I opened my eyes in bed on Friday and my entire body ached.

The iron hog and black pelican I hunted yesterday were too heavy. Thankfully, I made it back before curfew. Otherwise, I would’ve faced disciplinary punishment on top of minus points.

“Argh.”

Fortunately, no classes required my body today. With some effort, I got up and checked my smartwatch. I received 3 new messages.

[810,130 won has been deposited.] [450,270 won has been deposited.] [Here is the payment for yesterday’s monsters. I hope to work with you again. SH Agency Head Manager, Park Soohyuk.]

The payment came faster than expected. If I remembered correctly, exclusive contracts had monthly payments. Mine must’ve been quick as a one-time deal, but he still took care of it overnight. As expected of Park Soohyuk.

Thanks to him, I could now open up a brokerage account and buy Packhorse Master guild stocks. One million won sounded like a good start. I went to shower with various thoughts.

Then I dried myself, put on my uniform, and headed to class after washing away my drowsiness.

***

Friday’s first class was phenomenon realm analysis. From what I heard, today was the most difficult theory class because we didn’t have physical training. Of course, that didn’t apply to me.

I sat at a random seat and took out my laptop. I openly fiddled with it after finding out that only I could see it.

▷[Master Sharpshooter] [Low-intermediate rank] [Spirit attribute] [Evolving — Grade 8] [Proficiency EXP 13%] — Master Sharpshooter’s Training: Familiarity with all long ranged weapons — Thousand-Mile Eyes: Can see far away and predict a target’s movement path. Has increased speed and perception by 0.3 points. — Bullet Time: Only in combat and once every 24 hours, you may spend 10 seconds in bullet time. — Sharpshooter of Reversal: You may deal bonus damage against a stronger enemy depending on your luck.

Sharpshooter of Reversal, the low ranked skill that I received from defeating the djinn, was quite decent. Master Sharpshooter had also reached grade 8. Of course, its growth speed would decrease the higher it became.

“Sit down.”

The professor walked in as I admired my growth.

“There is a written exam today as I mentioned last time.”

He announced a test out of the blue. The cadets all groaned. It seemed I wasn’t the only one just hearing about this.

“Really? I didn’t study at all!”

Chae Nayun despaired in front of me. Kim Suho, who sat next to her, promptly showed her his notes from yesterday. Chae Nayun coughed in embarrassment.

“Now, now, quiet down.”

The professor silenced everyone before handing out the exam sheets. After a few scuffling sounds, I also received it.

Problem 1. Describe the monster, pygmalion. 

Problem 2. Describe the Nine Evils (djinns). 

Problem 3. State the attributes that humans can manifest in the phenomenon realm. 

Problem 4….

The problems were much more ambiguous than I imagined. Other cadets also sighed the moment they glanced at them, but I was different. I had all the answers on my laptop.

[Pygmalions are fallen ghosts whose intelligence exceeds that of humans. They cannot be seen in the phenomenon realm, and act as humans after possessing them. Some argue that they should be classified as djinns because of this behavior.]

Of course, I would be wrong if any of their settings changed, but that would also benefit me as I could learn more about new changes.

“What?”

When I almost finished writing all the answers…

“What happened?”

My laptop suddenly shut down. That is, my lifeline disappeared. I began to sweat from this unexpected occurrence. I couldn’t do anything because I was in the middle of the exam. Blue words suddenly appeared on the LCD screen.

[A month has passed.] [The laptop’s functionality will be updated.] [Kim Hajin’s Observation and Reading will be strengthened.]

***

Yoo Yeonha planned a social leadership meeting called Noble Society every even-numbered Friday. She wanted to establish important connections for after graduation, but one of the important figures didn’t seem to care. For Chae Nayun, Noble Society was simply a reunion with her childhood friends. Today’s meeting took place at a coffee shop in Seoul.

“How are your grades?”

“It’s good enough.”

“The Jonghak I know isn’t content unless he places first.”

Only Shin Jonghak and Yoo Yeonha were in the coffee shop. It was popular, but Yoo Yeonha had rented the place out.

“Like I said, it’s good enough.”

“Yeah, okay.”

Clang— The bell on the door rang. Yoo Yeonha and Shin Jonghak turned to see Chae Nayun, who wore Chae Nayun-like clothes, blue jeans and a black jacket over a slightly see-through white shirt. She walked like a man, but her elegant figure was more charming than any other woman.

“Chae Nayun, you came today?”

Shin Jonghak waved. Chae Nayun walked over and spoke after looking around.

“Hey, where did your lackeys go?”

From Chae Nayun’s perspective, Shin Jonghak always brought along his lackeys. His followers were generally sons of large corporations or guilds. The hierarchy was clear despite labeling them as friends.

“They’re training. Midterms are coming up.”

“Oh, those guys also prepare for exams?”

Chae Nayun snarkily commented and took a seat.

“Rather than that, how did you do on the last written exam?”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“No, it’s just that you asked whether the others prepared for exams.”

Unlike when he was with Yoo Yeonha, Shin Jonghak actively brought up conversation. 

“That’s different. I’m talking about the combat exam. Who cares if you’re good at theory.”

Chae Nayun replied no differently than usual.

Yoo Yeonha quietly watched them. She didn’t think much of it. They were just friends, but she wasn’t too fond of Shin Jonghak’s soft smile and kind eyes towards Chae Nayun.

Krrk. Yoo Yeonha lightly clenched her teeth and grabbed the coffee she ordered for Chae Nayun 30 minutes ago. It was lukewarm, but she simply heated it with magic power.

“By the way, do you know Kim Hajin?”

Yoo Yeonha’s ears suddenly perked up. She inadvertently joined the conversation.

“Kim Hajin?”

“Yeah.”

“What about him?”

“What do you think about that bastard, Yeonha?”

Chae Nayun’s face distorted. 

Kim Hajin. Normally, she wouldn’t even think about someone like him. Even if she did, her assessment would have been, I don’t care or That crazy psycho, but circumstances had changed. She wasn’t exactly sure why, but he wasn’t so simple. Yoo Yeonha hid her inner thoughts.

“What do you mean? He’s just average.”

“No, never mind.”

Chae Nayun forcefully grabbed her coffee. Her strange reaction surprised Yoo Yeonha.

“That bastard is definitely hiding something.”

“What are you so angry about?” Shin Jonghak asked. He smiled as though he enjoyed seeing an angry Chae Nayun.

“You don’t know? There was a djinn at the National Weapons Museum during the recent monster incident in Seoul. Then that bastard…”

Chae Nayun gulped down her coffee and immediately spurted it back out.

“Aak! Fuck, it’s hot! Water! water!”

She shouted for cold water as she panted. Yoo Yeonha comforted her, but secretly rejoiced.

“Nayun, that’s coffee, not cold water.”

“You haven’t changed, have you?” Shin Jonghak laughed as an employee ran over with cold water.

“H-Here.” 

Chae Nayun quickly gulped it down. 

“Aagh, I burned my tongue.”

She caught her breath before continuing.

“Anyways, that djinn was stronger than Kim Suho. Even I…”

Chae Nayun paused again and looked at her two listeners. She didn’t want to talk about it in detail because what happened was embarrassing.

“Even I struggled a bit. Kim Suho’s a different story, but how can an ordinary cadet like him deal such fatal damage to a djinn?”

“What happened exactly?”

“I don’t want to explain in detail. Just know he blew up that djinn’s arm. With a gun at that! A gun! How does that make sense?”

Blowing up a djinn’s arm with a gun. Indeed, it was hard to believe without seeing it in person. Yoo Yeonha pondered as she rubbed her chin. She’d seen Kim Hajin fight. It was true he was quick, but it was hard to say he had the attack power to destroy a djinn’s arm.

“Ah, wait.” Chae Nayun suddenly turned serious. She seemed nervous and hesitated. Naturally, Shin Jonghak and Yoo Yeonha waited.

“Could it be that he’s… a djinn?”

“Nayun, he wouldn’t have attacked a fellow djinn if he was also a djinn.” 

Yoo Yeonha quickly shot down her hypothesis.

“I guess you’re right. Anyways, there’s something about that guy.”

“So you’re telling me you don’t like him?”

Shin Jonghak listened without a word and finally broke his silence. Chae Nayun and Yoo Yeonha both understood the hidden meaning behind those words.

Chae Nayun pondered how to answer. She knew Shin Jonghak’s personality. That guy’s future would noticeably change depending on her answer. She replied after some contemplation. 

“I’m not sure, but something like that.”