LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 21
The first thing I see in the full-length mirror is the smooth, white mask that covers the upper half of my face.
Below that is the white robe adorned with golden thread and a navy tie.
On the right lapel, there’s a badge with the symbol representing a freshman, finished off with pants of the same color and neat black shoes.
“…”
I feel like I’m wearing clothes that don’t fit, each piece feels awkward and unnatural.
I’ve been given a fancy outfit instead of the rugged mask I used to wear in the unit, but it just makes me look rather ridiculous alongside the robe.
If someone were to see me at night, they’d probably mistake me for a warlock or a criminal without a second thought.
“Hah…”
A sigh escapes at my silly appearance, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.
Resigned, I check the time, grab my bag, and leave the guest room.
Time flew by, and it was soon Monday. Today was also the day of the admission ceremony at the Cradle.
Thanks to the hotel, which had arranged personal transportation after I received a word from the principal beforehand, I headed off to the Cradle.
The car sped out onto the western outskirts of the capital city and drove for a long while. The tall buildings gradually disappeared from view, and the landscape slowly turned green. Endless wide fields and the distant blue sea replaced the city.
How much time had passed? I noticed the number of vehicles and pedestrians on the road steadily increasing. In the distance, I could see another wall rising little by little above the horizon.
At first, I thought it might be a small town, but the giant sign that read “First Wizard Specialization Academy” revealed that the entire administrative district functioned as one academy.
I suppose “Cradle” is a nickname, and the official name is that. It’s understandable why they prefer the nickname; it’s just too long and stiff for daily conversation.
After making a U-turn nearby, I walked straight towards the gate.
Around me, guards in black enrollment uniforms were conducting strict screenings.
It seemed that all of them were wizards, as I noticed that they all had particle arrangers attached to their wrists.
It wasn’t until I presented my ID and admission certificate to them that I was allowed to enter. What’s interesting is that the guards here didn’t show much interest in my mask.
Perhaps it’s because unusual students come and go often, as the principal said. I hope others don’t take too much interest, either.
As I exited the gate, a wide landscape unfolded in front of me. A vast lawn, a lake, and a plaza were the first sights to catch my eye.
Seeing students in the same outfits gathered in groups chatting made me finally realize that I was indeed at the Cradle.
Surrounding the lawn and plaza were buildings of various heights and widths, filling the space without gaps.
Some buildings had large glass walls reflecting the sunlight, while others had no windows at all, making it hard to guess what was inside. Signs were set up everywhere, indicating the names and purposes of each building.
Since outsiders couldn’t enter the Cradle, it was common to see students saying goodbye to family or relatives nearby.
Some casually patted shoulders in pride, while others burst into tears from too much joy…
“…”
In such a scene, being all alone felt a bit melancholic.
In this place where everyone is happy, I was the only one floating adrift.
If I had known this would happen, I should have stopped my older sisters from coming to the ceremony.
I felt like I would be swallowed by my gloom if I stayed here any longer, so I decided to leave this place.
I clearly heard that the ceremony was to be held at the Hwayangkwan, didn’t I?
Though there was plenty of time left, it wouldn’t hurt to head there early.
I looked around for signs leading to Hwayangkwan. There were so many buildings around that finding it wasn’t easy.
“Hey… wait a minute…!”
Just as I was trying to find my way, a woman’s voice that seemed to be calling me from behind caught my attention.
But the voice sounded somewhat familiar. I felt like I had heard it somewhere before. Yet it wasn’t someone I knew. Where exactly had I heard this…
“…?”
I turned to see who was calling. Behind me stood a female student, panting slightly.
From her school uniform and the same badge I wore, it looked like she was a freshman too.
“Huff… huff… I’ve been calling you for a while now, seriously…”
After catching her breath, the female student looked up at me.
Light brown hair and matching eyes.
Her delicate features come together to create an unexpectedly harmless impression.
Her eyes turned up slightly at the corners, and on her lightly blushed cheeks, a sprinkle of freckles was visible.
It didn’t take long for me to realize who she was.
We had already met last Friday.
“That mask…! I had a feeling, but it’s really you…! You’re the one from last time!! You helped me…!”
“…”
“Oh my gosh, to think we’re both freshmen at the Cradle… I never imagined we would meet again here…!”
The female student babbled on while looking at me. It was just as unbelievable for me. Who would have thought a prospective student from a prestigious academy would be chased by thugs in an alley?
“Hehe, this is so amazing. What a strange connection! Oh, I’m Yena. Ha Yena. Just call me Yena. What’s your name? What’s your major? Release system? Cycle system? I think it’s cycle system from what I see. Why are you wearing a mask? Is it to make it easy for people to remember you?”
“…”
“Hey, are you listening?”
“…”
“Hey, can, you, hear, me~?”
The female student waved her arms in front of my face. Her odd behavior drew the attention of those around us, and they made shocked expressions at the sight of my mask.
“…Uh, um… you’re not mute, are you? Now that I think about it, you didn’t speak last time either…”
“I can talk.”
“Ahh! Oh my god!!”
Hearing my voice startled the female student, causing her to take a small jump before lightly sitting back down. She really resembled a harmless rabbit, both in looks and behavior.
I had lost my chance to respond and was caught between a rock and a hard place, but she kept leaning closer to my face, so I couldn’t hold back any longer. Do girls like to get close to faces? Just like the principal last time…
“Hehe, sorry… I surprised you by suddenly talking! But your voice is really nice…!”
The female student brushed off her clothes as she stood up, her smile embarrassed.
“Hey, what’s your name? You don’t mind sharing, do you…?”
“…Yoo Jin-hyun.”
“I see! Nice to meet you…! Then, can I call you Jin-hyun…?”
“…Just call me Hyun.”
It had been almost two years since I got my new name, but it still felt uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Even in the unit, my sisters always called me Hyun. Since my new name still contained the word Hyun, it didn’t seem like a big problem.
“Hehe, got it…! You can call me whatever you want too! I told you my name earlier, right?”
“…”
“I’m really grateful for what you did last time…! If it weren’t for you, I would have been in big trouble. My heart is still racing! And I’m sorry I didn’t get to thank you properly. I was so shocked that no words came out. By the time I came to my senses, you were already gone… But I really didn’t expect to see you here…!”
“Don’t worry about it. You don’t have to take it so seriously.”
“Hehe, so you’re a nice person, huh? To be honest, I was a bit scared to talk to you before… After all, you can’t judge a person just by their appearance…!”
The female student smiled with a friendly expression. But it seemed she had more on her mind than just thank-yous. After nervously twiddling her hair with her fingers, she finally spoke up.
“Um… this might sound sudden, but… do you want to hang out together? My family lives far away, so they couldn’t come. I don’t have any friends yet, so… what do you think? We might need each other to talk…”
“…”
Her sudden proposal made me hesitate in a way I hadn’t planned.
What to do. I was just intending to go to Hwayangkwan first.
“Uh…?”
The female student asked again when I remained silent. I could sense a tinge of desperation in her voice.
But I hesitated to answer.
The strange feeling I had since meeting her again earlier kept creeping over me.
I felt an uncanny familiarity towards her. The only clarity I had was that it wasn’t a romantic attraction. I had been deeply stuck in those useless feelings before and knew it well.
If I had to compare, it felt as though I’d known her for decades, or even centuries, as if it were a bond from the same bloodline, or a strong pull that came from something similar.
However, it was physically impossible for us to have known each other for so long. I was someone who hadn’t even lived 20 years, and we had just met in the alley last Friday night.
I thought over and over again, but ultimately failed to define this strange feeling. Was it just that I was so glad to talk to a peer after a long time? No, I doubted that was it…
“I’m sorry. I feel more comfortable being alone. Let’s go our separate ways…”
After much deliberation, I decided to decline the female student’s offer. Setting aside the unease, my sisters had warned me to be cautious around women who approach too friendly.
“Ugh…”
However, the female student showed a response I hadn’t anticipated. Tears welled up in her large eyes, and they soon began to drip down.
“I-I’m sorry… was that too much to ask…?”
“…”
“I’m sorry for bothering you… I just thought it would be nice to hang out together… ugh…”
This was way too surprising. Was she feeling upset enough to cry over this situation?
The reason I wanted to avoid the female student was because that strange familiarity was turning into discomfort and unease for me.
And that reason was due to my personal experiences from the past.
But that was my issue alone, having nothing to do with the female student standing in front of me.
Thinking about it, she didn’t approach me; it was almost me who approached her first…
Maybe it was time for me to reconsider my thoughts.
“…My bad. I spoke poorly. Let’s go together as you suggested.”
“…No, it’s okay… You don’t have to force yourself…”
“It’s not that I don’t want to. I was just awkward about it. It’s been a while since I’ve talked to someone my age…”
“Oh, really…?”
“Really. Let’s hang out.”
Hearing my assurance, the female student wiped away the tears from her eyes, and then with a smile as bright as day, she reached out her hand to me.
“Hehe… then I’m counting on you again…?”
“…Yeah.”
Having lost any chance to refuse, I took her hand. A light discomfort spread from my fingertips, but it was nothing significant enough to ignore.
…Maybe it’s time to make a change. Didn’t someone say to actively socialize to raise my influence and reputation?
Perhaps this could be the first step towards that…
“…Hey, can I ask you something?”
“What is it?”
“You aren’t… a girl, are you?”
“What?”
“Hehe, just kidding…! But come this way…! I’ll show you around…!”
Wiping away her tears, Yena suddenly shot out that bizarre question. I tried to question her back at the meaningless line, but Yena just giggled and led me into the Cradle campus.