episode_0022

The instructors watched the recorded footage with serious expressions, focusing specifically on the top student, Nam Dohyung.

“I think everyone noticed,” one instructor said, pointing directly at Nam Dohyung. “There’s not even a slight flicker of surprise, let alone shock. His face is completely calm.”

The others nodded in agreement.

“Even the most skilled exorcist would react if a ghost suddenly appeared…”

“That trainee is even observing the situation as if he finds it amusing.”

“It’s as if he expected something like this to happen.”

Of course, that couldn’t be the case.

This emergency test was conducted secretly even within Cheonjihae.

It wasn’t known to the outside world at all, and it was impossible for a mere trainee to know about it.

“Should we assume he saw through it being fake?”

“But is that possible? The ghost itself was real, controlled by us.”

“He might have deduced it from other clues. The very presence of a ghost in Cheonjihae is an unusual situation.”

Various opinions were expressed, but one thing was certain.

This top student was a genius with unprecedented talent.

“This year’s top student is really something. He not only saw through the test, but he even enjoyed the situation with such composure.”

All the other instructors nodded.

It wasn’t just about realizing the truth.

It was an act born of absolute confidence that he, and all the other trainees, were safe.

It was a reaction that couldn’t be shown without overwhelming confidence in one’s own judgment and skills.

“If he were just an average Joe, we’d dismiss it as mere bravado…”

“The top student of Cheonjihae can’t be that. Especially since he beat geniuses like Cheok Jiyeon, Yoo Yeonhwa, and Go Jooyoung to take the top spot.”

“He definitely had a basis for his actions.”

Even before this, the top student had been the center of attention for various reasons.

Like how he beat up the barrier specialist Yoo Yeonhwa until she cried.

Not many active exorcists could break through her family’s barrier.

It meant the top student had exceptional skills.

“This is… well. The other trainees did well too, but the top student is so outstanding that they’re going unnoticed.”

“It can’t be helped. They didn’t see through that they were fake until the very end.”

“Still, there were some excellent trainees. Kang Suho and Mina Hye coped calmly and well.”

They discussed various things, but the conclusion was the same.

This year’s top student was an exceptional genius, even among the current class, which was being called a golden age for talent.

The arrival of an outstanding newcomer was good news for Cheonjihae.

But there were those who couldn’t be happy about it.

Namely, Han Sujin and Misina, who were in charge of the martial arts and curse teams, respectively.

‘This has become troublesome.’

‘Oh no~ this isn’t good.’

They had recognized Nam Dohyung’s talent early on and were trying to recruit him to their teams.

But they hadn’t received a definite answer from Nam Dohyung yet.

They were even subtly competing with each other, knowing that they were both after the same trainee.

In that situation, others had also recognized Nam Dohyung’s value.

Now, all sorts of people would want Nam Dohyung.

They weren’t happy about the increasing competition.

‘Since it’s come to this, there’s only one way.’

‘I have no choice but to contact him as much as possible and let him know the merits of joining our team.’

Han Sujin and Misina’s eyes met.

As rivals, they could see right through each other’s thoughts.

Who would win over Nam Dohyung first?

It was a battle of pride, with neither side willing to back down.

****

After various events, I finished my work life safely and returned home.

Is it because I got a job?

The house felt more welcoming than usual.

‘Nothing much happened today except for the fake ghost appearing during class.’

I seemed to be adapting to life at Cheonjihae quite well.

Every day, I attended lectures and reviewed them, and the day was over.

It was still at the level of introducing classes and teaching theory.

Once the real classes started, there would be trainees who would fall behind.

“There’s no guarantee that won’t be me.”

The image I have now is just an illusion created by instant death skills.

Soon, everyone will know my true level.

Actually, I don’t obsess over people’s evaluations.

The important thing was to somehow improve my skills and stay in Cheonjihae.

“Hmm, if possible, I need to develop something other than instant death skills that I can use to fight…”

It wasn’t easy to suddenly think of something.

Cheonjihae trainees were all born with exceptional talents.

Surviving among them was difficult.

If there’s one saving grace, it’s that the trainee period has just begun?

I need to learn step by step from the basics and find out what kind of exorcism suits me best.

‘I did get recruitment offers from the martial arts and curse teams…’

The problem is that I don’t have any particular talent in either.

If they find out later that I have nothing, I might be kicked out.

‘Let’s just listen to the lectures diligently for now.’

I went home with such thoughts in mind.

Chaeyeong was meditating in the living room.

‘Meditating at that age… My sister is living a very healthy life.’

Her posture with her back straight was impeccable.

With her eyes closed, she even exuded an aura of mystique.

It felt like watching a master in a martial arts novel.

That must also be related to her spiritual power.

‘…She’s working so hard, but it’s hard for her to achieve greatness because she lacks talent. I’m sorry, Oppa…!’

To be fair, it’s not entirely my fault, but I still feel bad.

If her oppa was a little more outstanding and took care of her, she might have been more successful.

Unfortunately, in the original story, Chaeyeong was destined to become an ambiguous exorcist like me.

“Ah! Oppa, you’re here?”

Chaeyeong, who had finished meditating, stood up.

“Aren’t you coming home too late? It’s like a black company.”

“This is a good thing. If you start working in earnest, there will be many times when you can’t come home.”

“Tch! I don’t like that. Huh?”

Nam Chaeyeong, who was complaining, narrowed her eyes.

She put her nose close and sniffed, and her eyes narrowed sharply.

“…I smell a woman?”

“Huh? Really?”

Is it because the only people I hang out with at work are Cheok Jiyeon and Yoo Eunhye?

It seems like I’ve picked up a sweet, womanly scent.

“…Take it off.”

“Huh? Why?”

“I’m going to wash it, so take it off right now! The smell is making my nose sting!”

“Hey, hey! Wait a minute!”

In the end, Chaeyeong forcibly took off my clothes.

‘Does it smell that much?’

I don’t know, but it seems like Chaeyeong, as a woman, is more sensitive to it.

‘It hasn’t been long since I started working, but I already smell like a salaryman. At this rate, I’ll quickly become like Mr. Gat-Hyungman.’

I should spray some perfume tomorrow.

I can’t become a smelly office worker at this age.

****

Yoo Yeonhwa, the second-generation chaebol.

She was kneeling on the floor.

Her subdued face was very different from her usual confident appearance.

But the person in front of her was someone who could easily make Yoo Yeonhwa like this.

“…The reason I didn’t interfere with whatever you did was because I thought you wouldn’t get beat up anywhere.”

It was Yoo Mira, the CEO of Korea’s top barrier company, GGS, and Yoo Yeonhwa’s mother.

“When you said you were going to succeed by creating factions and connections in Cheonjihae, I just thought, ‘Whatever.’ You were a smart enough kid not to do anything embarrassing.”

Yoo Yeonhwa’s shoulders twitched slightly.

She could guess what was coming next.

“So, you suggested a match first, and then you got beat up? Even though you set up a barrier?”

“Yes, yes. That’s what happened.”

Yoo Yeonhwa said in a barely audible voice.

She had talent as a barrier specialist and was smart.

But she couldn’t show her strength in front of her mother, who was a living legend.

No, in the first place, even ordinary exorcists couldn’t budge in front of her mother.

“Were you careless?”

“No. I wasn’t careless.”

Yoo Yeonhwa quickly replied.

“The opponent was the top student of Cheonjihae. I’m not stupid enough to be careless against someone like that.”

Of course, she was half-convinced of victory.

But that was a judgment she could make because she had set up the barrier so thoroughly.

“I clearly set up the barrier as usual, and I’m confident that all the formulas were perfect.”

“And yet you got beat up?”

“That top student… broke my barrier.”

Yoo Mira’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“Is this year’s top student of Cheonjihae that strong?”

“I don’t know. It’s not like I fought enough to discuss strength.”

In fact, Yoo Yeonhwa didn’t even properly understand what had happened.

When she came to her senses, she was already being beaten on the floor.

“All I know for sure is that the top student broke my barrier. Quickly, easily, instantly.”

Yoo Yeonhwa’s pride, her barrier.

It was torn like paper.

That alone was enough to be shocking.

“Hmm… if that’s true, this is a big deal.”

Yoo Mira said in a serious voice.

“You learned and inherited my barrier method as my daughter. In a way, that’s our company’s secret and foundation.”

Of course, it wasn’t exactly the same barrier.

It was a barrier that the still inexperienced Yoo Yeonhwa created on the spot.

It was impossible to compare it to the large-scale barriers that the company created with a large amount of resources and time.

But the principle itself had the same root.

What if the top student could break other barriers so easily?

That was a huge threat to the company called GGS.

“The biggest problem is that we don’t even know what principle the top student used to break the barrier.”

If he had overwhelmed her with spiritual power, it would have been simple.

There weren’t many people with that much skill.

But if the top student had reversed-engineered the barrier in some special way and destroyed it, it was a big problem.

There was a high probability that he would use that trick on other barriers.

“Do you know what I mean?”

“Yes.”

“From now on, you become friends with that top student.”

“Yes… Huh? What did you say?”

“I said, become friends with that top student.”

Yoo Mira said nonchalantly, despite her daughter’s question.

“You said you would grant a wish if you lost the bet. So, you can become friends with him while granting that wish.”

“Mom? No, Mother?”

“I see that the top student is a man? Your mother gave birth to you with high specs and prettiness, so it won’t be difficult.”

“Are you serious?”

Yoo Yeonhwa jumped up and asked.

“That top student beat me in front of everyone and humiliated me!”

She even peed because she was beaten so much.

In front of so many people!

This was the first time she had ever been humiliated like this!

“Hmph! Yeonhwa.”

However, with just one sigh from her mother, Yoo Yeonhwa cowered.

“Do you know how many employees support our company? They won’t hesitate to kneel to get a contract.”

“Ugh!”

“And you’re saying you can’t even befriend a classmate.”

“Wh, what I mean is not that…”

“I won’t listen to any rebuttals. This situation is that serious.”

The barrier of the only daughter of GGS was broken in vain.

This was something that could be connected to the company’s credibility.

“Become friends with the top student at all costs and find out the secret to breaking the barrier. This is a mission that I am giving you as the CEO before you are my mother.”

“Ugh… I understand.”

Yoo Yeonhwa lowered her head deeply.

She couldn’t refuse when she said that much.

In the first place, she was responsible for what had happened.

If she was the successor of GGS, she had to clean up the mess.

‘Ugh! But become friends with that human…!’

Smile and say hello to the person who beat me like that?

‘How do I do that?’

What should I say to start a conversation and narrow the distance?

Just thinking about it made my head hurt.

But she had to become friends with the top student at all costs.

‘Even if it means using any means and methods…!’