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Only 15 minutes left until the Hero Association.

It doesn’t seem like Jo Se-hee will just let herself arrive at the Association quietly.

She’ll probably hijack the bus or kidnap someone.

It can’t be Choi Jeong-min…

Is it Lee Ha-yan?

Or… is it me?

There’s no way to know who the Great Thief’s target is.

I need to send a text to Jeong Ha-yul using Ttukttak’s phone within 15 minutes…

But Jo Se-hee is sitting right next to me.

“Teacher!”

“Did you call me?”

I called Ttukttak just in case, and he came over to me.

But Jo Se-hee came along too.

“Se-hee, you can just relax… You only need to help guide us when we arrive.”

“But I came as a helper. I want to help with anything.”

“Wow… Your heart is as beautiful as your face.”

“You’re too kind. But you’re the one who’s truly beautiful.”

…What nonsense.

While the two of them were busy flirting, I almost managed to sneak Ttukttak’s phone out of his pocket…

But Jo Se-hee leaned in right in front of me, and I failed.

“Why did our friend Gyeoul call you, Teacher?”

“…Uh, Jeong-min said he really needs to pee.”

“Hey! When did I…”

Just as Jeong-min was about to protest being falsely accused in front of a beauty…

I glared at him and gave him a silent threat.

“…I think that’s what he said.”

“Puhahaha! Choi Jeong-min needs to pee!”

“Vice President, you’re gross!”

Of course, the bus erupted into chaos.

“No, no! I didn’t pee!”

Damn it.

I tried to use Jeong-min as an excuse to stop the bus for a moment, but he’s hopeless.

My honor and pride are on the line, but what can I do?

“I need to go to the bathroom too.”

“Puhahaha! Jeong Gyeoul needs to pee… Why aren’t you teasing her?”

The kids who were teasing Jeong-min switched targets.

“You shouldn’t tease a girl, Jeong-min.”

“That’s not very gentlemanly.”

“Gyeoul is scary, you know.”

“…”

The atmosphere was completely different from when they were teasing Jeong-min.

It’s been over a month since I joined Class 5 and shared a classroom with them.

Could it be that I, an 8-year-old, couldn’t control them?

The only one who’s out of control is Choi Jeong-min.

The girls started following me from the beginning for some reason.

The boys, being typical elementary school kids, tried to play pranks on me.

But if they tried to trip me, I kicked them back.

If they tried to hit me, I grabbed their wrists and twisted them.

And I’ve never lost in any physical games.

After a few repetitions, the boys became obedient little kids.

Eventually… without realizing it, I became the boss of Class 5.

At first, it was really embarrassing…

‘I didn’t know it would be this useful.’

“Don’t you guys need to go to the bathroom too?”

“Huh? Oh! I need to go!”

“Teacher, I need to go too!”

“I want to go to the bathroom!”

“Wait, kids…”

The flustered Ttukttak went to talk to the bus driver.

The kids were still making a fuss about going to the bathroom.

Jo Se-hee stared at me intently from her seat and blocked the sound with her magic.

“Shall we have a little chat, sis?”

“…Your stare is making me uncomfortable. Can you tone it down?”

“What are you trying to achieve by inciting the kids, little one?”

“And what are you trying to achieve by boarding this bus?”

“Oh? I’m just a helper for your field trip today.”

“Save that nonsense for Choi Jeong-min… What’s your goal? No, who’s your target?”

“Every time I see you, I’m impressed. You’re so smart and cute. I can even feel some magic from you.”

“…What magic does an 8-year-old have?”

My magic is hidden by Jeong Ha-yul every morning.

She assured me that unless I actively draw on my magic, it won’t be revealed.

But… did she notice it?

Is Jo Se-hee just that perceptive, or did Jeong Ha-yul, who’s only good at punching, make a mistake?

“Can you feel something latent in my body? It’s the first time I’ve felt magic before awakening… You’ll be interesting to watch after awakening. Well, being Jeong Ha-yul’s descendant, it’s possible… I think I’ll take the little one next to me.”

“…Hayan?”

As soon as she declared her intention to kidnap Hayan right in front of me, Hayan’s pupils started shaking.

“Lee Ha-yoon hid the ring so well that I can’t find it.”

“Adults should solve their own problems without involving kids, right?”

“But… you’re a weak and pitiful villain, aren’t you? You don’t have someone like Jeong Ha-yul to help you, so you have to resort to this. Don’t worry, I won’t hurt her.”

“Then I’ll go too. I can’t let Hayan go alone.”

“That’s not going to happen. I don’t want to make an enemy of the Demon King.”

“If that’s the condition, then you can’t take her.”

“Puhaha, you think you can stop me?”

If Jo Se-hee uses her full power, it’s obvious I’ll lose.

But… Jo Se-hee, who doesn’t want to make an enemy of Jeong Ha-yul, won’t hurt me.

If I use my telekinesis to resist, maybe I can buy some time, right?

“I don’t think I can’t do it.”

“Kid… you’re going to get hurt.”

The pressure I felt when Jo Se-hee suddenly turned serious was overwhelming.

“…Is our sister not scary to you?”

“Jeong Ha-yul is far away, and I’m right next to you. Aren’t you the one who’s not scared of me?”

“I’m almost certain you can’t touch me.”

Jo Se-hee returned to her cheerful smile as if nothing had happened.

“Puhaha, you’re really something. Alright, you can come too.”

***

Jeong Ha-yul was sitting in the Korean Hero Association’s Head Office.

She was there to watch Jeong Gyeoul play cutely with her classmates during the field trip.

She was having tea with the Association Head during her visit to the Hero Association.

An employee burst in without knocking and delivered shocking news.

“…What did you just say?”

“Considering that the person who reported it is Choi Ye-na, a teacher at Cheongdam Elementary School, it’s quite credible…”

Crunch—

The armrest of the chair Jeong Ha-yul was sitting on shattered.

“Location?”

“The report came from near Jamsu Bridge.”

“Who’s asking about the reporter’s location? I’m asking where the Great Thief is right now.”

A ferocious surge of magic began to swirl in the Head Office.

“Ugh, the Great Thief’s location is still…”

“Find the location within five minutes and call me.”

“Yes, yes!”

The employee, unable to withstand the pressure, ran out as if fleeing.

The Association Head stepped in to calm Jeong Ha-yul down.

“Calm down, Hero Jeong Ha-yul.”

“…Calm down? My sister has been kidnapped.”

“The Great Thief is famous for not harming people. Gyeoul will be safe. We’ll mobilize all the Association’s resources to find her as quickly as possible.”

Not harming people is the third of the Great Thief’s seven principles.

And the Great Thief has never broken these principles, even before awakening.

The pressure in the room eased slightly at the Association Head’s words.

“I’ll move separately. Call me when you find her.”

“Ah, Hero. About the infant suit you mentioned last time… Where are you going in such a hurry?”

An employee who had brought the infant suit made for Jeong Gyeoul asked the Association Head in confusion.

“Sound the emergency alert immediately. Level 1.”

“Has a doomsday monster appeared?”

“The Demon King’s sister has been kidnapped.”

“…I’ll convene the emergency committee immediately.”

When a Level 1 emergency is declared, all heroes affiliated with the Association are mobilized.

At the same time, the Emergency Response Committee is convened, and all department heads and above gather in the meeting room.

There have only been three Level 1 emergencies since the Association’s founding.

When a doomsday monster appeared in Japanese waters.

When a large number of awakened ones invaded from North Korea.

When villains occupied the Blue House.

No one expected the fourth Level 1 emergency in years to be over a kidnapping.

But that child is the Demon King Jeong Ha-yul’s beloved sister.

If the child were to die because of this incident?

South Korea would have to face an awakened one more violent, ferocious, and intelligent than a doomsday monster.

“I told you we should have sent staff to protect that child!”

“The protection was just an excuse to monitor Jeong Ha-yul’s movements! Are you changing your story now?”

“You’re talking nonsense! Can you say that in front of the Demon King? Don’t make reckless comments behind her back!”

“You’re the one talking nonsense!”

“What? You? You’ve gone too far!”

It was a scene more fitting for the National Assembly.

The first Level 1 emergency in years was enough to make everyone tense and aggressive.

“This isn’t the time for us to fight among ourselves. The Great Thief has a principle of not harming people, but the Great Thief is still a villain. Can anyone here guarantee that she’ll uphold that principle forever?”

“That’s right! If Jeong Gyeoul gets hurt, or worse, dies… It could lead to an uncontrollable situation.”

“I have a slightly different opinion… Even if she’s the Demon King’s sister, it’s been revealed that she’s not her biological sister. Even if she were, would the Demon King go that far?”

“I agree. Everyone is too afraid of the Demon King. We have four S-Class heroes in Korea besides the Demon King. Is it really necessary to overreact like this? Could the Demon King really win against four S-Class heroes?”

The Association Head, who had been watching the situation, stepped in.

“Now, now. If fighting among ourselves could solve the problem, that would be great, but the child’s life depends on the Great Thief. What happens after that is up to Hero Jeong Ha-yul. All we can do is locate the Great Thief as quickly as possible and inform Jeong Ha-yul while providing support.

Have we located her yet?”

“The last check was three minutes ago near Jamsil.”

“From Jamsu Bridge to Jamsil? Where is she trying to go?”

“Kidnapping… Jamsil direction… Could it be Namhansan?”

“That’s a possibility. Let’s keep that in mind while checking.”

At that moment.

The youngest-looking team leader in the meeting room voiced his opinion.

“…Could it be Starfield in Hanam?”

“Are you joking? Are you saying the kidnapper took the hostages to go play?”

“…Sorry.”

“Since it’s Jamsil, are you going to say they went to Lotte World? Seriously. In such an important meeting…”

Although the Emergency Response Committee is a place where anyone can speak freely regardless of rank…

Team leaders who were recently promoted had no choice but to back down when talked down to like this.

At that moment, the Great Thief Jo Se-hee and the kidnapped children were…

“…Is this right?”

“Kyaha! Sis! Let’s do this next!”

“Alright! After this, let’s try that too!”

They were having a blast at Hanam Starfield.

‘…Am I the only one worried?’

Even the kidnapper Jo Se-hee was having fun.

As someone who could roughly predict the repercussions of this kidnapping, Jeong Gyeoul couldn’t understand Jo Se-hee at all.

 

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