the northern island.The crow, however, showed no sign of paying attention to his words.She glanced over the academy’s landscape below before answering.“I’m choosing an apprentice.”“…Choosing an apprentice? What are you talking about?”“Please ask Principal Himena for details.”The next moment, the crow, who had been glancing around in various directions, seemed to have come across something interesting and stopped.“Oh.”A short exclamation left her lips.Medga reflexively looked in the same direction, but he was unable to see anything remarkable.The crow was looking towards the island across the sea, where the first-year students were.Was she able to see the students from this distance?Just as Medga’s eyebrows began to furrow, the crow pecked her beak and spoke.“It seems that the academy has become quite open-minded these days.”“O-open-minded? What do you mean?”“A male student is heading towards the girls’ dormitory at this hour. Has the academy rule changed?”A male student… heading towards the girls’ dormitory? Medga’s expression hardened.“…Who exactly are you looking at?”“How am I supposed to know their name? It’s a fairly handsome male student. Hmm, it feels like I’ve seen him somewhere before….”Was this a joke? Or was she serious? As Medga felt confused, the crow stretched her head forward and said.“Oh, he just climbed over the dormitory wall!”Medga furrowed his brow even more and pulled out his phone.Even if this was a joke, he had no choice but to respond.Amidst the chaos caused by the terrorism, a male student was sneaking into the girls’ dormitory?It was obvious how the media would react. Medga quickly dialed the phone of the dormitory head of the girls’ dormitory.“…Esteemed Guest, could you describe the male student you are currently observing?”“Of course. Let’s see; he has a neat haircut and is only wearing the school uniform… and…”“…And?”“Oh, he just disappeared.”“…?”Medga, who was focused on her words, was completely dumbfounded, and his hand holding the phone began to tremble.The crow, of course, still kept jabbering about her own thoughts.“Could it be, invisibility magic?”Medga was now sure that this crow was mocking him.Invisibility, she said? That was not a spell someone at a student level could use.“Gasp… Gasp… Lady Corvus… please, wait a moment, let’s talk….”In the meantime, Wollard, who had arrived, spoke up.“T-The Blue Rat’s… message….”Paying no attention to what he was mumbling while on the brink of exhaustion, the crow spread her wings without looking back.“That fellow seems to be good.”“W-wait a moment!”Realizing what she was about to do, Medga reached out, but the crow was quicker and leaped over the railing.Flapping her giant wings, the crow’s massive body soared across the night sky, scattering black feathers as she headed straight towards the first-year girls’ dormitory, which she had been observing.On the rooftop the crow had just left, only the flustered Medga and the pitifully gasping Wollard remained.Looking up at the night sky where Corvus had departed, Wollard muttered one last bleak remark.“…What the hell.”