The Seven Wonders of Seven Stars.
Like other school ghost stories, it was a tale passed down through the words of seniors.
Stories like hearing a woman crying every night in the most remote restroom on campus, or a monster living deep in a cave.
They were all made up of common urban legends.
But we must not forget.
This is Seven Stars Academy.
An insane institution that, under the guise of education, has canyons, valleys, and deserts within its grounds, and even buys and renovates uninhabited islands for midterm exams.
Is it really possible that not a single monster has hidden within the vast academy buildings?
Perhaps we didn't kill all of them during the last attack.
Such doubts and suspicions have come together to form the Seven Wonders of Seven Stars.
Naturally, like most people their age, Lee Ji-han and his group were filled with curiosity. The most excited among them was Seong Yeon-hwa, who had a sword at her waist.
"Do you think there are really ghosts here? I'm so excited!"
Seong Yeon-hwa's speech was awkward.
While her meaning got across, there was still much to be desired.
LeeJi-han scratched his head and said.
"Well, probably not. Where in the world are there ghosts?"
"But! There are so many magical creatures in the world that we don't know about!"
"Those are magical creatures. Not ghosts."
In this world, all sorts of magical creatures exist.
And there are many magical creatures that people still don't know about.
To classify such creatures, there are various categories, including one called "ghost-type magical creatures."
The most representative examples are Wraiths and Specters.
Wraiths are spirits, the semi-transparent humanoid magical creatures we often imagine. Specters are shadows, eerie creatures that emit a chilling aura, often seen in horror movies or similar atmospheres.
Both possess elements that people commonly associate with ghosts.
It's clear that they've confused such ghost-type magical creatures with actual ghosts.
That's what LeeJi-han thought.
'Besides, there are people here scarier than any ghost. Comparatively, ghosts are less frightening.'
Lee Ji-han glanced to the side.
Isabelle, still in a bad mood, was radiating an uncomfortable aura.
Even though the teacher had left long ago, saying he had work to do, Isabelle's emotions showed no signs of easing.
Well, there's no helping it. Let's change the atmosphere here.
Feeling that the current atmosphere was uncomfortable, Lee Ji-han stood up. The sound of his chair scraping against the floor drew everyone's attention.
"Going to the restroom? It's outside the library, to the right."
"No, it's not about the restroom. I just thought we might be lacking in proper introductions."
"Huh? The teaching assistant already left, and now you're suddenly bringing up introductions?"
Noh Yura expressed her confusion at Lee Ji-han's words.
They already knew each other's names, so was there really a need for further introductions?
In response to Noh Yura's confusion, Lee Ji-han shook his head.
"We know each other's names, but we don't know what each other likes. We're supposed to do courage training in two days, but wouldn't it be good to do a simple self-introduction before that?"
"That's not a bad idea. My name is Noh Yura, and my position is Ranger. I mainly use firearms, especially sniper rifles."
As Noh Yura started the self-introductions, everyone began to speak in turn.
"Hi, my name is Lee Ji-han. I mainly use axes, and my hobby is collecting valuable things like magic stones and plants in dungeons."
"...My name is Seo Yerin. My specialty is… spear techniques."
"Ah, I'm Seong Yeon-hwa! I'm really good at wielding a sword."
"Isis Walker. I haven't been studying magic for long, but I'm confident in ice and freezing-related magic."
At this point, even Isabelle, who had been in a bad mood, reluctantly opened her mouth.
Her bad mood was entirely due to Baek Seung-woo, not because of them.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Isabelle Sirius. My specialties are light-based magic and using my brain."
"Alright, now that we've all introduced ourselves, shall we ask each other some questions?"
"Questions?"
"Ah, you don't get it. I mean, is there anything you want to know about each other?"
"Yes! A lot… um, there's a lot I want to know about everyone."
At Seong Yeon-hwa's words, Lee Ji-han scratched his head.
He knew she was a foreigner because of her awkward Korean, but her speech was too slow.
Her words were drawn out, and trying to use unfamiliar language made her speech even slower. For a Korean who emphasizes quickness, it was an unbearable pace.
But the conversation had to continue.
Lee Ji-han decided to ask Seong Yeon-hwa a question first.
"I'll start with a question. You said your name is Seong Yeon-hwa, right? So, the 'Seong' in 'Seong Yeon-hwa' is your family name?"
"Ah, Seong is the name of my family!"
Something grand had just come up.
It seemed Seong Yeon-hwa's family was anything but ordinary.
Why are there so many nobles in this party?
Starting with the teacher, who is the head of the Cheonho Baek family, one of the most powerful families in South Korea.
The Sirius family, like the Cheonho Baek family, is a famous family that needs no further explanation.
What's the big deal about nobles in a democratic era?
But they are on a different level from ordinary citizens.
For example, the Cheonho Baek family has grown alongside the nation since the Goryeo Dynasty, like a living piece of history.
Naturally, they possess not only wealth but also power and prestige.
Of course, they are now a fading star.
"So, what exactly is your family? There are many types of families, right?"
"Types? There's such a thing?"
"Of course. Not all families are noble."
Those referred to as "nobles" are only those with royal blood, like vampires or werewolves, or families belonging to the Nine Heavens.
Other families do not qualify to be called nobles.
There's no need for nobles in the human world anymore.
"I'm from the Jecheon Seong family!"
"...What?"
"Where's that? Do you know it?"
"...That's what I want to ask. How can you not know the Jecheon Seong family?"
Isabelle was the first to react to Seong Yeon-hwa's answer.
She had shown little interest in their conversation until the mention of the Jecheon Seong family, at which point she suddenly stood up.
Lee Ji-han tilted his head at her reaction.
Jecheon Seong family—it was a name he had never heard before.
It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.
In contrast, Isabelle seemed to know it well.
As expected, nobles know a lot.
"It's a family from China."
"There are many families in China, right? I've heard of at least 72."
"They're on a completely different level from those miscellaneous families. Have you heard of the Nine Sects and Five Great Families?"
Of course, he had.
They are the founding families of the Central Plains martial world.
Though many have fallen by now, families like the Namgung family still thrive, showing how ancient and prestigious they are.
"The Nine Sects and Five Great Families fell long ago. Instead, the Nine Heavens families have spread worldwide. Of course, the Central Plains didn't just sit idly by."
The Murim, now in the form of a guild, is fundamentally a union of families centered around bloodlines and a large-scale martial organization.
"The martial world fell once. But now, it has been reborn as the Murim in the form of a guild. At its core, one family leads, supported by eight pillars."
One of those pillars is the Jecheon Seong family.
Only then did Lee Ji-han recall her background.
Why couldn't I remember that right away?
It's a family that's anything but ordinary.
'I knew there was something!'
It's a family from China, not part of the Nine Heavens.
But that doesn't mean they're inferior.
One of the eight families supporting China's largest guild, the Murim.
If she's the daughter of the Jecheon Seong family, known for their lightning-fast swordsmanship and destructive techniques, then she's of similar status to Isabelle.
No, perhaps even higher.
As far as Lee Ji-han knew, the current head of the Jecheon Seong family had only one child.
If so, Seong Yeonhwa is the legitimate heir of the Jecheon Seong family.
That puts her a step ahead of Isabelle, who has to compete with her younger brother for succession.
'Why are there so many young ladies in the same team?!'
Isabelle of the Sirius family, and Seong Yeon-hwa of the Jecheon Seong family.
Both are young ladies with formidable backgrounds.
To Lee Ji-han, who grew up in an ordinary family, they are like stars in the sky.
Even Baek Seung-woo, while not as extreme, is no ordinary figure.
But in Lee Ji-han's mind, the image of the teacher is so strong that he feels more at ease. Ah, I miss the teacher.
"If the questions are over, can I ask one now?"
"Ah, sure. So, you're…"
"Isis Walker. You can call me Isis."
A female student with snow-white hair hanging down.
Isis looked at Lee Ji-han.
"You've been calling that teacher 'teacher' since earlier. Is there a reason?"
"Ah, that?"
Her question made Lee Ji-han's eyes light up.
He wanted to explain in detail how he had tried to call him "master" due to his gracious teachings, but was forced to call him "teacher" instead.
But he thought it would kill the mood, so he summarized it.
"I had a chance to receive his teachings once, and he taught me really well."
"Hmm, that's nice to hear."
"Ha, you're making me laugh."
Isabelle interjected at Lee Ji-han's words.
Just a moment ago, she had been kindly explaining, but as soon as the teacher was mentioned, she became prickly.
Hey, regardless of the teacher's personality, his teaching skills are top-notch.
...I wanted to retort, but I was too scared to argue, so I just nodded.
At that moment, there was a gaze quietly watching.
"...."
The gaze quietly scanned Isabelle.
Up and down, very slowly.
***
The day of the ghost story exploration arrived.
Since we were supposed to meet after dinner, we were all trying to finish our homework, assignments, or work in advance.
In my case, even though my work was done, I went to Nam Hwa-yeon, risking my pride to ask for her guidance.
I knelt at the entrance.
It's true that studying alone is good, but learning from her is an undeniable shortcut.
"For now, the incantation 'Burn' seems to suit you best."
"You've learned it faster than I thought? With that level of skill, you could take the rank test right away."
"...Just how much do you know about my personal life, Professor?"
"It's a secret."
Nam Hwa-yeon's teachings were fast, but they left my mind in a haze.
Talking to her, I feel my energy being drained.
'How did she know I have to take the rank test?'
Active hunters need a license and rank certified by the association.
It's a kind of ID used in the industry.
As the team leader of Nine-Tails, I can't act without an ID. So, I had planned to take the test soon.
But how did she already know?
When I looked at Nam Hwa-yeon with a curious expression, she responded with an inscrutable smile.
The moment I met her deep, unfocused navy-blue eyes, I felt like everything about me was being laid bare.
Ugh, I can't get used to those eyes.
"Ah, right. You're going for courage training the day after tomorrow, right?"
"How did you know that?"
"Who knows? A secret?"
Just how many secrets does she have?
I wanted to ask, but I knew I had to keep my mouth shut.
My long experience and intuition from the battlefield told me.
Don't ask. Don't try to dig for information.
The moment I opened my mouth, the cold sensation on my neck was a clear sense of death.
I value my life.
I had no intention of shortening it with careless words.
"Yes, that's right. The team members don't get along well."
"If it's just about getting closer, wouldn't it be better to do some simple recreation?"
"Through courage training, we can not only get closer but also get a rough idea of each other's movements."
If it were just about getting closer, we wouldn't have chosen something as troublesome as courage training.
The place we're going for courage training is the source of the academy's infamous mysteries.
In such a place, everyone will feel fear.
In a tense situation caused by fear, people naturally react to each other's movements. Based on this experience, it's likely that we won't interfere with each other's paths during actual training.
'Of course, there's also the possibility that they won't be scared, so I'll have to encourage them.'
Like floating a Will-o'-the-wisp in the air.
Or using telekinesis to grab their collars.
I thought it was a good idea, but for some reason, Nam Hwa-yeon was laughing.
She smiled as if she had seen something cute and said.
"You're thinking too simply."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"Do you think the mysteries are called mysteries for no reason?"
"Then, is there something hidden?"
"Mysteries are concepts that cannot be comprehended by human thought."
I already knew the dictionary definition of mysteries.
It's a Buddhist term referring to a unit so large that it's beyond human comprehension, like an immeasurable multiplied by ten thousand, or one ten-thousandth of an immeasurable number.
But what does that mean?
Wasn't it just a word added to inflate rumors?
"Even so, isn't it just adding flesh and bones to ghost stories?"
"It's on a different level from SNS fiction. Have you forgotten what kind of place this is?"
"No matter how special Seven Stars is, such ghost stories can't possibly exist…!"
Or can they?
Could such ghost stories really exist at Seven Stars Academy?
Suddenly, doubt began to sprout.
That momentary doubt was enough to prove the existence of the ghost stories.
If you don't know the truth, doubt alone is enough to fill the evidence.
For some reason, I felt uneasy.
***
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