Time passed, and nearly two weeks had gone by since the murder of the Dark Magic professor threw the Academy into an uproar.
The Academy's gloomy atmosphere returned to normal, and all the students went about their lives as though they had already forgotten the incident.
There were still consequences, however.
Dark Magic classes were temporarily discontinued due to the professor's absence and the flood of inquiries from parents.
No one knew when Dark Magic Studies would be offered again.
However, according to Sia, the competition rate for Dark Magic professor positions at the Academy was several hundred to one.
I had no idea where she had heard that, but if what Sia said was true, then the class would probably resume as before by the end of the semester at the earliest, or perhaps after we returned from vacation.
"Don't go running around just because it's Friday. Make sure you study hard for the quiz. There's only one left."
"Yes~!"
With Kim Jongseok's final words, we left the classroom.
Today was a special day.
Leaving a disappointed Sia behind, Yeowoo and I headed toward another building.
We entered a food alley lined with restaurants.
The moment we stepped into a chicken restaurant renowned for its food, a familiar voice greeted us.
"Kids! Over here!"
The instant I heard that familiar voice, and the instant I saw that face again after such a long time, something tugged at my heart.
How long has it been?
Yeowoo hurriedly ran toward the voice and shrieked,
"Mom!"
"My princess. Have you been well?"
Our mother, Seong Yuram, lifted Yeowoo into a tight embrace and kissed her.
For some reason, even I was so happy to see her this time that I scampered over.
"Hyunwoo! My son!"
Mother held Yeowoo with one arm and wrapped the other around me.
The restaurant was fairly empty, and the few customers there looked over at us and murmured among themselves, but we did not care.
This was a family reunion after several months.
Surely this much was fine.
"My babies. You're wearing such pretty clothes. Are these your uniforms?"
"Yeah, yeah! The Magic Department uniform. Pretty, right?"
Still in Mother's arms, Yeowoo grabbed the end of her robe and lifted it slightly before giving her a broad smile.
"It's so pretty~ It suits you perfectly."
After we caught up for a little while, Mother called over an employee.
Then she urged us,
"Order whatever you want. What do you want to eat?"
"Umm…… I want this!"
Yeowoo pointed at the Honey Combo Chicken.
That really was delicious.
"What about you, Hyunwoo?"
"I want this one."
I pointed at the Red Combo Chicken next to it.
The spicy, tingling flavor was really good.
"Then we'll have this and this. Could we also get a large cola? Hmm, and…… cheese balls and fries too, please."
"Mom? I don't think we can finish all that if you order so much…."
"It's fine. If there's anything left, take it back to your dorm and eat it tonight or save it for later."
"Great!"
Yeowoo answered with a smile.
Of course, I liked that idea too.
Chicken was at its best when you had leftovers to eat later.
After the employee left, we talked with Mother about all sorts of things while waiting for the food.
Most of the conversation was about what had happened to Yeowoo and me since entering the Academy.
"By the way, Hyunwoo. What did you do with that five-million-won scholarship?"
"Ah, that?"
Mother's eyes gleamed as though this had been her real objective from the beginning.
I chuckled and confessed.
"I put it on the card you gave me."
"Oh, really? Good job!"
Mother stroked my head with a satisfied expression.
"Oh, and kids. Someone should be arriving soon…… There's a person Mom wants to introduce you to."
"Introduce us?"
"Yeah. She'll be here soon."
"What kind of person? A man? A woman?"
"A woman."
"She's an adult, right?"
"Yeah."
"Phew."
Yeowoo let out a sigh of relief.
Something about the exchange struck me as strange.
I had never really paid attention to it before, but now that I thought about it, something was odd.
I always spoke politely to our parents, while Yeowoo spoke to them casually.
Since when has it been like that……?
As I silently thought back to our childhood, the employee approached and set down the chicken.
"Enjoy your meal."
"Wow~! Yes!"
The Honey Combo and Red Combo arrived, along with the cola, cheese balls, and fries.
At that exact moment, the clicking sound of heels approached our table.
"Hello~ Kids. Do you remember me?"
I silently nodded, while Yeowoo shook her head as though she had no idea who the woman was.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who's going to become close with you from now on."
With that, Son Euna sat beside Mother.
I narrowed my eyes at Mother.
They had clearly exchanged some kind of secret discussion without my knowledge.
Otherwise, there was no reason they would have arranged a meeting like this.
***
Sia walked proudly with her schoolbag on her back.
It was disappointing that she could not go with Hyunwoo, but if he was meeting his parents, she had to be understanding.
A lady should be broad-minded, after all.
As she walked toward Dawnlight Library, Sia became lost in all sorts of fantasies.
Most of them, naturally, concerned her rosy future with Hyunwoo.
They would continue attending the Academy together, gradually becoming closer, and eventually their relationship would develop into romance—Yeowoo would undoubtedly interfere along the way, but regardless—and once they became adults, they would ultimately get married…….
If that were all, it would be nothing more than a fantasy.
But my blueprint doesn't end there.
After holding the wedding, we would receive the blessings of the adults who led South Korea, feel the jealous gazes of countless women upon us, and most importantly, reign over the world.
And everyone would look up to us and respect us.
Those were roughly the kinds of things she imagined.
Even afterward, Sia continued walking while imagining how many children they would have after marriage, where they would go for their honeymoon, and what adults supposedly did on their first night together.
Lost in her pleasant fantasies, she soon found Dawnlight Library right in front of her.
Just as she was about to climb the stairs with a silly grin on her face, her phone suddenly buzzed.
She took it out of her pocket and checked.
It was Dad.
My dad, the kindest, most dependable, and coolest man in the world.
Until Hyunwoo appeared, I even wanted to marry Dad…….
Sia gave a bittersweet smile and answered the call.
"Yeah, Dad. Whyyy~?"
―I was wondering what my daughter was up to, so I called. Nothing's bothering you or anything, right?
"Nothing like that. I'm doing great~"
―Nobody in your class is bullying you or leaving you out, right? They're all older than you, after all.
"They're actually even nicer to me. And Dad, you asked me that last time too."
―Hahaha. Did I?
Dad laughed heartily.
Sia laughed along and nodded.
"Yeah. I think you ask me that every time you call."
―Then I guess I'll have to ask something I've never asked before?
"Hehe. Go ahead."
―Is there a boy you like? It sounds like you're surrounded by handsome and pretty older boys and girls.
"Umm……."
An internal conflict immediately arose.
If she admitted that there was a boy she liked, her father would definitely not sit still, given his personality.
He would pretend otherwise, but he would certainly investigate every little detail.
That was the kind of person her dad was.
―Why aren't you answering? There is someone, isn't there?
"……Huh? No. There isn't."
―Come on. It sounds like there is. Who is he? Tell me.
"Uh…… Dad. I'm about to go into the library, so I'm hanging up. Call me again later~!"
―Hey! Sia! Wait!
She ended the call and let out a sigh.
"Phew."
It would not be too late to introduce Hyunwoo to her father after they had officially started dating.
She had no idea when that would happen, though.
As she shook away her distracting thoughts and continued toward the library, an old memory suddenly surfaced.
She traced her memories back to the Academy entrance ceremony.
Back then, Hyunwoo's mother and her father had definitely seemed to know each other.
But Hyunwoo's mother had clearly…….
She had ignored Dad, grabbed Hyunwoo, and left.
And Dad had awkwardly tried to smooth over the situation.
At the time, Sia had simply thought she was a rude woman, but thinking about it now, something felt strange……?
It seemed like the two of them knew each other….
What was that about?
Just then, a huge shadow fell over her.
"Hey."
Then came a cold voice.
When Sia looked up, she saw someone she recognized.
"Ah. Hello!"
Brown-haired Oh Jisun.
A member of the same club as Hyunwoo.
She was looking down at Sia with indifferent, cold eyes.
Sia straightened her shoulders confidently, refusing to be intimidated by that chilling gaze, but the longer she met Jisun's eyes, the more she felt as though her shoulders were shrinking.
"Let me ask you something directly."
"……Yes?"
"Do you know what your father does for a living?"
Sia tilted her head at Oh Jisun's question, then nodded.
"Of course. He's a Guild Master."
"Not that."
"What? What do you mean, not that?"
"I'm asking whether you know what your father does to the Heroes under him."
Sia fell silent.
To Sia, Oh Jisun looked as though something had put her in a foul mood.
Her previously empty eyes now seemed filled with resentment, and though her mouth remained firmly closed, her protruding lips made her look sullen.
Sia stood there silently for a long time.
She did not know how she was supposed to deal with someone who seemed ready to pour their anger onto her.
Oh Jisun eventually sighed.
"Forget it. Why am I saying this to a child…."
"……."
"But I'm warning you. Don't get close to Hyunwoo."
"What?"
"You and Hyunwoo will both get hurt."
"What do you mean, Senior? I don't understand."
Sia was bewildered.
This was someone she had only encountered briefly, yet now she was suddenly talking about her father and her relationship with Hyunwoo…….
The mana stored around Sia's navel reacted to her anger and began rotating violently.
She barely suppressed the anger surging inside her and swallowed it down.
Expressing your anger is something only uncivilized people do.
I'm civilized.
I'm elegant.
Unlike that person, I don't openly express my emotions….
She repeated those words to herself with her eyes closed.
When she opened them again, she had calmed down somewhat.
However, that resolve crumbled helplessly at Oh Jisun's next words.
"Hyunwoo is going to ha…… dislike you. So don't get close to him."
"Senior! How can you say something like that?!"
But Oh Jisun walked away without even listening to the end of Sia's sentence.
Flames seemed to boil inside her like lava.
She wanted to run after Oh Jisun immediately, grab her by the hair, and demand an apology.
But she did not.
An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth was far too barbaric.
"What is wrong with that person…… Haa."
So Yeowoo was actually an incredibly cultured person.
Unable to control her seething anger, Sia struggled to bring her rampaging mana under control.
But contrary to her wishes, the mana refused to settle down.
Like a locomotive that had lost its brakes, it accelerated faster and faster.
"Uh……?"
W-Wait.
If I handle this right……?
Sia tore her murderous glare away from Oh Jisun and focused on the mana orbiting her navel.
Something……
It felt as though some kind of realization was just within reach.