episode_0180

A vast cradle site comparable to a small city. On top of a huge defensive wall that surrounds it without any gaps.

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, with a bushy beard and bushy hair, was leaning against the wall, smoking a cigarette.

“Hoo… ”

He exhaled a puff of colored smoke and looked down with an annoyed look in his eyes.

– We sincerely welcome you to the Cradle, the first specialized higher education institution for wizard training. All visitors are required to wear an identification tag and…

Even though it is the first day of the social gathering, visitors from all walks of life are already pouring in like a flood. The voice of the amplifier resonates ceaselessly, guiding them.

A neat and clean street without a speck of dust. Dozens of beautiful trees along it are lit up with colorful twinkling lights. The Hwayang Hall, where the main event will be held, and the large and small halls where various small gatherings will be held are busy preparing to welcome guests.

“… Tsk.”

But in the midst of this dazzling festival, his expression crumpled as if he was displeased with something.

Professor Kwon recalled what happened at the last faculty meeting.

*

“The Board of Education has already reached the same conclusion.”

Professor Noh Jong-ha, a fat and grumpy-looking man, spoke while twitching his characteristic mustache.

“This year’s social gathering period even overlaps with National Foundation Day! How can this be passed off as a small school event? Think about it, think about it.”

“But didn’t Haewolhwa-nim clearly ask you to pay special attention to the security of the cradle while she was in the south?”

” Professor Moon is right! In this time of chaos, a full opening? And it could easily be seen as an excessive luxury to the outside world… ”

“Oh, it’s a time of chaos, so we should hold it grandly! The more dissatisfied the people are, the more entertainment we have to throw at them.”

The protest of the young female professor, Shin Jae-yu, was buried in the story of the fat middle-aged professor.

“Isn’t that the same tone being shown in the Supreme Council? That’s why the last Nakseongil Festival was held on the largest scale ever. Our cradle should also show its cooperation.”

“But the principal… ”

“Of course, the principal said that because he was worried about security.”

There was a distinct note of sarcasm in the mustachioed professor’s voice.

“It’s not like he’s been acting like a bully for a day or two. He’s just always grumpy. He’s not the type of person who can’t stand to see students playing around. Of course, this time too… ”

“What did you say? Professor Noh. Even though the principal is out, aren’t you being too rude? You’ve already been scolded for your poor research results, so it’s difficult.”

Professor Shin Jae-yu let out a hollow laugh as if it wasn’t even funny.

“And Professor Noh, isn’t it not your place to say something like that? There are a lot of rumors that you only favor children from good families. I don’t think that’s something a professor should do?”

“What, what? Where did you dare to spread such a rumor…! This is defamation!”

“I said the wrong thing! And since we’re on the subject, why on earth does that girl, Yena, bully you so much! Every time she’s called to the office, she comes out with her eyes bright red! Please behave yourself!”

“What, what is it!”

“Why are you both suddenly like that!”

“Calm down for a moment…!”

As soon as the fat professor got up from his seat, the faculty office became a scene of chaos. Only Professor Kwon Chan-yeol, with his ponytail, was sitting in his seat, deep in thought.

‘… Have you heard anything from Paechon?’

Certainly, there was a strange sense of discomfort in Professor Noh’s passionate appearance.

It was already publicly known that he was receiving support from Paechun. Paechun had also been consistently urging the Education Committee to open the cradle to the outside world during the social period.

The fierce political confrontation between the Paechun and Jeokhwa continued for over 10 years.

The Red Army was defeated by an unexpected self-destruction, but Paechun never seized the power he had dreamed of.

Because Black Lotus, who had put everything aside and been shut in like a dead mouse, suddenly declared her return to the Supreme Council.

‘Maybe he’s trying to create some kind of turning point by targeting social events…’

“If you’re that worried, why don’t you have someone else take care of the outside security? I’ll take responsibility for the security of the main facilities on campus!”

The shouts of the fat professor with a red face echoed loudly throughout the faculty office.

*

“Senior? You were slacking off again!”

Professor Kwon was woken from his reverie by a scream that rang in his eardrums.

He frowned and turned his head to the side.

A short-haired female professor who had come over before he knew it was looking at him with a playful expression.

“What are you slacking off for? Can’t you see that I’m working hard on guard duty?”

Professor Kwon finished blowing out the cigarette ash and then rebuked Professor Shin Jae-yu.

“And you’re a senior. Shouldn’t you be addressing me properly? You should be calling me professor… ”

“So what? There are only two of us.”

The sight of the female professor not even pretending to listen and instead just letting the words slip left me speechless.

“Sigh… ”

“Okay, why are you so dead? On such a nice day.”

“It’s a good day, so it’s a deathbed.”

“Anyway, it’s gloomy. That’s why you can’t get married even at that age.”

Professor Shin Jae-yu stuck his tongue out at him.

“Is it for security reasons?”

“Uh.”

Professor Kwon Chan-yeol answered reluctantly.

“But why do you look so excited? After getting into a huge fight with Professor Noh.”

“Oh my, don’t mention that fat guy. See? This is so creepy… ”

The female professor frowned and waved her hand.

“What can I do about something that’s already been decided?”

The female professor spoke in a calm voice.

“Since it’s come to this, I should enjoy it. It’s nice that there are a lot of people and it’s noisy. Somehow my heart feels like it’s beating fast… and I’m reminded of old times… ”

Her eyes, looking down at the classroom, reflected the past of more than ten years ago.

“Do you remember? I had a huge fight with that guy Sa Jae-hyeok over there.”

“How could I forget that?”

Professor Kwon shook his head as if he was at a loss.

“You were really you. How could a country bumpkin think of putting the cheek of the heir to a prestigious family? That’s why there was a cold war with Sehwa for a while, right?”

“Huh. If you don’t want to be hit, you should have behaved properly.”

Professor Shin Jae-yu pouted.

“To be clear, that was too much for Sehwa. How could she be the president of the student council and take the side of the bad students? With all her manly fandom… Oh my… ”

The voice of the female professor who had been grumbling for a long time was gradually dying down.

“Still, those days were good…no matter what I did, it was fun…and unnie Yoojung is still… ”

The female professor, who had unknowingly mentioned someone’s name, hurriedly changed the subject as if brushing him off.

“Oh my, let’s stop talking about old times. Instead, should I just take out my school uniform and wear it for the first time in a while? If I mix in with them, no one will know.”

“At that age, a school uniform… Are you some kind of Haewolhwa? Even your appearance makes you look even lower… That’s enough.”

Professor Kwon hurriedly stopped talking after seeing the female professor’s face crumpled up in a fierce manner.

“… Yeah, what can I do about something that’s already been decided? ”

In fact, the principal’s request was more like a warning.

The cradle is a space designed with terrorism in mind. Even the sewers are built in a closed manner and are directly connected to the sea, so there is absolutely no room for intrusion from the outside.

Add to that the high walls, hundreds of automated security guards, and a constant presence of magicians.

The only access point is the thick main gate, which is blocked by various security devices such as a magic meter and a demon detector.

Although it is open to the outside world, only those from prestigious families who have undergone thorough identity verification are permitted to visit. 30% of them are experts from the National Guard who were dispatched upon request for support during the social period.

Even Professor Noh Jong-ha, the fat, mustachioed man, is also an unrivaled expert in exploration and transformation. If he wasn’t like that, he wouldn’t have received support from Paechun in the first place.

However, his personality is just hitting rock bottom.

“There really shouldn’t be anything wrong… ”

Professor Kwon let out a deep sigh of concern.

“The noise is really annoying… ”

***

Jin Ye-seo, dressed in a flowing one-piece dress, was waiting for someone under the tree in the schoolyard.

He wore a ridiculous monkey mask on his face, but it didn’t seem to be an attempt to hide his identity. His brilliant blond hair and green-gleaming eyes still commanded attention.

Rather, it had a somewhat playful aspect to it.

More than half of those walking around were wearing various masks sold at street stalls and making a fuss, and Jin Ye-seo was also happy to join their ranks.

“Hoo… Hoo… ”

Even though a fresh breeze filled the schoolyard, Jin Ye-seo kept fanning himself like someone who had fallen into the middle of summer.

I couldn’t be more grateful that I was wearing a mask.

Judging by the hot heat on her face, she must have been looking extremely embarrassed and ridiculous right now for a member of the Five Families.

‘Why, why is it like this… If it’s going to be like this from the beginning, what are you going to do…?’

Jin Ye-seo was pounding her chest to calm her burning heart.

At the sound of someone approaching her directly, she reflexively turned around with a bright smile.

“Why are you coming now… Huh?”

But Jin Ye-seo’s face immediately distorted with disappointment.

Instead of the man she had been expecting, a greasy looking male student with oily skin was waving his hand at her.

“Hey, I was wondering who this is. Is it your junior, Jin Ye-seo?”

“Cheon Su-ho… Senior?”

The joy faded away as quickly as the ashes left behind. Jin Ye-seo stared at the approaching male student with cold eyes, pretending to be friendly.

“Your one piece is pretty. What were you doing alone? Don’t you have any friends?”

“… I’m waiting now.”

The male student paid no attention to Jin Ye-seo’s cold response, which was like frost. Instead, he came closer and began to talk to her actively.

“Ahem, I see. Of course, it’s good to be with female students, but it seems a bit dangerous for a freshman to be alone on a busy day like this. I need a reliable senior like me… ”

‘ha…’

The uninvited leech didn’t seem to have any intention of falling on its own feet. Jin Ye-seo sighed deeply inwardly. Since he wasn’t paying any attention to Cheon Su-ho’s words, only the mumbling sound filled his ears.

“I’ve heard a lot about Harin… When I saw her in person, she was even prettier than I’d heard… ”

The narcissistic man’s words were becoming more and more outrageous.

Jin Ye-seo also knew Cheon Su-ho to some extent. He was the older brother of Cheon Ha-rin, a student council executive member who formed the Baek Seo-yeon faction together.

Didn’t his name come up at the last student council meeting?

‘It’s not good for you, Yeonmin-ha… Are you doing this to me now?’

I didn’t like Yeonmin-ha at all, but it seemed so obvious who was at fault for the last uproar.

‘How pathetic. What kind of third-year student would flirt with a freshman who’s not even a second-year student…’

“Senior, you are so strict, so I can call you oppa comfortably… ”

“Excuse me, senior.”

Jin Ye-seo, who could no longer tolerate this disgrace, stopped the man from speaking.

“I think my friend will be arriving soon. I’m sorry, but I’d like you to go now.”

“Huh, huh?”

A polite but cold and firm rejection. Third-year student Cheon Su-ho made an expression that said he really hadn’t expected it.

“Shouldn’t you be enjoying socializing with your friends as well? Don’t waste time on useless things.”

“Ah, ahaha… What a waste of time… What kind of sad thing is that between us… ”

‘Between us?’

Jin Ye-seo swallowed a hollow laugh at the man’s words.

“Our example fingers are also really pretty. By the way, it’s not even half the size of my hand.”

The male student, who was desperately looking for something to continue the conversation, looked at Jin Ye-seo’s hands, who were linked arms.

“Excuse me, senior. What are you doing now… ”

“Want to shake hands with me? Yeah? Since you’re so small and delicate… ”

‘이 개새끼가 이게 무슨…’

Jin Ye-seo cursed inwardly as she watched the male student stretching out his arm without permission. The only reason she treated him like a senior, even though she didn’t want to, was because she didn’t want to create a fuss before meeting her boyfriend.

She planned to kick the boy’s buttocks out before he could reach her arms.

“Kkaaaak!”

But the boy’s attempt was in vain before Jinyeseo could move. Suddenly, he started screaming like a little girl and twisting his body.

In contrast to the male student who was in pain, Jin Ye-seo smiled brightly as if she was very happy.

“You, you punk! Guard! Guard! What the hell is that weird guy here… Kyaak!”

“Well, I guess it’s you, not me, who’s weird.”

A monster with a lion head pulled over his face suddenly appeared from somewhere, grabbed Cheon Soo-ho’s wrist, and twisted it.

“What the hell are you doing to another man’s woman?”

Beyond the mask, the monster’s eyes radiated an overwhelming sense of intimidation in all directions.