“Did the deposit go through? Yes, yes, just one child. Yes, thank you!”
After Jacqueline Carroll finished her call, she turned her gaze to me.
“I’ve made all the reservations for today’s horseback riding experience, tomorrow’s Disneyland, and the aquarium the day after!”
“I feel like I’m being too much trouble.”
“No, no! I’m just so happy to go with Name. Oh, right, I need to book a hotel too?”
“Oh, I’ve already made the reservation for the hotel. Thank you.”
“Great, let’s have fun for the next three days!”
This was my first time traveling as part of Sephiron Academy.
The homeroom teacher rounded up the children, who were distracted by a Shih Tzu puppy, and loaded them onto the bus.
The seat assigned to me by the kids was right in the dead center of the back row.
It’s supposedly a seat only the most powerful person in the class gets to sit in, but honestly, isn’t that also the place where you’re the first to go if there’s a traffic accident?
While pondering such questions, I enjoyed the view of the lush greenery outside the window.
“But what if you fall off while riding? Don’t you die if you get stepped on?”
“The one we ride is a pony, not a horse. A Shetland pony.”
“Whoa, that’s super cute!”
“Name, this will be your first time riding a horse, right?”
“No, I’ve done it many times.”
At that, all the kids turned around and stared at me.
“Eh, when was that? In the United States?”
“You must’ve gone to school on horseback in the U.S.”
“Haha! Where would you park it?”
“In the parking lot, I could tie it up.”
“Aren’t you just talking about virtual reality?”
“Yeah, kinda. I tried riding in virtual reality.”
“Pfft, that doesn’t count!”
“Still, I’m really good at it.”
The friends still looked doubtful.
Soon, the bus arrived at an open meadow, where the giant wind turbines were slowly turning beneath clouds that looked like cotton.
We first visited a pony museum, where we learned about the history of horses and admired various pony statues.
“Hey, Name, there’s a pony that looks just like you!”
“Wow, it really does!”
“Wow…”
[The smallest horse in the world, the ‘Miniature Horse’]
[Miniature Horses are one of the smallest breeds, standing only about 80 cm tall even at full size.]
It was already a small horse, but next to the largest breed, the Shire, it looked even more pitiful.
In my past life, I’d confidently ridden horses as tall as 3 meters and weighing 3 tons, but this was just too much.
We went back down to the first floor to listen to the instructor’s safety precautions and choose our ponies to ride.
“Eek!”
When Yuna timidly offered a carrot, the pony snatched it right out of her hand.
I subtly wrapped Aura around my hand and slowly petted the pony’s head.
Surely, the ponies that resonated with my magic would listen better, right?
There were ponies backing away from my touch, while others closed their eyes, pushing their heads forward, begging for more attention.
Among them, I chose a pony that munched mournfully on a wooden fence as I walked away.
“You’ve got quite the attitude, huh?”
You have to seize the opportunity when it arises.
Wearing a helmet, I grabbed the reins of a 4-year-old pony named ‘Navy.’
The instructor demonstrated how to ride first.
With no difficulty, I stepped on the stirrups and mounted Navy.
I spread my Aura wide and roughly stroked her shaggy neck.
Yuna beside me looked on in amazement.
“Wow, you really can ride well!”
“Yep! Want me to show you how to do a handstand?”
“Can you do that…? Wait, Name, that’s too dangerous!”
I wrapped the reins around my wrist and pushed my feet off the platform.
My hands secured on the saddle, I tensed my arms and core muscles.
Slowly, my body began to rotate like the hands of a clock.
The hour hand, which had pointed to 6, gradually turned horizontally to point at 3.
This was the pinnacle of body exercises, the planche position.
Then it glided to 2, then 1, finally my toes pointed straight up at noon, executing a perfect handstand.
“Ta-da!”
“Hey! What are you doing up there? It’s dangerous, get down quickly!”
Just as I thought about showing off with one hand, the instructor rushed over in a panic to stop me.
With a spring in my arms, I performed a half turn in the air and landed with a thud on Navy.
My friends clapped in awe.
“Whoa, you scared me! Name, don’t ever do that again! Got it?”
“Yes, I’m sorry…”
I scratched my head and apologized to the instructor.
From then on, I strictly followed the rules and headed toward the walking trail.
Clomp, clomp, the sound of hooves echoed rhythmically.
The refreshing spring breeze greeted me as I inhaled the fragrant scent of flowers.
“Yuna, I think I could do a somersault here. Should I try?”
“No, no! The instructor said not to!”
“She’s at the front where she can’t see us. I can do it in 2 seconds!”
“Oh no! Instructor!”
“Okay, okay, I won’t do it.”
“Whoa! Don’t go that way!”
In the meantime, Seori’s pony veered slightly off course.
It started munching on wild weeds that edged the walking path.
Seori gently held the reins, occasionally prodding her pony lightly as it picked up speed, worried it might get hurt.
Are the ponies even listening to commands with all that?
Hiss! Sunny!
Hearing the leading trainer’s whistle, the pony crept back into line.
After the walk, the ponies dropped off the kids first and headed to the stable.
I realized from the zoo that animals surprisingly know their quitting time well.
“Yeah, you probably want to go home and rest too, huh?”
“Hehehe!”
Still, Navy didn’t seem completely indifferent, glancing back at least once.
“Ugh, my legs are so weak I can’t walk.”
“Isn’t your back hurting? Ugh…”
“I feel that too. My shoulders are killing me.”
The friends all started shaking their legs and moaning in unison.
Ji-hye seemed to be cramping up, collapsing onto the stony ground.
I knelt beside her and gently massaged her thighs and calves.
“Horse riding is surprisingly tough, right?”
“Yeah. I felt fine while riding, but now that I’m off, I’m completely drained.”
“If you don’t know how to ride properly, it really wears you out.”
“Really?”
“Probably about twice as much as swimming. Plus, it uses muscles you don’t usually use. Alright, let’s get up and dust off our butts.”
The abundance of resources at the academy had ironically turned into a disadvantage for the kids.
It was like continuing to stuff yourself at a buffet when you’re already full.
I reserved the most expensive walking course for an hour, and now the kids were completely exhausted.
When we returned to the bus, instead of turning on the karaoke machine, everyone quietly watched V-tube or drifted off to sleep.
Zzzz…
The bus was quiet.
Suddenly, Jacqueline Carroll’s voice on a call with another class’s teacher sounded especially bright.
‘Could it be intentional…?’
I thought that perhaps it was a national decision to restore peace in our class.
“Yawn… Name, can I lean my head on your shoulder?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, yawn…”
*
They say malamutes can run 250 km today and 250 km again the next day.
“Let’s gooo!”
“Wow! Finally, the hotel!”
Twenty malamutes flooded off the bus.
Each of us carried our carriers as we entered the hotel lobby.
The homeroom teacher distributed card keys to the students while I went to the desk to check in.
My friends waited in front of the elevator instead of heading up first.
“No Name! What’s your room number?”
“Room 2113. What about you?”
“You’re on the 21st floor? Whoa, Name, that’s awesome!”
“Oh my gosh, that’s the suite!”
“We’re on the 8th floor. The boys are on the 7th.”
“Everyone, charge to Name’s room!”
“No! I clearly warned you not to come!”
“Who do you think you are?!”
Hahhahahah!
After dropping off my friends on the 7th and 8th floors, I went up alone to the 21st floor.
Ding ding!
As I inserted the card key, the window curtains opened automatically, revealing a breathtaking view of Hallasan.
The spacious living room and the elegant wooden flooring exuded luxury.
When I went into the bedroom, there were three twin beds.
As I started unpacking my suitcase, the bell rang.
“Hey, did you guys really come all the way up here?”
“Whoaa! Is this the Demon King’s Castle…? The amazing energy! Everyone, stay alert!”
“But the Demon King is all alone! Charge forward!”
If I left them outside, it would lead to chaos.
Reluctantly, I let them in and locked the door.
“Whoa! This place is huge!”
Yuna’s eyes sparkled as she gasped in delight.
“Were you planning to use this room all by yourself? How selfish, No Name.”
“Of course I should! I paid a fair price for this room. It’s not like you guys can complain since you’re here for free.”
“Shoooooo! Here, take the carrier!”
Seori dragged her suitcase into the living room cheerfully.
“Why’d you bring a suitcase? Are you planning to stay the night here?”
“No! Didn’t I say? It’s filled with cup noodles and snacks.”
“…?”
“Ta-da! Ta-da!”
As Seori hummed, she unzipped the suitcase.
As she said, bags of snacks flowed out like a waterfall.
If she had planned on buying them from the convenience store in front of the hotel, why undergo all the effort?
“I don’t understand, I really don’t…”
“Wow, Seori, that’s insane!”
“Haha, this is the weapon to defeat the Demon King… Let’s grab one each.”
We all worked together to shove the heavy carpet in the center of the living room aside so as not to spill crumbs.
Then in front of the giant TV, myself among 11 of us sat in a circle, ripping into the snack bags.
“Honestly, isn’t No Name the biggest weirdo among us? Who rides a pony then does a handstand?”
“When the instructor rushed over, do you remember what they yelled? ‘Hey! What are you doing up there! It’s dangerous, get down quickly!’”
Haahhahh!
“This is some serious madness. Dating is fake madness; it’s like Seoyuna and Seori just being silly.”
“I’ll agree to that. Namé, you’re the real deal.”
“By the way, you said you’d show me how to do a somersault during the walk, didn’t you?”
“When did I ever say that?”
Crunch!
I quietly popped a snack in my mouth and played dumb.
“I’m serious, you did!”
“Oh right, I heard it from behind.”
“Whoa, No Name! You can’t do that!”
“We have to keep an eye on you to make sure you don’t get into trouble.”
There was nothing more to say.
The friends whose MBTI types were J were already huddled together discussing dinner plans.
I heard the academy hadn’t prepared dinner separately.
They didn’t mean for us to starve but rather suggested we all find our own dinner, either at the hotel restaurant or through delivery.
It seemed most wanted to order delivery.
I was drawn to their conversation, edging closer to eavesdrop.
“Ooh! Our cute little darling!”
Jeon Nuri pinched my cheek, giving me an exuberant welcome.
“Where did you hear that phrase?”
“Huh? My sister always calls me that. Why?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. By the way, what are you eating?”
“Hmm, I’m figuring it out. Do you want anything?”
After a moment’s reflection, I shared my list.
“Beef Carpaccio.”
“I don’t think they sell that.”
“How about Wagyu PTBBQ?”
“What’s PTBBQ?”
“Venison?”
“Oh no, it’s so sad to think of deer! Let’s order pork belly. That sounds delicious.”
“What, pigs aren’t sad?”
Dink, dink!
“Hey, whose phone is that? Answer it.”
Iharu was receiving a video call.
“Kim Han-gyeol? Why are you calling?”
On the other end, ten boys were crowded together in a two-person room.
They seemed to have gathered in one side of a room like we did.
Han-gyeol frowned.
[What’s up? Why is your room so big?]
“Oh, this is Name’s room. Hehe, jealous? So jealous, right?”
Haru zipped around the suite showing it off like a deer.
Beyond the screen, the boys widened their eyes in disbelief.
[Hey, isn’t that cheating? We’re cramped to death here. We can’t even hang out together!]
“Yeah, well, we have No Name here, so too bad!”
[Wow, that’s so rude…! Can we come too?]
“Nope! Not allowed! If you want to come, get permission from Name first!”
[No Name! We really want to come! Please! Please…!]
Han-gyeol clasped his hands together in prayer.
Haru turned the phone back to me.
I was sitting on the sofa with one leg crossed and my chin resting on my hands.
I pondered for a moment before counting the friends’ heads.
Exactly ten of them.
“1 plus 2 plus 3 plus 4 equals?”
[Uh… 10! Is this a quiz?]
“Right, 10 is correct. If all ten of you bow together, we’ll let you in.”
[Hey, did you hear that? If we bow…!]
“But you have to stack up to make a human pyramid.”
[What?]
“The base has to be 4 people, and the top is just 1. That way, we’ll have a perfect four-layer pyramid.”
[Wait a minute!]
“I’ll give you a minute. Starting now. 60, 59, 58…”
[Whoa! Hurry and lay down! Get on top!]
“58, 57…”
It was pure chaos.
We all watched the scene unfold, bursting into laughter.
Just when it seemed they were about to complete the pyramid, the camera tumbled, and someone had to climb down to fix it.
“11, 10… Uugh, my stomach hurts, haha! 8, 7, 6…”
“Truly the Demon King…”
[Hey, are we done yet? Is it ready, No Name?]
With only three seconds left, they managed to form a brilliant human pyramid.
I clapped and gestured for the Demon King to join us.
My friends really were too funny.
