Episode 80: Reward (6)
A satisfying victory.
Team Yu Hana, all eight members, gathered for a celebratory meal.
“This kind of spear just keeps falling like this~”
Yoon Sang-hyuk exaggeratedly waved his hands as he spoke, making the students burst into laughter.
Of course, they were in the school cafeteria—a place suited for students.
-Munch munch.
Right beside him, Yoon Chae-ha was eating her meal with great focus.
“Eat a little slower.”
I grumbled and reached out with my chopsticks toward her plate.
Carefully picking apart the tender white fish, I placed it on her plate.
For a moment, Yoon Chae-ha froze, staring blankly at me.
As she slowly wiped the sauce off the corner of her lips, her cheeks flushed red.
She looked… happy, somehow.
“…Thanks.”
She spoke in a very small, whisper-like voice.
Her tone was unusually soft, and soon after, as if embarrassed, she quickly averted her gaze.
“All of a sudden?”
I chuckled and asked, making Yoon Chae-ha lightly bite her lip before replying in an intentionally indifferent tone.
“Well… for various reasons…”
Trailing off, she hastily picked at the fish with her chopsticks and, after some hesitation, put it in her mouth.
‘Interesting.’
Her reaction was completely different from the image she usually portrayed.
It was probably her way of expressing gratitude for the Cadenaccio technique I had shown her earlier.
After all, it had played a crucial role in helping her master a new ultimate skill.
Most heroes kept their secret techniques tightly guarded, so this was a rare case.
Meanwhile, the internet was already buzzing with discussions about today’s mock exchange match at Gaon Academy.
“Hey, check this out. ‘The Birth of Divinity.’ ‘The Golden-Haired Mage Is Insane.’ People are going crazy over this.”
On the online forums, praises and admiration for her were flooding in.
Yoon Sang-hyuk read some of the reactions aloud from his smartwatch, causing chuckles to break out around the table.
Yoon Chae-ha, already accustomed to compliments, remained unfazed as she continued eating.
Without saying much, I picked apart another piece of fish and placed it on her plate.
“…?”
Suddenly, the lively atmosphere at the table quieted down.
When I looked up, I saw that all my teammates were watching us with strange expressions.
After hesitating for a moment, Go Minjun cautiously spoke up.
“Uh… I’ve been wondering about this for a while.”
He gave an awkward smile, glancing between me and Yoon Chae-ha.
“Are you two… dating?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, you keep deboning fish for her… That’s not exactly something normal friends do, right?”
Thinking about it, I could see why they’d get that impression.
It wasn’t something I had considered at all.
I never really cared much about how others saw me.
“You’re not dating, Haein.”
Before I could say anything, Yu Hana cut off Go Minjun’s question.
“Right?”
She tilted her head slightly and smiled playfully as she asked me for confirmation.
“Yeah, we’re not.”
Even if Yoon Chae-ha had some interest in me, it would only be in a technical sense.
Yu Hana seemed satisfied with my answer and nodded with a smile.
And then—
“Huh…? What’s that?”
Kim Dae-hyun, staring at the TV mounted on the cafeteria wall, let out a surprised sound.
The students at the surrounding tables also began murmuring.
Naturally, we turned our attention to the screen.
[Korean Hero Association Defeats an Apostle]
A bold headline filled the screen.
The news anchor, sounding somewhat excited, was reporting the event live.
-Is this for real?
-An Apostle? Out of nowhere?
The cafeteria was quickly filled with murmurs of disbelief.
‘So it’s starting.’
I muttered inwardly.
Now that all the reward plans had been finalized, the Hero Association had lifted the embargo.
The timing was a bit earlier than expected, but it wasn’t a problem.
On-screen, the news caster, looking exhilarated, continued speaking.
“The four organizations that played the most significant roles in this Apostle subjugation operation are…”
As he spoke, the visuals on the screen changed, and text appeared one by one.
[Vanquisher]
[Arcadia]
[Cheongpungdae (Blue Wind Squad)]
[Myeongju (Lord)]
“Wow… as expected.”
Just looking at the list was enough to draw admiration.
These were all renowned organizations responsible for defending South Korea’s front lines. It was no surprise that the students let out gasps of awe.
Then, the subtitles appeared.
[Meritorious Individual Hero List]
The tone of the footage grew more serious, and bolder text emerged on the screen.
And at the very top of the list—
[Silent Ghost]
It was me.
‘Crazy.’
It seemed the Hero Association was already starting to build up my image as a rising star.
— Silent… Ghost? Who’s Silent Ghost?
— Ah, ah! You know, last year’s monster wave!!
A small commotion spread among the students.
Just having my name at the very top, among the most distinguished heroes, naturally drew attention.
“Silent… Ghost…?”
Yoon Sang-hyuk and Kim Dae-hyun muttered at the same time.
Slowly, as if entranced, they turned their heads toward me.
They were among the few in this school who knew my true identity.
Yu Hana, who had been cutting her steak, suddenly paused and quietly put down her knife.
Then, she raised a finger to her lips—
— Slide.
She mimed zipping her mouth shut. Then, as if nothing had happened, she changed her expression and casually picked up a piece of sliced steak, placing it into my mouth.
“Are you going to the association this week?”
Yu Hana whispered in a small voice.
“Uh, Oyoi Achi (Saturday morning).”
I answered, my mouth full of steak, mumbling indistinctly.
Yu Hana watched me for a moment, then covered her mouth with her hand and chuckled.
— The subjugation took place three weeks ago…
The anchor’s calm voice flowed from the screen.
At that moment, from across the table, Yoon Chae-ha quietly muttered something.
“Three weeks… Arcadia… Glory Hospital… Silent Ghost…?”
Her eyes deepened.
Like assembling a puzzle, something was rapidly coming together in her mind.
The moment certainty filled Yoon Chae-ha’s gaze—
Her head snapped toward me.
Sharp, piercing eyes.
I paused, my jaw stopping mid-chew.
She had visited my hospital room while I was unconscious.
She had met the Saintess and even reached the top floor of the hospital, which was operated by Glory.
Her deductive reasoning had completed the puzzle.
Now, all that was left was to confirm the answer.
“…Is it true?”
Yoon Chae-ha asked abruptly.
We both knew exactly what she was asking.
I swallowed my half-chewed steak and smiled.
“Yeah.”
A short but definite answer.
Her eyes trembled.
***
Time passed, and by Saturday morning—
The area in front of the Hero Association was packed with people.
The conclusion was simple.
‘So, who the hell is Silent Ghost?’
Everyone agreed that he had performed great feats and was an incredibly promising hero.
But the real problem was—who was he?
The association had revealed nothing about Silent Ghost except for the hero name itself.
However, since it was inevitable that Silent Ghost would eventually show up at the association, people had camped out here, waiting.
“…But do we really need to go this far?”
Right now, I was sitting in the passenger seat of the old man’s truck, disguised as a food supply vehicle.
“Didn’t you say you didn’t want to be discovered?”
He had a point.
Having a few people know and being revealed to the public were two entirely different things.
As always, we were heading to the parking lot behind the building.
And it wasn’t just the old man and me in the car.
I glanced at the back seat through the side mirror.
Yoon Chae-ha sat there, looking slightly excited—it was her first visit to the association.
“Wait at the café. I’ll be back soon.”
She had already figured out my identity.
But it didn’t matter.
After all, to show her the Evil God’s Jewel, I would have had to reveal myself anyway.
“Yeah.”
Yoon Chae-ha responded briefly, nodding.
After parking the car, the old man let us out and headed toward the main entrance.
Officially, he had to go through the proper entry procedures.
As soon as we got out of the car, an association staff member rushed over.
“Haein-nim, you’re here!”
He greeted us warmly as soon as he saw us.
It was Kim Gil-gyu again.
At this point, he felt almost like my personal handler.
“And this person is…?”
He soon noticed Yoon Chae-ha standing next to me and tilted his head in curiosity.
“Oh, she’s a friend. She’ll be waiting on the first floor.”
“I see. Understood. Then your friend can use that elevator over there.”
“Go on ahead. I’ll be there soon.”
“Okay.”
Yoon Chae-ha gave a light nod and walked toward the elevator.
A café in name only—she’d probably be wandering around restlessly.
I quietly made my way to the private elevator.
The Association’s Reception Room
A space that even heroes might only enter once or twice in their lifetime.
And yet, once again, I found myself stepping inside.
At the desk in front of me sat Park Seo-hee.
But she wasn’t the one who truly surprised me.
Behind her, glass display cases lined up in perfect alignment.
Though the magic devices concealed their contents from view, the overwhelming aura radiating from within could not be hidden.
‘They really went all out this time.’
It was clear—the association had no intention of holding back.
“Hello, Hero Nung Haein. Or should I call you Silent Ghost?”
Park Seo-hee greeted me with a nod and a confident smile, clearly well-prepared.
“Hello.”
I returned the greeting casually.
“First of all, your official commendation records were released a few days ago. Of course, per your request, all personal details about Silent Ghost have been classified. You’re completely unparalleled—this will definitely make headlines.”
“…”
As she spoke, she placed a neatly sealed envelope on the table.
“And now, the main topic of today’s negotiation—your additional compensation.”
I quietly reached out and picked up the envelope. The luxurious texture bore the engraved emblem of the association.
Opening it, I found a single, carefully folded document inside.
“You may choose one of the five artifacts.”
I glanced down at the document before naturally shifting my gaze toward the display cases behind her.
Park Seo-hee gestured with a smile.
“Let’s begin with the first one.”
At her signal, an association staff member activated the first display case.
With a metallic click, the glass panel slid open, revealing its contents.
And at that moment—
I nearly spat out the water I was drinking.
Inside the case lay a dazzling platinum tiara.
I recognized it instantly.
Erieltium.
‘What the actual…’
A divine relic left behind by Eriel, the goddess worshiped by Arcadia.
The church had repeatedly requested its return, but not once had they received a response.
And now, here it was—right in front of me.
‘Why the hell are they offering this to me?’
Maintaining a neutral expression, I casually set my glass down.
Outwardly, I was sure I looked completely unfazed.
“This is the second one.”
Park Seo-hee continued as if it were no big deal.
I tore my gaze away from the tiara and turned to look at the second display case.
Honestly, the second option—and any other option—didn’t matter.
It had to be the tiara.
And, of course, it was meant for Cheon Yeoul.
When the second case opened, a majestic and intricately crafted suit of armor was revealed.
‘Yeah, no.’
I couldn’t help but chuckle quietly.
Seeing my reaction as a positive sign, Park Seo-hee confidently activated the remaining three display cases in succession.
A razor-sharp spear.
An ancient warrior’s helmet.
An ancient grimoire.
All of them were exceptional artifacts.
‘Interesting.’
The Association assumed I wouldn’t choose the tiara.
This relic was an item whose existence was known only to the Association and the Arcadia Order. It held more symbolic value than market worth or practical use.
Even the Association hadn’t fully grasped its actual functions or capabilities. They likely considered it something ‘ornate but useless,’ a trinket meant to be sold off to a temple later.
That’s why it was placed as the first option.
By showing it first, they intended to lead me into disappointment, then immediately follow up with the practical treasures from options 2 to 5, making me lean toward choosing one of those instead.
But—
‘What if I choose it?’
Since it held no value beyond its symbolism, they likely thought it wouldn’t matter if I took it. They had no intention of selling it, but based on the Association’s estimated market value, it was probably worth less than the others.
Of course, the other artifacts were immensely powerful—practically impossible to obtain, even with money.
But that didn’t matter to me.
Park Seo-hee continued speaking with a gentle smile.
“Which one will you choose? Take your time—”
“That one.”
I cut her off, pointing straight at the first display case.
There was no need to hesitate.
“I’ll take that one.”
For a moment, Park Seo-hee’s eyes wavered slightly.
“Is this available for takeout?”
I was in a hurry.
***
I left the reception room with the tiara securely placed inside a high-grade, transparent glass case—opaque from the outside.
Park Seo-hee still seemed stunned, as if she hadn’t expected me to pick the tiara.
Good deal. Very good deal.
I cheered inwardly. There had been many options, but I never expected the Association to present something like this.
‘No practical use?’
That’s just your opinion.
“Huh?”
As I stepped out of the reception room, I sensed a familiar presence at the end of the corridor.
It was members of Arcadia. But strangely, it wasn’t just the Paladins who had been active—it was the Crusaders as well.
Yohan.
And beside him, even a bishop.
It seemed they were also visiting the Association for negotiations.
Cheon Yeoul, who had been frowning slightly, immediately brightened upon seeing me and rushed over with a cheerful expression.
“Did the negotiation go well? What did you get? What did they give you?”
She asked innocently.
Behind her, Yohan and the bishop exchanged glances, glaring at me.
“Perfect timing.”
The moment was just right.
Without a word, I quietly opened the glass case.
—Hisss.
As the case opened, a soft glow spread outward.
The bishop, who had been watching from a distance, suddenly flinched.
“What…!”
A short gasp escaped his lips.
Realizing what it was, he hurried toward me.
Before he could reach me, I casually reached into the glass case, took out the tiara, and gently placed it atop the still-bewildered Cheon Yeoul’s head.
In that instant—
—Hwooong…
A radiant light shimmered, and the tiara emanated a divine aura.
Cheon Yeoul’s hair was enveloped in a brilliant glow, and the surrounding air instantly felt purified.
“Hah… What in the world…?”
“……”
The gathered clergy instinctively held their breaths.
The saintess wore a mixed expression of joy and reverence, unable to tear her gaze away.
Meanwhile, the hero’s face grew darker, his lips pressing together in frustration.
The bishop bit his lip hard, frozen in place, unable to take another step forward.
Under their watchful eyes, I smirked.
“It suits you.”
Cheon Yeoul’s cheeks flushed red, and she slowly closed her eyes.
The tiara, now imbued with light, gradually began to lose its shape.
Its pure white radiance slowly dispersed like mist, dissolving like a breath into her body.
