There Is No World For ■■

* * *…They were almost at the finish line.Enveloped in golden mana, Yeomyeong suddenly felt certain of this.Even though mana was still being drained from his body and his blood vessels were screaming from the relentless abuse, he knew.The reason was simple, he could feel some unusual movements in the minds of Seti and her sisters.It was struggling, trying its best to resist the magic of the seal.Come out.Yeomyeong manipulated the magic of the seal even more assertively, as if smashing a door with a hammer.It wasn’t a delicate method, but the result was clear to see.He could almost feel that something—the ban, or something bound by the ban— thrashing about desperately.Just a little more… just a bit more.Yeomyeong skillfully steered his mana to break into the minds of the sisters.The next moment, thud—a microvasculature of his burst, and blood trickled from his nose.Soon, blood trickled down from the noses of Seti and her sisters as well.It was like their bodies were screaming from the overwhelming mana.However, unlike the sisters who only had to endure the mana, Yeomyeong’s condition was far more severe, as he was the one channeling it.His hands trembled, the blood vessels in his eyes burst, and tears of blood flowed down his face.And as a drop of blood trickled down from his chin, Yeomyeong finally grabbed hold of ‘the thing’ lodged in the minds of the sisters.…Got it.Without any hesitation, he yanked it out— not metaphorically but literally.The seal shone as if it were on the verge of bursting, and black smoke rose from the sisters’ heads.The writhing black mana gathered together, as if it were alive.It was different from the twisted mana he had come across during his numerous entanglements with the Korean government.The mass of mana before him felt several times more disgusting and dozens of times more ominous.An ordinary person, or even a weak superhuman, would have vomited just from looking at it… but Yeomyeong stared at it without batting an eyelid.No matter how ominous something in this world might be, it was nothing when compared to the immense evil he sealed in his heart; like a candle before the sun.Let’s put an end to this now.He unclenched his right palm, formed a hand blade, and activated the Surging Wave Technique.As the sword aura enveloped his hand, Yeomyeong prepared to strike the mass.…! …! …!!!It began to scream. Without a mouth, it screamed with its mind.Anger, confusion, and… fear?Did it fear death? For a brief moment, Yeomyeong felt a twinge of confusion as he sensed its emotions.But, of course, he didn’t stop.!!A burst of light exploded from Yeomyeong’s descending hand.Sharp silence followed the light that passed by, and the severed leash fell to the ground.

* * *Who was the one who said it?

Good dreams were like clouds—they left nothing once they passed, but nightmares were like typhoons—they left long-lasting scars.Was it Unnie who said it? Or was it Dung Beetle?Someone definitely said it, but she couldn’t remember who.Either way… it didn’t matter who said it.Because they were wrong.Not all nightmares would be remembered and not all good dreams were forgotten.And the dream she just had was proof of that.The dream where she, a sheep, turned into a person, becoming Yeomyeong’s first.A dream that vivid, like a brand seared onto her soul, couldn’t possibly be a nightmare.And if it was a nightmare…If she was still a sheep in reality and not Yeomyeong’s first … then she’d rather not wake up.But simply remain in this nightmare forever.- Hey, come on! Unnie! Wake up already!Forever…- She probably won’t wake up unless a prince does it.- Sis, how can you joke at a time like this?!- Wanna bet?- Bet on what? Yeomyeong-oppa! Please come over!Fore—- See? It’s not working, right?-That’s strange… This shouldn’t be happening… Oh, I get it. It’s because there was no kiss.- You crazy bitch! How can you even say something like that?!- Oppa, how about just kiss for Unnie once—…Wait a minute.

* * *“…Ah.”

Seti opened her eyes.The cold night air brushed against her face as she raised her heavy eyelids with difficulty.Two deep breaths, five consecutive blinks, and three seconds to rub her eyes.As her vision cleared, she saw a pair of eyes looking down at her.Unlike usual, those golden eyes were filled with concern.“Are you awake?”“…Yeomyeong.”He brushed Seti’s hair, as she blinked, and asked.“How are you feeling?”“Well… I think I’m okay. But… what about… the ban? What happened?”“I obviously removed it.”Yeomyeong said it as if it was no big deal, but Seti was sure that it hadn’t been that simple.His mana had reduced significantly compared to before and the traces of tears of blood still visible around his eyes were proof of that.“Well… um…”As a flood of thoughts and emotions surged through Seti’s mind, only one thing escaped her mouth.“…Thank you.”“Don’t mention it.”Yeomyeong gave her a faint smile.But Seti was unable to bring herself to smile with him. She had to press her lips together to swallow the emotions welling up her throat.However, at times like this, silence conveyed those emotions better than words could.Her blue eyes overlapped his golden eyes.The two colors moved closer to each other without blending, and finally…Finally……Wait, where are the others?Startled, Seti finally snapped her daze and looked to the side.At the corner of the rooftop, where only the traces of the magic circle remained, four familiar pairs of eyes were staring at her and Yeomyeong intently.Neti was silently fidgeting with her fingers, the youngest and Soe Miri were watching them with sparkling eyes, and …“…Why did you stop? Things were just getting good. Keep going.”Even Siri, who was wiping a nosebleed with a sour look on her face.…!Seti turned stiff as she struggled to grasp the current situation, then belatedly returned to normal.She shot up from her spot, her face as red as a beet.She almost screamed upon realizing that she had been lying on Yeomyeong’s lap just moments ago, but keeping her dignity as an older sister in mind, she barely managed to keep her mouth shut.A brief silence ensued.Seti finally found her voice after Yeomyeong got up.“…Is everyone really okay?”It was Siri who answered her question.“Wow, you enquired about us pretty quickly. This is what happens when a guy shows up, the sisters get left behind…”“…Siri, cut it out, okay?”As soon as Seti interrupted her, Siri cleared her throat with a cough.“…Everyone’s fine. The ban had been lifted. I checked on… Soe Miri-ssi and the sisters as well.”“…”“There’s no noticeable aftereffects, and everyone’s mana is intact. If there’s anything, it’s just a little nosebleed.”Siri looked at her other sisters, and they all nodded in agreement.Only then was Seti able to let out a sigh of genuine relief.…Thank goodness.She wasn’t too late. She and her sisters were finally free from their leash and could finally live as humans.There was no need to say who they owed it all to—Cheon Yeomyeong, the Chosen One of my God, my destiny’s…My destiny’s—Feeling embarrassed, Seti couldn’t complete the sentence in her thoughts, Much less bring herself to say it out loud.As she lowered her head to hide her reddened cheeks, Yeomyeong approached and extended his hand.“Seti, could you take a look at this for a moment?”In his palm was a black crystal, about the size of a thumbnail.Seti alternated her gaze between the crystal and Yeomyeong’s face and asked.“…What is this?”“It’s a remnant of the ban’s mana. I thought I should keep it just in case.”Something left behind by the ban? Seti picked the crystal from Yeomyeong’s hand and examined it closely.There was nothing special about the pitch-black crystal that absorbed all light in particular.Although it did feel somewhat unsettling and familiar… that was all.“So, do you feel anything from it?”“…No, nothing.”“Hmm, then I guess it’s just a regular crystal.”As the two were examining the crystal closely, suddenly—Crackle—! A red spark shot out from the crystal.Seti instinctively tried to gather her mana, but Yeomyeong was quicker.He snatched the crystal from her and pushed her away protectively.“What’s happening, Unnie? Are you okay?”As her sisters rushed over with worried looks, the crystal continued emitting red sparks.“Are you alright?”Seti asked anxiously, her gaze fixed on the glowing crystal in his hand.“…I’m fine. It just stings a bit.”“Do you sense anything from it?”“Nothing unusual… Hmm, wait a second.”Yeomyeong squinted and examined the crystal again. He even clenched his fist and infused it with mana.After fiddling with the crystal for a while, he finally understood the nature of the sparks, causing him to furrow his brows.“…This crystal is receiving mana from an external source.”“From the outside?”“Yeah, it’s coming from somewhere pretty close. Is it magic? I feel like I’ve sensed this mana before… but I can’t remember when exactly.”“Can I take a look again?”Instead of replying, Yeomyeong handed the crystal to her.Looking serious, Seti accepted the crystal and began inspecting its mana.Just as he had said, the source of the prickly sparks was mana coming from outside the dormitory.If there was anything peculiar, it was that the mana felt incredibly familiar to Seti.How could she ever forget it? It was the mana that belonged to the shepherds who had her and her sisters tied on a leash.“This… really is a remnant of the ban.”On hearing Seti muttered this while fiddling with the crystal, Yeomyeong looked at her, asking for an explanation.“The mana this crystal just received was… the same spell the shepherds use when they invoke the ban.”“What? Then…”“…So, it means that they’re close enough to trigger the ban. I guess they’re pretty mad because I didn’t answer their call.”She snickered as she fiddled with the crystal.Even her sisters, who had reached close enough by now, were giving her puzzled looks, but Seti’s mind was already filled with plans on how to use the crystal.A crystal that lets me know when and where they pull the leash.And if she used it well, she could give ‘that bitch’ who came to the academy an unforgettable night.With a sly grin, Seti asked Yeomyeong.“Yeomyeong, the Korean teacher candidates who arrived at the academy today… do you think they got their permits? Or did they sneak in illegally?”“…Hmm, probably the latter?”“Then they can’t complain if they’re mistaken for terrorists, right?”Realizing what she was implying, Yeomyeong shook his head.“…It’s going to be quite the night.”

* * *Within the darkness surrounding the first-year girls’ dormitory, where even the sound of wind was absent, a masked man and two masked women were chanting a spell in silence.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

A horrid spell that provoked a ban, breaking the target’s will and inflicting unbearable pain.Just the knowledge about this spell alone was enough to drag anyone before the International Court for Magical Affairs, yet neither the man nor the women who were using the spell showed a hint of guilt or hesitation.If anything, they were feeling a certain unease at this very moment, even if it were not exactly the same.Why were they still holding on? They would probably be killed at this rate.“…Shouldn’t this be enough?”Eventually, the masked woman stopped chanting and spoke up.Her superior, who had been glaring at the dormitory, turned to her.“…Not yet. Keep going until they contact us.”“But… it could cause permanent damage if we go any further. It doesn’t matter how strong the Black Sheep is, it’s impossible to endure the ban for this long.”It was a perfectly reasonable point, but the superior paid no heed.“The Green Sheep can heal her.”“…The Green Sheep isn’t the Saintess. And if it leads to a brain hemorrhage, even the Black Sheep…”Her words were cut off.She could see the madness glistening in her superior’s eyes.“It doesn’t matter.”“…”“If we need to break one half-wit sheep who has lost her sanctity to rekindle the embers of patriotism in the other three, then that’s how we shall proceed.”The superior’s words were firm.“Keep going.”Without any further objections, the woman resumed chanting. After all, she wasn’t the one in charge of this operation.All she could do was offer a brief condolence for the Black Sheep, who was throwing her life away in a futile act of rebellion.…May you be born a patriot in your next life.As the spell continued, suddenly—Zzzzzziiiing!Her military-grade phone began to ring.It was an unfamiliar number, but it wasn’t hard to guess who the caller was.Only the livestock from the ranch knew this number.The masked woman picked up the phone and answered the call. Immediately, a familiar voice spoke from the other end.- This is the Red Sheep. I repeat! This is the Red Sheep!It was the fourth of the sheep sisters, Oh Siri. When her voice came through, the superior’s gaze shifted to the phone.“…I’m listening. You better have a good reason for contacting us thislate.”- W-Well… we have a problem.“A problem…?”- Our Unnie… our Unnie has been kidnapped.“…What are you talking about?”Kidnapped? Even the large-build man  chanting beside her furrowed his brows and listened closely to the phone.- W-We couldn’t do anything. That lunatic attacked Unnie all of a sudden and…“Wait. Explain clearly. Who is this lunatic?”- T-That bastard! The one who just transferred to the academy with the Saintess…“…Cheon Yeomyeong.”The superior completed the sentence, narrowing her eyes behind the mask.“Tell us in detail. Why did he kidnap the Black Sheep?”- W-We don’t know the exact reason. All we know is that… he’s been following Unnie around recently…“…”Everyone fell silent as they tried to process the unexpected situation. So, the lack of response to the ban was because of this?- P-Please, save Unnie. We don’t know what he’s doing to her right now…The sound of sobbing could be heard from the other end of the phone. Siri’s voice was filled with desperation that could easily stir sympathy, but the superior only frowned and curtly spoke about her own concerns.“…Do you know his location?”- All we know is that Blue Sheep managed to follow him to the park in the northern area of the dormitory. We couldn’t go any further than that…“Understood. Where are all of you now?”- W-We’re all in the dormitory. The Blue Sheep is injured, and the Green Sheep is healing her…Unable to continue speaking, the Red Sheep broke into sobs once more.The superior thought for a moment before relaying orders to Siri on the other end of the phone.“Leave the dormitory immediately and come to the chestnut tree on the west side. I’ll be waiting.”- W-What about Unnie? What are you going to do about her?“We’ll deal with it. Ending the call.”- W-Wait…!Ignoring Siri’s protests, the masked woman cut the call.Ignoring the repeated calls coming from the same number, she turned to her superior.“What will you do, Ma’am? If the Black Sheep’s virginity is…”The superior pulled a whip from her waist and responded.“Don’t worry about that. This is actually a great opportunity.”“…A great opportunity?”“Yes. We’ll use the Black Sheep as bait to lure Cheon Yeomyeong to our country.”“…”The masked man and woman were speechless. Did she really just come up with that plan in such a short span of time?Upon further deliberation, it was a rather clever strategy. Using a sheep who had lost her wool to gain a future national asset?They could get the seed and rid themselves of a nuisance at the same time. From a national standpoint, it was an ideal trade.“…I’ll head to the scene first. The two of you can follow me after you join up with the sheep.”The superior immediately turned away from the dormitory and sprinted north.The two watched her figure recede, before moving to the place where they were supposed to meet the sheep.It wasn’t far from their hiding spot near the dormitory.However, an unexpected guest greeted the masked man and woman at the place where a large chestnut tree stood.“…Just the two of you, huh?”It was the golden-eyed transfer student their superior was supposedly chasing after.The one who was supposed to have kidnapped the Black Sheep looked at the two with a cold smile.“This is perfect.”