Chapter 36: Teacher
by AfuhfuihgsWhy was the world so unfair—so absurd—only to her?
A world so unjust and unequal deserved to disappear.
‘What are you doing?’
Iran.
If she hadn’t met the girl who appeared wrapped in a warm light, she surely would’ve walked down a path of no return.
“Guys, did you see the news?!”
The classroom. A crowd of girls had gathered around Leaf’s desk.
“Which one?” “The villain attack at Hero Academy!”
In the middle of the group, an excited Leaf was practically flailing her arms as she blurted everything out.
“Reminis took down the villain herself!” “No way. How did Reminis even know to show up?” “She’s a hero! Wherever people call for her, she goes—because that’s what heroes do!”
Leaf raised the newspaper high in triumph. There was Gwangmyeong Reminis, her face hidden behind a mask, awkwardly waving in the photo.
“Do you think I could be a hero like her?” “Honestly? You might.” “Yeah, if not you, who else could be one?”
Her friends, who knew full well how Leaf couldn’t ignore injustice and was always trying to help, meant every word.
Leaf flinched at the unexpected support, then scratched her cheek awkwardly.
“Thanks.”
A girl as bright and bubbly as if drawn in a picture.
That’s why she always had people around her.
But if anyone could’ve read her thoughts in that moment, they would’ve been completely shocked.
‘It’s impossible, guys. You don’t get it.’
Leaf let out a bitter smile, hidden from her friends.
When she got home, the first thing Leaf did was turn on the TV.
The news was still buzzing about the villain attack at the Hero Academy from the day before.
Listening absently, Leaf stared at her smartphone.
Posts were flooding into the fan café she visited every day.
[Remi I love you ♥♥♥]
[How did Reminis even know to go to the academy?]
[Is she fully healed now?]
[Crime rates are way down since our café leader returned!]
[Doesn’t Remi look a little different now? Before and after body comparison pics]
Gwangmyeong Reminis Fan Café.
It was packed with other die-hard hero fans just like Leaf.
Sometimes laughing, sometimes intrigued, Leaf read the posts one by one.
Then suddenly, she let out a sigh.
“I wish…”
A fleeting hope she repeated dozens of times a day.
“I wish I could be a hero…”
She knew better than anyone how impossible that dream really was.
“…Sprout.”
The moment her talent had manifested, a pitch-black sprout had emerged in her palm.
Like a chunk of ice spreading cold in every direction, the dusky leaves radiated a subtle darkness.
Leaf’s gloomy gaze focused on the sprout.
“Why do you have to be such a dull, dreary color?”
She poked at the helpless little sprout with her finger.
Light and darkness.
These two properties together were called the Chaos Attribute.
When one followed their convictions, the ability manifested as light.
When one was led by emotion, it turned to darkness.
Her jet-black leaves were proof that Leaf followed emotion rather than conviction.
[There’s nothing more reassuring than knowing the greatest hero is a light-type. Your heart shows exactly in your powers.]
One of the posts she’d just read lingered in her mind.
Only through conviction can one truly become a hero.
Fans adored heroes who stuck to their beliefs without being swayed by emotion—and rightly so. It was a noble thing.
Leaf squatted down, pressing her face into her knees.
“I know that already…”
Ding~
As the weight of her gloom settled in, another member of the household returned.
“Ahhh, that hits the spot!”
Her father staggered through the front door, reeking of alcohol.
“Leaf, that you? Home early, huh…”
He stumbled over to where Leaf was crouched on the living room floor.
“Dad…”
Seeing the wetness in Leaf’s eyes, her father exaggeratedly widened his own.
“Why the hell are you crying? Some guy dump you or something?!” “It’s nothing…” “Nothing?! Hmph. Figures. Girls cry over nothing all the time!”
With his thick hand, he gave Leaf a hard slap on the shoulder. She looked up at him, confused by the sudden friendliness.
The reason became clear soon enough.
“Quit school.”
“…What?”
To Leaf, school wasn’t just a place of learning—it was a refuge, a safe haven for her heart.
When she was with her friends, even if just for a little while, she could pretend she was a normal kid.
Her runaway mother.
Her father, lost to gambling.
And the poverty they lived in—all of it faded away there.
“Just help out with some work for a bit.”
Even young Leaf could sense the ominous undertone behind those words.
“Work…?” “Don’t be scared, you little brat. You’re just gonna have a good time with some nice men, that’s all.”
For the first time, Leaf shook her head in defiance.
But her father’s reaction was cold.
“Ungrateful little thing… You eat like a parasite but never pay your way!”
When he got like this, Leaf had no choices.
To an elementary schooler, a father was the entire world.
It was as if the wrath of that world had issued a command.
Eventually, Leaf nodded—and her father ruffled her hair roughly before leaving.
The next day, a strange man came to the house.
He looked carefully at Leaf, who barely stood up to his waist.
“This the one?” “Y-yes… She’s stronger than she looks! Obedient too—she’ll follow any order, sir!”
Leaf stared into the man’s hollowed eyes.
Eyes that looked at her like an object, not a person.
There was no such thing as a right to refuse.
“……”
A pitch-black sprout bloomed in her palm.
Leaf didn’t even know what her ability truly was.
All she knew for sure… was that its attribute was darkness.
The man flicked the sprout with his middle finger.
As soon as he touched it, the smoke it gave off grew thicker.
And then, a cold judgment:
“Doesn’t seem very useful.”
“I-it’s too early to say that, sir! Maybe it’ll bear fruit later, or…”
“Three hundred.”
“T-three hundred…!”
Her father, who’d been fidgeting with anxiety, changed his tune in an instant.
Grinning like a kid who just got a new toy, this was her flesh and blood.
‘So that’s it.’
As Leaf followed the flow of conversation, realization struck.
‘I’ve been sold.’
Three million won.
That was the price of his daughter.
Leaf simply stared at her father, who now seemed ready to jump with joy.
And slowly, the light drained from her pupils.
“……!”
That was when the sprout in her palm began to exhale a much deeper, fiercer darkness.
The once toothpick-thin stem thickened.
The two tiny leaves stretched out, becoming branches.
In an instant, her Talent evolved into a sapling.
The man’s eyes lit up with interest.
“Did the attribute just evolve…?”
Leaving her father’s excited shouts behind, the man met Leaf’s gaze.
“Seems like you’re not completely useless after all.”
He smiled in satisfaction and took her away.
As it turned out, the man was a villain affiliated with an organization.
In other words, her father had sold Leaf to a villain.
By the time Leaf understood what that meant, she resisted with everything she had.
But the villains didn’t hesitate to use violence on a child.
The beatings these adults delivered weren’t something a grade school girl could possibly endure.
In the end… Leaf gave in.
‘I’m a villain now.’
Recalling the sapling that spewed thick darkness, tears rolled down Leaf’s cheeks.
‘I was destined to become a villain.’
Truly, it was the perfect role for someone with a dark-attribute ability.
“Haha.”
This was how it was always going to end.
Maybe… deep down, she had known it all along.
A vague memory floated up—of her shouting to her friends that she wanted to become a Hero someday.
“I became a villain, guys!”
Ahaha!
Even as another round of violence rained down on her, Leaf kept laughing until she passed out.
Villains like Leaf, who held citizenship, were typically used as spies.
After completing her training, she was immediately assigned to Area D.
Escape was impossible.
The moment she even thought about betrayal, the implanted trigger in her mind would activate.
Having already submitted to her circumstances, Leaf quickly adapted to life as a spy.
In truth, the role was mostly simple—just observing and reporting on Hero activity.
But the mission she received that day was a bit more special.
“Gwangmyeong is coming to this block.”
The messenger, seated beside her on a park bench, delivered the directive.
Leaf, who had spoken no more than a corpse since being sold to the villains, couldn’t help but respond.
“Reminis?!”
For the first time in a long while, her heart stirred.
Suppressing the excitement that surged through her, she pressed further.
“What’s the reason?” “Unknown. Just keep an eye on her.”
Leaf licked her dry lips.
She thought she’d given up all hope…
But the admiration she’d buried came surging back.
“……Okay.”
Left alone after the messenger disappeared, Leaf clutched her chest tightly.
‘A Hero.’
Something she always wanted to be, but could never reach.
Gwangmyeong Reminis stood out, even without trying.
Crowds of fans always swarmed around her.
Today was no different—she was visibly struggling to deal with them.
‘I wish I could be part of that crowd.’
From the alleyway entrance, Leaf bounced anxiously on her heels.
Then, suddenly, reality hit her again.
‘Reminis is my enemy now.’
Leaf activated her Talent.
As expected of a villain, it was a somber black sapling cloaked in gloom.
‘I’m a villain.’
This darkness was proof.
Proof that she had turned her back on her ideals.
“Haa…” “What are you doing?”
Leaf jerked up to her feet.
In a rush, she disrupted her ability and turned her head in alarm.
“……”
A pair of curious, bright red eyes blinked at her.
Then, a soft smile curled at the corners.
‘She saw it.’
Leaf’s face went pale.
She’d been caught using her darkness.
‘She’ll think I’m suspicious.’
Tension gripped her. Her fist clenched without her realizing.
Darkness was, in itself, evil.
At the very least, it was proof that someone wasn’t on the right side.
That murky black hue, the color of rotting malice—was hated by nature.
And she had been secretly watching Reminis, no less.
‘She didn’t realize I’m a villain… right?’
Leaf’s eyes quivered.
If she had been found out, there would be no other option.
Extermination.
Cold sweat soaked her back.
“Are you a Reminis fan?”
But the girl’s first words shattered all of Leaf’s expectations.
A gentle tone, full of warmth and kindness.
“…Huh?”
Leaf blurted it out without even realizing.
How could someone speak so casually to a dark-attribute user?
“Weren’t you watching Reminis?” “I was, but…” “Then I’ll get her autograph for you!” “Huh?”
Leaf’s hand was suddenly grabbed before she could react.
Dragged along helplessly, she wrestled with growing confusion.
By the time she came to her senses, Reminis was standing right in front of her.
“……?”
The moment Reminis’s blue eyes turned toward her, Leaf’s mind went completely blank.
The gaze of the Hero she had admired her entire life.
Leaf couldn’t even form words properly.
Instead, the mysterious girl beside her cheerfully spoke up.
“She’s a fan! Could she get an autograph?”
Reminis’s gaze wavered as she looked at the girl.
From behind her mask, her eyes flickered between the blonde girl and Leaf.
Somehow, Leaf felt like the two of them looked really alike.
She didn’t know what Reminis looked like beneath the mask, but their hair color and aura felt strangely similar.
Then, Reminis asked a question.
“What’s your name?”
Leaf answered as if in a trance.
“Leaf…”
And just like that, Reminis handed her an autograph.
[Thanks to Leaf’s support – Reminis]
“Ah…”
Reading the message made Leaf’s eyes grow misty.
“Thank… you.”
She hurried away like she was fleeing the scene.
Back in the alley where she had been before, Leaf wiped her tears with her sleeve.
‘A real autograph from Reminis!’
She hugged it to her chest like it was a priceless treasure.
“Next time, don’t be scared. Just go talk to her yourself. Reminis never rejects her fans.”
Leaf slowly turned her head.
The same girl was beaming proudly.
Leaf was touched by the kindness, but the question she had earlier only deepened.
She knew she probably shouldn’t ask—but the words came out on their own.
“Didn’t you see it?” “See what?” “My Talent…” “Oh, yeah! It was really cool! You make trees, right?”
So casual.
Leaf was briefly lost for words.
“It’s… darkness.”
Darkness was a symbol of corruption.
A sign of someone ruled by emotion instead of principle—a grave sin.
Leaf blushed with embarrassment as she pointed it out.
“And?”
But the mysterious girl only tilted her head, puzzled.
Frustrated, Leaf accidentally raised her voice.
“Darkness is bad… isn’t it?!” “……Why?”
Why couldn’t she understand something so obvious?
“It proves you’re ruled by emotion, not belief…!” “Hmm. That’s true.” “…See?”
The dark sapling rose again in Leaf’s hand.
“Look at this heavy darkness! What kind of emotion do you think this is made of?!” “…What emotion is it?”
The girl’s expression turned serious, perhaps sensing the weight in Leaf’s tone.
“Resentment. Resentment toward this sh*tty world. A world that gives me nothing but misfortune!”
“……”
“Can someone who lives with that kind of resentment in their heart really be considered a normal person?!”
Even Leaf herself didn’t know why she was getting so emotional in front of someone she’d just met.
But just once, she wanted to let it all out.
This heavy knot in her chest.
“I wanted to be a Hero.”
“……”
“A Hero like Reminis. One who scatters light and saves people like me from lives of misery!”
She admired Reminis—someone who lived bathed in the brightest light, so unlike herself.
“Then why… why did it turn out like this? Why do I have to be darkness?! Yeah, I hated the world. But… but my wish to save people—that was real too!”
She loathed this Talent.
The Talent that forced her to abandon her dream of becoming a Hero, the Talent that led her to be sold to villains.
“I got caught by the villains, and now I’m their damn spy! And even now, I can’t let go of my regrets, that’s why I’m still doing this!”
Then, a blinding pain exploded in her head.
The mental trigger the organization had implanted.
But Leaf didn’t stop speaking.
“Why… why am I always stuck in between…?”
The girl silently watched as Leaf sobbed and screamed, her tears falling freely.
Haa… haa…
It was the first time in her life she’d ever opened up this much.
And to a complete stranger, no less.
But there was no time to feel embarrassed.
“Urgh…”
Her head felt like it was going to split open.
The embedded mental command considered confession an act of betrayal and was trying to kill her with pure pain.
Blood dripped freely from her nose.
The blonde girl quickly rushed to her side.
“…So that’s what it was.”
Warmth.
A soft, glowing warmth enveloped Leaf’s head.
As she cracked open her eyes, she saw a gentle white glow forming above the girl’s hand.
“Hold still.”
“…….”
Leaf’s pupils widened.
‘A light-attribute user…’
The same kind of noble, righteous power as Reminis.
“Purification.”
And with that, the searing pain that had threatened to shatter her skull vanished completely.
One of the abilities of light—purification—had broken through the implanted suggestion.
‘She really is a light-attribute user…’
Something twisted painfully in her chest.
How pathetic she must have seemed in the eyes of this girl who could wield light.
“…All done.”
The girl withdrew her hand.
Leaning back against the alley wall, Leaf let out a quiet scoff.
“Thanks.”
“……”
“You really are a light-attribute user.”
Leaf tried to sort through the feeling boiling inside her.
Inferiority.
That was the name of the emotion gnawing away at her entire being.
Even now, in the middle of everything, she felt it.
Which is probably why… she was a child of darkness.
“I knew it was impossible for me.”
“……”
“Only someone like you could become a Hero, right?”
Leaf stared blankly at the wall across from her.
Just then, a bit of graffiti caught her eye—painted on with cheap spray paint.
[LMAO LOSER]
A common alley scribble.
But somehow, it felt like it fit her perfectly.
Leaf let out a bitter chuckle.
“Hrk…”
She lowered her head.
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