The Olive Stone Dormitory.
Kang Han-byeol walked down the corridor, searching for the room number written on his access card.
When he tapped the card against the sensor on the doorknob, a soft green light blinked, followed by the faint click of a lock disengaging from the inside.
Click.
This must be the right room.
He gently turned the knob and stepped inside.
“Whoa… This is nice.”
Letting his backpack fall to the floor and releasing the handle of his suitcase, Han-byeol let out a genuine note of awe.
Compared to his home in the remote Taebaek Mountains, the room was admittedly quite small. A wardrobe and study desk occupied one wall, and a bunk bed was pressed against the opposite wall, leaving only a narrow strip of space in between.
At most, it looked wide enough for two adult men to lie side by side.
Yet Han-byeol didn’t mind.
If anything, the facilities here were far better than what he’d ever lived with.
Whoooosh.
“Oh… even the water pressure’s good.”
Back in the mountains, plumbing had been a luxury. The water would often trickle out in a thin stream, barely enough to wash with, and there were times he had to carry dishes out to the stream to clean them.
But the worst of all had been the toilet.
It clogged so frequently that unclogging it had become routine. Naturally, his master had never lifted a finger to help, so Han-byeol had borne the burden alone.
If the toilet flushes well, then I guess I won’t have to deal with that again.
Those who could handle mana to a certain degree could, in theory, use it to manage even natural bodily functions.
But relying on such methods for too long damaged the body—and more dangerously, it estranged one from humanity itself.
To eat, to sleep, and to relieve oneself—these were the basic needs of a living creature.
Humans, with all their emotions and reasoning, were no exception.
To suppress those instincts was, in essence, to abandon the self.
To become something no longer human.
To become, in the most extreme sense, a creature incapable of understanding human desire or emotion.
Or as his master once put it:
“Never forget that you are human. Those who lose themselves in the mystery of mana meet a grim fate.”
That was the teaching of Seo Jeong-jin, his master.
And Han-byeol had always abided by it.
After all, magic stemmed from imagination—and imagination, from emotion.
One who had forsaken their desires, who had dulled their emotions, could never wield magic of depth or variety.
Even in his pursuit of magical excellence, Han-byeol knew he had to stay on the righteous path.
Satisfied with the inspection of the restroom, he returned to his luggage.
Looks like my roommate isn’t here yet.
He glanced toward the bunk bed. There were clothes folded on the lower bunk, and a suitcase sat nearby.
It seemed his roommate had arrived earlier and stepped out.
Han-byeol figured introductions could wait.
With that, he set about unpacking.
I’d prefer the lower bunk, but… oh well. Guess I’ll take the top.
Regretfully conceding the lower bed to his absent roommate, Han-byeol climbed to the upper bunk.
He placed his belongings on the shelf mounted to the wall—among them, a recent photo with his master.
Staring at it, he made a quiet vow.
“I’ll prove it. That no one in this world is stronger than you, Master.”
Seo Jeong-jin, the warrior sage known as the “Fighting Ghost”, was often said to fall just shy of the Ten Great Clan leaders.
As his disciple, Han-byeol dreamed of surpassing them all and reshaping that perception.
After descending from the bed, he finished organizing what little he had brought.
Unpacking didn’t take long.
With nothing else to do, he stepped out onto the balcony, letting the night breeze wash over him.
Three years… I’ll be spending three years here.
In the dark, he saw flickering lights from the other dormitories.
He gazed quietly, lost in the scene—
Until the door creaked open behind him.
“Oh, you’re my roommate, right? Hey!”
A boy wearing thin-rimmed glasses entered, his arms weighed down with heavy-looking shopping bags.
He looked friendly and sociable.
“Hey! Let’s get along well this semester! I’m Kang Han-byeol.”
“I’m Bak Sa-gun. My field’s defensive arts. Looking forward to rooming with you.”
“Defensive arts? Then you’re aiming to be a Guardian, huh? It suits you.”
“Thanks for saying that. What about you? What’s your field? You give off swordsmanship vibes…”
“You got it. For now, I’m in the swordsmanship track.”
“For now?”
“If I find something that suits me better, I might switch.”
“That might fly in a lower academy, but here, it’s probably better to stick to one path. Or major in multiple tracks, I guess. Ah—sorry, probably too nosy for a first meeting.”
“No worries. I like people who speak their mind. I’ll do the same.”
They shook hands in front of the bunk bed.
As expected of an aspiring Guardian, Bak Sa-gun was taller and broader than Han-byeol, though his frame leaned toward lean rather than burly.
His glasses gave him a scholarly look—unusual for a Guardian-type.
He was full of surprises.
Then Sa-gun adjusted his glasses thoughtfully.
“Did you say your name was Kang Han-byeol? I think… isn’t that also the name of Fighting Ghost Seo Jeong-jin’s disciple?”
“Yeah, that’s me. He’s my master.”
“…Knew it. Wow, didn’t expect my roommate to be that Kang Han-byeol.”
His eyes, obscured by the glint of his lenses, curved slightly with interest.
Clearly, he’d taken a liking to Han-byeol.
“Looks like I got lucky. Let’s get along well. By the way, you just arrived, right? Haven’t gone shopping yet, have you?”
“Shopping?”
“You can’t send everything from home, so you gotta buy a few essentials. I just got back from buying some stuff for dorm life. You probably need a few things too, right?”
“Hmm… I haven’t really thought about it.”
“I’m heading back to town tomorrow to pick up what I missed. Want to come with me? I can show you around.”
“Really? I’d like that.”
Bak Sa-gun’s invitation came warmly, and Han-byeol, who had been curious to explore the Academy City, accepted without hesitation.
“Then let’s head out after breakfast. If you’ve got any questions, just ask. I probably know more than I should about stuff—Academy City, Geumgang Academy, this year’s freshmen… whatever I can share, I will.”
“Really? Then do you know who the strongest person at Geumgang Academy is?”
Han-byeol didn’t know much about the world he had just entered, so Sa-gun’s enthusiasm was infectious.
And as someone who loved explaining things, Sa-gun was more than happy to indulge.
“Well, if we’re talking about the strongest overall, it’d have to be the Headmistress—Seo Hye-yul, the Witch of the Stars.”
“What about among the students?”
“If you mean across all grades, that’d be the student council president, Do Si-eun. She’s from the Divine Blade Clan. Nobody disputes her talent or fame. Even students from the Ten Great Houses admit she’s a level above. She’s ranked number one, after all.”
“Number one? That means she’s the strongest student here, right?”
“Yup. And since Geumgang Academy is the top school in the city, that basically makes her the strongest student in all of Academy City.”
“What about first-years?”
“Hmmm… not enough data yet. But based on entrance exams, the top two candidates are likely the valedictorian and salutatorian—followed by those who placed top in each of the ten disciplines.”
“Who are the top two?”
“The valedictorian is Yeon Ha-neul, a magic-track student and disciple of the Witch of Seven Colors.”
“A mage, huh… What about swordsmanship? Is the salutatorian in that track?”
“Yup. Also from the Divine Blade Clan—just like the student council president.”
“What’s their name?”
Back when Seo Jeong-jin was often compared to other current leaders of the Ten Great Houses, he was usually regarded as slightly below them.
So naturally, Han-byeol was curious about those who came from such prestigious lines—especially the current head of the Divine Blade Clan.
“If I had to pick the most dangerous opponent in a life-or-death battle, I’d go with Do Ye-ik—the current head of the Divine Blade Clan. The man’s unpredictable.”
“More than you, Master?”
“Of course I’m more unpredictable! But that guy… he can do it all with just swordsmanship. No one in this world matches him with a blade.”
Seo Jeong-jin had once said so, holding Do Ye-ik in the highest regard.
Which is why Han-byeol now felt a competitive spark when thinking about someone from that same lineage.
He leaned in slightly as Sa-gun continued.
“His name is Do Gyeon-woo. Before the entrance exam, people mocked him with nicknames like ‘Rabbit’ and ‘Baby Lion,’ but placing second in the entire intake shut all that down. I think… he’s got just as much potential as the student council president. Maybe even more.”
“…Do Gyeon-woo.”
Do Si-eun. Do Gyeon-woo.
Han-byeol etched the names into his mind.
He couldn’t wait to meet them.
The morning of the entrance ceremony had dawned.
I awoke to the sound of Yeon Ha-neul’s voice calling me.
My throat was dry and rough.
“Hello…?”
[Did you sleep well? It’s time to get up now. No more snoozing.]
“…Ha-neul? What time is it?”
[Let’s see… right now, it’s—]
“Just ten more minutes… wake me again after that…”
[Ugh… I knew this would happen. Just ten minutes, okay?]
“…Yeah…”
Last night, Yong Hae-rang had barged into my room.
Said he was too excited to sleep because of the entrance ceremony tomorrow—and then dragged me to the gym.
Just like that, I was roped into working out with him until dawn.
With my body aching and drained, it was no wonder I was exhausted.
Begging Ha-neul for just ten more minutes, I let sleep take me once again.
But ten minutes was far too short.
The phone rang again.
“Urrgh…”
[It’s been ten minutes. Time to get up.]
“Five more minutes…”
[Nope. We’re already late.]
“….”
[You’re not sleeping again, are you? Don’t sleep. Stay awake. Gyeon-woo? You have school.]
“We don’t go to school anymore…”
[Gyeon-woo, wake up. We have to go to the Academy.]
“I just want to graduate already…”
[We haven’t even started yet.]
“…Sigh…”
[Good boy. Time to get up, little Gyeon-woo. If you keep sleeping, I’ll have to spank you.]
“…Ha-neul.”
[Mm? You’re up? Why?]
“Your voice is pretty.”
[…Wha—? What are you saying this early in the morning?! You scared me!”
“Your voice… in my ear… it’s like a lullaby…”
[No! Don’t sleep! Open your eyes!]
“I’ll leave the oath at the ceremony to you…”
[No! You can’t! Gyeon-woo, please don’t! Wake up…]
“Goodbye, everyone. I hereby free myself from all chains and burdens of this world…”
[…Guess you’re awake if you’re joking.]
“Talking to you woke me up. Did you sleep well?”
[Tch. Yeah.]
I switched the call to speaker and stretched my arms overhead.
Pulling the curtains open, I was greeted by a sky that felt perfectly suited for a ceremony.
“Nice weather today.”
[It’s not even cold. That’s good. Go wash up—quickly.]
“Yeah, I should. Where do you want to meet?”
[In front of the elevator. I’ll be there when you come out.]
“Okay. See you soon.”
[Don’t forget your uniform.]
“Got it. Hanging up now.”
[Mm.]
One… two… three…
I counted to ten in my head before ending the call.
She didn’t like it when I hung up immediately.
I never figured out why, but when I ended the call too quickly, she wouldn’t complain outright—just sulk and get pouty.
But if I wait ten seconds before hanging up, she treats me a little better for the rest of the day.
After knowing Yeon Ha-neul for five years, I’d picked up on little things like that.
I could write a textbook on her psychology. Yeon Ha-neul Studies, by Do Gyeon-woo.
Chuckling to myself, I stepped into the bathroom for a refreshing wash.
After drying off, I sprayed on some body mist—the one Ha-neul, Go Eun-bi, and Lisa had convinced me to buy.
Smells nice. Wonder who picked this scent?
I hadn’t paid it any attention until now, but with the scent on me, I felt fresh and sharp.
Expensive, but worth it.
Next came the uniform.
“Hmm… Not bad.”
Standing in front of the full-length mirror, I gave myself a once-over.
White dress shirt, red necktie, beige vest, gray blazer as an outer layer, and navy slacks.
As someone who had once played this Academy game to near-expert levels, actually wearing the uniform felt surreal.
It wasn’t a bad feeling. In fact, it was… nice.
After turning away from the mirror, I put on my black boots and left the room.
[Hello?]
“Ha-neul, I’m coming out now.”
[Got it. I’ll come out too.]
I called Ha-neul and made my way toward the elevator.
Pressing the button for the ground floor, I didn’t have to wait long before the elevator doors opened—
—and there she stood.
“….”
“What?”
“Nothing… The uniform suits you.”
“Thanks.”
“You look pretty.”
“…It’s not like you haven’t seen me in it before. We were together when we got fitted.”
“Seeing it now feels different. Besides, it hadn’t been tailored back then.”
Girls could choose between slacks or a skirt for their uniform.
The slacks were identical to mine, while the skirt—like the one Ha-neul wore—was a lovely pastel pink.
She wore black stockings underneath, and instead of a necktie, a red ribbon was tied around her collar.
I stared at her for a long moment.
She stared back just as intently.
Her red eyes scanned me, slowly moving from top to bottom.
“Your tie’s loose. Fix it.”
“It’s tight around the neck. I like it this way.”
“You’ll be making the student oath later. You shouldn’t look sloppy.”
“I’ll tighten it later when I go on stage…”
“…Never mind. You look tidy enough. And you sprayed that cologne, huh? Smells good.”
“Really?”
Before I could finish my sentence, she stepped in and pulled my tie snug.
After adjusting it, she gave me a satisfied look.
She leaned in slightly, catching the scent again, and smiled.
“…Still feels tight.”
“Just bear with it for today.”
I rubbed my neck where her warmth still lingered.
I wanted to loosen the tie again, but with her eyes on me, I didn’t dare.
Soon, the elevator stopped.
We headed to the first-floor dining hall.
“Not many people here yet.”
“That’s ‘cause we came an hour early.”
As the top two students, we were expected to participate in the ceremony’s rehearsal.
Which meant waking up earlier than most and grabbing breakfast in advance.
The cafeteria was quiet.
We grabbed trays and walked along the counters, filling our plates.
There were two breakfast options.
A Korean set: fried egg, stir-fried sausage, kimchi, soup, and rice.
A Western set: scrambled eggs, toast, morning rolls, milk, cereal, bacon, and various jams.
Cup noodles were available in the corner—but not exactly a breakfast of champions.
I chose the Korean set.
Ha-neul picked the Western one.
We sat down with our meals.
“Making a student oath in front of everyone… I don’t wanna.”
“You’re still saying that? Just accept it. It’ll be fine after a little practice.”
“You really think so…?”
“For now, just eat.”
“I’m too nervous to eat.”
“Then… can I have your morning roll?”
“…You sure eat well in the morning.”
“Breakfast is the fuel of life.”
There was also a drink bar.
Partway through eating, I got up to fetch a drink for Ha-neul.
“Here, have this.”
“Thanks. It’s warm—feels nice.”
“Let’s just sit here a bit and head out when it’s time.”
“Yeah.”
We sipped our drinks by the window and chatted in low voices.
We didn’t go to rehearsal right away—not because we were lazy, but because there was something else we were waiting for.
Class assignments.
“They’ll be posted in three minutes.”
“Ugh… I hope we’re in the same class.”
“That’d be great, but…”
Ha-neul clearly wanted us to be placed together.
But it wasn’t likely.
There were over 50 first-year classes.
With 50 students per class…
There had to be at least 2,500 first-year students.
The odds of us being assigned together were slim.
“But we’ve been in the same class ever since 5th grade.”
“Well, yeah. But this time…”
“What? Gonna jinx it? Or do you just not want to be in the same class as me?”
“…Of course I do. More than anything.”
Ha-neul narrowed her eyes at me.
I quickly shook my head and tried to appease her.
“Let’s just hope for another miracle like always.”
“Yeah. Please… Let a miracle happen…”
Ha-neul folded her hands in prayer over her phone.
It was kind of adorable.
I snapped a photo of her while her eyes were closed.
Then—it was time.
We both opened the Geumgang Academy website and navigated to the class assignment announcement.
We tapped the “Check Result” button.
Two fields popped up:
[Name]:
[Date of Birth (YYYYMMDD)]:
I typed in the information and hovered my finger over the final button.
“Let’s press it at the same time, on the count of three. Okay?”
“Okay… But it’s not like that changes anything.”
“Ssshh.”
“Let’s press it while wishing for a miracle.”
“Good idea.”
Ha-neul took a deep breath.
We placed our phones on the table and leaned close, heads almost touching.
She gave the signal.
“Please, miracle, come true. One.”
“Miracle, please…”
“Two. Please, please, miracle…”
“…”
“Three! Please, miracle!”
We tapped the button at the same time.
For a moment, the screen turned white.
Probably overloaded from all the students checking at once.
“Please… let it be a miracle…”
“…”
Ha-neul whispered a prayer even as the screen remained frozen.
Then—
The page updated, and the results appeared.
We looked quickly.
[We support your journey. Student Do Gyeon-woo has been assigned to Class 1-17.]
[We support your journey. Student Yeon Ha-neul has been assigned to Class 1-8.]
“…”
Silence.
I looked at Ha-neul, who was still staring at her screen.
“…The miracle… didn’t happen…”
Her pupils trembled.
In a voice that cracked, she muttered,
“…I need a diaper…”
Her bunny ears drooped in spirit.
Yeon Ha-neul looked like she was about to cry.
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