The gentle afternoon sunlight streamed through the window, falling upon skin and bringing a warm sensation as winter began. Students intently listened to their teacher, especially the female students, whose eyes were fixed on the front of the classroom.
The teacher instructing them was incredibly handsome! He stood almost two meters tall, with a sculpted face and sharp eyes that seemed to see through everything. His cool demeanor perfectly complemented the mysterious aura that surrounded him.
The wind blew softly through the window, gently rustling the young man's hair. He paid no attention to the various gazes of the students—admiration, enchantment, expectation, or envy. These things had no effect on him whatsoever. The young man continued teaching with the information he had prepared beforehand.
Time passed.
"...That's why this subject is so important. To enable you to adapt to your future lives, reducing the risk of accidental injury from unknowingly leaking interdimensional energy and not knowing how to handle it…" The narration at the front of the class paused briefly. Then, the voice resumed with a concluding sentence, "That's all for this period. Does anyone have any doubts or questions?"
"Teacher… do you think I'll have a chance to become a scientist at PRIORITY in the future?" Little Selene, at 17 years old, raised her hand. Her eyes were fixed on the man standing at the front of the classroom with anticipation. The reason she studied so diligently was to have the opportunity to join PRIORITY as a scientist. That was her current goal: to join PRIORITY.
The eyes of the other students turned to Selene, making her the sole focus of the room immediately. Everyone eagerly awaited the male teacher's answer, even though they could already guess what it would be.
"Hmm…" Kilenc turned away from the blackboard. He adjusted his glasses slightly as he looked back at the owner of the clear voice. "Selene, right? Of course. If the top student in the class like you can't become a PRIORITY scientist in the future, then no one else in this room could."
"Ah… thank you." A fleeting feeling crossed her chest. Selene's voice held a slight disappointment. The girl wanted more than just a compliment anyone could give. Not the same answer everyone expected. To be specific, Selene wanted her teacher's opinion more than a conclusion others could think of.
The young man's answer seemed a little indifferent, but it wasn't because he didn't care about his students. It was simply his nature. Kilenc was often like this, as if everything was beneath his notice. Selene often felt she wasn't on the same world as him and couldn't reach this teacher, no matter how hard she tried.
"You can do it, Selene," Kilenc added to his previous sentence, though Selene couldn't know his deeper thoughts. Selene's eyes widened in disbelief, but she was also very happy. A smile appeared on the young girl's lips.
That day, Selene was happier than ever before. A smile graced her face all day long. Even hours after Kilenc's class had ended, the images of that moment still revolved in her head, like a light that ignited the resolve in her small soul. She felt full of energy, ready to dedicate everything to her set goal.
The bell rang throughout the area. After school, Selene knocked on the teacher's lounge door, and soon after, she received permission. The young girl hastily opened the door and quickly stepped into the room.
"Selene, do you have something to discuss with me?"
In the simple, private teacher's lounge, the atmosphere felt heavy. Around Teacher Kilenc was an aura that was difficult to comprehend. It wasn't a frightening pressure, but a feeling that made Selene feel small, as if standing before a vast, unfathomable mountain.
"I…" The girl's voice was slightly soft.
Kilenc, who was organizing documents, looked up. As soon as he saw Selene, he had no intention of continuing his work. The young man unhurriedly pushed the stack of documents aside, leaned back in his comfortable chair, before fixing his gaze on her.
"Teacher… I want to ask you about PRIORITY… I heard others say you're from there. Uh… could you tell me about working at PRIORITY?" Selene's voice sounded a little nervous at first, but she tried her best to phrase her sentences so her teacher could understand them easily and without confusion.
The girl awaited his answer expectantly. The next moment, an unexpected question was thrown at her: "Why do you want to join PRIORITY so badly? Is it for money, fame, honor, or something else? That's what I want to know."
"..." Selene fell silent, trying to ponder an answer. Finally, she spoke cautiously, "I want to be involved in helping humanity. I want to develop something that will prevent people from suffering due to interdimensional invasions… And I also think that if I work there, my future life won't have many worries. I'll have money to spend, and many conveniences."
The young girl awaited his opinion with a heart that grew more anxious with each passing second. Kilenc closed his eyes, thinking silently, without expressing any opinion on the girl's answer.
Finally, Kilenc opened his eyes. He said, "I know you haven't told me the whole truth. That's okay. I'll tell you about my work life. It might be a little different from others in the organization. But before that, let me say something. Sit down first."
Following the teacher's hand signal, little Selene slowly sat down in the chair opposite him. Seeing the young girl seated, Kilenc began to speak, his voice still as caring as it had been during class.
"Do you still remember the risks I taught in the previous class, Selene?" Kilenc didn't directly begin telling the girl what she wanted to hear. The young man asked about the knowledge he had taught and observed her reaction.
"Yes, I remember. I know that working at PRIORITY isn't easy and is full of risks. I've thought about it." Seeing the teacher's relaxed demeanor, and with him using a pressure-free tone, the girl's mind greatly calmed. She could answer without being as nervous as before.
"Actually, what I taught in class wasn't all the risks. They were just common risks that ordinary people might encounter." Kilenc paused for a moment, glancing at Selene with an unreadable expression. He waited for the young girl to prepare herself before continuing, "Working with PRIORITY sounds like a well-paying job with no risks, simply researching in a lab. But in reality, it's not like that at all. PRIORITY members have to bear many times more risk, including scientists…"
The young girl didn't speak. She let her teacher teach her quietly. Kilenc was slightly pleased with Selene's behavior. He continued from where he left off: "As you know, PRIORITY, also known as PIDTR (Priority Institute for Dimensional Technology and Response), means the Priority Institute for Research and Development of Dimensional Response Technology. The function of this institute, as its name suggests, is to be behind humanity, supporting forces that face interdimensional threats, or in some cases, it can also become the front line…"
"…What exactly are interdimensional threats? They aren't just interdimensional monsters or abnormal phenomena as ordinary humans perceive them. They are something far more dangerous—sentient beings beyond human comprehension, filled with twisted and bizarre logic. Their true objectives are unknown, but they are not merely physical threats; they also include mental ones. They try to entice, manipulate, attack the minds, and devour the souls of humans who come into contact with interdimensional energy."
Kilenc stopped narrating and looked at the girl opposite him, wanting to know how she would summarize what he had told her. The girl was silent. She had expected it wouldn't be as easy as it seemed, but it appeared to be more dangerous than she thought. Countless news reports flashed through Selene's mind. She asked softly,
"So, those strange cult followers who are always in the news are humans who were lured by those beings? And if I work at PRIORITY, does that mean I have a chance of becoming that type of person too?"
Strange cult followers: if the Federation detected them, they wouldn't be lenient and would execute them immediately. "I don't want to end up like that…"
Throughout her years growing up, Selene had always seen news of strange cults causing damage to the Federation and its citizens. So, the origin of those strange cult followers was that they fell under the mental manipulation of incomprehensible beings?
"Well said, Selene. That's correct." Kilenc nodded slightly, adding an explanation:
"Working for PRIORITY, you have to constantly come into contact with interdimensional energy, so the chances of being targeted by unknown entities are very high. If your mind is unstable, or if you directly access concentrated interdimensional energy, your true self will no longer be able to return to who you were before…"
"As for your first question, that's also correct. They were all successfully lured by sentient beings from other dimensions, eventually becoming loyal followers. These beings are even more terrifying than interdimensional monsters. If they don't reveal themselves, we would never know where they are hiding in society and what they are planning…"
Kilenc's finger tapped rhythmically on the table before he asked a thought-provoking question, "Little Selene, imagine what would happen if there were strange cult followers or strange cult leaders with power in the Federation? They could control humans and easily fulfill their desires, even the Federation President would find it hard to resist."
"..." With Selene's intelligence, the young girl immediately understood what her teacher was trying to convey. Just imagining that there were traitors within the Federation's administration planning things made her heart tremble with fear.
"There's also a chance that these people are hiding within PRIORITY, right?" Although she asked that, the young girl already knew the answer.
"Who knows? I've worked at PRIORITY for a long time. I haven't seen anything to suggest that in the slightest. Perhaps they are hiding quietly, or perhaps they have such high-level power that they can conceal themselves flawlessly." The corner of Kilenc's mouth lifted into a smile of amusement, different from his usual personality. However, Selene was too lost in her own thoughts. She didn't notice this abnormality.
"Thank you for telling me this, Teacher." Seeing the experienced man's smile, Selene smiled innocently. Teacher Kilenc might seem cold and reserved at times, but he quietly cared for her and warned her with good intentions. Teacher is truly gentle… the young girl murmured to herself.
"And do you still want to work at PRIORITY? Do you still want to hear about the details of my work there?"
"Of course!" Selene replied without hesitation. Her voice was full of unwavering determination. "If those strange cult followers are embedded everywhere in society, then nowhere is truly safe. I want to join PRIORITY to help people affected by interdimensional energy!"
Kilenc's smile was unreadable. He leaned back in his chair, asking in an emotionless voice, "For only that reason? Instead of risking your own life, wouldn't it be better to find a safer job with a similar salary? No matter how strong or powerful you are, you can't help everyone, Selene…"
"…Besides, not all humans deserve to be helped. PRIORITY is not an organization of saviors, but an organization that exists to ensure the Federation's survival during the interdimensional invasion crisis. That means the organization can always choose to sacrifice entire sectors for the Federation's survival."
The teacher's cold voice didn't affect Selene as he had expected. Kilenc looked at the young girl with a slight surprise. She bravely stood up from her chair, showing no trace of nervousness or discomfort.
Selene smiled gently. Her smile could strangely make this world bright and vibrant, even though it was filled with countless cruelties called reality. Kilenc couldn't understand this young girl at all. Why did she smile like that? However, he couldn't help but be captivated by the determination that shone brightly in the darkness. So brilliant, illuminating like a light leading humanity to a beautiful end with tenderness.
Kilenc truly wanted to utterly destroy it. This pure light of determination that clearly shone within this young girl. What would it be like at that moment? On the day she was most beautiful, he would completely shatter her, plunging her into a profound darkness that no other light could reach, and even the brightest light would be swallowed, unable to shine again. So exciting and satisfying…
Finally, the young girl spoke, "Thank you for your concern, Teacher…"
"I understand the risks well. But every year that passes, humanity's situation worsens. My father hasn't returned home for almost a month. I can't pretend to live a normal life while he and others are trying to protect all of us…"
Selene's resolute and sparkling eyes. Kilenc couldn't stop looking at them. He tried to control himself from getting too excited. Yes! This was the determination filled with complex emotions. It was like a flower ready to bloom beautifully in the future if properly stimulated.
"My body isn't as strong as a man's. I can't fight interdimensional monsters like a well-trained warrior. I'm not as smart as my older sister. But I still want to be involved in helping, supporting, and alleviating their burdens!…"
Selene's eyes met Kilenc's unpredictable gaze. In that moment, everything else faded from their perception, as if the whole world had shrunk to only the two of them. "Teacher… I know how weak I am. So… if I can't do it myself, I'll help those who can!"
Selene's words echoed through the room, like a resonance of purity and fervent spirit. Kilenc only stared at the young girl before him with unreadable eyes, but inside, his heart was filled with almost uncontrollable excitement.