The World’s Strongest Daughter.

“Hmm…”

Chairman Jeong Nan-do pushed aside the documents he was checking, looked up at me, and spoke casually.

“Is this all?”

Quite a sharp gaze for a man in his 70s.

Feeling a bit nervous, I cleared my throat and slowly explained.

“Yes. His biological parents died 16 years ago, and the grandparents who raised Yoo Ji-hwan also passed away 12 years ago.”

He grew up in an orphanage until the age of 14, then was hospitalized after contracting an unknown disease.

Jeong Nan-do, quietly listening to the explanation, suddenly took out a new cigar and cut the end, speaking in a low voice.

“And?”

“…He fell into a coma, went into cardiac arrest from shock, and then suddenly became healthy.”

Like that, 15-year-old Yoo Ji-hwan was discharged, receiving research funds, and left the orphanage.

After leaving the orphanage, he suddenly tried to approach the Sword Emperess and her daughter, then abruptly enrolled in the Academy.

After entering the Academy, he even had a friendly match. He became partners with the Sword Emperess’ daughter, contributing to stopping this terrorist attack.

His actions over the past 2 years were very suspicious.

“That is all.”

After the entire briefing on Yoo Ji-hwan ended.

Jeong Nan-do seemed lost in thought, quietly smoking his cigar.

Some time had passed, and when about half of Jeong Nan-do’s cigar had burned white.

He gave new orders.

“Bring him quietly.”

***

Ro…se…

Instantly, related search terms pop up.

I’ve heard of pasta, but what’s with rose jjimdak and chicken feet… It seems they attach rose to all red foods.

“There are all sorts of things…”

I let out a small exclamation and slowly moved the mouse.

While checking the recipes and taking notes of the necessary ingredients on my cell phone, I suddenly had this thought.

Aren’t Soyeon and I quite close now?

Entering each other’s houses, grocery shopping together, playing games, cooking meals.

Although not close enough to rely on emotionally, I can confidently say we’re quite close.

Like a trustworthy friend?

The closer the bodies get, the closer the hearts become.

Before long, I will be able to help Min So-yeon both materially and emotionally.

As I was finishing organizing the recipe with a satisfied smile at the hopeful future,

Buzz- Buzz-

The cell phone I placed next to me suddenly started vibrating.

Who could it be at this hour…

I checked my cell phone slightly, and a call was coming from an unfamiliar number.

“…What is it?”

I thought it might be a strange call, so I hung up, but shortly after, a message arrived from the same number.

[ This is Shin Dae-yong, the head of the Academy’s secretarial office. We will be sending a car soon, so please come comfortably. Thank you. ]

It was a suspicious message no matter who saw it.

A few days ago, when I was in the hospital, the Academy did say they would contact me.

But in this chaotic era, suddenly telling me to get in a car, isn’t it too suspicious?

Then, another short message arrived.

[It’s a summons from the chairman. ]

“Huh?”

The chairman I know?

There is only one person the Academy would call chairman.

Jeong Nan-do. He was my wife’s teacher and like a father to her.

Jeong Nan-do used to call me a ‘coward who uses magic behind women.’…

I still vividly remember getting beaten up the day my wife revealed she was pregnant.

…I prayed I didn’t have a second.

But why did that old man suddenly contact me?

He ignored me when I insisted on revealing my identity, but now…

“Ah.”

Suddenly, I thought this might be an opportunity.

If I reveal my identity to Jeong Nan-do, I can hear news about my wife, and I can hear news about Min So-yeon too…!

At that moment, something suddenly flashed before my eyes and obscured my vision.

“Wh-what is it…”

A mysterious message floating in the air.

[ Make Min So-yeon the world’s strongest. *Failure will result in world destruction ]

└ Do not let Min So-yeon find out your identity. *Failure will result in ‘death.’

There was even a tail attached to it.

No, what is this…

I was quite flustered by the sudden occurrence.

The fact that the ‘message’ that hadn’t changed until now showed a change means that my actions are properly influencing it, which is rather encouraging.

But the newly added content was the problem.

Don’t reveal my identity to Min So-yeon, I’ll die if she finds out?

This is an unreasonable demand.

What does saving the world have to do with not revealing my identity to Min So-yeon?

It’s not the first time I thought of revealing my identity to Min So-yeon, so why suddenly…

“Could it be…”

With a thought, I looked at the cell phone in my hand.

Right after I got a call from Jeong Nan-do, the message changed.

There must be some connection.

[Understood.]

After leaving a reply to the person called the head of the secretarial office, I immediately called Min So-yeon.

If the contact was purely about the terrorist incident, Min So-yeon would have been contacted too.

But…

[…I didn’t receive any.]

Min So-yeon says she didn’t receive any contact.

[…Who did you say contacted you?]

I told her the name of the head of the secretarial office written in the message. After thinking for a while, she spoke as if she remembered something.

[…That person is probably the head of the secretarial office.]

Huh? How does she know?

I was about to ask Min So-yeon how she knew, but my wife and Jeong Nan-do’s relationship suddenly came to mind.

To Soyeon, he is like a grandfather, so it wouldn’t be strange for her to know his attendant.

“…Really? That’s a relief. I thought he might be a suspicious person… By the way, I think I’ll be a bit late today.”

[…Huh?]

Min So-yeon’s slightly flustered voice was heard over the speaker.

“I’ll be there by dinner, so eat something if you’re hungry.”

[O-okay…]

Somehow, it felt like I was comforting a child left alone at home.

“Then, see you in a bit.”

[…Okay…]

After ending the call with Min So-yeon like that.

I started preparing to go meet Jeong Nan-do.

*

I took the car that came to my house and headed to the Academy.

I prepared to attack at any time, just in case, but fortunately, it ended up being an unnecessary concern.

After arriving at the Academy, I was guided by the person called the head of the secretarial office and headed straight to the chairman’s office.

“You can go right in.”

Following the head of the secretarial office’s words to go in alone, I silently pushed the door open and entered.

The first thing that greeted me was the smell of smoke that permeated the room.

It seems he smokes cigars even at that age.

“… I am Yoo Ji-hwan.”

When I slightly revealed my identity, he, leaning on the chair, slightly raised his body.

A huge physique that doesn’t seem like a man in his 70s.

But as if even time couldn’t deceive him, his hair and beard have turned completely white.

Jeong Nan-do hasn’t changed.

“Sit.”

I, slightly lost in the appearance of an old acquaintance, barely came to my senses and sat across from him.

So why did this old man call me?

As I was waiting quietly holding my breath,

“Don’t be too nervous.”

Isn’t he speaking to me with a benevolent smile?

“…Yes.”

The Jeong Nan-do I know is not such a benevolent person.

This must be his external appearance.

“You did a great job in this terrorist incident. If we had let the culprits go like that, the Academy might have had to close its doors.”

“…Thank you.”

I quietly expressed my gratitude, and he stroked his beard and continued.

“So, I asked you to come here because I want to ask you something.”

What could he want to ask by sending someone?

Did he really call me purely because of terrorism?

“…Do you believe in God?”

Huh?

I was startled by the sudden words.

“No, that was a strange question. Do you believe there is a God?”

“…I don’t know.”

“…Then, have you heard of the Salvation Sect?”

Salvation Sect.

After talking about God and whatnot, a sudden religion popped up.

That’s a pseudo-religion.

“Isn’t it a pseudo-religion?”

Why is he suddenly bringing up a pseudo-religion?

Could it be… this old man, in the end, a pseudo-religion…

When I gave him a doubtful look, he hurriedly added an excuse.

“Ah, don’t misunderstand. I don’t believe in such pseudo-religions. …Right, so you think the Salvation Sect is a pseudo-religion?”

Anyone can see that he thought of me as a pseudo-religion believer.

No, this old man, really…

“I don’t believe in religion.”

Only after I reinforced it once more did Jeong Nan-do show a satisfied smile.

“Hmm. You’re clear.”

…What the heck?

I couldn’t figure out how the situation was unfolding at all.

He moistened his mouth with the tea brought by the secretary and smoothly brought up the next topic.

“Okay, it should be fine to move on to the next question.”

As expected, this isn’t all.

“I heard you were a bit sick for a while.”

It happened to be about the time before I died.

But how did Jeong Nan-do know that?

Hiding the question that came to mind, I answered as if it was nothing.

“… I’m fine now.”

“I’m glad… You were sick in your prime, so you couldn’t have played properly. What did you do after getting healthy?”

Jeong Nan-do asked a questionable question with shining eyes.

I finally realized what he wanted.

Jeong Nan-do suspects me.

Suddenly doing an ideological verification, and now bringing up past stories.

Seeing that he knows I was sick, he probably knows everything and is asking.

Wagging his tail blatantly, waiting for me to take the bait.

But what does he suspect me of?

Nothing came to mind.

Ultimately, I had to find clues in Jeong Nan-do’s questions.

The period when Yoo Ji-hwan got sick and became healthy is the time when I took over Yoo Ji-hwan’s body.

What would I, who was resurrected, have done? I set out to find my wife and daughter.

But reality was cruel, and I ended up giving up.

Does Jeong Nan-do also know that I was looking for my wife and daughter?

I decided to test it out.

“…I just rested.”

Then Jeong Nan-do’s eyes flashed sharply.

“I see… You just rested…”

Judging from the reaction, it seems he knew.

With his arms crossed, he kept throwing questions at me indifferently.

“I heard rumors that you partnered with Min So-yeon and caught the terrorists together?”

“… That’s right.”

“How did you end up partnering with that child?”

What would be a good lie?

No suitable lie came to mind.

“…It was love at first sight.”

Then the corners of his eyes trembled.

“I approached her thinking it would be nice to become even a little close.”

This is true.

After finishing answering miscellaneous questions that followed.

Jeong Nan-do, who had finished his tea, put down the teacup slightly and spoke as if disappointed.

“…I heard you well.”

How will he respond?

He let out a deep sigh and slowly spoke.

“…I can tell you won’t harm So-yeon.”

It seems my sincerity was conveyed.

“… But… I don’t understand.”

At that moment, the air in the room began to feel heavy.

“I don’t understand you looking for Yeon-hee for 2 years, enrolling in the academy and approaching So-yeon…”

As expected, he knew everything.

“…And using that ‘cowardly’ ability. I don’t get it.”

‘Coward’

It was the nickname he used to call ‘me’ when I was alive.

“…Who are you?”

An unexpected question came.

Translator’s Corner

Jjimdak- Korean braised chicken.

-Ruminas