“Seems like you have a greedier personality than you appear.”
The unpleasant laughter showed no sign of stopping.
“Come to think of it, even the person who won the bid during the Shadow Banquet… Can you handle it? Of all things, a double deal with that person…”
“Shut up. It’s not what you’re thinking.”
I couldn’t help but respond with a disgruntled tone, annoyed by the nonsense he was spouting without knowing the circumstances.
“Well, isn’t it good to get used to such stimuli early on anyway? You know? People like us have to be cautious of honey traps all our lives. Better than making a fool of yourself when you’re old…”
Choi Woojin shrugged nonchalantly. This guy… No wonder he seemed to enjoy the banquet so much despite his stern appearance.
With this, I couldn’t even retort by telling him to mind his own business. Instead, it felt like my mood worsened, as if I were stepping on my own toes.
Meanwhile.
The assistants who had finished marking scores left, and as the freshmen took a short break, two upperclassmen walked into the room.
Judging by the badges on their lapels, they seemed to be members of the Student Council Executive Department.
A female student, whose eyes gave off a somewhat blurry impression, scanned the crowd and opened her mouth.
“Those whose names I call now, prepare immediately and follow us.”
“Is there some kind of issue?”
“It’s a summoning by the Investigation Committee.”
To the bewildered inquiry of a freshman, she replied in a voice as faint as her gaze.
“You are to undertake the task of inspecting the flow of the field surrounding the Cradle. For reference, there is no option to refuse. It’s a direct order from the Student Council. Of course, after the inspection is completed, corresponding bonus points will be awarded as compensation…”
The students, who had been showing clear signs of annoyance, quickly changed their attitudes at the mention of ‘bonus points.’
It seems like the matter Yeon Minha mentioned earlier.
I found it strange that students were being mobilized for such a task, but thinking about the talent they possessed, it was somewhat understandable.
In any case, it was unrelated to me. There’s no chance I’d be summoned for this…
I was just about to put it out of my mind.
Choi Woojin, who had been observing the faces of the upperclassmen announcing the names, rubbed his chin and muttered.
“Hmm, come to think of it, I think someone said they saw you with that senior at night.”
“What nonsense are you spouting now?”
“I’m talking about the person you were looking for earlier. That girl named Yena or whatever.”
“…”
I had been searching for Yena for two days, yet I hadn’t even found a single strand of hair.
I had begun to wonder if something might have happened to her, but given the sightings from various sources, that didn’t seem to be the case.
Rather, it felt like she was deliberately avoiding me… Was she upset about something?
I had no clue, no matter how much I thought about it…
“Choi Woojin from the Department of Magic, next…”
The familiar name passed by from the upperclassman calling the list. After finishing the announcement, the upperclassmen left the sparring hall without hesitation.
“Wow, looks like the Young Master of Heukryeon is hopeless at search magic.”
Choi Woojin got up, casting a mocking glance at me.
“So what?”
“I’m saying I’m jealous. Some of us don’t even get to rest and have to work, while others…”
My neck stiffened as if my blood pressure were rising. I knew well why Choi Woojin kept crossing the line, throwing out comments that were hard to tell if they were provocations or jokes.
That guy was doing it on purpose. He was trying to provoke me, knowing I avoided duels. Ever since his defeat last time, he had been pulling stunts like this whenever he got the chance.
I had been intentionally ignoring it because I had too many other things to deal with… But at this point, it seemed like it might be better to just thrash him once and let it go.
“Hey. Do you seriously want to…?”
As I finally gave in to his provocations, Choi Woojin grinned in satisfaction, baring his teeth.
Suddenly, a commotion from afar caught my attention, distracting me.
“Huh…?”
“What’s that noise…?”
Other students also began looking for the source of the disturbance. The peculiar sensation was distinctly coming from the sky, not the ground.
“Look there!”
Among the searching students, someone noticed something first and shouted.
Their finger pointed toward the horizon. There, in the sky, something resembling a dark cloud was rapidly approaching the Cradle.
“A flock of crows.”
Choi Woojin muttered as he identified the dark cloud.
“They’re not our crows. They’re a courier breed used by the press.”
“Is the air defense network down? There’s no way so many could come in at once.”
“They probably opened it intentionally. Maybe there’s urgent news to deliver.”
The flock of crows soon arrived, covering the sky in black. For a moment, it was dark enough to mistake it for night.
The cacophony of cawing and the rustling of countless feathers filled the air, deafeningly loud.
And then, countless small pieces of paper, resembling snowflakes, fluttered down from the sky.
“An extra edition. What on earth is happening?”
Choi Woojin picked up one of the fallen pieces of paper.
“Did demons invade or… Huh?”
His eyes wavered in apparent shock as he read the contents. For him to react like this? I couldn’t even guess what it could be.
I, too, narrowly caught one of the papers as it nearly touched the ground.
On the small paper was written a single line of concise text.
-Holy Land Recapture Operation failed, catastrophic losses for the Expeditionary Force.
I had definitely heard about this not long ago. Thanks to the efforts of Yeon Minha and me in the South, the rebel forces had suffered significant losses. The military had seized the opportunity to launch a large-scale operation to recapture the Holy Land.
The operation had deployed 80% of the Southern Command’s total forces. Leading them was none other than Hae Wolhwa, the current principal of the Cradle and the strongest magician known.
Just recently, I had read articles stating the operation was progressing smoothly. But now, a sudden failure?
And as I read the last word of the breaking news, I froze on the spot.
-The total commander of the expedition, Hae Wolhwa, missing.
***
In the heart of the capital stood several skyscrapers, piercing the sky.
Remnants of the old civilization, symbols of a once-glorious past. These structures, which once covered the entire land, now remained only in the capital, reduced to just a few.
“Hmm…”
In front of a window on the topmost floor of one of these buildings, a tall man gazed downward.
An aura of both nobility and arrogance surrounded him. Despite his youthful appearance, his eyes bore the weight of years of life experience.
As the head of one of the Five Families, Paechun, Baek Ilyong always found pleasure in this sight.
Looking down on others was a privilege reserved for the few. It was, in itself, a testament to power.
The only thing that annoyed him was the fact that there were still others in this land who shared such power.
However, instead of feeling frustrated, he wore a faint smile.
After all, soon they would all bow their heads before the name of Paechun.
Of course, those accursed remnants of Heukryeon were an exception. The man was determined to rip out their hearts while they were still alive.
To make them feel the same pain and loss he had experienced.
“Chairman, the young lady has arrived.”
“Let her in.”
At that moment.
The ornate door swung open, revealing a female student dressed in a pristine white uniform.
Her black hair resembled the man’s, but her golden eyes radiated a dazzling brilliance.
With a flawless and composed stride, Baek Seoyeon approached the man and bowed her head.
“Father.”
“You’ve come. Sit down.”
They sat across from each other at a table set with refreshments, but the atmosphere was far from warm. Their relationship resembled that of business partners rather than a close father and daughter. Naturally, there was no affection between them.
“What brings you here today?”
“The compensation negotiation with Heukryeon. I heard you intervened midway. Is that correct?”
“…Yes.”
After a brief hesitation, Baek Seoyeon nodded.
“Why?”
“It was necessary. I believed it was important to show the current successor of Heukryeon some human trust. Judging by his character, I thought it was the only way to dispel his suspicions…”
“However, I’ve heard that he’s planning to get engaged to that mongrel from Jeokhwa.”
At her father’s pointed remark, Baek Seoyeon subtly bit her lower lip without realizing it.
“…It’s not finalized yet. It’s less about his ardent desire and more about Jeokhwa pushing for it. Moreover, due to the recent chaotic situation, the Regular Committee Meeting has been indefinitely postponed… There’s still a chance to change his mind.”
“Is that so…”
The man murmured as he nodded.
“Well, since it’s you saying it, it must be true. You’ve never lied to me, after all. I’ll trust you this time as well.”
“Thank you.”
“Have you investigated his background?”
At the question about Lee Hyun’s past, Baek Seoyeon shook her head.
“There’s no trace left at all. Even the personal information registered with the military is fake. However, one thing is certain… He’s not of Heukryeon lineage.”
“…Tsk, where on earth did Sa Daeryong find such a monstrous fellow?”
The man clicked his tongue, clearly displeased.
Then, he gestured toward Baek Seoyeon with a flick of his hand.
“I understand. Put that matter aside for now. There’s something more important.”
“Something important…?”
Baek Ilyong slid a small piece of paper onto the table.
“The Holy Land Recapture Operation has failed. The Expeditionary Force has been annihilated, and Hae Wolhwa is reportedly missing.”
“…I’ve heard the news. But could it really be that the Principal is…?”
“They say the entire area was scorched earth, not a single stone left behind. No matter how powerful Hae Wolhwa may be, it would be difficult to survive an explosion of that magnitude. It’s more reasonable to assume she’s dead.”
Baek Ilyong scoffed as he spoke.
“For us, it’s actually a fortunate turn of events. With Hae Wolhwa and Wolyeong’s private soldiers stationed in the capital, it’s been hard to move freely. Now, it’s a perfect opportunity.”
“So, you mean…”
“Yes, the time has finally come.”
As he exuded joy, his expression suddenly turned cold.
“Summon the Northern Army. Ensure they are ready to march into the capital at any moment. It’s time for them to earn their keep.”