The Academy’s Deceased Ate It All

"Just a little longer now…."

Yoon Seul-hye, who'd been holed up in a performers' waiting room with no time even to feel nostalgic about being back at the Academy after so long, murmured to herself quietly.

The image of Choi Jun-hyeong came back to her — telling her he wouldn't let her off the hook if she botched this, and that if she pulled this last job off, she'd finally be free. Her body trembled before she could stop it.

She'd met countless people far stronger than him, but not one of them had ever made her feel the kind of terror he did. The memory of being crushed under that fear for so many years was branded deep into her mind.

"Ah."

…No.

There was one more person who scared her even worse.

And what's more, that person was her own age.

If things really went sideways, that person — exactly as she'd said herself — would sit her and Choi Jun-hyeong down side by side and put them through the "horrible things" she'd whispered about.

She wasn't sure whether to count it as good or bad, but at least her terror of Choi Jun-hyeong had eased.

…In exchange, her fear of the other party had grown to fill the gap. But unlike Choi Jun-hyeong, that one at least didn't threaten or hurt her just because she happened to be in a bad mood.

Above all, there was no going back now, no switching sides.

All she could do was hope she'd made the right choice.

"…."

Today, finally, was the end.

With that thought, Yoon Seul-hye worked to calm the pounding in her chest.

All this time, Choi Jun-hyeong, probably afraid she'd start getting strange ideas, had made a point of going on about how cruel Yu Ji-hyeok was, how he could betray and toy with people without batting an eye.

Na Il-seong of the Naseong family and his son Na Il-jun — people even she had heard of — had been ruined and killed because of Yu Ji-hyeok. Lee Yun-seong of the World Tree clan, who had once stood against him, had died under mysterious circumstances….

But contrary to his expectations, Yoon Seul-hye hadn't felt a thing hearing all that.

Her own life had always been the thing she valued most, so the troubles of others honestly didn't matter to her.

What spun dizzily through her head was nothing but the events that would unfold today.

The small stone fragment Choi Jun-hyeong had given her — the one she was supposed to feed to Yu Ji-hyeok or, failing that, get onto his person somehow.

Choi Hyun-woo, who'd taken it from her without a word after listening to her explanation.

A call from Choi Jun-hyeong.

A call from Yu Ji-hyeok.

Two different questions, but she'd given the same answer to both.

To one she'd lied. To the other, she'd told the truth.

There was truly no turning back now.

This was truly the end.

Once the afternoon performance was over… then, finally….

"Eek…!"

A phone suddenly blared into the silence, and Yoon Seul-hye let out a startled yelp before she could help it.

"Who the hell calls someone at a time like this, where are their manners!"

Her embarrassment and humiliation came out as misplaced fury as she grabbed the phone roughly.

But the name on the screen brought her up short.

[Jin Ye-seul]

The hand holding the phone began trembling on its own.

She gripped the trembling hand with her other one, nodded to herself, and forced her expression into one of grim resolve.

"J-just a little more and I'm done…."

She'd meant to say it in a solemn voice, but what actually came out was a frightened, tense mumble. She straightened up respectfully and carefully answered the call.

This was really, truly the end, she told herself.

Han Su-yeong silently gripped the hilt of the dagger and pulled it free.

The dagger slid out smoothly, without so much as the scrape of metal she'd been bracing for.

She'd heard somewhere that a sword that drew without a sound was the mark of a great blade, but as someone who was effectively a complete novice when it came to weaponry, she had no way of telling whether that was actually true.

The only things she knew for sure were that this dagger was a truly fine weapon.

And that it was an item her master Nam Hyun-hwa had cherished, used, and maintained for many long years.

"Master, why on earth did you give this to me…."

She let out a deep sigh and turned the dagger over in her hands.

A few days ago, after hearing what Choi Hyun-woo had been hiding deep in his heart and how he truly felt, she hadn't been able to look him in the face.

He was practically family… no, he was her family, her only brother, and the self-loathing and guilt of not noticing he'd been suffering that long when she'd been right there beside him weighed her down.

Choi Hyun-woo had spoken about it in a flat, level voice, but to her ears it had sounded like nothing short of him crying out.

She knew because she'd been by his side for almost their entire lives.

In that moment, Choi Hyun-woo had been one step away from breaking apart.

What could she possibly do?

No — even if she wanted to, was there anything she actually could do?

Han Su-yeong knew perfectly well this wasn't something she could ask Yu Ji-hyeok — or anyone else — for help with. So she'd been left to stew and ache in silence, helpless to do anything at all.

That was when, with no warning whatsoever, Nam Hyun-hwa had appeared before her out of thin air.

Her form might have grown young again, but the fact that she was Han Su-yeong's master hadn't changed in the slightest.

Held gently by the woman who'd wrapped her up and patted her head, Han Su-yeong had broken down and poured out everything that had been weighing on her before she could stop herself. Nam Hyun-hwa had simply listened, comforted her, and offered her gentle counsel without saying a word in judgment.

Hyun-woo will pull through this.

Who do you think he is? My disciple, and your one and only family.

The same goes for you, Su-yeong.

I believe you'll come through this just as well….

You're both my treasures.

"Ugh…."

Her master's voice, still echoing vividly in her ears, calmed Han Su-yeong as it always did.

But the memory came flooding back along with it, and she covered her face with her hand in silent embarrassment.

Just the other day she'd boasted to her master that she was all grown up now, and yet she'd ended up clinging to her master's chest sniffling like a child all over again. The thought of it mortified her.

"…Yeah, master's right."

Han Su-yeong nodded quietly to herself.

Then, without a word, she held the dagger's blade up to the light to see the inscription engraved on it.

On one side of the blade were words her master Nam Hyun-hwa had said again and again over the years, almost like a personal motto.

"Never lose sight of where you started. Believe in yourself. And don't ever forget — you're not alone…"

She gently stroked the blade with her fingers, reading the inscription out softly.

The last thing her master had pressed on her when she'd handed her this dagger still rang in her ears as clearly as if she were hearing it now.

'There will come a day when you need this.'

That was all she'd said.

Why she'd given it to her instead of Choi Hyun-woo, what power the dagger held, even when and how she was supposed to use it — none of that had been explained.

She'd only repeated those same words: a day will come when you need it.

When Nam Hyun-hwa had placed the dagger in her hands, all she'd said about Choi Hyun-woo was, 'Just trust the boy and stay by his side as his family and his friend — that will be enough.'

"…."

She'd brought two swords with her that day.

One was the dagger she'd handed to her.

The other was a sword Han Su-yeong knew well — her master's beloved blade, distinct for its pure white sheath.

When she'd asked why on earth she was carrying it, Nam Hyun-hwa had only smiled and whispered:

'My friends are waiting for this old body.'

'We used to sit together drinking and laughing, all of us. Now there's only one foolish brat left, throwing a late tantrum about not wanting to come along… but he's a brat I've shared decades of affection with all the same.'

'So what can I do? I have to take him with me — call it the price for being saddled with a stupid friend.'

That said, she'd stroked Han Su-yeong's hair one more time.

And that had been the last.

"Hoo…."

Han Su-yeong quietly raised her hand and ran it over the same spot her master had touched.

She slid the dagger back into its sheath without a sound and stood up.

"Time to go."

The others were waiting for her.

She murmured it quietly to herself.

Sparkle.

The crystal that had been floating around her flickered as if in answer.

Once larger than a grown man, the crystal had now shrunk to something no bigger than a small cube.

As always, it orbited her like a satellite.

And as it drifted around her, at one point it drew close to the dagger and slowly glimmered once more.

If she'd been able to see status windows and notifications like Yu Ji-hyeok, a window like this would surely have appeared before her eyes:

[! A portion of 'Han Su-yeong's awakening condition has been fulfilled. (2/3) !]

[! Qualification for 'Nameless Book' has been updated. !]

[! Information regarding 'Han Su-yeong' has been updated. !]

But she wasn't Yu Ji-hyeok, so she saw none of it. She only quickened her steps.

[! An error has been detected. !]

[! Attempting synchronization. !]

[! An error has been detected. !]

[! An eㅁror haㅁ been ㅁeㅁeㅁteㅁ. !]

[! Due to the error, the notification window will be temporarily suspended. !]

[! Please be aware. !]

As the meeting time drew closer, the group slowly began to gather.

Lee Yu-na and I were the first to arrive.

Next came Lee Ye-eun in her adult form, with Kang Yeon-kyung beside her. For some reason I couldn't quite place, Lee Ye-eun looked thoroughly displeased as she stared straight at me and chewed through her slushie with unnecessary aggression. More to the point, didn't her head hurt eating it that fast?

"Hmm."

In the middle of it all, Evangelline Loengreen — once again in a form roughly my age — sidled up in her usual sly way and let out a meaningful little hum through her nose. I dipped my head slightly in greeting.

"Welcome, Miss Evangelline."

"Yes, came running right over, future employer."

Evangelline chuckled and dropped into the seat beside me.

For a moment her presence put me on guard, but watching her casually pull out an assortment of tools and start tinkering, I figured I might've been overreacting.

"Ah, Su-yeong!"

Lee Yu-na's bright shout made me turn my head reflexively.

Han Su-yeong, who'd looked so listless these past few days, was walking toward us with an uncharacteristically brisk stride. She glanced around and tilted her head.

"Where're Hyun-woo and Ye-seul? Funny — those two never run late."

"Ye-seul probably can't make it. The schedule got moved up on her, so it can't be helped."

She gave a small nod at my answer. Then she quietly took her seat. The little cube fragment still orbited her like a satellite, going round and round.

"Sorry, we're a little late."

"…."

Not long after, Alice Blesbuck and Kath Ryle showed up, both in token disguises. Lee Ye-eun didn't show it openly, but she clearly still cared — she stole a glance at Kath Ryle and went right back to chewing her slushie with that same sullen look. Surprisingly, Kang Yeon-kyung didn't seem particularly bothered by it. Maybe because her World Tree clan blood was diluted nearly to nothing.

The last to arrive was Choi Hyun-woo.

And clinging tightly to his side was someone I hadn't expected at all.

"Huh, isn't that Hye-rin?"

"Oh, Su-yeong unnie!"

When Han Su-yeong murmured in surprise, Lee Hye-rin spotted her and let out a high, genuinely delighted squeal. Choi Hyun-woo gave me a small, apologetic dip of his head. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled something out.

"Ji-hyeok."

"Yeah?"

He tossed something at me.

I caught it reflexively and saw it was a small stone fragment.

I looked up at him with an expression that said don't tell me, and he nodded.

"It's exactly what you're thinking it is."

"Right…."

I looked between Evangelline Loengreen, Alice Blesbuck, and Kath Ryle.

Then I carefully set the stone fragment down right in the middle of those three — the three who'd been candidates to become the sacrifice.

…The one who would, in the end, become that sacrifice had already been decided by this stone.

"At last."

Landschi murmured quietly and gave a slow nod.

Natalia, beside him, asked what was going on, and he answered without the slightest trace of annoyance.

"At last, every preparation is in place, Natalia. The sacrifices are all ready. What remains now is only to choose the moment."

"R-really? Do you really mean it, Landschi?"

She latched onto him and yanked at his collar hard enough to look like she'd tear it, but he only nodded back at her with perfect composure.

"Indeed. Truly, very little time remains now…."

In his hand dangled the limp form of a man who could just as well have been dead.

Recognizing that man as Isaac McDowell — a former sacrifice candidate and the leader of Big Watch — Natalia, too, gave a satisfied nod.

"So what now? The sacrifices all have to be gathered in one place, don't they? Are you planning to head there yourself?"

"I must. The final sacrifice waits in that very spot."

Landschi nodded.

"You and I — that's two of us. And Yu Ji-hyeok, who just swallowed the stone fragment. He, too, will serve as a sacrifice."

At his words, Natalia Milited tilted her head as if it didn't add up.

"Hold on, that leaves us one short. And Yu Ji-hyeok of all people… didn't we originally plan to use Kath Ryle or that bitch Alice? For the final condition…."

"He carries the aura of a Seven Calamity."

Landschi nodded.

"He's more than capable of filling the role."

"But he isn't an alchemist."

"No need to worry. That's what this is for."

Landschi held up a massive, sticky red crystal he'd been carrying in his other hand. It was the collected dragon hearts he'd gathered over hundreds of years, condensed into a single form. But Natalia still looked unconvinced.

"That thing's not stable enough. In terms of pure knowledge, sure, it can fill in for what Yu Ji-hyeok's missing. But unless someone connects to it directly and stabilizes… i-it…."

The blood drained from Natalia's face in an instant.

A thought had just flashed through her head.

"D-don't tell me…."

She muttered in a shaky voice, staring at Landschi. He was still gazing down at her with that same indifferent look.

"N-no… right? La-Landschi… right?"

She shook her head back and forth and took a step backwards.

"I-if you did that, I'd be… I'd be in a state worse than dead! I-I don't want to end up like some living slab of meat!"

At her horrified outburst, Landschi simply offered a small reassuring smile.

"Natalia."

The composure in his face made Natalia smile back, unnaturally, almost reflexively.

He nodded at her.

"It's time your loyalty was put to the test."

Landschi's hand slowly extended toward her.

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