Ch. 12

Once again, I found myself facing the dreaded return to work. A question crossed my mind—how is the academy running again so soon after the attack? Just a week ago, the place was in ruins, with fires and collapsed buildings everywhere.

"...Is this even possible? It looked pretty serious last week."

"Well, it is the academy. They said they fixed everything right away, except for a few spots."

"Wow... I guess money really can solve everything, huh?"

I overheard students whispering behind me. It was true—there’s nothing money can't do. If something can’t be fixed with money, it just means there wasn’t enough of it.

‘Did they really fix all that in just a week?’

Even from a distance, the academy looked almost untouched. Most of the damage seemed to be repaired, with only a few unfinished areas remaining. It really drove home the point that nothing is impossible in a capitalist world.

"Hey... isn't that the guy up ahead?"

"Yeah! I've been saying it since earlier."

"When?"

"Since we were on the subway! Were you even listening?!"

Guys, you do realize I can hear you, right? If you're planning to talk about me, at least lower your voices a bit. It's basic etiquette.

"I heard he failed everyone who applied for the Silver rank promotion."

"Weren't they supposed to be pretty skilled?"

"Exactly. They might have bad attitudes, but they weren't weak."

Thankfully, they weren’t gossiping in a bad way. If that's the case, you guys don’t have to lower your voices. Keep talking. I’m listening.

"He's an amazing old man."

"Yeah, an amazing old man."

...No, actually, stop talking. You just called me an old man.

I never thought I'd be called an old man at twenty-four. Just call me an examiner instead, that would hurt less. Now I feel guilty for calling soldiers "sir" when I was a kid.

"Good to see you again, Examiner Baek Seojin."

The security guard I met on my first day greeted me once more. Thankfully, it looked like he hadn’t suffered any serious injuries from the attack.

"I heard you were hospitalized. Are you okay now?"

"Yes, as you can see, I'm perfectly fine."

"That’s a relief. Still, reporting back to work right after being discharged? You’re quite the dedicated worker."

All I could do was smile at his words.

Who would’ve thought that strong-willed old man, Kang Minseong, would pull strings to get me back here? He claims he didn’t push for immediate reinstatement, but…

‘More importantly, it seems like my part in the attack was completely buried.’

I had already suspected this from watching the news while in the hospital. Someone had clearly worked behind the scenes to keep the details hidden.

Sure, there were some eyewitnesses, but most were too preoccupied with their own fights to notice much. Even if they saw me, they’d probably think I was just in the wrong place at the wrong time—an examiner who accidentally got in the way of an Elder and got swatted aside like a fly.

‘Honestly, it is pretty unbelievable that I survived facing an Elder.’

The only person who knows the full story is Suhyeon. But given her personality, she’s unlikely to tell anyone.

Come to think of it, Suhyeon visited me at the hospital every single day until I was discharged. She'd thank me over and over again, apologizing as if it was all her fault. No matter how much I told her it was fine, she insisted on coming back.

Thinking about it makes me furious all over again. How could the villains turn such a kind person into the "Crimson Witch"? If she had been evil from the start, it wouldn’t bother me this much.

‘Anyway, it’s probably better that the incident isn’t public knowledge.’

I didn’t even fight the Elder—I just got beaten to a pulp and somehow survived. It would be embarrassing to be labeled on TV as "The Examiner Who Survived an Elder’s Attack!"

I took another look around the academy. On the surface, everything looked normal—just like before the attack. A memorial had been set up with flowers placed in front, honoring those who had lost their lives.

The academy was showing the world that no matter what happens, it won’t be shaken—not by villains, not by anything.

"Found you! Hey! Excuse me!"

A voice called out urgently. I turned around to see…

‘…A foreigner?’

A blonde woman with striking blue eyes, hair tied back in a neat ponytail.

There was no mistaking it—she looked every bit the stereotypical foreigner.

"You’re the examiner, right? I knew it! I can tell just by looking!"

But her Korean was flawless. No, not just flawless—her fluency went beyond that.

"Uh… Me?"

"Yeah, you! You're the one my sister mentioned... Ah!"

She even talked to herself naturally in Korean. This wasn't just fluency; she was basically a native speaker.

Before I could process the situation, she grabbed my hand and started pulling me somewhere.

The whole thing happened so fast, I didn’t even have time to resist.

Before I knew it, we were in a quiet, secluded area.

"No one's around, right? Looks like we're good. I heard from Jiyoon unni—did you really survive against that water phantom guy? Unni wouldn't lie, but... seriously?"

I just stared at the foreign woman in front of me.

There were too many shocking things to process at once—her perfect Korean, the fact that she called Han Jiyoon unni, and the way she casually dismissed the Elder as "that water phantom guy."

"Excuse me, but... who are you?"

"I asked first, so you answer first, handsome oppa!"

...Fine. She asked first, so I guess I’ll answer. Definitely not because she called me handsome. Nope.

"Well... I nearly died, but I survived by sheer luck."

"Lies."

She cut me off immediately and leaned in closer, staring me down.

"That guy's spear doesn't let anyone survive. If it hits, you're done for. There's no such thing as luck with him."

"What are you saying...?"

"You're Hiding Something, Aren't You?"

Her questioning gaze made me flinch. She was right—I was hiding something. But there was no reason to shrink back. It's not like I'm a villain's spy or scheming something malicious.

I'm just an ordinary government employee. Sure, I have a unique ability now, but that's all there is to it. There's no need to feel guilty. If I act suspiciously, it'll only raise more questions.

"Am I wrong?"

"If you're asking another question, that’s not fair. You should answer mine first, Miss Beautiful."

I threw her tactic right back at her. The blonde woman grinned, seemingly impressed by my response. She hadn’t expected me to sidestep her question so easily.

"Alright, you asked who I am, right? But seriously? All the hints are right in front of you."

"Hints?"

"Jiyoon unni, the water demon guy, and, of course, a stunning blonde like me!"

Wow. Calling yourself "stunning" with such confidence? That’s bold. Then again… I couldn't really argue with that. She was gorgeous.

"If you still don't get it, I’ll be disappointed!"

What exactly am I supposed to figure out here?

Sure, she’s beautiful. But her behavior... it's kind of eccentric.

‘Wait. Eccentric…?’

Suddenly, a certain someone came to mind.

A person so infamous for their insanity that even villains avoided them. A name whispered with dread even among the worst of criminals.

'The Crazy Blonde.'

- The Third Eye is activated.

◎ Irina

The Battlefield Calls Me!

◎ Details:

A combat specialist capable of excelling in any type of battle. Her abilities are overwhelmingly enhanced in combat. Fatigue accumulates at a slower rate during battle. Injuries do not weaken her. Even in the most extreme situations, she does not falter.

‘No doubt about it. It’s her. Irina. The Crazy Blonde.’

Standing before me was none other than an S-rank ability user, on the same level as Han Jiyoon.

Despite being only twenty-one years old, Irina was ranked among the top five most powerful people in the world. In Korea, she was often mentioned in debates about the strongest ability users.

The problem, however, was her unique personality. Her energy levels were unpredictable, and she had an extreme obsession with combat. There was a reason villains called her "The Crazy Blonde."

Oh, and she wasn't a half-Korean mix or anything. She was fully Western. But having been born after her parents immigrated to Korea, she was more Korean than most Koreans.

"...I didn't expect to meet you like this, Irina."

"Ugh, why so stiff? Don't call me 'Irina' with that formal tone. Relax!"

TN: MC calls Irina with -Nim honorifics which is too formal.

"Irina-ssi?"

"Still too stiff, but better than 'ma'am.' Let’s go with that!"

She clapped her hands, seemingly satisfied. This girl was unpredictable—just as the rumors said.

"Anyway, back to my question! You're hiding something, right?"

"Ah…"

"And don’t even think about saying 'no.' I can tell when people lie."

What was the point of asking if she already had an answer in mind? I wanted to argue back, but the sharpness in her gaze made my mouth shut tight.

It was a different kind of danger compared to the Elder, but it was just as threatening. If I denied it now, I had a feeling things would get a lot more complicated.

I needed a way out of this. A way even Irina couldn’t argue against… and I found it!

"Wait a second, Irina-ssi. I realized something—my turn isn’t over yet."

"Huh?"

"I haven't finished my turn yet."

"...What do you mean?"

"One question per turn, remember? I didn't get a proper answer from you earlier. I made an assumption based on your clues. That means it's still my turn."

It was a bit of a stretch, but it was the only way to stall. If I didn't, I'd have to answer whether I was hiding something.

Now, it all depended on Irina's reaction. Would she accept it or call me out?

If I knew anything about her, she'd probably…

"Aha! Aha-ha-ha! You're not just good-looking, but you're also pretty smart, huh? You must be popular with girls! Or wait—are you not? Don't tell me... you're still single?!"

...Wow. She switched gears fast, attacking me instead. Despite her foreign looks, her personality was one hundred percent Korean.

"Hmm. But you know… this makes me even more interested."

Great. Now I was on the Elder’s radar and Irina’s.

What a wonderful day.

As I tried to figure out how to escape this mess, a familiar voice called out from behind.

"Examiner Baek Seojin?"

I turned around.

The person standing there was none other than Kang Minseong's granddaughter—

and the one who was almost turned into the ‘Crimson Witch.'

"Suhyeon? What are you doing here…?"

It was Kim Suhyeon.

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