“Doing so would be easier as a sorcerer. Not just anyone can control the mind, and the more people involved, the more difficult it becomes. Rather than that, it would be better to change my appearance and focus my energy only on your eyes so that only you can see my true form…”

“Focus on my eyes? So something is in my eyes right now…?”

I touched the corners of my eyes in confusion. As we were on the move, it was impossible to check whether Sa-Baek and Sa-Je’s words were correct. Sa-Baek also discouraged me.

“If there’s no immediate issue with your vision, just leave it for now. Is your sight blurry, or do your eyes hurt?”

“It’s fine…”

Wait a minute.

‘Come to think of it, haven’t my eyes been stingy and tired today?’

I realized I had been rubbing my eyes and corners without even knowing.

‘So?’

I felt a chill run down my spine from the sudden realization.

When did this start?

“Ha Hyun?”

“……I’m fine!”

I forcibly pushed the unpleasant realization out of my mind.

As Sa-Baek said, there was no immediate issue with my vision. There was only a minor inconvenience that even I, the person concerned, had casually dismissed as coincidence. I briefly bit my lip and then asked another question.

“But why only me? What could be the reason?”

“Though I could make any number of guesses, it’s most accurate to get it directly from the source.”

While we were running, Sa-Baek glanced back at me.

“However, understanding the minds of those who cause such problems is either difficult or not beneficial, Ha Hyun. It’ll be easier to think you tripped over a stone and got unlucky.”

I thought his words made sense, but emotionally it was hard to accept and move on.

Sa-Baek didn’t know, but I’d had a serious run-in with sorcery just a few years ago.

“Anyway, Ha Hyun. The face that you said only you could see is likely that person’s true appearance. If you see him inside the academy, tell me immediately.”

“I understand.”

By then, we were close to the wall that surrounded the entire academy.

“Shh.”

Sa-Baek who had quieted us down focused on the road ahead.

“Just one person, it seems.”

Sa-Baek muttered quietly. As we rounded the corner of the building, right in front of us, against the wall…

“Ah.”

There was a visitor.

Just as Sa-Baek said. The person slowly turning toward us was alone.

“This is…”
In the shadow of the wall, the face was not clearly visible. However, once they had identified each other, the other person, aware of being outnumbered, showed no sense of urgency and merely let out a casual sigh.

“Who are you!”

“So I’ve been caught. Waking up quietly is a bit difficult.”

The voice leisurely speaking to itself seemed familiar, almost ignoring what Sa Baek said.

The figure slowly stepped out of the shadow. Standing precisely at the border where the moonlight reached, their face was somewhat extraordinary even in the dim surroundings, like a flower harboring poison…

“…Sa Baek, it’s that person.”

Gripping the hilt of the sword at my waist, I softly spoke without taking my eyes off the other person.

“The false firstborn.”

Both Sa Baek and Sa Jeo immediately tensed up upon hearing those words.

I wasn’t sure whether the face that appeared so extraordinary to my eyes was also revealed in its original form to Sa Baek and Sa Jeo. However, I was relieved that I had been able to convey my sense of unease to them beforehand.

“A false firstborn? Ah, so you call me that.”

The person nodded as if amused.

“What a shame. We happen to meet just when I was temporarily undoing my disguise. I can’t pretend to be a righteous man any longer. I really did wish we had time to talk…”

They were looking directly at me as they spoke. Sa Baek quickly stepped in front of me and unsheathed his sword.

“Identify yourself first. Who are you?”

“Is that important?”

The person relaxed their arms and tossed an object near Sa Baek’s feet. A crumpled, round piece—it ‘was’ a talisman.

‘…He did say he woke up himself.’

It wasn’t just talk; it was true.