Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Academy’s Gumiho is a Magic Genius – Chapter 60
Teacher, you're heading to the auction house alone?
Of course. Why, you wanna tag along?
Yes! I wanna go!
Then let's go together.
As I stepped out of the forge and saved the map from the paper onto my phone, Seong Yeon-hwa asked me that.
She seemed eager to join, so I offered, and she accepted right away.
I guess she was curious about what an auction house was like.
I mean, I was curious too.
'An underground auction that doesn't officially exist.'
It reeked of danger.
Then again, a place auctioning off Japan's national treasure, the Life Stone, couldn't exactly be on the up-and-up.
Whatever, I'd find out when I got there.
Plus, now I had company, so the trip wouldn't be boring.
That's what I was thinking when...
W-Wait a sec! You two are going to the auction together?!
Why, you wanna come too?
No way! How can you go to a dangerous place like that?! What if you piss off the rich folks there!
Lee Ji raised her voice.
She looked pretty anxious.
Maybe she had some bad memories with rich people.
She and the others seemed to think of underground auctionsplaces that only served the wealthyas dens of evil.
But from the start...
I'm rich too, you know? Don't you know what family stands behind me?
Ah.
Me, who had blown through 11.1 billion like water.
Of course, Lee Ji's group hadn't been there to witness my legendary spending spree.
But as the head of the Heavenly Fox Baek Family, I naturally gave off the vibe of someone loaded, so Lee Ji bought it quick.
I'll... go too.
TA-nim, me too. It's Saturday anyway, so no problem.
I heard the auction starts at night. Staying up late might mess up tomorrow morning's lecture.
Psh, we can pull an all-nighter for that.
True, you're young, so you'll manage. Isis, what about you?
Yeah, I'll come too.
Okay, everyone was in for the auction.
Heading into an illegal spot like an underground auction with academy students felt like it'd be a huge scandal if we got caught.
Eh, just don't get caught.
'I'll wear a mask, and I'll be fine.'
Once inside, security would handle it, but until then, better safe than sorrymask on.
I reached into my pocket for the mask when Lee Ji spoke up.
...Teacher, I might not be able to make it.
Why? Homework?
She shook her head at my question.
She scratched the back of her neck awkwardly and said,
I have a night part-time job, so I gotta go do that.
Ah, got it. You're hustling hard, huh.
I have to earn my own money for textbooks.
Hm, tough family situation.
I'd heard about it before.
Sometimes parents pay tuition to give kids early real-world experience, but make them cover other expenses to build financial sense young.
Just hearsay, but it checked out.
Chilseong students were prime talent, and part-time gigs paid top dollar.
Perfect age and setup for gaining social experience and money smarts.
I shouldn't mess with that.
But TA-nim! The auction starts at 9 PM. What do we do till then?
Yeah, we've got time to kill. More training today?
Honestly, I wasn't planning on going along.
Current time: 11 AM.
Lunchtime was just approaching.
With hours to spare, the kids asked about the next plan.
No choiceI spilled the afternoon schedule I'd originally planned solo.
Gotta get my license today. Let's head to the Association.
A text had come a few days ago.
From [Nine-Tail Guild], notifying me to get a B-rank or higher player license this week.
* * *
Player Association.
This global official body assigns ranks to players per standards and issues activity licenses.
Branches in every country, and Korea's was infamous worldwide for its brutal rank tests.
Small landmass overflowing with talent, they said.
Think I can rank up to C today?
C-rank? You? Yeah, right!
Mom! I passed B-rank promotion! I can support the family now!
...Shoulda come on a weekday?
WeekendSaturday afternoon, maybe?
The building handling player rank tests was packed.
Should've squeezed it in on a weekday.
Teacher, that won't help. I came for my license a few months back on a weekday morning and waited four hours just to start.
...License?
Yeah, I'll show you.
She fished out a license from her pocket. Her face, age, and player rank on it.
Let's see.
D-rank? I thought first-years usually snag C-ranks.
Don't look at me like I'm pathetic! Only top prodigies with single-digit practical scores get C. Most students don't even bother testing!
Ah, gotcha.
That changes things.
If first-year prodigies hit C, D ain't bad.
Lee Ji wasn't top of her class or anything special.
Basically the weakest in my group.
Original heroines, peak talents: Seo Ye-rin, Seong Yeon-hwa, Isabel.
No Yu-ra, scout role with sharp senses and sight, but SNS addict.
Isis, who wielded chill that even made battle-hardened me in winter flinch.
And
'Lee Ji, who just swings hand axes decently and nothing else. Effort counts as a skill? Nah.'
Everyone at Chilseong Academy grinds hard, so effort didn't stand out. Hers was just sorely lacking specialties.
Her getting just below prodigy rank in testing had value.
And after five hours of waiting, Lee Ji approached, looking fed up.
Even accounting for weekend crowds, this is ridiculous. Longer than last time. Is the wait always this bad on weekends, Teacher?
First time for me too, so don't ask.
Huh? So you've been a TA without a license this whole time?
Yeah. Problem?
Her question got an unexpected reply.
Can't be a TA without a license?
Doubts rose, and cold stares from the students hit me.
No need to ask.
'Ah, I was a parachute hire.'
Dawned on me.
Chilseong TA gigs required player licenses, apparently.
Explains the glares from other TAs in the office.
Teacher! You really don't have a license?
Is that a problem?
Of course! All the other profs and TAs have 'em!
Meaning academy education jobs need licenses too.
Ha, what corruption did this body's original owner pull for the job?
No, the elders are the real issue.
'Can't confirm plot twists in my head, but circumstances point to the Fifth Elder kicking me from main house to this remote TA spot.'
Learned from the family meeting and guild tte--tte last time.
He harbored blatant hostility and killing intent toward me.
High chance Baek Seung-woo, family head, ended up as lowly Chilseong TA because of exile.
Exiled, so nothing for it.
Exiled? What's that mean?
Kicked out of the house. My family's a total mess.
Mess doesn't cover it.
Young family head, yet sisters below expand forces to usurp. Elders back the sisters over head, some extreme ones plot to oust him for power shares.
Worst, the head atop should rule is a useless wastrel.
No energy for the long explanation, so summed as 'mess'.
Seong Yeon-hwa got it.
Ah!
That's why I'm here for the test. Dunno the difficulty, but A-rank should be easy.
Hold up, Teacher. You're taking the A-rank test? Did you do the prelim check?
Huh? Can't I just take A or S-rank?
Teacher, you came without knowing that?!
Lee Ji freaked.
Stared at me shockedmade me wanna be the shocked one.
No, why can't I jump to A or S?
Nothing online about that.
First-timers max at B-rank challenge.
So an S-rank newbie takes first test? Stuck at B?
Obviously. That's the rule's point.
A and S are top-tier players.
They wield near-absolute power in their domains. Association prevents strong bullying weak via multi-stage tests.
B and below: raw power. Above: personality checks, more tests.
Only passers get A/S licenses.
Players aren't just about muscle. That'd make 'em no better than monsters. A/S tests take time for full eval.
Even you gotta follow rules, Teacher.
Yeah, Association's like extraterritorial. Piss you off, no arson.
Oho, new info.
I approved of the system.
Kids thought I wouldn't.
Makes sensemy rep screamed rebellion.
But I'm not Baek Seung-woo.
Their words didn't matter much.
I ignored 'em outright.
Wasn't worth hearing anyway.
Good system. Gotta follow it.
Huh...?
T-Teacher, for real?
They stared, unbelieving.
Hit me how my rep spread far. Any fix for these rumors?
Folk say enjoy if you can't avoid, but avoid till you can.
Dunno why they push self-hypnosis to enjoy.
No way out now, so I just scratched my head.
What, can't I say that?
N-No! Just weird hearing it from you.
Yeah. Doesn't fit your image...
Teacher saying it feels off from your vibe.
They said it casually, like obvious.
Then speakers around the waiting room called my name.
[Number 427, Baek Seung-woo. Number 427, Baek Seung-woo. Please proceed to Test Room 21 now.]
Ah, perfect timing. Let's go. But no terror if I can't pick my test freely, right?
Shut up and let's just take the test.
Couldn't take the nonstop jabs; I stood up.
Keep this up, I'll get hurt.
Ah, already am.