“Oh, you’re already here.”

Park Sangho walked in as we looked around the office.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Park Sangho held out his hand with a warm smile. He gave off a good first impression like an older brother next door, but his real self was completely different.

“Hajin, right?”

“Yes.”

I shook his hand.

“I’m sure I don’t need to introduce myself to Yeonha.”

Yoo Yeonha smiled at Park Sangho’s joking words. He hung his jacket on the chair and tapped the stack of documents on his desk.

“I know this is the Guild Experience Program, but we mostly work indoors. That’s why most team leader heroes with A-rank offices have 4 or 5 workers.”

Park Sangho continued in a soft voice.

“Dungeon conquests and monster subjugations require thorough analysis. Our work begins in the office, and we only set out when everything is perfect. However, mmm… let’s head out for now. Honestly, the office is a bit boring.”

Park Sangho led us outside. Yoo Yeonha followed as I stared at the safe in his drawer. It should contain condemning evidence that Park Sangho gathered about Yoo Yeonha’s family.

“Hajin?”

“Ah, yes.”

I hurried out of the room as Park Sangho called me.

“Oh right, there are also periodic deployment orders. You know how monsters have infested the North Hamgyong Province.”

Park Sangho continued to speak as we walked.

“About 3000 heroes take turns every month to exterminate the monsters there so a monster outbreak won’t occur. You’ll also go there about twice a year once you become a hero.”

Park Sangho stopped near the end of the third floor hall. We stood in front of a door labeled Analysis Room.

“I wanted to show you this place since I heard you placed first in theory.”

Park Sangho opened the door. The analysis room looked surprisingly ordinary with tables, chairs, and fancy computers lined up.

“There’s a separate conference room on the other side. Huge, isn’t it?”

Park Sangho proudly added. Many heroes busily worked.

“Oh, Sangho, the kids are here?” A woman glancing at documents looked up at us.

“Yeah. Hajin, Yeonha, this is Yi Jin-Ah. She’s a high-intermediate rank hero.”

“Hi. You said two of the three were girls, so you must be Kim Hajin.”

“Ah, yes.”

“The world sure has changed. Who would’ve thought rank 934 would visit our guild as part of the Guild Experience Program? I wonder who was behind it.”

Yi Jin-Ah expressed her displeasure in a roundabout way. However, she didn’t target me, but Yoo Yeonha. Of course, Yoo Yeonha didn’t look pleased. Yi Jin-Ah belonged to a different faction within Essence of the Strait. The guild’s vice-leader, Jung Hosuk, led this faction. However, she would eventually switch to Yoo Yeonha’s faction and become the guild’s vice-leader.

“Hajin is rank 1 in theory.”

Park Sangho defended me.

“Haha, rank 1 in theory? That’s amazing, so was I! However, cadets don’t learn much, so don’t be too overconfident.”

Yi Jin-Ah took off her glasses as she snickered. Then she tapped on the document in front of her.

“Now then, rank 1 in theory Kim Hajin. Would you like to take a look?”

“Hey, you can’t show the guild’s internal data so easily.”

“It’s not that important.”

Yi Jin-Ah stood up. She seemed slightly taller than me as I stepped back subconsciously.

“Here. It’s a copy, so you can do whatever you want. Don’t feel pressured.”

Yi Jin-Ah handed the document over. I took it and glanced at the equations and mathematical expressions.

“Take a look, but I doubt a kid can understand much.”

She ticked me off calling me a kid. I knew she didn’t mean my appearance, but I wanted to say my height was average.

“…”

I sat nearby and took out a pen from my cross bag. I also took out my laptop and placed it on the desk. My gift, Observation and Reading, activated. The problems estimated what could occur while conquering a dungeon. Wasn’t this job for ordinary office workers?

The calculation procedures and results appeared in front of me. All I had to do was copy it down. I asked Yi Jin-Ah.

“Do you have a piece of paper?”

“Pft, what do you need it for?”

Yi Jin-Ah sneered without giving me any.

“It’ll be difficult, Hajin. That’s not a normal exam problem.”

Park Sangho gave me the paper instead. I felt motivated because of her bitchy attitude.

I lightly clenched my teeth and wrote down the calculations. Yoo Yeonha suddenly spoke as I worked.

“Um, the other cadet just arrived on the first floor.”

“Oh, really? Let’s go together.”

Yoo Yeonha left with Park Sangho, but I stayed and continued to write. In academia, it was standard procedure to show every step.

However, Yi Jin-Ah snatched the paper and flipped it over when I almost finished.

“Listen, kid, stop wasting your time and screw off. Can’t you see? The other two already left.”

“…”

She looked scary with a frown. I stood up since the situation felt futile.

“I’ll leave my solution here, so feel free to look it over.”

“Don’t even try to waste my time, tsk.”

Yi Jin-Ah shooed me away and practically kicked me out.

“What a crazy bitch.”

I didn’t finish the last step, so she better not ask about it later!

I went back to the elevator and came down to the first floor. There, I saw the third cadet who just arrived. Chae Nayun shouted in surprise when she saw me.

“W-What!? Hey, why is he here?”

“Who knows?”

Yoo Yeonha playfully smiled. I also said something to her.

“You said Chae Nayun wasn’t coming.”

“Did I?”

Yoo Yeonha’s smartwatch buzzed. Her expression stiffened, so I wondered who it was.

“You two can go ahead. I need to use the restroom.”

She stealthily left.

***

Private Broker Yoo Jinhyuk. Under a worn neon sign, Yoo Jinhyuk stared in a daze at a document. This thin document contained a summary of an incident that occurred 16 years ago.

“Haha.”

He suddenly chuckled. He had explored Kim Hajin’s past for almost a month, but couldn’t find much because there were too many people tangled up in it. However, his interest increased along with the difficulty and he finally discovered a crucial hint.

[Kwang-Oh Report] [Casualty: 96] [Special note – the death of a woman in her last month of pregnancy.]

The Kwang-Oh Evacuation Shelter Massacre occurred when monsters flooded the Kwang-Oh Fortress and killed 87 ordinary civilians along with the 9 heroes who defended the evacuation shelter. The government and association concluded that djinns had planned it, but Yoo Jinhyuk knew the truth. The Yoo clan had kicked him out because he tried to uncover the truth a long time ago. Simply put, this 16 year old tragedy wasn’t the doing of djinns.

“…”

Yoo Jinhyuk knew the actual perpetrators. Unfortunately, most wouldn’t dare to name such influential figures.

First was Kim Sukho, then President of South Korea. Second was Chae Joochul, President of Daehyun conglomerate. Third was Yoo Taeho, Yoo Yeonha’s grandfather and Yoo Jinhyuk's own father.

Of course, they had only killed a few bugs from their perspective and employed a secret organization to prevent anyone from ever finding out. The three of them probably didn’t even remember this incident.

However, if there was a survivor… if Kim Hajin’s parents were victims of this massacre, and if his mother was the pregnant woman written in the report…

“Huuu.”

Of course, he hadn’t verified the theory yet, but Yoo Jinhyuk wondered why his niece wanted to dig up this boy’s past? Yoo Jinhyuk sighed and called Yoo Yeonha. She picked up almost instantly.

“Hello?”

— Yes, Uncle.

“You sound prettier now, kid.”

— Nevermind that, what happened to my request?

Yoo Jinhyuk casually glossed over it.

“Oh, that. I haven’t been working on it. I’ve been too busy.”

— W-What? You’re joking, right. Uncle?

Yoo Yeonha’s angry voice stung his ears. However, Yoo Jinhyuk tried his best to sound lighthearted.

“Hahaha, I mean, why are you trying to find his parents anyway?”

— That’s none of your business.

“What about him? Does he want to find them?”

This was an extremely important question. Everything would be fine if he didn’t want to find out and just live normally.

— Yes, most likely.

“… And how do you know that?”

— Hm, what’s up with all these questions?

“You know information is gold! I can finish faster if I know how he became an orphan.”

He seemed to have persuaded Yoo Yeonha. Soon, she whispered in a serious voice.

— You see, I think his parents were victims of a crime. He has the list of wanted criminals memorized.

Yoo Jinhyuk couldn’t help but gasp. “He memorized the entire list?”

— Yes. I think he reached a certain point in his own investigation.

“… Right, you said he was smart.”

— He’s rank 1 in theory. I heard he didn’t miss a single problem on the midterm and final exams.

If he was that smart, he could’ve discovered the Kwang-Oh Incident. Thankfully, he took a wrong turn. The perpetrator wasn’t some wanted criminal, but true nobles who still held significant influence over the country.

“Hmm…”

Yoo Jinhyuk sighed once again. He had to end this matter for his own safety. It would be bad if he dug too deep and that old codger noticed him. That old man was one of the strongest in Korea who fell just short of the Nine Stars. He was the second generation successor and the true owner of Daehyun, Chae Joochul the Immortal. Yoo Jinhyuk wouldn’t be able to handle him.

“Ah, I just got a call. Let’s talk later!”

The Yoo clan had grown, but used to serve as the Chae clan’s hunting dog. Chae Joochul would abandon his hunting dog without hesitation, so he wouldn’t mind the death of that hunting dog’s children.

— Wait, Uncle, when will you be done with…

Yoo Jinhyuk hung up before Yoo Yeonha could finish.

***

“Why were you late, Nayun?”

Park Sangho asked Chae Nayun as they waited for Yoo Yeonha to return.

“Ah, well, I visited Grandfather.”

“Nayun’s grandfather? That must be… his honor Chae Joochul.”

“Yes, I haven’t seen him in a while, so it took some time. Sorry.”

“No, no, it’s only natural. I presume he’s doing fine?”

Park Sangho made a fuss since her grandfather was one of the strongest in the world. Every hero looked up to him.

“Ah, sorry, I’m done now.” Yoo Yeonha came back from the restroom.

Chae Nayun jokingly blurted, “Why does it take you so long to take a dump?”

“I didn’t. Anyways, Sangho, what’s our next schedule?”

Yoo Yeonha sounded somewhat irritated.