Chapter 34
Chapter 34
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: I'm a Newbie!
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* * *
“…No. Why isn’t this working?”
Sindel was on the verge of losing his mind and jumping out of his skin.
According to the latest intel, those civil servants had really entered headquarters.
With no telling when they might show up here, he needed to smash the CCTV footage ASAP, but the mages had all thrown up their hands in defeat.
“It’s… got magic on it.”
“So dispel the damn magic. That’s why I hired you in the first place.”
Sindel was dumbfounded.
He’d called in mages to dispel magic, and all they could do was whine that they couldn’t.
What was he supposed to do?
As Sindel cracked his neck with a ‘pop,’ one mage finally spoke up after holding back.
“…I’ve told you a dozen times, it can’t be done. It just can’t.”
“Stop saying you can’t and give me a reason for once.”
“Would you even understand if I explained?”
“Are you mocking me right now?”
“…Hah.”
The mage sighed and nodded toward the others huddled in the container.
With a gesture from the mages, the magic became visible.
It was hard to make out its shape, but it looked like a transparent box with a padlock on it.
“See? There used to be a magic circle here, but it’s gone. We don’t even know what this thing really is.”
“This… so this is magic?”
Sindel’s mouth fell slightly open. It was nothing like the magic he knew. Completely different.
What the hell was this?
‘Did that bastard… do it?’
Seonal.
Easy to remember because of his nearly white hair.
Thinking of him made Sindel’s blood boil, his eyes heating up.
“Just break it.”
Black smoke roiled fiercely from the depths of Sindel’s sockets, his teeth grinding with a sharp clack.
“That’s what we’re saying—if we could…”
The mage trailed off, looking at someone. Since it was a stranger, Sindel turned too.
Sindel’s jawbone dropped.
“Y-You…”
“No matter what you do, you can’t break it.”
Seonal pushed up his glasses and spoke with utter certainty.
Seeing Sindel’s shock, Seonal let out a chuckle.
“Don’t worry about the magic on the building. I tweaked it a bit.”
Sindel couldn’t react, unsure what he even meant.
Seonal, still smiling, continued.
“I went to headquarters. Got their cooperation, so step back. The Complaints Division is taking this CCTV now.”
Seonal pulled out a photocopy of the cooperation letter from the executive director and handed it to Sindel before walking toward the mages.
“Shall we go gather the employees together now, Assistant Manager Sindel?”
Irang smiled kindly at Sindel, who clutched the paper speechless.
With Seonal securing the evidence, it was time to get testimonies.
“H-Headquarters…”
Sindel stared at the executive director’s name on the paper, unable to continue, so Irang brushed it off.
Sindel’s ragged jawbone trembled as if in a daze.
“We’ll confirm any orders from headquarters later. For now, your cooperation, please.”
Irang led Sindel away, and Seonal turned to the mages.
“I know Sindel hired you. I got cooperation from his employer, so stand down.”
The mages showed no sign of backing off despite Seonal’s words.
They just stared each other down.
“This is official duty.”
Seonal flashed his badge, and only then did the mages slowly move.
Then, one mage stopped and looked at Seonal.
A fairy about half the size of an arm flitted about on two pairs of wings, giggling.
“You’re the one, right?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The civil servant who raided the Rihiridong branch of the Mages’ Association.”
“It was legitimate duty.”
“Gutsy. You know the rumors are everywhere now?”
‘And you lot are the ones spreading them.’
Seonal narrowed his eyes at the gleeful fairy.
‣Loves rumors.
It was true that 90% of rumors originated from fairies—they spread and reveled in them.
“Is this something to be bold about? If anything, the ones criticizing legitimate duty are the weird ones.”
“Our branch was paralyzed because of you, inconveniencing customers too.”
The blatant hostility was almost funny to Seonal.
It had been a while since he’d run into Mages’ Association mages outside, but they hadn’t changed a bit.
Regardless of race, their selfishness and arrogance still pierced the heavens.
That absurd confidence that mages were the best in the country played a part too.
You practically had to attend lectures on wielding arrogance and selfishness the moment you joined the association.
“Were you employed at that branch?”
“Yeah. That’s why I’m pissed. You’ve gotta expect this much. Didn’t even steel yourself before messing with the Mages’ Association? Adorable.”
The fairy giggled, covering her mouth as Seonal asked.
Laugh or not, Seonal was tired.
“The Rihiridong Mages’ Association branch was rightfully shut down for violating the interspecies discrimination ban. No reason for me to be criticized.”
“So you need to know you messed with the Mages’ Association.”
“Mages’ Association or whoever—what’s it matter? We just resolve complaints.”
Seonal walked forward again, and the fairy yelled.
“We’re not done talking!”
“Keep your eyes peeled, mage.”
As Seonal released mana, the transparent mana box sharpened into view.
“…What? You’re a mage?”
The fairy gasped.
But Seonal didn’t answer, bringing his hand to the keyhole.
Clang!
The magic shattered, revealing the magic circle.
“The era where being a mage excuses everything is over.”
Seonal pointed skyward to crush that sky-high arrogance.
[Lightning, strike down.]
Rumble.
Thunderclouds gathered, and lightning speared toward the container.
It swept down as if to engulf everyone, but devoured only the magic circle before vanishing.
Crackle!
No one could close their mouths at the sight.
Seonal held no wand to store the circle, no tools—just raw mana control that obliterated only the magic circle amid electronics. Even the clueless were awed.
Wind rose, tousling Seonal’s hair.
Through strands over his ear, red earrings swayed.
“That could’ve been a disaster otherwise, right?”
Seonal’s eyes sharpened like a snake’s.
The Mages’ Association—the place he hated most—irked him no matter what.
Letting them off would just make them look down on him more.
“If you’re suffering from interspecies discrimination or conflict, visit the Special Complaints Resolution Division for Interspecies Issues anytime.”
Seonal politely opened the container door.
“…I know you.”
The fairy cautiously approached Seonal.
Her four wings slowed, eyes fearful yet curious.
“A cultist.”
Her eyes widened.
“The cultist who sweet-talked mages to shake the association’s foundations!”
“You’re calling me a cultist now? That’s progress. What was it before—demon spawn?”
“That lightning just now… sleight of hand, right? How’s the electronics fine after a strike that close? Look, the CCTV’s still running—check this.”
The fairy pulled out her cellphone from her pocket.
Sized for fairies, a bit smaller than a pinky.
“I’m on duty.”
Seonal warned the fairy, then pulled his work tablet from his bag, connected to the recorder, and copied all the CCTV footage.
[Footage secured.]
He sent copies to Edinal and Irang, then turned away.
The fairy stared, so Seonal sighed lightly.
“I said I’m on duty.”
“Checking your name.”
“Seonal.”
“Watch your back.”
The fairy’s eyes narrowed.
Did she know it was all on bodycam?
Seonal asked casually.
“A threat?”
“Yeah.”
“Got it. Later.”
Seonal smirked and walked on.
In that brief moment, his words about raiding Rihiridong had bruised their pride—the mages now surrounded him.
‘…Yeah. The Mages’ Association wouldn’t let me go easy.’
Their glaring, mana-flared stares left Seonal speechless.
Mana influenced other mana. Knowing this, the government imposed strict limits on magic.
If multiple mages unleashed mana at once, it’d destabilize—even harm someone else’s internal mana if not careful.
‘Think that’ll shake mine?’
Childish. Petty.
Seonal lazily pushed up his glasses with his middle finger.
He’d warned them it was duty, so now his options narrowed to one.
A few steps in, he scattered his mana.
Invisible to cameras, Seonal kept walking.
[Awaken nightmares.]
Black-tinged mana writhed from him, spreading to bare teeth at the mages.
Rooaaar!
A giant snake to some, imagined monster to others.
An illusion spell that’d torment them with horrific nightmares for a while, maybe drive them mad.
“Eeeeek!”
Mages screamed, but Seonal didn’t hear.
Bodycam forward, soundproofed—no audio recorded.
Glancing back briefly, Seonal smirked.
‘Why poke the bear?’
Annoying bastards.
They didn’t think the discriminating branch was wrong—just that he was for exposing it. Revolting.
Drip.
Something fell; Seonal felt heat under his nose.
He wiped the nosebleed with a handkerchief from his bag.
‘Oh… right.’
Mana hated mind-shaking spells; he’d forgotten the backlash.
He rarely used it due to that, but today he had to.
Time for the association to assign someone.
That person would.
‘Rumors’ll quiet them down for a bit.’
Seonal traced mana flows to find Irang.
A few steps, and her voice came.
“Over here, Seonal.”
“How’d you know?”
“Flower scent got stronger.”
“Flowers…?”
Checking his mana, Irang spoke again.
“Not mana. Goblins can smell it. Fades quick—three hours?”
“Oh, that.”
“You know? Most don’t. Kinda stalkerish.”
“When I was in Special Task Force, a goblin suspect ran like hell. Learned then.”
Irang stepped back at Seonal’s casual remark.
“…Won’t ask more.”
Curiosity killed, but she swallowed dryly and eyed his handkerchief.
“Nosebleed?”
“Yeah. Clashed with mages, just a little.”
Seonal pinched his nose; Irang pulled a square talisman from her pocket and slammed it down.
Whooo.
Talisman vanished; palm-sized snowman-like things—spirits—popped from the ground. Easily over thirty.
‘Spirits, right?’
Seonal peered down.
“Seonal.”
Irang called and shoved him before he looked up.
“……?”
Something grabbed his legs; Seonal lost balance and fell back.
Whooo.
Rustling under the car—he stopped his spell.
Spirits borrowed nature via shaman arts, childlike and mana-loving.
As a mage, he avoided mana-hating actions.
‘Though I just did…’
Staring blankly at the sky, Irang’s voice came.
“Heard magic backlash hits the whole body. Stay put.”
“No, it’s not me…”
“Team Leader. Seonal took magic backlash—nosebleed.”
‘……?’
Seonal blinked at the sky, eyes widening at Irang’s serious tone.
‘These people don’t listen.’
“Oh. Swing by hospital then community center?”
“Wait. Magic backlash…”
Seonal tried sitting up, but spirits held firm.
Some climbed his torso, tilting heads.
Whooo.
“Shoo. I’m not a toy.”
Back stuck, he really didn’t want to move.
He just flapped his mouth to shoo them.
“They’ll cry. Oh, yes yes. All confessed now.”
“Confessed? Who?”
Seonal eyed Irang.
“Sindel—that guy—admitted guilt. Clean after headquarters trip?”
Irang’s calm reply narrowed Seonal’s eyes; she fiddled with her earpiece mid-call.
“You and Team Leader same. For real. I did nothing. You know I suck at threats.”
“Don’t.”
“Police’ll uncover everything anyway—no escape. Cooperating cuts sentence.”
Irang’s theory rang true, ignoring him.
Sindel was sharp; he’d see cooperating beat running or denying—avoid bigger bites from Hanul Construction, get police protection, lighter sentence via cooperation.
‘…Man, this is comfy?’
Fatigue hit; back-supported, he melted.
“Comfy, huh?”
Irang hung up, smiling lightly.
“Yeah.”
“Go ahead, Seonal. Taxi to hospital called—checkup then center.”
“…Like this?”
“Spirits, escort to taxi please.”
Whooo.
They moved at her request.
“Wait, hold on.”
Seonal panicked. Like this?
“Punishment?”
Irang waved lightly.
“You’re our division’s treasure. Gotta treat you right.”
“…Liar!”
* * *
“…Seonal?”
Maeve cautiously called to Seonal, slumped like a sick chicken, barely propped by his arms.
“Haa.”
A deep sigh that could pierce the desk.
“What happened…? You look awful.”
“…Something horrific.”
Seonal squeezed his eyes shut.