As the three figures entered through the door, Kang Chanseok inwardly rejoiced.

In this Academy full of half-wits, there was only one person worth their attention.

‘Baek Ihyeon’s connections are quite impressive…!’

Kang Jinho, Chae Juyeon, and even Park Taesan.

Anyone in the adventuring world would know how extraordinary their positions were.

These people could easily be called modern-day nobility.

Among them, Kang Jinho was a man who could be rightfully called the pinnacle of adventurers.

‘I’ve really landed on my feet!’

To think the day would come when I’d be in Kang Jinho’s circle.

I’d heard he was a man of integrity, but I guess all adventurers are cut from the same cloth after all.

Despite the many onlookers, Kang Chanseok rubbed his hands together shamelessly like a fly.

Still, just to be sure, he decided to confirm they were on the same side.

“The student you’re looking for… is it…?”

“The first-place student.”

“You mean the top student?”

“If they’re as exceptional as I’ve heard, it can’t be anyone else.”

Exceptional student.

Even the great Kang Jinho was openly showing affection.

Good grief, they weren’t just acquaintances, but incredibly close.

Kang Chanseok smiled at Kang Jinho, who was pretending not to know anything.

A top student who was not only exceptional but also well-connected.

In this group, it could only be Baek Ihyeon.

“The first-place student should be coming up soon…”

Kang Chanseok glanced discreetly towards the stage.

Right on cue, Baek Ihyeon, having finished his preparations, was ascending the stage.

“Hmm…”

Kang Jinho nodded as he saw Baek Ihyeon.

Then he patted Kang Chanseok’s shoulder.

It was a warm, trusting touch.

So it really was Baek Ihyeon after all.

Kang Chanseok felt his life was taking a turn for the better.

Whew.

Kang Chanseok’s breathing quickened.

Seeing Kang Chanseok’s excitement, Kang Jinho decided to ask more pointed questions.

“I heard there was some trouble…”

“Th-that…”

“I’d like to hear the details.”

Snap-!

As soon as Kang Jinho finished speaking, Chae Juyeon snapped her fingers.

Kang Chanseok knew this was magic to block out sound.

“…It wasn’t a big issue.”

“Oh…?”

“It was something we could easily control at our level, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

Kang Chanseok glanced nervously at Kang Jinho, trying to gauge his reaction.

He didn’t seem particularly angry.

He just gestured with his chin, urging Kang Chanseok to explain further.

“Mr. Baek Ihyeon… no, there was someone slightly more talented than Baek Ihyeon in this class. So we had to intervene a bit.”

“Are they here now?”

“Yes, if you look over there…”

Kang Chanseok shifted his gaze towards where the disguised Gyeoul was.

To show how much trouble he’d gone through, he furrowed his brow and clicked his tongue.

“Unfortunately, there was someone in that party who was only good at tracking monsters, which gave us some trouble.”

“Only good at tracking monsters?”

“Yes. They’re a pathetic person with nothing else going for them, so you don’t need to worry about…”

Kang Chanseok trailed off, clamping his mouth shut.

He’d sensed the anger in Kang Jinho’s twisted expression.

‘Wow.’

Those guys are completely finished as adventurers.

That was all Kang Chanseok could think.

**

The tedious graduation ceremony finally ended.

It was a bit amusing, though, when Baek Ihyeon, up on the stage, looked surprised to see the Guild Masters.

‘What should I do now?’

I wanted to go to the Guild Masters, but the atmosphere suggested I shouldn’t approach them right now.

As soon as the ceremony ended, they were surrounded by so many people that I couldn’t get close anyway.

Maybe I should chat with my party members.

I turned to look at the White Snow Guild people beside me, but Yoon Hyunseo, Han Taehwi, and Im Mi-young all had their hands clasped politely, staring towards the Guild Masters.

“What are you doing?”

“…We’re waiting,” Yoon Hyunseo answered tensely.

She licked her drying lips.

“For the Guild Masters?”

“Yeah. Well, specifically for Chae Juyeon.”

“Ah…”

They were supposed to collaborate with the Sacred Guild, weren’t they?

With the head of their potential partner company right in front of them, of course they’d be nervous.

‘I guess I’ll have to wait too.’

I needed to say a proper goodbye to my party members, and I wanted to meet the Guild Masters as well.

With no other choice, I lingered near the White Snow Guild members.

It took another thirty minutes before the Guild Masters regained their freedom.

“Haha! Let’s move on now!”

At the Taesan Guild Master’s shout, people stepped aside.

In the cleared space, Chae Juyeon glanced our way.

“Oh my, hello there. I didn’t realize the White Snow Guild was here.”

Chae Juyeon walked towards us.

The other Guild Masters followed behind her.

“…Hello.”

“Didn’t you say you were going to get first place this time?”

“……”

“But you ended up fourth. Well, fourth isn’t bad, I suppose.”

Chae Juyeon spoke with a hint of criticism.

I could only stare wide-eyed, not expecting such words from the usually kind Chae Juyeon.

“Ah…”

Im Mi-young and Yoon Hyunseo hung their heads.

Han Taehwi bit his lip.

“Haha! It’s because Baek Ihyeon was in this class. What a shame!”

One of the Academy instructors who had followed our Master laughed happily.

Then he gestured towards Baek Ihyeon, who was standing nervously in the distance.

“Ihyeon! Come over here quickly!”

“…!”

Baek Ihyeon, who had been hesitating, came to stand next to the instructor.

The instructor patted Baek Ihyeon’s shoulder proudly.

“This kid is incredible. He started from the bottom and ended up first.”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

Our Master turned to look at the two men praising themselves.

He frowned, looking them up and down.

“…Didn’t you just say this group was more talented?”

Our Master pointed at us.

Caught off guard by this unexpected comment, the instructor’s eyes darted back and forth.

“Pardon…?”

“I heard you had to rig the competition because it was hard to beat this party.”

“Wh-what are you talking about…?”

The Academy instructor turned to look at Baek Ihyeon.

Baek Ihyeon just stood there, his pupils shaking.

“You confessed yourself, so why are you suddenly pretending not to know?”

“That’s right. I even have evidence, you know?”

Chae Juyeon smiled, waving what looked like a magical item.

I wasn’t sure what it was, but seeing the instructor start to tremble, it must have contained solid evidence.

Aha.

So this was why the Guild Masters had pretended not to know me.

I fidgeted in my seat, finally understanding.

“Oh my, does this mean the White Snow Guild is actually first?”

“U-um, what’s going on here…? I was just trying to help Baek Ihyeon…”

The Academy instructor grabbed Baek Ihyeon’s wrist and pulled him along.

Our Master looked them up and down slowly.

“Who’s that kid anyway?”

“The, the first-place student…”

“The first-place student who cheated? Our kid doesn’t need to cheat to get first place.”

Tsk, our Master clicked his tongue.

Chae Juyeon seized the moment to speak.

“Still, thank you for confessing. I wonder if this will reduce your sentence?”

Chae Juyeon gave a small smile.

Then she approached us.

“Since you got first place this time, shall we start renegotiating?”

“Oh, yes… but what’s going on here…?”

“I’ll explain later.”

Chae Juyeon led the White Snow Guild members away somewhere.

I followed behind her.

Looking back, I saw Baek Ihyeon scanning the area with a terrified expression.

He seemed to be searching for the ‘our kid’ our Master had mentioned.

“Ah.”

Our eyes met.

I giggled and stuck my tongue out at him.

It was the best taunt I could manage.

Thud-

The badge fell from Baek Ihyeon’s hand as he saw me.

I could feel his gaze fixed on me until we left the auditorium.

‘Yikes.’

I’d better run away quickly.

I hurried to Chae Juyeon’s side.

**

We moved to a nearby cafe.

We each ordered drinks, but no one brought up any personal topics.

After waiting for a while like this, my white milk arrived.

Milk was one of my favorite drinks because of its rich flavor.

Slurp-

Im Mi-young, who had been drinking coffee, placed her hands on the table.

She looked like she’d made some kind of decision.

“Did you know there was manipulation at the Academy?”

“Yes. We had an agent planted on our side.”

“An, an agent…?”

“A very, very excellent undercover agent.”

Chae Juyeon chuckled, looking at me.

Naturally, the White Snow Guild members’ gazes turned to me.

Just then, the cafe door opened and two Guild Masters entered.

I waved at them.

“Uncle.”

“U-uncle…?”

A surprised Im Mi-young, and the two Guild Masters approaching us.

Our Master sat right across from me.

My spy role was over now.

There was no need to hold back from sitting on his lap.

“Uncle, how did it go?”

“Made him cry.”

“Oh…”

To make the seemingly high-and-mighty Baek Ihyeon cry.

I couldn’t even imagine Baek Ihyeon crying.

I looked up at our Master, then belatedly climbed onto his lap.

“Um, what’s your relationship with Harang…?”

Im Mi-young asked about my relationship with our Master.

In response, our Master tapped the ring on my finger.

“Take off the ring.”

“Can I?”

“Yeah. It’s all over now.”

“I see.”

As soon as I removed the ring, my body started to shrink.

My hair turned white, and my tail began to wag rapidly.

It was wagging so fast it was hitting our Master’s clothes.

“Huh…?”

Yoon Hyunseo’s mouth fell open when she saw me.

Coffee dribbled down her chin.

Han Taehwi froze with the straw still in his mouth.

Even Yoon Hyunseo and Han Taehwi, my party members, didn’t know my true identity.

I was glad I seemed to have perfectly carried out my spy mission.

—

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep