The bed in the suite was more than wide enough for two people to sleep side by side.
And yet, it felt impossibly cramped to me.
That was because Yeon-ha-neul had drawn too close.
Isn’t this… way too close?
Even when we stayed at a hotel back in the Academy City, we didn’t sleep like this.
Lying on her side with her head on the pillow, Yeon-ha-neul was just a stretch of her arm away from touching me.
Her face, cloaked in shadows, was faintly illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the terrace doors.
Her hair shimmered mysteriously in a hue that matched her name, and her crimson eyes glowed faintly in the dark.
She’s doing it again…
She moved even closer.
Now she was near enough for me to feel her breath.
With each inhale, a subtle fragrance wafted into my nose—the scent from her recent shower in my room’s bathroom.
…
It was a sweet and refreshing aroma.
Every time it tickled my nose, I found myself acutely aware of Yeon-ha-neul’s presence.
I can’t take this.
My eyes kept drifting toward her.
I tried to shut them, but that only fuelled my imagination.
There was no way I’d be able to fall asleep like this.
I attempted to shift away.
But just then, Yeon-ha-neul extended her fingers and gripped my collar tightly, preventing me from retreating.
“Stop pulling away.”
…
“Just stay there.”
“…Okay.”
Her voice, trembling ever so slightly, echoed softly in the darkness.
How could I refuse a request like that?
So I stayed.
Slowly, cautiously, she nestled into my arms.
She buried her face against my chest and gently wrapped her arms around me.
“…Just for tonight, stay like this.”
“Alright… sure.”
And just like that, I awkwardly wrapped one arm around her back.
Even though our clothes weren’t quite as thin as sleepwear, they were still thin enough that I could trace the contours of her body.
If I could feel her so clearly with just one arm, then Yeon-ha-neul, who was practically wrapped around me, must have felt my presence even more intimately.
Yet she showed no sign of embarrassment.
She’s not usually like this…
Whatever she experienced in that dream must have taken a significant toll on her.
I gently patted her back, trying to offer some comfort.
“I’m not going anywhere. Get some good rest.”
“…Thanks. Sleep well.”
Her grip on me tightened.
Her knees and toes brushed against my legs.
Eventually, our legs became entwined.
She settled into a comfortable position, still holding me close.
For her, it might’ve been cosy.
For me—it wasn’t.
…
I let out a quiet groan inwardly.
Carefully, I tried to scoot my hips back a little.
That night, Yeon-ha-neul drifted into a deep sleep.
I, on the other hand, barely managed to get any rest.
Still, I’m glad she slept well.
Morning came.
Skipping dinner and sleeping it off seemed to have done wonders for Yeon-ha-neul.
Only then did the reality of what she’d done the night before seem to dawn on her.
“U-uh… did you sleep well, Gyeon-woo?”
…
She had moved away and now sat at a distance, her face flushed with embarrassment as she greeted me.
One hand clutched the blanket, the other nervously running through her hair again and again.
Avoiding my gaze entirely, she couldn’t meet my eyes.
I gave her a straight answer.
“Look at me.”
“….”
“Do I look like I slept well?”
“You… look tired.”
“Because of who, exactly?”
“…S-sorry.”
It felt like I’d spent the whole night with my eyes closed but never truly asleep.
I’d kept drifting in and out, never falling into deep slumber.
So no—I hadn’t slept well.
With a weary face, I stared at her.
Yeon-ha-neul, fully aware of her guilt, couldn’t lift her head.
Still… if she feels better, that’s what matters.
I reached out and fiddled with one of her drooping rabbit-ear hair accessories.
She flinched.
Seeing her reaction, I chuckled softly.
“Alright, let’s get ready to check out. We need to leave the Gate and head for the Fifth Practical Exam briefing. We haven’t eaten either. I guess it’ll be lunch by the time we do. Want to shower first?”
“No, you go ahead. I’ll grab something for us to eat.”
“Really? Thanks, I owe you.”
Starting today, the Fifth Practical Exam will run for three days.
We couldn’t afford to laze around in bed.
We quickly prepared and made our way down to the banquet hall.
Inside, a gate to the outside world stood open.
Stepping through, we returned to the real world and headed straight to Room 305 of the Dimensional Hall, where the exam briefing would be held.
So many people…
Room 305 had tiered desks like an auditorium.
It was as if several lecture halls had been connected, creating a vast space with high ceilings.
From the entrance, we could see the sea of examinees who had arrived ahead of us.
Clearly, there were candidates from other testing locations as well—far more than the ones we’d seen at the Dreamlike Hotel.
“Let’s grab seats before they’re all taken.”
“Yeah, I think there are some free spots over there. Let’s sit there.”
Yeon-ha-neul pointed to some open seats.
We made our way there and waited for the briefing to begin.
After a few minutes had passed…
…
The evaluators entered from below.
The room buzzed as the examinees recognized the woman at the lead.
That’s her…
Even from a distance, she was unmistakably petite with a youthful appearance.
Yet, despite her looks, her presence was calm and composed—clearly someone with authority.
Clad in a well-tailored suit, her heels clicked confidently against the floor as she ascended the stage with unwavering poise.
The evaluators followed behind like an entourage, enhancing her air of importance.
She exuded gravitas.
And rightly so.
She was no ordinary person.
[“Good day, examinees.”]
She took the microphone.
Her striking yellow eyes gleamed as she smiled broadly.
[“First, I’d like to sincerely thank and congratulate all of you who’ve made it this far by applying to the Geumgang Academy. Some of you may already know me—I’m So Hye-yul, the chairwoman of Geumgang Academy. I insisted on being here today because I was curious about the new gems we’ve attracted this year. Please treat me kindly.”]
…
She was none other than the chairwoman of Geumgang Academy.
There was no way examinees who’d come this far would not recognize her.
Even for those who hadn’t seen her face before, anyone who lived in the Academy City had at least heard her name.
She looks so young, but she’s supposedly the same age as my grandfather… Even knowing it from the game, it still feels surreal. Must be magic preserving her youth. Though… being dignified and aging gracefully might be better than looking eternally young.
The Witch of Stars, So Hye-yul.
She was not only a key member of the Academy City’s Governing Council, but also a globally renowned mage.
Most importantly, she was the original owner of the Starlight Road—the satellite orbiting above Academy City that I had used in my dream to slay a monster.
She’s on the Council precisely because of that power. It’s too destructive for one person to wield unmonitored.
Her presence was so pronounced that she regularly appeared in the game.
Usually, she subtly handed off missions to the protagonist, Kang Han-byeol, or cleaning up after the chaos he caused.
Yet, she was never a clear-cut ally.
She always had secrets.
Her support for Kang Han-byeol was always motivated by her own goals, never pure altruism.
She wouldn’t hesitate to put him through trials if it served her purpose.
A calculating mind, to say the least.
And now—
[“Since I’m here, I’ll be explaining the Fifth Practical Exam myself.”]
She was also one of the Bad Ending bosses.
A particularly troublesome one.
You couldn’t unlock new story routes without encountering her.
No use overthinking. Time to focus on the test.
I set aside my thoughts about the game and turned my full attention to her.
[“The Fifth Exam will not divide you into groups. Every examinee will enter the same Gate. We’re explaining this here because the spawn points within the Gate are randomized. We had to gather you in one place for this reason. Now, please look at your exam cards.”]
At her instruction, the evaluators held up variously coloured exam cards.
[“The rules are simple. For the next three days, once you enter the Gate, you will battle to steal each other’s cards. It’s a struggle for survival.”]
…
[“But if everyone’s card had the same value, it would be boring, wouldn’t it? No tension. No fun.”]
Fun? Did she seriously just say that?
For a chairwoman to speak so casually in an official setting—it would’ve been controversial if it were anyone else.
But no one challenged her.
She was not someone to cross lightly.
[“So the cards have different values based on colour. Would someone project the Gate Watch display?”]
I looked down at my Gate Watch.
A new message had appeared.
[Point Values by Exam Card Color]
White: 10 points
Yellow: 20 points
Green: 30 points
Red: 50 points
Blue: 70 points
Black: 100 points
[As you see on your Gate Watch, these are the official point values associated with each card colour. Regardless of colour, your own card is automatically worth 100 points. To pass, you must accumulate a total of at least 200 points—including your own card. On the second day of the exam, at 10 PM, your Gate Watch will display the designated final rendezvous point. Evaluators will be waiting at that location starting from 9 AM on the third day.]
The rules for the Fifth Practical Exam were also being transmitted to our Gate Watches.
While listening to So Hye-yul’s announcement, I scrolled through the incoming messages.
There were further details.
[The exam will last for three full days from the moment you enter the Gate. It will officially end at 9 AM on the third day.]
[Each examinee must be visibly wearing at least one exam card. Among the cards you hold, the one with the highest value must always be worn.]
[Once a day, a supply crate with survival essentials will be airdropped. The drop location will be randomised.]
[Every three hours—at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24—the Gate Watch will provide the locations of nearby cards. Note: values will not be displayed.]
…
As I read the messages, the whole picture came into focus.
Just as So Hye-yul had said at the start.
A three-day free-for-all inside the Gate… steal cards or get stolen from.
Losing your card didn’t mean immediate disqualification, but it meant you had to stay sharp at all times.
On the other hand, if you simply protected your own card, you could theoretically pass with just 100 more points.
But collecting even that much would be no easy feat.
…
Candidates who had already made it through four rounds of practical exams weren’t going to be easy pickings.
Even so, I had confidence in my abilities.
Do Gyeon-woo in the game managed to collect all the cards. There’s no reason I can’t.
There was no need to overthink it.
Beside me, Yeon-ha-neul was already deep in contemplation, her mind racing through possible scenarios.
To break her focus, I playfully reached for her exam card.
She jolted in surprise.
“Wh-what are you grabbing at—!”
“Just borrowing your exam card.”
“Huh?”
Pinned to the left side of her chest was a black card.
Ignoring her flustered reaction, I plucked it free and clipped it next to my own.
“What… what are you doing?”
“My card: 100 points. Your card: another 100. That gives me 200. I pass!”
“….”
“As for you, Ha-neul, you’ll just have to gather your own 200 points.”
“Do you think this is funny?”
“I do!”
She gawked at me, speechless.
I couldn’t help but laugh and nodded enthusiastically.
“This time, I’ll pin it on you too.”
“You’re such a child…”
“Stay still—it’s hard to clip it when you’re squirming.”
“You keep brushing against me on purpose…”
“Brushing what?”
“Never mind. I know you wouldn’t.”
“…That sounded unnecessarily hurtful.”
“Frown like that and you’ll get wrinkles. Just finish what you’re doing, Gyeon-woo the Kindergartener~”
“Tch. There! You pass.”
I unfastened the cards and pinned them back onto her clothes.
She gave me a reluctant smile—half amused, half exasperated.
And then, came So Hye-yul’s crisp voice from the stage.
[You there! Save your romance for later—this is not the time or place!]
Pathetic.
Who on earth would get lovey-dovey during an exam briefing?
I hope they flunk.
Judging by the murmurs I heard around us, I wasn’t the only one thinking that.
Occasional whispers floated our way.
“Those two need to go.”
“Weren’t they the ones from the shuttle yesterday?”
“They’re seriously unbelievable…”
“So annoying—no, I mean, I’m so jealous I could die.”
“I swear I’ll go on a group date the moment I’m accepted…”
“Think I’ll finally get a girlfriend after getting into the Academy?”
[Candidates with black exam cards, please proceed to enter the Gate!]
With the briefing concluded, So Hye-yul stepped aside and pulled back the curtain on the wall behind her.
A circular artificial Gate was revealed, glowing yellow at its core.
Candidates bearing black cards rose from their seats and made their way onto the stage.
“Ha-neul, let’s go.”
“Yeah. Looks like we’ll be acting separately once we’re inside.”
“What, worried about being without me?”
“You better not start crying because I’m not around.”
“I’ll be fine. You?”
“Hey—ow!”
We queued up for the Gate together.
Yeon-ha-neul puffed her cheeks and pinched my side.
It didn’t hurt, but I pretended like it did.
“Seriously though, be careful in there. Don’t get hurt or let anyone mess with you. If someone does…”
“If someone does?”
“I’ll kill them.”
“Really?”
“If I can’t, I’ll remember their face. You can bet I’ll hunt them down later.”
“Wow, I feel so reassured. You be careful too.”
“Of course.”
The line moved quickly.
Soon, it was our turn.
We stood before the artificial Gate.
“Let’s go.”
“Yeah.”
This was the final trial.
With a steady breath, I stepped forward, my thoughts drifting to what was to come.
If my hunch was right, then surely—
This is where Lee Ga-hyeon finally makes her move.
One of the Six Demons of the Magus Council.
The Puppet Sorceress, Lee Ga-hyeon.
According to what the game had revealed, she had infiltrated the entrance exam under the guise of an evaluator, seeking to assess the strength of new recruits.
This would be her only chance to act.
And it might be my only chance to hunt her down.
And then, light engulfed me.
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