095. Hunter Management Bureau (4)

Ji So-yeon rambled as she explained what she had seen.

That it would have been impossible without enduring truly brutal solitary training.

That she couldn't even begin to guess how hard his life had been.

That Seol-hee needed to take good care of him and look after him.

Wow. That's some masterpiece-level misunderstanding...

The whole time I listened to her explanation, I had to fight to keep the dumbfounded look off my face.

Uh, so... basically, because I'm a 1-Star and my stats don't match, it ended up like this?

The thought popped into my head automatically, but Ji So-yeon immediately denied my assumption.

"It's not your current strength. It's your potential. I can't see someone's current strength."

"...Potential?"

Baek Seol-hee picked up her words and echoed the question.

"Yes. He possesses absurd potential that doesn't match his innate star rank."

At that, Baek Seol-hee considered it for a moment before speaking.

"...You're talking about his talent for the sword."

"Exactly. His Specialization Rank."

Listening to the two of them, something clicked clearly into place.

Specialization Rank!

My current Swordsmanship Specialization is S-Rank.

A rank that a 1-Star piece of trash couldn't even dream of reaching.

If I hadn't received those resources from the ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠admin when I first transmigrated,

it's a rank I could never have achieved through normal means.

And while taking Baek Seol-hee's class at the academy, I'd also realized that I hadn't yet acquired true S-Rank combat power.

So Specialization Rank ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was potential all along. That's why when your star rank goes up, your Potential Blooming accelerates and you get drastically stronger!?

It felt like I'd uncovered another hidden story setting that was never revealed in the game.

Immensely satisfying.

This part was never explained in detail in-game, you see.

I'd just vaguely figured that since low star rank usually meant low stats, it simply wasn't efficient.

I'm a 1-Star, but my potential is S-Rank. So in Ji So-yeon's eyes, I look like a madman who overcame his innate birth through training.

Ji So-yeon looked at me again, her expression overcome with emotion.

After hearing her explanation, Instructor Baek Seol-hee also apologized with a startled look.

"I'm sorry. Though I call myself your teacher, I've failed to pay attention to you, my disciple. I simply assumed your talent was something you were born with... I'm failing to live up to my title as Master."

Oh man. My quota-student conscience is stabbing me right now...?

But it's also tricky to deny it here, to say no, I just grew my abilities using pay-to-win resources.

I mean, I can hardly explain that there's a book you just touch to skyrocket your Specialization Rank.

That thing... I just gulped it all down myself.

"I'll, I'll definitely find a way to increase your star count!"

"...I don't know if I still have the qualifications to be your Master, but I, too, will do my best."

That's what Ji So-yeon and Baek Seol-hee said after speculating about my circumstances among themselves.

To them, I could only say, in a hesitant voice.

"...Just treat me like you normally do."

That was all I could say.

At that Ji So-yeon covered her mouth again with a choked-up expression, and Baek Seol-hee bit her lip firmly.

"Sniff!"

"...Baek Seol-hee, are you done with your talk? Then I'd like to discuss work now."

The director of the Hunter Management Bureau, who had been in the same space the whole time and was clearly the owner of this room,

but had somehow been left out, spoke up.

"Chiefy! Are you a T!?"

* * *

Ugh....

I feel completely drained.

No matter what I said, Ji So-yeon kept looking at me with eyes overflowing with pity.

It seemed like no further words would get through there.

I stopped the Instructor, who was about to charge at the Bureau Director for tactlessly butting in, and quickly finished up Baek Seol-hee's business.

Then I left the Director's Office of the Management Bureau with her.

Well, whatever... for now, Ji So-yeon promised to contact me once the research on raising star ranks is finished. And I got her personal contact info.

Something that normally relies on luck, secured as a certainty.

That's a pretty big win.

If I bring my party members along as extras then, will she do them all?

I was just forming a plan in my head to turn Ji So-yeon into a second Chairwoman when it happened.

"Because of my petty selfishness today... I've brought you here and caused you trouble."

Baek Seol-hee, who had been walking silently beside me, parted her lips.

"...Huh?"

"Didn't I dredge up a past you wanted to keep hidden? If I hadn't brought you to meet her today, none of this would have happened."

Baek Seol-hee's voice was uncharacteristically full of self-reproach.

"What do you mean, Instructor? I'm fine. And if you hadn't brought me here today, I wouldn't have been able to get that promise from Ji So-yeon, would I?"

I said I was really fine, but her furrowed brow showed no sign of easing.

I think I need to change the subject...?

"...Hmm, but what did you mean by a personal motive? Did you have some personal reason for bringing me here, Instructor?"

"...."

At that, Baek Seol-hee's body flinched for a moment, as if she hadn't expected me to ask about that part.

"Honestly, I never imagined I would have a disciple. Not until just a few months ago."

Wondering what she was trying to say, I glanced sideways, and Baek Seol-hee snapped her head away.

"...The truth is, well... my disciple...."

Her voice was getting smaller and smaller.

Not a chance. I immediately activated Detection and caught the shrinking voice.

"...I wanted to sh, show off a little. To a friend."

My eyes went round as I stared at her.

Instructor Baek Seol-hee had this side to her?

Baek Seol-hee had always shown only a cold and composed front in front of me.

Her blunt expression was the default, so I could never read her mind,

but to think she had actually brought me here with that kind of thought....

The corners of my lips were slowly curling upward.

...What's with this gap moe?

Even now she was trying to somehow maintain a cool poker face, but the tip of her chin was faintly twitching.

She seemed quite embarrassed even as she confessed her true feelings.

But when you show me this side, I really can't help myself...?

Ahem!

I suddenly cleared my throat to draw her attention.

Baek Seol-hee's eyes flicked toward me.

"You can brag about me more, you know?"

"You heard all that... No. I don't intend to do any more... I'm currently regretting bringing you here quite a bit, so let's drop this subject here."

Baek Seol-hee tried to change the topic with a voice feigning indifference.

As if.

I can't just let this rare scene slip by.

"Don't tell me... Instructor, are you not proud of me anymore?"

When I spoke in a deflated voice, Baek Seol-hee's eyebrows shot up.

"...What?"

"No, you actually thought your disciple was incredibly outstanding and wanted to show him off to people, but as it turns out, he's just a man with only one star from birth... So now you're embarrassed to show me around?"

"N-no! That's not it!"

Baek Seol-hee raised her voice, flustered openly for the first time.

"I don't hold such thoughts toward you."

"...Then?"

"You are my first disciple. And my last. And what master would shun a disciple who overcomes a slight lack of innate talent through his own effort... If anything, I genuinely think you are more than excellent."

Baek Seol-hee spoke with deep sincerity, enunciating every word as if pressing down hard, apparently quite shocked by what I'd just said.

"You are my disciple. Jin Yu-ha."

Oh man, when you get this serious, my quota-student conscience starts tingling again.

Still, thanks to that, I now knew for sure that Baek Seol-hee was someone who would be on my side.

Hmm, so is it okay to tell her now...?

Kim Ji-won and Ji So-yeon.

The event where the two of them would soon leave this place.

But it's obviously strange for me to know that.

With my party members, I can somehow gloss over it,

but with Instructor Baek Seol-hee, it's a bit different.

Especially since it's something involving the Hunter Management Bureau.

But I can't deny that trusting the true self she just showed me is the fastest path forward.

Because in the current situation, it was hard to find anyone as reliable as her.

I organized my thoughts for a moment and spoke.

Haa—

"Then, Instructor. Can you trust me just this once, no matter what I say? And can you not ask me the reason why?"

When I suddenly brought this up, her eyes wavered slightly, but Baek Seol-hee immediately nodded.

"Yes. I'll do that."

I calmly looked at her, then slowly parted my lips.

"Even if I say there's a Demonized Human ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠here? In the Hunter Management Bureau."

"...A Demonized Human?"

Baek Seol-hee's eyebrows narrowed.

The words were already out. Resigning myself to whatever would happen, I continued speaking.

"I don't know who the Demonized Human is disguised as. But I'm certain that Demonized Human is ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠scheming to get the current Bureau Director and Ji So-yeon demoted."

"How much time do we have?"

Instead of asking how I knew that or for the detailed story, Baek Seol-hee immediately asked how much time was left.

"Probably not much."

"I see...."

Baek Seol-hee hummed low as if pondering for a moment.

"Jin Yu-ha."

"Yes."

"This is certainly not something I can dismiss. I intend to stop it, starting now."

"...Right now?"

"Didn't you say we don't have much time? If so, dealing with it while we're here is the right move."

Wow. My Instructor really doesn't mess around.

"Would you like to come with me?"

"Ah, yes."

"Then from now on, this shall be an additional lesson."

Baek Seol-hee said with a faint chuckle.