The sun hanging overhead slowly tilted westward.

"...That's it for today."

As soon as Teacher Gemini's words signaled the end of the regular lesson, the classroom atmosphere ignited.

Students darted glances at the classroom door, hurriedly packed their bags, and some had already one foot out from their desks.

Gemini smiled faintly at the sight of the eager students before concluding the lesson with a clap.

"Now, everyone, please make sure you’re not late for your special classes and enjoy them. Class dismissed!"

Clap!

As though that clap was the signal they’d been waiting for, the students bolted out of the room en masse.

The situation was no different in other classrooms, as the hallways quickly filled with the sound of rushing footsteps.

A brief cacophony of hurried steps ensued, short if short, long if long.

Soon, the now-empty classroom was left with only two people: Chun Yeomyeong and Hong Seti.

Teacher Gemini, tidying up after class, considered exchanging a few words with the two but ultimately decided against it, offering only a casual nod before leaving the classroom.

After all, as a teacher, it was tactless to meddle in the romantic affairs of her students.

…But contrary to her misunderstanding, the conversation between Yeomyeong and Seti had nothing to do with romance.

"Yeomyeong, you’re not seriously thinking of making a deal with them, are you?"

The moment Yeomyeong lazily rose from his seat, Seti stood and questioned him.

"...A deal, maybe not, but I’m considering cooperating. A little caution doesn’t hurt."

Yeomyeong’s casual response to her worried tone came with a faint smile.

"I’m against it. Ava might claim she’s from the moderate faction, but… in the end, she’s still a terrorist. She dared to threaten you when she should be groveling on her knees. How can you trust someone like that?"

Seti’s reaction was more intense than usual. Clearly, Ava’s attempt to use Yeomyeong’s past against him had struck a nerve.

Yeomyeong shrugged nonchalantly.

"That wasn’t much of a threat."

"...Not a threat?"

Seti tilted her head in confusion. Yeomyeong took her hand and led her toward the classroom door as he added, "It was an obvious bluff. If she really knew about my past, she’d have brought up my days as the Scarab or a cleaner instead of rambling about the black market."

"That’s… true."

Walking side by side down the empty hallway, the two continued their conversation.

"Do you remember the unwritten rule of the Incheon black market?"

"Unwritten rule? Oh… the masks?"

Seti nodded as though the thought had just struck her.

The dirty market where neither customers nor sellers could reveal their faces.

That was the Incheon black market.

"It wasn’t just the masks. I went there on an introduction from Jangman Elder, so I never even gave them my name."

"...."

"Without knowing my face or name, how could they possibly dig into my past from the black market? Ava was just spewing nonsense, watching my reaction."

"Then your whole act in front of Ava…"

Yeomyeong only shrugged in response.

"...You scoundrel. Your acting gets better every day."

Seti playfully jabbed him in the side. Yeomyeong chuckled softly.

"That’s a compliment, right?"

"Of course, it’s a compliment! Anyway, for the Secret Society to resort to such a bluff… it’s a disgrace to the name of an information guild."

"Shows how desperate they are. They can’t track the priest, they don’t know what the Black Lamb is, and they can’t reveal themselves at the Academy either…"

Before Yeomyeong could finish his sentence, Seti had already pieced the situation together.

"…We’re the only ones they have any ties to who they could negotiate with. No, it’s not just me; it’s us."

So that’s why they mentioned Paryang-gyeol? Seti let out a quiet laugh as she reached her conclusion.

"Then we’re in the superior position, and the Secret Society is at our mercy?"

"Exactly. They’re terrorists, so they’ll probably tolerate any high-handedness on our part."

"Hmm… I see. Yeomyeong, can I take the lead in dealing with Ava from now on?"

"If that’s what you want."

Yeomyeong bowed theatrically, and Seti let out a small laugh.

Then, a brief silence.

It would have been the perfect time to discuss the Black Lamb, but both of them avoided the subject as if by unspoken agreement.

Yeomyeong saw no need to bring it up unnecessarily. If the Leather Priest truly targeted Seti, he’d simply kill him.

Seti, on the other hand, refrained from speaking to avoid placing any unnecessary burden on Yeomyeong.

And so, the two walked in silence toward the location of their special class.

When they finally neared the southern rest area designated by Corvus as the special class location, Seti spoke.

"Now that I think about it, the masks we wore in the black market… you were wearing the Sun Mask, right?"

"Yeah. And you wore the Black Dog Mask."

Seti gazed into the air as though reminiscing, then smiled faintly as a thought crossed her mind.

"Come to think of it, that’s where we first met. We met and fought at the black market."

"…Fought?"

"Yeah?"

"We didn’t ‘fight.’ You attacked me unilaterally."

Yeomyeong’s deadpan correction made Seti avert her gaze awkwardly.

It seemed she’d only just recalled how she had preemptively attacked Yeomyeong and Jangman Elder.

Seti scratched her cheek, at a loss for words, while Yeomyeong smirked and tried to nudge her side with his elbow.

Tried, being the key word.

As he raised his arm slightly, the sound of footsteps running behind them reached his ears.

…Footsteps he found strangely familiar.

Seti and Yeomyeong simultaneously turned their heads, but they saw nothing.

To be precise, there was nothing visible.

Footsteps running toward them, grass bending under unseen feet—it was clear someone was approaching under a transparent cloak.

Yeomyeong let out a sigh, as if already realizing who it was.

“Don’t tell me…”

Before Seti could take a cautious step back, sensing the incoming presence, it was too late.

“Seti!”

With a shrill cry, the invisible figure lunged at Seti and hugged her tightly.

The transparent cloak slipped off, revealing the Saintess in her school uniform.

"Finally, I’ve found you… hic, Seti, you’ve been avoiding me lately… Ah, this feeling… I missed you so much…"

The sight of a grown woman burying her face into her classmate’s chest and rubbing her cheek against her was baffling.

Yeomyeong, unsure of how to react, turned his head away.

Seti, however, remained calm despite being captured in the Saintess's clingy embrace.

Casting a glance between the Saintess and Yeomyeong, she asked in a low, measured voice, “Chun Yeomyeong?”

"..."

“This special class… wasn’t it supposed to be just the two of us?”

“…As you can see, no.”

Yeomyeong gave a wry smile. Seti’s delicate brow furrowed, and the Saintess added brightly, "Seti, don’t be too hard on Yeomyeong. I already know everything now."

“…Know what? What are you talking about?”

“Scarab!”

The Saintess’s sudden declaration made Yeomyeong pinch the bridge of his nose.

…Why would she phrase it like that?

Couldn’t she have explained it better, mentioning foresight or the future they’d seen? How could Seti possibly understand with such a blunt statement?

Oblivious to Yeomyeong’s frustration, the Saintess clung to Seti even tighter and continued.

“I’ll help with your revenge! Money, influence—whatever you need, I’ll give it to you. You know I’m the Saintess, right? The Saintess!”

"..."

“Hehe, from now on, we’re more than friends—we’re accomplices…!”

Before she could finish her triumphant declaration, Seti abruptly struck the back of her neck with a swift, open-handed chop.

Smack! A crisp sound echoed, and the Saintess went limp.

It was a clean, movie-like takedown.

At least Seti didn’t toss her onto the ground. Supporting the unconscious Saintess in her arms, she looked at Yeomyeong.

“Yeomyeong.”

"..."

“What exactly… No, never mind. It’s obvious. You got dragged into her mess again, didn’t you?”

Her guess was unnervingly accurate. Yeomyeong nodded.

“It’s a more complicated story than it sounds, but yes, I got dragged into it.”

“Complicated, huh…? Tell me this isn’t some sort of… romantic entanglement.”

“...What?”

“Ah, judging by your reaction, it’s not. Good. Now, start explaining.”

Whether Seti’s comment was meant to lighten the mood or was partially serious was unclear, but Yeomyeong took the cue to begin his explanation.

He laid out everything—the foresight, the Saintess, and the future they’d glimpsed together.

Seti’s expression barely shifted throughout the explanation.

She raised her eyebrows slightly when she heard that the Saintess had been using her foresight on her every morning, but that was it.

Her calm demeanor allowed Yeomyeong to continue the story with relative ease.

When he finally finished, both of them wore similarly disbelieving expressions.

"…This is."

“Absurd?”

They exchanged bitter smiles, sighed heavily, and then glanced down at the unconscious Saintess.

Without a word, the two began dragging the limp Saintess toward the rest area.

A short while later, they arrived and placed her on a table, pulling up chairs for themselves.

As they sat, looking down at the Saintess, who was either fast asleep or unconscious, Seti broke the silence.

“Hey, Yeomyeong…?”

“Yeah?”

“…You know, don’t you?”

Yeomyeong didn’t ask know what? Seti’s gaze on the Saintess made it clear.

“She’s… a bit of an idiot, but she’s a good person.”

“…A bit?”

“Okay, a lot of an idiot. So… please don’t use her heart against her.”

"..."

“…And don’t use her body, either.”

The latter remark felt oddly like her true concern. Yeomyeong swallowed the retort that rose to his throat and nodded.

Seti, seeing his response, finally let out a soft laugh.

“And if, by any chance, you do start to feel something for her… just remember: I’m first. Got it?”

She reached out and gently touched Yeomyeong’s ear, her slender fingers brushing through his hair and softly rubbing his earlobe.

"…What’s that supposed to mean?"

“Don’t play dumb. You know what I mean.”

"..."

“…Together, until the end.”

Her words felt less like a declaration to him and more like a promise to herself.

The atmosphere grew thick with tension, and Yeomyeong was about to say something to break it when the door to the rest area swung open.

A familiar blonde girl stepped in, her presence cutting through the moment.

“…Sae-mi-ri?”

“Uh… am I the last one to arrive?”

The moment Seti saw her, her grip on Yeomyeong’s earlobe tightened.

Squish! A sharp pain radiated from his ear.

For Yeomyeong, it was an unjust situation.

If someone were asked to name the most crowded place in Lord Howe Island, every student would unanimously point to the northern island.

It was only natural. Unlike the other islands, which were purely for the students' use, the northern island was closer in design to an artificial city.

With a port, an airport, accommodations for outsiders, and a commercial district for students, the northern island was a hub of activity.

Though the recent terrorist attack had left the island under heavy reconstruction, it had long since regained its usual vibrancy as the special classes began.

Students heading to meet special instructors, staff members enjoying a brief respite, and reporters rushing to capture the special classes in the auditorium—
It was a scene so lively that it felt as though the attack had happened ages ago, and for most students, the event was something they had truly forgotten.

At least, on the surface.

Beneath the bustling northern city, in the labyrinthine sewer system tangled by years of reconstruction and expansion, the atmosphere was vastly different.

Darkness still loomed in the sewers, where the electricity had yet to be restored after the attack.

Even the rats and insects that used to roam freely now huddled in silence, their bodies trembling in fear of the all-consuming shadow.

Deep within that darkness, the Leather Priest had carved out a hideout of his own.

Using the sewer's layout, he created a hidden sanctuary, rigging every possible path leading to it with an array of deadly traps.

Corpse-based landmines, illusionary magic circles, and canisters of chlorine gas—
It was a fortress that could withstand an entire academy staff’s pursuit for at least a day.

With this sanctuary, the Leather Priest believed that nothing in the sewer could kill him.

But contrary to his confidence, the hideout didn’t even last thirty minutes.

“Damn it, this bastard keeps running around like crazy.”

The intruder who had invaded his hideout suddenly spoke, their words echoing sharply through the chamber.

“What kind of first-level boss is this? No summons, no good loot drops—what the hell is this mess?”

The Leather Priest couldn’t respond. His damaged lungs were still in the process of regenerating after being slashed by the intruder.

Not that the intruder seemed to care for a reply. Casually wandering around the hideout, they continued to ramble.

“Why so many skins? What is this, a leather factory? This garbage… huh? A dimensional gate?”

Could they be skilled in magic? The intruder immediately identified the half-constructed altar as a dimensional gate.

“Coordinates are… the northwestern great mountain range? Tsk, so we’re already bringing out the fifth-level leveling event? Did we skip the Manchurian hunting grounds?”

“What should I do with this… Using this might waste the favorability I’ve built with the prince…”

Their disjointed words carried neither logic nor coherence, more akin to the insane babblings heard in an asylum corridor.

It was an ominous, unsettling voice, the kind that sent shivers down the spine.

Even the Leather Priest, struggling to catch his breath, couldn’t help but speak up.

“Cough… Who… what… are you?”

The intruder chuckled—a sneer rather than a laugh.

“Me? Can’t you tell? I’m just a good-hearted Academy student.”

“D-don’t be ridiculous… A student couldn’t possibly… possess such strength…”

“Right? Even you think I’m way beyond student level?”

“...What?”

An absurd answer. The intruder carried on as if the Leather Priest’s disbelief didn’t matter.

“Seriously, at level 34, I should be steamrolling through the Academy route. But damn it, there are two others stronger than me.”

"...!"

“Yeah, one of them’s definitely the protagonist. That’s for sure.”

The term "protagonist" made the Leather Priest recall two first-year male students.

The boys whose overwhelming aura had forced him into hiding.

The intruder seemed lost in thought for a moment, falling silent just as the Leather Priest did.

But the silence didn’t last long. Just as the Priest's wounds were nearly healed, the intruder spoke again.

“Hey, need help finishing that dimensional gate?”

"..."

The Leather Priest raised his head in disbelief. He opened his mouth, ready to scold the intruder for failing to grasp how much preparation, sacrifice, and resources were required for such a task.

But before he could speak, the intruder pulled something out from their pocket.

It was a black gem radiating an eerie red glow.

“That’s…”

“What? Never seen a corrupted stone this big before?”

The intruder grinned, holding up the fist-sized gem. The Priest’s eyes locked onto it, unable to look away.

“How about it? With this, opening the dimensional gate shouldn’t be a problem. Interested in a deal?”

"..."

The Leather Priest nodded. He lacked both the strength and reason to refuse such an offer.

“What do you… want in return?”

“Nothing too difficult. Just, you know, help me out with some fishing.”

“…Fishing?”

“Specifically, I need you to act as bait. Human bait, to lure in the real protagonist.”

Even though he didn’t fully understand what the intruder meant, the Leather Priest found himself nodding again, almost without thinking.

With a corrupted stone that large and the blood of the Black Lamb,
It would be enough to burn the entire Academy to the ground.