Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Heaven’s Door (24)

***

In the noisy corner of the classroom, a boy sat alone at his desk.

Despite his delicate appearance, his stubborn and hot-tempered personality forced him to spend most of his days by himself.

“Hey, Hyun.”

At that moment, a cheerful voice called out to him, and the boy turned his head.

It was his only friend, a handsome boy with a bold impression, the complete opposite of him.

Jin Ho approached with a mischievous grin on his face.

“I heard you cried as soon as you woke up this morning. Did you have a nightmare?”

“W-What nonsense…”

The boy immediately denied it, but there was no hiding his swollen eyes and the redness in his pupils.

Seeing his flustered reaction, Jin Ho’s grin deepened.

“I heard everything from your mom earlier. You were bawling your eyes out, sniffling and—ugh!”

“Hey, cut it out!”

Jin Ho, who had been speaking excitedly, suddenly grabbed the back of his head and staggered.

It was Ina, the boy’s other friend, glaring at Jin Ho with cat-like eyes.

“Hyun’s mom asked us to look after him carefully. How could you tease him like that?”

“Hey! This is how guys bond, okay? You wouldn’t understand…”

“You little…!”

“…!”

The friends bickered right in front of him.

To the boy, it was such a familiar sight that it almost felt tiresome.

“Uh, guys…”

“Hmm?”

The boy, who had been staring blankly at them, hesitated before speaking.

“But… aren’t you two dating? Why are you always fighting like that…”

“…Who? Me? With him?”

“Gross…”

Their reactions were immediate.

“Hey. Sorry about earlier. I was just trying to cheer you up, you know? But that was a bit much…”

“Hyun, even you went too far with that one.”

The two, who had been pulling each other’s hair just moments ago, suddenly distanced themselves and gagged in disgust.

“Y-Yeah… sorry. I don’t know why I said that…”

The boy scratched his head, puzzled by his own words. There was no way those two, who bickered the moment their eyes met, could be in that kind of relationship. So why…

The boy, still with his bloodshot eyes, looked down at his palm. He slowly opened and closed his hand, observing its movements.

A soft hand, with no trace of the firm muscles, bulging veins, or calluses that should have been there.

“…?”

The boy tilted his head in confusion. Why did he think those things were part of him?

“I’d rather bite my tongue than be with him…”

“Hey! That’s my line!”

As he pondered, his friends resumed their argument.

“…”

But soon, the boy shook his head, scattering the doubts that filled his mind.

Whether the two ended up together or not, or whatever was happening with his body, none of that mattered.

What mattered most was this moment.

These blissful, precious days that he had missed so much, down to his very bones.

This scenery that he could never afford to lose again.

“Guys, stop it. The bell’s going to ring soon…”

Having made up his mind, the boy stepped between his friends, who were ready to go at it again.

One day, two days, three days, a month, a year.

Time flowed like that.

As it always had, and as it always would, in this peaceful, unchanging routine.

***

Jin Yeseo couldn’t take her eyes off the scene unfolding before her.

The once formidable man had frozen like a statue at the mere gesture of that frail woman.

Through the glass of his gas mask, his pale, dull blue eyes were visible. They were vacant, devoid of focus or any sign of awareness, staring blankly into space.

Just like the other cultists gathered in the hall.

“Strange… You said he was a mage…?”

The nun standing before him gazed at the emptiness in his eyes with a puzzled expression.

“I didn’t sense any particle flow at all…”

She tilted her head and brought her nose close to him, sniffing.

“And this feeling… is it a bond?… It’s clearly a male body… but it’s definitely not one of us…”

However, her confusion vanished as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by a serene smile.

“Well, I suppose we’ll find out in time. They said there are about 500 million individuals worldwide… Surely there could be an outlier, right? Truly… intriguing…”

Just as she reached out to touch Lee Hyun’s chin with her delicate fingers, a blade came whirling through the air, tracing a half-circle, aiming for her neck.

Jin Yeseo, putting all her strength into the strike, found that the nun dodged it effortlessly.

Jin Yeseo positioned herself between Lee Hyun and the nun, pointing her blade at the latter. She glanced back and forth, calling out to Lee Hyun.

“Hey, snap out of it! Hey!”

“It would be wise not to touch him.”

But the answer didn’t come from behind her. It came from another direction.

Jin Yeseo gritted her teeth and glared forward.

The nun still wore the same serene smile, without a hint of hostility.

“I’ve injected him with power to his limit. If you’re not careful, his body could collapse entirely. Of course, he’ll be trapped in a happy dream forever, but…”

“You… What the hell are you?”

Jin Yeseo stared at the woman. Beneath her torn robes, there was no blood, only smooth, white skin. At her feet lay the two severed hands that Lee Hyun had clearly cut off earlier.

Her hand, gripping the blade, trembled. She had never heard of anyone regenerating lost limbs.

Nor had she ever encountered someone who could walk around unscathed after being stabbed straight through the heart.

“I am merely… a faithful servant of God.”

“Don’t make me laugh.”

Jin Yeseo scoffed, as if trying to bolster her courage, and retorted.

“A woman who feeds people’s heads to monsters, calling herself a servant of God?”

“They’re not monsters, they’re angels.”

The nun continued in a gentle voice.

“They are the purest, most untainted beings in existence. Truly deserving of ascension. If they are not angels, then who else could we call angels?”

“…”

Jin Yeseo thought it was a waste of time to engage in such nonsense with a lunatic. She quickly assessed her surroundings.

She couldn’t move Lee Hyun. She was certain that the nun had done something to him with that kiss. Ignoring the nun’s warning and attempting to move him could lead to irreversible consequences.

“Ugh…”

The man who had been acting all high and mighty earlier was now cowering and trembling like a frightened mouse. Being a mage clearly wasn’t going to help them here.

Jin Yeseo made her decision and spoke.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes?”

The head of the Security Bureau flinched and bowed his head to her.

“You said you knew the way out of here.”

“Y-Yes, yes!”

“Then get out of here. Now.”

“Wh-What…?”

“Didn’t you hear me? Get lost.”

The man looked confused, but Jin Yeseo waved him off as if shooing away an annoying fly.

“You’re not going to be any help here. Go call for reinforcements. Whether it’s the military or the Cradle, get them here right now.”

“B-But… Can I really go alone…”

What irritated her the most was that, despite his words, the man’s face was clearly relieved.

“Yeah. Just go. And… remember one thing.”

“W-What is it…?”

Jin Yeseo glanced at Lee Hyun from the corner of her eye, her voice turning fierce.

“This is a Level 1 danger zone. If you run off without doing your job, I’ll make sure you regret it. I’ll use every ounce of Baekgwang’s power to hunt you down and tear you apart.”

“H-Hiiik…”

“Don’t take my words lightly. Now get lost.”

At Jin Yeseo’s words, the man hurriedly disappeared behind the black curtain. Soon, the sound of footsteps ascending the stone stairs grew fainter.

Jin Yeseo kept her eyes on the nun.

She wondered if the nun would stop the man from fleeing, but the woman didn’t even blink, simply watching Jin Yeseo with an unsettling gaze, like a predator sizing up its prey.

“It’s a shame. I’ve grown quite fond of this city. To think I have to leave it behind…”

After a brief pause, the nun spoke again.

“But I think I have enough time to satisfy my curiosity.”

“…Curiosity?”

Instead of answering, the nun gave a cryptic smile and raised her hand slightly.

Then, the people who had been sitting motionless in the hall all turned their heads in unison to look at Jin Yeseo.

“Mage…”

“They oppress us… and exploit us…!”

“Filthy pigs…!”

Voices filled with hostility echoed from all directions. Their lips curled, baring their teeth like wild beasts.

The transformation wasn’t limited to their behavior. Their backs began to split open, revealing sharp spikes and multiple tentacles. Their arms elongated into scythe-like shapes, and their faces swelled grotesquely.

They were no longer human.

In an instant, the wide hall was filled with thousands of grotesque creatures.

The nun petted one of them, like a dog, and spoke with a hint of regret in her voice.

“It’s a pity. Since they’ve already tainted their bodies as adults, they can only transform into these incomplete forms. Purity is such an important thing…”

“What is this…”

Jin Yeseo’s face was filled with shock. The fear of the unknown was consuming her.

She recalled the words of the old woman at the Sisterhood House, who had spoken of a biological contamination incident.

“The particles… You must be a promising young mage. Perhaps even capable of surpassing the limits of your species.”

The nun, who had taken a few steps back, still wore that serene smile as she watched Jin Yeseo.

It wasn’t hard to realize that the incident had not been an accident.

“I’m curious. How long can someone like you last against them?”

-Grrrr…

-Kyaaa!

From all directions, the hungry growls of beasts echoed. They twitched as if they were ready to pounce at any moment.

“Haa…”

Amidst the terrifying scene, Jin Yeseo took a deep breath, steadying herself.

“To think you’d make me go through all this trouble…”

She muttered softly to herself.

“If you don’t keep your promise when I get back, I’ll really kill you…”

And then, the moment the nun lowered her hand, it was as if invisible chains had been broken, and the monsters charged all at once.

-Kyaa! Kaaak!

Suddenly, Jin Yeseo locked eyes with one of the creatures.

It was the old man from the restaurant, who had kindly given them information on their first day.

‘Of course, I’ll kill them. But first, I’ll get whatever I can out of them.’

-Kwaang!

But before she could hear the voice any longer, she swung her blade horizontally, cutting through the creature without hesitation.

The once-human creature’s head rolled across the floor, its limbs and tentacles twitching in its death throes.

-Kaak!

-Kyaaaa!

“I confirm the occurrence of a Level 1 danger situation. As a cadet of the Cradle, entrusted with field judgment authority under the Security Act, I will deliver the Supreme Council’s verdict on these traitors.”

She glared at the horde of monsters rushing towards her like a living tide. Tightening her grip on her blade, she muttered softly, as if steeling herself for the battle ahead.

“Verdict: Immediate execution.”

***

“Did you hear?”

“Hear what?”

On the way home from school.

As usual, the three of them were heading back to their residential area together.

“Someone’s moving in behind Hyun’s house. They say it might be someone from a really high-ranking family.”

“Where do you pick up these weird rumors…”

“Hey! Can’t you just believe me when I say something?”

Jin Ho and Ina, walking ahead, were having their usual heated conversation.

“You saw it too. The head of security was acting like he was serving some kind of lord. I’ve never seen that pig behave like that.”

“That’s true, but…”

“Who’s moving in? I’m really curious. I hope it’s a pretty girl our age… Ow!”

Jin Ho, who had been lamenting, suddenly yelped as Ina kicked him in the shin.

“All you do is talk about girls. No wonder they all run away the moment they hear you.”

“Hey! Stop hitting me! You’re not even a mage, so why are you so vicious? That’s why you’re still single at your age. Other people are already dating two or three people!”

“Watch your mouth. It’s not that I can’t date, it’s that I don’t want to.”

As always, the two of them began their usual physical banter.

“…”

But unlike usual, the boy, who would typically have stepped in to stop them by now, remained silent. He trudged along with empty eyes and heavy steps.

“…Ah…”

“…”

“…What do you… think…”

“…”

“Hey, Hyun!”

“Huh? Oh?”

The boy, startled by the loud call of his name, seemed to come to his senses.

The two, having stopped their bickering, were now looking at him with puzzled expressions, waiting for his response.

“What do you think?”

“About what…?”

“The person moving in behind your house. Aren’t you curious?”

“Oh…”

The boy, finally refocusing his gaze, shook his head.

“…I don’t care.”

“What? Hey, don’t be so boring.”

Jin Ho’s face fell at the boy’s disinterested response.

“Even if it’s a really pretty girl moving in?”

“Looks don’t matter. What’s important is the heart. I don’t care how pretty she is if she has a bad personality.”

“…That doesn’t sound like something you’d say…”

Jin Ho looked genuinely confused by the boy’s response. Ina, on the other hand, nodded in satisfaction.

“As expected of Hyun… Definitely different from someone else, huh?”

“Hey, don’t you get it? He said he doesn’t like girls with bad personalities. Like someone… Ow! Hyun, help me…!”

“This time… I’m really going to kill you…!”

“…!”

The screams faded into a blur. The boy, once again, drifted into his own world with vacant eyes.

This was a precious, irreplaceable routine for him. He had already spent countless days basking in this happiness.

But the more he indulged in it, the more an unfillable void swirled in his heart.

As if he had forgotten something he must never forget.

A shadow of someone flickered beyond the mist, but its shape refused to come into focus.

“…”

After a moment of contemplation, the boy shook his head. There could be no flaw in this perfect scenery. Whether it was a person or something else.

It was simply a delusion caused by his inability to fully blend into the scene.

As he convinced himself and took a step forward—

-…didn’t you promise?

“Huh…?”

Suddenly, a voice stopped him in his tracks.

-You promised to hold me…

He looked around, bewildered. But the voice only grew clearer in his mind. It wasn’t coming from outside, but from within.

A desperate, pleading voice. Their first meeting had been the worst, but now, she couldn’t imagine living even a single day without him.

“…Minha?”

And as he remembered everything, the boy unconsciously called out her name.

End of Chapter