As I stepped out of the gate, a woman dressed in a formal suit was waiting for me.
Her stern demeanour suggested she was as strict with herself as she was with others.
She handed me her business card and greeted me.
“Excuse me, are you Do Gyeon-woo, the examinee? I am Oh Seung-a, the chairman’s secretary. You might have heard about it at the gate already, but could you spare me a moment of your time?”
Oh Seung-a, the chief secretary to the chairman.
Though she never directly appeared in the game, her name had been mentioned a few times, mostly through So Hye-yul.
So Hye-yul
—”Seung-a, I have a favour to ask…”
So Hye-yul
—”Don’t worry, Chief Secretary Oh Seung-a will take care of it.”
So Hye-yul
—”If you need guidance, just leave it to Chief Secretary Oh Seung-a.”
From So Hye-yul’s dialogues, it was clear that Oh Seung-a handled her trivial tasks and followed orders with unwavering loyalty.
“I’ll be seeing her quite often from now on, so I should remember her face.”
Her straight black hair fell to her shoulders, and her refined, delicate features gave her a graceful appearance. Though the game lacked an illustration of her, she was undoubtedly a beauty—hardly someone I would forget.
I responded to her.
“Yes, I’m available now.”
“Thank you. Then, I’ll guide you to the chairman’s office.”
From this point, I was on my way to meet So Hye-yul. I decided to follow Oh Seung-a, meaning I had to part ways with those who exited the gate with me.
“Good job on the exam, everyone. I have to go for an investigation now. The results aren’t out yet, but I’m sure we all passed. See you at the academy.”
“Yeah, you did great! See you next time!”
“Gyeon-woo, you worked hard on the exam! Take care with the investigation! I’ll reach out soon!”
“Yes, see you at the academy.”
Yong Hae-rang, Go Eun-bi, Lisa, and the triplets all promised to meet again.
Yeon Ha-neul, however, looked like she wanted to come along.
“Gyeon-woo, I want to come too…”
“Ha-neul, you don’t need to wait for me. Just go back to the hotel. It’s a private meeting with the chairman, so you can’t come along anyway, right?”
“Yes, I’m sorry, but the chairman only summoned Do Gyeon-woo.”
“You heard her. You’re probably tired too, so go and rest. I’ll be back soon.”
“Fine… Just come back soon.”
I placed a hand on her head. Ha-neul pouted but didn’t push my hand away, despite looking slightly annoyed.
Reluctantly, she nodded, and I gave her a gentle pat before following Oh Seung-a.
We soon arrived at the administrative building.
“Chairman, this is Oh Seung-a. I’ve brought Do Gyeon-woo.”
“Come in.”
The chairman’s office was on the top floor, inside Oh Seung-a’s office. After knocking, So Hye-yul’s voice came from within.
“You may enter.”
Oh Seung-a opened the door, and I walked in.
“Welcome, Do Gyeon-woo. Or should I say, student Do Gyeon-woo, since your admission is practically confirmed?”
“…Hello, Chairman.”
The “Witch of the Stars,” So Hye-yul.
She was seated on a sofa, sipping coffee, and greeted me warmly with a smile.
“Come, sit here. Chief Secretary Oh Seung-a, please prepare some refreshments for us.”
“Understood. Do Gyeon-woo, what would you like to drink?”
“Cola, please.”
A glass of cola with ice appeared on the table.
So Hye-yul gestured for me to eat the snacks on the table without hesitation. Given my hunger, I didn’t need much convincing. The delicacies were far from ordinary—rare treats befitting the chairman’s status.
Though I, as a member of the Shingum Do family, wasn’t unfamiliar with such luxuries, the taste was undeniably superior. Unlike store-bought snacks, these had a rich, deep flavor that melted in my mouth.
As I enjoyed the refreshments, So Hye-yul started speaking with a casual smile.
“I’ve already heard from the examiners about your performance. In the first test, you used opposing mana properties to open the five iron doors. In the second, you cleverly reversed the explosion trap to reach the summit within the time limit. In the third, you worked as a trio to gather the chips. I also heard you anticipated the content of the fourth test.”
Her demeanour was relaxed, yet there was an underlying sharpness.
“And in the fifth and final test, you didn’t just identify the intruding demon but also defeated her. When I heard you took down Lee Ga-hyun, one of the Six Demons, I was genuinely surprised.”
“It wasn’t the real body, just a duplicate. Besides, I wasn’t alone; the others helped, too.”
“Even so, no one has ever defeated one of her duplicates before. Lee Ga-hyun is known for concealing her identity with meticulous caution. A mere examinee managing to secure her soul stone—it’s impressive. You should be proud of your skills. Honestly, you could work as an active hunter right now.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“But…”
“…?”
Her gaze turned more probing.
“How did you recognize that the possessed examinee was Lee Ga-hyun? From the footage, it seemed like you knew even before she revealed her demonic form.”
Her pleasant smile remained, but her eyes were piercing.
I wasn’t surprised—this was expected. I knew taking down Lee Ga-hyun would draw attention. It was a risk I had considered.
After a moment’s thought, I replied calmly.
“It was just a bluff. The situation felt off, like the monsters were coordinating under someone’s command. When I saw her controlling them, I suspected a demon. Since she looked like an examinee, I thought of demons who could disguise themselves, and Lee Ga-hyun came to mind.”
“Hmm…”
So Hye-yul narrowed her eyes, studying me intently.
“Quite the lucky guess.”
“I guess I’m just unlucky enough to get involved.”
She chuckled, though it was clear she didn’t fully buy my explanation. Nonetheless, I kept my composure, determined not to reveal the deeper truth—about my past life or my knowledge of the game’s future.
After all, So Hye-yul was a character who used both good and evil for her purposes, making her far from trustworthy.
“Indeed… luck, or perhaps fate.”
Her smile grew slightly, as if intrigued, while I maintained my confident demeanour.
As I studied So Hye-yul’s expression, it became clear what truly mattered to her. It wasn’t how I discovered Lee Ga-hyun’s identity—it was whether I could be useful to her plans.
Just as I expected, she quickly dropped her suspicions.
“Then, let’s consider it settled.”
Her sharp gaze softened as if she had never doubted me at all. She had decided that I was useful.
That was good news for me. As long as she considered me valuable, she would help cover up the messes I might create in the future—just as she did for Kang Han-byeol in the game.
‘I guess I can afford to be a little reckless from now on.’
Of course, she would undoubtedly use me as much as possible.
That didn’t bother me. I could handle it if it meant navigating the game’s story more smoothly.
Soon, So Hye-yul shifted the topic.
“As you might have already guessed, we won’t be making this incident public. It’s partly to protect Geumgang Academy’s reputation, but more importantly, it’s to protect the students. If news about this spreads, it will draw excessive attention to you and others involved, and the academy students as well. While some might benefit from the recognition, the drawbacks would outweigh the gains.”
“I understand.”
“I’m glad you see it that way. That said, we’re not ignoring your efforts entirely. We plan to reward you and the other students involved with a certain amount of Geumgang Coins. The exact amount will be decided later, but it should be satisfactory. And also…”
She placed something on the table. It was a soul stone.
“This is Lee Ga-hyun’s soul stone. Instructor Hong Ye-na has already assessed it. Although it’s not in perfect condition, it’s still a soul stone. Typically, all spoils obtained during exams belong to the academy, and they are compensated according to their value. This soul stone is no exception. However, considering the unusual circumstances, we’re willing to be flexible and offer either money or Geumgang Coins as compensation. Which would you prefer?”
“Can’t I just keep the soul stone itself?”
“Technically, it would break the rules, but the real reason is for your safety. Lee Ga-hyun’s duplicates share consciousness, and through the soul stone, they can communicate. Even though we’re blocking it with magic right now, if you keep it, she would recognise you and become hostile. It’s safer for me to handle it.”
Her reasoning was sound. If I kept the soul stone, I would undoubtedly become Lee Ga-hyun’s target. In a way, holding on to it would only bring misfortune.
‘But receiving money or coins doesn’t feel quite right either…’
Having a decent amount of Geumgang Coins would make life at the academy more comfortable, but since I was already getting a separate reward for defeating Lee Ga-hyun, it felt a bit underwhelming.
I decided to negotiate.
“Then, could I receive something else instead of the soul stone, money, or coins?”
“Something else? Like what?”
“Maybe an artifact or a mana-enhancing tool.”
“You want something that would strengthen you directly. Hmm…”
Getting something from So Hye-yul was a rare opportunity. I couldn’t afford to waste it.
Surprisingly, she didn’t seem offended by my suggestion. Instead, she pondered for a moment.
“You’re skilled in swordsmanship, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then how about this? I think you’ll like it.”
She slipped a ring off her finger. It was a silver ring adorned with a blue gemstone.
“This is…”
“It’s an artifact that helped me a lot when I was building my reputation. I no longer need it, but it could still be useful to you. It enhances mana efficiency by purifying impurities within your body.”
I checked its details with my status window.
[Ring of Clarity]
- Category: Accessory (Ring)
- Description: A ring once worn by the Witch of the Stars, So Hye-yul.
- Effect:
- Increases mana by 4 if the total mana is below 80.
- Enhances the power of all skills below level 8 by 20%.
- Reduces mana consumption of all skills below level 8 by 20%.
“Wow…”
The artifact hadn’t appeared in the game, but its effects were exceptional—especially the increase in mana by 4. For someone like me, constantly worried about my low mana, it was perfect.
“So, do you like it?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
There was no reason to hesitate. I was captivated by the Ring of Clarity.
So Hye-yul noticed my reaction and smiled, satisfied.
“I’ll be keeping an eye on your progress, Do Gyeon-woo. Make sure you live up to my expectations.”
After putting on the Ring of Clarity, my mana increased to 54. I couldn’t help but smile as I checked my status.
When I left the chairman’s office, I saw Yeon Ha-neul waiting by the door.
“Why are you smiling like that? Something good happen?”
“Ha-neul, were you waiting for me? I thought you’d go back.”
“I was going to… but I just felt like waiting.”
She peeled herself off the wall and approached me. I felt a wave of gratitude for her patience.
“So, what’s making you so happy?”
“The chairman gave me this.” I showed her the ring.
“A ring? Oh, it’s an artifact, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it boosts mana efficiency.”
“That’s great! You always complained about running out of mana. Guess you won’t be whining anymore.”
“Says the girl who never seems to run out of mana herself.”
“Hey, I’m a mage, and you’re a swordsman. Anyway, congrats on getting it.”
She took my hand and examined the ring, genuinely happy for me.
“Oh, by the way, Eun-bi asked if we’re free tonight. She’s organizing a get-together with everyone who took the test.”
“Who’s coming?”
“The twins, Lisa, and Yong Hae-rang, among others.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go. It’s a good chance to get to know everyone better.”
“Great, I’ll let her know.”
It seemed like Ha-neul had gotten everyone’s numbers while I was busy.
“You made friends quickly while I was gone, huh?”
“Says the guy who’s already on good terms with everyone. I’ll add you to the group chat.”
“Thanks.”
That evening, we joined the get-together organized by Go Eun-bi. The restaurant was bustling with students from the test.
“Wow… There are so many people.”
“That’s Eun-bi for you. Guess they’re all her friends.”
“Ha-neul! Gyeon-woo! Over here!”
“Do Gyeon-woo! I saved you a spot!”
“Welcome, you two. Feels different meeting here, huh? What will you drink, Ha-neul?”
The lively atmosphere was contagious. We spent the night celebrating the end of the entrance exam and bonding with new friends.
After a few days of rest in the academy city, it was finally time to head back home.
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