episode_0017

In my imagination, the principal was an old man with white hair and a beard, wearing horn-rimmed glasses, so the identity of the woman was a bit surprising.

From her youthful appearance, I couldn’t at all imagine her as the principal. I thought she might be a friend of the principal or a staff member.

Come to think of it, the woman had introduced herself as ‘Haewolhwa’.

I’ve never heard that name before, but I remember hearing about a person called ‘Teacher Hae’ occasionally in my sisters’ conversations.

They said there were several times when they almost burned down the house in anger because of the troublemaking principal.

I can’t help but think that the woman in front of me might be that person.

Come to think of it, they said there are powerful magicians who maintain their youthful appearance even as they age.

And if the principal and my sisters refer to her as a teacher, despite her appearance, she might be quite older than she looks.

Now, I think I understand a bit why there was such depth in the woman’s eyes.

“I didn’t know you were the principal. I just…”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about it. Originally, our staff should have come to greet you, but I was curious and came out on my own.”

“Curious…about me?”

“Yes. Didn’t I just say that?”

Haewolhwa looked at me with a smile. It was like a breeze blowing, softly echoing in the greenhouse.

“A student recommended for enrollment after 18 years has appeared, so naturally, curiosity is inevitable.”

“…”

“A guy who never had any interest in politics directly nominating a student for enrollment was something I never imagined. And to top it off, the recommended student wears a suspicious mask? Who could have predicted such an interesting turn of events. Hehe…”

“The…mask…”

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ve already heard the gist of it and given my approval.”

“Thank you…”

“It’s nothing. Students who express uniqueness have always been a part of the academy. After all, magicians are quite a peculiar bunch.”

Haewolhwa waved her hand as if she didn’t care.

“But, any disadvantages in social relationships that arise from this, you’ll have to bear them entirely. That’s something I can’t help with.”

“…I’m aware of that.”

It was an unavoidable choice, but living an academy life like this was quite nerve-wracking for me as well.

While the principal and my sisters were familiar, people who didn’t know me would naturally react like the guards earlier.

Although receiving the principal’s endorsement eased my mind a bit…I still honestly wasn’t sure if I could fulfill the demands the principal had made of me.

“Yes, yes. But aside from the mask…there’s something else that catches my eye more…”

The principal nodded and suddenly changed the subject. Then, she started staring at me intensely.

“Um…Principal…?”

“Truly strange. Clear. Absurdly faint. How can such a magician exist? No, is it even possible for someone to be a magician in the first place?”

Haewolhwa muttered with a strange expression. I felt a sinking feeling in my chest for a moment.

The principal had said that her abilities and the way I use magic should never be revealed to others who are fundamentally different.

I had been warned to be cautious even before coming to the academy, so by now, I had long been able to naturally conceal my abilities as if breathing. It was the same now.

However, the current situation was still very burdensome. The sharp gaze of a magician with insight felt like it could pierce through the mask.

“Um…Principal?”

Fixed gaze, Haewolhwa gradually narrowed the distance as if possessed. Now, even feeling her shallow breath was incredibly awkward. This discomfort stemmed from personal reasons rather than her beauty.

“Ah?”

Unable to hold back any longer, I woke Haewolhwa up. The principal seemed to regain his composure upon hearing my voice.

Suddenly, I felt relieved that she was wearing a mask. If she had shown her face, would the principal have not slapped her and run away long ago?

“Ahem, I’m sorry. It seems I got too lost in thought at my age… I have no excuse…”

“It’s okay.”

Haewolhwa, who lifted her gaze, spoke with a tone full of apologies. But it seemed like her business with me was not over yet.

The principal raised his hand to his chin and pondered for a while. After a few minutes passed, he finally relaxed and looked back at me.

“Hey. I have a favor to ask… Would you mind hearing me out?”

***

“A favor…?”

“Yes. I have a matter of concern lately, and it seems like there’s no one suitable for the job other than you.”

Haewolhwa nodded in response to my question.

At first, I didn’t quite understand what he meant. What kind of favor could the principal of a prestigious academy have for someone like me, whom he just met today?

The situation itself was very uncomfortable, and if I answered incorrectly, it could become quite troublesome.

After much deliberation, I responded in the most polite manner possible.

“…Could I hear you out first before making a decision?”

“Of course. That’s a very good attitude. Caution is one of the important virtues for a magician.”

Whether my effort had an effect or not, Haewolhwa nodded with a satisfied expression.

“…And I want to tell you in advance, if the favor I ask for causes any harm to the headmaster and the sisters…”

“Don’t worry. It’s been a long time since I graduated, but those kids were once my precious students. I wouldn’t ask for anything harmful.”

Before I could finish my sentence, Haewolhwa immediately shook her head.

“…I’m sorry. That’s not what I meant.”

“No. Seeing your close relationship with them makes me feel good too. Don’t worry about it.”

Haewolhwa smiled lightly.

“I actually think the opposite. If I could help those kids even a little bit, it would be good, not harmful. Now, where should I start…”

The principal took a sip of his tea, took a deep breath, and began to explain.

Depending on the person, it may vary slightly, but it is said that magicians are most powerful right after their awakening, and their abilities gradually decline due to the aging of their bodies.

In other words, the nursery, a place where young magicians who have just awakened are gathered, is one of the places where the most powerful magicians in the country gather.

Moreover, a considerable number of the students at the nursery were children of prestigious families, so naturally, the political trends and changes within the nursery also have a significant impact outside.

Currently, South Korea could be said to be a country maintained by magicians. Without them, the whole country would have been in chaos due to demons, dark magicians, and rebel forces.

Therefore, the most important resource could also be said to be magicians, but the demand is overflowing while the supply is always lacking.

The students from prestigious families at the nursery always made efforts to secure talented individuals. Unless it seriously affected their studies, professors did not restrict students’ activities. After all, the nursery was established with that purpose in mind.

Although it seemed like a place where a bomb could go off at any moment just by listening to it, it had maintained a balance in its own way due to the complex intertwining of various interests.

Throughout history, there have been numerous small disturbances, but never once has there been a major event that shook things up.

However, everything changed after the simultaneous enrollment of the two young ladies from the two prominent families last year.

“…Hoo. Have you ever heard of the First Five Families by any chance?”

The principal let out a deep sigh. His face showed signs of a headache.

Although it was a story that he had no interest in when he lived in the village, he had heard the name when teaching the basics of etiquette to his younger sisters before their enrollment.

The Black Lotus family.

The White Heaven family.

The Scarlet Flame family.

The Moonlight Sea family.

The White Light family.

Among the various prestigious and deeply rooted magical families, the direct descendants of the first five magicians who flourished in the dawn era were called the First Five Families.

The female students mentioned by the principal were the young ladies of the White Heaven and Scarlet Flame families.

The two families, even if it was an understatement to call them archenemies, had a very strained relationship, which was evident from their early childhood.

Both were born with exceptional beauty, and their skills were unmatched, surpassing even active duty soldiers or veteran hunters.

Their skills were so evenly matched that it was impossible to determine superiority, and to make matters worse, their personalities were polar opposites.

Those who considered themselves followers gathered around them like clouds, and the voluntary skirmishes between these students caused a great headache for the academy last year.

The incidents that occurred over the past year were more than all the incidents that had occurred in the past five years combined, and it is said that as many as seven students were expelled last year.

The fierce competition continued for a while, but now the situation was heavily leaning towards the White Heaven family’s young lady, the winner.

The stark difference in their personalities was the cause of this.

Unlike the White Heaven young lady, who treated students kindly regardless of their background, the Scarlet Flame young lady’s noble arrogance and fierce temperament turned away many students of similar backgrounds.

Furthermore, although it was a close call, the White Heaven lady had never once missed being the top student in academics or combat.

“…Now, a year later, the winner is almost certain… Just thinking about last year still gives me a headache…”

After finishing his long explanation, the principal cleared his throat.

However, despite being somewhat interesting, a single question arose in my mind after hearing the story.

It was extremely difficult to find the connection between the principal’s request and the story he had just told.

Carefully expressing my question, the principal finally brought up the main point with his characteristic smile.

“…I want you to support the child of the Scarlet Flame family.”