Ch.12Back to Work Right After Discharge, That’s Me – 1

Once again, I face the hell of commuting to work. And suddenly, a question crossed my mind.

How is the Academy functioning again so soon after the attack?

There was a fire, buildings collapsed, all these terrible things happened.

“…Is this even possible? Just a week ago, everything looked so serious.”

“That’s the Academy for you. They restored everything right away. Except for the areas that need more time.”

“Wow… Money really can do anything…”

I overheard what appeared to be Academy students whispering behind me.

Indeed, there’s nothing money can’t accomplish.

If there’s truly something money can’t buy, it’s only because the amount wasn’t enough.

‘How did they really restore all this in just a week?’

Even from a distance, the Academy looked largely unaffected.

Not everything was completely fixed, but most of it seemed to be done.

Once again, I was reminded that nothing is impossible in capitalism.

“But… that person walking ahead. Isn’t that him?”

“Yes! Hey, I’ve been telling you since earlier.”

“When?”

“Since we were on the subway! What have you been listening to?!”

Um, kids. You do realize I can hear everything, right?

If you’re planning to gossip, please lower your volume. That’s just basic courtesy.

“It got buried because of the attack incident, but I heard he rejected everyone who tried to advance to Silver.”

“Weren’t the applicants pretty skilled?”

“That’s what I’m saying. Their personalities might not be great, but their skills definitely weren’t lacking.”

Fortunately, it wasn’t gossip but whispers of admiration.

In that case, no need to lower your volume. Kids? Care to say a bit more?

“What an impressive mister.”

“An impressive mister indeed.”

…No. Just stop talking. How much of an age gap is there for you to call me “mister”?

I never expected to be called “mister” at twenty-four.

If you’re going to call me something, call me “examiner” instead. That would hurt less.

I feel sorry now for calling soldiers “mister soldier” when I was young.

“Welcome, Examiner Seojin Baek.”

The security guard I met on my first day greets me again.

Fortunately, it seems this person didn’t experience anything too serious.

“I heard you were hospitalized due to injuries. Are you alright now?”

“Yes. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

“That’s good. But coming to work right after being discharged? You’re quite passionate.”

All I could do in response to those words was simply smile.

Who would have thought that Minseong Kang would force me to come to work?

Though he claims he didn’t come to work immediately after being discharged himself…

‘Based on the reactions of those students and the security guard earlier… it definitely seems like it’s been buried.’

I had already guessed as much from the news in the hospital.

That what happened between me and The Elder had been covered up by someone.

There were a few witnesses, but everyone was too busy fighting.

And even if they did see something, they’d likely consider it a momentary incident.

An examiner who accidentally got in The Elder’s way, The Elder who swatted him away like a fly—something like that.

‘Well, it doesn’t make sense that someone who stood in The Elder’s way would survive unscathed.’

The only person who knows exactly what happened that day is probably Soohyun Kim.

But given her personality, she’s unlikely to tell others.

Come to think of it, Soohyun Kim kept visiting me until I was discharged yesterday.

Starting with her first visit, she came every day. Each time, she would thank me and apologize.

Even when I told her she didn’t need to come anymore, I couldn’t stop her determination.

It makes me angry all over again at the villains who turned such a kind person into “The Crimson Witch.”

If they had done this to someone who was bad from the start, it wouldn’t feel this wrong.

‘Anyway, it’s probably for the best that the incident wasn’t made public.’

It’s not like I fought The Elder; I was just one-sidedly beaten up.

Having “Person Who Survived Being Beaten by The Elder!” plastered across broadcasts would be a bit much.

Glancing around, the Academy looked no different from when I first came.

A memorial altar had been set up with flowers placed in front, offering prayers for the deceased.

Yet everything had returned to normal so naturally, as if nothing had happened.

They probably wanted to show it. To the citizens, and to the villains.

The image of superpower users who never falter, no matter how much they’re shaken.

“Found you! There! Excuse me!”

A voice that sounded urgent.

Wondering what was happening, I instinctively turned my head.

And what entered my vision was…

‘…A foreigner?’

Tightly tied blonde hair, and blue eyes behind glasses.

A woman with an appearance that would make anyone say “She’s a foreigner!”

“It’s you, right? That examiner. Yes! I can tell just by looking!”

But from this woman’s mouth flowed incredibly fluent Korean.

No, this went far beyond just “fluent.”

“Um… me?”

“Yes. You! You’re the one my sister mentioned… Ah!”

“What am I thinking!” she said to herself so naturally.

At that level, she’s not really a foreigner. She’s practically Korean.

The woman glanced around, then suddenly grabbed my hand.

Then she started pulling me somewhere.

It happened so quickly that I didn’t even have time to resist.

Before I knew it, we had arrived at a secluded spot.

“No one’s here, right? Doesn’t seem like it. I heard from Sister Jiyoon. Is it true that you blocked that water ghost and survived? My sister didn’t lie or anything, right?”

I just stared blankly at the foreign woman standing before me.

There were too many surprising points in her words.

First, her incredibly fluent Korean despite looking foreign.

Second, her casual reference to S-class superpower user Jiyoon Han as “Sister Jiyoon.”

Third, her mocking The Elder—whom everyone fears—as “that water ghost.”

And finally, the fact that she knew everything about what was supposed to be well-concealed.

“Excuse me, but who are you?”

“I asked first. So the handsome oppa should answer first!”

…Right. She did ask first, so I should answer.

This has absolutely nothing to do with her calling me “handsome oppa.” Absolutely not.

“Yes, well, I was beaten nearly to death but survived by sheer luck.”

“Lie.”

She cut me off sharply as soon as she heard my answer.

Then she leaned her face closer to mine and said:

“It wasn’t luck. Even gods can’t block that water ghost’s spear. If you’re stabbed, you die; if you’re hit, you’re crushed. That’s how it should be. Luck? That can’t intervene.”

“What do you mean…?”

“To summarize: Our Examiner Seojin Baek is hiding something.”

Her questioning look made me flinch.

I am hiding something, after all. But there’s no need to cower.

I’m not a villain’s spy, nor am I plotting anything bad.

I’m just an ordinary civil servant with some special characteristics now.

So I can be confident. I must be. Otherwise, I’ll only raise more suspicion.

“Am I wrong?”

“If you’re asking another question, that’s unfair. Answer my question first, beautiful lady.”

Returning her tactics right back at her. The blonde, blue-eyed woman responded with a “Huh?” and a smile.

She clearly didn’t expect me to dodge her question this way.

“Alright. You asked who I am? But don’t you think all the hints are already there?”

“Pardon?”

“Sister Jiyoon, water ghost, and now this super-beautiful blonde woman!”

Wow. Calling herself “super-beautiful”? That makes her seem really strange.

But she is super-beautiful, so I couldn’t really deny it.

“If nothing comes to mind even with all this, I’ll be disappointed!”

So what exactly am I supposed to be thinking of?

She’s definitely super-beautiful in appearance, but her behavior is slightly crazy…

‘Wait. Crazy?’

Suddenly, someone crossed my mind.

Villains who are second to none when it comes to being insane.

A certain superpower user whom even those villains gave a nickname while shuddering in disgust.

‘The Yellow Madwoman.’

– Activating The Third Eye. –

◎ Rina Lee

: Battle calls to me!

◎ Details

: A specialist who can engage in any type of combat.

All abilities are overwhelmingly enhanced when entering battle.

Fatigue from combat accumulates slowly.

Never weakens even when injured.

Never breaks down even in extreme situations.

‘That’s right. Rina Lee. The Yellow Madwoman.’

The identity of this woman standing before me is an S-class superpower user like Jiyoon Han.

Despite being only twenty-one years old, her combat prowess is said to be among the top five in the world.

That’s why she’s one of the most frequently mentioned candidates when discussing the strongest in South Korea.

The only problem is that she’s peculiar to an extreme degree.

Her energy level is unpredictable, and she has an excessive obsession with combat.

There’s a reason she has the nickname “The Yellow Madwoman,” one that’s usually reserved for villains.

By the way, Rina Lee isn’t half-Asian, half-Western. She’s purely Western.

Yet she was more Korean than many Koreans.

Naturally so, since she was born after her parents naturalized as South Korean citizens.

“…I didn’t expect to meet you like this, Ms. Rina.”

“Eww. Why are you adding that formal ‘Ms.’ so creepily? Call me casually, casually.”

“Rina-ssi?”

“That’s still a bit awkward, but less cringy than ‘Ms.’ Let’s go with that!”

She even clapped her hands while exclaiming “Yay!”

As expected of Rina. Her energy level is completely unpredictable.

“Anyway, it’s my turn again, right? Tell me. You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”

“Ah…”

“No ‘no’ answers, please. Let’s not lie. It’s all too obvious.”

What’s the point of asking if you’ve already decided on the answer?

I wanted to protest, but looking into Rina’s eyes made my mouth shut automatically.

A dangerous aura different from The Elder’s.

If I were to say “No, I’m not hiding anything” again in this situation, I’d likely face even greater trouble.

I quickly racked my brain. A suitable way to escape this situation.

Something that even Rina would have to acknowledge and back down from… I had it!

“Now, going back to—”

“Rina-ssi. I just realized my turn isn’t over yet.”

“What?”

“I’m saying my question turn isn’t over yet.”

“…What kind of situation is this? One question at a time, then one answer. That was the rule, right?”

“Yes. But you didn’t give a clear answer to my question. I had to infer the answer myself. So it’s still my turn.”

It’s a bit of a stretch, but I have no choice.

Otherwise, I’d have to answer the question about whether I’m hiding something.

Now, Rina’s reaction is crucial. Will she accept it, or tell me to cut the nonsense?

If I know Rina, she’ll probably…

“Ahaha! Ahahaha!! What’s this? I thought you were just handsome, but you’re smart too? You must be popular with women! Oh, wait, are you not? Unpopular? No way, are you single?!”

Wow. Look at her immediately attacking me just because she lost the argument.

She may look Western on the outside, but she’s one hundred percent Korean on the inside.

“Hmm. Don’t be like that, oppa. This makes me even more interested, you know?”

I’ve already been added to The Elder’s hit list, and now it looks like Rina will be added too.

As I was wondering what to do, I heard someone approaching from behind.

“Examiner Seojin Baek?”

It was Minseong Kang’s granddaughter, the one who almost became The Crimson Witch.

“What are you doing here?”

“Oh… Soohyun? Why are you here…?”

It was Soohyun Kim.