Chapter 2: The Nerd’s Dilemma and the Star’s Intrigue

At Seong Heeyu’s gentle query, Doyoo hesitated, then answered with a wavering voice.

“Is it because… my knowledge is utterly lacking in anything but magic?”

His voice grew progressively smaller. Each time he made a mistake on a mission, he had endured a torrent of scolding disguised as advice from Seong Heeyu, until his ears felt permanently calloused.

Seong Heeyu regarded Doyoo with a sympathetic gaze. She seemed utterly oblivious to her own role in his apprehension.

“Don’t be so hard on yourself. That’s not the reason. We believe the perpetrator is among the students currently enrolled here. Do you recall the commonalities among the victims?”

“Yes.”

The victims, all of whom displayed similar traits in their aptitude tests, shared a preference for solitude. Whether by choice or circumstance, they lacked active social lives, often spending extensive periods alone in libraries or cafes.

Seong Heeyu declared, “They’re often called ‘nerds,’ aren’t they?”

“Team Leader, that term might be a bit… insensitive to the victims.”

“I’m merely repeating what they themselves have said. Don’t worry.”

While her casual delivery was somewhat disconcerting, Doyoo, knowing Seong Heeyu’s personality, simply nodded in understanding. This wasn’t the first time Doyoo had witnessed Seong Heeyu’s subtly harsh nature.

“Then, Team Leader, just in case, what exactly will my role be during this infiltration?”

“You’ll be a student. More specifically, a nerd.”

“What?”

Doyoo asked, utterly dumbfounded.

Seong Heeyu smoothly ignored Doyoo’s reaction and continued.

“Infiltrate as a student, pretend to be a nerd, and try to catch the perpetrator’s eye by any means necessary. Don’t worry, you’ll infiltrate as a seventh-year student, and using your graduation project as an excuse, you’ll present a magical formula that might pique the perpetrator’s interest.”

“Team Leader, I have two points to make.”

“Yes, go ahead, Doyoo.”

“Firstly, any nerd I know wouldn’t actively approach people, even for a graduation project. Secondly, I’m not under 27; I’m 32.”

“Firstly, a student facing graduation is a fearless individual who would even cross through flames for it, regardless of their personality. Secondly, don’t worry, Doyoo. You don’t look your age. However, since your face is rather striking, I’ll give you glasses and a mask to obscure your features, so make sure to wear them.”

There was no room for rebuttal. In fact, observing Team Leader Seong Heeyu’s smiling gaze, Doyoo realized that any further argument would only result in even more outrageous demands.

Doyoo bowed his head deeply, signaling his compliance.

Thus, at the age of 32, Doyoo became a peculiar kind of nerd, mingling among the fresh-faced “sprouts” under 27, presenting his blueprints in an attempt to draw out the perpetrator.

Rumors seemed to be circulating throughout the campus. Doyoo watched students hastily steer clear of him the moment their eyes met, and he swallowed his tears internally.

He truly detested this task.

However, no matter how much an employee disliked a job, they had no choice but to follow orders from above.

Whether it was a command to dig out a mountain with only a shovel, or for a grown 32-year-old man to infiltrate a group of students in their early twenties, he had to obey.

Seo Doyoo was merely a frail office worker, living paycheck to paycheck.

A month and a week had passed since his infiltration.

Today, too, was a bust.

Watching the students scurry away as if fleeing a plague the moment their conversations ended, Doyoo offered a bitter smile beneath his mask.

He couldn’t return to headquarters today either.

Due to the nature of the infiltration mission, he couldn’t contact headquarters until he found a clue. Only short messages for reporting were permitted.

Doyoo longed to return to headquarters as soon as possible.

The reason was simple: the food provided at headquarters was delicious.

The food at this academy was truly dreadful. The nearby restaurants were no better. Even the eateries near Doyoo’s assigned residence for the infiltration tasted awful.

After a month and a week without delicious food, Doyoo slowly began to resent Seong Heeyu.

However, knowing he would surely be “killed” if she ever discovered he resented her for such a reason, he swallowed his grievances deep down, as always, and began to meticulously fold his now tattered blueprints.

‘What should I eat for dinner?’

Lost in his rather serious contemplation, he was about to place the blueprints into his bag when he sensed a presence directly in front of him and looked up.

The moment he saw the face of the person looking down at him, Doyoo froze. He felt a wave of relief that he was wearing his mask.

Had he not been, his startled expression would have been plainly visible.

“Hello, Senior.”

More than the handsome man’s personal details, Doyoo’s mind first conjured a comment from a report describing this man’s smile as ‘a smile capable of melting even the most stubborn ice in an instant.’

It was literally true.

The man possessed such striking good looks that even Doyoo flinched slightly.

Doyoo could not fathom why this man was speaking to him.

After all, this man was known as the ‘Star’ of the academy.

A radiant rising star, a very sun, whom a mere nerd couldn’t even approach.

An idol-like figure named Lee Cheongshin, possessing looks, ability, and wealth that garnered favor from everyone, regardless of gender, major, or personality.

He was rumored to be handsome, from a wealthy family, exceptionally intelligent, and possessed of a high-purity magical power, said to be the most blessed among mages. This was the individual standing before Doyoo.

While high school films often depicted such stars and nerds getting entangled, Doyoo, in his guise as a nerd, couldn’t help but regard Cheongshin, the academy’s star who had approached him first, with suspicion.

Naturally, he didn’t stare openly.

“Y-you… you’re talking to me?”

“Yes. I called for you, Senior Doyoo.”

As Doyoo diligently feigned his confusion, gripping his bag tightly, Cheongshin’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Peering through his horn-rimmed glasses, Doyoo had been meticulously observing Cheongshin’s expression, blinks, and subtle movements, making it easy to discern this shift.

“You… know me?”

“Of course. I overheard my classmates talking. They said you’re looking for a mage to help with your graduation project. Have you found someone yet?”

“No…”

Doyoo mumbled his reply, yet hundreds of question marks etched themselves into his mind. It was baffling enough that Cheongshin had approached him first, but his interest in Doyoo’s graduation project was even more incomprehensible.

“Senior.”

Cheongshin extended a hand, palm upward. Doyoo blinked, stared blankly at Cheongshin’s outstretched hand, then looked back at his face. Cheongshin offered a gentle smile.

That charming smile was sweet enough to make one’s mouth water just by looking at it. Doyoo, however, was not captivated by that face like everyone else. Instead, another layer of suspicion settled upon Cheongshin.

Up until now, most students at this academy had looked at Doyoo with expressions of disgust, glared with irritation, scoffed, or simply offered pity.

Yet, Lee Cheongshin was displaying a completely opposite, favorable attitude.

Doyoo, knowing that such individuals usually harbored a clear agenda, consciously relaxed his body, which was tensing up with apprehension.

“Senior?”

This was the first time anyone had ever directly asked to see them.

Though flustered internally, Doyoo quickly composed himself and handed the blueprints to Cheongshin.

These were the blueprints Doyoo had painstakingly drawn over about two days before infiltrating the academy, detailing magic that might interest the perpetrator and the method for engraving it onto a tool.

Doyoo meticulously observed Cheongshin’s expression as he began to focus on the blueprints he had drawn.

“Senior.”

“Huh?!”

Their eyes met directly. Worried his gaze had been too blatant, Doyoo hastily bowed his head low. This was based on the assumption that a nerd wouldn’t be able to meet the gaze of such a popular figure, the academy’s ‘Star,’ directly.

“Did you draw these blueprints, Senior?”

There was a hint of amusement in Cheongshin’s voice. The pent-up bitterness from past student reactions surged within him, and Doyoo involuntarily blurted out,

“You might think it’s absurd, but it’s not some delusion…! It’s entirely feasible!”

He regretted his outburst instantly. Reacting so emotionally would only make him seem even more eccentric.

Simultaneously, Doyoo realized that his chances of returning to headquarters for a decent meal had just grown more distant, and he chastised himself for not speaking less emotionally.

Just as Doyoo was regretting his words and about to apologize internally, Cheongshin spoke.

“I don’t think it’s a delusion.”

His voice was gentle. Doyoo snapped his head up. Cheongshin continued, a gentle smile gracing his lips.

“As you said, Senior, both the blueprints and the theories written alongside them… with this level of completeness, it’s entirely possible to realize it.”

Though his words were meant to be comforting, Doyoo grew even more flustered. His eyes widened, and he stared at Cheongshin, blinking like a startled rabbit.

Given the current curriculum at the academy, the blueprints Doyoo had drawn himself were an enigma, beyond comprehension or implementation for anyone at the current academy’s level of instruction.

Yet, Cheongshin had said it was “possible.” Thoughts began to sprout and branch out like roots in Doyoo’s mind.