Choi Seo-yoon’s presentation was clean.
With a soft and clear voice, she drew everyone’s attention.
Thus began the teachers’ greetings and sponsor introductions.
Then came the recitation of the achievements of the great mage Taehwi.
I quietly looked toward Han Se-yeon, who was sitting far away.
Seeing her at school like this made my heart flutter and feel a bit tense.
Just then, Han Se-yeon’s gaze swept the area and stopped at me.
An emotionless stare.
She was definitely looking at me.
As if trying to observe me.
I awkwardly turned my eyes away and pretended not to care, striking up a conversation with Yoon Hayoung beside me.
“Yoon Hayoung.”
“Yeah?”
“How many events are you planning to enter this time?”
“Hmm. At least five for now? I’ll decide on more depending on the situation.”
“Really?”
“What about you, Sunwoo?”
“Same here, I’ll see how things go…”
At that moment, applause broke out.
It seemed the opening ceremony had finally ended.
Choi Seo-yoon, having successfully completed her role, smiled brightly and exited the stage.
Next, manifestation-type instructor Lee Hee-young stepped up to the podium.
“Now, I will explain how the Taehwi Festival will proceed. As you all know, there’s a special scoring system called ‘Coins’ used in the Taehwi Festival.”
Coins.
It was the notorious tradition of the mage academy that set it apart from other schools’ festivals.
The system encouraged competition by awarding individual coins for various events held during the Taehwi Festival.
“The rankings will be determined by the number of coins collected over the next three days. At the closing and award ceremonies, students ranked from 1st to about 450th will receive prizes according to their rank.”
Lee Hee-young paused for breath before continuing.
“The prizes vary by rank in units of ten. Basic prizes are potions provided by Hanseong Pharmaceuticals. And for those who place within the top 5, special rewards are prepared. Now, let’s reveal the prizes.”
Something floated up above the podium.
A thin bracelet set with a blue gem.
“A bracelet item that helps enhance focus, called the ‘Sanctuary of the Soul’.”
Murmurs spread among the students.
As soon as prizes were mentioned, interest visibly grew.
Lee Hee-young continued her explanation.
“The Sanctuary of the Soul improves concentration. Not only that, but it’s also a work of art crafted by the world-renowned master of gemstone engraving, Jean Verne.”
The Sanctuary of the Soul was awarded to all students who ranked from 1st to 5th.
It could be considered a kind of trophy.
Lee Hee-young went on to introduce the prizes for each rank.
1st place prize: “Ring of the Warlord”.
2nd place: “Necklace of Amplification”.
The description continued up to the prize for 5th place.
For reference, in the original story, all the top 4 spots are taken by main characters.
Since the rewards are tied to their growth, I had no intention of interfering.
That’s why I plan to aim for 5th place.
“In addition, students who place within the top 5 will receive entry tickets to the ‘Chamber of Training’.”
Chamber of Training entry ticket.
I’m aiming for that.
But targeting exactly 5th place might be harder than expected.
Because, in the original story, 5th place was taken by a completely unexpected character.
Not even a regular character—
It was a newly introduced villain.
I turned my gaze to the second-year Class B section.
A male student was watching the stage with a curious look.
Judging by his face, he just looked like a random extra.
I used Character Insight on him.
━━
Name: Won Hyuk
Age: 82
Race: Demonkin
Condition: Calm
Magic Rank: S
Interest Level: 0
━━
An S-rank demonkin.
The main villain in the upcoming midterm event, the second demonkin invasion.
The opening ceremony ended.
Students poured out of the auditorium.
Soon, the first event of the Taehwi Festival, the “Manifestation Art Contest”, would begin.
It was a contest to test aesthetic sense—how beautifully a form could be created through manifestation.
It was quite enjoyable to watch, attracting many outside visitors.
Won Hyuk stood from his seat and looked around, when someone next to him spoke.
“Hyechan, which event did you say you were entering?”
Kim Hyechan.
The name of the student Won Hyuk was impersonating.
Last night, for the “Elimination plan of Child of Prophecy” ordered by the King, he killed the student and used “Face-Sealing Veil” to steal his identity.
“Dunno.”
“Huh? Why not?”
“…Don’t talk to me.”
“What the? Did you eat something weird?”
Just then, a blond-haired man approached with a smile.
Students bowed their heads as they saw him.
“Hello, Mr. Chris.”
“Ha ha. Hello, everyone.”
Chris—or rather, Jung Hyun—smiled and greeted them.
Then he glanced at Won Hyuk.
“Student Hyechan, may I have a word with you?”
At Jung Hyun’s words, Won Hyuk gave a small nod.
“Sure. Let’s go.”
The two headed to a secluded alley within the mage academy.
Once alone, Jung Hyun looked around and opened his mouth.
“…Lord Won Hyuk. You must play the student’s role properly.”
“I know.”
“No, I mean you need to do it more convincingly. Be friendlier.”
“What do you expect from someone with a personality like mine?”
At Won Hyuk’s chilling tone, Jung Hyun fell silent.
Among the demonkin within the Ten Demon Council, Won Hyuk was known for his rigid and inflexible personality.
Not to mention, he was arrogant and cruel.
His temperament often caused turmoil within the Ten Demon Council.
But no one could say a word against him.
At the age of 82, he was the oldest member of the group.
Among the demonkin, who valued bonds and loyalty, there was a strong culture of respecting elders.
“…We still have time before the plan begins. You must avoid any situation that might arouse suspicion, no matter what.”
“I know. Though, if I’d known it would be this annoying, I should’ve followed your advice and stolen the identity just a day before the operation.”
Won Hyuk muttered quietly.
It started out as something interesting, but now it was just tedious.
That human brat who spoke to him earlier—he’d almost killed him in a moment of rage.
He was barely holding back the urge to kill, but if this continued, who knew what would happen.
“…How about assigning someone else the role until the day of the operation?”
“No. I’ll take care of the mess I made. Don’t interfere.”
“…Understood.”
“By the way, this Taehwi Festival is pretty amusing.”
“Yes, it’s the academy’s festival. Ah, and just so you know—don’t do anything that draws attention during the festival.”
Won Hyuk fell silent.
The prize for 5th place—the bracelet with the blue gem—had really caught his interest.
Though its abilities weren’t anything special, he desired it purely as a work of art.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Take care of it, my ass.”
Jung Hyun barely restrained the curses threatening to escape his lips.
He didn’t want to die today.
Seeing with my own eyes that an S-rank demonkin had been inserted into the story made me tense up without realizing.
It’s only natural—S-ranks are extremely rare even globally.
Now, the demonkin storyline is about to begin in earnest.
Won Hyuk is the kind of character who injects a strange tension into the previously peaceful academy.
He had an unpredictable, violent nature that could explode at any time, and was also stubborn and prideful to a fault.
The fact that he showed up at such an odd time really showed how he lived on his own terms.
“Why the serious face?”
That was Yoo Ara, next to me.
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing.”
“…Really?”
Yoo Ara nodded, then added,
“Anyway, there are a lot of people.”
I looked around. Many tourists had come to watch the festival. Children were holding snacks in their hands.
“Everyone looks like they’re having fun.”
“It is a festival, after all. And there’s fireworks tomorrow night too.”
“Yeah. Hayoung’s really looking forward to that.”
Yoo Ara looked at me and said,
“So, what’s your goal for this Taehwi Festival? Going for 1st place?”
“No.”
It’d be nice to get 1st, but I had no desire to take Lee Seo-jun’s prize.
And he wouldn’t be easy to beat anyway.
“5th place is enough.”
“…What? That’s a pretty modest goal.”
“Modest? You have no idea how hard 5th place is.”
I said it while thinking of Won Hyuk, who’d be my main competition, but Yoo Ara just chuckled like I was joking.
“Drama queen.”
“Oh, right. Want to team up for a group event?”
“Group event?”
“There’s a two-person hunting test tomorrow. You just have to catch as many monsters as you can within the time limit to win.”
“Sounds simple enough. I’m in.”
Yoo Ara nodded.
I smiled in satisfaction.
With this, we’ve got 1st place in the bag for at least one event.
No one can match Yoo Ara when it comes to hunting.
Beeep—
[The Manifestation Art Contest will begin in the Future Hall in 10 minutes.]
[Participants and spectators, please make your way to the Future Hall promptly.]
“The event’s starting.”
Yoo Ara said.
The Manifestation Art Competition.
It was a contest where participants used magic to create things like beautiful works of art.
I gave up early on, since I’m not exactly the imaginative type.
“I’m heading off now.”
Yoo Ara told me. Seems like she’s entering the Manifestation Art Competition.
“You’re doing the running event, right?”
“Yeah.”
It’s one of the few areas I’m confident in, so I’m definitely joining.
“Do well. You’re fast, after all. Oh, and Lee Seo-jun’s entering that one too.”
I already knew that.
With him in the race, winning first place is probably a stretch. Still, I should at least be able to get second. My physical abilities have improved a lot recently.
“Anyway, I’m off. Gotta get to the art competition.”
“Yeah. Do your best.”
Yoo Ara smiled at my words.
“You too.”
The topmost floor of the Korean Mage Academy.
This was the ‘Headmaster’s Office,’ used by the person holding the highest position at the academy.
Choi Ilhyeon walked through the room, gazing with interest at the many magical tools and mysterious ornaments displayed on the walls.
“Pretty fancy setup.”
As he kept walking, he came across a massive cabinet. Choi Ilhyeon instinctively sensed the magical energy sealed within it.
When he lightly injected mana into it, the cabinet swung open, revealing a hidden space.
It was such a classic setup that Choi Ilhyeon couldn’t help but chuckle.
Once inside, he saw shelves filled with books—and photographs.
There were pictures of past headmasters, photos commemorating significant events at the school, and even group graduation photos.
It seemed to be a kind of hall of fame, holding the academy’s history.
Choi Ilhyeon scanned the graduation photos until he stopped at one from 2006.
A handsome male student was smiling. Next to him stood a beautiful female student.
And in between them, not as good-looking as the other two but grinning brightly—was himself.
“Ilhyeon, is that you?”
A deep, mature voice sounded from behind him. Choi Ilhyeon turned around.
“When you said you were coming in as an external instructor, I thought I’d be the first person you’d visit. Tsk.”
“Sir.”
“How long are you going to keep calling me that?”
“Then what should I call you?”
Choi Ilhyeon asked with a small smile.
“Call me Headmaster.”
“I don’t like that.”
“Tsk. Still a stubborn brat, even after all these years.”
Jang Bongjin, headmaster of the Mage Academy, muttered.
Choi Ilhyeon chuckled and stepped out of the room.
Jang Bongjin brought out tea and handed him a cup. Choi Ilhyeon took a sip.
“It’s really lively with the Taehwi Festival going on.”
“Well, yeah. Tons of outsiders came to watch. Reporters, broadcasters, all sorts of weird folks too.”
Choi Ilhyeon looked out the window.
The schoolyard was packed with people. One of the Taehwi Festival’s events—the foot race—was being prepared.
“Still, I was surprised. I never thought you’d actually come here to teach. Didn’t you say you were doing research or something? You gave that up?”
“No. I haven’t quit. Just taking a break. There’s a student who caught my interest.”
Choi Ilhyeon glanced back out the window.
There, Kim Sunwoo and Lee Seo-jun were getting ready for the foot race. They kept chatting with each other, like they were pretty close.
“…Yeah, this year’s second years are interesting. They’re called a once-in-a-generation group for a reason. Keep an eye on them. It’ll be fun.”
At Jang Bongjin’s words, Choi Ilhyeon smiled.
“Once-in-a-generation, huh. Our generation was called that too, back in the day. Seems like they slap that title on anyone these days.”
“Hmph. Your group wasn’t once-in-a-generation. More like worst-ever.”
Worst-ever, huh.
Choi Ilhyeon gave a dry laugh.
“But there’s a weird amount of overlap between this generation and ours.”
“…”
“Take Lee Seo-jun, for example. And Yoo Ara—Jiho’s daughter, right? She’s just like her dad, too. Exactly the same personality.”
Jang Bongjin fell silent at that.
Choi Ilhyeon kept watching the race. Lee Seo-jun and Kim Sunwoo were running neck and neck. It was so close, he couldn’t tell who would win.
“The atmosphere really is similar to back then. Maybe it’s coincidence, but a lot of our generation’s kids ended up here. The only difference is… there’s no maniac like you.”
No one like me, huh.
Choi Ilhyeon smiled quietly.
“Maybe not a maniac, but… there is someone who reminds me of my younger self.”
—Goal!
Lee Seo-jun and Kim Sunwoo crossed the finish line. Lee Seo-jun won by a narrow margin.
Kim Sunwoo looked disappointed. Guess he really thought he could win, even with a body suited for manifestation-type magic.
Choi Ilhyeon stared intently at Kim Sunwoo’s face.
A small, hidden villa somewhere in Gangwon-do. Fifteen people sat inside, tension thick in the air.
“Fifteen people, huh.”
“Didn’t expect that. Looks like some pretty big names showed up, too.”
Jung Kyungwon, an S-rank mercenary, looked around and then spoke to a man with dark shadows under his eyes sitting across from him.
“You—I know who you are. You’re the Sword Demon, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“Wow. That Han Se-jin guy’s something else, recruiting someone like you. What’d you get in return?”
“You don’t need to know.”
These people had been secretly gathered by Han Se-jin to form the Jaun Subjugation Squad.
And every mercenary here had one of the highest bounties in the magical world.
“I recognize a few faces. But you—hood guy—who are you?”
At Jung Kyungwon’s question, one person in a hood turned their head.
“Don’t talk to me.”
The voice was soft and delicate. Only the mouth was visible under the hood, but it was clear the speaker was a woman.
Then Jung Kyungwon noticed the woman’s hand.
“Tattoos? Wait… is that a magic circle?”
The hooded woman didn’t reply.
“Damn. You really tattooed a magic circle onto your body? You’re a support-type mage, right? Is it a barrier spell?”
“…”
Still no response. Jung Kyungwon gave a sheepish smile.
“Either way, that’s wild. Tattoo magic, huh? Not everyone can handle that. I heard most people can’t stand the heat and end up getting it removed.”
“If you take enough painkillers or other meds, it’s bearable.”
The hooded woman finally replied.
“…You seriously power through that with meds? You’re completely nuts.”
Jung Kyungwon muttered, looking at her with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. Her hair was dyed red, maybe. It was hard to tell clearly under the hood.
“…Wait. That’s not the only tattoo? And you’ve got magic piercings in your ears too? You’re really pushing your body to the limit, huh?”
“Could you mind your own business?”
She spoke with a slightly irritable tone. But Jung Kyungwon didn’t back down.
“You’re one of the minority clans, aren’t you?”
“…What?”
The hooded woman flinched and turned her head. Her eyes weren’t visible under the hood, but the glare was noticeable. Jung Kyungwon saw that and felt sure of it.
Definitely from one of the minority clans.
“Most people who are that out-there tend to be from those clans.”
“Shut your mouth.”
Her voice was now mixed with murderous intent.
“…Uh, yeah. Sorry.”
Jung Kyungwon quickly apologized, realizing he’d really struck a nerve.
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