Inside an unknown location,
A man knelt on the ground and spoke respectfully to the mysterious figure in front of him.
"Sir, everything has been prepared."
The mysterious figure remained silent. The kneeling man could sense his anger, and his body began to tremble subtly. After a time he could not measure, the mysterious figure finally spoke:
"And what about that cursed human? Do you not know why he disappeared suddenly?"
The man trembled more noticeably and lowered his head.
"Sorry, sir… nothing so far."
After these words, the atmosphere suddenly turned terrifying. A strange force flung the kneeling man backward with great strength, slamming him into the wall behind him. He started coughing.
"Useless."
The man gathered all his strength and knelt again, lowering his head.
"Sorry, sir."
The mysterious figure spoke coldly:
"If there is any problem with the preparations, I will erase you from existence. Why should I keep useless people?"
The half-kneeling man spoke:
"…We will do our best."
The mysterious figure looked at him with disgust and spoke irritably:
"If it weren't for the King's law forbidding nobles from leaving, I wouldn't have bothered sending you."
"Enough. You may leave."
The man said nothing and quickly exited upon receiving the order.
...
Inside the academy, in the teachers' building, in an unknown room,
After the figure shrouded in darkness examined the paper he had just received, he burned it and then sat on a sofa in the room.
He looked at a table filled with photos of many students. In the center were photos of Kay and Elisa, followed by the twins, Agnes, Ira, and some students who appeared to be talented.
"Hmm… it seems he wants to accelerate the plan."
The man crossed one leg over the other and laughed sarcastically.
"Heh, there are so many delicious opportunities this year that they sent me."
...
Steven was quietly eating his meal when he suddenly heard footsteps approaching. A tray of food was abruptly placed on the table in front of him.
Steven stopped eating and looked up at the person in front of him.
Nathan smiled and tilted his head questioningly.
"What? Why are you looking at me? Friends should eat together."
Steven furrowed his brows.
'Friends! Friends! Why is he obsessed with being my friend?'
Suddenly, a memory from his previous life appeared—a time when he was a child, still obsessed with making friends.
Steven lowered his eyes and continued eating quietly.
When Nathan saw Steven's response, he raised his eyebrows slightly, then sat down and picked up his spoon.
He didn't start eating immediately; instead, he suddenly raised his eye patch and stared at Steven, who was turning his spoon calmly.
Suddenly, the spoon stopped spinning.
Steven noticed all of Nathan's movements. When the spoon stopped, Steven paused eating and looked at Nathan.
Nathan appeared astonished and frozen. Steven frowned as he stared at him.
'Is he using his ability again?… Why is he doing this? Didn't he already use it on me before? Why does he need to use it again?'
After about five minutes, Nathan's astonishment disappeared, and the spoon fell from his hand.
Nathan raised his hands to cover half of his face, then stood up and turned to leave quickly. Before leaving, he spoke softly:
"I'll go; I've lost my appetite."
He walked quickly and left the cafeteria.
Steven was stunned by the strange events occurring.
Steven was good at analyzing people's personalities and perhaps their actions, but for the first time in his life, he couldn't interpret a fourteen-year-old child.
So far, there was nothing to interpret from this Nathan.
Steven sighed and also got up, leaving his meal unfinished as he had lost his appetite.
As he was about to leave, someone bumped into his shoulder.
Steven looked— it was Kay!
Kay looked at Steven and was about to apologize, but Ira stopped him.
She looked at Steven cautiously.
"Since when do you know Nathan?"
Steven looked at the group behind Ira and Kay, where the twins, Agnes, and even Elisa stood. The group seemed complete except for David.
Steven averted his gaze and spoke calmly:
"I don't know him."
He bypassed them and left the cafeteria.
Ira looked in shock at Steven's disappearing figure, then clenched her jaw and fist tightly.
"This… this… is he mocking me by saying he doesn't know him?"
Agnes tried to calm her:
"Calm down, maybe he really doesn't know him."
Ira spoke:
"That's impossible! Didn't you see Nathan talking to him normally? Have you ever seen Nathan like this before?"
Agnes hesitated:
"Well… this is the first time I've seen him talk to someone without hitting them."
Ira bit her lip.
"So why do you think he answered that he doesn't know him? He's just mocking me. Since they are friends, they are similar."
Agnes subtly nodded, turned, and spoke to everyone:
"Sorry, maybe I should borrow Ira for a while."
Kay and the twins shook their heads, showing they didn't care and she could go.
Agnes took Ira and left.
Then Elisa turned and said:
"I'll go too; I have something to do."
She left quickly.
Kay and the twins looked at each other, then shrugged.
...
"Ira! What's wrong with you? Didn't you say it wouldn't affect you anymore?"
Agnes pulled Ira's hand and looked at her seriously.
Ira looked away from Agnes's eyes.
"I… it doesn't affect me."
Agnes sighed, then softened her voice:
"Ira, I've told you this before, and I'll tell you again."
"He's different now, and he won't be like before. So accept it, okay?"
Ira remained silent and bit her lip.
Seeing Ira's silent response, Agnes continued:
"So don't pay him any attention. He has done enough to prove he has changed, and you saw it for yourself."
Ira sighed and smiled weakly:
"Yes… what you say is true."
...
"Wait, Steven."
Elisa hurried after Steven before he disappeared into the large academy.
Steven stopped and looked at Elisa with some curiosity.
'Huh? What does she want?'
Elisa stopped and, before Steven could speak, said:
"Ira thinks you're mocking her by saying you don't know Nathan."
Steven showed a confused expression.
'Huh? Why does Ira think I'm mocking her? But… why is Elisa telling me this?'
Elisa paused briefly, then spoke:
"It seems you're interested in this group. I noticed you looking at them several times, so I can be your informant."
Steven was puzzled.
"Informant? What do you mean?"
Elisa spoke with slightly bright eyes:
"I can consider myself part of their group now, so I'd be a good informant."
Steven frowned.
"What do you want?"
Elisa's face lit up, and she spoke quickly:
"I want Mark's number. I couldn't get it yesterday because I left quickly, so can you give it to me? Of course, in exchange for being your informant."
Steven's eyes widened; he never expected this. Did she come to him to make a deal for Mark's number?! He felt amused—Mark's reaction would be hilarious if Elisa got his number.
'Sorry, Mark.'
"…Alright."
Steven gave Elisa Mark's number. After getting it, she left.
After this long day, Steven returned to his shared room just minutes before curfew.
He found Nathan lying on his bed, his hand above his head. Nathan looked asleep, but Steven could tell he was awake by his breathing.
"…."
Steven went to the bathroom, showered, and after coming out, turned off the lights and lay on his bed.
Before sleeping, Nathan spoke:
"…You really are pathetic, even to me."
Steven turned his head toward Nathan, who had turned to the opposite side and was breathing steadily.
Steven sighed.
'What a terrible writer… how did I write a novel full of oddities?'
'It's even just the first day. Why can't I understand my own novel?'
...
The next morning,
Steven sat at his desk and opened his academy watch. He had joined the academy group yesterday and had to sign a contract not to leak any academy events outside.
The academy's policies were very strict. Once someone enters, it feels like entering an isolated island in the middle of the ocean, except for some trainings where teachers personally take students out. There is a three-month holiday every year.
Of course, the academy provides all life, entertainment, and educational needs.
Steven opened the academy group and began browsing the messages.
Of course, all news was shared in this group, from which Steven could gather clues about the main events in the story.
He had to read all the chats, extract information, connect the data, understand it, and finally act on it before it was too late.
[
usergvvw22:
The new students are very nice.
userijb1j629:
No, they are very annoying.
userpjbu#17:
Yes, didn't you hear? The children of the great families have joined the academy this year—it's going to be very intense.
usergbb86:
Forget it. Even if they are from noble families, they were defeated by two regular students. They seem weak.
useronb44:
No, I heard that the students who got first and second place reached C rank.
usergccv31:
Impossible!!
useruonk79:
Hey, we're the new students who joined the group. You can't talk about us without us.
userbbei00:
Great! So I wasn't the only one who joined now.
userkjj489:
Hey friends, my dormmate didn't return yesterday before curfew, and today I can't find him anywhere.
userjjbs77:
LOL, you new students don't know the curfew penalty. You can say goodbye to your friend.
userkjj489:
Was he expelled from the academy?!
userjjbs77:
You can see your friend after 15 days. Hahaha, he will be disciplined well.
userbnj899:
Oh my god! The academy is scarier than the monsters.
]
Steven narrowed his eyes.
'Did the events start now, or was this disappearance because he wandered during curfew?'
...