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Team leader Oh Tae-sik of the Measurement Management Team couldn’t understand this situation.

Even ultra-precise measuring devices couldn’t measure it, which means it’s at least on par with Jeong Ha-yul.

They should be hugging each other and shedding tears of joy, but instead, they’re crying so sadly?

‘Does she not want to become a hero…?’

Unable to hold back, Oh Tae-sik asked why she was crying, and the answer he got was ridiculous.

The third case.

It’s when someone has a significantly lower amount of magic power than an average person, making it impossible to measure.

It’s practically a death sentence.

But the probability of that is lower than becoming an S-Class hero.

Of course, it strangely happens quite often in China, but in Korea, there have only been two cases.

There are five S-Class heroes in Korea… With that ratio, shouldn’t she be happy, thinking, “I’ve become an S-Class hero!”?

Is she always expecting the worst outcome?

This is definitely not the mindset of a child.

Both Jeong Ha-yul and Jeong Gyeoul.

I wonder what kind of genes run in that family.

Is it not genetic but environmental?

If so, what on earth is happening inside that house?

My intellectual curiosity as a scholar is starting to kick in.

But regardless, I need to step up and handle this situation quickly.

“Um… I think she might have magic power beyond S-Class.”

“…Huh? Where are you from?”

“Ah. I’m Oh Tae-sik, the team leader of the Measurement Management Team.”

“Can you tell me more about this?”

True to his reputation as a seasoned veteran in the Association, Oh Tae-sik didn’t seem intimidated even in front of the Demon King Jeong Ha-yul.

Though cold sweat was dripping down his back, only he knew that.

Unlike the other staff, his confident demeanor made Jeong Ha-yul trust him.

“Those who were the third case showed abnormal reactions somewhere in their bodies during the Association’s measurements. But as far as I know, Jeong Gyeoul was perfectly fine.”

“That’s right, Gyeoul.”

Jeong Ha-yul’s expression visibly brightened as she relayed the message to the kid.

‘That’s not a sister and younger sibling; it’s more like a mother and daughter.’

The desperate look, the actions, the attitude.

It was like a mother looking at her sick child.

“Take a look at this…”

Jeong Gyeoul, who had just stopped crying, suddenly focused her gaze.

“Ugh!”

She kept staring at one spot with wide eyes, and I wondered what she was doing…

A smartphone floated up into the air.

It wobbled precariously, swaying left and right.

“…Do you still think my magic power is strong?”

“…That’s definitely strange, but if it were the third case, you wouldn’t even have that much magic power. We’d need to measure it in detail, but it seems like telekinesis… Just lifting a phone with it means you have at least an average person’s amount of magic power.”

“Huh? Really?”

Jeong Gyeoul’s eyes widened.

‘Wait, so I’m not on a death sentence?’

Crying, laughing, despairing, then rejoicing.

With a tear-streaked face, she made that expression.

I almost burst out laughing, but I was in front of the Demon King Jeong Ha-yul.

Oh Tae-sik, barely holding back his laughter, continued.

“How about going to the hospital for a detailed check-up?”

“But magic power hasn’t been fully understood even with modern technology… That’s what the staff said earlier. So even if I get a detailed check-up, it won’t be certain, right?”

Jeong Ha-yul was looking at him, but Jeong Gyeoul answered.

‘What kind of kid speaks so sharply… She’s better than our kids.’

Oh Tae-sik, who had higher expectations for Jeong Gyeoul than his own team members—engineering graduates from Seoul, Yeonsei, Korea, and KAIST—decided to talk directly to Jeong Gyeoul instead of the dazed Jeong Ha-yul.

“Having such low magic power means there’s already a significant problem with your life force. There should be an impact on some part of your body. Do you have any pain anywhere?”

“No… Maybe because I’m young, but I don’t have any aches or pains… I’ve never felt tired except in the morning. Sometimes I feel like my stress is skyrocketing, but that’s something anyone in modern society would experience… Hmm…”

She seemed to think for a while but couldn’t recall any pain or issues.

“Then my opinion remains the same. It’s not the third case. How about… going to London?”

Jeong Ha-yul knew Gyeoul had a mature side, but she didn’t expect it to be this much.

Jeong Ha-yul, who had been zoning out listening to the conversation between Jeong Gyeoul and Team Leader Oh Tae-sik, finally chimed in at the mention of London.

“London… You mean the Clock Tower?”

“Yes, if it’s Hero Jeong Ha-yul, you might be able to meet Grand Mage Heinz quickly. It might be better to ask him about Jeong Gyeoul’s condition…”

“Grand Mage… That bald old man?”

“Bald… Yes, in the field of magic power, he is undoubtedly the best in the world. He even helped create the ultra-precise measuring device.”

At Oh Tae-sik’s bold statement, Jeong Ha-yul’s eyes sparkled.

Two years ago. When the extinction-level monster Behemoth appeared in British waters, she had a debt to Heinz.

“If it’s that old man, meeting him and getting help won’t be a problem. But… are you sure? If we go all the way to London to meet the so-called best in the world and he’s negative… all hope will be shattered.”

Jeong Gyeoul, who had assumed it was the third case and cried her eyes out.

Jeong Ha-yul, who worries about hope being shattered before even meeting the world’s greatest mage.

They were so alike.

“On the other hand, if he can’t do it, no one in this world can. Only he can perfectly judge Jeong Gyeoul’s condition.”

“Thank you. Oh… Team Leader Tae-sik. If you need my help, feel free to contact me anytime.”

It was practically a blank check, promising to help with anything as long as it didn’t go against her beliefs.

She received a business card from the Demon King Jeong Ha-yul.

Even the President only has one, but she got two.

For a moment, Oh Tae-sik wanted to scream and jump around, but he wasn’t stupid enough to ruin the trust he had built.

A professional must act like a professional.

He simply smiled and ended the reaction.

“Indeed… You’re the first person to receive my business card and remain so calm. Even the President wasn’t this composed. You’re a true scholar. I apologize for the inconvenience today. Let’s meet again after I return from London.”

Oh Tae-sik, the 16-year veteran team leader of the Measurement Management Team.

He achieved the greatest accomplishment of his life by engraving his three-letter name in Jeong Ha-yul’s mind.

He accomplished something even the Grand Mage, the Association President, and the President couldn’t do.

***

After receiving the advice from Team Leader Oh Tae-sik to go to London, she booked the earliest flight available.

When an A-Class or higher hero moves, the Diplomatic Department and the National Intelligence Service step in to an almost annoying degree.

They say it’s to prevent brain drain, but they’re just getting cursed at from all sides.

The Association strongly protested, but the government itself was suppressing them, leaving them no choice.

In Jeong Ha-yul’s case, they usually contact her agency to negotiate with government departments, but this time, she didn’t have the time or mental capacity for that.

Unsurprisingly, the government tried to block Jeong Ha-yul’s overseas trip with all sorts of excuses.

But with just one phone call from Jeong Ha-yul, it was resolved in an instant.

“If you don’t let me go, I’ll transfer to the US?”

“…Is that a threat?”

“If you don’t want me to go to the US, I could just act as a villain in Korea.”

“…Have a safe trip.”

And a few days later.

The headquarters of magic, the holy land of mages.

Where all magic converges.

They arrived at Big Ben, the symbol of London.

“If we go here, we can find out about Gyeoul’s condition, right?”

“Exactly, we need to meet the bald old man.”

“But why did London become the city of magic?”

“Most magic-type Awakened Ones awakened in England. Even I don’t know why.”

“England is magic, the Vatican is divine power, China is swordsmanship… What’s the difference that even affects the type of awakening?”

“…Let’s just go meet the bald old man.”

Jeong Ha-yul’s group headed to the entrance of the Clock Tower, but…

-Outsiders are not allowed to enter the Clock Tower.

They were denied entry.

“…What are they saying?”

“I think they’re saying we can’t come in.”

“Do you think she asked because she didn’t know that?”

“What do we do? If we can’t get in, we can’t meet the ketchup old man, right?”

“…Yoo Eun-chae, have you been influenced too? Please don’t make fun of people’s names.”

“Eun-chae unni, you’re really mean. Calling someone ketchup.”

“You stay quiet, bald is worse.”

They bicker every day, but they never get tired of it.

Jeong Gyeoul looked at the group with a pitiful expression.

“Whether it’s bald or ketchup, can’t we just meet him quickly?”

“…Is there no way to get in? You said you’re close to the ketchup old man. You even told him we were coming. What’s this?”

“We had a bit of a fight the last time we met… That stingy bald guy.”

As Jeong Ha-yul pondered how to get in, she came up with an idea.

“This should work.”

“What is it?”

“Step back a bit.”

“Here?”

“No, a bit more. More. More. More. More. Okay, that’s enough!”

“This much? Are you serious?”

They were so far away that they wouldn’t hear unless they shouted.

Instead of answering the last question, Jeong Ha-yul decided to show it through action.

She pulled her right elbow back and started gathering magic power.

“She’s gone crazy again!”

“Hey! Don’t!”

“This isn’t Korea, you idiot!”

Eun-chae and Kang-woo were startled, but they couldn’t approach because the magic power was already swirling, so they could only shout from afar.

Jeong Ha-yul unleashed the magic power gathered in her fist.

Boom boom boom boom—

The headquarters of magic, the holy land of mages.

Where all magic converges.

The clock of Big Ben, the symbol of London, England, disappeared.

“…We’re screwed.”

“Should we run?”

“Jeong Ha-yul might be fine, but we’ll definitely get caught…”

“…”

 

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