HLSEBT - 91

The new principal was an ordinary person.

The previous principal, an Esper, had caused trouble. The vice principal, a Guide, had also been involved. No matter how hard they tried to avoid wearing tinted glasses, it seemed the company had no choice but to replace them after all this.

Yoon Taeha and Cheon Geonyoung waited patiently as the visibly exhausted middle-aged woman prepared to speak. Before them sat steaming cups of tea.

“Thanks to your efforts, we’ve made progress.”

After briefly expressing her gratitude, she took a sip of tea. Her slightly hoarse voice carried into the room as she got to the point.

“We found Agent Shin Jae-il’s clothes.”

Yoon Taeha, who had picked up her teacup out of curiosity, set it back down with a soft clink . Cheon Geonyoung subtly signaled that it was okay to drink. She shook her head.

Cheon Geonyoung politely asked the principal:

“His body wasn’t found, I assume?”

“No. Only his clothes were discovered on the hill behind H Building. It seems he disappeared in the same way as Lee Kyung-tae.”

“Did he turn to dust?”

The principal nodded. Her hands were swollen—a clear sign of overwork since her appointment. On her wrist was an old, frayed wrist guard.

“The school’s security guards found it first. You’ll receive official notice separately, but I wanted to inform you personally.”

The two exchanged glances briefly. This development was within their expectations. They hadn’t been able to locate Shin Jae-il before or after the evaluation battle.

“I still don’t know what to call it… But it seems that man, too, was a horrifying entity.”

The principal herself had witnessed Lee Kyung-tae’s shocking disintegration. With a conflicted expression, she asked:

“How did you first notice something was strange?”

Yoon Taeha answered:

“Lee Kyung-tae’s break-in was captured on surveillance cameras.”

“Did he steal something?”

“No. He didn’t try to take anything.”

“Then how did you realize something was off?”

“His injured leg was perfectly fine. Moreover, he stepped on some sharp objects I’d placed without flinching. Other intruders who came before him reacted in pain when they stepped on them.”

“So, he couldn’t feel sensations, and his previously injured leg was healed.”

“Without precise data, it’s only natural to infer that based on what happened at night.”

If he couldn’t feel sensations, there would be no fear of cuts or tears.

The suspicious gleam in his eyes. The unfamiliar stench emanating from his collapsing body.

The principal kept taking deep breaths, as if she had just climbed to the peak of a high mountain. She had assumed such terrifying entities could only be encountered in lawless zones. Remembering the male student who smiled despite having a knife at his throat, she shuddered.

Breaking the brief silence, the principal spoke:

“Why would they use Lee Kyung-tae for this kind of puppet play? It’s clearly not a common ability. Even rare Espers tend to minimize exposure of their powers—I know that much.”

Yoon Taeha listened calmly. Her thickly lashed eyelids remained lowered, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.

Suddenly, the principal felt as though the Esper sent by the company was gauging her sincerity. After finishing her thoughts, Yoon Taeha spoke in a smooth tone:

“It makes sense if you think of it as an experiment.”

“An experiment?”

“I mean, if profit from selling amplifiers wasn’t the sole objective.”

“Other than profits from amplifier sales, what…”

Yoon Taeha waited for the principal to reach her own conclusion. A former doctor, the principal didn’t take long. An explosive burst of emotion momentarily crossed her weary face.

“Were the amplifiers part of an experiment?”

She knew how valuable the results of experiments on Espers could be.

And what about the experimental data from such a massive group of Espers?

Her voice, which had maintained a steady cadence, rose a notch.

“My goodness. That’s a dangerous thought!”

“The National Office will handle this matter step by step, alongside the government.”

After speaking, Yoon Taeha became aware of Cheon Geonyoung’s presence. But she resisted the urge to turn and look at him. Even without looking, she was certain he maintained his usual upright posture.

“Aren’t organizations like the Committee and Audit Bureau supposed to prevent things like this from happening?”

“If every organization operated according to its founding intentions, I’d be unemployed right now.”

The principal’s face fell.

“…Now that you mention it, I suppose I’d have been planning my long-awaited retirement trip.”

“I apologize for that.”

“No, no. I accepted this position willingly. Besides, the friend I planned to travel with is headed to prison anyway.”

The principal laughed weakly, mocking her own situation.

“I’m close to them, but I don’t want to follow them that far.”

All her close colleagues were implicated in the amplifier incident.

The steam rising from the warm tea dissipated. Yoon Taeha finally brought the teacup to her lips. Though she usually disliked herbal infusions, talking had made her throat dry.

As she set the cup down with a subtle expression, the principal sighed softly.

“I wanted to thank both of you personally. Actually, that was the main reason I asked you here.”

The two, now freed from their uniforms, looked at the principal with unreadable expressions.

Only two pairs of eyes.

But they were impenetrable.

“There are quite a few students in severe condition. Some might need to stay in treatment centers indefinitely. You’re probably aware that even twelve-year-olds used amplifiers.”

The principal spoke with a tone of guilt.

“Half of my colleagues have been arrested. I’m referring to those who worked in the infirmary.”

The cafeteria and infirmary were among the worst-affected areas. More regular staff than expected had followed the principal’s orders. Goh Myung-sung was a prime example.

He had adamantly claimed his innocence until the very end. He shouted that everything was done under duress. If it weren’t for the recording device Cheon Geonyoung handed to the store owner, he wouldn’t have stopped shouting even as the escort vehicle’s door closed.

“If I had prevented that man from frequently visiting the infirmary… Well, it’s pointless to dwell on that now.”

“The company will do its best to replenish staff as quickly as possible.”

Yoon Taeha reassured her calmly.

“Director Lee Kyung-kyung takes this matter very seriously.”

“Does he? That’s comforting to hear.”

“We’ll also do our best to help normalize things during the remaining period.”

“I’m ashamed. With so many staff members absent… Please bear with us a little longer.”

The two nodded briefly.

The principal alternated her gaze between them. They were agents with similar yet distinct atmospheres. One undeniable commonality was their undeniable presence.

Is this what all spies look like?

She finished the conversation while harboring thoughts she couldn’t express in front of them.

“If there’s anything inconvenient, please let me know anytime. Until recently, you were students yourselves. Everyone is watching you, though they may not say it.”

“The students seem to like the new cafeteria.”

At Cheon Geonyoung’s comment, the principal genuinely brightened. She whispered a secret to them:

“To be honest, I hated school food too.”

Yoon Taeha nodded sincerely in agreement.

•

The two left the principal’s office and headed toward the library. Neither had suggested going there, yet their feet moved instinctively, as if it were their spiritual home.

When the result of their aimless steps unfolded before them, Yoon Taeha groaned. She looked like she wanted to rip off an imaginary tie and throw it on the floor.

“This is the result of brainwashing.”

“Do we have business at our library?”

“No. We graduated.”

Cheon Geonyoung, wanting something refreshing, led Yoon Taeha to the café inside the library they always visited.

Both were dressed in dark attire. But rather than blending in, it drew people’s attention.

Cheon Geonyoung, wearing a classic black suit that accentuated his perfect waistline and broad back, looked as if he were born to wear it. Beside him, matching his strides, Yoon Taeha wore a suit in a dark navy blue that appeared black at a glance. The loose-fitting jacket swayed elegantly with each step she took.

Seated on the second-floor café, Yoon Taeha scanned the droplets clinging to her cup habitually.

“Should we start suspecting people from the office too?”

“Because of Shin Jae-il?”

She nodded weakly, sucking the remaining half of her fresh strawberry juice. Cheon Geonyoung suddenly realized that what she was drinking wasn’t coffee, which resembled poison to her.

“You’ve been cutting back on coffee lately?”

“After seeing so many health check reports, I’ve become more cautious. I’m trying.”

“Should I cut back too?”

She rested her chin on her hand and glanced sideways. Cheon Geonyoung was asking seriously.

“Seeing you drink makes me want to drink more.”

He pointed at his cup of warm Americano. Yoon Taeha replied indifferently:

“I’m not particularly attached to hot coffee. Drink up. Two cups are fine too.”

“What about summer?”

“I doubt my resolve will last that long.”

Trailing off, Yoon Taeha reached for the documents Cheon Geonyoung was holding. Meanwhile, he took a sip of his coffee.

Behind the relaxed and leisurely pair, students busily stole glances. Some even dragged friends over to make sure they didn’t miss the spectacle.

“Isn’t that the transfer student? And there’s another one next to her.”

“Didn’t they kick out all the jerks who messed with them from the dorms?”

“They all failed doping tests, so obviously!”

The candid conversation reached the ears of the subjects themselves, but they paid no mind and went their separate ways.

Cheon Geonyoung observed Yoon Taeha in her suit once again. Despite seeing her in it several times, he still looked unaccustomed.