Ch.60Work Is Expanding – 4

“I didn’t expect to see you like this again, Sole Arbiter! Suddenly becoming a substitute professor!”

Dasom Yoo chatters excitedly as if finding it fascinating.

Unlike Hana Kang whom I’ve met quite frequently, I haven’t seen her since Yuhyun Jung’s incident.

When I once asked Hana Kang about this, she mentioned something about getting hit with two group projects.

When I heard that news, I involuntarily let out an “Oh my goodness” like a funeral wail.

Group projects alone are deadly enough, but two of them simultaneously from different classes?

I wonder if strangling a professor would be considered self-defense in this case.

Shouldn’t professors normally communicate with each other to prevent such things?

How are students supposed to survive when professors recklessly assign group projects?

My thoughts and Dasom Yoo’s inner feelings weren’t much different.

“So, what did student Dasom Yoo say?”

“She was talking about killing or sparing the professor.”

That’s understandable. I’d probably feel the same way.

Even if students protest, ‘There’s already a group project in another class, this seems unfair,’ professors should have nothing to say in their defense.

“Oh, and apparently she’s the team leader for both group projects?”

Wow. Wait. What did you just say? Two group projects, and she’s the leader for both?

Just hearing about it makes my head spin.

“I heard the news. Two group projects, and you’re the leader for both, right?”

“Huh? How did you know that, Sole Arbiter?”

“Student Hana Kang told me.”

“What? Have you been meeting with unnie all this time?”

Her tone suggests something like “Are you two dating?”

Hana Kang seems to have caught that implication too, as she continues with “What are you saying?”

“You were so busy. So I just visited the Sole Arbiter to chat a bit.”

“Hmm.”

But Hana Kang’s words seem to have been interpreted differently by Dasom Yoo.

“Could it be, unnie? Ah, I see. I’ll support you!”

“…Hey, not again.”

It seems this isn’t the first time Dasom Yoo has acted this way.

Hana Kang crosses her arms and approaches Dasom Yoo.

“No. It’s not what you’re thinking.”

“Strong denial means strong affirmation!”

“Strong denial just means strong denial, you fool!”

Hana Kang’s voice was a bit too loud.

Students gathered in small groups turn to look at us with curious eyes.

The student council, considered the “top” among high-achieving students.

Of course, there were some with character flaws like Yuhyun Jung, but the rest were decent.

It’s only natural for people to be curious when the president and treasurer of the student council are bickering.

“It’s strange, unnie. The more seriously you react, the more suspicious it seems.”

“That’s because you keep saying weird things!”

“Do you dislike the Sole Arbiter?”

“That’s not it!”

“Then you like him.”

“Hey!”

Watching these two, I can roughly guess what kind of relationship they have.

Dasom Yoo always playing pranks, and Hana Kang taking them too seriously.

Though they call each other unnie and dongsaeng, their dynamic seems reversed.

“Ahem! Sole Arbiter. Kack! Anyway! Group projects are truly hell. Why do perfectly normal students suddenly… Urgh! Become so strange when it comes to group projects?”

She’s calmly saying everything she wants to say while being grabbed by the collar by Hana Kang.

The Support Class, who must stand on the frontlines, is indeed different.

I’m impressed by her ability to do what needs to be done regardless of the situation.

“You know what they say. When five people gather, one of them is definitely trash.”

“Wow. Is that a saying? Our ancestors’ wisdom is never wrong!”

It’s not actually from our ancestors… but never mind. It’s better if she believes that.

“External Support Team 5.”

After waiting a bit longer, a security officer approaches us.

Teams 1 through 4 have used the portal in sequence, and now it’s Team 5’s turn.

“The portal preparations were just completed. I heard there was a delay with the Chungcheong-do portal connection. Sorry for keeping you waiting. You can proceed now.”

“No problem. It’s not your fault the portal was delayed. Alright, students! Let’s move!”

This reminds me of scenes from kindergarten.

All I need is a whistle and a flag, right?

If you’re wondering why I suddenly mentioned kindergarten…

When I first joined the Ability Assessment Department, I was sometimes dispatched to kindergartens.

Truly promising talents can show signs of abilities from childhood.

Not fully awakening and unleashing their powers, just showing slight indications.

Of course, the probability of finding such a child is extremely rare.

Even most S-rank ability users awakened in their late teens.

Even Rina Lee was just an ordinary blonde, blue-eyed girl in her childhood.

But overzealous parents make ridiculous demands everywhere.

They excitedly claim their child has already awakened abilities.

From the country’s perspective, ability users need to be managed, so we had to verify these claims.

As a result, I, being at the bottom of the department, would often visit kindergartens.

Sometimes I wasn’t sure if I was a civil servant or a kindergarten assistant teacher.

“This is my first time using a portal.”

“Really? I used one when I went to England last time.”

“How was it? Much better than an airplane? Do you get motion sickness?”

“I didn’t get motion sick. It’s convenient, but how should I put it… it lacks romance.”

“I’ve heard that too. Whether to take a plane or a portal when traveling.”

“I vote for planes. It takes longer, but it doesn’t ruin the romance of travel.”

Are they talking about the feeling of taking off in an airplane and being in the sky?

There is certainly a romance to it. And it’s cheaper than portals.

Listening casually to the students’ conversation, we arrive at the portal zone.

“Students, please take out your student IDs and have them ready.”

Security officers waiting ahead request student IDs.

The Academy’s student ID is equivalent to an ability user registration card outside.

In portal usage situations like this, it’s like a passport.

If you’re wondering why a passport is needed for domestic portal use rather than international…

Recently, there’s been an increase in illegal portal usage.

And naturally, all these illegal uses were for criminal purposes.

‘Villains are particularly good at exploiting it.’

From illegal immigration and emigration to smuggling various illegal items.

It seems people always find ways to misuse new technologies.

“May I have the personnel list, Professor?”

Perhaps they haven’t heard the news yet. The security officer uses the professor title.

I didn’t bother to correct them. They’ll know once they see my ability user registration card.

“Here it is.”

“…Ah. You’re the Sole Arbiter.”

“I’m substituting as Team 5’s supervising professor at the Principal’s request.”

“I see. Anyway, I’ve confirmed the personnel list. Student Hana Kang, you can use the portal first!”

One by one, they disappear through the portal in the order listed.

After all the students have gone through, I finally cross the portal as the last one.

*

Shaaaa—!

Seojin Baek, who was standing at the very end of the line of students, disappears through the portal.

Hakjun Ma, who had been watching the scene intently, slowly turned around.

“Hakjun. Do you remember that man?”

“Sujin’s. Sujin Hyun’s fiancé.”

Once again, Minseong Kang’s words echo in his mind.

Why did that guy have to mention that incident, making him feel so unsettled?

“He’s similar to that man. The way his abilities suddenly bloom and fully blossom. The way he instantly reads and incorporates techniques he’s just observed.”

Indeed, that was true. Yes. That man was like that too.

Someone who seemed utterly ordinary, but suddenly bloomed brilliantly like a flower.

But that brilliance didn’t last long.

A tragic end. A terribly unfortunate fate befell him.

The scene looked as if someone had envied his abilities.

Or perhaps such an end had been predestined from the beginning.

‘He kept pushing himself. As if being chased by something.’

Hakjun Ma doesn’t know the exact details. He just thought the young man was reliable.

The one who knows the most about him would be his fiancée, Sujin Hyun.

But she is no longer his proud junior.

The Elder. An S-rank ability user who betrayed everything and turned against them.

A monster who cast all her goodness into the shadows and now only causes destruction.

‘What on earth happened to make her change like that?’

When he first heard about Sujin Hyun’s betrayal.

His comrade Jiyoon Han couldn’t believe it.

Others felt the same way. They denied it could be true.

That’s how promising an ability user Sujin Hyun had been.

What could have made her so angry?

“Sigh.”

Hakjun Ma sat on a bench and stared blankly at the sky.

‘Unlike that man, Sole Arbiter Seojin Baek clearly remembers his past.’

There are similarities, but also differences.

Recalling this, Hakjun Ma tried to erase his anxious feelings.

“Principal!”

From a distance, a faculty member urgently calls for Hakjun Ma.

After being told Hakjun Ma was here, he rushed forward.

“Here you are. Principal. We’ve received calls from the Ministry of Public Administration and Security and the Ability User Association.”

Hakjun Ma was about to ask why they would contact him, but he closed his mouth.

With his experience as an ability user, he vaguely sensed what this meant.

Simultaneous contact from the Ability User Association and the Ministry means only one thing: something serious has happened.

“Do you know what this is about?”

“I don’t know the details, but it seems there’s been some accident in a dungeon.”

Whether it’s gate appearances or dungeon raids, casualties don’t discriminate by time or place.

People were shocked and tense at first, but now they’ve adapted and take it in stride.

‘But if both the Ministry and the Association have contacted us…’

It means this “accident” is different from previous ones.

“Let’s go quickly.”

Hakjun Ma immediately gets up and hurriedly steps forward.

Sadly, the anxiety he’s been feeling lately wasn’t unfounded.