Chapter 82
As I exited the gate, a woman in a suit was waiting for me.
She had a stern air about her, even towards herself.
She greeted me, handing over her business card.
“Excuse me, are you Doh Yeongwoo, the exam candidate? I’m Oh Seung-a, the secretary of the chairman. You might have heard about it at the gate, but could you spare some time?”
Secretary of the Chairman’s Office, Oh Seung-a.
She was a character who had been mentioned a few times, although she had never appeared directly in the game.
Mainly through So Hye-ryul’s mouth.
“So Hye-ryul.”
“Seung-a, I have a favor to ask…”
“So Hye-ryul.”
“Don’t worry about that, Seung-a, the secretary, will take care of it.”
“So Hye-ryul.”
“If it’s guidance, leave it to Secretary Oh Seung-a.”
As can be understood from So Hye-ryul’s lines, Oh Seung-a took care of her trivial matters, faithfully following orders.
“I’ll be meeting her often in the future, so I should remember her face.”
Black hair falling to her shoulders and elegant features.
Although there was no separate illustration design in the game, she was quite beautiful.
It shouldn’t be hard to remember.
I replied to her, “Yes, I’m free now.”
“Thank you. Then let me guide you to the chairman’s office.”
From now on, I am going to meet So Hye-ryul.
I decided to follow Oh Seung-a.
It seemed like I had to say goodbye to the people who had come out of the gate with me here.
“You all did well in the exam. I have to go for an investigation now. The results haven’t come out yet, but you all must have passed. See you at the academy.”
“Thank you! See you next time!”
“Yeongwoo, you worked hard on the exam! Take the investigation well! I’ll contact you soon!”
“Yes, let’s meet at the academy.”
Yong Haerang, Go Eunbi, Lisa, and the triplets hope to meet again.
Yeon Haneul seemed to be following me.
“Yeongwoo, I also want to go with…”
“Haneul, don’t wait for no reason, go back to the hotel. You won’t be able to stay with the chairman alone if you come along, right?”
“Yes, sorry, but the person the chairman called is only Doh Yeongwoo, the exam candidate.”
“You heard that, right? You must be tired, so go rest first.”
“But… Alright, I’ll do that.”
“I’ll be back soon. See you later.”
“Hey, don’t put your hand on your head. Your hair will get messy.”
The younger sky, as if reluctant to part with me, reluctantly nodded.
I placed my chin and hand on her head.
Though she pouted as if displeased, she didn’t push away my touch.
After caressing her like that, I followed Oh Seung-ah.
And thus, we arrived at the office of the headmaster.
“Headmaster, this is Oh Seung-ah. I have brought the examinee, Do Gyun-woo, here.”
“Yes, come in.”
The headmaster’s office was located on the top floor of the office of education, inside Oh Seung-ah’s secretary’s office.
When Oh Seung-ah knocked on the door, So Hye-ryul’s voice could be heard from inside.
“You may enter.”
“Okay.”
Oh Seung-ah opened the door to the headmaster’s office.
I stepped inside through the door she opened.
“Welcome, Do Gyun-woo. Or should I call you Do Gyun-woo, the student whose acceptance is all but confirmed?”
“…Hello, Headmaster.”
So Hye-ryul, the Witch of the Stars.
She welcomed me warmly as she sat on the sofa, sipping coffee.
She gave me a bright smile.
“Come, have a seat. Seung-ah, the secretary, please bring some snacks and drinks so that Do Gyun-woo can enjoy them during our conversation.”
“Understood, Headmaster. Do Gyun-woo, what would you like to drink?”
So Hye-ryul, seated in the main seat.
She gestured to the seat next to her.
I sat in the seat she indicated and asked Oh Seung-ah.
“A cola, please.”
***
A cola with floating ice cubes was served.
So Hye-ryul suggested I help myself to the snacks on the table without hesitation.
Feeling a bit hungry, I accepted her offer and reached for a cookie.
It was a rare delicacy not easily found in stores, fitting the dignity of a headmaster.
Of course, to someone like me from the Divine Gate, it wasn’t that rare.
“Delicious.”
Unlike snacks from convenience stores, it had a less pronounced taste of artificial flavoring and a deeper richness.
Enjoying the texture that melted gently in my mouth, I ate as my hand moved on its own.
Drinking the cold cola, the refreshing sensation cooled my body.
So Hye-ryul smiled at me and chatted cheerfully.
“The performance Do Gyun-woo showed in the exam was actually known to us through evaluations from the judges beforehand. In the first test, he used the conflicting effects of mana with opposing attributes to open five iron gates, in the second test, he reached the summit of the Misty Mountain within the time limit by reverse-utilizing an explosion trap, and in the third test, he teamed up with two others to gather chips. As for the test I designed for the fourth round, he anticipated and prepared for the exam content in advance, right?”
So Hye-ryul, with legs crossed, wearing a snug suit.
She was small in stature, narrow-shouldered, and lacked the dignity befitting a director.
Yet, an aura that couldn’t be taken lightly surrounded her.
From her lips came a recounting of my past performances in the exams.
Listening to my story directly from her was somewhat unsettling.
At the same time, I could tell she was observing me, perhaps aware that she was the one behind the planning of the 4th practical exam.
“I expected that your performance would catch the director’s eye, naturally. Maybe not just me, but even Haneul, Yongha, Minarin, Nam Yuri, Chaeunsol, and Lisa were being noticed. Did Eunbi… notice? Since we acted together in the 3rd practical exam, she might have figured it out. By the way, the 4th practical exam was planned by So Hye Ryul….”
It seemed unusually picky.
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I could finally understand.
Then, as she finished her lengthy tale alone and took a sip of her iced Americano through a straw, she set the cup down and spoke.
Her tone remained composed.
However, the content of her words was sharp.
“And not only did you find and defeat the mine that infiltrated the exam hall in the final 5th exam, but I was truly surprised to hear that you defeated it. Moreover, it was one of the Mine Council’s six horses, the Doll Ghost Girl Yi Gahyun, that you defeated. It was quite intriguing.”
“It was a clone, and besides me, others also helped. That’s how we could defeat it.”
“Even though it was a clone, no one has ever managed to defeat the Doll Ghost Girl’s clone? She is adept at concealing her identity and was a highly vigilant mine. Yet, an examinee who is not even a student managed to defeat her and secure the Soul Stone…. Do Gyungwoo can hold his head high with confidence. His skills are such that he wouldn’t be out of place as an active hunter right now.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
“However.”
“….”
“It’s quite fascinating, isn’t it? How on earth could Do Gyungwoo, a mere examinee, figure out the identity of the Doll Ghost Girl whose body he took over? If you check the footage on Do Gyungwoo’s screen choker, it seems he knew about the Doll Ghost Girl even before she transformed into a mine….”
I’m really curious, won’t you tell me?
Although So Hye Ryul trailed off without finishing her sentence, her smiling eyes seemed to be saying just that.
Contrary to appearances, she was trying to read my inner thoughts.
“I had anticipated this outcome.”
I wasn’t surprised.
It was a situation I had been prepared for from the start.
By finding and defeating Yi Gahyun, there was no way she or the evaluators wouldn’t suspect me.
Despite anticipating that I would be under suspicion, I didn’t hesitate.
To weaken the real Yi Gahyun, and to instill vigilance about mines in the instructors of Geumgang Academy who would face various incidents in the future.
What should I say?
But I couldn’t reveal my true intentions.
In a world based on a game I enjoyed in my past life, claiming to know the future events would be foolish.
Even if there was a need to mention it, there had to be absolute trust.
I couldn’t trust her to that extent, considering her ambiguous position as either antagonist or protagonist.
I spoke the words I had thought out.
“I just bluffed about the Doll Ghost Girl being there.”
“It was a bluff?”
“Yes. The situation was oddly strange at that time. The monsters on different papers were moving as if following someone’s orders, without any clashes, and when Yi Gahyun controlled the monsters while facing me, I had a hunch that she might be a mine.”
“….”
“But she looked like an examinee on the outside, right? So I thought about which mine I know could disguise themselves as someone else….”
“The Doll Ghost Girl came to mind.”
“Yes, that’s right. So I prodded it out of curiosity, and it turned out to be the Doll Ghost Girl.”
“Hmm….”
I acted as nonchalant as possible.
Sohyeryul narrowed her eyes and stared at me intently.
“To be caught off guard like this, you were quite lucky. Or should I say unlucky in this case?”
Sohyeryul quipped.
Having reigned as the director for a long time, spanning several decades, she was a seasoned individual.
She was not one to take my words at face value.
It was clear she harbored suspicions about me.
Nevertheless, I maintained my composure.
“Well, I do have a bit of bad luck.”
“Hmm….”
From what I knew,
Sohyeryul was a character who didn’t hesitate to use any means necessary to achieve her goals, even willing to sacrifice others at times.
She manipulated both good and evil without hesitation.
Thus, in the game, she supported Kang Hanbyeol while also subjecting him to trials.
That was the kind of person she was.
Therefore, what mattered to her at the moment was not how I knew about Kang Hanbyeol’s identity.
“It’s probably about whether I’ll be of help to her plans or not.”
I could read Sohyeryul’s intentions.
Sure enough, she didn’t deviate from my expectations.
“In that case, I suppose that’s how it is.”
Sohyeryul withdrew her suspicious gaze as if to say, “When did I doubt you?”
She had judged that I could be of assistance and decided to use me.
For me, it was a good thing.
She saw value in me, just as she did with Kang Hanbyeol in the game, so in the future, I would handle the aftermath of the incidents without worry.
“I can go about my business without concern.”
Of course, she would try to take advantage of me to the fullest.
It didn’t matter. It was fine.
I could handle enough to navigate through the game’s story.
Soon, Sohyeryul changed the subject.
“Though Student Dogyeonwoo may already be aware, we won’t publicize this incident. We want to protect the honor of Geumgang Academy, but above all, we want to protect the students. If this incident were to leak outside, not only Student Dogyeonwoo but also those involved and even the academy students would attract excessive attention. There may be gains, but there will be more losses.”
“Yes, I understand.”
“I’m grateful that you understand. However, we won’t ignore Student Dogyeonwoo’s efforts and keep silent. We plan to compensate Student Dogyeonwoo and those involved in this incident with a certain amount of Geumgang Coins. We need to discuss the exact amount, but you can receive it without regret. And….”
Sohyeryul took something out of her pocket and placed it on the table.
It was a soulstone.
“This is the soulstone of the Doll Ghost Girl, emotionally sealed through Instructor Hong Yena. Although it’s not in the best condition, a soulstone remains unchanged. All rewards obtained in the tests belong to Geumgang Academy, and depending on their value, they are exchanged for money. Soulstones are no exception. However, since this incident doesn’t necessitate strict adherence to the rules, we will show flexibility and allow you to choose between monetary value or Geumgang Coins. Which one would Student Dogyeonwoo prefer?”
“Is it impossible to receive the soulstone?”
As I mentioned earlier, I would prefer not to deviate from the rules, but… in reality, this is also for Student Dogyeonwoo’s benefit. The Doll Ghost Girl can share consciousness with her avatars. Through the soulstone, she can also share consciousness. Currently, it’s being magically blocked, but if Student Dogyeonwoo were to possess it, the Doll Ghost Girl would recognize his presence and likely target him. So, I think it’s better for me to handle this appropriately.”
Sohyeryul persuaded me with a convincing argument.
If I possess Igahyun’s Soulstone, I will definitely not let her go unnoticed.
In a way, her Soulstone to me was no different from the misfortunes that lay ahead.
“Still, receiving her Soulstone for money or coins doesn’t appeal to me….”
It would be nice to have plenty of Golden Coins to spend at Geumgang Academy.
However, as I had agreed to receive separate coins as compensation for defeating Igahyun, there was a tinge of regret.
So, I decided to negotiate.
“Then, is there another form in which I can receive the Soulstone, not money or coins?”
“Another form?”
“Like Law Stones or Artifacts.”
“You seek a reward that can substantially strengthen yourself. Hm….”
Receiving a reward from So Hye-ryul was not a common occurrence.
I couldn’t miss this opportunity.
She pondered over my request without showing any displeasure.
Eventually, she made a decision.
“Student Dogyeon Woo was from the swordsmanship lineage, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then, how about this? I think you’ll like this.”
So Hye-ryul took off a ring that was on her finger.
It was a silver ring with a blue gem embedded in it.
“This is….”
“This is an Artifact that has been of great help to me until I reached this position. I no longer need it now that I’ve reached a certain level. In terms of its effect….”
So Hye-ryul explained about the Artifact.
I listened attentively to her words and checked the information on the status window.
[Ring of Clarity]
◆ Equipment Type
― Accessory (Ring)
◆ Detailed Description
― Ring of Star Witch So Hye-ryul
― Contains the power to purify impurities in the body’s mana, enhancing mana efficiency.
◆ Detailed Effects
― For mana levels below 80, Mana +4
– When worn, it increases the power of all skills below level 8 that consume mana by 20%.
– When worn, it decreases the mana consumption of all skills below level 8 by 20%.
“Wow….”
It was an artifact that hadn’t been mentioned in the game before.
Among other effects, the fact that it increases the magic power by 4 is remarkable.
For someone like me who was struggling due to low magic power, there was no better artifact than this.
It’s a shame that there are restrictions.
“How about it? Do you like it?”
“Yes, I love it.”
There’s no need to consider anything else.
I was captivated by the Ring of Clarity.
Sohyerul observed my reaction and smiled.
“I’ll keep an eye on whether it suits me in the future. I’ll be counting on you, Student Dogyeon.”
—
After putting on the Ring of Clarity, my magic power stat rose to 54.
As I checked my status window, I couldn’t help but raise the corners of my mouth.
With that expression, I left the president’s office.
After being escorted by Secretary Oh Seung-ah and arriving at the secretary’s office, I could see Yeon Haneul standing next to the door.
“Did something good happen? You’re smiling so brightly.”
“Oh, Haneul. Were you waiting for me? You should’ve gone back first.”
“I was planning to do that at first… but I just wanted to wait.”
Yeon Haneul peeled herself off the wall and approached my side.
I felt grateful to her for waiting for me.
“So why were you smiling?”
“I received this from the president.”
“A ring? Oh, it’s an artifact.”
“It’s a ring that enhances mana efficiency.”
“You got something good. Well done. You always complained about lacking mana in your body, although I didn’t think it was that lacking when I observed you…”
“You’re not making much sense, are you?”
“I’m a wizard, and you’re a swordsman. Anyway, congratulations on your acquisition.”
She held my left hand and closely examined the Ring of Clarity on my ring finger.
Then, she genuinely expressed her joy.
“The president will give you guys something too. Not an artifact, but he mentioned giving you Adamantine Coins.”
“Oh, really? Others will be thrilled. How many Adamantine Coins will he give?”
“He said he’ll let you know later… but you can expect to receive a generous amount.”
“It was worth the effort. That being said, let’s go back to the hotel soon. I’m tired. I want to wash up.”
“Sure, let’s go. I’m tired too.”
“Since you waited for me, I’ll take a bath first. I’ll clean the tub too.”
“Alright. Go ahead. Aren’t you hungry? I brought these snacks from the director’s office. Want some?”
“Wow, snacks? Thanks, I’ll enjoy them.”
“There are a few more, so feel free to finish them all. It’s my way of saying thanks for waiting.”
Yeonnah ate the snacks I offered and kept twitching her rabbit-like ears.
As she eagerly accepted the snacks from the bag, she looked adorable and lovely.
It was like feeding a rabbit.
“Oh, right. Earlier, Eunbi asked if we’re free for dinner tonight.”
“Tonight? Why?”
“She suggested a get-together for those who took the exam together. Seems like quite a few will join… What do you think? Will you go?”
“Who’s going?”
“Well, among the people we know, there are the twins, Lisa, and Yongha.”
Planning a get-together like this, Eunbi truly is a social butterfly.
I nodded as I listened to Yeonnah’s story.
“Alright, let’s go. It’s a chance to get to know them better, so we shouldn’t miss it.”
“Then I’ll let Eunbi know.”
“But how will you tell her?”
“When you left earlier, the ones remaining exchanged numbers. I even created a group chat.”
“Hmm, Yeonnah… You made lots of friends while I wasn’t around.”
“What are you talking about? You’re closer to them than I am. I’ll invite you to the group chat now.”
“Okay, thanks.”
And so, as the entrance exams came to an end, we returned to the hotel.
In the evening, under Eunbi’s lead, we had a great time with the people we met during the exams at the get-together.
“Wow… There are so many people here?”
“She’s a true socialite. I guess everyone here is Eunbi’s friend?”
“Yeonnah! Gyunwoo! Over here!”
“Oh, Gyunwoo! I saved your seat!”
“Both of you, come on. It’s refreshing to meet here. What would you like to drink, Yeonnah?”
“Hey! Why are you so late!?”
“We tried to contact you but got no response!”
“Should we be late?”
And so, during the allowed stay in the academy city, we rested.
The day to return home dawned.