Propping up her chin with her hand, Minah gazed out from her classroom window overlooking the school’s training grounds. The gifted students of her class stalked through a maze. In pairs, they sought objectives placed in the center. The first pair that reached their token and brought it back outside earned the highest grade for the day.
Minah’s best friends Jaeyun and Subin found the center just minutes after entering the maze. Minah didn’t expect any less from the best students in their year. Subin grabbed one of the bags and slung it over her shoulder. They began tracing their path back out, but as they approached the exit, a pair appeared to block them. Jihoon and Yonggi. Minah had noticed them wandering lost this entire time. They must think they can just steal the bag from my friends. Minah smirked. Those boys aren’t so bright.
Jihoon leapt at Jaeyun with a knife in his outstretched hand. Jaeyun sidestepped the attack and shot out a firebolt from his palm. It caught fire to Jihoon’s athletic uniform. Yonggi waved his hands and summoned a gust to stamp it out, but by then, Jaeyun and Subin had already stepped out into the open. Minah smiled as their teacher approached them and clapped Jaeyun on his back. Through the glass, Minah couldn’t hear a single sound, but she could imagining him exclaiming, “You talented students! Are you certain you aren’t professional mages in disguise?”
A pencil whizzed by Minah’s ear—it would’ve sliced her if she didn’t dodge it in time. She looked up to see her teacher staring right at her.
“Hwang Minah,” Teacher An said. “I asked you a question.”
“Sorry?”
Teacher An asked Minah again, “Tell me, what things can kill a ghoul?”
A ghoul? Minah pictured in her head a balding, gray-skinned creature. Humanoid in shape, but completely animalistic in demeanor, with sharp black teeth and reddish eyes. Minah recalled the class during which Teacher An taught her these things. She also remembered doodling all through it. “Sunlight, of course,” she said after thinking about it for a little. “All corrupted beings despise sunlight and only venture out of their lairs at night.”
Minah smiled and expected to be praised, but Teacher An only remarked, “That’s one.”
There are others? Minah thought.
Teacher An addressed the class. “Since Minah is unable to, can anyone tell me the remaining methods?” She looked at the girl sitting behind Minah, one of her other best friends. “Yon Harin.”
“Beheading,” Harin said. “Surely nothing can survive headless.”
“Incorrect. Ghouls can. They will certainly be hindered, but unless killed in a specific fashion, they may return.” Teacher An sighed. “I am very disappointed in you students. I understand that all the gifted students are out there—” She tilted her head to the training grounds, “—but still, this is the most basic of information.”
Minah tried her best to look ashamed, but she didn’t think she convinced the teacher. She couldn’t even convince herself, and in the end she spoke up, “Ghouls are an issue for those living in the larger cities in the south, but here in their northern little city, it’s been ages since the last sighting of a corrupted being larger than a rat.”
Teacher An said, “You may not have encountered a dangerous one yet. This is all thanks to the paladins and their protection. But it is still important to understand the world we live in. Besides, many of you might decide to move somewhere with a larger population, both of our kind, and of their kind.”
The door slid open, and the gifted students in their athletic uniforms filed into the room. Teacher An wiped the serious look off her face and smiled at the gifted students. “I hope you all had a productive training session. “Since school will be over in just fifteen minutes, it’s time to hand your exams back. I will call you by your rankings. Mangjol Subin—congratulations. You got full points on this exam, the same as all exams you’ve taken since coming to this school. “Ton Jinhee. Yu Sunyoung. Tang Jaeyun. Yon Harin.” More than ten names later, Teacher An called, “Hwang Minah.”
Minah stood up and got her paper back. A red 77/100 stained the top.
In the seat in front of Minah’s, Subin twisted to see Minah’s grade and sighed worriedly. “I offered to help you study.”
Minah slide the paper into her desk. “A 77/100 is passing.” This caused Subin to give her a look of disgust.
“Class will end in a couple minutes,” Teacher An said. “Remember, the culture fair is coming up soon. Student booths need to be registered by next week. You can sell homemade goods or something you cook—think of something unique. The class that earns the most money during the fair will get to go on a field trip to the beach during the summer, so I expect you all to put in your best effort.”
The bell rung. As the students packed up, Teacher An reminded them, “Having survived this long I doubt any of you need to hear this, but be careful out there. Don’t go out past nightfall, and even during the day, it’s good to be among allies.”