Academy’S Gumiho Is A Magical Genius [EN]: Chapter 37

Nine Tail Guild (2)

Every TV channel was filled with stories about me.

It was the same yesterday, but the breaking news was completely different from before.

Until yesterday, it was mostly about my rumors or misdeeds, but now it’s mainly about Efnell’s Garden.

“Isn’t this good enough?”

“…You really cleared the Garden?”

“Well, I guess you wouldn’t believe it. A useless guy like me cleared an uncleared dungeon.”

South Korea is a powerhouse in the player world.

Numerous S-class guilds are located on the Korean Peninsula, and it has produced many rankers and high-rankers. Moreover, the world-renowned educational institution, Chilseong Academy, is also located domestically.

In such a country, an uncleared dungeon has tremendous value. And one of those dungeons has just been cleared.

Baek Seok-ho’s surprised gaze sweeps over me.

A completely different look from just now.

His eyes, scrutinizing every part of my body, were unpleasant, but it was proof of how surprised he was.

‘He’s completely on guard.’

Until I turned on the news, I strongly felt like he was ignoring me.

That feeling was reversed as soon as the news came on.

And what was reversed wasn’t just the feeling.

The board that Baek Seok-ho had set up was also overturned.

Now, as he looks back and forth between my body and the news.

A good opportunity has come for me to take the lead in the conversation.

“So, how are we going to do this deal?”

“You don’t mean you had this in mind when we started talking…”

“The guy who cleared the three great uncleared dungeons was actually affiliated with [Nine Tail]. How about it? It wouldn’t be a bad story from the guild leader’s perspective.”

“Tch… !”

From Baek Seok-ho’s perspective, my offer was quite sweet.

If he accepts it, he can gain fame for clearing the three great uncleared dungeons, as well as the resulting spotlight from the media and the public.

Instead, his pride will be scratched.

He would be swallowing the proposal of a guy he had been ignoring until now.

‘Will he pursue profit, or will he choose his own pride?’

Judging from his serious face, he seems to be quite troubled.

I have no choice.

I have to urge him to choose and push him from behind.

“Isn’t it a pretty good deal? Even if I just wear your badge and do one interview, the spotlight will be no joke.”

“…I don’t know what the head of the family is thinking.”

“Why? Is this such a serious request? It’s not like I’m asking for the status of Nine Tail, is it?”

Nine Tail.

The collective name for the highest executive group in [Nine Tail].

The Baek Seok-ho in front of me is the [First Tail] of the Nine Tails, and the other eight also possess top-notch skills and achievements.

Demanding this position is, of course, absurd.

Even if he accepts it, it will surely be just a nominal position.

I nonchalantly mentioned the highest position.

Now, what’s important is from now on.

I entrusted myself to 「Empty Fort Strategy」 [a military strategy of appearing weak to deceive the enemy].

Casually and naturally, I raised my finger.

I opened my mouth as if this was natural, adding a condition.

“Instead.”

“Hmm?”

I opened my mouth quietly.

This is the core of the deal.

“The team leader position. And guarantee autonomy.”

“…I believe you are well aware of how absurd that request is.”

“That would be the case normally. But this guild is a little different, isn’t it?”

I tapped the sofa with my hand.

The soft sensation wrapped around the back of my hand, and it didn’t sink in.

From that alone, you can see how good this sofa is.

Not just the sofa.

All the objects in this space.

Eventually, whose wallet do you think most of the objects that make up this building came from?

“The contract between the family and the guild. You know about it, right?”

“Of course. I am the head of this guild.”

“Then you know what will follow.”

“…Oh, don’t tell me you’re going to threaten me with the position of the head of the family.”

Baek Seok-ho’s face didn’t seem to be swayed by the threat at all.

Of course.

What can a powerless head of the family do?

It would only seem like I’m just babbling.

But surprisingly, he didn’t seem to dislike it.

Rather, he seems to be judging it not badly.

No, has he already made up his mind?

Even if he gives me the team leader position and autonomy.

It’s a good opportunity and excuse to monitor me from right above.

Baek Seok-ho is already thinking of accepting my proposal, but he’s answering indifferently. I have no choice.

I have to drive the wedge in firmly.

“Then let’s add one more condition.”

“…What do you mean.”

“The next dungeon to clear is ‘Jötunheimr Inferno’, how about it?”

Like ‘Efnell’s Garden’, which I cleared today, it is famous as one of the three great uncleared dungeons. However, the difference from the Garden is that the Inferno is not that we don’t know how to攻略 [conquer] it.

It’s just an absurd difficulty.

‘An environment where humans cannot live or approach carelessly.’

A terrain where lava flows.

Fire giants walking casually on it.

A dungeon where you can’t even rest, let alone provide food, clothing, and shelter inside. It’s literally like a hellish dungeon.

I have now declared that I will clear that place.

“Are you out of your mind, head of the family.”

“I wish you would see me as a player, not the head of the family right now.”

“…I don’t think that’s something someone who was just wielding the position of the head of the family would say.”

“Is that so?”

“I guess I have no choice.”

Having said this much, there’s no reason to resist anymore.

Baek Seok-ho brought a few documents with a look that he had no choice.

Guild membership documents. I have to take them home and read them carefully.

After receiving the documents, I left the room without looking back.

I don’t want to be in that room anymore.

I waited for the elevator and thought blankly.

He’s definitely stronger and has a more difficult personality than I thought.

But it’s not impossible.

‘I’m satisfied with being a team leader now, but next time I’ll take everything.’

I intend to take all the power and authority that Baek Seok-ho is enjoying.

Whether it’s the guild leader’s authority or the position of the 5th Elder, it doesn’t matter.

Anyway, it’s a guild that will fail in the second half of the novel.

It wouldn’t be a problem if I ate it [took it over].

Internal politics may be a bit annoying, but.

I can handle that on my own.

I have more than enough experience in wielding command in a military group.

‘I’m actually looking forward to it.’

Underhanded infighting.

This is my specialty.

My mind and experience haven’t weakened like my body, so if I make use of my long experience, I can definitely do it.

Thinking that way, as I left the guild’s building, the sunset came into view.

It’s almost time to go back to the dorm.

My monthly leave is only for today, so I have to go back soon.

“…It was a tiring day.”

I was dragged to a meeting from the morning.

I met a student in the dungeon and killed an assassin using loneliness.

Then, I even made a deal with Baek Seok-ho.

My body isn’t even fully healed yet, but I’ve overworked myself too much.

I’m exhausted both physically and mentally from the tight schedule.

Still, this level of fatigue is not as serious compared to the injuries on my hands.

“…It’s a bit ugly.”

I took off my tattered gloves.

What was revealed inside the gloves was a hand that was more tattered than the gloves.

The entire hand was clearly scarred from burns due to poison and flames.

In particular, dipping my hand in loneliness was fatal.

Even though I don’t have high resistance to poison, putting my burned hand into the poison made it look grotesque.

No, is this level okay?

It’s not like the flesh is torn or charred black.

Depending on the case, this level could be treated as fashion or a tattoo…

“No way. How is this fashion?”

Tattoos of dragons, roses, or goblins are cute.

Still, is it because my hands are basically slender and delicate?

Even though I had hideous burns, when viewed up close, it was just a terrible scar, but when viewed from afar, it was fairly decent.

Maybe I’ll have to live like this.

There’s no answer for this level of scarring even with potions.

Unless I eat another elixir.

‘I can’t use a potion that can save anyone as long as they’re not dead on these scars.’

I can’t help it.

I’ll just have to live like this.

The only fortunate thing is that I usually wear gloves.

Originally, it was just a means to show the dignity of a nobleman and the head of the family.

Now there’s one more reason to wear gloves.

‘I don’t think I can wear this anymore. I should buy a new one on the way to the dorm.’

Looking at the tattered gloves, I felt the need for new gloves.

If possible, should I buy better gloves?

Gloves that don’t burn in flames or melt in poison.

Well, it would be better to just get a whole set of equipment.

Both today and during the last attack.

I fought with my bare hands or shaped flames into weapons because I didn’t have any proper equipment.

I haven’t even had time to go get equipment because I’ve been dividing every task into minutes, but I should go find that person soon.

‘At this point, he should still be near here, right?’

I hoped my memory was correct and got into a taxi to the academy.

I met the same driver again.

Is this almost fate?

In the meantime.

I suddenly realized that I was forgetting something.

“Ah, right. I was going to look for literature or data about the tail at the mansion.”

I can’t help it.

I’ll have to come and find it next time.

Anyway, there’s plenty of time, and there are many days left for me to show my face at the mansion.

* * *

“…It’s not even funny.”

The guild leader’s office, which was quiet after Baek Seung-woo left.

Baek Seok-ho’s white face and tail were dyed bright red.

His emotions were so openly revealed that his eyes, with their blood vessels standing out, even showed madness.

“I knew he was incompetent, but I didn’t know he was this crazy.”

To dare make demands of him.

Even with threats.

I want to tear him apart and kill him.

Originally, I would have killed such a guy without thinking about the aftermath.

But this time, the situation was too bad.

As Baek Seung-woo’s tail increased to two, the 1st Elder and neutral forces showed interest. In the current situation, if I made a move, I don’t know what the 1st Elder would do.

Besides, Baek Seung-woo is currently the only eldest son among the direct descendants of the family.

The Cheonho Baekga is an old family that clings to old customs and formalities.

Because of that, Confucian ideas are deeply ingrained. In a negative way.

The head of the family must be a man.

It is impossible to arbitrarily replace the head of the family when the eldest son is not dead. That’s not Baek Seok-ho’s way, and it’s something that would get him on the bad side of the 1st Elder, who holds the real power in the family.

Baek Seok-ho is not an incompetent person.

“Should I rather encourage the marriage of Baek Seol-ah or Baek Seol-hee and have them produce descendants quickly?”

Regency.

Have them have grandchildren quickly and designate that child as the young head of the family.

After that, he would control everything from behind.

In theory, it is entirely possible.

Baek Seung-woo, who broke off his engagement himself without a suitable lover, would not refuse this. But the problem is.

“Those two bitches.”

The eldest daughter, Baek Seol-ah, and the second daughter, Baek Seol-hee.

His competitors who are trying to oust Baek Seung-woo and become the head of the family.

The two of them are troublesome in their own way, but if he appeases them well, they will become useful cards.

But if that happens, he will not become the head of the family entirely on his own strength. That goes against Baek Seok-ho’s policy.

“…I cannot tolerate borrowing power.”

Borrowing power.

A proverb that a fox borrows the power of a tiger to show off its power.

However, in Cheonho Baekga, the context is a little different.

The power of a tiger is worthless in front of Cheonho.

Therefore, it was not a fox borrowing the power of a tiger, but a tiger borrowing the power of a fox. This is the correct proverb in Cheonho Baekga.

But Baek Seok-ho in his younger days was always curious.

Why is the fox above the tiger?

Isn’t that ecologically impossible?

But after experiencing it firsthand, I understood.

Baek Seok-ho was a tiger. He was like a mountain god who had no match in the hills.

But the opponent was too bad.

It still comes to mind when I close my eyes.

A Gumiho [a nine-tailed fox, a mythical creature] fluttering nine tails and using supernatural powers and divination.

I realized that in front of that Gumiho, a mountain god was just a wild animal.

‘I understood borrowing power that day.’

All the power that Baek Seok-ho had in his childhood came from the Gumiho. So I couldn’t even imagine rebelling against the fox.

But that Gumiho is dead, and there are three young children?

It was a good opportunity to challenge again.

This time, I will extinguish the power of the fox and rise above.

I was determined to do so.

Why the hell is it like this now and then!

“The vitality he has compared to before is disgustingly different.”

In Baek Seok-ho’s old memories, Baek Seung-woo was always consistent.

At the time of his first birthday, at the inauguration ceremony of the young head of the family, and even when his parents, who had achieved the realm of Gumiho, died.

He was showing dead eyes without change.

It was as if the person himself was twisted.

There was such a strange disgust.

“Still, back then, it was literally the uncanny valley [a hypothesis that human replicas that appear almost, but not exactly, like real human beings elicit feelings of eeriness and revulsion among some observers].”

There is a saying called ‘uncanny valley’.

It means that the more similar to humans, the more physiological disgust is felt the more vaguely similar. Baek Seung-woo’s expression in his childhood felt like that.

He was closer to a living doll than a human.

No, is that still the case now?