The Gathering of the Supporting Characters
Nam Dohyeong, having emerged from the tunnel, sensed that shit had hit the fan.
The gazes directed at him and the atmosphere in the classroom were anything but normal.
'Shit. Did I come out too quickly?'
Logically, exiting such a tunnel wouldn't be easy.
Even talented people probably wouldn't take less than ten minutes, right?
But he had killed the curse with Instant Death and dashed out.
Even if it was just a trainee, Mi Shin-ah, who had personally created him, would know this was unbelievable.
'No, I had no choice.'
He had truly felt the threat to his life.
Even with Instant Death used, another curse was about to appear.
For him, there was no other way but to exit the tunnel as quickly as possible.
'The time was fast, so I could somehow cover it up...'
The problem was the existence of Instant Death.
Mi Shin-ah might suspect him due to the excessive speed and dig into the secret.
If the existence of Instant Death was revealed, from that day on, his life would be in danger.
“Hmm! Hmm! This is really surprising?”
Standing there dumbfounded, Mi Shin-ah slowly approached him.
“I never expected you to pass through my tunnel this quickly. Truly impressive spiritual energy for a top student.”
Mi Shin-ah spoke with an enchanting smile.
Seeing that, Nam Dohyeong realized the atmosphere was a bit different from what he had expected.
'Huh? Did she not suspect me of using some special means?'
If he had been an ordinary trainee, he would have been suspected of cheating.
But he was this year's top student at Cheonjihae.
It seemed she mistook his absurd talent for something else.
'...Good. I'll just cover it up with this!'
After trying it a few times, he had started to get the hang of it.
Realizing the situation, he immediately lowered his voice and said,
“Yes. It wasn't that difficult. I just walked a little faster to get out.”
“It wasn't difficult, huh... Well, that explains the record.”
Mi Shin-ah nodded.
From her expression, she seemed ready to move on with “Top student just improved~”
'Good. For now, no worry about Instant Death being exposed.'
Relieved, Mi Shin-ah suddenly said something he hadn't expected.
“Are you thinking of joining the curse team? I want to teach you myself. Or perhaps start as an assistant?”
The mouths of the other trainees gaped open.
On the very first day, the team leader was offering to recruit them below her.
Once you became a Cheonjihae instructor, you weren't just a team leader.
In fact, it was basically saying she would raise you as the branch representative, so come under me.
Moreover, this wasn't his first time.
“Wow, didn't you get the same offer during the martial combat class?”
“What? Really?”
“The instructors are fighting over recruits from the first day? You're something else, man.”
Mi Shin-ah caught the trainees' words and frowned.
“During the martial combat class? Did Han Sujin really offer you a scout?”
“Ah... yes. She suggested I learn martial combat.”
“Hmph! Muscles and brains see the same thing.”
She said that, then slightly panicked.
Han Sujin and Mi Shin-ah were famous rivals.
Completely opposing specializations in martial arts and curses.
Plus, their fundamental personalities didn't match at all.
“That woman isn't bad? It's better to have elegant curses than to smell like sweat.”
“Aha ha...”
Don't ask “Your major's personality isn't great?” in front of newbies!
One wrong move and your company life could be ruined!
“In my opinion, your talent is too precious to waste on martial arts. Just come under me.”
“Since it's the beginning of my employment, I'll think about it. I haven't decided what I'll learn yet.”
He had no intention of joining anywhere right now.
'If I did, she'd immediately see through my mediocre act.'
Not a regular employee, at least not until intern. He had to maintain a decent genius facade until then.
“Oh~ You know how to raise your own value. I like that calculating side.”
...What was she talking about?
It was just that his talent was a complete piece of crap.
“Very well. I'll slowly show you the charms of curses. Look forward to it.”
Mi Shin-ah smiled coldly at him.
He wondered if he had stepped on a landmine.
“She's getting special treatment wherever she goes.”
“Because she has that kind of talent.”
“I'm jealous. I wish I could get that kind of treatment too...”
The jealousy of his peers rose even higher with that.
As expected, being noticed was only bad.
'Sigh. How did my situation end up like this? My goal was just to leech off a decent corporation.'
He slowly returned to his seat.
Whether they were watching him or not, class was still ongoing.
Mi Shin-ah continued with the tunnel test.
“From now on, enter one by one from the right. If you feel it's too hard and want to give up, just shout.”
'Giving up... was an option?'
Then why didn't she tell him that?
Inside, Nam Dohyeong's favorability toward Mi Shin-ah dropped slightly.
Finally, the class ended and lunch time arrived.
Nam Dohyeong and Yu Eun-hye found the company cafeteria together.
Although they were trainees, they were full employees, so they could use the cafeteria.
'I heard Cheonjihae has amazing food.'
The company cafeteria at Cheonjihae served top-tier cuisine.
Even better, every menu was free!
It was a glimpse into the prestige and capital of the best exorcism company in Korea.
“Wow... Eating company food is kind of amazing. I'm looking forward to it.”
Yu Eun-hye had an excited expression at the idea of going to the cafeteria.
“But is it really okay? Eating with someone like me...”
“Hey, hey. What are you saying? If you don't have anyone, I have to eat alone too.”
“Hehe... I see.”
Yu Eun-hye seemed to have no meal buddy, so he brought her along.
He had been marked for various reasons and couldn't make friends with his peers.
Yu Eun-hye seemed to be influenced by being close to him.
'No? Eun-hye probably ate alone anyway.'
She had that image of secretly eating kimbap in the bathroom.
To be safe, he had to keep bringing her along.
“Good. I ate all the Cheonjihae ramen today.”
“You like ramen?”
“Ramen never disappoints me.”
They chatted about the menu as they arrived at the cafeteria.
But at the entrance, a woman with a knife sheathed at her waist stood quietly.
“Who is that? I don't recognize the face.”
“There was a pretty person?”
“She's a trainee. But why is she standing alone?”
Because of her beauty, the gazes of passing employees poured out.
But the atmosphere she gave off was so fierce that they couldn't bring themselves to speak.
'What is she doing here?'
It was none other than Cheok Jiyeon.
She stood with a serious expression, then spotted him and waved.
“Nam Dohyeong. You're finally here.”
...She had been waiting for him.
No, why?
“Did we have a meeting scheduled?”
“What are you talking about? We promised to buy you lunch as repayment.”
“Ah.”
Now that he thought about it, at the entrance ceremony she had said thank you and promised to buy him a meal later.
'I didn't know she remembered that promise so literally.'
It felt like the line “When humanity reaches space, ghosts will float in space too~”
Did she not understand Korean?
Well, if it was Cheok Jiyeon who avoided human relationships, maybe.
“I waited since I came first, but you didn't show up, so I thought you forgot.”
“I should have told you earlier.”
“You promised to repay Eun-hye, so why do you need to say it again?”
This side of hers felt very Cheok Jiyeon-like.
Once she decided on something, she ran straight for it.
“By the way, our company cafeteria is free for employees.”
“Ah.”
Confusion spread across Cheok Jiyeon's face.
She hadn't expected it to be free.
'She has a bit of a gullible side after all.'
In the original, she felt like a real sword saint, but seeing her up close gave off a human warmth.
“It's fine. Buy me dessert later instead.”
“Um... I got it. Sorry.”
“I waited hard. Want to eat together? Ah, Eun-hye, it's okay though?”
At his question, Yu Eun-hye, who had been dazed, quickly nodded.
“Ah, yes! I mean, yeah! It's okay!”
“By the way, this side...”
“Ah, I'm Yu Eun-hye! I joined on the same day.”
“Cheok Jiyeon.”
Cheok Jiyeon said that, then hesitated briefly before adding,
“...Please take care of me.”
“Ah, yes!”
After the greeting, an awkward atmosphere spread.
Both of them had desperately low communication skills.
Well, it was normal for first meetings.
“Shall we go? There are a lot of people at lunch.”
They ordered and sat down.
It was the style where you call the number when the food comes like a lounge.
By the way, all three of them ordered ramen.
When he ordered first, Cheok Jiyeon followed suit, and Yu Eun-hye, watching with a glance, also ordered ramen.
'...Some strange combination was made.'
Both were supporting characters who were slightly distanced from the main story in the original.
They weren't even characters to him now.
They were basically extra fodder.
“Ah, the number's up. I'll go get it.”
“I'll go with you.”
“No need. I can do it alone.”
Cheok Jiyeon stood up first and left.
She was probably still worrying about the “repay Eun-hye” thing.
“...Dohyeong is really amazing.”
“Huh? What all of a sudden?”
“Well, you know Cheok Jiyeon. She's a big celebrity.”
Yu Eun-hye seemed to know about Cheok Jiyeon.
'Of course, it would be strange if she didn't know.'
The tragedy that happened in the Cheok family was famous even among exorcists and ordinary people.
No matter how little connections you had, you would have heard about it.
“Does Jiyeon feel uncomfortable? Because I got involved.”
“N-no, that's not possible!”
Yu Eun-hye waved her hands urgently.
“Rather, it's pitiful... It's sad. My parents also died to an anomaly.”
“Actually, I did too.”
“Really?”
“Pfft... No, it's true.”
Even in his previous life, Nam Dohyeong had no parents.
So he lived only with his younger sister.
'Somehow, only orphans gathered here. Then the protagonist grew up in an orphanage.'
In the game setting, many exorcists lost their families.
It was talent, but the closer to death, the higher the chance of spiritual power blooming.
“I was sad too, but I could accept it. Anomalies are like disasters.”
Yu Eun-hye said cautiously.
“But if a family dies at the hands of family, it would be too sad.”
Perhaps because she had also lost her family and remained alone.
Yu Eun-hye seemed to have something in common with Cheok Jiyeon.
“...If you're okay with it, get along well with her. We have to help each other as peers.”
“Yes!”
Yu Eun-hye nodded vigorously as if she had made up her mind.
“Eh... But does Cheok Jiyeon want to be friends with someone like me? Is it rude?”
She turned back into a cowardly hamster in less than a second.
“Probably not. She seems weak to her own people.”
“She didn't seem like a bad person...”
After chatting for a while, Cheok Jiyeon returned.
“I brought it.”
“Thank you... But what's this food?”
“Huh? It's for eating, of course.”
“Who eats three bowls of rice with one ramen!”
Cheok Jiyeon had brought rice because ramen wasn't enough.
The problem was that it was three bowls.
She had even gone out of her way to prepare for them.
They had to face a total of nine bowls of rice.
“Did you come from the carbohydrate addiction association? The broth is so thick I can't see it.”
“Don't normal people eat this much? That's how you build strength.”
“Normal people usually have one bowl of rice with their ramen.”
“Really? How do you survive on that?”
“Aha ha! Jiyeon is too funny!”
At Yu Eun-hye's words, both of them turned to her.
She jumped in surprise and covered her mouth.
“Ah, s-sorry. I got too comfortable seeing the two of you and...!”
“...No. You can call us casually.”
They continued to vigorously demolish the ramen and rice.
By the way, the remaining rice was all eaten by Cheok Jiyeon.