"Do you still think the Academic Club's president, Yun Hyuk is the Devil? I am telling you, he is not. He might be a Djinn, but from my investigations, he clearly is not."
"… How about Yeonha? Did you check her already? What do you think are the chances that the Devil's Seed does not have a host yet?"
"I checked Yeonha already, she is clean… The chances that the Devil's Seed doesn't have a host yet are slim. As you are aware… The incubation time for a Devil's Seed is quite lengthy…"
Rachel barely saw through the gap between the steel doorframe. She might not have seen the two of them, but that didn't stop her from eavesdropping. Her curiosity about the top scorer of Phenomenon Realm Analysis's recent exams drove her. Perhaps she would learn some secret learning technique of the sort. If not, maybe she would discover just a tiny bit about what her competitor was like.
Moreover, she was not doing this with ill intentions! She would never drag someone down so that she could rise above them. She was not that kind of person. She held pride as the royal princess of England.
Alas, what she learned about the person 'Kim Hajin' was beyond her mere expectations. Yun Hyuk? Devil? Djinn? Yoo Yeonha? Devil's Seed?
Rachel understood something about Djinn, but why did this involve the president of the Academic Club, Yun Hyuk? And the daughter of the Guild Leader of Essence of the Strait, Yoo Yeonha?
"Is there a way for you to create items that can see through a Devil's disguise through your authority?"
"I cannot…" "Seriously?" "I am in." "Wait… Are you… sure?"
Rachel continued to eavesdrop on their conversation. She thought that there must be something wrong going on. If two people had to go to such lengths to keep their conversation secret, then they must have been doing something bad.
"I should be going now. The library should still be open. I need to pick up some books…"
The other guy, the brown-haired cadet, as Rachel labeled him in her mind, stood up and left for the door. This sent Rachel into a panic. With her superhuman abilities, she ran down the stairs. The rooftop was a good hiding place where people could have secret meetings. At first, she thought of this as fiction, but no, it truly had its merits.
"Huff… Puff…" She leaned against the wall while harshly breathing for oxygen. For some reason, her mind drifted back to the romance novel she was reading as a hobby. In it, the male lead and female lead had secret meetings on the school's rooftop.
Apparently, trysts were not the only kind of secret meetings out there.
But as a rational person, she could not find it in her heart to accept information at face value. She could not assume, lest she misunderstand. Yet no matter how she thought about it, the implications of the two's conversation were too much for her.
Anything that involved Djinns was not good. Devils, no matter what folklore or religious belief's interpretation, were also never good.
So there really must have been something bad going on behind the scenes.
"What happened to you?"
Rachel looked over to where the voice came from and made eye contact with Yoo Yeonha. Yoo Yeonha's curious eyes sent Rachel into a spiral.
'Should I tell her?' Rachel debated in her mind about what she should do.
***
I returned to the library with a determination that could only be fueled by a mounting pile of overdue books and an alarming realization that joining another club would eat away at my already dwindling time. Seriously, was it too much to ask for just a few hours of peace? I was already neck-deep in make-up classes thanks to Cube's AI, who had taken the liberty of transforming my study sessions into a glorified version of boot camp.
If I added one more club to the mix, I'd be a living meme—"The Student Who Never Sleeps."
Wait, that was Rachel, wasn't it?
As I strolled through the library, I found myself contemplating the worth of the Reading Club. Sure, it had its perks—unlimited borrowing privileges and access to a treasure trove of knowledge—but did I really need that anymore? Once I managed to boost my weak theoretical foundation to at least an average cadet's level, I could wave goodbye to that club faster than you could say "check-out."
On my way back, I noticed that Rachel had abandoned her books, leaving a messy pile behind like a tragic, neglected tower of literature. "Poor books," I mused. "Left to fend for themselves in the wild." I chuckled at the thought of the librarian swooping in like a superhero to save the day, organizing everything with a flick of her wrist.
I browsed the shelves and picked out a few books Cube's AI had highly recommended—because, let's face it, trusting an AI to guide my academic journey was both a gamble and a necessity. I also snagged a couple of titles that caught my eye, which could have been categorized under "totally irrelevant but intriguing." By the time I finished, I had amassed a grand total of seven books, varying in thickness from "I could carry this in one hand" to "I'm definitely getting a workout."
With my literary haul in hand, I made my way to the Detention Center. Not the kind of detention you might imagine, though. This was where the AI resided—my academic taskmaster and occasional life coach. I had a few personal questions for it that were itching to escape my mind. Yes, they were definitely not your standard academic inquiries.
As I approached the center, I took a deep breath. Alright, Hyon Hyung, I thought, time to face the AI. Hopefully, it won't ask me about my life choices again. I knocked on the door (because I am polite), which swung open automatically, and stepped into the sterile room.
As I stepped into the Detention Center, a wave of nervousness washed over me. Chae Nayun was slumped over a desk, peacefully dozing off, which only added to my anxiety. She looked vulnerable in that moment, but I knew better—she was not in the best state of mind. Her brow was furrowed, and I could see the remnants of tension etched across her features.
I set my pile of books down quietly, careful not to disturb her too much. "Hey, Nayun…" I called softly, trying to coax her back to the land of the living.
She stirred slightly, muttering something that was incomprehensible. "Ebebebe… Hajin… Don't… Not their…"
What the hell? I couldn't help but grimace. Was she dreaming about Hajin again? I had to admit, it stung a little. I mean, here I was, trying to be a decent friend, and she was off in Dreamland, having who-knows-what conversations with him.
But then again, I knew this was a call for drastic measures. I squatted beside her, angling my lips toward her ear. Should I go soft or hard? I considered for a moment, then decided I'd be nice about it. I took a deep breath, then blew gently into her ear.
"Eheheheh~" Nayun grinned, drool pooling at the corner of her mouth. "Uhhh… Hajin… We can't… but…"
I couldn't let this slide. "You leave me with no choice," I declared dramatically.
Inhaling deeply, I prepared for the big reveal. "THERE IS NO FOREVER! YOU WILL DIE A BITTER LIFE OF A LONER AND BE SINGLE FOREVER! YOU SON OF A BITCH!"
The reaction was instantaneous. "WHO THE FUCK IS WHAT!?" Chae Nayun shot up, her eyes wide with shock and anger. Her sword energy materialized in an instant, radiating an intimidating glow. She swung it at me with a furious motion.
I barely had time to react as I conjured [Always Here], channeling its effects to blend into the surroundings. I felt the strain on my magic power as I intertwined my Gift with her conjured sword. Dodge, Hyon Hyung!
The magic surged in a brilliant flash, and I saw her veins bulge in fury. My heart raced as I dodged the attack just in time, feeling the rush of wind as her blade sliced past me, cutting a few strands of my hair in the process.
"Chae… Nayun… relax…" I managed to sputter, dropping onto my bottom as sweat dripped down my brow. The strain of using my Gift was taking its toll, and I could barely catch my breath.
"Relax?" she yelled, eyes blazing. "You just shouted something insane, and I thought I was under attack!"
I tried to catch my breath, a grin creeping onto my face despite the situation. "You should've seen your face! Pure gold!"
She glared at me, her anger simmering just below the surface, but I could tell she was fighting the urge to laugh. Maybe I'd finally cracked that tough exterior.
"Next time, maybe just wake me up normally," she huffed, her sword energy dissipating as she crossed her arms. "What are you even doing here anyway?"
"Came to ask the AI a few questions, but I guess I'll put that on hold," I said, trying to keep the mood light. "What about you? Napping on the job?"
"Not napping!" she shot back, the color in her cheeks deepening. "I was thinking!"
"Thinking?" I raised an eyebrow. "About Hajin again, huh?"
"Shut up!" she protested.
Please do remind me to never screw with Nayun, I mentally begged myself, hoping this lesson would stick for future reference. The last thing I needed was to end up on the wrong end of her magic again.
Some semblance of reason returned to Nayun as she slowly came to terms with the fact that she had just nearly tried to murder me. But, in typical fashion, she brushed off her attempted homicide like it was nothing, withdrawing her magic and settling back into her chair with a look of comfortable disdain.
I chose not to point out her folly. After all, I was fully aware that attempting to murder someone was a graver crime than verbally assaulting a person who had fallen asleep. But let's be honest, I wanted to keep my neck intact.
"Milady, the brightest moon that outshines even the sun! How may I serve you today?" I declared theatrically, turning on my knees and going so far as to kowtow like a proper peasant.
"Ugh…" she groaned, scrunching her face in disgust. "Stop with the bullshit, please? And I am sorry."
Her sincerity struck a chord as I stood back up. "All good! So, what does the chaebol of the Chae Clan want from this lowly peasant?"
"I swear… I can never like you…" she muttered, giving me the middle finger. With a flick of her wrist, she launched a bullet of magic power straight at my forehead. I judged it not enough to kill me, so I let it land.
"Ouch," I cried dramatically, clutching my head. "Should I return on my knees?"
"No," she replied curtly, waving her hand dismissively. "I just want to hit you because you are annoying. Anyway…"
She stood up from her seat, heading for the exit. "I am still distrustful of you, clairvoyant… But I will trust you this one time. I've submitted the club form. Hajin will be president, and you will be vice president. Tell him that he should take the lead, and I will try my best to support his efforts."
I was left speechless. Just like that, she was gone, refusing to elaborate on her motives. Nayun might act tough, but I knew she was cunning in her own way.
I realized then that knowledge of the future wasn't just about predicting chronological events. Understanding someone's character was invaluable; it could be more potent than any material wealth. To truly know a person was a daunting task.
In the hands of the right person, this knowledge could become lethal. Like me. My intentions were harmless, but I was still intent on using this understanding to my advantage.
My subtle manipulations had brought me here, where I was now. It was no accident that I was gathering this dream team—Nayun, Suho, and Hajin—so early in the story. Of course, luck played a role in my success, but it was also my ability to navigate their personalities and motivations that helped.
I was not someone who shied away from using the characters and motivations of others for my benefit. Unlike Hajin, who seemed trapped in his own bubble, I was actively steering the ship. If I hadn't muddied the waters to avoid Nayun's interrogation, convinced Suho of my Akatrina origins by capitalizing on his gullibility, and appealed to Hajin's emotional vulnerabilities to gain his trust, I wouldn't even be standing here.
Sigh… What a pain in the ass this was turning out to be.
But I knew this wasn't the last point I would reach. I settled the pile of books I'd carried from the library onto the desk, grateful for the few hours I had left until curfew. The titles about Devils caught my eye, lying in the middle of the desk like a challenge waiting to be answered.
There was a Devil out there for me to hunt, and I was determined to find it.