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Translator: penny
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: Baek Hyunseo's Regret
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Her vision blurred. Her breaths came in ragged gasps that offered no relief. Even as nausea surged within her, Baek Hyunseo kept repeating the same words endlessly.
"If only... I hadn't done something so stupid..."
Before the strength drained completely from her body, she prayed desperately.
"Please let this all be just a nightmare when I wake up. If it's reality, I beg you... let me turn back time..."
Her body trembled violently, and in the end, she blacked out.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Baek Hyunseo. It all began two days ago, with her simple yet disastrous choice—stumbling upon the Helmont Academy Intranet Master Key in her father, the president's, room.
"Dad, what's this magic tool in your drawer? I don't think I've seen it before."
While cleaning her father's room, Baek Hyunseo peered curiously at a new magic tool in the drawer. Unlike ordinary ones, it emanated an intensely powerful mana.
Helmont Academy President Baek Juseok explained.
"Oh, that? It's the magic tool that manages the academy intranet. I'm planning to keep it there starting today. Don't touch it—mess with it wrong, and it could be a big problem. Got it?"
"Ah... so this is the 'Master Key' you told me about before? It's amazing how all the personal info of Helmont Academy people fits in something this small."
"Heh heh. It's not just some personal info—it's everything."
"Whoa... does it have every single bit of info? Nothing left out?"
"Pretty much, yeah. From personal mage IDs, phone numbers, birthdates, chat logs, owned spells, and even officially assigned hunter ranks—it's all there, no exceptions. Of course, if someone hides their spells, there's no way to see them, but anything registered with Helmont Academy is fully visible."
"In short, anything sent or registered through the academy can all be checked."
"Wow, that's incredible."
President Baek Juseok smiled at his daughter, who gazed wonderingly at the Master Key, and thought to himself.
'Heh heh, what an innocent kid. From her reaction, she has no clue how valuable that info is. Misusing the intranet could ruin someone's life without much effort.'
Of course, abusing the intranet freely might draw scrutiny from the Magic Investigation Agency. One wrong move could spell real trouble, so even the president only touched it when absolutely necessary, sticking to maintenance otherwise.
Watching Baek Hyunseo examine the magic tool from every angle in fascination, Baek Juseok wondered.
'She wouldn't try to use it, would she?'
A flicker of unease hit him, but he dismissed it quickly.
'Silly worry. She doesn't even bother with her phone—why would she mess with a magic tool?'
Baek Juseok spoke to his daughter again.
"Anyway, it's a very sensitive tool, so be extra careful not to break it while cleaning. Aside from the one I carry, that's our only spare."
"Hmm... if you're that worried, couldn't you just seal the magic tool yourself? Even if I don't break it, what if a thief gets in...?"
"It's too delicate—slapping a seal on it could cause a malfunction. Besides, the barriers I set around the house keep anyone out, so no worries."
Baek Juseok buttoned up his dress shirt and tied his necktie meticulously.
"Oh, right. I'll be on a business trip today and head straight to the academy tomorrow. You can get to the academy alone today and tomorrow, yeah?"
"Of course. Do you think I'm a kid? I'm an adult now—don't worry about that."
"Good. And don't be late this time."
As he shoved his feet into his shoes with a few taps, Baek Juseok frowned slightly and said.
"By the way, Hyunseo. You failed again this time, didn't you?"
"That damn instructor Choi Juwon. I told him to go easy on you, but he wouldn't listen. Makes my blood boil."
"Don't, Dad. I don't even want special treatment, and honestly, I'm not that interested in classes. If I run out of options later, you can just get me a job at the academy, right?"
"Hmm... still doesn't sit right with me. Anyway, after my trip, when I get to the academy tomorrow, I'll talk to him again."
"You don't have to..."
"Enough."
-BAM
The topic of grades made the sensitive Helmont Academy president slam the door as he left, thinking.
'Insolent bastard. An instructor daring to fail my daughter? When I, the president, tell him to pass her.'
Choi Juwon—a guy who started as a D-rank instructor a few years back and was now hailed as an S-rank at Helmont Academy.
To the president lately, he was a golden goose and a thorn in the side.
'He draws crowds of students, but does whatever he wants. Can't stand it.'
It was true they'd benefited greatly from him back when the academy was smaller and short-staffed. He had burst onto the scene like a comet, drawing from his own hunter days exploring gates to develop theories on efficiently using magic against monsters.
He taught students how to integrate magic for optimal dungeon raids.
Mages had long been shunned from gate dungeons due to physical weaknesses and long cast times, but Choi Juwon's theories on combining spells and items changed everything.
Simple reason: Students who took his classes excelled in dungeons.
That drew aspiring mage hunters dreaming of striking it rich with magic stones and byproducts straight to Helmont Academy, ushering in its golden age.
'But that's all in the past.'
Back then, with a smaller academy and fewer instructors, they had to tolerate his antics. Not anymore.
'We've milked his knowledge for years. The academy's too big now to crumble without one guy.'
Sure, people called him S-rank, but the president disagreed. There were plenty of replacements now.
And while he'd bided his time, he'd recently made up his mind. The moment an excuse arose to boot Choi Juwon, he'd do it.
'Give me any reason to fire him. Please.'
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After the president left, Baek Hyunseo opened the drawer again and fiddled with the Master Key.
'Whoa... the mana pouring out is insane. This has to be A-rank... no, S-rank artifact level.'
As she turned it this way and that, entranced by the shimmering mana, she suddenly recalled her father performing maintenance.
'He pressed that button on the back and infused mana, right...?'
-Click
Pressing the hidden button triggered a peculiar voice—the intranet Master Key's magical AI.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Helmont Academy Intranet Master Key activated.⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙User authentication beginning... Collecting test mana from body.
-Whirr
Suddenly, regardless of her will, mana was sucked into the Master Key from her body.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Ding! Mana DNA matches registered user Baek Juseok by 99.7% or higher. Within normal range. Master Key activated.⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Retrieving user information... Welcome, Baek Hyunseo.
"Wh-what...?"
Baek Hyunseo lost herself in the vast vista unfolding before her eyes.
Countless data files, personified streams of information, floated there. She rarely used her phone but had seen her friends' smartphones plenty, so she vaguely recognized it.
Is that... a messenger app?
Thinking she wanted to see the messenger, chat logs from her classmates Lee Haru and Kim Siyeon popped up.
— Lee HaruHey. Instructor Choi Juwon said hi to me when he passed by today?— Kim SiyeonCrazy. So jealous of you, Haru. Why won't he say hi to me? ㅠㅠ— Lee HaruDream on~ I'm the model student who always gets A's. How's a D-grader like you gonna get that kind of attention?— Kim SiyeonUgh... you sound so annoying saying that.— Lee HaruSorry, but it's true? Gotta say hi tomorrow too. Ha... what if he confesses he likes me later? What do I do, Siyeon?— Kim SiyeonYou crazy bitch, dream on. Why would a popular teacher like him like you? He'd be creeped out if he knew you were doing this.— Lee HaruWhat? How would he know? This messenger has A-rank security magic, bitch.— Kim SiyeonYou can see it on the intranet. Didn't you hear? An instructor from another academy got punished for leaking info via intranet.— Lee Haru...That can happen? If it's true, it'd be so creepy...— Kim SiyeonLook at you switching sides. You were all "he'd love it" earlier.— Lee HaruHey, no way you'd like some psycho pervert snooping on your chats. Don't say creepy shit. Of course, our Juwon wouldn't do that.— Kim SiyeonSiyeon, sorry, but I'm off to make chocolate for the instructor~ Tomorrow's Juwon's birthday.— Lee HaruHa... you crazy bitch... Instructor's birthday tomorrow? Thanks for the info. ㅋㅋㅋ You're nuts.
Entranced, Baek Hyunseo pored over countless students' chats.
'What...? So many girls like the instructor...?'
She bit her nails anxiously, her leg jiggling.
Truth was, Baek Hyunseo had harbored a slight crush on Choi Juwon for a while. She admired his firm, upright personality. His skills went without saying.
She recalled their last class conversation.
"F."
"Instructor~ Please give me a break, just once~"
"Don't beg me. Show up to class on time and do the assignments properly. I'll give you a high score even if you don't ask."
"Hmm... you know my dad's the president, right? You can't do this to me."
"So? Go cry to him if you want. And live the rest of your life as a pathetic mess."
Choi Juwon spoke harshly, then scratched his cheek, seemingly regretting the intensity.
"...You might hate hearing this now, but when you head into real gates later, what I taught will help a lot. You'll be a hunter someday—don't regret it then."
Other instructors fawned over her status as president's daughter, giving B's or A's without her asking, even C's without attendance. The power of her title was immense.
But Choi Juwon treated her as just a student, regardless, and genuinely worried for her future.
Craving his sincere concern, she'd skip assignments, doze in class, and pull stunts for attention—proof her feelings were growing.
'Looks like... I need to do something.'
She scrolled back through the chats.
"Hey, no way you'd like some psycho pervert snooping on your chats. Don't say creepy shit. Of course, our Juwon wouldn't do that."
Reading it, she thought.
'What if the instructor got caught snooping on the intranet...? His rep might take a hit, but no one would like him anymore...'
She'd never used messenger or texted friends, so she couldn't grasp how violating it felt to have chats spied on. Nor the gravity of the intranet data.
She muttered to herself.
"But Instructor Choi Juwon wouldn't just peek at the intranet out of nowhere... To frame him for accessing it... how?"
At that moment, the intranet's magical AI activated.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Recognizing user command. Searching for methods... Optimal solution found. Executing command. Fetching ID of 'Choi Juwon' from database. 'Choi Juwon's ID is Chlwndnjs111. Leave access log on this account?
[Yes] [No]
'Just press this... and it logs it...?'
Startled by the blinking prompt, she unwittingly hit 'Yes'.
-Whoooosh
A gusty wind roared, ejecting her from the intranet.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Changing intranet access log...
She didn't know the exact mechanism, but somehow, an access log under Choi Juwon's ID had been created.
Hearing it, Baek Hyunseo thought excitedly.
'Tomorrow, Dad checks the logs when he gets in, chews out the instructor, and everyone else finds out naturally?'
'Perfect... no need to worry about the other girls now.'
'They said tomorrow's his birthday, so if he's getting hate, I can comfort him with cake. Something like, "I believe in you, Instructor." Yeah.'
Glancing at the clock, she realized it was already late afternoon. She'd lost track of time digging through messenger logs.
'Ah... late again today. Might as well grab a cake for tomorrow on the way.'
She grabbed her wallet and headed out.
-Screeech
Opening the door, there stood her father, Baek Juseok.
"Kyaaah!"
Baek Hyunseo yelped in shock, tumbling backward.
"D-Dad... y-you said you were going on your trip... Why are you back...?"
Baek Juseok glared at her, face flushed with anger.
In his hand glowed not the spare Master Key at home, but his personal main one.
Helmont Academy President Baek Juseok said gravely to his daughter.
"Baek Hyunseo. Did you... use the Master Key?"