Fortuitously, before Kang Sihyun entered the academy, he had managed to gather some information about Harnen. It was thanks to a boy selling newspapers in front of a restaurant they had stopped at for a meal. By giving the boy a coin from his pocket, he inquired about Harnen, and the boy's eyes widened in surprise. Only after hastily adding two more coins did the boy's demeanor soften, and upon giving three more, he finally spoke.
"The duke's timid bastard. Never having left the ducal estate, little is known about him, but according to the servants, who whispered among themselves, he is extremely timid and sickly."
That was the widely known information about Harnen.
Feeling embarrassed for having received a lot of money but knowing little, the boy finished his tale, and Sihyun breathed a sigh of relief. While he didn’t like Harnen’s body, it was fortunate that he rarely went outside the ducal estate. It meant not many people knew him well, which implied that no one would suspect him of being someone else because of his awkward acting.
No need to pretend if it wasn't necessary.
Feeling like he had unloaded a heavy burden, Sihyun purchased a few more pieces of information from the boy before heading back to his carriage. The coachman looked at Sihyun disapprovingly for his late return, but quieted down after receiving a coin.
"At least the duke's house pays well."
Sihyun's belt held three coin pouches: one for copper coins, one for silver, and one for gold.
The gold pouch contained fifty gold coins, the silver pouch a hundred silver coins, and the copper pouch two hundred copper coins. While he was unsure of the currency's value here, it was clear that it was a considerable amount of money.
Financially, his life was very different from that of Gren. At least he wouldn’t have to worry about money. After checking his pouches meticulously, Sihyun dozed off in the swaying carriage. He dreamed a dream within a dream, a dream from when he was Gren, memories pleasant and nightmare-free, spent with Day.
"You'll need to hire a separate guide from here."
The coachman, having brought Sihyun all the way to the port, spoke in a tone devoid of emotion. Academy near the royal palace was what he had thought, but the port? Was he supposed to cross the sea?
While tilting his head at the coachman’s words, Sihyun replied, intending to ask for help in hiring a guide, but the coachman had left abruptly after Sihyun disembarked.
Left alone abruptly, Sihyun watched the coachman's retreating back and angrily flicked his hair. Even if he was a bastard, it was mad to treat a member of the ducal family this way. Either the coachman was insane, or his days were numbered.
"The treatment of Harnen seems worse than I thought."
Feeling the need to reassess Harnen’s standing, Sihyun was furrowing his brow when suddenly someone put a hand on his shoulder.
Kidnapping!
Harnen had radiant silver hair. In a world rife with slave trading, his appearance was certainly covetable, so he turned around warily, only to see a young boy.
Sihyun was startled, not just because the boy was wearing the same clothes as him.
"Kang Haewoon?"
"Huh?"
Just like Day had strongly resembled Yoo Seowoo, the boy before him looked exactly like Kang Haewoon. He could have been mistaken for a doll modeled after Kang Haewoon’s childhood appearance. Perhaps it was because Kang Haewoon looked particularly young.
What is going on?
Once could be a coincidence, but twice was not. Being able to recognize a face he knew in such rapid succession didn’t seem plausible. Blinking in confusion, Sihyun saw the boy who looked like Haewoon smile mischievously.
"What’s a 'Kang Haewoon'?"
"Huh?"
"Didn’t you just call me Kang Haewoon? Is that some new expression?"
"Oh…"
Certainly, 'Haewoon' didn’t seem to fit the names of this world. As Sihyun hesitated, unsure of how to respond, the boy grinned and spun around. His personality was as lively as Kang Haewoon’s, and he looked about thirteen, which perhaps made him twice as cheerful as the real Haewoon.
"Look at this. We're wearing the same uniform! Do you know what that means?"
"I guess."
The trend of the empire?
"It means we're both students of the same academy!"
Oh, wrong answer.
Sihyun mulled over his response and the boy’s words.
The same academy? The uniform did seem unique, so that made sense.
Dubiously adjusting his collar, the boy who resembled Haewoon spoke up.
"Seeing
you here means you’re also a new student, right?"
He asked with a bright smile. Sihyun was so charmed by that innocent smile that he inadvertently answered 'yes,' then quickly covered his mouth. Sihyun’s eyes followed the smiling boy, now containing a hint of anxiety.
A mistake.
If the boy really was Kang Haewoon, or someone with a similar personality, his comment was surely…
Before he could finish the thought, the boy cheerfully called out.
"Siwon! Rodin! I found a companion!"
Look at that.
Sihyun facepalmed as the boy’s words flowed out. Whatever those first two words were, they definitely sounded like names. And 'companion' seemed to be referring to him.
What could that mean?
Let’s stick together.
What a headache.
It seemed that a few brief exchanges had led him into their group.
Sihyun wasn’t particularly averse to Haewoon, but honestly, having him nearby was mentally exhausting. This wasn’t the time for that, needing to adapt to this world and find a way back quickly. Having Haewoon close would only distract him completely.
Better to avoid it if possible.
Just then, as Sihyun was about to claim he had another companion in order to escape the situation, he inadvertently turned his head toward where Haewoon was waving his hand.
Lee Hamin, Baek Geonu.
This time, it was their faces he saw.
"Ah…"
A sigh escaped as he saw the familiar faces. Moments later, the two referred to as Siwon and Rodin stood next to Haewoon. In this strange world, this scene alone felt familiar. Just the three of them standing together, and himself included.
How long has it been?
"Ha."
Sihyun’s eyes widened as if he were about to cry, but he couldn’t stop the tears from welling up, so he bowed his head to gather his thoughts.
Now he seemed to understand a bit.
Why he kept having this inexplicable dream.
This dream was to meet them.
To remind him that he had met them before.
Sihyun murmured to himself, his lips quivering.
The fact that following Yoo Seowoo, Haewoon, Hamin, and Geonu appeared meant it was not a coincidence. Then, it must be fate, and they were the reason he was having this dream.
Thus resolved, Sihyun wiped his eyes with a handkerchief.
Though he still didn’t know how to return to reality, at least he seemed to understand why he was dreaming this dream, and he felt at peace.
Then, the boy resembling Haewoon, who had been whispering to someone called Siwon and Rodin, suddenly grabbed Sihyun’s hand.
"Hey, if you’re a new student, why not come with us to the academy? We’ve got a boat reserved for new students, exactly for four people! Since you’re alone and we’re three, what do you think?"
Doesn’t it seem like fate?
Even in a different world, that angelic face seemed preserved. Sihyun couldn’t help but be moved and nodded.
In the face of such an unexpected meeting and the word 'fate,' any thoughts of avoidance had long since evaporated.
"Let’s introduce ourselves then! I’m Harris, and you?"
"...Harnen."
"Harnen?"
"That’s your name?"
The boy who resembled Hamin reacted to the name. As Sihyun turned to him, the boy flinched as if scolded, though no one had reprimanded him, and then spoke up.
"Rodin."
A straightforward but somewhat rude self-introduction. That too was very much like Hamin, causing Sihyun to chuckle and then look at Geonu. If Hamin was Rodin, then it was clear who this was.
"I’m Siwon."
"Right."
Feeling no need to introduce himself again, Sihyun nodded, and Harris, or rather, Haewoon, slung an arm over Sihyun’s shoulder and led him to the reserved boat. Through him, Sihyun learned that the academy was on a small island in the middle of the sea.
The boat ride was peaceful. Harris explained about Siwon and Rodin, and Sihyun listened with interest. Rodin seemed to have something he wanted to ask, so Sihyun encouraged him to speak up. The boy hesitated at first, then suddenly shouted, asking if Sihyun had any questions. Hamin’s early personality was apparently still intact.
Having formed a shallow friendship with the boys, Sihyun felt a strange sense of déjà vu when they arrived at the island where the academy was established.
Something felt familiar. It was an island and a school he had never visited, yet it felt incredibly familiar, like coming home. With an uneasy face, Sihyun followed the boys into the academy building, and when
they reached the auditorium where the new students were gathered, he realized what the déjà vu was about.
"Ladies and gentlemen of the new class!"
"Yaaaaay!"
"Welcome to Delruan Academy of Magic!"
"Yaaaaay!"
Cheers erupted from all around. Sihyun stood among the excited children, alone, pondering the headmaster’s words.
What did he just say?
A magic school?
His blue eyes blinked slowly.
He had thought the academy was a normal educational institution that taught politics, diplomacy, and imperial history, and maybe some swordsmanship, but a magic school?
He felt an intense sense of déjà vu.
I didn’t hear anything about this.
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