Chapter 57


We eventually decided to return to Korea.

There was also the earnest request of Team Leader Jeong Ho-min, now the Association President.

Lately, public opinion in Korea has been leaning towards supporting Jeong Ha-yul.

It was only natural that the crime rate in Korea increased while Jeong Ha-yul was away.

Just a few days ago, a Disaster Species appeared in Icheon, Gyeonggi Province, turning the area into a wasteland.

Amidst all this, if they keep bothering me with talk about the youngest Awakened One, it’s like saying we should all just go down together.

Moreover, reporter Kim Bit-na exclusively broke the news about the recent attacks by the Triad and Crime Pub.

Many have been urging us to leave dangerous England and return to Korea.

In reality, they probably just want us to come back and protect them.

From Jeong Ha-yul’s perspective, whether it’s England or Korea, the level of danger isn’t much different.

“Before Gyeoul enters Hero Academy, the major media outlets have agreed to an embargo.”

“If things go south again this time, let’s just immigrate to England or the US.”

“Yeah, that could be a solution. There’s no need to insist on staying in Korea. Eun-chae and I have no problem with English, and you guys have superhuman translation skills.”

An embargo on Jeong Gyeoul until she enters Hero Academy.

Jeong Ha-yul’s return was decided on the condition of strengthening security for the Demon King’s family.

Of course, we can’t control all the media vultures looking for clicks, so we agreed to compromise to some extent.

If any media outlet crosses the line, the government will handle it with audits and such.

We began saying our goodbyes to the connections we made in England.

The people of the Clock Tower, the royal family.

And finally… the people of the mansion.

“So… I think it’s time for us to go now. Thank you for everything, Butler.”

“It’s a shame. If you ever visit England again, I’ll be here to serve you. And… it’s not much of a gift, but please take Loki with you.”

“Huh? Loki? Are you sure?”

“He follows Gyeoul more than me, so I think he’d want to go with you.”

“Meow!”

“Really? You want to come with us, Loki?”

“Meow!”

Rubbing his face against my leg and jumping onto my head was his way of answering.

“Then… goodbye! Take care!”

***

Thanks to Park Seol-hwa, who somehow knew and sent a private jet, we arrived comfortably in Korea.

We headed straight to Infinite Cheongdam as soon as we landed.

I missed it so much. My home!

Of course, the mansion in England was impressive too… but I think modern aesthetics suit me better.

“This trip was fun, right?”

Ha-yul spoke up as she sat on the sofa.

“Except for spending the last part in the hospital.”

“England is great, but every time we go, there’s an attack. Why does that keep happening?”

Kang-woo, sprawled on the sofa, raised a question while holding a cushion.

“Is Korea any different? The Jo Se-hee kidnapping, the Jack the Ripper attack.”

“True, at this point…”

Eun-chae, also sprawled, had a cushion in her hand.

Kang-woo and Eun-chae turned their heads towards me.

Why. What.

“…Why are you looking at me!”

I used telekinesis to float the remaining cushions and arrange them in the air.

Thanks to my long tenure as the youngest, I know what’s coming.

The signs of a random pillow fight were there.

“Meow!”

With Loki joining my side, it quickly became a 2v2 situation.

A tense moment.

Just as a pillow fight, possibly to celebrate our return, was about to break out.

“Stop it and unpack first! If you start playing right after arriving, who’s going to clean up?”

The landlord intervened.

The mood was ruined.

“…I thought we were finally going to have a match.”

“She’s the one who gets the most excited once it starts.”

“Unnie isn’t wrong at all. Stop it and get moving.”

Though it’s not my place to say, having used telekinesis in a pillow fight.

It’s not good to upset the landlord.

“…Gyeoul has changed.”

“Oppa. Be honest, she’s always been like that. A master of social maneuvering, the best tightrope walker.”

There seems to be a slight misunderstanding.

Jeong Ha-yul has already started cleaning.

I should help too.

“Hurry up and move! How long are you going to stay like that!”

“Ah, yes! Coming, Representative Jeong!”

Before I knew it, I went from the bottom of the hierarchy to second place.

Well done.

***

“Gyeoul!”

“Hayan!”

My healing partner. Lee Hayan.

Long time no see!

Hayan has become even cuter and prettier since I last saw her.

How much more amazing will she become when she grows up, already this beautiful!

“I missed you!”

“Me too, how have you been?”

“Good! I’ve been staying close with Jeong-min and have become friends with Su-chan and his friends.”

“…?”

Who’s Su-chan.

“…You don’t remember?”

“Honestly, I have no idea who that is.”

“The guy who brought his gang because you took his top spot… You really don’t remember?”

Ah! That guy!

The one who got beaten up and became my subordinate number two.

You should say subordinate number two, how would I know if you say Su-chan.

But why are there only boys around Hayan?

It’s quite concerning that these dark boys are clinging to our cute and pretty Hayan.

Could it be… both of them have a crush on Hayan and are following her around.

-Please give me Hayan!

A terrifying future is being painted in my mind.

“Hayan, listen carefully, all men are wolves.”

“Wolves? Big doggies?”

“No, not cute like doggies, get a grip!”

“Ah, got it. But what’s that cat?”

“It’s a cat I got from England. His name is Loki. He’s very shy…”

“Meow!”

“Huh? What did you say?”

I was about to explain that he’s very shy, but he’s rubbing his face against Hayan’s hand.

“…Never mind.”

Seeing how he avoids Eun-chae and Ha-yul, it’s not like he’s picky about faces.

Maybe he just likes kids?

If he gets along with Hayan, that’s good for me.

“Let’s head down, the knight must be waiting.”

Jeong Ha-yul said she’ll be extremely busy for a while due to Jeong Ho-min pushing requests as soon as she arrived, so I ended up going to school with Hayan.

My daily life hasn’t changed much from before.

After school, I hang out with Hayan and the little kids, perfectly mimicking an elementary school student, and in the evening, I attend classes at the Clock Tower taught by Lin Hazel.

Weekends are usually spent one day with Hayan and one day with family.

Sometimes, if Lin has work, that day becomes a play day too.

On such days, I go to Hayan’s house to play.

….

Anyway, Hayan is cute and pretty.

Jo Se-hee returned to Korea following reporter Kim Bit-na.

Sometimes, she comes over at night with alcohol, heavily criticizes the team leader… no, the Association President, and then sleeps over.

I don’t know why she comes to my room drunk and sleeps there.

Even if Jeong Ha-yul moves her to an empty room, she wakes up next to me in the morning.

Is she relieving the stress from work by smelling like alcohol next to me?

It’s a strange drinking habit.

After the Commonwealth’s declaration of war, China, like someone with a fire on their foot, hastily offered a few Triad executives as sacrifices to peacefully? conclude the situation.

Thanks to that, the insane incidents like attacks and kidnappings have disappeared.

The media also lost interest in me.

Thus, peaceful times passed.

Before I knew it, five years had gone by, and I turned 14 in February of that year.

The graduation ceremony arrived.

-Ah. Ah. Mic test.

“…Do we really have to have a graduation ceremony?”

“Of course, they say all that’s left are photos. It’s advantageous to have graduation photos for networking later.”

“Gyeoul, you’re too jaded, just like our unnie.”

Lee Ha-yoon….

I often ran into her while playing with Hayan.

I can tell that’s definitely not a compliment.

With tired, zombie-like eyes, she either collapses into bed without changing clothes or crawls around, barely managing to wash up and sleep.

She even sighs deeply with dead fish eyes when going to work.

“Don’t you think that’s a bit harsh?”

“…Sorry. Was comparing you to unnie a bit much?”

Hayan seems to have hit puberty.

The cute charm from her childhood has faded a bit, and she’s become much more cheeky.

But she’s pretty, so I’ll let it slide.

“I’m already bored, I just want to eat jajangmyeon after this.”

And… Jeong-min.

I’ve been keeping my distance lately.

His eyes look impure.

I have a bad feeling he’s going to confess soon.

I can tell even without my intuition.

That guy… is dangerous.

Until a few years ago, I thought it was Hayan, but it’s me.

As boys entered the upper grades of elementary school, many started noticing the opposite sex.

Because of that, Hayan and I received confessions almost daily, rejected them all decisively, and earned the nickname ‘Witches of Cheongdam.’

I don’t know why we’re always labeled as witches.

It’s a good thing we were born in this era, or we might have ended up at the stake.

-Today, we celebrate the graduation of our students. We thank all the distinguished guests who have taken time out of their busy schedules to attend. We also extend our deepest gratitude to the parents who have devotedly supported their children and to the teachers who have taught them with deep affection and dedication. Now, as our graduates leave this beloved campus after six years, carrying new hopes and dreams, we, on behalf of the entire faculty, sincerely congratulate them and offer our warm applause…

“Ugh, it’s started!”

“This is practically torture…”

Complaints erupted from students here and there.

Honestly, I think pep talks are a bad practice.

Pep talks, really…

If I ever rise to a position where I lead or teach people.

I will absolutely give pep talks…

Isn’t that a show of authority?

I’ll do it for an hour every morning assembly.

The biggest change in me during elementary school.

Was my personality breakdown.

I knew it was coming, but when it did, I felt like destroying the earth with the blessings of nature.

And at the same time, puberty kicked in.

-Today, you step out of the embrace of your respected teachers and beloved school, taking your first steps into a more mature world. Dear graduates… uh… the mic suddenly…

I, the little Demon King Jeong Gyeoul.

Never tolerate boredom.

I kept fiddling with the mic cable using telekinesis, turning the mic into a mess, and forcibly ended the pep talk.

I glanced at Jeong Ha-yul, but she just nodded at me.

A silent affirmation.

But the principal was stronger than I thought.

Unfazed, he put down the mic and picked up a megaphone.

Damn. Why is there a megaphone here.

-Today’s graduation is not something that just happened. It is the tremendous glory you have achieved by overcoming despair, trials, and pain every day. I think the reward and joy will be great. However, the sadness of leaving this beloved campus, your teachers, and friends is also not small. Dear graduates…

I felt a crushing sense of defeat for the first time in a while.

Dear graduates, six times.

One more word, eight times.

Also, thirteen times.

After hearing it four more times.

-May glory and luck be with you in your future.

The long, long pep talk from the principal villain finally ended.