Chapter 121: A Corpse Without Its Mystery

One of the people who will be taken to the Otherworld.

I pulled Eve into the team and stepped forward.

“First, we’re heading to the Magic Academy to find someone.”

“Got it. Explain the rest on the way.”

With that, Eve promptly turned in the new direction.

“There’s a guy named Grantoni who went to the Otherworld.”

I explained the general situation while running.
The Otherworld and Grantoni.
The reason he ended up there and the dangers involved.
It was a brief explanation, but the key point was clear—it could escalate into a threat to the entire world.

Eve listened calmly without asking questions.
There was no sign of doubt in her expression—she must have read the sincerity in my face.

“So the person we’re going to find now is Associate Professor Vinesha.”

At my next words, Eve hesitated for the first time. She almost stopped mid-stride.

She looked at me with wide eyes.

“Eve?”

“…Did you build a relationship with Associate Professor Vinesha for this moment?”

She resumed walking as she asked, but her gaze carried an expression of incomprehension.
It was as if pieces in her mind were starting to click into place.

“Hanon Airei, before I came here, I looked into your actions in my own way.”

As I mentioned before, Eve had checked how dangerous my situation was.
And despite her warnings, I had insisted on using it.

“On my first day at Zeryon Academy, you jokingly said you’d save the world.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

That offhand remark had lingered in her mind.
Now, she was retracing past events, trying to grasp my true intentions.

“Looking at everything that’s happened, it feels like you already predicted this incident would occur.”

I had deliberately interfered with the course of events up to this point.
And Eve had figured it out with just a few conversations.

Of course, she would—she was the quick-witted heroine of a side story.
She saw right through me.

‘Why are these people all so sharp?’

As expected of an academy full of geniuses.
Everyone here was intelligent and far from ordinary.

“Hanon Airei, what’s your real goal? Why are you doing all this?”

She looked at me with an expression of unease, as if I were manipulating the situation at will.

Sorry, but if anything, I was the one who was unsettled.

Right now, I must seem like an incredibly mysterious person to her.
I could tell just by looking into her eyes.

‘In a way…’

This might be an opportunity.
An opportunity to draw Eve further into my plans.

‘Eve is a substitute for Lucas.’

Her unwavering determination could serve as a flame of resolve.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was enough to fill the gap.

‘Besides, Eve wasn’t even part of the original storyline.’

Even if she got involved, I was confident I could still steer events toward the intended course.
In fact, with Eve here, it had become even easier.

In that case…

“Eve.”

I would gladly become the person she most needed to uncover.

“My goal is simple. To safely graduate from Zeryon Academy.”

What happens after that—I have no idea.

But one thing is certain—
As long as I am enrolled at Zeryon Academy, I can protect the world.

“So until then, I intend to give it my all.”

My words don’t give Eve any real answers.
But at the very least, she will be curious about my goal and try to dig deeper.
That much of a push is enough.

‘I don’t need to be friends with her.’

I just need to create a situation where Eve will be compelled to exert her strength.

“Then, one last thing.”

Eve still had one more question for me.

“Was it your intention for me to transfer to Zeryon Academy?”

She must have realized that her transfer process went surprisingly smoothly.

As she suspected, my involvement was significant.
I had even taken advantage of the event where the headmaster granted any request.

But I couldn’t just tell her that outright.

So instead, I smiled at her.
A perfect, 100-point smile—one I had trained diligently ever since my facial paralysis.

“It’s a secret.”

Before I knew it, the Magic Academy building came into view.

“I’m going ahead.”

Before Eve could say anything more, I pushed my acceleration to the limit.
At the same time, I activated both my magic engraving and my Steel Skin.

The synergy of the two powers clashing—
A massive explosion.

BOOOOOM!

The burst of force from my leap shook the air.

Students exiting the building turned in shock at the sudden explosion, but I had no time to worry about them.

In an instant, I soared through the sky, my eyes locking onto a window in the Magic Academy building.

Without hesitation, I threw my fist forward.

CRASH!

Shattering the window, I rolled across the floor.

The impact of the landing made me stagger, but I was unscathed.
No way shards of glass could pierce my Steel Skin.

I quickly lifted my head—
And found myself face-to-face with an unexpected figure.

“…Hanon?”

Standing there was none other than my fiancée, Sharin.

Ever since I returned to Zeryon Academy, Sharin would always glare at me with a sullen face before storming off.
Even when I visited her during her weak, drowsy morning hours, she did the same.
I hadn’t had a single chance to talk to her lately.

And yet, here she was.

For some reason, I felt the same sense of déjà vu as I did with Nia.
But there was no time to dwell on that.
Every second mattered.

Sharin’s expression briefly lit up with surprise at seeing me—
But just as quickly, she returned to her usual sulky look.

“Why are you… here…?”

“Sharin, do you know where Associate Professor Vinesha is?”

At my question, Sharin’s eyebrow twitched.
Along with it, a chill colder than even an elder dragon’s magic filled the room.

Beneath her deep blue hair,
Sharin’s icy gaze locked onto me.

“Why are you looking for her?”

For some reason, it felt like I was going to die before I could even save the world.

* * *

In Front of the Magic Academy Faculty Office.

I stood face-to-face with Sharin.

The cold aura radiating from her felt like it was tightening around my throat.
Anyone could tell she was in a foul mood.

This was bad—
One wrong move, and I was in serious trouble.

“Sharin.”

I barely managed to call her name.

She silently stared at me.
I had never seen her glare at me like this before.

My throat went dry, and I swallowed hard.

“I need your help.”

At those words, the icy atmosphere around Sharin slowly melted away.
She stared at me for a moment before placing her hands on her hips.

“And what is it this time?”

For some reason, she seemed oddly smug—
As if she was convinced I couldn’t do anything without her.

Her mood had softened.
She even looked a little pleased.

The way she reacted to my words, shifting from sulking to satisfaction, left me momentarily confused—
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

“So… will you help me?”

I asked cautiously.

Sharin shrugged slightly.

“Hanon and I are fiancés, sooo…Fiancés are supposed to help each other.”

…Well, that is a pretty nice reason.

As she restored the window I had broken, she asked,

“So, what’s the problem this time?”

“Grantoni has crossed over to the Otherworld. It looks like a transcendent being from there took him.”

Mages, while not as knowledgeable as necromancers, still study the Otherworld.
After all, mages must deceive the world itself—
Which means they need to understand the Otherworld, too.

That’s why Sharin’s eyebrows immediately furrowed.
Her Mirinae Eyes could even see through the Veil Bandages.

She must have known for a while that Grantoni had the unique trait ‘Otherworlder’.
And naturally, she would also understand the danger that came with it.

“So that’s why you’re looking for Vinesha?”

“Yeah. Associate Professor Vinesha specializes in magic related to the Otherworld.”

Sharin had personally witnessed Vinesha’s magic on the first day.
So she quickly understood my reasoning.

“If it’s Professor Vinesha you’re looking for, she’s probably in the Magic Research Lab.”

Sharin turned around and lifted herself into the air.

Using magic in the hallway was technically forbidden—
But there was no time to worry about that.

“Let’s go.”

As expected of Sharin.

Recognizing the seriousness of the situation, she immediately took off with me to find the Magic Research Lab.

Clatter—

Sharin and I entered the lab through the open door.

But inside, only a few students remained.
Vinesha was nowhere to be seen.

“Huh? Sharin?”

“What’s going on?”

The students inside looked at us in confusion.

I quickly asked them,

“Where’s Associate Professor Vinesha?”

“Huh? Wait… isn’t that the Lightning Punk?”

“Oh, that womanizer?”

…Right.
I had completely forgotten that I had the absolute worst reputation among the magic students.

“He’s my fiancé.”

In that moment, Sharin warned the students who had been openly hostile toward me.

I never expected her to stand up for me in this way.

When I turned to Sharin in surprise, she was glaring at the others—
A silent order to stop talking badly about me.

“Uh, um… She just finished her research a little while ago and left.”

The students answered hesitantly.
None of them wanted to get on Sharin’s bad side.

“Thanks.”

I thanked them and immediately stepped outside.

But I still had no idea where Vinesha had gone.

“Hanon, wait.”

Sharin stopped me.

“I’ll use a tracking spell.”

Just then—

“Whoa, senior?”

Someone suddenly appeared from around the corner.

It was a familiar face—
Midra Penin, the second-ranked freshman in martial arts.

A fellow student council member.

Midra was carrying a few boxes marked with the student council emblem.
Probably on an errand for council business.

“Midra.”

“Senior Hanon, what brings you here? Something up?”

Midra tilted his head, glancing between me and Sharin.

“Midra, did you happen to see Associate Professor Vinesha on your way here?”

“Oh, Professor Vinesha? She just went down those stairs.”

Midra jerked his chin toward the staircase he had come from.

The moment Sharin and I locked eyes, we both turned toward the stairs.

Midra quickly stepped aside to let us pass.

“Go find her quickly.”

He gave us an oddly knowing smile.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it.
Every second mattered.

I practically flew down the stairs, landing with a sharp thud.

And then, in the hallway—

I spotted Vinesha, walking away while humming a tune.

As always, her outfit was covered in ribbons.

“Hm? This feeling…”

Vinesha suddenly froze mid-step.

Then, she whipped her head around toward us.

“Hubby!”

Did she seriously sense me from that distance?
That was some insane ability.

“And…”

Her eyes changed in an instant.

“You fox.”

The warmth that had been overflowing when she looked at me—
Vanished.

In its place was a cold, piercing glare.