episode_0024

I dashed out of Hwayang Hall and headed straight to the lakeside of the correctional facility. All I wanted was to escape from that suffocating and stifling place.

“Haa… haa…”

Perhaps thanks to all the new students gathering at Hwayang Hall, the surroundings were eerily quiet. I leaned against a tree by the lakeside, gasping for breath without a moment’s respite.

…I found it. I finally found the person I longed for, the one I can rely on.

I’m still stuck in the mud, while you are now happily living your life.

– I like a man I can rely on. But it’s not you.

– You’re neither strong nor reliable. You… don’t deserve to be by my side.

– How happy must the fiancée of that person be? It seems like Senior really likes his fiancée. His face lights up whenever he talks about her.

Calming my mind was not easy. Memories buried deep inside resurfaced and tore me apart. The scars burned fiercely as if engulfed in flames, and a sharp pain pierced my chest.

“Ugh… huk…”

In my blurred and narrowed vision, I couldn’t see anything. It was pitch dark all around, and I felt like I couldn’t move forward.

Lost in pain, I wandered aimlessly, wondering if I would ever sink without a trace.

– Myaong!

“…Huh…?”

A familiar meow I used to hear a long time ago.

And a rough sensation as if something was licking my hand repeatedly, suddenly pulled me out of the abyss.

I raised my head to confirm its identity.

– Mew!

A small cat with a mix of pumpkin and cream colors, smaller than its peers but fully grown, was looking up at me with round eyes.

***

“…Peanut…?”

– Meow!

As soon as I called out its name, the cat leaped into my arms as if it had been waiting, rubbing its cheek against my face and licking my lips incessantly with its tongue sticking out.

It seemed like Peanut could not hide its identity behind a mask.

“…Peanut… how did you…”

Peanut.

The kitten on the brink of death that Yeoni brought.

Desperate to find a way to save the cat, I ended up feeding it my blood and sending it back to life.

But despite my low expectations, the cat miraculously reappeared the next day in full health.

That day, the cat was named Peanut and became a part of our daily lives.

And two years ago.

Although Yeoni had locked it in the room, Peanut managed to escape and followed us all the way to the mountain hut.

I remember returning to the village together, but afterwards, there was no trace of Peanut.

No matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t find a single clue, and eventually, I was deeply disappointed and gave up.

“You were alive… I’m so relieved… truly relieved…”

– Myaong!

Unknowingly, my voice was soaked with moisture.

I hugged Peanut and gently stroked its fur for a while.

Peanut didn’t resist my touch and calmly leaned into my hand.

Perhaps Peanut is here because of Yeoni, who brought it and is raising it.

Thinking about the mysterious relationship between Yeoni and Peanut, I found it somewhat strange, but still, I judged that the cat wouldn’t be much of an obstacle in its own path, unlike humans.

Anyway, in the end, it turned out to be a good thing for me…

-Mya~

I was lost in thought as I watched the contented Peanut in my arms.

I can hardly recognize myself from two years ago.

I’ve grown taller, my physique has become much stronger.

Puberty has passed, my voice has gotten lower, and I wear a mask on my face so others can’t recognize me.

But if Yeonhee were to witness this scene, she might be able to expose my identity.

Peanut never allowed anyone other than me and Yeonhee to be close to her.

“…”

And in this situation, it doesn’t seem appropriate for Yeonhee to realize my presence.

I have become a past nightmare, and Yeonhee is now living happily with someone else.

Furthermore, I have been tasked by the principal to assist the person standing opposite Yeonhee in raising her status.

If they were to discover my true identity and past nightmares, they might try even harder to eliminate them.

If that were to happen, following the principal’s request and graduating with outstanding grades might become even more challenging.

…Come to think of it, does Yeonhee know about my death? Probably not. Why would she care about someone she discarded like an old rag? Maybe she would even be glad that the nuisance is gone.

Even if I were to reveal my true identity, it seems like nothing would change. In fact, it might provoke even more intense opposition.

What should I do? Should I cut ties with Peanut by forceful means?

But I couldn’t think of a suitable method. I can’t resort to physical force…

“…”

Suddenly, I remembered Yeonhee complaining that Peanut understands words exceptionally well.

Out of curiosity, I petted Peanut’s head and said, “Peanut. Today is the last day we see each other. You must never come back… okay!”

-Myaang!!

While I was speaking, a sudden sharp pain struck my hand.

Looking down, I saw Peanut lightly nibbling on the back of my hand.

It’s unlikely, but it almost looks like she understands and gets angry…

“…Sigh.”

But thanks to her cute behavior, my heart felt lighter, and I decided to cancel what I had just said.

I gently stroked Peanut’s back again and said, “…Sorry. Forget what I said earlier. You can come back in the future. Just make sure not to let Yeonhee… or Mom find out. You have to come secretly. Got it? It’s a promise…?”

-Myaong~

As soon as I finished speaking, Peanut let out a soft meow, as if in response. It seemed like she felt satisfied.

After responding, Peanut got up and walked away along the lakeside with leisurely steps.

I watched her disappearing figure for a while.

Feeling a sudden emptiness, I raised my left hand to confirm.

The fourth finger that used to be there was now empty.

The Yeonhee I knew is truly no more.

The person I saw earlier was just a senior student from the same academy I first encountered at birth.

“…Ugh.”

Suddenly, a sharp pain throbbed in a corner of my heart.

I felt a fleeting scent of forget-me-nots wafting through the air.

***

“Hyuna…! Where did you go, seriously! Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you…?”

On the way back to Hwayang Hall, I ran into Yena, who was running around in front of the promenade.

“Sorry. I needed some fresh air because I was feeling frustrated.”

“Really? Is everything okay, or…?”

“…It’s not like that. You really don’t need to worry.”

“Well, that’s a relief… But I guess it could be frustrating to have something written on your face. Anyway, let’s go quickly…! They said they would briefly explain the upcoming schedule…”

I was led by the urgent Ye-na into Hwayang Hall. Fortunately, I no longer felt the discomfort I had earlier.

At the lectern, one of the professors introduced earlier was preparing to explain something. He appeared to be in his middle age, with a neat mustache and a well-fitted suit.

“Ahem, everyone please make yourselves comfortable in your seats. I am Professor Song Dae-won, in charge of the PA Control course for first-year students in the Department of Magical Tactics. I’m sure you all know that the academic schedule starts tomorrow. Classes will proceed as originally planned, but as new students, you have additional tasks to complete, so I wanted to inform you in advance.”

The professor looked around the room as he began his explanation. The monocle in his eye sparkled whenever he turned his body.

“Most of you have only recently awakened as magicians, so you may not yet know what you are capable of or where your limits lie. Here at the Cradle, we focus on identifying the unique characteristics of these young magicians and providing tailored education to optimize their abilities. Therefore, for the next two weeks, you will be required to complete these additional courses alongside the regular academic schedule.”

After finishing his speech, the professor stepped aside and activated a projector by pressing a button on a device in his hand.

Soon, a whirring sound could be heard, and a diagram with text and illustrations neatly arranged on a wide white cloth behind the lectern began to appear.

“First, you will measure your maximum internal particle count, known as the Rubin value. Then, you will proceed to measure the conversion rate, which is the ratio of particles that can be expelled externally and used to create magical formulas. Following that, you will undergo a test with the Attribute Compass to determine the magical lineage that best suits your physique. Most freshmen will likely choose either the Emission or Circulation system as their major.”

The professor continued to point to various parts of the diagram with a pointer.

“These processes will be conducted sequentially alongside your classes. And on the 14th day after completing the basic course curriculum, you will take your first exam here at the Cradle.”

There was a slight disturbance at the mention of the exam, but the professor continued with his explanation without paying it any mind.

“The topic of the first exam will be announced three days before the exam. Each year, a different exam is given, so don’t bother pestering the seniors for information. Well, there’s no need to worry too much. The exam will be conducted at a ‘very easy difficulty level,’ focusing on content within the scope of your basic learning. If you can’t even handle that, then you probably don’t deserve the quality education provided by the Cradle in the first place.”

The professor’s tone turned slightly sharp.

“The grades from the first exam will be directly applied to the personal ranking table you will receive as a new student at the Cradle. And as you will soon find out, personal ranking at the Cradle is a very important factor. The treatment of those who graduate from the Cradle with excellent grades versus those with poor grades differs drastically even outside these walls.”

Although he had encouraged them to listen comfortably, most of the new students had stopped what they were doing and were now fully focused on the professor’s explanation.

“Of course, there are still three years until graduation, so it is possible to improve your skills through effort. However, even considering that, the grades from the first exam are more important than any subsequent practicals or tests.”

The professor slightly moved aside from his seat and pointed to a certain part of the chart with the pointer he was holding.

“In our school, we operate a mentoring group system. It’s a system where second-year students who have gone through various education and practical training help first-year students who are newcomers to adapt. Usually, the mentors, who are second-year students, choose the mentees they will help, but for the freshmen who receive top 10% grades in the first exam, they are given the authority to nominate their own mentors.”

“Uh…?”

“Really?”

Some students quickly understood the professor’s meaning and murmured in excitement from various places. Seeing their reaction, the professor nodded slightly, seeming satisfied.

“Haha, it seems like you finally understand how the wheel turns. That’s right. If you get good grades in the first exam, naturally, you can nominate a superior student to receive their advice and help. Once this cycle starts, it will continue, and of course, the probability of getting better final grades when you graduate will also increase. For example… like Baek Seo-yeon, who greeted you earlier, the current top student in the second year, you could also team up with someone like her.”

The explicit statement caused even more commotion. In the end, the professor had to raise his hand to calm the students down.

“Alright, quiet down! By the way, each mentor can only have up to two mentees, so the space is not that generous. If you want to nominate a superior student as your mentor, you really have to give it your all in the first exam. It seems like you roughly understood, so I’ll finish the explanation here. Now, good luck in the future.”

After finishing the explanation, the professor turned off the projector and left the Hwayang Hall as it was. After he left, a great confusion that could not be controlled arose among the students. Voices murmuring and buzzing with excitement were heard everywhere.

Among the second-year seniors, the most mentioned name was, of course, Yeon-i. In addition, the names of several other superior students known for their outstanding skills and backgrounds occasionally popped up. Next to me, Yena muttered in a slightly intimidated voice.

“Wow… everyone seems so confident… can I do well too…?”

“…You can do well. I’ll help you. Let’s work hard together.”

“Yeah! Thanks, hehe…”

As I delivered words of encouragement, Yena seemed to gain energy and lightly bounced in her seat.

But in my mind, a different kind of idea was emerging.

The task entrusted to me by the principal.

I was in a situation where I couldn’t even grasp where to start, unable to even button up the first button.

But… perhaps a solution will come.