The next morning, Kaien arrived at the academy with a suitcase in one hand and a backpack over his shoulder.
The academy dormitories stood behind the main building.
They were much larger than Kaien expected.
Several buildings surrounded a central courtyard, with students carrying luggage in every direction.
Kaien looked around.
"So this is where I'll be living."
He checked his room number.
Dormitory C.
Room 214.
He made his way upstairs.
When he opened the door, someone was already inside.
A boy was lying across one of the beds, staring at the ceiling.
He turned his head.
"Oh."
Kaien stood in the doorway.
The boy sat up.
"You're my roommate?"
"Looks like it."
The boy looked Kaien up and down.
Then his eyes reached Kaien's hair.
He stared.
Kaien stared back.
"...What?"
"Nothing."
"You're still staring."
"I'm trying to figure out if you can see."
Kaien paused.
"My eyes work."
"Can't tell."
Kaien sighed.
"Great. First day and I'm already being inspected."
The boy laughed.
"I'm Joon."
"Kaien."
Joon pointed toward the empty bed.
"That's yours."
"Thanks."
Kaien dropped his bag beside it.
He started unpacking.
Joon watched him for a moment.
"So what weapon do you use?"
"Gun."
Joon looked surprised.
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"That's pretty rare."
"I've heard."
Joon nodded.
Then looked at Kaien's hair again.
"And you're really tall."
Kaien stopped unpacking.
"You're the second person to tell me that today."
"You're fifteen and almost two meters tall."
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
"Yeah."
Joon shrugged.
"Just making sure you knew."
Kaien sighed.
This was going to be a long year.
Later that morning, the first-year students gathered in the courtyard.
Kaien stood toward the back.
He preferred it that way.
The head instructor stepped onto the stage.
"Welcome to the Seoul National Academy of Adventurers."
The crowd became quiet.
"You've all demonstrated enough potential to enter this academy. From this point forward, however, potential will mean very little."
The instructor's voice carried across the courtyard.
"You will train."
"You will fail."
"You will get hurt."
"And some of you will discover that becoming an adventurer is much harder than you imagined."
Kaien listened quietly.
He knew most of this speech.
Still, hearing it in person felt different.
Then the students were dismissed.
Kaien turned to leave.
"Kaien!"
He stopped.
That voice.
He slowly turned around.
Mira walked toward him.
Her silver hair reflected the sunlight, and her light blue eyes were fixed on him.
She smiled.
"You're in Dormitory C too, right?"
"Yeah."
"Same."
Kaien blinked.
"You are?"
She nodded.
"Room 219."
"That's not very far."
"Exactly."
Mira looked at him for a moment.
Then she tilted her head.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Do you always wear your hair like that?"
Kaien touched his afro.
"Like what?"
"Like..."
She struggled to find the right words.
Then smiled.
"A sheep."
Kaien froze.
Silence.
Mira immediately covered her mouth.
"I'm sorry."
Kaien stared at her.
"You just called me a sheep."
"I didn't mean it badly."
"You absolutely meant it."
She started laughing.
Kaien sighed.
Mira looked at his hair again.
"It's cute."
Kaien looked away.
"...I'm going to pretend you didn't say that."
"Too late."
She laughed again.
From that day forward, the nickname stuck.
Sheep.
Kaien hated it.
Everyone else found it hilarious.
Especially Joon.
That evening, Kaien returned to his dorm.
He had barely sat down when his phone vibrated.
Unknown Number.
Kaien frowned.
He opened the message.
COME TO THE OLD OBSERVATION BUILDING.
NO ONE ELSE.
He stared at it.
No name.
No explanation.
Kaien immediately became suspicious.
He didn't reply.
Another message appeared.
I KNOW ABOUT THE WEAPON.
Kaien's expression changed.
He looked toward the window.
Someone knew.
He considered ignoring it.
Then he remembered the woman from the entrance exam.
The woman who had been watching him.
Kaien stood.
"Here we go."
The old observation building was located on the edge of the academy grounds.
It wasn't abandoned.
But it was rarely used.
Kaien entered through the front door.
The building was quiet.
He walked down the hallway.
Then stopped.
A woman was standing near one of the windows.
The same woman from the examination.
She turned toward him.
"Kaien Arclight."
Kaien's eyes narrowed.
"You know my name."
"I do."
"Who are you?"
She smiled.
"My name isn't important yet."
Kaien didn't move.
She studied him.
"You were holding back during the entrance exam."
Kaien said nothing.
"Your breathing remained stable throughout the test."
She continued.
"You adjusted your aim before each moving target."
"You deliberately missed two shots."
Kaien's expression remained calm.
Inside, however, he was already reconsidering everything.
She noticed.
She noticed all of it.
The woman walked closer.
"My organization is new."
Kaien listened.
"There are only a few of us."
She paused.
"We gather information. We accept requests. Sometimes we retrieve things that people don't want found."
Her eyes sharpened.
"And sometimes..."
She smiled.
"We remove problems."
Kaien understood immediately.
An underground organization.
Not necessarily evil.
But definitely not legal.
"What do you want from me?"
"Nothing."
Kaien blinked.
"Nothing?"
"Not yet."
She stepped closer.
"I want to offer you a place."
Kaien stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because you're talented."
"That's not enough."
"No."
Her smile faded.
"You're also careful."
Kaien remained silent.
"You don't want fame."
"You don't want attention."
"And you're strong enough to be useful, but disciplined enough not to become a liability."
She reached into her coat.
A small black card appeared between her fingers.
An emblem was engraved on it.
A crown hidden behind a veil.
"The Veiled Crown."
Kaien looked at the emblem.
"The organization's name?"
She nodded.
"And if I join?"
"You receive a name."
Kaien frowned.
"A name?"
"Not your real one."
She turned the card over.
Seven symbols were engraved across the back.
Seven empty spaces.
"Everyone who joins is given one of the Seven Sins."
She looked directly at him.
"Yours is Gluttony."
Kaien raised an eyebrow.
"Gluttony?"
"You'll understand eventually."
She reached into her coat again.
This time, she pulled out a small case.
Inside was a tattoo seal.
Kaien stared at it.
"That permanent?"
"Yes."
He looked at her.
"And you expect me to just accept this?"
"No."
She closed the case.
"I expect you to think about it."
Kaien was silent.
The woman turned toward the door.
"You don't need to answer tonight."
She stopped.
"But if you do..."
She looked back at him.
"Come here tomorrow."
Then she walked away.
Kaien remained alone.
He looked at the black card in his hand.
The Veiled Crown.
Gluttony.
He touched one of his braids.
His parents had taught him to be careful.
And lately, he'd realized something.
He couldn't protect everyone by standing in the spotlight.
Maybe this organization could give him another option.
A way to move from the shadows.
A way to gather information.
A way to interfere with the story without becoming part of its center.
Kaien looked at the card again.
"...Gluttony, huh?"
He smiled faintly.
"Could be worse."
He slipped the card into his pocket.
Tomorrow, he'd make his decision.
And if he accepted...
Kaien Arclight would disappear from the underground world.
Only one name would remain.
Gluttony.