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Cold sweat was dripping down Kim Bong-du’s back.

‘Now I have to watch out for a kid’s mood.’

S-Class Hero.

The President of the Hero Academy.

All the fame Kim Bong-du had built up until now was useless.

“Gyeoul, I think there’s been a misunderstanding…”

“What misunderstanding?”

Fortunately, it was just suspicion-based caution for now, not outright hostility.

“I was just observing you because the flow of your magic power seemed unusual, nothing more.”

Jeong Gyeoul, who had rapidly risen from C-Class to A-Class, nodded as if that made sense.

“I see, I’m sorry. I guess I had some prejudice because of your son.”

Jeong Gyeoul had only suspected Kim Bong-du because of Kim Shin, but Kim Bong-du didn’t think it was just that.

He wondered if it might be a scheme by the Demon King to take out both Kim Shin and himself in one go.

But he quickly dismissed that thought.

Jeong Ha-yul isn’t the type to plot so deeply.

If she really wanted the President’s position, she would have come and taken it by force.

“Anyway… sorry for causing a misunderstanding. By the way, can you explain what’s going on with that magic power?”

“Well… you’ll find out eventually. I’ve risen to A-Class.”

“…?”

He had thought it was a magic power rampage, but Jeong Gyeoul’s words were beyond his imagination.

An Awakened One who was C-Class suddenly rising to A-Class?

The difference in magic circuits alone exceeds 100.

Even if it was their first awakening, there had never been a case where an already awakened individual grew so much in an instant.

“If that’s true, tell me what method you used! I’ll reward you accordingly…”

“I’d like to tell you, but I don’t even know how it happened myself.”

Jeong Gyeoul said it as if she didn’t know, even though it was the power she gained by breaking the seal in her mind.

Only the Demon King’s family, Park Seol-hwa, the Queen of England, Heinz from the Clock Tower, and Lee Ha-yoon knew the truth.

She had no intention or reason to reveal it to anyone else.

While the President was talking, the instructor who had gone to the infirmary to get potions returned.

“Take care of your injuries and rest well. Let’s meet again once everything is settled.”

“…Do we really need to meet again?”

Unless Jeong Gyeoul allowed him to investigate or revealed her secrets, he wouldn’t find out anything.

But Kim Bong-du wasn’t asking to see Jeong Gyeoul for that reason.

‘…I’m afraid the Demon King might come and turn everything upside down.’

He couldn’t handle the Demon King’s wrath alone.

Jeong Gyeoul was his only countermeasure.

Kim Bong-du desperately needed Jeong Gyeoul’s help.

***

The Academy decided to temporarily suspend classes.

“Let’s cancel classes on Thursday and Friday and have them rest at home. Four days, including the weekend, should be enough.”

“I agree. The freshmen, who just enrolled, must have been under a lot of stress.”

“Do we really need to do that for the third-years? They’ll face even worse situations after graduation.”

One instructor expressed a negative opinion.

Third-years, after graduation, obtain qualifications from the Hero Association and join guilds or the Association to work.

They were already being trained harshly for that, and if they couldn’t handle this, they didn’t deserve to be called heroes.

“Like you said, they’ll have to work in the field after graduation, but they’re still just candidates. Since we’ve decided to give them a break, let’s send all the students home and handle the aftermath more comfortably.”

“…Understood.”

Every student who enrolls in the Academy leaves a will.

The day after the entrance ceremony, during the first class, every single student must write a will.

Students who aren’t ready to risk their lives are sent home.

In other words, expelled.

They only use training weapons, but all students are Awakened Ones.

Magic-based attacks are exchanged, so anything could happen.

During occasional hero training sessions, they try to be as careful as possible, but incidents can still occur.

The dream job of being a hero is, in reality, as dangerous as it is glamorous.

Every year, nearly a hundred new heroes obtain their qualifications.

But the number of heroes who die that year is just as high.

Of course, no student has died within the Academy yet.

The curriculum is better organized than before, and they find safer methods every year.

The risk of injury and death has significantly decreased.

But having students write wills hasn’t been abolished, so they always live with that resolve.

Since the students enrolled with full awareness, this incident was something they could all handle.

But since it happened so soon after enrollment, they decided to be considerate this time.

“Anyway, let’s end the meeting here. Everyone worked hard, so don’t work today and go home early to rest.”

“Yes, thank you for your hard work.”

The aftermath of the incident was postponed for a day.

Since they were sending the students home anyway, and they had four days, there was no need to rush.

And so.

The students were packing to go home.

“Chae-song unnie, want to come to our house?”

It was the Demon King’s house, which was almost becoming a guesthouse.

It didn’t matter who came, and since Jeong Gyeoul owed Lee Chae-song a bit, she invited her.

Lee Chae-song was startled by Jeong Gyeoul’s casual invitation.

“T-the Demon King’s house?”

“Ha-yul unnie isn’t that scary.”

“It’s not that… Hero Jeong Ha-yul is my role model…”

“No wonder your movements seemed different from your personality. You must have learned from Ha-yul unnie.”

The Demon King’s fighting style isn’t treated as a national secret or anything.

There are videos of monsters being taken down on YouTube, so Lee Chae-song had plenty of ways to learn the Demon King’s movements.

“It would be great if we could train together.”

“W-what? Really?”

Her eyes widened, and she looked even more surprised.

Jeong Gyeoul almost reached out to pat Lee Chae-song’s head but held back.

‘…No. Be polite. Black Flame Dragon.’

Jeong Gyeoul, a true middle schooler of this era, firmly believed that the Black Flame Dragon was sealed in her right hand.

“Gyeoul! We’re here!”

Lee Ha-yoon and Lee Chae-rin, carrying large bags, came to Jeong Gyeoul’s room.

“…Are you moving or something?”

Even though they were just going home, there was no need to pack so much.

Jeong Gyeoul, who still hadn’t completely shaken off her habits from when she lived as a man, only had a simple shopping bag.

“We’ll be staying at your house until Friday.”

“We have plenty of your underwear at our house, and we even brought your toothbrush for the bathroom.”

“…I don’t have any clothes to wear.”

“You can wear my clothes.”

“Your clothes are too small.”

Where is this kid looking?

A lewd gaze lingered around my chest before disappearing.

“Hayan, do you often visit Gyeoul’s house?”

“I stayed there for a while. After awakening, I learned a lot from Ha-yul unnie.”

“Wow, really? I’m jealous… The Demon King must be beautiful in person, right?”

“Yeah, incredibly!”

“…I want to see her too… Will she come to the Academy?”

“She might come later, but if you want to see her, come with us. We invited Chae-song unnie earlier, so it’s easier to go together.”

The house is big, and there are plenty of rooms.

Jeong Ha-yul, who was worried about Jeong Gyeoul not making friends at the Academy, would be happy if she brought friends home.

“Really, is that okay?”

“Of course.”

“Ahhh! Not only meeting the Demon King but also sleeping under the same roof! It’s like a dream!”

“Ch-Chae-rin! Don’t act like a kid when we get there!”

Lee Chae-song, trying to calm down the excited Lee Chae-rin, also had a flushed face.

***

Beep beep beep beep beep—

“What’s that?”

Suddenly, there was a sound of someone pressing the door lock.

Everyone who knew the password was sitting on the sofa.

“Who is it? Did anyone give the password to someone else?”

“No, I didn’t even tell my mom…”

“Is it a stalker or paparazzi?”

Beep—

“…But they entered the password in one go?”

“Is it Gyeoul?”

“Gyeoul won’t be here until Saturday…”

“Go check, Ha-yul.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah, it might be a villain. You should go.”

Despite worrying about villains, they didn’t even take their eyes off the TV.

It was Jeong Ha-yul’s house after all.

No matter who came, it wouldn’t be a problem.

“…At least pretend to be scared when you say that.”

“Ah, I’m so scared! Hero Jeong Ha-yul! Please save us!”

Eun-chae said in a lifeless voice towards Jeong Ha-yul.

Still not taking her eyes off the TV.

“…Cut it out.”

Jeong Ha-yul got up from the sofa and headed to the entrance.

“Ah, unnie. I’m home.”

“…?”

“…?”

Silence fell between Jeong Gyeoul, who was taking off her shoes, and Jeong Ha-yul, who had come to the entrance.

“Did you get expelled?”

“…What nonsense.”

“Or suspended?”

“No!”

Jeong Ha-yul looked at Jeong Gyeoul suspiciously.

“…Then why are you home on a weekday?”

“Unnie! I’m here too!”

“Hayan too?”

“Ah, hello!”

“Hello, Demon King!”

“…Did all four of you cause trouble together?”

“No, we didn’t!”

Lee Ha-yoon, Lee Chae-song, and Lee Chae-rin followed Jeong Gyeoul inside.

Jeong Ha-yul’s expression looked like a question mark was floating above her head.

 

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