Ch.181Union Academy – 2

After finishing my conversation with the two elderly gentlemen and returning to my seat, I found Rina waiting there.

“What’s this? Did you get Soohyun’s permission before coming?”

When I casually asked this, Rina’s face immediately contorted.

She had agreed to it herself, but actually following through seemed to be twisting her up inside.

“I already got permission before coming. Are you going to give me a hard time too, oppa?”

“I was just asking if you were faithfully keeping your promise.”

I glanced at Soohyun, who was silently laughing beside us.

My look meant: Rina says she did, but did she really get your permission?

“It’s just as Rina Lee said. She got my permission.”

“See! I told you I did!”

“Of course, I didn’t want to let her in easily, so I refused a few times, but she kept insisting until I finally gave in.”

“Hey! I never did that!”

“Then what are these phone records? If you still object, I can show the Sole Arbiter your text messages and play the call recordings too.”

Scary, so scary. Did she even record the conversation in that moment?

Rina seemed to share my thoughts as she made a disgusted expression.

“By the way, where did you go, Sole Arbiter?”

“Aren’t you being too obsessive about oppa? It doesn’t matter where he goes!”

“I’m just asking a simple question. I don’t understand why you’d think that.”

At first, I used to get tense whenever these two bickered like this.

But now I’ve reached a state where I can just let it slide without concern.

After all, I know they both maintain their “boundaries.”

They both know there’s nothing to gain by crossing that line.

Both Soohyun and Rina are smart enough to understand that.

“So, where did you go?”

…You criticize Soohyun for being obsessive, yet here you are asking the same question.

I laughed at the absurdity before answering what both women were waiting to hear.

“The Chancellor summoned me. When I got there, Soohyun, your grandfather was there too.”

“My grandfather? Why did he suddenly come?”

“Well—”

I told Soohyun and Rina about the conversation I had with the two elderly gentlemen.

Unlike inside the Academy, the overall situation outside wasn’t very good.

So each country had put forward ideas for training more definitive and exceptional ability users.

“…A United Academy?”

As soon as she heard my words, Rina’s expression twisted strangely.

Whether she found it absurd or completely nonsensical, I couldn’t tell.

But I could immediately see that her reaction wasn’t particularly positive.

“Is that even possible?”

“I don’t know. They just said the idea came up.”

“Of course that’s all it is. Doing that would naturally eliminate the gaps in standards.”

“What do you mean?”

“Each country has different numbers and levels of ability users. Therefore, the standards of educational institutions that train their juniors must also differ by country. Think about it. If one place has a level of 8 and another has a level of 4, in that situation, a United Academy? The level 4 side might have something to gain, but the level 8 side has nothing to gain.”

At Rina’s explanation, Soohyun nodded with an “Ah!”

I was also worried about establishing a United Academy for precisely that reason.

The purpose of establishing a United Academy: Share know-how so everyone can become stronger together.

But if it contradicts that purpose and only benefits certain parties?

With this in mind, higher-ranking countries would say “No thanks!” and refuse to send their ability users.

It would be like the United States opting out of a world peacekeeping force.

“But Sole Arbiter, you said it yourself. If one place collapses, the burden will double, triple, or increase even more, so they might agree out of fear of that.”

“Well… that’s true. If this were the past, it might be different, but now they say even small mistakes can lead to failure. Oppa, how severe is the damage in the affected areas?”

“Double. Or more.”

Hearing my answer, Rina sighed, saying, “This is really serious.”

“But thanks to that, they might consider it positively.”

“Rather than sending their own ability users and suffering losses, they’d prefer to teach others to handle it, right?”

At Soohyun’s confident voice, Rina jokingly says, “Well done, good job! Coochie coo!”

Then she suddenly exclaims “Wait a minute!” and folds her arms.

“Why did they tell oppa about this first? This is the first I’m hearing of it too!”

“If you’re asking because you don’t know the reason, then there’s nothing I can do.”

“What is it!”

Like I said, if you don’t know, there’s nothing I can do.

It seems the two elderly gentlemen are planning to send me if that Academy is actually established.

I’ve already produced quite good results here by evaluating students.

Being good at fighting and being good at teaching are two separate matters, after all.

Conversely, considering Rina’s personality, she’s far from being a fit for a United Academy.

It’s a bit harsh to say, but she’s specialized in “combat” above all else.

From the start, her characteristic is “Combat calls to me!” which says it all.

“But Sole Arbiter! If such an Academy is really established, how would one enter it?”

“Well, nothing’s certain, but from what I gathered during our conversation, they’re thinking of primarily accepting talents filtered through each country’s educational institutions.”

“Hmm? But aren’t there cases where abilities bloom relatively late?”

“Of course, they’re also considering direct admission routes for such cases…”

No, no. Wait a minute?

“Hyunwoo Lee?”

“Yes, Sole Arbiter.”

“Since when have you been here?”

He asked his question so naturally that I momentarily didn’t feel anything out of place.

Rina is one thing, but when did this guy get here?

“I’ve been here for a while.”

“Then why didn’t I notice you?”

“That’s because the person here sent me flying over there.”

The “person here” Hyunwoo was referring to was Rina.

But what? Sent flying? Looking closely, good heavens.

He must have been hit properly because his condition is quite a sight.

I looked at her with a “What’s this about?” expression—

“Don’t misunderstand, oppa. Would I do that for no reason? This is driving me crazy.”

“What do you mean?”

“He’s been whining for me to beat him up for a while now!”

Beat him up? There’s no way Hyunwoo has that kind of… preference.

If that’s the case, then there’s only one remaining possibility for what Rina means by “beating up.”

“Hyunwoo? Don’t you come to me every day asking for sparring sessions?”

“That’s right!”

“And I’ve never missed a single day when I’m at work.”

“Correct! That’s why I’m always grateful to you!”

Then why go to Rina and ask her to beat you up?

Asking to be beaten up means asking someone to point out your shortcomings.

I do that for you every day, so what does that make me?

“It’s just, how should I put it… Ah! I thought it would be good to get beaten up by various people in various ways! Since my Silver promotion, I’ve somehow felt my desperation diluting.”

Diluting my ass. If this is your passion diluted, everyone else should just go die.

He constantly spars with an S-rank and gets demolished.

And that’s not enough, so he asks another S-rank to beat him up?

Other ability users would be horrified if they heard this.

“And if I only ask the Sole Arbiter for sparring, it feels too much like just sparring!”

What does that even mean?

“Don’t I need someone who really hurts me and treats me roughly! That way I can better capture the feeling of real combat. But since you’re such a nice person, Sole Arbiter, it’s a bit awkward for you to do that.”

“Look at this guy! So I’m not a nice person?”

“I’m not saying Rina Lee is bad, just that you have a rougher feel to you, which is good!”

“Are you complimenting me or insulting me? Pick one!”

From what I can see, he seems to be subtly dissing her.

More importantly, Hyunwoo? What did you say? That I’m too nice to treat you roughly?

‘You’re dead.’

Starting from tomorrow’s sparring session, I’m going to beat you like a dog on a hot summer day.

You want real combat levels, atmosphere, and on top of that, real combat pain?

I’ll give it to you. You should have said so earlier. I would have done it right away if you had just asked.

“Looking back at our conversation, it seems both grandfather and the Chancellor are inclined to send you there, Sole Arbiter.”

I felt that too. That’s why they brought up the topic so abruptly.

Each country will send ability users with promising futures.

Then the people teaching them should be equally impressive.

From faculty to evaluators who assess standards, everyone.

‘And considering safety, having an S-rank permanently stationed is almost essential.’

Someone who can teach students at the Academy in any situation.

And simultaneously protect the Academy from all threats.

If I had to pick the best person among such individuals, even I would say it’s me.

“This is serious…”

“Why the sudden concern?”

“Think about it, Rina Lee. If that United Academy is really established, the Sole Arbiter might go there. If that happens, the time both you and I can spend with him…”

“Will decrease?”

When Soohyun nodded, Rina’s expression immediately darkened—

Come on, kids! Why worry about something that hasn’t even happened yet?

The United Academy hasn’t been established, nor has there been an official announcement about creating one.

Even if it happens, there are portals. It doesn’t take long to come and go.

And it’s not even certain whether I’ll actually go there or not!

“Hey, Soohyun Kim. Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

“You, Rina Lee? How?”

“If it really comes to that, I’ll threaten them to establish the Academy in Korea.”

…Hey. Wait. What did you say? You’ll do what?

“Is that possible? Domestic matters are one thing, but overseas…”

“Do you know who I am? Who am I? I’m Rina, Rina. The strongest ability user who can take down three Elders if I set my mind to it. Other countries know this too. So if I say we should do it that way, they’ll definitely do it.”

“…Alright. I’ll believe you.”

No, you crazy woman. Don’t waste your energy on something like that!

And Soohyun, you too! Why are you encouraging her from there!!

I couldn’t help but hold my forehead.