Episode 89: Sanctum (1)
The winner is!! Yoon Chae-ha!
The final match of the exchange event—the individual finals—had ended.
And the ultimate winner was confirmed to be Yoon Chae-ha.
Whether she was always this talented,
Or if Gaon’s system was simply excellent, it was hard to tell.
Either way, this exchange event was another victory for Gaon.
Both the team and individual matches were won by Gaon, so it felt like an expected outcome.
The awards ceremony began.
1st place: Yoon Chae-ha.
2nd place: Joo Seo-jun.
3rd place: Ga-il.
Although Ga-il was crushed by Yoon Chae-ha, he showed a fairly impressive performance in the 3rd/4th place match.
I watched the scene quietly from the stands.
Yoon Chae-ha stepped up onto the podium.
She slowly raised her head and looked somewhere.
Our eyes met again.
‘She keeps looking this way.’
Her gaze turned toward me again.
After lingering for a few seconds, her lips moved slightly.
‘Don’t leave.’
With nothing else to do, I continued to watch the award ceremony.
Looking at Yoon Chae-ha receiving her award on the podium, I reflected on the growth she had shown throughout this exchange event.
‘She’s good.’
Now even saying “she’s good” felt a little insufficient.
She absorbs things quickly.
She doesn’t just mimic what she’s taught—she reconstructs it into something of her own.
She interprets the techniques I showed her, modifies them, and sometimes adds her own intuition to create something entirely different.
Originally, I thought it would take some time to get Yoon Chae-ha on track.
She’s naturally stubborn and didn’t have a solid plan like the others.
But I was wrong.
The innate talent and sense “set” within her exceeded all expectations.
If I had to describe her current state—
She had fully begun to ride her own flow.
‘Good.’
Now, there was no longer any need to interfere or teach her.
If I tried to tell her anything more, I might even disrupt the growth flow she was currently in.
That’s how well Yoon Chae-ha was doing right now.
With multiple boosters attached, she was heading exactly in the direction she wanted.
I had seen enough.
I quietly stood up from my seat.
And, without a word, turned around and walked away.
***
“Ugh… What the… Where did he go…?”
As soon as the award ceremony ended, Yoon Chae-ha headed toward the stands.
Her steps quickened without her realizing it, and only one face filled her mind.
But—
The seat was empty.
Jung Haein was nowhere to be seen.
“…….”
He was definitely there just a moment ago…
He was definitely smiling…
So why—
Her chest felt hollow, as if something had been scooped out.
“Chae-ha.”
At that moment, a familiar voice called out to her.
When she turned around, her parents were approaching.
Her father had the look of a neat and proper researcher, and her mother had a soft smile on her lips.
Her father was a renowned researcher in the academic world, and her mother was a professor at a magic university.
Both of them were such respected figures in the field that they were invited as judges to the World Magic Tournament.
Yoon Chae-ha’s talent hadn’t come from nowhere.
Their gentle smiles rested on her.
“You did well. You were amazing, our daughter.”
“You worked hard.”
Her mother was kind, and her father’s words were short but carried weight.
Yoon Chae-ha looked briefly flustered, then soon nodded.
“Yeah… Thank you.”
Praise feels unfamiliar.
Her mother’s compliments, she could somewhat accept.
But her father’s praise was, as always, awkward and unfamiliar.
That had never changed since childhood.
Just then, the sharp sound of high heels echoed from behind.
“Hello~ Chaeh-ha, and your mother and father~ It’s been a while~”
A friendly woman’s voice.
When Yoon Chae-ha turned her head, she saw a woman in a modernized blue robe approaching.
On the robe’s shoulder was an emblem—three intersecting circular magic circles.
That symbol meant one thing:
‘Mage Tower Affiliation.’
The Mage Tower was the most authoritative institution in the magical world.
And this woman was one of its high-ranking executives—
A mid-level decision-maker involved in both experiments and political mediation.
Only those with exceptional magical talent could even step into the Mage Tower.
Even among countless geniuses from various countries and institutions,
Half were cut in the first screening, and only a few passed the practical test and interviews.
But Yoon Chae-ha was already classified internally as a “prospective mage tower member.”
Despite not being formally affiliated, her recent performances had made it into internal reports.
“I was really impressed by today’s final match.”
The woman spoke warmly to Chaeha’s parents.
She already had a longstanding relationship with them—
Chae-ha’s mother had interacted with her through academic exchanges when she was a professor at a magic university,
And her father had worked with her indirectly on research projects.
“If you’re free, how about grabbing a meal together?”
She waved her hand dismissively, then added,
“It’s nothing serious~ I just thought I could help guide Chaeha’s future a little, as a senior mage.
Kids these days have such sharp instincts and sensitivity—
I feel like I actually have a lot I could pass on~”
Her tone was light, but the meaning behind her words wasn’t.
‘We’re interested in your daughter.’
And her parents understood that very well.
Chae-ha’s mother smiled softly and nodded.
Her father didn’t show it outwardly but was clearly satisfied.
That’s the kind of place the Mage Tower was.
But the one at the center of all this, Yoon Chae-ha,
Was still staring intensely at the audience seats.
What’s up with her now?’
Ruina, the Mage Tower executive, knew Chaeha’s personality well.
Unpredictable and full of whimsy.
That typical eccentricity geniuses often possessed.
Yoon Chae-ha seemed like she had no interest in this moment.
Her gaze darted around busily.
She slowly turned her head in one full circle. Then again.
Eventually, she pouted and muttered under her breath—
“He really left… I was gonna ask him to eat with me…”
She said it like a sulky child, her voice low like she was talking to herself.
A faint blush on her cheeks and the way she lightly tapped her toes told the rest of the story.
Then, she turned her head and met eyes with Ruina.
“I’m not joining the Mage Tower.”
One firm sentence.
Ruina’s smile stiffened slightly.
Then Chae-ha turned toward her parents and added—
“I’m joining Vanquisher.”
A short gasp escaped both parents at her unexpected declaration.
They exchanged brief glances, then silently nodded.
At that moment, Chae-ha turned her gaze back to the stands.
To the empty seat.
The seat where he had been.
‘It’s okay if you run away.’
She slowly curved her lips into a smile.
‘Because I’ll follow you.’
The blazing sun—on its own—
Had just decided to chase after the cold star.
***
I was walking through the grounds of Gaon Academy.
According to Yu hana, the rewards for the team battle would be delivered soon.
Probably prize money.
I sat on a bench.
I needed time to gather my thoughts.
Ever since Yoon Chae-ha absorbed the remnants of the Evil God, it felt like she had finally found her footing.
I was happy.
The fact that she had grown enough to be left without worry—it was a good thing.
A major issue had been taken care of.
Now all that remained was the upcoming final exams.
Since the exchange match was squeezed between midterms and finals,
In reality, finals had already begun.
Until then, it seemed like a good idea for me to grow as well—to study more about the “Fragment Expansion Authority.”
Then—
Ding!
My smartwatch rang.
I glanced down; the sender was the Arcadia Church.
It seemed to be a reward related to the recent tiara incident.
‘Not that there’s anything for me to receive.’
If it was some half-baked compensation cobbled together, I was going to refuse.
With that thought, I opened the message.
“Huh?”
[Luke]: Hello, Brother Haein. I’d like to talk to you about the previous reward. While it would be more proper to meet in person, allow me to briefly explain first.
The following content was enough to shock me.
[Sanctum Entry Permission]
[Entry Condition: Must be accompanied by the Saintess]
“What the hell….”
I blinked in disbelief.
I thought there’d be nothing to gain.
But no—it was far from that.
The Sanctum.
The Sanctum was the sacred heart of the Arcadia Church, hidden for hundreds of years.
Only the Hero and the Saintess were allowed to enter.
At night, the Saintess. During the day, the Hero.
Other than them, no one could step inside.
A completely sealed, sacred chamber.
Just one hour within that space, where divine power breathes—
It could accelerate a human’s growth equivalent to several days, or even weeks.
The church’s explanation was straightforward.
[Luke]: The Saintess has accelerated her growth through Tiara and has now acquired the qualifications of a full-fledged Saintess. Accordingly, as you were the one who enabled that growth, we have decided to open the Sanctum to you as a limited-time reward.
The divine power within the Sanctum is limited.
That’s why it has always been an exclusive privilege for the Hero and the Saintess.
And yet now, such an opportunity was being granted to me.
This—there was no way I could refuse.
A once-in-a-lifetime chance.
I looked down at the watch.
The designated entry time: late at night.
The Sanctum is located in the deepest chamber of the temple.
The entrants: Me.
And the Saintess—Cheon Yeoul.
I quietly took a deep breath.
I have to go.
This was a proposal that required no hesitation.
