The Academy’s Deceased Ate It All

– It seems everything is in order.

I exhaled quietly as I listened to Woo-Seok on the phone.

– Wait… Yes, here it is. I checked, and it says that the area had been restricted in the past. Gates appeared in the area 19 years ago, 11 years ago, 7 years ago, 3 years ago, and 4 months ago. It was designated as a wavelength instability area, meaning that no buildings would be allowed to be built there for the next 10 years.

With the sound of shuffling papers, he told me that in an unwavering voice.

Svengali quietly told me it was the truth.

I nodded my head.

“…I see.”

– Young Master, is there anything wrong with it? Do you need help with something?

“No. Nothing.”

I replied, taking a sharp breath.

“Thank you, sir, as always. Woo-Seok-ssi. I’ll have to get back to you later.”

– Yes, please feel free to contact me anytime.

After hanging up the phone with Woo-Seok, I clamped my hand over my mouth.

Nausea was creeping up from the depths of my stomach.

I didn’t need to check with Svengali.

There was no reason for him to lie to me.

That would mean nothing had been here for at least twenty years.

If so.

When I first came to this world, I opened my eyes and realized that this world was not where I came from.

Where the hell was I?

[…Hey, what the hell is wrong with you?]

“…….”

Svengali asked me with concern, but I didn’t have the energy to answer.

I just started wandering around aimlessly, unsure where to go.

Along the way, I could recognize some places I had forgotten.

I couldn’t help but laugh at how nostalgic I felt.

It hadn’t even been half a year yet.

But it felt like years ago.

I was sitting in a secluded park when I woke up from my stupor.

I looked at my watch and realized I’d been wandering around for nearly two hours.

“What have I gotten myself into?”

I blurted out, and he responded.

[What?]

“Svengali, you’re supposed to be the foremost expert on human memory and the mind, so you tell me.”

Sitting in the middle of an empty park, I mumbled to myself.

“Am I going crazy? No, I’m not. I’m sane, right?”

[…Well, I never believed you were to begin with.]

“Fuck.”

I didn’t even have the energy to shout.

“Tell me straight. Are you sure I’m sane right now, that I’m not crazy?”

Svengali didn’t respond.

After a moment, he asked me cautiously.

[Are you sure you’re okay?]

He was met by silence.

[Then…can you trust me and open up a bit?]

“What?”

[If you allow me, I’d like to look at your memories and mind…Maybe I can find something about your condition.]

I nodded.

I felt like something was moving around in my head.

[It’s been a while since I’ve done this.]

A status window appeared to warn me, but I did as Svengali said and accepted him.

After a while, Svengali slipped out of my mind.

[I’ve made a conclusion.]

“What?”

He spoke in a hushed voice.

[Either we’re both crazy together, or something strange is happening.]

“…Is this Ariman’s fault too?”

[I’d say yes, but….]

Svengali stammered uncharacteristically.

After a moment, he mumbled.

[I don’t know. I really don’t know. I don’t know what this is in the first place….]

Just then, my phone buzzed.

It filled the silent park.

Without thinking, I checked my phone and was stunned by what I saw.

A picture of a building.

It was the one I was looking for.

[He’s really playing with us here.]

Svengali was right.

But I couldn’t resist.

When I arrived again, it wasn’t a vacant lot.

Seeing that the small villa I had moved into in the original world still stood, Svengali and I were speechless.

[Do you want to go in?]

“Yes.”

I opened the front door and stepped inside.

Each step on the stone stairs echoed with a cold sound.

As I passed by the doors of other rooms, each one firmly closed, Svengali let me know that no one was inside.

Finally, I stopped in front of a firmly closed door.

I took a deep breath and opened it.

It was empty, to the point where I was embarrassed to admit that I was tense, ready to pull out the branches of the World Tree and the shadow of Henir at any moment.

It was just as I had left it.

I barely managed to keep myself from slumping to the ground.

It was too soon to relax.

I immediately started scouring the house.

But I couldn’t find anything.

Just an empty house.

The only thing I could find was an old game console.

[That’s….]

“…….”

Yeah, come to think of it, Svengali also said he got a glimpse of my childhood.

So I’m sure he knows what that game console is.

But something isn’t right.

I brought it to the Academy.

So why the hell is it here?

“Ah.”

Just then, the game console began to turn on itself.

I frowned as I watched it power up with a blue loading screen.

[email protected, #&rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!]

[Seventh ##84?nfalb??!!!]

[Seventh @%_🙒]

An unintelligible message.

The only word I could understand was ‘seventh.’

No way…

I cautiously picked up the game console.

“Are you Ariman?”

I asked, and a text appeared on the console’s screen.

– Unanswerable.

“…Show your face.”

– Not recommended.

I almost slammed the console for a moment, but then a series of texts followed, calming me down.

– Please ask another question.

Another question.

Yeah, there’s no guarantee I’ll get another chance like this.

I had to get as much information as I could.

“…How can I get back to my world now?”

– Unanswerable.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

– Also unanswerable.

“Why the hell did I come to this world, and how can I get back? Or better yet, how can this world exist?”

– Unanswerable.

– It’s unanswerable.

– Also unanswerable.

“Then what the hell can you answer!”

Unable to contain my sudden rage, I threw the game as hard as possible against the wall.

I was breathing heavily when Svengali whispered to me to calm down.

A few moments later, another text appeared as I picked up the game from the wall.

– Please ask another question.

I mumbled, not expecting much.

“Ji-Na… can I meet my sister?”

Another unanswerable question, I thought to myself.

– Possible

“What the hell?”

I muttered to myself and grabbed the game with both hands.

“…Is Ji-Na alive?”

– The subject of your question, ‘Ji-Na,’ is alive.

“Can I see her again?”

– It is difficult to say whether or not you will be reunited with ‘Yoo Ji-Na’ as it depends on the behavior of the questioner, ‘Yoo Ji-Hyuk.’

“No way….”

I asked, swallowing hard.

“Is she in this world too?”

– Unanswerable.

“You son of a bitch…!”

[Calm down, calm down!]

Svengali interrupted me in an urgent voice.

The screen changed of its own accord, and the console began spitting another text.

– Ending Q&A. Moving to announcements.

– Checking…

– Energy of Margo and Svengali.

– The qualifications are not met.

– Please gather six energies.

– Please note that the rewards previously withheld have been released.

– At this time, the rewards we deem most useful have been awarded.

– I sincerely wish for your survival.

“This is fucked up.”

I muttered to myself as I watched the console.

– Warning.

– The existence of ‘Svengali’ has been deemed to be highly disruptive.

– Demanding the complete destruction of ‘Svengali.’

– If you are able to completely destroy the existence ‘Svengali,’ you will be rewarded with a huge reward, which is listed below.

– Mana Empowerment x 1

– Sap of the Highest Quality x 3

– Choice of Relic Grade Armor x 1

– S-Class Summon Minion x 1

– Increased Authority by 1

[What…?]

Svengali muttered in a trembling voice.

I was just as surprised.

I quietly repeated myself.

“…What does it mean to have my authority increased?”

– It means exactly what it sounds like.

– The primary benefit is that the range of questions you can ask becomes broader and more detailed.

– To give you a better example, the question “Where is ‘Yoo Ji-Na?’” can now be answered with a more specific answer.

“…….”

I was silent.

And apparently, Svengali took that silence to mean something else.

[Hey, hey… you can’t be serious, really….]

“I’ve decided.”

It wasn’t even worth thinking about in the first place.

I pointed at the machine.

Or, more accurately, the extended middle finger of one hand.

“Go fuck yourself.”

I looked at the machine. No, I turned to the person who must have been talking to me through the device.

“Who the hell do you think you are to tell me what to do, and how much fun are you having after making me look like an asshole?”

I had caught the text earlier telling me to gather the six energies.

That would mean killing all six of the Seven Evils except Ariman and then accepting their energy.

That’s what I was hoping for.

That was my plan all along.

“Hey, you just wait a little longer. I’ll be on my way to you in no time, and besides, I had a pretty good idea that you were messing with my head. Did you think I’d bend to your will?”

– ‘Svengali’ has had a history of messing with people’s minds and trying to make them his puppets. I am not ‘Svengali.’

“Fuck off.”

With that, the machine flickered, and its lights flashed momentarily.

A moment later, a text appeared in a slightly bolder font than before.

– I understand.

– We hope to meet again in the future.

– I sincerely wish for your survival.

With that, the console flickered and turned off.

After looking at it for a moment, I casually tossed it to the floor.

Instinctively, I realized it had no more use.

[You….]

“If you’re going to say something gross, don’t.”

I stood up from my seat, ignoring Svengali’s words as he called out in a shaky voice.

[Okay, okay… can I ask you a question then?]

“What?”

[What are you going to do now?]

He muttered quietly.

[I don’t know if he’s Ariman or not. He’s always spouting off about balance and equality and blah blah blah. The only thing I’m sure of is that it has something to do with Ariman.]

“Thinking about it won’t get us anywhere, not when he’s played you and me so thoroughly.”

I let out a self-deprecating laugh, and Svengali fell silent.

My stomach churned, and my head boiled.

“He told us what to do: Gather the six energies and visit him…The plan from the beginning was to kill the other Seven Evils and meet him.”

[Heh….]

“For now…”

I silently lifted my phone.

Han Soo-Young, Choi Hyun-Woo, Jin Ye-Seul, Lee Ye-Eun, Ivan Hunt, and Lee Yu-Na…

A bitter laugh escaped me as I looked at my phone, which had calls and texts from various people.

“Minerva.”

Yeah.

I can’t even handle this on my own anymore.

And how could these guys sit still when they knew everything?

“I can’t do this alone.”

[Of course.]

“…so I’m going to need everyone’s help.”

I muttered.

***

– Isaac McDowell and his men returned to Urea.

“I guess they won’t be coming back now.”

As I muttered that, Woo-Seok asked me.

– Should I kill them?

“No, don’t bother. The fact that he fled to Urea in the first place shows how much of a corner he’s in.”

In a way, the commotion at the gate had given him a way out.

It was a bit of a waste, but with all his limbs cut off, Isaac was no longer a threat.

Besides, mice will bite cats when cornered.

We wouldn’t have to do anything.

– Then…

“It’s never too late to take care of the little things after the big ones. Keep your eyes peeled, and if you see anything unusual, report it immediately.”

– Understood.

“Thank you, as always.”

With that, I was about to hang up the phone.

– By the way Young Master, when do you expect to return home…

“I’ll stay at a friend’s house for a while; please tell her I’m on my way. Bye.”

– Young Master, wait…!

With those words, I promptly hung up the phone.

Okay, so that puts the matter of Isaac McDowell to rest for now…

As I checked the box, I glanced at the paper crane in my hand.

“It’s been a while. How are you feeling?”

– Thanks for the concern.

The paper crane fluttered slightly as if flapping its wings.

Ye-Jung’s voice sounded much more alive than before.

– It’s all thanks to Cass Lyle. He’s a true expert. I could feel myself getting better with each passing day.

“That’s good.”

– …Even so, the growth and the use of my abilities will come much later. My priority is to adjust my body.

She explained her condition in detail.

And only at the end did she quietly whisper to me.

– Once again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude. Yoo Ji-Hyuk-ssi.

“I didn’t do anything.”

– No…… I can see that Ye-Seul’s condition has improved tremendously. Moreover, my life, which would have died again, was saved thanks to you.

She muttered in a trembling voice for a moment.

– Of course…the indifferent Ye-Seul has become quite obsessed with me…

“Haha….”

– If I consider it the price I deserve, it’s not that bad. Even though it’s like this…I’m relieved that Ye-Seul seems to be stabilizing herself by interacting with me.

Her words left me momentarily speechless.

Ye-Jung always spoke in a calm voice that didn’t show much emotion, with a bit of rise and fall in her tone, but I could feel her affection for Ye-Seul through her words now.

– Sometimes, I wish I could be left alone, but that would be a luxury compared to the past.

She let out a small laugh.

– …If there’s anything I can do for you, please don’t hesitate to ask. I owe you more than a lifetime of gratitude. I’m willing to give you my life if you want it.

“I only need your thanks.”

– It’s the least I could do since you saved my life and Ye-Seul’s.

Ye-Jung added in a slightly choked voice.

– I’m not just saying it; I mean it. Mage’s words also relate to their spirits, so we don’t tell lies lightly.

“Yes, I’m well aware of that, so I said I’m only accepting your thanks.”

After a moment of silence, I added quietly.

“If that’s the case, I hope you get well soon, so you can stay with Ye-Seul for a long time.”

– …….

Ye-Jung didn’t say anything.

Then I felt a vibration in my hand holding my phone.

It was a call from the person I was waiting for.

I picked up the phone and apologized.

“I’m sorry, Ye-Jung-ssi. It’s been a while, but I have to go. I have an important call.”

– It’s no problem.

“Please forgive me; I’ll tell ct Ye-Seul to contact you this afternoon.”

– You don’t have to do that… but the favor is appreciated.

Then, Ye-Jung cautiously asked me.

– By the way, it’s an important call… Is it your elder sister’s call?

“No.”

I shook my head.

“It’s a friend’s mentor.”

The phone rang, and it was Nam Hyun-Hwa’s number I made Svengali remember.