Chapter 50

“I’ve heard the story. It seems things were quite tumultuous in many ways.”

“……”

“At first, I thought it might simply be youthful indiscretion from student days, but meeting you in person, it doesn’t seem that way after all.”

Baek Seoha, who had elegantly sipped his tea for a moment, spoke to me with a meaningful smile.

“Was there something you desired?”

“There were many unresolved points, so I merely wanted to bring it to a clear conclusion.”

“It seems you have no intention of telling me. That’s fine. I tend to respect secrets.”

Baek Seoha, who smiled faintly, continued.

“To be honest, I’m intrigued. I hear your skills are quite outstanding as well.”

“……”

Hearing such words from someone who had actually surpassed Level 60 felt nothing but empty flattery.

One of the few talents capable of matching the monster Cheong Soha, acknowledged by everyone. That was Baek Seoha, the future Elder of the Baek Family.

Raising his teacup once more, Baek Seoha engaged in trivial conversation for a while longer before finally getting to the main point.

“It seems you’ve promised cooperation with Cheong Soha. Would you consider switching to my side?”

“…I believe you just said you respect secrets a moment ago.”

“Well, it’s not a secret until I become aware of it.”

As expected, despite his elegant and refined appearance, Baek Seoha was also an inevitable member of a prestigious family.

Lately, everyone I meet seems to have done a basic background check on me, sending chills down my spine.

“Ah, this is a personal question I was curious about, but what is your relationship with Cheong Jiyeon?”

“She was my workplace superior. For only two weeks, though.”

“The way you say that makes me all the more curious.”

Baek Seoha is also one of the significant supporting characters in Part 1 of Exorcism Academy. Building a favorable relationship with him wouldn’t be bad.

But honestly, he was also a figure beyond my current capacity to handle.

“I appreciate the interest, but I am still merely an Academy student.”

“Saying that while having connections with prominent Exorcists from all eight provinces?”

“…Most of it wasn’t intentional.”

Smiling subtly, Baek Seoha handed me a small, wrapped box and continued.

“The conversation has grown too long. I don’t intend to burden you.”

“……”

“However, I hope you will continue to maintain a good relationship with Eunseo. She is a talent I personally cherish on this side.”

“…If that’s the meaning, there shouldn’t be a problem.”

After all, Baek Eunseo is a talent who must continue to grow as Yoo Haon’s support. In terms of importance alone, she wasn’t the top priority, but of course, I had no intention of letting her die on some roadside.

“But this is…?”

When I pointed to the mysterious box and asked, Baek Seoha maintained his smile and gave an answer.

“It’s a tea leaf I particularly cherish. Do you dislike tea?”

“…No. I’ll gratefully accept it.”

Only after receiving that bribe-that-wasn’t-a-bribe was I finally able to escape from Baek Seoha’s office.

After the meeting, upon returning to my room, feeling the time was right, I experimentally summoned the contracted Sorisoe.

Slither.

Poof!

[…My body hasn’t recovered yet. What do you want?]

It seemed full of considerable dissatisfaction, but perhaps aware of being bound by the contract, it surprisingly didn’t show much defiance.

I silently gazed at Sorisoe’s form.

Fluffy fur, a curled tail, and sharply pointed ears.

Exactly the form of the Korean native feline, the leopard cat, that Sorisoe had last taken as its true body.

[It’s natural. At the time of the contract, the true body was in this state.]

Though I felt a subtle emotion at its cute appearance, using Appraisal to check confirmed that the interior was still the ferocious Specter it always was.

【Sorisoe】

▶Level 44

▶Stats

【Stamina : C】

【Monstrous Power : B-】

【Art Formula : B+】

【Mental Power : A-】

▶Traits (6/10)

【Existence Devouring(A+)】

【Assimilation(A-)】

【Mimic(B)】

【Tyrant(B-)】

【Precision Control(C+)】

【Researcher(C)】

As expected, its direct combat abilities themselves aren’t very high, but it is specialized in specific fields to a degree that more than compensates for that.

‘At this level, it could be useful in many ways.’

The process wasn’t smooth, but following Kongsami, I had gained another excellent Shikigami. Having entered a Hell Difficulty world where the future is unpredictable, Shikigami of this caliber are the more, the better.

Satisfied, I sent Sorisoe back into the shadows.

Slither.

And the next day, I decided to visit the Guard Unit with Yoo Haon to write a detailed incident statement along with more specific testimony.

Click.

Jingle.

Jingle.

“This is Gokseong 6th Guard Unit. What brings you here?”

Since there were already a few familiar faces from when we entrusted Lee Jeongil’s treatment, we were quickly able to move to a seat and hear the detailed story.

“The treatment ended without issues, and he’s recovering smoothly.”

“…That’s a relief.”

Yoo Haon smiled brightly, and Han Mina, who works as a mid-level member of the Guard Unit, also smiled in response.

Then, with a bitter expression, she conveyed her gratitude to us.

“One of the Exorcists who went missing initially was our youngest member. In a way, you avenged them for us. Thank you so much.”

It seemed that, already short-staffed, she could only wait for the results from the Headquarters Exorcists.

After finishing all the business and leaving the Guard Unit, on the way back to Dongaksan, Yoo Haon began speaking to me with a serious expression.

“I still want to become an Exorcist,”

“You didn’t until now?”

“Not exactly that, but it feels renewed, in a more serious sense.”

I definitely remember this scene. It was an episode that also existed in the original, where Yoo Haon seriously resolves to grow as an Exorcist after the fight with Sorisoe.

“Even so, talk of 1st-Rank or Special-Rank still feels so distant.”

“There’s no reason you can’t.”

“…How can you say that so definitively?”

In response, I silently fell into thought.

It’s not that; Yoo Haon will undoubtedly become a figure surpassing a Special-Rank Exorcist in the not-too-distant future.

That is the flow of this world and the nature of being the protagonist.

Gazing at such Yoo Haon, I softly uttered my answer.

“I can just tell by looking.”

“…….”

From the start, his efficiency is such that his Level rises immediately after a single battle. He will undoubtedly grow at a speed beyond whatever one imagines.

‘Appraisal.’

Ding!

【Yoo Haon】

▶Level 33

▶Stats

【Stamina : B-】

【Spiritual Power : B-】

【Art Formula : C+】

【Mental Power : B-】

▶Traits (4/10)

【Limit Breakthrough(S)】

【Blue Lighthouse(A)】

【Growth Acceleration(B)】

【Seasoned Hunter(B-)】

Having read Yoo Haon’s information once more, I felt a sense of incongruity and slowly raised my gaze to check the details again.

【Seasoned Hunter(B-)】

▶Grants sharper senses and more agile movements during combat.

‘Was it originally like this?’

I pondered deeply, but it was definitely different. The Trait I knew for Yoo Haon was the C+-Rank ‘Agile Hunter’.

If so, the answer was only one.

‘…The Trait, grew?’

I stood still in place, staring at Yoo Haon.

She who lost the EX-Rank Demon Breaker she should have originally possessed.

‘Could it be…?’

But it seemed that Yoo Haon of Hell Difficulty possessed the ability to grow Traits that no one else had.

Various things happened after that.

I was harassed by Baek Eunseo, who was furious because I secretly took Yoo Haon to the battlefield, and I suffered hardships avoiding Baek Soyool, who seemed to have grown more interested in me after hearing the news.

Also, I participated in training supervised by Baek Seoha along with Yoo Haon’s group, spending the remaining time diligently in my own way.

And before I knew it, the end of the short yet long summer vacation approached.

‘…Is this the last one?’

Having passed the battle with Sorisoe, the starting point of Story Chapter 2, it was now time to officially re-enter the main story with School Opening.

Straightening my mindset once more, I finally returned to Cheonghwa Academy, the main stage of Story Chapter 2.

“…It seems you got caught up in troublesome matters again.”

A day before the start of the second semester, the first person I met upon returning to the Academy was Seo Jian.

“It just happened that way.”

“I don’t believe in theories of constitution, but getting entangled in incidents to this extent makes me wonder.”

“How’s your younger sister?”

At my bluntly thrown question, Seo Jian, seeming embarrassed, slightly averted her gaze and answered after a very slight pause.

“…She’s gotten better, thanks to you. She’s currently recovering her health step by step until she can manage daily life.”

“That’s a relief.”

“She was quite disappointed last time, so she’d be happy if you visited once when you have time.”

“I’ll do that.”

Seo Jian blankly stared at my face for a moment, then opened her mouth again as if she had almost forgotten.

“I sent all the materials you said you needed to the dormitory. If there’s anything else you want, just let me know anytime.”

“Thanks. You’re fast as always.”

Thinking about it now, one of the best choices I made after being dropped here might have been building a friendship with Seo Jian.

Thanks to that, I could entrust minor tasks and focus my energy on more serious problems.

“By the way, are you thinking of taking the Promotion Exam?”

That issue certainly existed too. The voluntary application-based Rank Promotion Exam held at the start of each new semester.

If one receives sufficient evaluation there, an opportunity is given to rise to a higher class.

Since there wasn’t much to do staying in Class 2-D anyway, it might be better to move up to A-Rank or B-Rank now.

“I’ll think about it a bit.”

“…Alright. Let me know if you decide.”

“Are you planning to take it too?”

Certainly, her original stay in B-Rank was due to special circumstances, but there’s no reason the current Seo Jian couldn’t rise to A-Rank.

“We might meet in A-Rank soon.”

There, even excluding the protagonist-treated Yoo Haon’s group, several individuals exist with monstrous talents comparable to his.

The top-ranked Sophia and second-ranked Hwang Jihak were especially so.

‘…Those two are beyond words.’

Even the protagonist Yoo Haon had never beaten Sophia even once before she left the Academy.

As I was momentarily lost in such thoughts, Seo Jian, who seemed hesitant for some reason, made a suggestion.

“By any chance, are you free this evening?”

“Evening? I don’t have any special plans.”

“…Then, would you like to have dinner together? I also have things to talk about regarding last time’s matter.”

Looking at Seo Jian, who was speaking in a voice subtly smaller than usual, I couldn’t even think of refusing and nodded.