The students transferred from Carlos to Gaon were touring various parts of the library under the guidance of a teaching assistant.
Understanding the basic structure of Gaon and the locations of major facilities was an essential element for the newly arrived students from Carlos, who had come to the venue for an exchange.
Therefore, the teaching assistant was busy explaining the infrastructure of Gaon.
“This is the central library of Gaon. Almost all existing materials are stored here… Some forbidden books do exist, but students cannot access them…”
The assistant’s explanation continued, but the students’ attention had already shifted elsewhere.
Eventually, he gave them a bitter smile and granted them personal time. Perhaps because they were from a magic-specialized academy, they went wild at the sight of books, trying to read everything.
“Let’s regroup here in an hour~”
That’s how personal time was given.
Yoon Chae-ha silently strolled through the library, leaving Joo Seo-joon behind.
Swish.
She pulled a book from the bookshelf as she brushed past.
She skimmed through it lightly.
“There’s nothing special.”
She muttered softly, tilting her head.
Neither the content of the book nor the quality of the materials impressed her.
Compared to Carlos, there was nothing particularly outstanding.
Suddenly, her gaze stopped.
In the depths of the library, she noticed a row of books bound in thick chains and strong seals.
Forbidden books.
Books that existed in Carlos as well, and were difficult to handle. The reasons varied: some contained dangerously powerful knowledge, while others were restricted due to their high research value.
They were usually sealed by a professor’s unique magic pattern, making them impossible to read without permission.
But, she was different.
Her crimson eyes flickered faintly.
===
[Power: A priori]
① Penetrating Vision
—”You can’t hide, nor can you be hidden.”
② A Priori Knowledge
—”The essence is already determined.”
③ ??? (Unreleased)
===
She analyzed the barrier.
She extended her fingertips lightly.
She should have been repelled the instant she touched the barrier.
However,
-Swish.
Her hand passed through the barrier without any resistance.
Yoon Chae-ha glanced around briefly, then easily took a book.
Her eyes moved rapidly as she read.
With each page turn, the sentences instantly embedded themselves into her mind.
“…Similar.”
Even this forbidden book wasn’t much different from the ones in Carlos.
Gaon was supposed to be special, different.
But the depth of knowledge, the density of information—it didn’t meet her expectations again.
It had always been the case.
The things people celebrated as the ‘best,’ the things they praised as ‘special’…
When she saw them with her own eyes, when she looked closely—
No matter what, they never lived up to her expectations.
Her eyes pierced through the essence of things.
And that essence had never truly shone—not even once.
Yoon Chae-ha returned the book to its original place.
She stared at the disappearing spine of the book for a while, then slowly looked away.
That’s why she trusted only what she saw with her own eyes.
It was her way of life.
Which is why Yoon Chae-ha naturally became interested in Jung Hae-in after personally seeing him.
She waited for the moment, the encounter.
…
She recalled the morning.
This morning, at the exchange event, something had happened.
Before the exchange event ended, she encountered him.
And naturally, she opened her eyes.
Her crimson pupils gleamed with light.
…
===
[Power: Fractal of Harmony]
① Breaking Evil, Revealing Righteousness
—”Destroy what is false.”
② ??? (Unreleased)
③ ??? (Unreleased)
===
His power was revealed.
“Fractal…?”
The fractal, a contentious topic even in academic circles.
Its usage was not clearly defined, remaining a mystery that many researchers had yet to unravel.
And yet, Jung Hae-in carried such a fractal within him.
For a moment, her heart raced.
It was a sensation close to admiration and excitement.
“Finally…”
She rejoiced internally. Indeed, he was different from everyone she’d encountered thus far.
Unbelieving, she activated her power even more strongly.
The second power of A priori, a priori knowledge.
This power would surely reveal Jung Hae-in’s ‘essence.’ At that moment, his gaze met hers.
However,
-Twang!
Her power was repelled.
“!”
Yoon Chae-ha’s heart skipped a beat.
There was only one scenario in which her power could be blocked:
When it encountered the same or a higher level of power.
Her gaze shifted to the short-haired woman standing beside Jung Hae-in.
Clad in a pristine ceremonial gown, the woman followed him quietly, a faint smile on her lips.
But Yoon Chae-ha knew—
It was she who had repelled her ‘eyes.’
As if a mother wrapped her child in a protective embrace,
The woman quietly erected an invisible barrier against Yoon Chae-ha’s gaze.
Her mana was strong, but since it was directed specifically at Yoon Chae-ha, no one else noticed.
Mana carries the will of its wielder, and it is said that individuals at a high level of mastery can read the intentions contained within mana through a single exchange.
And now,
Her mana spoke clearly:
“Where to?”
An invisible boundary was drawn.
“…”
Yoon Chae-ha slowly turned her head.
A faint smile appeared on her face.
Different, indeed different.
Her first failure.
Since her birth, nothing had ever obstructed her sight—not once.
But right now, for the first time—it was blocked.
She analyzed her emotions.
Confusion?
It was there.
Feeling of defeat?
That too was unmistakable.
However,
A stronger emotion surged within her.
Interest.
She wondered who this woman was who had repelled her gaze.
And also what the true identity of Jung Hae-in, whom this woman guarded so carefully, might be.
Therefore,
It was more exciting.
She’s probably racking her brain about it by now.
This morning, the moment Yoon Chae-ha met me, her orange eyes sparkled.
She must have tried to activate her powers to uncover my essence.
Although I didn’t show it outwardly, I’m certain she read my power.
And what she saw was…
“Fractal.”
Something no one in this world should possess.
Someone like her, who pursued knowledge, couldn’t help but be curious.
And I intended to utilize her inquisitive nature to achieve my goal.
The exchange competition.
In one month.
Students transferring between Galos and Carlos will engage in spars with each other.
Real battles and dungeon speed runs are part of the activities.
In essence, it’s not just a simple sparring but a competition similar to actual combat scenarios.
The student from the exchange program is paired with one from the hosting academy.
In other words, the exchange student is assigned a mentor from that academy.
In short—
“Let’s see which side teaches better.”
It’s a matter of each academy’s pride, so taking the exchange competition seriously is unavoidable.
The growth of the student reflects the quality of the academy.
Thus, the arrival of Joo Seo-joon and Yoon Chae-ha—who could already be considered fully formed—is nothing short of a stroke of luck for Gaon.
Mentors are chosen by the students themselves.
Students from Carlos can select a desired individual from among Gaon’s figures, and refusal is not an option.
That’s the official rule.
So—
I waited.
For her to choose me as her mentor.
-Twang!
-Twang!
“Hn…”
In front of me, Yoo Hana collapsed.
We were in the midst of a partner training session.
“Is it alright?”
I asked her for her thoughts on the new weapon, about how it felt to counter with a sword.
She pressed the back of her hand to her mouth, pondering briefly, then replied.
“Clearly, with an additional attack route, there was more to manage. In many ways, it fits me well.”
I nodded.
“What’s wrong?”
For some reason, her skin had a strange glow today. A radiant, smooth texture seemed especially prominent.
Could it be due to the elixir she consumed this morning?
I momentarily entertained such thoughts before shaking my head.
The training is now over.
I lifted my wristwatch to check the time.
Eleven o’clock.
It was time to wrap things up.
“Alright, let’s…”
“Where to?”
She picked up the dropped Camellia Sword from the floor and infused mana into it.
-Woooom!
The Camellia Sword began to vibrate subtly, emitting a soft red light.
“I want you to watch.”
Yoo Hana typically asked me to observe her sword dance after every training session.
In the early stages, there was a lot to say about her posture.
But now…
To be honest, there’s no unnecessary movement.
Initially, the training with Yoo Hana was intended to give her enough strength to survive alone against Moras.
However, she had advanced far beyond self-rescue—to the point of being able to cut down Moras.
Therefore, there was no need to continue the partner training.
At this point, it’s better for her to ponder and wrestle with her own challenges.
After all, Yoo Hana possesses the potential to establish her own domain in the future.
Now, what she needs to do is to discover these insights on her own.
-Whoosh!
I slumped on the training ground and stared blankly at her swordplay.
“Just… good.”
That was the only impression I had.
Just then,
-Beep!
My smartwatch went off.
I looked at the alarm that came up and instantly let out a sharp cry.
“Huh?”
✉ [Gaon]
✔ You have been selected as a mentor for student Yoon Chae-ha in the Exchange Program.
✔ Please attend the orientation by 10 a.m. tomorrow.
She chose me as her mentor.
I curled the corners of my lips upward.
Coincidentally, it seemed Yoo Hana had just finished her sword dance.
She lightly lifted the hem of her T-shirt to wipe the sweat off her face.
For a brief moment, her clear abs caught my eye.
“Is everything fine…?”
“Good job.”
-Clink, clink!
I applauded and approached her, patting her on the shoulder.
-Thump, thump.
Then I spoke.
“Let’s end our partner training.”
…
“For now, it seems unnecessary. It’s better if you reflect on things yourself.”
If I take on a mentorship role, I might have to spend the afternoons with Yoon Chae-ha as well.
Besides, I’ve already given her the Divine Camellia Sword, taught her the Hua Jie Jian technique, and provided enough power to endure Moras—achieving all our initial objectives.
The partner training should end here. Morning exercises will continue as planned.
The training period was initially planned to last about two weeks, but we’ve already surpassed three weeks.
There was no need to drag it on any longer.
“Huh…?”
As my words concluded, her eyes widened.
-Twang!
Yoo Hana dropped the Camellia Sword she had been holding.
The ring of steel echoed as the sword collided with the floor.
Yoo Hana froze, staring at me. Her expression changed drastically.
It was as if tears would well up in her eyes at any moment.
Her hands trembled slightly.
“What… did you just say?”
Her trembling fingers betrayed her emotions.
