---

Academy President Kim Bong-du was handling various documents and tasks in his office when he suddenly felt an uneasy sensation.

“…?”

A very faint trace of dark magic energy.

But this level was just the kind of trivial amount that could be emitted from a monster’s corpse containing a magic stone.

It was such a negligible amount.

“Kim Gae-soo, I warned you, but are you experimenting with magic stones again?”

Kim Bong-du had rushed to the scene whenever he sensed even the slightest trace of dark magic, no matter how trivial, at least half a dozen times before.

But every single time, it turned out to be Instructor Kim Gae-soo messing around with monster magic stones.

“…Scholars are truly incomprehensible.”

“Should we intervene?”

“Don’t engage. Just take some photos for now. We’ll find a use for them someday.”

For now, cutting Kim Gae-soo loose wouldn’t bring any benefits.

But considering the heroes he’s encountered so far, it’s comforting to have at least one weakness to hold over them.

It would be great if nothing happened, but…

Since when does the world go as planned?

It’s always good to gather solid evidence that could kick someone out of the academy or the industry.

After ordering a subordinate to collect such evidence, he began sifting through the pile of documents on his desk.

A while later…

‘…It’s been a while since they left.’

The magic energy he sensed was roughly near the F Lecture Building.

Though it’s a bit far from the president’s office, it shouldn’t be too hard for the subordinate to sneak a photo and come back.

But the subordinate who went out hadn’t returned even after an hour.

Suddenly, a sense of unease swept through Kim Bong-du’s chest.

It felt like something big was happening.

An S-rank’s intuition is almost prophetic.

He had a strong feeling that if he stayed put, something terrible would happen.

Kim Bong-du opened the window of his office and jumped down.

As he ran toward the F Lecture Building…

Flash—

A blinding light erupted from the F Lecture Building.

Immediately after, dark magic energy engulfed the entire academy.

“…Am I too late?!”

Kim Bong-du paused briefly to see how far the dark magic would spread, then resumed running toward the F Lecture Building.

The spreading dark magic didn’t go beyond the academy grounds.

A small mercy in the midst of disaster.

***

I’m running right now.

At full speed, no less.

There’s no paradise where I’m running to, but where I’m running from, there’s Hayan.

Isn’t that enough?

Even if I lack experience, I’m still the sixth S-rank hero in the country.

A mage who can wield all elemental magic.

I think she’s the best partner for surviving in any environment.

Honestly, even more so than Jeong Ha-yul.

If I were stranded in a desert or an uninhabited island with Jeong Ha-yul, I’d survive somehow, but a comfortable life would be impossible.

But with Hayan?

Everything becomes possible.

Let’s forget that I was just spouting nonsense about being a hero candidate and doing something on my own.

Building connections with Lee Ha-yoon was also something I accomplished.

Getting this close, raising her to be this beautiful—it’s all my doing.

Well, anyway.

Kids who are only 14 shouldn’t be stepping up to solve incidents like this.

Let’s hole up in the dorm with Hayan and wait for the mages from the Clock Tower or the academy staff, including the president, to handle the situation.

Meanwhile, I’ll also protect Chae-song and Chae-rin.

I’m such a good person.

Before I knew it, I saw the dorm entrance and rushed in.

I warned the students who were panicking nearby.

“That energy doesn’t feel good. It looks dangerous, so you should return to your rooms immediately.”

“…Isn’t that Jeong Gyeoul? Why is she making such a fuss?”

“She’s a C-rank. She probably thinks she’s an S-rank after hanging out with the Demon King and Lee Ha-yoon.”

“I’m going back. I already felt something was off.”

Some students were startled and went back to their rooms, but the rest didn’t even pretend to listen.

‘You’ll regret ignoring my warning, idiots.’

Some students didn’t even seem to sense the ominous energy enveloping the academy.

They were taking photos, marveling at how pretty it looked.

Honestly, it is pretty.

The sky, covered in a sparkling purple hue.

It almost looks like an aurora.

But I felt the malice in that energy.

If this keeps up, we’re all doomed.

Ignoring the students who disregarded my warning, I quickly picked up Chae-song from my room and ran to Lee Ha-yoon’s room.

“What’s going on?”

“Something’s happening. You need to stay with us so we can protect you. Let’s go to Hayan’s room.”

When I arrived, Hayan was already there, having set up a defensive barrier and waiting for me.

“Gyeoul! Come here quickly! Something’s wrong!”

…She’s grown up well.

I take back all the bad things I said about Hayan.

The dorm supervisor, sensing the seriousness in my actions, followed me.

“Do you know what’s happening right now?”

“…Not exactly, but the energy covering the academy feels very ominous…”

Even if I mentioned the Satan Church, I’d just sound crazy.

Does anyone even know about the Satan Church?

Unless you’re a magic otaku like Lin Hazel or an elder from the Clock Tower…

Still, the dorm supervisor didn’t take my warning lightly.

She immediately called the administrative office, presumably asking how to respond.

At that moment.

Weeeeee—

A siren sounded, followed by a voice.

=

This is an actual emergency.

Damage may occur due to the dark magic energy currently covering the academy.

All students, please follow the faculty’s instructions and evacuate to the shelter…

=

The response was quicker than I expected.

Right after the announcement, a siren sounded inside the dorm, instructing everyone to gather in front of the dorm.

“Kids, let’s go downstairs.”

“Yes, Supervisor.”

We decided to head to the so-called shelter, assuming it existed.

As we all stepped outside the dorm…

“Look, look, look ahead!”

“It’s… it’s skeletons!”

“Ahhh!”

“What is that?!”

Clack— Clack—

Unlike the panicked and tense students, the skeletons were leisurely walking toward the dorm, showing no emotion.

If this were with other grades, it might be different, but this is the first-year girls’ dorm.

Most of the students here likely have no real combat experience.

Right now, whether you’re A-rank or C-rank, everyone’s panicking.

Oh no.

Is Hayan okay?

Hayan has only fought with Jeong Ha-yul, me, and Kim Shin.

She’s never faced a monster in real combat.

And now she has to fight something weird like skeletons, not even monsters.

If even Hayan panics… things could get really tough.

I turned around and saw Lee Ha-yoon trembling.

But she wasn’t scared.

Her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

Is she feeling thrilled or something?

…Who turned her into this?

Give me back the cute and lovable Hayan.

Anyway, Hayan was fine.

In fact, she seemed ready to enjoy this.

“…Raise your hand if you think you can fight right now.”

The supervisor seemed to be checking for students capable of combat.

Desperate to find anyone who could fight, but fewer than five students raised their hands.

Including me and Hayan, that made seven.

“Physical category, stand on the left. The rest, on the right.”

While this was happening, the skeletons were getting closer.

But the supervisor didn’t seem panicked or flustered.

Her calm demeanor seemed to help the students settle down.

Hayan and I stood on the right.

Surprisingly, Lee Chae-song and Lee Chae-rin went to the left.

…Are they physical category?

Now that I think about it, they’re my roommates, but all I know about them are their names and ages.

Five on the left, two on the right.

In Korea, psychic and magic categories are extremely rare.

The physical category dominates, they say.

Out of the seven who stepped forward, only Hayan and I aren’t physical category.

“I didn’t want to throw you into real combat, but… as you can see, things have gotten a bit complicated.”

“It’s okay.”

“This seems fun!”

“It’s an unavoidable situation.”

“Thank you, kids. I’ll approve almost all your outings and overnight stays. Sorry, that’s all I can do.”

“That’s more than enough!”

The other students nodded lightly, but…

Hayan’s eyes were burning with excitement.

But this time, I can’t blame Hayan.

My eyes probably look the same.

My body’s heating up.

We have no choice but to fight, and outings and overnight stays are on the line as rewards?

Shouldn’t we bow to the skeletons and thank them for showing up?

“If it feels too dangerous, don’t hesitate to fall back and wait with the other students.”

“Is there no special formation?”

“Since we haven’t started ranking battles yet, I don’t know everyone’s strengths. For now, the physical category will hold the front, while Gyeoul and Hayan reduce the enemy numbers…”

Before the supervisor could finish, Hayan floated into the air.

“Then I’ll go free roll!”

…Free roll?

Neither Jeong Ha-yul nor I ever taught her that.

The supervisor didn’t stop Lee Ha-yoon.

No matter how young, Lee Ha-yoon is S-rank.

It seemed better to let her do her thing freely.

As Lee Ha-yoon floated in the air, pure white wings sprouted from her back.

What… is that?

“…Is that also magic? I’ve never seen it before.”

I thought it was a student who spoke, but it was the supervisor’s voice.

If the supervisor is reacting like this, what about the other students?

Sure enough, they were all staring at Lee Ha-yoon with their mouths wide open.

The fear of the approaching skeletons seemed to have vanished.

Hayan spread her wings, which looked so pure and almost divine.

If angels exist, they must look like this.

I expected some incredible light magic to unfold.

I watched Hayan with anticipation, but…

Fwoosh—

She started shooting feathers at the skeletons.

‘…Is she attacking directly with that?’

I feel stupid for expecting something super holy.

But the power was incredible.

The skeletons hit by the feathers didn’t just get pierced or broken.

They completely vanished.

Not just one, but dozens at once.

There must be hundreds of feathers left.

….

Hayan could probably handle this alone.

“…She’s my friend.”

“….”

You guys don’t have an S-rank friend, do you?

The students and the supervisor looked at me incredulously.

What? So what?

 

---