“Everyone! This is not a drill! Please remain calm and proceed to the shelter!”

As the alarm blared, Ms. Gemini began directing the students to evacuate.

“Don’t panic, follow the evacuation protocol! Please stand up slowly from the front row and proceed to the emergency shelter in an orderly manner!”

“Maintain order, everyone. There’s nothing to worry about! And if any of your classmates have gone to the restroom, please notify the teacher!”

Following Ms. Gemini’s guidance, the students exited the classroom and descended the central staircase to the basement.

Of course, this was Lord Howe Academy. There were no frightened students, no screams, and not a single person cutting in line, as often seen in such large-scale evacuations. Some even chatted as if it were a minor inconvenience.

“Good workout to start the morning.” “Did the Magic Department mess up again?” “Does anyone know what’s on the lunch menu today?”

The mixed atmosphere of blaring alarms and casual chatter persisted until they reached the shelter, which resembled a massive bunker. Once inside, the students began to gather in groups, some sitting down to relax as if letting out a breath they’d been holding.

Watching this, Yeomyeong turned to Soemiri beside him and asked, “…Why is everyone so calm?”

Soemiri blinked in surprise at the sudden question, then smiled slightly, as if realizing something. “Ah, that’s right. Soem—no, Yeomyeong, you only arrived yesterday, didn’t you?”

She added briefly, “Actually, this is the third time we’ve had to evacuate. So everyone’s pretty used to it by now.”

“The third time?” Yeomyeong raised his eyebrows in disbelief. The semester had just started, hadn’t it?

Soemiri explained as if it were no big deal. “The first alarm went off the day after the entrance ceremony. Someone accidentally set off leftover fireworks from the ceremony in the Magic Department, which triggered the alarm.”

“….”

“The second one was last weekend… one of the staff accidentally pressed the alarm, I think? Anyway, it was nothing serious, so we disbanded five minutes after gathering here.”

Looking around the shelter with renewed interest, Yeomyeong couldn’t help but acknowledge that people adapt. If they’d been through this twice already, their lack of tension made sense. But strangely, their ease only kept him on edge.

“Big accidents always come with a false sense of security,” Yeomyeong remarked, scanning the students in the shelter. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Hmm… maybe you’re overthinking it? There are plenty of superhumans and magicians stationed at the academy. It’ll probably be resolved quickly.”

“Not so sure… Look over there.”

Yeomyeong gestured towards Ms. Gemini. She was frantically working on both the shelter’s phone and her own cellphone, trying to reach someone. Was the line dead? Her expression was anything but reassuring.

She seemed to be masking her concern to avoid scaring the students, but neither Yeomyeong nor Soemiri—both superhumans—could be fooled.

Realizing something might indeed be amiss, Soemiri subtly began gathering mana.

“…Now I’m starting to feel a bit uneasy myself. What should we do?”

“What do you mean, ‘what’? We don’t even know why the alarm went off, so there’s no point in making a plan right now.”

“…True.”

After a pause, Soemiri glanced towards Seti, or more accurately, at the Saintess clinging to her.

“…Should we ask the Saintess?”

“Ask her what?”

Soemiri leaned in on tiptoe, bringing her lips close to Yeomyeong’s ear. And as if even that wasn’t enough, she whispered in an extremely soft voice.

“It’s a secret, but… the Saintess can see the future.”

Her tone was careful, as though she were sharing an extraordinary secret.

Yeomyeong didn’t ask how she knew. She was, after all, an elven princess. Considering the legendary exploits of elven spies during the Cold War, it wasn’t surprising she knew such a thing.

Still glancing around, Soemiri continued, “If the Saintess looks into the future and tells us what’s going on, we might be able to prepare for it.”

It wasn’t a bad plan. He wasn’t thrilled about entangling himself further with the Saintess, but at the moment, he couldn’t think of a better option.

Having made up his mind, Yeomyeong approached the Saintess without hesitation. Surprised by his sudden move, Soemiri hurried after him.

“Ye-Yeomyeong! Wait, wait! You can’t just ask her outright about foresight. You have to be subtle…”

“There’s no need. I already know.”

“Huh?”

“I already know,” he repeated.

Before Soemiri could ask what he knew, Yeomyeong was already in front of Seti and the Saintess.

“So, as I was saying, my mom—Oh? Yeomyeong? What’s going on?” Seti noticed him first, but chose not to acknowledge him openly, leaving the Saintess to speak up.

“Can I have a moment? I have something to discuss with you… privately.”

“…Just you and me? What’s so urgent all of a sudden?”

“It won’t take long.”

The Saintess hesitated, clearly reluctant to leave Seti’s side, but Seti gave her a firm push, prompting her to rise reluctantly.

“Follow me.”

As Seti sighed in relief, the Saintess and Yeomyeong moved to a quiet corner of the shelter. Though still within view, it was secluded enough for a private conversation.

“What’s this about? Don’t tell me…”

The Saintess scanned him up and down with a suggestive look before he could even say anything.

“You’re not… jealous of me and Seti, are you?”

What on earth was she babbling about?

Frustrated, Yeomyeong flicked her forehead sharply.

Smack!

Startled, the Saintess jerked back with a yelp. “Hey! That hurt…!”

Just as she started to protest, Yeomyeong cut her off with a serious tone. “I need your foresight.”

“…Why all of a sudden?”

“I don’t like the feeling I get from this alarm. I have a bad hunch it’s not something we can brush off.”

Perhaps sensing his seriousness, the Saintess straightened her expression, still rubbing her forehead. “It’s not something I should just use recklessly…”

“Please. I’ll owe you a favor.”

“Oh? Really? You promise to grant me a favor?”

“…As long as it’s not something strange.”

At his response, she smiled slyly, crossing her arms. Her expression was confident, though her red forehead detracted from her air of authority. “Alright, give me a moment.”

Her gaze became distant as she concentrated.

 

Yeomyeong positioned himself behind her, shielding her from view. Just in case, he wanted to ensure no one’s gaze would disrupt her foresight.

As he feared, countless eyes were on them, most of them from the male students, including Wesley, whom he had fought in the dormitory, and Jun Yoonseong, who narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Without minding their stares, Yeomyeong remained steadfast, checking on each person in the shelter. Most students were still relaxed, Ms. Gemini subtly concealing her anxiety, Jun Yoonseong watching Soemiri with a complicated look, and… Baonic Relak, biting his lip and glancing between the wall and the Saintess as if faced with impending doom.

‘…What’s his deal?’

It was more than just nerves. He couldn’t keep his hands or feet still, like someone sitting beside a ticking bomb.

Just as Yeomyeong narrowed his eyes to observe him, he heard a retching sound.

The Saintess had completed her foresight. She bent over, gagging.

“What did you see? What’s wrong?”

“Oh no… they… they’re going to die…”

“Die? Who?”

“My… my Seti…”

As she clung to Yeomyeong’s sleeve, he patted her back and asked again. “What’s going to happen? If we stay here…”

Yeomyeong steadied her trembling form, and, taking a deep breath, he raised his hand—

Smack!

The sound of the slap echoed throughout the shelter, drawing all eyes to them.

The Saintess finally looked at Yeomyeong squarely.

“Tell me clearly. What did you see?”

As Ms. Gemini hurried over, the Saintess finally spoke.

“In a few minutes, people of unknown origin will break through the wall and enter here.”

“Terrorists? Necromancers?”

“I’m not sure… the foresight was blurry. But a lot of students are going to die…”

“How much time do we have?”

“Ten minutes… no, maybe less. And…”

The Saintess turned her gaze toward the shelter wall, as if looking beyond it.

“Outside the shelter isn’t safe, either. There are… bodies under the sea surrounding the academy, and they’re rising as undead, swarming this way.”

“…Bodies around the academy? Why?”

“I don’t know. This is beyond my foresight’s limits…”

Yeomyeong withdrew his hand from her shoulder and turned to Ms. Gemini.

“Hey, transfer student! How dare you slap the Saintess! Violence among students…”

Ms. Gemini’s voice was cut off as Yeomyeong interrupted her.

“Ms. Gemini, is there any weapon or firearm available here in the shelter?”

Though unexpected, his voice carried an undeniable seriousness.

Ms. Gemini glanced between him and the shaken Saintess, realizing this was more than a mere student dispute.

“…Why are you looking for weapons?”

“Enemies are coming. If we stay here, students will die.”

His words, filled with conviction, left no room for doubt, and mana quietly swirled around him.

She didn’t ask how he knew, intimidated by the resolute look in his golden eyes. “This is a shelter. There aren’t supposed to be weapons here.”

“We need to leave, now. Anywhere is better than here.”

Ms. Gemini’s expression darkened visibly. “Outside the shelter… can you explain why?”

“…I can’t,” Yeomyeong replied, not wanting to disclose the Saintess’s foresight. “But is there any way some of us can go out?”

“…This is an emergency. Do you realize how dangerous that could be?”

“Yes.”

With his firm response, Ms. Gemini sighed, glancing between him and the Saintess, who was restlessly looking around as if troubled.

The decision didn’t take long. Trusting the Saintess, she cautiously handed Yeomyeong a small note.

“Enter 19740809 into the lock at the lower left of the shelter’s steel door.”

“Thank you.”

Bowing briefly to the teacher, Yeomyeong quickly went to the steel door. He entered the password into the small dial as instructed.

But…

[#$^&&%*@]

Something was wrong. The door didn’t budge. Puzzled, he asked Ms. Gemini again, who looked equally stunned.

“The password isn’t working? That’s impossible.”

After trying the code herself, she muttered under her breath, “An insider…?”

Trapped.

As Yeomyeong’s expression hardened, the Saintess rushed toward Seti, clinging to her in panic. Seti, bewildered, hugged her and shot Yeomyeong a questioning look.

What on earth is going on?

The other students, too, looked at him with a mixture of confusion and alarm.

Finally, Ms. Gemini spoke, as if she had anticipated the worst.

“There are some practice weapons left by club members… though they’re hardly proper weapons…”

Her voice trailed off, but Yeomyeong nodded. They’d have to make do. Even training equipment meant for superhuman students was no mere toy.

“Please bring them out. And…”

Yeomyeong turned to face the students in the shelter, his gaze meeting theirs. A mixture of confusion, hope, fear, and anticipation filled the room. Channeling his mana into his voice, he announced:

“I’m choosing those who are willing to fight.”