"I was the one who showed you the path to this school. I gave you strength, made you capable, and yet, what did you do? You couldn't even handle a single boy!" The voice booms with fury as a man sits on a grand throne-like chair, surrounded by a sinister red glow emanating from behind him.
"We separated that boy from his grandfather, placed you in his position. I gave you a new face, a new identity, and yet, you're here offering him an invitation to be the school's headmaster?"
The man's voice grows harsher as he leans forward, his piercing gaze fixed on Felix, who stands trembling before him. Felix, now the headmaster of the mystical school, bows his head, unable to meet his master's eyes. The man's staff glimmers in his hand, the magical aura radiating from it a testament to his overwhelming power. He is not an ordinary ruler but the sovereign of a magical realm, a being feared by many.
"Master, forgive me," Felix pleads, falling to his knees. "I didn't offer him an invitation, I swear! I will never let him win. Trust me, Master. I will take the crystal ball from him, and I will take the school away from that boy, Kangha!"
The master narrows his glowing eyes, his expression unreadable. "If you manage to do this, it will serve you well," he warns, his voice icy. "But if you fail… you know how easily I can end you."
Felix nods vigorously, the fear in his eyes betraying his dread. He knows well the extent of his master's wrath.
The master rises from his throne, lifting his staff high. From its core, a beam of light bursts forth, striking Felix. The force throws him across the cavernous chamber, slamming him into the stone walls. The magical cave trembles, jagged rocks falling from the ceiling. This is no ordinary cave—it is a place of dark magic, where the natural laws of the world hold no sway.
"Now, return to that world," the master commands. "And remember, enslaving its people is our ultimate goal. Their powers are crucial for us. Do not fail me again."
Felix, still trembling, rises to his feet. "Yes, Master. I understand," he says with a shaky voice. Without waiting for another word, he stumbles out of the chamber, determined to carry out his master's will.
As he crosses the threshold of the cave, his thoughts swirl. It took me a long time to get to this world. Here, the master is the most powerful being—far beyond anyone else. But in the other world, I am the one who holds power. I am the one who knows how to manipulate.
A sly grin spreads across Felix's face as he reaches a door shimmering with energy. Stepping through it, his form dissolves into the air, vanishing into nothingness.
—----—------
—-----------------------
Kangha stands still, his gaze fixed on Ji Yeon as she moves in front of him. Without a word, she pours her food onto her plate and walks away, her steps deliberate but silent.
"Is she ignoring me?" he wonders, his chest tightening with an unfamiliar unease. He steps forward, filling his own plate while his mind churns with thoughts of her cold demeanor.
Taking a seat at the dining hall table, Kangha picks at his food absentmindedly. His eyes flicker in Ji Yeon's direction, but she doesn't spare him a glance. "Why would she ignore me?" The thought circles his mind like a storm cloud.
Around him, the other students chat animatedly, their nervous energy crackling in the air. Two boys sitting across from Kangha lean closer to each other.
"Do you know what's going to happen in the competition?" the first boy asks, his voice barely above a whisper.
The second boy shakes his head. "No, I have no idea. But I heard it's nothing like the last one. This time, they're raising the stakes."
Kangha shifts slightly in his chair, his attention drawn to the conversation.
The boy sitting beside him lowers his voice and mutters, "The headmaster told us we'll be learning black magic. Do you think they'll make us use it during the competition? Maybe even against each other?"
The other boy's eyes widen in alarm. "Black magic? What if we mess up? People could die from that kind of power."
"Exactly," the boy beside Kangha whispers, his words laced with fear. "What if the competition is more than just a test of skill? What if it's a fight for survival?"
The students fall silent for a moment,
No one truly knows what will happen in the competition a week from now. Speculation lingers in the air like a shadow, but answers remain elusive.
Kangha finishes his meal in silence, his mind weighed down by the students' nervous chatter. Rising from his seat, he picks up his plate and takes it to the washing area. His movements are mechanical, his thoughts elsewhere.
Without lingering in the dining hall, he heads straight to his room. The quiet space greets him like an old friend, yet the unease from earlier clings to him stubbornly. Kangha sits on the edge of his bed, his gaze unfocused. His thoughts begin to wander, sifting through memories like pages of an old book.
He recalls a journey from day ago—a journey to a distant city, one he made with great purpose. It was there he met the writer, a peculiar man with piercing eyes and an unsettling aura. The writer claimed to interpret dreams, unlocking the mysteries hidden within them.
That meeting had left an impression on Kangha, not just because of the man's cryptic insights, but because of the book he had acquired from him. A book steeped in knowledge of black magic—ancient, forbidden, and dangerous.
"Where is that book?" Kangha mutters to himself, his brows furrowing. His memory pulls him back to the moment he tucked it away, careful to keep it out of sight. But now, it feels like more than just a book. It feels like a key.
Kangha's gaze drifts to the clothes he had worn the previous night. They lie neatly folded in the closet, just as he had left them. But something is missing—his coat.
"Where did the coat go?" he mutters, a crease forming between his brows. His eyes scan the room as if the missing garment might suddenly materialize. Then, after a moment of thought, a memory clicks into place.
The coat. He had hung it on the rack next to Ji Yeon's closet.
Kangha freezes, the realization making his stomach twist. "What do I do now?" he whispers to himself, pacing the small room.
His heart begins to pound as a dozen scenarios flood his mind. Should he go retrieve the coat? Would Ji Yeon see him? What if she takes it the wrong way?
Standing anxiously, he runs a hand through his hair, his breathing uneven. The room feels stifling, his nerves growing heavier with every passing second.
"She won't be in her room," he says aloud, trying to reassure himself. "She's probably with Miss Choi right now. I can go and get it quickly without her even knowing."
The words are meant to calm him, but his heart refuses to settle. He remains rooted in place, torn between the need to retrieve his coat and the fear of running into Ji Yeon again.
After a long pause, he straightens his back and steels himself. "It's just a coat," he tells himself firmly. "I'll be quick. She won't even notice."
Still, as Kangha steps toward the door, a flicker of doubt lingers in his chest.
—----------------
After finishing her meal, Ji-yeon picks up the dishes from in front of herself and her mother, placing them neatly on the side table. She then returns to her seat in front of Miss Choi, her demeanor calm and composed.
"Won't you go to your room to sleep?" Miss Choi asks gently, her eyes fixed on her daughter.
"No, not yet. I want to spend some time with you," Ji-yeon replies softly, her voice filled with affection.
Miss Choi smiles faintly and tilts her head slightly. "Did you have a good ten years with Alexa?" she asks, her tone carrying a hint of curiosity.
Ji-yeon looks up, startled. The question feels unusual, unexpected even. Alexa had always been transparent with Miss Choi, sharing everything openly. But this question—this was different. Ji-yeon hadn't anticipated it.
Before Ji-yeon can respond, Miss Choi continues, "I know what Alexa has told me over the years, but I want to hear it from you, my daughter."
Miss Choi seems to have sensed Ji-yeon's hesitation, her probing gaze softening just a little.
"Yes, Mother," Ji-yeon says after a pause. "I was very happy with her. She took care of me like her own. But now, I worry about her. She's alone there. How does she manage everything by herself?" Her voice trembles slightly as she adds, "Can't we bring her here to live with us? She's Kangha's mother; she has every right to be here."
Miss Choi's expression shifts. For a moment, she stares at Ji-yeon, her surprise evident. Ji-yeon's request seems almost childish, but Miss Choi takes a moment to gather her thoughts before responding.
"Ji-yeon," Miss Choi says firmly, "she cannot stay here. Not ever."