OMH Chapter 30

My Oh My Hero – Episode 30

30. The S-Grades I’m Raising (11)

After a long argument, Jang Hana’s interrogation finally ended.

Despite all the fuss Jang Hana made, the case was concluded as an “S-grade Ability Discovery Incident.”

This was because the head of Jang Hana’s research team examined Jang Hana’s hair with a portable wave detector and declared that it was different from the previously observed state.

According to the research team leader’s speculation based on his conversation with Jang Hana, she had undergone “asymptomatic ability manifestation” without their knowledge, and she seemed to have re-dyed it in a way that consumed less of her ability without even realizing it herself.

While Jang Hana’s existing ability made the target perceive something differently from its actual appearance, the ability she used this time was to manipulate the target’s actual form.

So, ultimately, Jang Hana turned Woojin into a cat with her newly developed ability.

An ability that manipulates the shape of the target at the user’s will.

Moreover, the damage Jang Hana inflicted on Woojin didn’t end there.

During the interrogation, Jang Hana made a truly useless statement.

She claimed that she didn’t kidnap Woojin, but simply helped him go outside because he wanted to.

Jang Hana, a dual Esper, read Woojin’s desire to go outside with her original basic ability, “Mind Reading,” so she helped him out.

Anyway, she blurted out things that were disadvantageous to Woojin.

Unfortunately, Jang Hana was just as brazen at the trial at the Central Center as she was during the interrogation.

She claimed that she was innocent and had never hidden her ability manifestation.

All of this was due to the compassion for the Guide who manifested abilities without symptoms and was confused by suddenly becoming a member of the Association.

I was slightly worried when the Esper Director even nodded at Jang Hana’s nonsense, but fortunately, the Association did not acknowledge Jang Hana’s innocence.

Her intention was considered very impure, as she was trying to find a clue to escape the Association.

However, given the simplicity of the method and the fact that it was only an attempt, Jang Hana received a very lenient punishment.

Kidnapping a Guide with the intention of leaving the Association, and only getting 500 hours of volunteer work? If rumors spread among other Espers, there would be an uproar about discriminating against them because she’s an S-grade.

In fact, she was being given special treatment as an S-grade whose ability had just bloomed.

The person who received the light punishment seems to be very dissatisfied, though.

*

The Esper Guide Association’s Korean branch now has a little over 5,000 members, so the process doesn’t take long.

When the Audit Bureau resolves a case like this, the Director immediately holds a trial and determines the sentence.

Therefore, Jang Hana’s interrogation and trial were all over in 4 hours.

The perpetrator Esper’s situation was resolved favorably, but the victim Guide’s situation was not yet resolved.

Unfortunately, because Woojin’s plan to escape the Association using Jang Hana’s ability, “Mind Reading,” was exposed, the Association was not going to let him off easily.

And since the Guide Director who held the decision-making power was absent, the decision on Woojin was postponed.

So Woojin also spent the morning with me, listening to Jang Hana’s trial. Wooreen kept nagging us, so we had to go outside and come back in from time to time.

After watching Jang Hana get sentenced to 500 hours of volunteer work, lunchtime was long past.

As the trial ended, the Audit Bureau and the research team returned to their workplaces, and Jang Hana also went to the Esper Director. So the only people coming out of the Central Center were me, Woojin, and little Cha Wooreen.

Since we didn’t know when the Guide Director would arrive, and we couldn’t wait indefinitely at the Central Center, we eventually went outside.

The Guide Director is much stricter and more demanding than the Esper Director.

‘Given that person’s personality, when they return, they’ll immediately summon Woojin to the Guide Bureau in the Central Center and punish him.’

They wouldn’t give a lenient punishment to a Guide who has been difficult from the start.

Perhaps because I had warned Woojin about what might happen, his expression was dark.

I felt a little sorry for him, but it was better than being swept away without knowing anything, so I couldn’t help it.

Still, even with a gloomy expression, Woojin was as pure and beautiful as a white hyacinth.

I was admiring his profile as he walked weakly when Woojin staggered.

The culprit was Cha Wooreen, who was clinging to Woojin’s calf.

This little one didn’t know what was going on and just seemed happy.

‘Well, she must be happy, clinging to her brother all day and acting spoiled.’

The child who was having fun on her own said she was hungry.

It was past lunchtime, so it was understandable. She skipped breakfast and only ate some snacks from the vending machine.

I supported Woojin, who had almost fallen because of Cha Wooreen, and pondered where to have lunch.

‘Should we go outside the Association to eat? There’s a car nearby…’

Then, suddenly, a loud noise erupted.

*Gurgle*—

‘Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever heard such a loud stomach rumble before.’

I thought it was Cha Wooreen, who said she was hungry, but Woojin’s ears were bright red.

‘Come to think of it, Woojin has barely eaten since yesterday.’

I guess we should just go to the nearby Central Center cafeteria.

*

I took Woojin and Wooreen back to the Central Center.

We all need to eat to live, so I couldn’t let them starve. I had to go to the nearest Central Center cafeteria and feed them something.

It was a bit past lunchtime, so the cafeteria was deserted. Perhaps that’s why the food came out quickly after we ordered it.

I carried the food back to where Woojin was sitting.

Woojin was wiping the little one’s hands and tying up her hair. It was because the little one’s hair was a mess from whatever she did, even though there was nothing formal to do.

Since there was no comb, Woojin roughly combed it with his hands and tied it into a single braid, but the shape was… not good.

‘How much hair does she have that it’s all sticking out and popping out…’

Even though she was clearly washed and well taken care of, she looked like a child abandoned in ruins. Still, it was better than having it loose, but the tie that was tied was gradually coming down and then returning to its original disheveled state.

Unable to watch any longer, I moved next to Woojin and quickly combed Wooreen’s hair as I did every morning, and braided it down as I learned from Hwayoung. Wooreen usually begs me to do that hairstyle because she says it’s like a cartoon character’s hair.

I tied the end of the braided hair tightly with a rubber band and sat down.

Then Woojin, who was sitting across from me, widened his eyes and asked me.

“So, Hana-ssi has been tying Wooreen’s hair all this time?”

“Well, usually, yes. I’m the one who takes care of her. I was a little too distracted today, but it’s a relief that Jang Hana tied Wooreen’s hair this morning.”

“Ah…”

“She’s a bit prickly and unique, but she’s not a bad person~ Ah, of course, she was a hundred, a thousand times wrong in this case! She even said unnecessary things, so she’s very bad!”

I almost said something stupid to Woojin while trying to cover up my disciple’s faults without thinking. That was dangerous.

I managed to overcome the crisis and maintain a friendly atmosphere.

As we were eating in peace, someone approached us.

That person hit the top of my head with their palm and shook my head roughly.

“Kid! What are you doing eating now when everyone else is done?”

“Even dogs aren’t bothered when they’re eating, why are you hitting me?”

“Eat your meals on time. Wait, what’s this?! There’s a baby? Aww~ how cute~”

The middle-aged woman who suddenly barged in was very happy to see a child she had never seen before. Then, she began to bring up the wrong memories.

“You were just like that when I first met you. It brings back old memories~”

“What are you talking about? I was much bigger. I was over ten years old back then.”

“What are *you* talking about? You were so small. The baby must be around that age. Right~? How old is our baby?”

The arrow of attention was aimed at Wooreen.

The uninvited guest waited for Wooreen’s answer, but Wooreen turned her face to her brother, perhaps embarrassed by the stranger. Woojin spread out six fingers and said softly in a gentle voice.

“She’s six years old. Six years old. Say, ‘I’m six years old.'”

“I’m six years old.”

Wooreen followed what Woojin told her to say, but she spread out eight fingers. The uninvited guest burst out laughing at her innocent appearance, not knowing her age or numbers.

“Aww, how cute~. She’s really a baby, a baby. The baby’s father here is the new Guide, right?”

Wow, a word came out that could come out, but shouldn’t have come out.

I immediately tried to rectify the situation.

“Oh~ what are you saying, calling him the baby’s father? He’s too young for that~”

“Why? It could happen in this day and age. It’s a bit early even in the old days, but it’s possible. I don’t have any prejudice against that, so you can be honest.”

Unfortunately, the effort was in vain.

But Woojin immediately retorted.

“He’s not my child, he’s my younger sister.”

And we said nothing.

In that silence, the uninvited guest just smiled and looked Woojin up and down.

She seemed to like Woojin’s sculpted appearance, and she raised the corners of her mouth as she put an apple in her mouth.

“Is that so? I’m sorry for being rude. I apologize. I just meant that it would be okay even if our kid brought a man with a child~”

The hag’s sarcasm didn’t end. I quickly intervened before that old woman could say anything more nonsense.

“Ahaha~! Woojin-ssi, you must be very surprised, right? This person is my mentor. Everything I know, this person taught me.”

“He’s tall and handsome. Our kid has a pretty good eye, huh?”

Oh, really. While I was holding back the rising annoyance, the old woman opened her mouth again.

“Annali said he was a worthwhile talent, but… he’s too thin to be used? Did they say he was rescued recently?”

This old woman began to appraise Woojin, stroking his shoulder with one hand.

“Seriously! Don’t touch someone you just met and say things like that!”

“Touch? I just grabbed his shoulder!”

“You shouldn’t grab other people’s bodies without permission!”

“Oh, I understand, I understand. I won’t touch you. Come by later after you finish eating. Have a good meal, handsome Guide and baby, and see you later.”

The uninvited guest patted Woojin’s shoulder even as she left and then exited. I sighed in relief at the return of peace to our mealtime and apologized to Woojin.

“I’m sorry, Woojin-ssi. You must have been very surprised, right? She’s a bit eccentric… haha…”

“But that person… why did she say she’d see us later?”

“Um, that’s… that person is the Guide Director. She came earlier than I expected.”

“…Yes? Why are you telling me that now?”

“I was afraid Woojin-ssi would choke on your food…”

“…”

“Well, still~ she seems to think well of Woojin-ssi. Ahaha~”

“…”

I tried to brush it off with a laugh, but the hellish silence finally arrived.

‘No, I just didn’t say anything so you could eat in peace. It’s better to postpone it if you’re going to be uncomfortable anyway.’

Still, even in this awkward atmosphere, the child happily ate her meal.

‘Well, it’s okay as long as one person is happy.’

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