After the third-quarter student representative meeting ended, each autonomous organization held farewell parties for the third-year officers.

Although their official terms hadn’t yet expired, they would no longer handle practical duties unless something special arose, so it was effectively a retirement.

At the disciplinary committee hall, a send-off was arranged for third-year students including Cheon Dong-ha and Ma Jin-seung.

“Thanks for sticking with the disciplinary committee all this time. Our fellow comrades who ran together for three years can now rest, and juniors, please help Soo-hyuk continue the disciplinary activities. And...”

“Guys! You really worked hard! If you ever need help, just say the word!”

Cheon Dong-ha raised a mug with the disciplinary committee logo and was about to finish his farewell speech when Ma Jin-seung, unable to suppress his overwhelming emotions, interrupted loudly, thinking it was his turn.

Cheon Dong-ha, standing right beside him, was momentarily speechless from the ear-piercing noise.

He briefly considered scolding him but decided to let it slide since it was a meaningful day and opportunities to hear Ma Jin-seung’s outbursts would be rare.

Though he still had a few sentences left, Cheon swallowed his words and waited for Ma Jin-seung to calm down before saying,

“Then let’s toast.”

Cheon Dong-ha, standing on the stage, raised his glass high, and Ma Jin-seung, scrunching his face with all his might to hold back tears, trembled before clinking his mug.

The disciplinary committee members standing below, busy clinking mugs with those nearby, didn’t see Ma Jin-seung tearfully shaking.

Since experiencing the replay, Ma Jin-seung’s emotional threshold had lowered greatly, and he often displayed his turbulent feelings physically.

Instead of awkwardly soothing him, Cheon Dong-ha sat Ma Jin-seung down before he could drop his mug.

He decided to leave him alone until he calmed down.

‘Even if they see Jin-seung crying like this, they wouldn’t find it too strange. Jin-seung was always a bit unusual.’

Ma Jin-seung had grown by overcoming fear and upholding goodness.

He proved that in the replay and during the school trip.

His thought processes seemed simple and indeed were, but Cheon Dong-ha knew well how hard it was to actually do that.

In that sense, the Noble of the Prairie was indeed beyond normal.

“Dong-ha hyung, thank you for your hard work.”

After Cheon Dong-ha left Ma Jin-seung in an inconspicuous place, the next disciplinary committee head, Joo Soo-hyuk, approached.

Thanks to cooperation with the nobles, Joo Soo-hyuk was fully aware of the school trip’s full story.

“I’ll also become a good officer like you and Jin-seung hyung.”

“Don’t be like Jin-seung. Everyone would be sad.”

Half serious, Joo Soo-hyuk laughed as if he thought it was a joke.

Even Jo Yi-shin, who liked Ma Jin-seung quite a bit, was certain that if Joo Soo-hyuk’s rare emotional outbursts resembled the Noble of the Prairie, it would look like he had lost the world and be very sad.

Actually, thinking {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} about Jo Yi-shin’s personality, seeing that rare side of Joo Soo-hyuk would probably be refreshing and he’d be happy they got along.

Lost in trivial thoughts, Cheon Dong-ha pondered a concern he’d had for some time.

‘Before my term completely ends, I should talk with Soo-hyuk about the secret society. Or maybe it’s meaningless now?’

The secret society between the student council and disciplinary committee was passed down orally among officers.

To be selected as a secret society member accessing the secret underground place between the student council and disciplinary committee halls, three conditions existed:

First, be affiliated with the student council or disciplinary committee.

Second, be recommended by a secret society member.

Third, not be a Jin or a descendant.

Currently, among disciplinary committee members, three belonged to the secret society:

Cheon Dong-ha, Joo Soo-hyuk, and Gye I-dam.

Though Ma Jin-seung had faced AI created by Sung Hyung-woo for mental ability training, he was unaware of the secret society’s existence or conditions.

‘Jin-seung obviously couldn’t keep secrets, so he was excluded; I-dam went to Jiikhoe but remains with the disciplinary committee thanks to Hye-ji’s consideration, so he’s a secret society member. The problem is what comes next.’

The student council hadn’t properly selected its next members.

Yeom Jun-yeol was excluded for being a descendant, and Gwak Kyung-gu was on hold because of his closeness to Yeom Jun-yeol.

Decision power had fallen to Do Won-woo, who had no time to worry about the secret society around the last third-quarter meeting.

After uncovering the mess involving Yoo Sang-hee and the TC lab, Do Won-woo stopped scheming and was worn down.

As a result, no secret society members remained in the student council.

Thus, decision power now belonged to Cheon Dong-ha and Joo Soo-hyuk.

‘Now that Ui-shin has uncovered the secret by interacting with Sung Hyung-woo’s former Korea branch AI and carried on his will, the secret society’s existence has almost no meaning. Maybe it’s okay to quietly end it with my generation?’

The AI of Sung Hyung-woo remaining underground was useful for mental ability training but posed a threat to those with true names.

Many in the student council were entangled with the Jin.

Yeom Jun-yeol, retiring soon, was a descendant, next president Ahn Da-in considered herself noble, and among first-years was Eun Ho’s descendant, Eun Yi-ho.

Though Cheon Dong-ha deemed current officers unproblematic, he couldn’t guarantee after graduation.

Through the replay, I saw how a few malicious students or teachers could ruin the school and wondered if leaving seeds of discord to juniors was acceptable.

I could easily imagine someone sowing discord among students—mixed with Jin, descendants, and humans.

‘Could the harm outweigh the good?’

For now, Cheon Dong-ha felt that selecting secret society members was more harmful than helpful.

If succession was necessary, after his graduation, it might be better to entrust selection to next disciplinary head Joo Soo-hyuk or the outsider who knew everything, Jo Yi-shin.

He decided this, but one hesitation remained: Cheon Dong-ha’s sister, disciplinary committee member Cheon Eun-ha, and the Jin Eun-ho.

Hesitating, Cheon Dong-ha spoke up.

“Soo-hyuk, about the secret society...”

“Dong-ha hyung?”

Suddenly, Eun Ho’s voice interrupted, and Cheon Dong-ha hastily stopped talking.

He realized it was a mistake to act unnaturally but it was already too late.

Eun Ho definitely heard the words ‘secret society,’ repeating them quietly to herself.

‘If she’d just come, Soo-hyuk or I would have noticed, but she hid her presence and approached. Why?’

The secret society was secretly known as an Eunkwang High urban legend, and Eun Ho was also in the newspaper club, an information hub.

Cheon Dong-ha judged it better to reveal the secret than to hide it and cause delays or emotional rifts.

Eun Ho, sensing Cheon Dong-ha’s resolve, said,

“You must have something important to say. I also have something difficult to tell.”

“Then I’ll leave....”

“No, you need to hear it too, so come along.”

Joo Soo-hyuk tried to sneak away, but Eun Ho held him back.

Because Eun Ho always respectfully called him ‘senior Joo Soo-hyuk’ in public, both Joo Soo-hyuk and Cheon Dong-ha doubted their ears for a moment.

Eun Ho glanced around.

Because Ma Jin-seung had just been caught crying in a corner, the disciplinary committee’s attention was focused elsewhere.

Judging no one was listening, Eun Ho spoke.

“Dong-ha hyung tried to borrow demonic power to save me when I had confinement syndrome.”

Hearing this for the first time, Joo Soo-hyuk looked at Cheon Dong-ha in disbelief.

When Cheon Dong-ha didn’t deny it, Joo Soo-hyuk sighed softly.

Not all demons were hostile to humanity, but the situation at TC was different.

Knowing the VIP with confinement syndrome’s condition, he couldn’t positively regard demons contacted by Cheon Dong-ha.

As Joo Soo-hyuk suspected, the demons Cheon Dong-ha contacted were not exactly friendly to humanity.

Watching his sister Eun Ha not improving even as the admission season approached, Cheon Dong-ha’s spirit gradually wore down.

He was desperate enough to borrow demon power, and if Eun Ho hadn’t silently signaled to stop him, much could have changed.

By now, he might have become a human servant contracted with demons and committed terrible acts.

“Let’s talk about that demon and the secret society you mentioned, Dong-ha hyung.”

Joo Soo-hyuk was very surprised but didn’t understand.

Not that he couldn’t grasp Cheon Dong-ha’s choice, but he didn’t understand why Eun Ho insisted on joining the conversation.

Eun Ho understood Joo Soo-hyuk’s confusion and answered precisely.

“Because Ui-shin hyung chose to fight alongside you.”

Joo Soo-hyuk thought Eun Ho’s cold judgment and speech resembled their family member Cheon Dong-ha.

But now Eun Ho also resembled Jo Yi-shin.

After a few sleepless nights, the day arrived.

Preparing moves required much effort, but the anniversary of a family death did not.

Just clearing the schedule and reserving chrysanthemums was enough preparation.

The closer the date came, the heavier the burden of wanting to do more for family grew, yet there was nothing I could do.

Since the real remains of my family weren’t here, I didn’t know if these simple acts had any meaning.

Knock, knock.

“Jo Yi-shin, get up.”

Without answering, White Tiger knocked and spoke without permission.

If I had been truly asleep or just about to sleep, his words to get up would have been an annoyance, but what was he thinking?

“You did that with your own thoughts.”

When did I ask him to disturb my sleep?

Though lying in bed with my eyes closed, I couldn’t sleep, but at least I was trying.

If White Tiger kept talking, maybe it was better to just get up?

“Even if you don’t sleep, just lying down with your eyes closed has a resting effect. Instead of getting up to expend energy, stay still.”

So does he want to continue this conversation or whatever it is?

White Tiger read my thoughts and responded on his own whenever I tossed out ideas.

Maybe because I was aware he was watching, or just annoyed, I was less focused on family thoughts.

Somehow, I dozed off.

Though it was less than half my usual sleep time, I succeeded in falling asleep despite expecting none.

If I thought it was thanks to White Tiger, I felt grateful but mostly didn’t want to be.

“Let’s go now.”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“I know.”

Of course, I knew.

When I finished getting ready and came out, White Tiger in his school uniform was waiting.

It was Monday, no holiday or anything, and there were school classes, but I planned to skip.

So I thought I’d be on my own, but he intended to follow.

“My close friends are waiting for you.”

I thought White Tiger was joking, but there really were Tigers gathered in front of the dormitory.

It was October 25th, the anniversary of my family’s death.

Even the Tigers planned to skip all classes and go to the columbarium.