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Seoul Specialization High School for Ability Users called upon countless experts.

Unlike before, when they only summoned entomologists and sanitation experts, they began to reach out broadly.

Fearing that some strange occurrences might be caused by energy, they even summoned wizards, and due to the possibility of terrorism, they called in the police SWAT team.

They even mobilized soldiers active in the frontline areas to inspect the premises for any unknown threats.

But that wasn’t all.

They even summoned folklore professors, suspecting that the issues might be related to shamanism or divine objects.

And naturally, if they were calling in folklore professors…

“Hmm. The school facilities are quite impressive.”

The shaman of Unified Korea.

The one and only indigenous shaman of the Republic of Korea.

It was only natural that Park Jinseong was called.

The school offered a considerable amount of money to hire Park Jinseong. Moreover, they didn’t just offer a standard fee but made proposals through Lee Yang-hoon’s connections.

It was an offer that was hard to refuse.

[It’s not a bad proposal. There’s nothing wrong with having connections in academia, especially at a Specialization High School for Ability Users.]

Lee Yang-hoon, who received the request to connect them with Park Jinseong, also showed a positive reaction to this proposal.

After all, it was an offer that only brought benefits.

And of course, Park Jinseong accepted the proposal.

Was it because of the connections?

Because of the massive benefits?

No.

Those were merely secondary reasons.

‘I got in with just one wave.’

The truth was, Park Jinseong’s main purpose was entering this place.

“It’s hard to see this well-maintained place infested with insects. It’s hardly a good omen. I’m left speechless out of pity.”

Park Jinseong said to the school staff guiding him, expressing genuine sorrow beyond mere words.

Furthermore, he showed a grim expression upon seeing the piles of ant corpses scattered around, and widened his eyes in amazement when he spotted benches that had been gnawed at by insects.

With such naturalness.

And on top of that, after observing multiple signs, he fell into thought before laying out his deductions.

“First off, this cannot be normal ants.”

“Huh? If they’re not normal ants…?”

“As an amateur, I can’t say for sure, but to my knowledge, the wood used here is typically coated with chemical treatments to prevent insects from gnawing it.”

“Yes. That would…be the case?”

“And what kind of school is this? Seoul Specialization High School for Ability Users. It’s renowned not just in Korea but globally. I can’t imagine they’d use cheap materials in such a prestigious institution.”

“Right? High quality?”

“Oh, when I say high quality, I don’t mean something made by any particular brand or artisan. Just that it isn’t some commonly used low-grade wood, but rather of a decent standard… It’s wood that wouldn’t be lacking in being called ‘high quality’ in terms of material.”

“Ah…”

The school staff stared at the bench upon hearing Jinseong’s words.

Wondering if this bench they had taken for granted was truly that high quality.

“When creating any object, one of the critical factors is who handled it. However, just as important is the quality of the materials used. And to me, this bench seems quite decent. The coating is well done… I can even faintly feel some energy from it. Can you feel it?”

“Huh? Well…?”

“Now, place your hand on the bench. No, not there, but on the part the ants gnawed at. The part that’s dented as if someone punched it. Then, move your fingers slowly along the grain of the wood, spreading your palm as close as possible to the dented area. Close your eyes and focus your senses on your hand. Slowly. Concentrate on the sensation of warmth traveling from your palm to your fingertips. Now, concentrate on the point where your fingertips overlap… Can you feel it?”

“Uh… I feel something warm.”

“Yes. That would be the effect of the artifact used in processing the wood. It’s probably related to the sun.”

Park Jinseong smiled brightly.

“This technology was developed for the transport and processing of wood… but, I’m no expert, so I can’t explain it in detail, and there’s no need to. But I can tell you about its effect. It makes it difficult for the wood to absorb moisture and hard for insects to gnaw on it.”

“Oh…”

“But look. These ants have casually devoured this bench. It’s a total wreck, as if someone smashed it to pieces. Normal insects wouldn’t even dare approach it, and if they did gnaw on it, they should’ve met their demise from the power of high-quality wood. And considering the nature of ants, they shouldn’t have come near this dangerous place in the first place.”

Thus, even if it was severe, it was usually just a matter of superficial gnaw marks.

“But this time was different. They gnawed and gnawed. Even as countless ants perished.”

This was undeniably strange.

Showing the gnarled bench and the scattered ant corpses around, Jinseong persuaded the staff that his deduction was correct. The staff, nodding to Jinseong’s confident demeanor, hesitated and asked with a concerned look.

“So, could this be because of some shamanic effect…?”

“Haha. That’s something I can’t confirm yet. We’ll need to investigate more. Of course, how far I can investigate… will depend on meeting the principal.”

But Jinseong shook his head instead of giving a definitive answer to the staff’s question.

Stating it was still an unknown issue.

Yet, his expression radiated confidence, suggesting that with just a bit more investigation, he could uncover the answer.

And perhaps because of this attitude?

Jinseong earned a significant level of trust from the staff who were guiding him, using the staff’s testimony and trust to appeal to the principal regarding his abilities. And…

“I can’t tell you how fortunate I feel that we have a shaman investigating in our Republic of Korea. I will ensure that Park Jinseong shaman has no inconveniences in his investigation, so please make sure to uncover the cause.”

He was allowed to roam most parts of the school.

As planned.

* * *

The method Jinseong used was quite simple.

Like a thief pretending to be a police officer to rob some place.

Like a thief acting as a carpenter to drill holes before stealing from a house.

Jinseong merely did a slight act.

An easy act, perhaps even a familiar one.

‘Haha. It reminds me of old times.’

This way of acting was quite familiar.

He had done it often during his time as a mercenary.

Of course, it wasn’t anything grand.

Just masquerading as a regular person while providing security, acting like an ordinary guest to scan the structure of a building, disguising himself to plant explosives, pretending to be there to repair equipment while releasing parasite eggs, or breeding Legionella bacteria to report a hotel and get it closed down.

In that regard, what Jinseong did at Seoul Specialization High School for Ability Users was no big deal. He merely sent a swarm of ants once and that was it.

Just once.

For Jinseong, who was preparing to send a few more before the school called him, it was nearly a trivial act.

‘Everything has two sides. While the swarm of ants attacking the school can be deemed unlucky, everything is like a new beginning. If the facilities get renewed, the students benefit, and if I get involved in the process, I might be able to place a protective spell to strengthen the school, ensuring safety for everyone residing here.’

Moreover, wasn’t there no significant damage occurring?

There was some damage due to the ants, but it wasn’t overwhelming.

Financially, they likely had insurance, so it shouldn’t be a big issue.

Thinking about the damages caused to Iarin because of the ‘urban legends’ in the school… this method was mild and even gentle.

‘It’s best to avoid anything harmful, and if I must not get close, it’s second best to steer clear, but if that isn’t possible, then it’s better to destroy it.’

Iserin, Iarin, Ella, and Anastasia as well.

Just counting those tied to this school, there were plenty.

To think something that could threaten them was lurking around.

It had to be eliminated immediately.

Even if it meant using a slightly aggressive method.

And on top of that.

‘Though it’s not a mansion, it might be good to set up an alarm system here too.’

At least, he was thinking of arranging things to keep them safe while they attended school.

‘Let’s see… I need to sprinkle some spores of the Morchella crassipes.’

 

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