“Mmh!” Etyna walked into the grand lobby from last night.
She covered her tightly shut eyes with one hand, letting out a long yawn.
Sitting over at the counter, Hawen raised his hand high and waved it back and forth, calling out.
“Etyna!
Over here!” Lusia looked up at Etyna, who was rubbing her sleepy eyes and yawning repeatedly.
The moment Etyna sat down, Lusia spoke up.
“I’m sorry.
We put you in a tough spot.
You’re supposed to be a teacher, yet…” Etyna waved her hands to brush it off.
“Haha, it’s fine.
The association approved it anyway.” A receptionist placed food in front of her.
Etyna continued, “It’s just that a lot of people won’t stand for it.” A heavy sigh echoed.
Hawen wiped his mouth and said, “They’re bound to show their attitude either way.
There’s no escaping that.” Hawen picked up some food, popped it into his mouth, and kept talking as he chewed.
“Carrying the title of a death row convict with a stayed execution, yet training to become a field agent…
of course no one’s gonna agree to that.” Etyna rested her chin on her hand, looking at the dish in front of her with a sigh.
Her face showed clear worry.
“Thinking back, it feels a bit absurd that a guy like him could commit a crime bad enough to get sentenced to death.” Lusia flinched.
Her eyes widened as if realizing something, and she turned to look at Etyna.
Her voice sounded uncertain.
“He really does seem that way.” She brought a hand up to grab her chin, lowering her head slightly to ponder.
“But from what I saw back there, it felt like the clothes he wore were a bit too big for his body.” Hawen opened his eyes, his voice turning deep.
“Could be a clothing swap trick…
but he still killed that robber.” Lusia stared down at the plate of food before her, her serious gaze fixing on nothingness.
“If he wasn’t an accomplice to the robber, he’d definitely escape the death penalty.” Hawen’s hand gripped a napkin to wipe his fingers.
He spoke up slowly.
“Even if we say that, it won’t work.
That robber was dressed like a civilian.
Even if he says it out loud, nobody’s gonna believe him…” Lusia’s face darkened.
“That’s true…” Etyna scooped up some rice and put it in her mouth.
The space fell into a heavy silence.
“BEEP BEEP BEEP!!” Sharp, ringing beeps erupted from the watch on Hawen’s wrist.
The trio flinched in utter confusion.
The watch flashed a pulsing red color.
Hawen gasped in panic, “Th-this is bad…!” Hawen bolted out of his chair, running straight out of the main lobby.
Etyna and Lusia exchanged a bewildered look.
Hawen sprinted down the street, the sunlight hitting a face filled with deep anxiety.
His mind raced.
Ersak…
what the hell are you doing…
His pace grew faster and faster, blurring past the people standing by the roadside as he checked the watch, following the pointing arrows.
The academy slowly came into view.
Hawen panicked internally.
Th-this is bad…
it’s at the academy…
I gotta stop him right now!
Hawen accelerated, rushing past students walking on the road, leaving them startled and confused.
Etyna and Lusia kept apologizing as they moved through the crowd, chasing after Hawen.
Lusia’s face broke out in beads of sweat.
She thought to herself, What is he doing running that fast…
His footsteps dodged through the people on the street.
His widened eyes flashed with a faint, flickering green light.
His hair blew wildly without stopping.
A crowd of students gathered ahead, whispering and gossiping while pointing toward the massive lawn just below the walkway.
A student suddenly darted into the middle of the path.
Time seemed to grind to a halt.
Hawen instinctively twisted his torso to evade the teenager, weaving past the crowd of students blocking his way.
Panting heavily, he forged ahead as the onlookers tracked him with their eyes.
Etyna screamed out, “Hawen!” Lusia and Etyna caught up, approaching Hawen as he stood frozen in place.
Etyna stepped closer and asked, “H-Hawen?…” Her gaze slowly drifted ahead.
The scene unfolding before her eyes made her flinch in utter shock.
“Huh?!…” “Faster!
Faster!” Enmie called out as she sprinted, her feet shifting rapidly across the lawn, making a continuous rustling sound as dirt and small pebbles kicked up behind her.
Ersak chased closely behind, straining to touch her.
Moving at high speed, the girl ducked her body and changed direction, dodging Ersak’s lunging hand.
Drenched in sweat, Ersak collapsed onto the ground, panting for breath.
Enmie’s mocking voice drifted over from behind him.
“Can’t keep up with me already?
Looks like your stamina is way too weak.” Ersak gritted his teeth, spun around, and sprang up to charge at her.
His wide eyes tracked her movements, shifting constantly with her every footstep.
Her feet immediately changed direction, backing away from him.
Ersak stomped hard, denting the ground beneath him as he lunged toward Enmie.
His hand shot toward her.
Thud!
A dull impact echoed.
Ersak’s arm was slapped down, and everything seemed to slow down.
Losing his balance, Ersak slowly fell toward the ground.
Enmie flashed a brief smile, grabbing his wrist and pulling him toward her.
She instantly gripped Ersak’s collar, spun her body, and slammed him down with a loud thud, pinning him firmly against the earth.
Ersak relaxed his muscles, giving up as he panted heavily, his face dripping with sweat.
Enmie stood up with a triumphant smile, dusting off her hands.
Realizing something, she turned her head to the side.
The surrounding students stared in a daze, completely speechless and frozen.
Hawen glared at Enmie without saying a word.
The pair stared at each other, the air thick with awkward silence.
Enmie suddenly turned her head away, scratching her scalp.
“Uh, well…
we were just training.” Hawen yelled out in angry helplessness, “Do you have any idea?!
Doing this early in the morning is one thing, but you didn’t even notify me beforehand!
You made me think something terrible happened, making me run all the way here from the Council!” A student poked his head out from the crowd, murmuring, “Wait, isn’t that Ms….” Etyna turned her head toward the teenager.
Her face went strictly serious as she spoke, crossing her arms.
“Shouldn’t you all be heading inside the academy?
What are you standing around here for?” The entire crowd of students flinched in panic.
“Ah!
M-Ms.
Etyna!…” They cried out, scattering away.
“W-we’re going to class right now!!” Enmie kept her hand on her head, watching the students flee before looking back at Hawen, looking completely awkward.
“I really thought something bad happened, making me run all the way from the Council…” Hawen squatted on the mound of dirt.
Below him, Enmie leaned her back against the raised earth with her eyes closed, cradling the back of her head in her hands as she replied, “It really is my fault for not letting you know beforehand.
Sorry.” Hawen looked down at Ersak.
The green bands on his wrists flashed with tiny sparks of light.
Standing up, Hawen walked over to him.
Ersak looked up at Hawen in confusion.
When Hawen squatted directly in front of him, the boy leaned his torso back slightly, utterly bewildered.
Hawen brought his hand close to the bracelet, and the green streams of light began to shift back and forth between them.
The band started vibrating violently.
Ersak’s jaw dropped as the bracelet on his wrist began to detach itself from his arm.
The band retracted into Hawen’s pocket.
He stood up, walked back to his seat, and spoke at the same time, “Consider this me taking the bracelet off for you.
I figure now that you’re here, you won’t be able to do anything to hurt anyone anyway.” Ersak stared blankly at Hawen’s words, looking up with narrowed eyes as sweat beaded on his forehead.
“…” The moment Hawen sat back down on the mound, Enmie raised her head to ask, “Why’d you suddenly take it off now?” Speechless, Hawen lowered his head, his face contorting in sheer helplessness.
“Is there something wrong with you?…
I literally just gave you the reason.” “Oh.” Enmie closed her eyes.
A gentle breeze blew past, making her hair sway softly.