Red, Yellow, Red
Two full days of persuasion had finally borne fruit. After informing the dean and brushing aside her grandfather’s insistence that she rest a little longer, Kim Suhyun succeeded in returning to the Academy.
Two whole days. It took two whole days just to get back to the examiner’s side.
She felt truly sorry toward her grandfather. She understood his heart all too well. What if there was another attack? Just rest a little more, he had practically begged. She had hesitated many times while watching him. But the place she belonged was by his side.
She wanted to show her growth to the person she admired most. Every step forward she had taken so far was thanks to Examiner Baek Seojin.
“Miss, we’ve arrived.”
“Thank you. I’ll be going now.”
Leaving the bodyguards behind, she dashed inside. Examiner Baek Seojin’s location was right ahead. What kind of face would he make when she, who was supposed to rest for several more days, suddenly appeared? Would he be very surprised? He probably never expected her to return this early, so yes, he would be. But that would only last a moment. He would definitely be incredibly happy to see her. Because Examiner Baek Seojin cherished her dearly. Because he was that kind of person.
“Examiner!”
She had even considered sneaking up to surprise him. But the moment she saw Baek Seojin, all those thoughts vanished. Suppressing the smile that kept tugging at her lips, she called out to him…
“Oh. Suhyun!”
The Baek Seojin she saw was not alone. Standing beside him was Kang Hana.
“Why is Senior here…?”
Only one question filled her mind. Why was Senior here? She had come often before too. Wasn’t this too frequent? Kang Hana wasn’t Bronze, nor was she Silver. She was Platinum, completely unrelated to Examiner Baek Seojin. So why did she keep seeing her next to him?
She imagined Kang Hana sticking close to the examiner while she was gone. She pictured Baek Seojin treating Senior the same way he treated her. No. No way. I hate it.
She didn’t want to watch them talk any longer. Kang Hana was far more impressive than she was. She possessed countless advantages that someone like her could never compare to. Before she knew it, she had blurted out information that should have remained secret. But she felt no regret. Thanks to that, the examiner’s attention had turned back to her.
Now please leave, Senior. Hurry up and get out of here…
No. She couldn’t think like that. The examiner was a good person, but so was Senior. She had been looking after her, knowingly or not, for a long time. She was like an older sister to her, wasn’t she? She couldn’t act this way. It would be a betrayal of everything Senior had done for her.
Yes. She must have come for some legitimate reason. Definitely. Besides, she was even the student council president. She would leave soon. Then only she would remain by the examiner’s side again…
“Today’s a free period, right?”
With those words, Kang Hana focused on her conversation with the examiner again. That alone made Suhyun’s mouth go dry. Then the next sentence from Senior made her heart sink with a heavy thud.
“Actually, someone wants to offer him a clan recruitment.”
Clan Recruitment Proposal
📍 Source: Magic Tower Clan
🎁 Target: Baek Seojin
An offer she had never even considered. She never thought such a day would come. But at this moment, the proposal held zero appeal. It wasn’t even worth agonizing over. The answer was already decided.
“I appreciate the kind words, Student Kang Hana.”
Joining a clan would automatically require him to step down from his examiner position. From his perspective, that meant abandoning the most efficient source of growth available to him. The Silver Gatekeeper belonged where the Bronze students were. There was no reason to go anywhere else.
Still, he considered Kang Hana’s position and spent about thirty seconds pretending to think before shaking his head.
“I’m sorry. I have no intention of joining any clan.”
“Couldn’t you at least meet the person who made the offer and hear them out?”
“No matter what the offer is, my answer will be the same.”
Even on the surface, accepting this proposal would create many problems. He had publicly declared that he was doing this job for the students rather than for himself. If he suddenly left for a clan, it would destroy the very justification he had built.
“If I went to a clan—or even just accepted the offer itself—the students would be deeply disappointed. I told them I’m playing this stubborn examiner role because I want to lift up the friends stuck at the bottom. But if that same person jumps ship to the industry’s top tier the moment he gets a little famous…?”
“…The reaction would obviously be terrible.”
“You understand perfectly. In that case, Student Kang Hana, please explain it well to them.”
At his words, Kang Hana stopped pressing the matter. Instead, she bowed her head, saying she seemed to have acted thoughtlessly.
“I’m sorry, Examiner. It looks like I didn’t consider things deeply enough.”
“No, I’m the one who should apologize. I know very well that the Magic Tower isn’t the kind of place that reaches out first. It must look like I’m throwing away an incredible opportunity that others would never get in their lifetime.”
The Magic Tower Clan was truly an extraordinary place. To ability users, it was a dream workplace. Excluding the clan led by Han Jiyun, it could easily be called the number one clan in South Korea. And yet he had turned down their personal offer on the spot.
“Please convey my sincere apologies to the person who made the offer.”
“Don’t worry. If my father hears your intentions, he’ll fully understand just how deeply you care for the Academy’s students.”
“Ah… so your father was the one who made the offer. He must be a key executive in the Magic Tower Clan.”
That explained why he had given Lee Hyunwoo such full support. It was something a mere low-ranking executive could never dream of…
“Huh? Oh, did you not know? I thought you already knew.”
Thought he already knew? What exactly? Before he could voice his confusion, Kim Suhyun answered for him.
“Examiner. Senior Kang Hana’s father is the Master of the Magic Tower Clan.”
Wait a second. What? It wasn’t even an executive—the Clan Master himself had asked to meet him?
He made a firm resolution never to tell anyone about this. If he carelessly spoke the truth, he would definitely get cursed out.
Beep-beep-beep—!
“…Ah, I’m sorry. It looks like something came up again. I’ll take my leave! See you next time!”
Kang Hana checked her loudly ringing watch and hurried toward the main building where the student council was located.
“She’s gone,” Kim Suhyun muttered. Only then did a smile finally return to her face.
Suhyun. Why do you keep looking so scary? Let’s please not do that anymore.
“I knew you would do that, Examiner.”
“Do what?”
“Turn down Senior’s offer in one decisive stroke. I knew you would stay here.”
Of course that conclusion came from a cold calculation of profit and loss. He naturally kept that part to himself.
“Obviously. The students’ levels haven’t risen yet, and there are so many kids I have high expectations for—Lee Hyunwoo, you, Suhyun. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Right? I knew you’d say that. Yes, of course you would, Examiner.”
With a bright smile, Kim Suhyun subtly leaned her body against his side.
Really, when he looked at her like this, it was hard to believe she would ever become the Red Witch.
The girl who was once destined to become a blood-soaked monster now smiles softly while leaning against me.
‘Another day complete!’
Having left the Academy, Kang Hana headed not toward home but in a different direction. The central district where multiple clan headquarters gathered—the heart of South Korea’s ability users. Among them, the largest by far was the clan ‘Magic Tower,’ her destination.
As she entered, several people greeted her.
“Oh my, welcome, young miss.”
“I told you so many times not to call me that!”
“But what can we do? It just slips out. Haha!”
Even after her scolding, the clan members she met refused to drop the title “young miss.” It was both a sign of affection for the Clan Master’s daughter and proof of their trust in the Master himself. In the end, Kang Hana gave up trying to stop them and headed to the highest floor of the clan headquarters.
Knock knock—
“Father, it’s me.”
“Come in.”
When she opened the door, a middle-aged man greeted her warmly. He was the Master of the Magic Tower Clan, an A-rank ability user, a master of flame magic—Kang Inbum.
“You’re back? Did you have a good day?”
“Yes. Oh, Suhyun returned to school today.”
“Already? I didn’t think that person would let her go so quickly.”
Kang Hana shrugged once before getting straight to the point.
“The examiner rejected the offer.”
“Even after I told you to ask if he would meet me?”
“I didn’t mention that part directly. I only said someone wanted to meet him. I was worried he might feel burdened or pressured. Did I do something wrong?”
“No, not at all. You did very well. He is that person’s savior. We mustn’t show any rudeness.”
Although they weren’t from the same family, Kang Inbum respected Kang Minsung more than anyone. It was only natural that he would be cautious around Baek Seojin, the man who had saved Kang Minsung’s granddaughter.
“He really is a wonderful person. When he explained why he was refusing, I felt so sorry for him.”
Kang Hana continued, recounting the reasons Baek Seojin had given for declining the offer. After listening to the detailed explanation from his daughter, Kang Inbum let out a soft “Ahhh.”
To think he had carelessly offered clan membership to such an outstanding young man. In this era, wasn’t he one of the few true ability users left?
“I hope this doesn’t plant any negative image of the Magic Tower.”
“I’m worried about that too. So I had one idea. If the examiner ever faces any trouble, what if our Magic Tower helps him? Wouldn’t that improve things?”
“It’s hard to imagine what trouble his benefactor could possibly run into… but your idea isn’t bad.”
Without even realizing it, Baek Seojin had just incurred a debt with the Magic Tower Clan.