Merlin’s words had been the words of a madman; not only had he proposed sneaking into the guardhouse and checking records he was not meant to have access to, he had gone further to initiate an expedition out of the Academy without informing the necessary authorities. And, yet, Chima and Hakyun had followed him. Though not without giving him an earful. But that hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things.

  Merlin was graced with Itaewon’s atmosphere as he stepped out of the cab they had boarded, and it was one that left him standing in awe for a moment. The streets were filled with vibrant colors, and packed full with a high concentration of foreigners. Most of all, it was lively, diverse, and featured a wide range of pubs, restaurants, and clubs, no matter where one looked.

  However, amazement aside, the location they had followed to trace Nikoi’s steps had brought them to the doorsteps of a club in particur. One named Club Spiral.

  “I don’t get it,” Hakyun started. “If Nikoi really came to this pce, why didn’t he lie about his destination in the records? Isn’t this making it too easy for him to be caught, assuming Mr. Sam checked through everything written?”

  “If he came here for the first time, it’s only normal that he didn’t lie,” Chima answered. “The records are so that if something happens to one of us, the Academy can know where to look. He was being cautious.”

  Hakyun sighed. “Goodness, Nikoi, what have you gotten yourself mixed up with? Why even take steroids in the first pce?”

  Merlin was well aware of how it felt to think of one’s self as a failure, and the subsequent thoughts that followed it, but not for once had he thought to enhance himself with illegal drugs. So he was justified in his thoughts that things were most likely not as it seemed with Nikoi. The problem was he had no idea what exactly had filled the boy with the audacity to take such a step.

  There was a way he could find that out, or at least come close, but he wondered if that would be too drastic of him.

  “Oh, don’t you even think about it, Mel,” said Chima as soon as he noticed Merlin narrowing his eyes at Club Spiral’s building. “There’s no way I’m walking into a club as a minor.”

  Hakyun recoiled at that statement. “Hey. Leaving the Academy is already a big deal; do you really want to have us killed? And, besides, there’s no way they’ll let us in.”

  Merlin gnced at his roommates. “Nikoi went in.”

  Hakyun jerked back, then scoffed. “And so?”

  “That means it doesn’t matter if we’re minors,” said Merlin. “We can get in if we want to.”

  “Don’t be foolish, Mel,” Chima argued. “Nikoi had come looking to buy a drug. That meant someone had told him of this pce, and they had probably given him a password of some sort that allowed him to enter. That’s how stuff like this usually goes. There’s no way we’ll be let in.”

  “Isn’t that just movies?” Hakyun chimed in.

  “No, it’s not just movies, four-eyes. That’s what genuinely happens.”

  Merlin pursed his lips and gnced at the building they stood some ways before and the long line of people that spread out from its front door. For some reason, he felt really compelled to walk into it. It was almost like something inside was calling him, and that a lot of the answers he sought out, both about Nikoi and a few other things that bothered him, could be found within its walls.

  But he knew better than to let his own selfish desires determine the fates of his roommates. It was already past eleven. If they stayed out too long, getting back into the dorm would prove to be quite the hurdle, and if they got caught, well, there would be only one outcome.

  “The evidence isn’t solid, but I think we have enough to draw a bit of conclusion,” he said. “We should report this to a higher authority. At least, if they check the address and find their way here, they’ll be able to discover if Nikoi really used steroids or not.”

  Chima and Hakyun nodded.

  “It’s still crazy that someone would sell illegal drugs to a child, though,” said Chima with a sigh.

  “Magical illegal drugs,” Hakyun corrected. “And I’m sure there are no age rules about taking magical steroids for Mages. I didn’t even know one existed until Merlin.”

  He had said that like Merlin was the one who sold the drug.

  “So? Who do we report it to?” Chima asked as they all drew their attention from the club and focused on finding a cab back to the Academy.

  Merlin sighed. “That’s the problem. I really don’t want to get Nikoi expelled, if I can. So the number of professors we can tell is limited. We need someone who can take action, but not in a way that will shed light on what Nikoi did, so that his life can continue on without troubles.” Merlin scratched his head. “I can only think of two people.”

  “And they are?” Hakyun asked.

  “Professor Jung and…” Merlin paused, recalling the tension that had bubbled to life between a certain man and Nikoi after he had defeated the boy during the Grimoire sparring css. “...And Professor Dmitri.”

  “I see…” Chima nodded. “Professor Jung is naturally a good listener, albeit being so bad at teaching, while Professor Dmitri is supposedly reted to Nikoi.” He paused. “There’s a good chance Professor Jung tells the headmaster, though. But I doubt Professor Dmitir would do that, seeing as it involves his retive. I think we should tell Professor Dmitri instead. He’s the only one that can prevent Nikoi from being expelled.”

  Merlin nodded, well on board with that reasoning. However, for some reason, he felt uneasy about telling Professor Dmitri about Nikoi’s exploits. Something kept pricking him at the back of his neck that if they told Professor Dmitri instead of anyone else, including the headmaster, everything would go wrong.

  But he shook the thought away. There was no way one could sabotage their own family. He couldn’t imagine doing such a thing to Nora, after all.

  “And you, Hakyun? What do you think?” Chima asked as they finally got a hold of a cab.

  Hakyun had been silent, staring into the void, but Chima’s question snapped him back. He sighed.

  “I think we should sleep on it,” he said. “Let’s not be hasty.”

  Merlin licked his lower lip. They had been pushing aside his words all through their little expedition, the least they could do is heed these words of his. He nodded.

  “All right,” said Merlin. “Let’s sleep on it.”

  They got in the cab and set off towards the Academy, of the mind to stop a few kilometers away and sneak back in so that they were not caught.

  ###

  Ji-ho rested his chin on his palm as he stared down from the rooftop with a smile.

  Club Spiral was known for its diversity, allowing both foreigners and Korean residents to enjoy nightlife within its confines, be it together or separately by being in possession of different areas for whatever had brought a customer by. As such, it was seeing yet another eventful night.

  But Ji-ho had never been amazed by the sight of his business booming before. Stargazing filled him with more joy than seeing the lengthy line that spread out from the door of his club. And tonight was no different. Only, it was not stargazing that brought a smile on his face, but the presence of someone rather special.

  “He came here on his own? Brazen,” Ji-ho said with a chuckle as he stared down at an average looking teenage boy with brown hair and dull eyes, getting into a cab with two other people, who seemed to be his friends.

  “Want me to go after him?” Mouse asked. She was seated cross-legged on Ji-ho’s bench while propping herself up with her hands. “You’ve always wanted to talk to him after all.”

  Ji-ho shook his head. “There’s no need.” He turned around when the cab was out of sight, putting his gaze on the menacing elegance of Mouse. “My job will be a lot easier if he walks into the building himself. The bouncers all know to let him in when he attempts that, right?”

  Mouse nodded. “I showed all of them his picture. Whenever he wants to come in, he’ll be let through.”

  “Good. And Nikoi?”

  “He has been given a stronger dose,” said Mouse. “I wonder if he will be able to handle it, though?”

  “Doesn’t matter,” replied Ji-ho. “Let’s just hope he’s able to complete his mission before he loses his mind, if he does at all.”

  Mouse snickered. “Damn, Dmitri. Doesn’t he care about his brother?”

  “That’s how families operate. Every single one is selfish. They all act like they care about the other at first, but everything they do is only beneficial to themself,” said Ji-ho. “It would be nice if the boy’s able to keep himself sane, though. No Mage is yet to do that.”

  “You did,” said Mouse.

  Ji-ho stared at her for a few seconds then shook his head. “A Deficient Mage doesn’t count as a Mage.”

  She raised a brow. “Then do you think that Merlin kid will be able to handle it? I wonder how much it’ll boost that anti-magic of his. He’s quite strong already.” She narrowed her eyes at Ji-ho. “Makes me think if you succeed in bringing him in, Master might take a liking to him over you.”

  Ji-ho’s face remained calm despite Mouse’s statement. He shrugged.

  “If that is Master’s wish, then so be it,” he said, his voice not giving off a single trace of anger at Mouse. “I’ve never really enjoyed running this club in the first pce. I can only be happy if it’s taken off my hands.”

  Mouse ughed and stood up. She walked up to Ji-ho and pced a hand on his shoulder before wrapping him in an embrace from his side.

  “You know I was joking, right?”

  “Yes, Mouse,” said Ji-ho. “I know you were joking.”

  She smiled. “By the way… Why do you think he came here?”

  Ji-ho walked away from her embrace and y down on his bench.

  “Isn’t it obvious?” he said. “Nikoi is his friend. The kid’s pying hero.”