The entrance examination for Geumgang Academy had long since concluded.
Time had passed, but her doppelgänger, crafted from a fragment of her soul, had yet to return. If it were still in this world, the shared sensory link would have allowed her to see, remember, feel, and even pinpoint its location. Yet, none of that was possible.
If the doppelgänger had entered a gate, that would explain the disconnection. But no. This was different. She could no longer deny the reality.
Lee Ga-hyeon had to accept it.
“It’s dead.”
She didn’t know exactly how it happened, but it was clear her doppelgänger had been exposed—and killed.
The inability to sense the soul stone likely meant someone had deliberately concealed it from her detection. Most likely, that someone was affiliated with Geumgang Academy.
“How did they find out…?”
Somewhere in the slums of the Academy City, she sat on a cold, stone step, her hands pressed against the ground, red high heels dangling as she swayed her legs. Ga-hyeon gazed up at the night sky, where, unlike the mainland, stars gleamed densely.
“I couldn’t have made a mistake… right?”
How did they find out? Who had noticed? And most of all—who killed it?
A student? One of the academy instructors?
Lost in thought, Ga-hyeon barely noticed the curious glances from passers-by wandering through the dark. The lack of information about how the entrance exam had proceeded only deepened her frustration.
“Agh…”
She pulled her legs closer, hugging herself tightly, her face buried between her knees. A shuddering sob made her shoulders quiver. Tears streamed down her cheeks, smudging her carefully applied makeup. She cried and laughed, aware that her tears marred her beauty.
Perfection is beauty. Yet, having lost part of her soul, she was now incomplete. Therefore, she was no longer beautiful.
She couldn’t bear it.
An unfathomable void would now forever reside within her soul, no matter how she adorned herself or hid behind a beautiful doll’s face.
She loathed the one who had made her this way. She wanted to find them and kill them. Yet, with no clue about the culprit, and with the academy maintaining tight-lipped silence, she could do nothing.
Nor could she reveal her pain to anyone, especially not to those who revered her as one of the Six Devils. If they discovered her imperfection, they would undoubtedly mock and belittle her.
“Who… Who did this to me…?”
Her mind reeled, emotions boiling over. She bit down hard, trying to suppress her rage. Anger, sadness, and frustration threatened to explode outward. Without realizing it, she had been digging her nails into her arm, leaving red marks on her exposed skin.
“No… I can’t… not like this.”
Hurting herself wasn’t beautiful. The thought of marring her own flawless skin was unbearable. She rubbed the red marks gently, trying to soothe herself.
But the fire of emotion still seethed within.
Just then, a group of men emerged from the shadows.
“Hey, pretty lady. Why are you crying all alone? Did some guy ditch you?”
“That guy must be crazy. If it were me, I wouldn’t let you go.”
“Forget him! Let’s go somewhere fun and cheer you up, huh?”
Ga-hyeon looked up at them, a bitter smile forming on her lips.
“Yeah… maybe I do need a little fun.”
“Oh? You’re game? I knew you’d be cool about it—”
There was nothing more repulsive than receiving advances from men who lacked beauty. Worse, showing them her tear-streaked, imperfect face. Disgusting. Embarrassing. She wanted to kill them.
No—she needed to vent her rage.
Ga-hyeon rose to her feet. One of the men reached out, only for his head to fall to the ground, severed in a single, unseen motion.
“…Huh?”
The man’s severed head rolled down the steps, eyes still wide with confusion. Blood sprayed from the neck like a fountain.
The others froze, finally realizing the danger.
“R-run! Get out of here!”
“W-wait…!”
“Weren’t we going to have fun? Why are you running away?”
Panic overtook them, but escape was impossible. Thin, invisible threads crisscrossed the area, already cutting off any route.
One by one, the men fell, sliced cleanly as their bodies touched the strands. Those who saw the threads too late were killed by Ga-hyeon herself, her puppeteer’s strings guiding their demise.
The bloody remains decorated the darkened alleyway like grotesque art.
“Tch, tasteless. Bitter.”
She licked the blood from her finger, frowning at the lacklustre mana within. Turning her gaze to the blood-soaked steps, she whispered to herself.
“At least I feel a bit better now.”
Her red heels clicked against the dark pavement as she walked away, her thoughts lingering.
“Who could’ve killed it? A disciple of the Twin Ghost? An academy instructor? Or maybe… another student…”
Her silhouette melted into the shadows, leaving the bloody alley behind.
Chapter 2: The Void at Home
Do Gyeon-woo had left for the entrance exam in Academy City. Though it was only for two weeks, his family already felt his absence keenly.
“So, this is what it feels like… I can’t imagine how much I’ll miss him once he actually enrols.”
Do Sang-jun, Gyeon-woo’s father, forced a bittersweet smile. Though he had always known the day would come when his son would step out into the world, he hadn’t expected it to feel this lonely.
Seventeen years of raising that small child, watching him grow, teaching him everything. It wasn’t easy to let go.
“He’s the embodiment of our time together,” Sang-jun murmured.
Gyeon-woo’s mother, Han Ji-ae, missed her son even more.
“I wonder if he’s doing okay on the test… What if he gets hurt or something? I can’t help but worry.”
Sang-jun reassured her, his voice firm.
“You know his skills as well as I do. He’s not the type to get hurt. If anything, he’ll cause trouble. Plus, Ha-neul’s with him, so don’t worry.”
“Yes… Ha-neul being there is a relief. If Gyeon-woo had gone alone…”
Ji-ae, her hair now kept short since five years, often practised swordsmanship with her husband to distract herself from worry. Despite Sang-jun’s comforting words, neither parent could fully shake their concern.
At least they had some solace—their son was not completely out of touch. Through social media, they kept updated.
[Son]: Arrived at Academy City!
[Son]: Perfect score on the qualification exam!
[Son]: (Photo of a black admission ticket)
Every day, Gyeon-woo sent them messages, sharing glimpses of his journey. Though they missed him dearly, those brief updates made the distance just a bit more bearable.
Gyeon-woo seemed to be doing well. After all, his messages had been nothing but positive, boasting about his performance and how smoothly the tests had gone.
However, after he mentioned heading into the third stage of the exam, communication suddenly stopped.
The third to fifth practical exams were held inside gates where smartphones were strictly prohibited.
“Do you think Gyeon-woo is okay?” Han Ji-ae asked, worry etched into her face.
“No news is good news. We just have to believe that,” Do Sang-jun replied, trying to sound reassuring.
Days passed in anxious silence, with his parents eagerly awaiting any word from him. Finally, a message arrived.
[Son]: The test went well. Results aren’t out yet, but I’m pretty sure I passed. The evaluators even said I might be ranked first for the fifth test.
[Me]: Really? You did great. Did you run into any problems?
[♥My Lady♥]: You didn’t get hurt, did you? Are you coming home on Sunday?
[Son]: No problems! Everything’s good.
[Son]: I still have a few more days of my stay permit here, so I’ll rest a bit and head back on Sunday.
[Son]: No injuries!
[Daughter]: Oppa!!! Bring something tasty when you come back!!! And good job on the exam!
Relieved to finally hear from him, Sang-jun and Ji-ae were able to relax. Knowing that he was safe and healthy meant everything.
In his messages, Gyeon-woo also sent photos of himself enjoying time with new friends.
[Son]: (Photo of a party)
[Son]: We’re celebrating the end of the exams with some of the other guys.
[Me]: Wow, are those all your new friends?
[♥My Lady♥]: They’re all so good-looking! But of course, our son is the best!^^
[Son]: Not all of them. There’s Go Eun-bi—she’s really popular, and she’s the one who brought most of them.
Sang-jun and Ji-ae had worried that Gyeon-woo, usually indifferent to making friends, might struggle to build connections. But apparently, those fears were unfounded. He seemed to be integrating well, and his parents couldn’t help but feel proud.
Just as they were preparing to welcome him home, Sang-jun received a call.
“Hello?”
[Hello. Is this Do Gyeon-woo’s father?]
“Yes, that’s right. Who’s calling?”
The unfamiliar voice identified him as Gyeon-woo’s father, which made Sang-jun feel a twinge of unease. That unease turned to shock when the caller introduced herself.
[This is So Hye-yul, the Director of Geumgang Academy.]
“What…?”
The Witch of Stars—So Hye-yul. A name known not only in Academy City but globally for her immense influence. Sang-jun couldn’t believe his ears.
“Are… Are you really the Director?”
[Yes, I am.]
“What brings you to call me personally…?”
Five years of parental instinct warned him that his son might have caused trouble. And his gut feeling proved correct.
[Regarding the recent exams, it turns out that an infamous figure known as the ‘Doll Witch’—Lee Ga-hyeon—secretly took over the body of a student to infiltrate the tests.]
“…?”
Sang-jun remained silent, trying to process what he was hearing.
[Your son, Do Gyeon-woo, discovered her identity during the fifth test and took her down. The academy intends to reward him accordingly. However, we will not be making this public to maintain our reputation and to ensure that Lee Ga-hyeon’s true body remains unaware of his involvement. We wanted to inform you personally and also ask for your understanding.]
“Hah… Gyeon-woo did that…?”
[Yes, your son showed remarkable skill and courage.]
Sang-jun let out a hollow laugh. His son had caused an unimaginable uproar—enough to potentially make him a target of the notorious Doll Witch.
He recalled the message from earlier.
“All went well,” Gyeon-woo had written. Did that vague phrase really cover something this serious?
“Ah, that boy… He really knows how to stir things up…” Sang-jun muttered, rubbing his forehead.
[I understand that this might be quite a shock. Please rest assured that we will be taking precautions to ensure his safety.]
As the call ended, Sang-jun found himself staring blankly at the wall, still processing the news. His son had not just passed the exams—he had single-handedly exposed and defeated one of the most notorious individuals in recent academy history.
The absurdity of it all made Sang-jun chuckle weakly. He couldn’t help but feel a mix of pride and exasperation.
“Really, son… you couldn’t just take the test and come home like everyone else?”
He couldn’t even begin to predict what kind of chaos awaited once Gyeon-woo officially enrolled. Sighing deeply, he shook his head.
“Does he really have to make life this hard?”
Yet, despite his grumbling, Sang-jun couldn’t suppress a small smile. His son was undeniably a handful—but he was also undeniably remarkable.
Leave a Reply