"Tell me quickly. What's so funny?"
It's a question that makes me want to say, "You're asking because you don't know?" It's just so strange for someone like you to talk about Eastern courtesy.
It's not just because Irina is blonde with blue eyes. I can't find a trace of courtesy in her behavior.
Would someone who observes etiquette earn the nickname "crazy Blonde" from both friends and foes?
"Ugh. I can't stand not knowing something once I'm curious! Hurry up!"
"I just laughed, that's all. Really."
Didn't this woman say she shouldn't be here? Wasn't she in reflection mode? Didn't she say her outdoor activities were restricted? So why is she still here making a scene?
"Aren't you going to get caught if you stay here ?"
"Well... I'll just get scolded more by Mom."
She's trying to sound nonchalant, but I saw it. The slight trembling in Irina's eyes when she mentioned her "Mom." That was the look of a child who genuinely fears getting scolded by their mother.
"Your mother sounds like a strict person."
"She keeps saying I'm doing bad things! But I'm just trying to catch villains!"
"Well, even if they're villains, you can't expect praise for handling them that way."
"What did I do wrong?!"
Does this woman have amnesia along with her mood swings?
Just searching a few articles would reveal Irina's incidents are in a completely different class. Villains captured but in such an unrecognizable state they couldn't even be described. Using supernatural abilities against non-powered individuals who collaborated with villains.
These were at levels where claims of excessive force were inevitable. Even for those wanting to cover for her, it was too much.
So it's natural that Irina's mother would be angry.
She has a daughter who could receive nothing but praise if she just tamed her temper a bit. Instead, this crazy woman goes around cackling wildly and causing all sorts of trouble. Number one in both power and controversy among ability users—that's Irina.
'If it were me, I'd probably die of frustration.'
They say parents want to see their children succeed. From that perspective, Irina might be a flame-attribute filial daughter. What kind of filial daughter? She's making her parents' insides rot with worry. Must be that all the filial people in the world are dead.
"Ah! Stop, stop! Why are you talking about my mom, oppa?"
"What are you saying? You started it."
"Hmm... Ah! I know! Is it because she's your future mother-in-law?"
"Could you please, please just listen to what people say for once?"
At my sincere plea, Irina giggled. Then, perched on the windowsill, she stared at me intently.
"You know you can't hide it anymore, right?"
"What else? The 'real identity' of our Seojin oppa."
As Irina spoke, her eyes sharpened. Seeing that gaze, I couldn't help but sigh.
She still thinks I'm hiding something. In reality, my ability only works under specific conditions.
My Gatekeeper trait showed maximum efficiency against the Alpha and the Elder. But against Kang Minseong, it only showed half efficiency.
Even the former was only possible thanks to the Overtime trait. Originally, the trait only works at maximum efficiency inside the Academy. Literally, it only allows for "Silver rank evaluations."
Whether Irina knows my inner thoughts or not, she continued with her own agenda.
"I heard you inflicted this much damage on that water ghost? , across the chest!"
"That's what they say. I was too disoriented to confirm it properly."
"What? You should have seen it, even if you fainted! It's super satisfying to watch the smug face of someone who thought they'd never lose crumble!"
I can hear King Sejong lamenting from his grave. Is she deliberately talking to prove she's crazy?
"Besides! What are we going to do about this? Poor Seojin oppa!"
"That bastard, maybe because he looks so gloomy, has serious stalker tendencies."
"You mean Elder Kwak Hyuk?"
"Yes. That bastard, ever since I completely trashed him, has been saying he'll kill me. But whenever I challenge him to a fight, he slips away. Now it seems he'll be following Mr. Examiner around! Ahaha!"
Fuck, don't laugh. This is extremely serious for me. The thought of a gloomy, dark man an Elder, no less stalking me. It's horrifying just to imagine. Gives me goosebumps.
"Oh. When you're discharged, the Ability Association will be looking for Seojin oppa."
"I overheard they want to reassess your ability. I heard you're currently C-rank."
Actually, I'm not even C-rank. Until recently, I was originally D-rank. This C-rank status is almost like a temporary promotion. The reason? I've been too casually destroying Silver rank students.
"Should I look forward to it?"
"No. Don't bother. At best, I'll be B-rank."
Working in the Ability Measurement Department, and having a detection and measurement-type ability myself, I can predict what rank I'll receive when assessed.
The reason is simple: can I use my trait during rank measurement?
'Probably, with high probability, I cannot.'
First, the conditions for activating my trait don't match. I'd be receiving evaluation, not giving it. Plus, it's not the urgent moment that has always been associated with activation.
After benefiting from the Gatekeeper trait multiple times, I now understand clearly. It might work in other situations, but it definitely won't during rank measurement.
So all I can show during measurement is muscle memory. I can't display any of the enhancements my trait provides.
But Irina seemed to interpret my words differently.
"If you keep talking like that, I'm going to get angry."
"Why would you get angry? It's my rank assessment, why would you—"
"So according to you, a mere B-rank managed to wound the water ghost, easily repelled villains, and even caught my attention?"
"Isn't anything possible? Even for a B-rank..."
Suddenly my body tilted back sharply. I fell onto the bed. For a moment I was confused by the situation, but then Irina's face filled my view. This crazy woman had suddenly climbed on top of me.
"W-what are you doing?!"
"Only someone as strong as me can catch my interest. Someone who can understand me. Someone who can be with me. Someone who can survive being with me!"
TN: Bro is a yandere bait.
What's with that last part? Survive being with you?
I was about to question what she meant by such dangerous words. But I heard shuffling noises beyond the hospital room door.
I tried to quickly push Irina away, but the door opened even faster.
"His condition remains stable. Probably..."
The first person visible was a doctor in a white coat. Following behind were a nurse and...
Red-tinged eyes met mine directly. Kim Suhyeon. She had entered the room with the doctor.
"Ah, hello, doctor. I'm not late, am I?"
"No, no. You arrived just in time. I was about to check his condition anyway."
Kim Suhyeon fidgeted with her hands as if embarrassed. Looking at her, the doctor in charge of Baek Seojin thought:
She came again today. This patient really is fortunate, he mused.
He hadn't heard all the details. He only knew the patient had suffered tremendous injuries. Despite receiving treatment from support-types along the way, his condition had still been serious. Subsequent treatment was successful, but fatigue and trauma had accumulated, preventing him from waking up.
What's important is what began after Baek Seojin was admitted.
"Please take good care of him."
First, Academy Headmaster Ma Hakjun visited and made that request. Even S-rank ability user Han Jiyoon was beside him.
That was already enough. It was appropriate to provide VVIP-level treatment. But the visitors making requests didn't end there.
"He still hasn't woken up?"
Kang Inbeom, the Master of the Tower Clan, was the next visitor. Kang Hana was with him, and they both looked extremely concerned. They too bowed repeatedly, asking for the best care, before leaving.
The next visitors were a man and woman—more precisely, a brother and sister.
"Our grandfather sent us."
"How is the condition of Examiner Baek Seojin?"
The siblings were Kang Dogyeong and Kang Jisu. As Kang Minseong's grandchildren, they were new talents leading the Kang family. They were geniuses with high potential to become future S-rank ability users.
In short, the greatest of the past, the greatest of the present, and those likely to be the greatest in the near future. All these people occasionally visited to inquire about his condition.
'And such a beautiful person also visits regularly.'
It was an enviable scale of hospital visitors. It truly made the doctor feel that famous people who appear in the news are different.
Of course, when he heard about fighting an Elder, he immediately shook his head in disbelief.
"You come every day."
While walking to the hospital room, the doctor casually spoke to Kim Suhyeon. He didn't have any ulterior motive; he was simply curious.
This wasn't ordinary hospital visitation, and the patient probably wouldn't even remember. It was fascinating and somewhat curious that she visited every day.
"He's my benefactor."
"And also, he's my most precious person."
Oh my. The nurse beside them slightly covered her mouth in surprise. The doctor too understood what those words meant, so he just smiled.
The doctor reached the hospital room and opened the door. And what he saw was a conscious patient and a blonde, blue-eyed beauty straddling him.
At first, he thought he was seeing things. But he immediately recognized the woman because her face was so widely circulated.
The doctor's voice, filled with surprise and admiration, was drowned out by Kim Suhyeon's angry cry.