Chapter 10
“……”
A suffocating silence hung in the air.
Teacher Yang Mirae, who had suddenly rushed over, grabbed Saebyeok by the collar.
“Are you insane right now—?! Are you in your right mind?! Why would you open the door in that situation?!”
“E-Excuse me?”
“Rule number seven! Ignore any knocking sounds during class! It’s written on the very first page! How could you not even memorize the most basic rule? Are you actually trying to get yourself killed?!”
“What are you talking about? Rule seven says teachers must maintain professional dignity…”
Their conversation spiraled in completely different directions, both staring at each other in confusion.
Yang Mirae, who had been frozen stiff, suddenly sprang to her feet and began rummaging through Saebyeok’s desk.
Still dizzy with nausea, Saebyeok staggered upright and forced a smile toward the students before approaching the desk.
“Um… Teacher Yang Mirae?”
“Who gave you this?”
At some point, Yang Mirae was holding Saebyeok’s rulebook.
“Check it. Rule seven is about maintaining dignity—”
“I asked who gave you this.”
“Well… that would be…”
Who was it?
A cold chill crept down her spine.
She had received the rulebook.
But when?
She didn’t remember when or from whom she had received it—but she had studied it diligently ever since. Even before the head of academic affairs told her to.
Why?
Because she had been told she must memorize it.
By whom?
Who had handed her this rulebook and told her it was absolutely necessary to learn it?
“…Let’s finish the class first.”
Yang Mirae placed a hand on Saebyeok’s shoulder and whispered in a tense voice.
“Ignore any strange phenomena that occur during class. The moment recess starts, come to the staff restroom. Got it?”
Frozen, Saebyeok barely managed to nod.
After briefly scanning the hallway from the doorway, Yang Mirae quickly left the classroom.
Saebyeok forced a smile and turned back to the young students.
“…Alright then. Cheolsu, shall we start with your introduction?”
It felt as if she were standing naked before thousands of watching teeth.
During recess, Yang Mirae fired off warnings like bullets.
“Don’t react to any sounds coming from the hallway during class. Ignore bells that ring outside the exact hour, and always start class by calling attendance. If the number of students is smaller than expected… just continue the class for now. Come see me immediately after the class ends. If there are more students than expected—that’s the real problem…”
The ten-minute break was barely enough time to memorize all the precautions.
After swallowing three pills Yang Mirae had handed her, Saebyeok somehow gathered strength from who-knows-where and managed to complete the lesson safely.
She conducted introductions.
Explained the upcoming schedule and school life.
Assessed the students’ general academic abilities.
At the same time, she pretended not to hear the knocking sounds from the hallway and stopped children who kept jumping up because the bell rang at the wrong time.
Fortunately, the number of students neither increased nor decreased.
“You were lucky. Nothing strange came in during recess.”
Saebyeok finally found a moment to talk with Yang Mirae near the end of lunch break.
“Did the kids go to their after-school activities properly?”
“Yes. I fed them lunch and handed them over to the instructor.”
“You checked their identity like I told you, right?”
“Yes. Just like you said—we exchanged the password and even confirmed the business card.”
“Finally… I can breathe for a moment.”
Groaning, Yang Mirae collapsed onto a bench.
They were currently meeting in secret in a remote smoking area.
“That thing earlier… is basically a security system.”
Taking out an electronic cigarette, Yang Mirae continued with a complicated expression.
“I heard the foundation modifies captured Mysteries and uses them as guardians to protect the school. It’s basically using evil against evil. But since they don’t have the intelligence to distinguish friend from foe, they rely on complicated rules.”
In other words, anything that violates the school rules is classified as an enemy and attacked.
“That’s why the rules are important. Not for harmonious community living—literally for survival. But you show up carrying some ancient rulebook even a grandpa wouldn’t use…”
“……”
“You didn’t know, did you? That rulebook you had is over thirty years old. It was used before the security system became this complicated.”
“…I actually thought about it carefully.”
She had trusted the wrong rulebook completely.
Yet she had no memory of who had given it to her.
Memories didn’t just get neatly cut out like that.
Which meant something was unnatural.
“So that means someone inside the school is targeting me, right?”
“You needed to think carefully about that? It’s obvious at first glance.”
Yang Mirae exhaled cigarette vapor, looking somewhat exasperated.
Saebyeok was dumbfounded.
“Why would anyone target me…? I’m nobody…”
“That’s what I want to ask. What exactly are you? I heard you were a foundation parachute appointment, so I thought you’d come here already knowing everything—but you’re completely clueless. And you’re not even a magician.”
“I can at least see them…”
“If you couldn’t see them, you wouldn’t be here. Honestly… If the foundation’s sending someone, they should send someone competent. You came with your husband, right? Didn’t he say anything?”
Saebyeok didn’t even know where he was or what he was doing.
She gave an awkward smile instead.
Yang Mirae sighed deeply.
“Anyway, I’ll lend you my rulebook. Copy it by hand. Don’t photocopy it. At this school, rulebooks must always be handwritten.”
“Thank you so much, Teacher Yang.”
“Say that after you survive at least a week. Why do the vice principal and the head of academic affairs seem to be abandoning you?”
“Well… maybe because I’m an outsider sent by the foundation?”
Neither of them seemed particularly welcoming.
“That’s… not entirely wrong. But I don’t know much about the politics among the higher-ups. What matters is that unlike us, they’re somewhat immune to Mysteries.”
The vice principal, who alternated between the form of a bird of prey and a human, was clearly a Mystery entity.
And the head of academic affairs…
“That damn old fossil is obviously a magician. Magicians are basically half human, half Mystery. Even if they make a mistake like yours earlier, they’ll just shrug it off as bad luck. Why? Because they won’t die from it.”
But Saebyeok nearly died today.
If someone hadn’t grabbed her ankle at the right moment—and if Yang Mirae hadn’t blown the whistle—who knew what would have happened.
“Magicians can’t understand ordinary people like us. Don’t expect them to. Just figure out how to survive yourself. Copy it. Memorize it. Got it?”
Yang Mirae suddenly shoved a worn notebook into Saebyeok’s arms.
Startled, Saebyeok accepted it and nodded.
“Honestly, if it weren’t for the money, I would’ve run away from this damn school a long time ago…”
Saebyeok stared briefly at the muttering Yang Mirae before lowering her gaze to the notebook.
Under the crudely scribbled title “Rulebook”, the following was written:
♧♣♧♣♧
Welcome to Beodeul School.
This book compiles the school rules established over several decades.
Beodeul School is far larger than it appears and is constantly exposed to Mysteries that threaten young students both inside and outside the campus. Therefore, the school has decided to distinguish between Mysteries and non-Mysteries through a complex and sometimes incomprehensible set of rules.
These rules operate uniformly across the school grounds and take precedence over all laws, including the Constitution of the Republic of Korea where this school is located.
Let us repeat:
Within the campus, there is no higher law than the school rules.
We understand that many of these rules may appear irrational from an outsider’s perspective. However, they exist solely to guarantee the safety of students and staff.
Please remember the Fourth Grade Class Byeolnim Massacre of Beodeul Elementary School in 1976.
The rules apply differently depending on one’s identity and grade level. You are strongly advised to memorize the rulebook issued to you.
Never leak the rulebook outside the school.
If additional copies are required, it is recommended that you transcribe them by hand.
There are countless beings that wish to know these rules. And there is no guarantee that the being tempting you right now is not one of them.
To all who visit Beodeul School—students, staff, invited guests, and even uninvited intruders.
This school warmly welcomes anyone who follows the rules.
.
.
.
Beodeul School Rule 1
Refrain from going outside after sunset.
Night has always been the time of Mysteries, and it is also when the hunters within the school who track Mysteries are most active.
Walking up the dark path, Saebyeok thought:
Then they should finish work before sunset.
If leaving after sunset is unavoidable, always carry a flashlight.
Candles or self-powered flashlights that cannot maintain illumination for long periods are not recommended.
Please behave like a modern human who knows how to utilize the benefits of civilization.
“Instead of making exceptions like this, why not just let us leave work early?”
Muttering inwardly, Saebyeok cautiously illuminated the road with her phone’s flashlight.
Beodeul School Rule 2
Treat the willow tree by the lake with respect.
The willow tree is a sacred being that bestows protection upon the school. If you clasp your hands and offer gratitude each time you pass it, you may receive blessings.
Even magicians can’t escape the tradition of superstition…
After bowing politely toward the bare willow tree, Saebyeok sighed and turned away.
The lights of the staff housing still seemed far away.
Beodeul School Rule 3
Do not react to sounds coming from places where they do not belong.
This includes telephone rings, radio noises, or the voice of someone who could not possibly be present in that location.
What is this, a horror movie?
Hearing a ringing sound echoing through the darkness, Saebyeok chuckled to herself.
She did not notice the presence quietly trailing behind her like the persistent ringing.
Beodeul School Rule 5
Remain calm even in unexpected situations.
Reactions of fear and terror always stimulate them intensely.
Behind Saebyeok, where the phone’s light could not reach—
Something crawled along the ground through the darkness.
It slowly crept toward her heel.
Just as it opened its maw to swallow its prey—
THUD.
A faint tremor spread across the ground.
In the distance, flocks of birds scattered noisily into the air, and ripples appeared across the once-still lake.
Sensing something strange, Saebyeok turned her head.
And then she saw him.
Standing a few steps behind her like a ghost—
Dongbaek.
“Mr. Dongbaek…?”
