---

The Korean Hero Association has entered emergency measures for the first time in a while.

“Did you pack all the protective suits?”

“Yes, I even charged the walkie-talkies.”

“Sigh… What kind of lightning bolt is this?”

From the Special Monster Protective Suits to the walkie-talkies, they were dressed as if they were about to jump into a monster raid at any moment.

“…I heard it was the Association Head’s unilateral decision. Do we really need to go this far?”

“…We don’t know what might happen, so it’s better to be fully prepared.”

“I’ve also unlocked the secret passage. If things go south, we’ll just bolt.”

It wasn’t just them being overly cautious—every team in the entire association was in the same situation.

“Anyway, if you see Baek Kang-woo’s vehicle or hear that Hero Jeong Gyeoul has appeared in the sky, you must stay hidden.”

“But… do we really need to go this far? Would they really destroy the association?”

“You must not keep up with industry news because you’re always working… Right now, Jeong Gyeoul is scarier than Jeong Ha-yul.”

“…Is she some kind of tyrant or something?”

“If only it were that simple. Jeong Gyeoul is pure evil. Thanks to her, I’ve converted to the Theory of Original Sin.”

An employee who originally believed in the Theory of Goodness reportedly switched to the Theory of Evil because of Jeong Gyeoul.

“But hasn’t she actually caused any major incidents? Looking at the records, she seems more like a victim. Kidnapped, nearly assassinated, taken hostage, terrorized… Isn’t she just a pitiful girl? In the midst of all that, she protected people, saved her schoolmates, and defeated villains. If you divide it into good and evil, she’s clearly on the side of good.”

“Yeah, you think that way too. To me, Jeong Gyeoul is evil. You’d understand if you had worked with the VIP team…”

To an employee who was diagnosed with hair loss due to extreme stress, Jeong Gyeoul was the embodiment of evil.

An employee who had never been afraid of going to work in over a decade would show up on days scheduled for collaboration with the VIP team, looking like livestock being led to slaughter.

“Anyway, let’s close the security doors and get back to work… We can’t stop working just because we don’t know when she’ll show up.”

Some say that even if a zombie pandemic broke out, Koreans would still go to work.

The association employees also couldn’t stop working, even though they anticipated a disturbance caused by Jeong Gyeoul.

They just hoped the fallout would spare them.

‘Actually, if Jeong Gyeoul just beats up the Association Head, wouldn’t that be enough?’

They were even considering guiding Jeong Gyeoul straight to the Association Head’s Office as soon as she arrived.

Two days passed.

As time went on, there was no news.

Instead of feeling relieved, people grew even more fearful.

‘Damn it, how big of a mess is she planning to make, staying this quiet?’

The sky was dark, covered in thick clouds.

Employees checked the security doors in the office and brought supplies inside, securing them tightly.

It was truly the calm before the storm.

***

As the symbol of righteous living, I woke up early in the morning (after 30 hours) and ate the meal Eun-chae prepared for me.

Then I headed straight to the association.

“Why’s the weather like this?”

The sky was gloomy, looking like it was about to pour rain.

I briefly considered going back inside, but since I had already washed up and prepared, I decided to keep moving.

If you draw your sword, you might as well cut something.

Forget about the nonsense I spouted to Satan about the “Ten Years of Resentment” or whatever.

It was nonsense anyway.

Since this wasn’t official business and I was just going to fight the Association Head, I didn’t need to involve Kang-woo, so I took a taxi to the association.

“Please take me to the main entrance of the Hero Association.”

“Are you going for a hero aptitude test?”

“…Huh?”

“Well, these days, kids your age all dream of becoming heroes, not celebrities.”

Taxi drivers are all chatterboxes.

This is why I usually avoid taking taxis.

In my past life, I could shut them up with nonsense like “I just got out of prison,” but now, I look like a minor to anyone who sees me.

That kind of nonsense wouldn’t work now.

“My daughter also just entered the academy as a hero.”

To be precise, she’s a “hero aspirant.” Just because you enter the academy doesn’t mean you become a hero.

But correcting him would probably earn me some curses, so I just listened quietly.

“They say she’s the top prospect at the academy. I didn’t do much for her, but she’s so grateful.”

“Hahaha… That’s impressive.”

“You should aim for good results too, like my daughter…”

“Haha, yeah.”

“It might be hard to be like my daughter, but don’t give up. Whether you’re D-rank or E-rank, being a hero is what matters.”

Who the heck is his daughter?

If this is fate, then if she’s one of our Owls, I should take good care of her.

“That’s impressive. By the way, what’s your daughter’s name…?”

“You might become seniors and juniors later. Her name is Kim Min-ji. If you meet her, please treat her well.”

…?

Kim… Min-ji?

The indomitable Kim Min-ji who got beaten up by me during Instructor Yoo Soo-gap’s Villain Capture Techniques class?

“What’s your name?”

“Ah… I’m Jeong Gyeoul.”

“Oh, you have the same name as the Demon King’s sister.”

“Hahaha…”

Of all people, I had to meet Kim Min-ji’s father here.

If it were students I usually got along with, it would be fine.

But Kim Min-ji—no, the indomitable Kim Min-ji—is someone I beat up on purpose.

I heard she hasn’t been attending classes much lately, but it seems her father doesn’t know that yet.

‘She said she might quit soon, but what do I do…’

Oh, it’s not because of me that she’s quitting.

Really.

There was this person named D who used to mess around with assignments during patrol duty, and she conspired with them, leading to her downfall.

That D was brutally killed by the Apostle of Jealousy.

Recalling those bitter memories, my expression naturally hardened.

“Oh, I’ve been talking too much, haven’t I?”

“Ah, no.”

“Sorry. I get chatty as I get older. We’re almost there, so I’ll be quiet so you can relax.”

“…”

…No filial piety under a tiger.

Why did a wild boar grow up under such a decent father?

Life is unpredictable.

Kim Min-ji’s father desperately tried to stop me from paying and left without taking any money.

I felt like I had committed a sin.

The weather was awful, and my mood was gloomy.

I trudged into the association…

‘…What’s all this?’

Some employees wandering the lobby were wearing protective suits and helmets.

The guards were also fully armed, holding shields.

The usual civilians, guild employees, and heroes who were often seen at the association were nowhere to be found.

Could there have been another prison break?

‘Other guys are fine, but not the cult leader, right?’

I hurriedly ran up to the Association Head’s Office.

But…

Jeong Ho-min was leisurely sipping tea in the Association Head’s Office.

“…What’s this?”

“Call it the final tea time, I guess.”

“…?”

The association was in chaos, but the Association Head was the epitome of calm.

You could call him the embodiment of leisure.

But what kind of nonsense is this “final tea time”?

“I was waiting for you, Hero.”

“…For me?”

“You came later than I expected, so I got more nervous. Please spare the employees.”

…Spare the employees?

Did he anticipate that I would come and cause trouble, so he put the association on emergency alert?

“…Are you seriously telling me that they’re like this because of me?”

“…If you lose your temper and unleash your magic power, the regular employees could be in danger.”

This crazy guy?

“So you’re treating me like a villain now?”

“No, no, that’s a misunderstanding. It’s just to prevent any unforeseen accidents…”

I sat down.

The secretary, trembling, approached me.

The plate and cup in her hands clattered noisily.

“Thinking about it, this isn’t so bad. Maybe I should quit being a hero and join the Villain Alliance. If I overthrow the association and take the Association Head hostage, they’d gladly accept me, right?”

“…I’m sorry.”

“Really, this is getting ridiculous. I came here to settle something, and you treat me like a villain. Should I just flee to the US or the UK? The US might not, but the UK would probably give me a spot at Buckingham Palace.”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I’m sorry. Is that all you can say?”

“…I apologize.”

“Does apologizing solve anything?”

“…”

“Wow, now you’re not even responding? Is this like ‘no negotiations with terrorists’ or something?”

“No, it’s not like that…”

If I tease him any more, he might cry.

Let’s get to the point quickly.

“Fine, let’s exempt Ha-yul and me from taxes.”

“…Huh? What? That’s not my department.”

“…Can’t do it?”

“Of course not. I’m just an Association Head. I don’t wield national authority; everything needs approval…”

Zap—

“But I’ll do my best to get that approval.”

He surrendered to my sparkling gaze.

After easily (?) defeating Jeong Ho-min, I headed to the academy.

 

---