Becoming a New Examiner

The life of a low-ranking civil servant is miserable. The salary is so pitifully small that you wonder if it's even real, yet the workload is disgustingly heavy. If a complaint comes in, you have to handle it even at dawn. No matter how badly the complainant acts out, you can't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠lose your temper. When your superior curses at you, you become the punching bag. When your superior orders you around, you become a slave. But the most miserable part is that this civil servant life wasn't even something I chose.

Baek Seojin, belonging to the Ability Measurement Department. Below average as a civil servant. Below average as an ability user. The kind of specs that would perfectly fit a passing extra A. That's me. Or more precisely, I became Baek Seojin.

"Seojin. There's a dispatch request."

"Excuse me? Me? You want me to go?"

"Yes. It has to be you, Seojin. Is there anyone else in our department?"

There are plenty of other people. Why the hell are you sending me of all people? I want to throw my resignation letter right at him—the one everyone secretly carries around. But I hold back because my bank account is due for an automatic withdrawal next week. Even after being possessed, my money-strapped life hasn't changed one bit. Some people get possessed and wake up as dukes or chaebol heirs. If I'd known this would happen, I would've read fantasy novels instead.

"Where am I being dispatched to? Please don't tell me it's another daycare..."

"The Academy. A position perfectly suited to your level just opened up."

"What about the person who was sent before? Someone went there two weeks ago."

"They're hospitalized."

Sent to an educational institution and ended up hospitalized? What the hell does that even mean?

"What are you standing around for? Hurry up and get ready."

I want to ask what happened, how they got hurt, and why. My gut tells me I absolutely need to know if I want to protect myself. But my boss simply kicks me out with a cool dismissal. Son of a bitch.

Before disappearing from my boss's sight, I take one last look at him. I activate my possession perk, the Third Eye.

Yeah, definitely a son of a bitch.

* [Next up on the news. Multiple Gates have appeared consecutively in the Bundang district of Seongnam City....]

[Retired ability users are demanding improved treatment for the injured....]

They say humans are creatures of adaptation and acclimation. I was the same. There was a time when I screamed about what the hell was going on. Now, even if a Gate pops up nearby, I'm completely indifferent. I'm actually more sensitive to news about civil servant wage cuts. I can't see any way to return anyway, so I have to survive here for now. Lately, I'm more afraid of complainants and superiors than monsters or villains. At least the former has clear intentions. The latter doesn't. And while you can run from the former, you can't run from the latter.

'Civil servant life, fuck.'

I curse my past self once again. If I'd known this would happen, I should've read stories about good-for-nothing protagonists. [The next station is Academy Station. Academy Station.]

This is my glorious first forced commute to my dispatch location. I pray that today, too, I can leave safely and on time.

I glance to the side and see what look like Academy students getting off with me. I'm jealous. Some people had to settle for becoming civil servants because they lacked talent. These kids get called heroes, get recruited by clans, and live those rosy lives. It's bitter.

I'm a possessor, yet I don't have any notable talent. In the novels I read, people who got reincarnated or possessed would have fraudulent potential or come from incredibly wealthy families with powerful connections. Unfortunately, the person I possessed had none of that. At least I have the Third Eye as my possession perk... but sadly, that's not enough to do anything uniquely impressive.

'I'm going to be late.'

If I'm late on my ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠first day, I'll definitely get on their bad side. After walking about ten minutes from the station entrance, the main gate comes into view. I show my civil servant ID to the person standing guard ahead.

"Where are you from?"

His face looks slightly tense. If I said, 'I'm here for an inspection,' would he faint? Don't worry. I'm not from that department, and I'm just a lowly grunt.

"I'm from the Ability Measurement Department. I've been dispatched here."

"Let me check for a moment. Dispatch from the Measurement Department... dispatch... ah."

The guard's face brightens as if he's found it. But then his expression gradually turns strange.

"Ah... oh. So you're the new rank examiner. Goodness..."

Why is he starting to sigh? And what's with those pitying eyes?

"Ahem! Confirmation complete. Welcome to the Academy, Baek Seojin. The faculty office is on the second floor straight ahead, so please head there."

"Yes. Thank you. Have a good day."

"No, no. You're the one who's going to have a really tough time, Seojin."

Why does he keep saying such ominous things? If there weren't people waiting behind me, I would've asked. The interior of the Academy was far more massive and majestic than I'd imagined. I'd heard that building the Academy cost an entire year's worth of the national defense budget. There were even jokes that they'd used money instead of cement. I thought it was just a joke, but seeing this, it seems pretty accurate.

'They say ability users are at the top of the social hierarchy. The Academy really is incredible.'

Even the person standing guard right now isn't a soldier or police officer, but an ability user. All the Academy faculty are ability users too. Even the cleaning ladies are ability users. That's also why, despite villains constantly eyeing the Academy, none have succeeded yet. It would be an incredibly attractive target if you could hunt it successfully, but the defensive power is overwhelmingly strong. Send just anyone and they might get beaten up by a cleaning lady and kicked out.

Why on earth was I dispatched to such a terrifying place? No matter how much I think about it, I can't see any good future ahead...

"Hey, you there! Watch out!!"

At someone's shout, I instinctively threw myself to the ground. Overreacting? Thanks to this, I've survived at least five times before. And my instincts weren't wrong this time either.

Whoosh—!

A fireball passes through the exact spot where my head had been just two seconds ago. A life-threatening crisis right from the start. Dispatch work sure is spectacular. The fact that I wondered whether getting hit by that would qualify as an injury sustained during official duties is legendary.

As I stand up and brush off my clothes, someone comes running toward me.

"I-I'm so sorry!!"

A female student immediately bows her head and apologizes in a trembling voice.

"I acted carelessly! I'm truly sorry!! Are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine. It didn't even graze me, so you don't need to worry too much."

This is the Academy where only the elite among South Korea's ability users gather. So I'd heard that most of them have massive superiority complexes and terrible personalities.

'I guess the rumors were wrong.'

This is how it should be. Who could act arrogant after nearly injuring someone?

"What the hell. Why are you apologizing? That guy walked into the sparring arena on his own."

...There is an arrogant one after all. And it's a tattooed delinquent bastard.

How can it be this accurate? Maybe because it's a possession perk, the effect is really reliable.

"Excuse me. How can you just barge into the sparring arena like that? Can't you see?"

The tattooed delinquent, Park Junwoo, pointed to a sign.

Well, if it's dangerous, shouldn't they at least put up a fence? The path led this way, so what was I supposed to do if it's a sparring arena? In my mind, I'd already cursed him out multiple times. But unfortunately, I'm not an ordinary person right now. I'm a civil servant with a duty to work for the convenience of the citizens.

"I'm sorry. This is my first time at the Academy today."

"...Are you a professor by any chance?"

"No, I'm a civil servant dispatched here for work."

"Ah. Just a civil servant."

This son of a bitch. To think I have to be looked down on even by a bastard like this. But there's nothing I can do. That's just how society is these days. Ability users with outstanding talent receive elite treatment. Especially those good enough to enter the Academy have their futures guaranteed. Even a tattooed delinquent like this would be considered prime husband material if his abilities are good.

'What a dirty world that only remembers ability users!'

Getting red in the face and fighting here would only hurt me. A fight between an Academy ability user and a low-ranking civil servant? Even I would take the Academy student's side. And if we fought, I'd immediately get cursed out for failing to maintain the dignity of a civil servant. I ignore the whispers of coward and loser and head toward the faculty office.

On the way, several students gave me curious glances. But the moment they saw the civil servant ID hanging around my neck, they immediately turned away. Why is the perception of civil servants so rock bottom? And why did the original owner of this body choose this path? As I seriously consider retirement, I arrive at the faculty office. After a simple self-introduction, they tell me to sit and wait for a moment. It seems like they're going to bring in a superior.

Ah, I want to go home.

"Are you Mr. Baek Seojin?"

When I look up, an incredibly beautiful woman is standing there. I quickly stand up. Not because she's a woman, but because of the name tag on her chest.

"Hello, Road Han..."

"You can just call me Professor here. That'll be fine."

The woman who smiles and sits across from me is none other than Han Jiyun, one of only five S-rank hunters ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in Korea. She's also the leader of one of the world's top five clans. That's why she's called the Road. A person who wouldn't lose out anywhere in the world. I've heard she even receives state guest treatment. All this achieved in her twenties. Naturally, she has an enormous fanbase. But I'd seen a news flash that she suddenly applied to become an Academy professor not long ago. So yesterday, when I said I was being dispatched to the Academy, there were people who envied me.

'I cursed them out and told them not to spout nonsense right to my face.'

Who would show up just because some low-ranking civil servant was being dispatched? I told them seeing her face even once would be a miracle.

"Welcome to the Academy."

But that thing actually happened. Ta-da. Should I apologize to the people I cursed out?

"You look very surprised."

"Ah, yes. Honestly... I still can't quite believe it."

"That I came out to meet you personally?"

At Han Jiyun's question, I unconsciously nodded. There are fewer than a hundred S-rank ability users in the entire world. And one of them, Han Jiyun, came to greet a low-ranking civil servant? If this gets out, more than a few people will come for my throat. Even now, quite a few people are sending strange looks from beyond the room.

"I see. It's understandable that you'd be surprised. But it couldn't be helped."

"I don't understand what you mean."

At my question, Han Jiyun gives an awkward smile. Then she pushes the documents she'd been holding toward me.

"What is this?"

"Take a look first. You can ask questions after."

It's creeping ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠up. This ominous feeling. I carefully examine the documents Han Jiyun handed me.

"...."

And about halfway through, I understood.

'Son of a bitch.'

That in the department, they'd used me as a sacrificial lamb.