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Waking up from a groggy slumber, Professor Bernike Broadman realized she was tightly bound to a chair.

Straining to loosen the ropes, she found them unyielding.

Her magical power was entirely suppressed.

A heavy, cold sensation pulsed from her wrists.

‘It’s a magical suppression device.’

Sharp, yellow eyes darted around like a serpent.

The kidnappers seemed to have completely neglected any thought of blindfolding her.

She could survey the room, which radiated a gloomy vibe, devoid of even a single window.

It resembled a cliché interrogation room one might see in a movie.

Mercenaries wearing skull masks stood lined up against every wall.

“You guys are from Dunhind Security Services, right? I’m really curious about what your scheme is for pulling this kind of stunt. Are you unhappy with the contract fee the university is paying, or are you just as empty-headed as those navy brutes? Huh?”

She sneered provocatively.

Despite her attempts to provoke them into speaking through ridicule, these mercenaries, dressed the same and exuding the same aura, remained tight-lipped.

She needed a lead.

“Answer me!”

“…”

Suddenly, a flow of thoughts that had been interrupted on the whaling ship resumed in Bernike’s mind.

Though she generally held little interest in worldly affairs, certain issues that shook society often seeped into her ears regardless.

‘A large-scale battle unit of Awakened Ones that can suppress heavily armed forces in an instant…’

These mercenaries, trying to conceal their appearances behind disguises and thick combat uniforms, all shared similar small and agile physiques.

Quiet soldiers who abruptly appeared to strike and then vanished without a trace.

Beyond the emotions that couldn’t be detected as relics, there were several other oddities.

She had overlooked them at the time, but now recalled not scanning several on the ship.

All three had identical mutated brain structures.

How could all three of them? Is this even possible?

‘No way.’

It was just a ridiculous urban legend.

Why on earth would those who couldn’t even find a shadow of her, not even the federal forces or three major clans, suddenly reveal themselves right before her eyes?

Half of Bernike’s emotions and reason struggled to find a compromise, while the other half clearly warned her of danger.

What remains when all possibilities that seem impossible are eliminated?

‘Could it be those humans?’

Bernike, calmly contemplating, was suddenly gripped by confusion.

The conclusion she reached amidst the labyrinth of her thoughts felt as bizarre and nonsensical as a fisherman by a serene lakeside unexpectedly reeling in a colossal giant squid.

-Click!

Just as Bernike was caught in a dilemma like a student agonizing before an ambiguous exam question, the door slid open.

Entering was a tall young man with dark hair.

Seeing the small-bodied mercenaries nodding and stepping aside, he seemed to be their superior.

Yet, she couldn’t help but wonder why he wasn’t wearing any disguise or mask.

As the young man’s dim and murky gaze fell silently upon her, Bernike grumbled.

“Are you the boss? Are you just another clueless soldier type like Kurt? Or are you, by any chance, affiliated with Laplacian? After all the games you’ve played, you finally reveal your true intentions? How does someone with a decent face end up doing such things? Huh?”

To her surprise, the young man reacted in an unexpected manner.

As he lowered his head, Bernike’s eyes widened in astonishment.

“First of all, I can only apologize. If I hadn’t done this, you wouldn’t have had the chance for an in-depth discussion with me.”

The Scholarship Officer spoke to the wide-eyed professor.

“I’m Seijis Akright, a Scholarship Officer from the Inspection Bureau. I apologize for bringing you here so rudely.”

He said this, turned, and began to untie the professor’s bindings before taking his seat again.

“Oh, really? You’re the Scholarship Officer of the Inspection Bureau? Are you kidding? Why don’t you go break up some fights among those kids? You’ve got better things to do than this nonsense!”

“Professor, I fully understand your displeasure. If you would just listen to me, I will release you right away. After all, I can’t keep you for long anyway. You’ll soon be tasked with something significant.”

“What’s the angle? Are you the ones who hired those pirate gorillas to kidnap me? Hey, Mr. Self-proclaimed Scholarship Officer. I don’t know who’s behind you, but you think I’ll follow that guy’s orders? You have some lofty dreams.”

“Don’t misunderstand, Professor. We didn’t kidnap you. The ones targeting you are likely one of two: either Arshite or the Foundation, but the most probable is…”

In the next moment, their voices overlapped.

“Laplacian.”

“…it is Laplacian.”

The bodies of the mercenaries surrounding the walls trembled slightly. The professor’s keen eyes captured that fleeting change, engraving it deep in her mind.

“It’s just a guess, but it’s plausible. Laihan, that disgusting bastard, has always held disdain for me. I know he’s always been on the lookout for an opportunity. There were many suspicious points at that pirate base too. Research equipment from Laplacian’s cutting-edge lab that would never be sold to someone like me or the Foundation strangely came pouring in. There’s no way a fool wouldn’t catch on. It would have been impossible without the chairman and the board’s involvement. I don’t know the specific reasoning behind it, though.”

“Your guess is likely correct.”

“Anyway, what’s your aim? Why stop at merely rescuing me? And what are those idiots in the back, the Ariel Group, doing here?”

The response was immediate. Overwhelmed, Bernike looked at the trembling mercenaries and the tight-lipped Scholarship Officer, reveling in the thrill of hitting the jackpot like a gambler.

Such a clear affirmation. It was just a guess, and yet it turned out to be true.

“Really? So you are that infamous terrorist organization? The identity of those mercenaries, the terrorists who took down those Magnavis mages! Hah!”

Seijis let out a sigh. He had worried she was excessively sensitive and curious, but how did she figure it out so quickly? He really didn’t like this woman.

“Could you step outside for a moment? I need to have a word with the professor.”

The relatively small-bodied mercenaries complied and stepped outside at the Scholarship Officer’s command.

The Scholarship Officer then drew several runes in the air with his fingers and began speaking in a solemn tone.

“Let’s save that discussion for later and get straight to the point. Professor Bernike, the moment you leave this room, you will be tasked with significant research. As soon as you return to the West, knights from Restraid and federal agents will come looking for you.”

“What research are you talking about?”

“Code Omega, Apostle.”

Doubting her ears, Bernike froze in place like a statue.

The Scholarship Officer quickly interrupted her impending flood of questions and continued.

“We wish for you to receive our protection and guidance throughout the research process. And we would like you to inform us of what kind of research you are conducting.”

“And you’re plotting something else, right? You want to steal my data or sabotage my work?”

“That’s partly correct. However, we aren’t asking you to thwart your research.”

“Why would I do that?”

Bernike asked, her chin tilted up with an arrogant tone. It wasn’t a question about motivation.

“Are you an idiot? Stop those nonsensical thoughts. Why should I sit here listening to scum like you? Hey, Mr. Self-proclaimed Scholarship Officer. You seem to have dug into my background pretty well. If that’s the case, you must know what kind of person I am, right? I’m not some simple laborer without anything in my head, like you and your terrorist dimwits. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

The Scholarship Officer quietly stood up. As his hand gripped the air, two small syringes landed on the table.

“-While you prattle on about wanting to help someone, you come and pull me in like this? You expect me to trust you now? Cut the nonsense. Huh? Syringes… are you planning to inject me with a confession serum? Or are you going to drug me and control me? Hahaha! What a bold and childish idea. Unfortunately for you, I’m not foolish enough to fall for such shallow tricks. Moron.”

Just as a rough hand gripped the back of the professor’s head, a memory from the past flickered through the Scholarship Officer’s mind.

“Heh, you think you can persuade me to cooperate? Scholarship Officer, you’d best put that delusional fantasy aside.”

The pale-faced woman chuckled defiantly, even as she battled illness.

“The more I reflect on it, the more depressed I become, but objectively speaking, I am one hell of a foul-mouthed brat. This is a clear self-objectification based on rational analysis and reason. I am arrogant, selfish, and a bundle of narcissistic excess. Of course, I’m a remarkably talented individual deserving of it all. Anyway, you think I would cooperate? Mark my words, no matter what you try, I will never listen to you. Plead all you want or threaten me, it won’t matter.”

The Scholarship Officer inquired how he could possibly gain her cooperation.

The ailing Bernike sneered in response.

“Why complicate things? Just do it like Levy and Granite do. Hit me!”

The Scholarship Officer decided to gladly accept the advice from the academy city’s brightest mind.

Thus, Bernike’s head was brutally smashed onto the table.

-BANG!

“AAAH!”

As shattered floor tiles scattered, a small brooch, slithering like a snake, shot out from her back, drawing a blade.

Seijis immediately grabbed it and pulled it out without hesitation.

With the screaming intensifying, the Scholarship Officer approached with a syringe, whispering.

“My brooch! Do you know how much that’s worth? Ugh! You little gorilla! I’ll kill you! Aah! Wait! What are you injecting me with?”

“I won’t apologize. This is a necessary measure. You’ve caused too much trouble. And you’ll likely continue to do so.”

Two syringes were simultaneously injected into her nape.

As the suffocating pressure lifted, Bernike managed to raise her head, baring her teeth, but Seijis looked at her indifferently.

“What exactly did you inject me with?”

The Scholarship Officer took out a remote and ominously presented it while continuing his explanation.

“The first thing injected was Cerebromite, a brain nerve parasite. The original version only causes seizures at most, but what I just injected is a variant that was genetically modified on Arshite’s request to Laplacian. By now, it’s probably traveled through the carotid artery to your head. When I send a signal with this remote, it will activate. Being an expert, I’m sure you can imagine the consequences.”

“Are you insane?”

“That’s not all. The second injection was a nanosight bomb. This is a device used by Obsidian Legion, containing location tracking and electric shock capabilities. The moment I press this button…”

“Do you really think this is going to make me listen to you? Huh?”

“I’m confident it will.”

Seijis stared at her with submerged eyes and produced a new document.

“Sign here.”

“That’s a confidential security spell document!”

Bernike growled as if disgusted.

“If I have to do it anyway, I’ll ask just one thing: who the hell is behind you? Who’s behind ordering such insane acts?”

Seijis’s answer was immediate.

“It’s you.”

It’s your future self.

**

30 minutes later, the Violets, plagued by boredom, were jolted into alertness at the sound of the temporary interrogation room door opening.

Ready to greet the Scholarship Officer, the Violets were taken aback.

Out walked the haughty Professor Bernike, fuming like a child who just got scolded by their parents.

“…You, when this is over, I will not let this go. Got it?”

“That’s enough for today; for now, just follow this child.”

Curiously, though seething in rage, the professor complied obediently with the instructions.

“Scholarship Officer, why on earth is that professor assigned to us? And what’s this about Laplacian? Plus, she has figured out our identities. What are we going to do about that?”

“Don’t worry; she won’t leak anything. For now, Violet, guard Professor Bernike for a while. There’s a high chance Laplacian might target her.”

“Sounds like a complicated rivalry.”

“It’s a complicated matter. Chairman Laihan has a strong dislike for the professor. Oh, and there’s one more thing you should keep in mind.”

“What is it?”

Violet was aghast at the Scholarship Officer’s following words.

“Chairman Laihan and Professor Bernike Broadman are cousins.”

In that moment, Violet realized why she had always felt a chilling sensation whenever she encountered the professor.

“YIKES!”

The Violets screamed.

“That’s an evil ponytail!”