The User Academy incident had somehow been resolved, but that didn’t mean I could just relax. As the clan lord, I still had the basic duties to oversee, not to mention the plans I needed to push forward.
But with the workload growing exponentially, and only one me to handle it all, it was impossible to chase down every single task personally. In the end, I decided to delegate everything except the most critical matters to the clan members.
The mercenary academy was already under construction.
The residents suggested that instead of building a new academy, it might be better to renovate the central fortress in the city. Their point was that since the annual intake was only six students, there was no need for a large new building. After some thought, I agreed immediately. Thanks to that, the construction period was significantly shortened, and I was told it would be completed well before graduation.
Next on my list was selecting the new head instructor to send.
Kim Minseo was currently serving as the head instructor and was in charge of the priest class education. Accordingly, Lee Hyoeul wanted a priest-type user to be sent as well. The first clan member who came to mind was Shin Jaeryong. His user info and personality seemed perfect—nothing lacking, making him the safest choice.
But there was a problem: Ansol butted in. When she heard I was recommending Shin Jaeryong, she threw a tantrum, insisting she wanted to go to the User Academy too. She rolled on the floor, crying and screaming, driving me crazy. Then, suddenly, I changed my mind and decided to take Ansol along. The words she had said before entering the User Academy, after the Anhyun incident, stuck strongly in my memory.
Of course, I had no intention of letting Ansol be the head instructor or even a lead instructor. I promised she would only come as an assistant. (In fact, the assistant role wasn’t mandatory, so I didn’t have to bring her at all.) That seemed to satisfy her, and she stopped pestering me.
Time flew like an arrow.
As I handled each task one by one, I received a message from the Central Management Organization.
‘Sender: Lee Hyoeul & Recipient: Kim Suhyun’
(Content: Notice of completion of the 5th week of User Academy training. Special instructor registration and course assignment by the Central Management Organization. Arrival requested at least one day before the start of the 6th week.)
The message was simple. The 6th week of User Academy was about to begin, so after completing the special instructor registration with the Central Management Organization, I was to enter the academy.
The moment I had been waiting for had finally arrived.
“Instructor! Assistant! Instructor! Assistant! Instructor! Assistant! Instructor! Assistant!”
“…”
“Am I the assistant? Brother is the instructor! Am I the assistant? Brother is the instructor!”
“…”
The day before the 6th week started.
I left the clan house in high spirits around the afternoon, seeing off the clan members, but I never expected to regret it the moment I arrived in Barbara. The cause was Ansol, who was walking right beside me.
What was so good about whatever she was doing? From the moment we left, she had been singing some strange, incomprehensible song, grating on my nerves. That wasn’t all. She was swinging her arms wildly, trying to keep rhythm, making it awkward to walk alongside her. On the way to Barbara, I had to endure dozens of her giggles.
Even when I told her to be quiet, she wouldn’t listen. I tried to subtly put some distance between us, but she stubbornly chased after me, singing even louder. By the time we reached the Central Management Organization, I was mentally and physically exhausted for no apparent reason. I gently patted the sleeping Mar and trudged up the stairs.
“You’re the last to arrive?”
As soon as I entered the room and sat down, exhausted, Lee Hyoeul greeted me with a dizzy smile. When I looked at him, silently asking what he meant, he chuckled and pulled out a cigarette from his pocket.
“I mean, you’re the last among the special instructors. So-yeong arrived at dawn, and our Yoo-hyun came in the morning.”
I paused, lost in thought. There were so many things I wanted to point out, I didn’t know where to start. But I managed to calm myself and spoke quietly.
“Is the Istantel Lord your friend? And don’t call my brother that. Lastly, put that cigarette away. Just the last one, please.”
Lee Hyoeul, about to light up, looked at me in disbelief. He blinked a few times rapidly, then lowered his gaze.
“…By the way, I was going to ask you soon. What’s that?”
“A baby fairy. Her name is Mar.”
“And the one below?”
“?”
“That thing biting your ankle.”
“Oh, that’s a baby Pegasus. His name is Dodo.”
I answered confidently. Then I lifted my left foot, and Dodo, who was firmly biting my ankle, flapped his wings just in time. Lee Hyoeul looked at me with a baffled expression, then calmly put the cigarette away. He pressed the bridge of his nose and muttered.
“Maybe I’m just tired these days… feels like I’m seeing things. Anyway, they’re outsiders. You know the User Academy rules, right? Why suddenly bring them here?”
“Outsiders? Watch your words. These two are legitimate assets to be used in future training.”
“…Assets for training?”
“Yes.”
Lee Hyoeul tilted his head.
“Think about it. The User Academy has to teach rookies to adapt to the Whole Plain as quickly as possible, right? So the key is to erase the scent of the modern world as soon as possible.”
“Right. So?”
“That’s why I brought Mar and Dodo. Fairies and Pegasi don’t exist in the modern world. Showing things that only exist in the Whole Plain helps them understand what kind of world this is.”
“…Hmm.”
Lee Hyoeul let out a faint sigh of admiration, as if surprised by the idea. But I felt a sharp prick in my chest because everything I just said was nonsense. The truth was, if I told him the real reason, they’d have to be sent back, so I had no choice but to lie.
“Not a bad idea, though?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
Lee Hyoeul rested his chin on his hand, looking thoughtful. Then, with a spark in his eyes, he said,
“Come to think of it, I’ve only heard about them, never seen them. Mind if I take a quick look?”
“By all means.”
“Hmm~ Mar’s asleep, so no. Dodo, right? Dodo~ Come here.”
“…”
Dodo glanced sideways at Lee Hyoeul, then surprisingly let go of my ankle and trotted over. When Lee Hyoeul extended his hand, Dodo bit it firmly.
“Oh my, look at that. He’s pretty cute, isn’t he?”
Maybe because he was a woman at heart, Lee Hyoeul smiled brightly, clearly delighted.
But what Dodo did next was anything but cute. Suddenly, he twisted his face in disgust, immediately let go of Lee Hyoeul’s hand, and spat on the floor. Anyone could tell he was offended.
Dodo waddled back and bit my ankle again. Watching this, Lee Hyoeul’s face was priceless.
“W-what kind of creature is that?!”
“Guess you didn’t taste good.”
“Seriously, this is ridiculous. Fine, whatever. Go do your training or childcare or whatever.”
“Ok. They’re just kids anyway. Nothing to worry about.”
Lee Hyoeul waved his hand dismissively, muttering “Yeah, right.” I couldn’t help but feel a bit smug inside, seeing how much Dodo’s behavior had upset him, and I got up.
Anyway, with permission granted and the registration done, I was about to leave in good spirits when I suddenly stopped. I realized there was one thing I wanted to ask Lee Hyoeul.
“Lee Hyoeul. Let me ask you something.”
“Hm? Something you’re curious about?”
“Yeah. Just wondering how those users are doing.”
“Those users?”
“Jin Suhyun. And Maeng Ara.”
“…”
On the way to the ancient magic city of Magia, I had received occasional reports from Hayeon about the User Academy. Of course, the reports weren’t anything grand. Since the rookies were the top priority for protection, I couldn’t get information about them, but other details were available. For example, who had joined as instructors—those were facts anyone outside could know.
And from Hayeon’s reports, I learned something unexpected: a user named Jin Suhyun had joined as an education instructor. And she had Maeng Ara as her assistant.
“…Right. I heard you eventually met Maeng Ara. But are you asking because you already know, or because you really don’t?”
Lee Hyoeul cleared his throat a few times and spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone. It seemed like a topic he didn’t want to discuss, but since I brought it up, he was clearly uncomfortable.
It was surprising that Jin Suhyun had become an instructor, but not impossible. Anyone with a participation ticket was eligible to join as an instructor. Considering who might have received the ticket Lee Hyoeul once asked to be given up, it wasn’t entirely unbelievable that Jin Suhyun had become an instructor.
Still, not all my questions were answered.
First: Jin Suhyun had been missing for a while. So why did she suddenly reveal herself so openly?
And the second thing: Maeng-a is the guardian of the Northern Continent. She’s supposed to stay hidden at all costs, but she came along as backup, fully prepared for her identity to be exposed. If she were confident she could keep it under wraps, that’d be one thing—but generally, it doesn’t seem like a wise choice.
Questions kept piling up, one after another. It felt like I was on the verge of seeing something clearly, yet it remained just out of reach—like chasing after a mirage.
I looked at Lee Hyo-eul and quietly spoke.
“I don’t know the exact details. It’s mostly just speculation—I’m still in the dark about the real situation. But at this point, it shouldn’t matter if you tell me, right?”
“…Sorry, but I can’t. It’s a secret, and there are personal reasons involved. I’m not the one who has the right to share it.”
Lee Hyo-eul’s refusal was firm and absolute. Honestly, I had expected as much, so I just shrugged.
“Hmm. Then I guess I have no choice but to ask the angel.”
“Do you really need to know?”
“It’s just… unsettling. They’re all tearful, saying they’ve been abandoned. I can’t just ignore that.”
“…Hmph. Fine, do as you please. I don’t have the authority to stop you.”
I was planning to do just that anyway. Either way, I had no more business with Lee Hyo-eul. Ansol was probably waiting alone outside.
“Alright then.”
“Wait a moment.”
Just as I was about to step out, Lee Hyo-eul’s voice stopped me. Turning halfway, I saw her looking at me with a serious expression, very different from the aloof attitude she’d shown earlier.
“Kim Su-hyun. This might come out of nowhere, but can I give you a piece of advice?”
“Advice? Go ahead.”
I nodded, inviting her to speak. She stared at me quietly, her pale, delicate throat moving as she swallowed, then her red lips parted.
“You tried to change once before, didn’t you?”
“…What do you mean?”
“Your assigned angel. Seraph, was it?”
“……”
“That angel doesn’t have the best reputation. You can ignore the rumors if you want, but it’s better to switch if you can.”
“Kik.”
What was she talking about?
I let out a weak laugh. Then, finally pushing the door open, I spoke softly.
“Don’t worry. I never trusted angels to begin with.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note =---------------------------
I can’t believe I managed to post at midnight two days in a row… ㅜ.ㅠ