The servants of the Kang family were extremely tense. Their employer Chairman Kang Minseong's precious granddaughter, Kim Suhyeon, had arrived. She had brought a guest and just passed through the main gate.
They weren't overreacting to the 'guest' part alone. The issue was 'who' Kim Suhyeon had brought with her.
'Irina? My goodness. Why would Miss bring such a woman...?'
One of the strongest among not just South Korea, but the entire world—ranking in the top five. Considering that S-rank ability users of similar level were typically in their late 20s to mid-30s, Irina had a very high probability of claiming the 'world's strongest' title in the near future.
From that perspective alone, she could be considered South Korea's hope incarnate.
The problem was that Irina was far from a role model.
Her tendencies made it unclear whether she was an ability user or a villain. She had caused so many incidents and controversies. Especially the time she hung a villain alive from a skyscraper rooftop—people still talked about that.
But despite causing so many incidents, most were swept under the rug.
First, Irina wasn't completely uncontrollable yet. Second, most incidents stemmed from her hostility toward villains. And since she hadn't committed severe crimes that society couldn't possibly condone, the government and Association decided to somehow appease her.
Of course, everyone knew there was a reason above all these: if this immensely powerful ability user became a villain, it would be the worst nightmare imaginable.
"The car has arrived."
At the voice coming through the security guards' radios, the servants tensed even more.
They weren't villains, nor had they done anything wrong to Irina. But she carried so many strange rumors, which she never denied, that to ordinary people, Irina was both an object of admiration and fear.
Some servants had even begun to wonder: 'Did Miss make some mistake...?'
In reality, this was the result of a dramatic negotiation between Kim Suhyeon and Irina. But not knowing this, the servants could only worry.
Meanwhile, the car approached. As servants rushed to open the doors, Kim Suhyeon emerged from one side, and Irina, as the 'guest,' from the other.
Kang Minseong lightly embraced his granddaughter. Though he might have felt embarrassed with a guest present, he showed no hesitation in expressing affection. Kim Suhyeon, now used to it, simply allowed herself to be embraced.
"I'm back, Grandfather."
"Yes. I heard the news. Did Examiner Baek Seojin regain consciousness?"
"Yes. He looked very healthy."
Looking at Kim Suhyeon's bright smile, Kang Minseong inwardly sighed with relief.
After collapsing from the fight with the Elder, Baek Seojin had lost consciousness. Kim Suhyeon's mood since then had been absolutely terrible.
Kim Suhyeon had never before displayed 'anger' as an emotion. Isn't it said that the wrath of the typically quiet is the most terrifying?
Moreover, Kim Suhyeon had been showing remarkable growth recently. The sword she wielded now astounded even Kang Minseong.
With her in that state, angry and growing angrier, both Kang Minseong and the household servants could only remain on edge, watching her carefully.
From today, she would once again show the kind Kim Suhyeon they knew. Because Baek Seojin had awakened. Because she had seen him.
'Thank you, Examiner. I'll definitely repay this favor someday.'
Baek Seojin might have said it wasn't necessary if he'd heard this.
After finishing his greeting with his granddaughter, Kang Minseong turned.
He said, looking at Irina approaching from behind.
At Kang Minseong's greeting, Irina scratched her neck before speaking. "Have you been well, old man?"
"Just waiting for my day to die."
"...I see you're still playing strange jokes."
"What do you mean by 'still'?"
"That you still haven't grown up, just like a few years ago."
To speak like that in front of none other than Kang Minseong! The servants were startled and looked nervously at their employer.
But Kang Minseong just burst into laughter.
"A man stays the same until the day he dies."
"My father isn't like that."
"That's because your father is weird."
After exchanging brief greetings, Kang Minseong suddenly offered lunch. It was almost lunchtime, so why not join them? Irina declined, saying she had more urgent matters.
Sensing something, Kang Minseong didn't press the lunch invitation further. Instead, he led Irina to his study, with Kim Suhyeon accompanying them.
"So. What brings you here so suddenly?"
Seated, Kang Minseong asked Irina her purpose. He knew she wouldn't come all this way for trivial matters. She probably had something dramatic and unexpected to say.
But the answer came not from Irina, but from Kim Suhyeon.
Kim Suhyeon continued her story.
They had agreed to a duel. Specifically, she only needed to inflict the tiniest wound on Irina. If she did that, the duel would end with her victory. Of course, she knew it would be extremely difficult. But they'd set the time limit as indefinite.
Kang Minseong initially showed no reaction. He simply looked back and forth between Kim Suhyeon and Irina a few times.
"What's the reason for this duel? That seems to be the main issue."
Kang Minseong hit the crucial point accurately. But Kim Suhyeon firmly stated it was a 'personal matter.' An indirect way of saying she didn't want to discuss the truth.
"This is quite confusing, Suhyeon. Especially with that person."
"Old man? It hurts when you call me 'that person.' What did I ever do to you?"
"If you're asking because you genuinely don't know, then you have no conscience."
After shooting back at Irina, Kang Minseong looked at his granddaughter.
A determined, strong light flickered in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. The kind of eyes a swordsman should rightfully possess. Sensing something from that, Kang Minseong decided not to say more.
"I'll allow you to use the training hall."
"Thank you, Grandfather."
"Go down and prepare first. This old man has a few words to share with her."
With a nod, Kim Suhyeon left the study first. Once they were alone, Irina sat down on the sofa.
"Why she's acting . It's because of a man."
Irina blurted this out as if tattling. But Kang Minseong merely nodded, as if he'd already anticipated it.
"What? You already knew?"
"The fact that she's changed so positively is all thanks to Examiner Baek Seojin. So naturally, he'd be especially important to her."
Positive change? I wonder if it's really 'positive.' You don't know, but that girl has a faint smell of blood about her. Irina considered saying this but closed her mouth.
If it were someone else, she might have just blurted it out. But the person sitting before her was none other than Kang Minseong.
"Do I still make you uncomfortable?"
"Of course. I, the undefeated Irina, almost lost to you—my only defeat."
A secret unknown to anyone else was revealed.
Neither fellow S-rank ability users nor the Elders known as calamities had ever gained the upper hand against Irina. At best, they could only achieve a stalemate; her power was that overwhelming.
Yet Irina, albeit when she had just awakened her ability years ago, had nearly been defeated—not just matched. This was extraordinary.
"It was just luck. That's the nature of wind."
"Luck is also skill. Wow, it's still embarrassing to think about it even now."
Grabbing her face as if the memory was unbearable, Irina showed her discomfort. This was precisely why she had always found Kang Minseong so awkward.
"But why are you doing this?"
"I know you. You're someone who always gets what you want no matter what."
"That's not true! Do you know how much I got scolded by my mom for that?"
Irina pouted and grumbled.
"What I mean is, there was no need to bring up a duel with my granddaughter. You're not someone with abundant time. Nor do you have the generous heart to look after others."
"Wow. Our old man just casually says such hurtful things."
Despite Irina's continued grumbling, Kang Minseong just smiled. Then, with his arms crossed, he silently stared at her. As if asking her to explain why she suddenly proposed a duel.
After thinking about how to explain, Irina finally spoke.
"She's strange. So I just want to learn more about her by tormenting her a bit. Satisfied?"
"I see. Then that's fine. Go down and prepare yourself too."
A swordsman communicates through skill, he said. Kang Minseong seemed to find the situation interesting after a long time.
Incidentally, Irina's initial ability awakening was also in the weapon category. However, she was so powerful that she didn't even need weapons. She simply subdued everything with her bare hands, causing some to mistake her for a martial arts type.
"But, um... I hope you won't be too harsh."
Like a doting father. Irina clicked her tongue.
As if that would be easy. Why even have a duel then? If I go easy on her, is that even a duel? It's just kids playing.
"Hearing that makes me feel like I should go all out. Isn't that normal?"
"...You brat. You really never change."
"You should work on yourself first, old man."