Chapter 12
I didn’t head straight to the dorm after leaving the classroom.
The place I arrived at was the Student Council room.
The reason I came here was simple.
As the saying goes, “Strike while the iron is hot,” I came to submit an application to join the Student Council.
A desk stood before the door, stacked high with entry applications.
Seeing that the papers were neatly aligned without a crease, it seemed I was the first one here.
‘These applications will probably disappear in no time.’
The Student Council was one of the most sought-after groups within the Academy, even among the cadets.
Just having “Member of the Sirius Academy Student Council” on your record could become a solid career point, with numerous Guilds eager to scout you.
In short, simply joining the Student Council guaranteed a smooth road ahead.
It might sound strange that joining the Student Council alone could open so many doors, but there was a reason for the prestige it held.
That reason was none other than the Council’s unique nature.
The Sirius Academy Student Council wasn’t a simple administrative group that just managed cadets.
To be precise, the Council carried a hidden mission—
To track and exterminate Demons.
It was both a surveillance and strike force that sought out, investigated, and eliminated Demons who had infiltrated the Academy.
You might wonder if mere cadets could really deal with Demons, but that was exactly why not just anyone could join.
Only those with verified ability, clear status, and exceptional skill could become part of the Student Council.
As I leaned on the desk and began filling out the entry form, I felt someone’s presence behind me.
“Oh, you’re Yoo Sung-woo?”
A familiar voice greeted me.
I turned my head to see who had called my name.
No one was close enough to call me by name—who could it be?
A boy with curly hair and gentle eyes stood there, looking like a large, friendly dog.
With his bright brown hair, he resembled a golden retriever.
“Park Siwoo?”
He waved at me enthusiastically.
“You’re joining the Student Council too?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Really? I hope we both get in.”
Park Siwoo picked up an application sheet from beside me and began filling it out while standing next to me.
Though we were in the same class, we’d barely exchanged a word before now.
Yet he spoke to me as if we were old friends.
“I’ve wanted to get closer to you since orientation. Funny how we meet like this.”
“Ah, is that so?”
I replied vaguely, wondering how to maintain the right distance between us.
He was one of the main Playable Characters in Become a Hero—
And a central figure in the events surrounding the Student Council.
He would play a crucial role in the things to come.
So, I needed to maintain a moderate closeness with him.
Then Park Siwoo asked me,
“Why do you want to join the Student Council?”
Of course, it was to prevent Pandemonium’s plan and Yoo Iseo’s downfall.
But I couldn’t exactly say that, so I gave a vague answer.
“The President’s cool. Youngest mid-tier Hero ever, right?”
“You’re a fan of the President too?”
I dropped my finished application into the box and held out my hand to him.
“We’re in the same class, and if we both get in, we’ll see each other often. Let’s get along.”
He looked at my hand for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Who shakes hands like an old man?”
“What did you say?”
When I flared up, he laughed even harder.
“Hold on. You’re heading to the dorm anyway, right? Let’s go together.”
After that, we walked back to the dorms together.
And that’s when I learned his room was two doors down from mine.
Evening had fallen, the room dimly lit.
Inside the Student Council room, three cadets were busily at work.
A girl, half-reclined on the sofa, grumbled.
“Working this late at night… This is practically labor exploitation.”
“We’re doing this to find new labor, aren’t we?”
“I’m fine with recruiting new officers. It’s been rough handling everything with just three people. But still, do we really have to review all these documents this late?”
“That just shows how many applicants there are for the interviews.”
Before them lay a thick stack of documents—
Applications from cadets who wished to become Student Council officers.
Of course, only a handful of them would actually make it in.
That was because the President, Yoo Iseo, wanted the Council to remain a small elite unit.
Because of that, the Council suffered from a constant manpower shortage, its workload far exceeding its size.
Seo Da-hee, the Council’s secretary, looked at Yoo Iseo with pleading, puppy-like eyes.
“Can’t we just increase the number of officers this time? If this keeps up, we’ll drown in paperwork.”
“You know what kind of work we do. Ordinary cadets wouldn’t last.”
Even as she patted Seo Da-hee’s head, Yoo Iseo spoke firmly.
Seo Da-hee sighed at that.
It was true—Yoo Iseo wasn’t wrong.
To handle the Council’s main task—exterminating Demons—one needed courage, skill, situational awareness, and reasoning ability. Most importantly, one’s background had to be verified.
Demons had infiltrated all layers of society, causing endless trouble. That meant even the friend sitting next to you in class could secretly be a Demon.
You had to be someone who could doubt everyone around you—and act the moment your suspicions turned to certainty.
There weren’t many students like that.
After reading through all the profiles, the three began discussing the applicants.
Finding standouts among the sea of candidates wasn’t easy.
Then, Student Council President Yoo Iseo spoke.
“Is there anyone in particular who caught your attention?”
At her words, Vice President Ha Yoon raised his hand.
“Go ahead.”
“I assume we’ve all noticed the same student… What do you think of Park Siwoo?”
“The one who entered as top of the class?”
Ha Yoon nodded in response to Seo Da-hee’s question.
Park Siwoo had caused quite a stir even at the time of admission.
Sirius Academy, where only the most talented and outstanding students from across the country gathered—
And among them, he had entered as the very top student.
However, that top student wasn’t from a prestigious family or a renowned dojo’s disciple, but—
The problem was that he was just an ordinary high school student.
Every year, countless students bled themselves dry trying to get into Sirius Academy.
But no matter how hard they tried, ordinary students who only attended small-town academies could never win against the heirs of noble families who had overwhelming wealth and talent.
That was why, every year, the top-ranking entrant at admission was always from one of the prestigious families.
However, something unprecedented happened during this year’s entrance exam.
A boy no one had ever heard of suddenly claimed the top spot.
The Student Council officers could never forget the panic that followed the announcement of the top student.
From numerous Guilds contacting them to buy information on the new top student, Park Siwoo, to the barrage of complaints from parents who refused to accept the results—
These were things the Academy’s administration office should have handled, but the uproar had been so great that even the Student Council had felt its impact.
“Not bad, a top-ranking freshman.”
Yoo Iseo nodded after once more reviewing Park Siwoo’s profile.
If he stood at the top among the new generation—known as the Golden Generation for their sheer number of prodigies—then his skill was already proven.
His background had been thoroughly verified when the top student announcement was first made.
Yoo Iseo circled Park Siwoo’s name on the profile.
“Then let’s have him go through the interview.”
“Good!”
“I agree as well.”
“That’s one settled. It’d be nice if we could pick at least one more…”
At that, Seo Da-hee suddenly raised her hand.
Yoo Iseo’s eyes showed surprise and interest.
She hadn’t expected Seo Da-hee—who was even pickier than herself—to volunteer first.
“Da-hee, you recommending someone? That’s a first. I’m intrigued.”
“Take a look at this one. His name’s Yoo Sung-woo. I think he’d fit well with the Student Council.”
Seo Da-hee handed over his profile as she spoke.
Yoo Iseo and Ha Yoon took it and read through it carefully.
‘In what way does this guy fit the Student Council?’
The profile was plain.
His overall admission score was upper-middle.
There wasn’t a single remarkable entry that stood out.
If anything, his only notable trait might be his good looks.
Yoo Iseo gave Seo Da-hee a suspicious look.
“Just asking, but you’re not recommending him because he’s your type, right?”
“W-What are you talking about!”
Seo Da-hee’s face flushed red as she shouted.
But at her reaction, Ha Yoon and Yoo Iseo only sighed and shook their heads.
Everyone here knew Seo Da-hee fell in love easily.
And to be fair, Yoo Sung-woo was handsome—
Black hair like the night sky and golden eyes that blazed in contrast.
He looked exactly like the northern duke from the romance fantasy novels Seo Da-hee was obsessed with.
Yoo Iseo spoke to her in a flat tone.
“Da-hee, no matter what, you need to separate personal feelings from official matters…”
“W-What are you talking about! It’s not like that!”
Seo Da-hee’s face reddened even more as she snapped back.
Then Yoo Iseo asked,
“Then why are you recommending him?”
“Have you heard the rumor about a freshman injuring an Instructor during orientation?”
There had been a rumor circulating among the faculty since the orientation.
That a freshman had injured an Instructor.
It sounded absurd, so most dismissed it as baseless gossip.
Especially since the Instructor involved was none other than Kang Jae-seok.
But could that rumor actually be true?
Yoo Iseo asked,
“Do you have proof?”
“Of course! I got a testimony from someone who witnessed the wound Instructor Kang Jae-seok received!”
“Who testified?”
“Instructor Mabel!”
At that, Yoo Iseo’s brows furrowed slightly.
If it was Instructor Mabel’s word, it carried weight.
She was known for her love of gossip, but most of what she spread turned out to be true.
Yoo Iseo and Ha Yoon’s expressions both hardened.
Because there was a real chance the boy could be a Demon.
A freshman injuring an Instructor…
Even if the Instructor had gone easy on them, what were the odds of that happening?
Of course, if the freshman had an extraordinary talent like Yoo Iseo, or was a top student like Park Siwoo, or even a direct descendant of the Sword Emperor, it might have been possible.
But Yoo Sung-woo’s profile was as ordinary as could be.
There were only two possibilities.
Either he was hiding his power for some unknown purpose—
Or he had gained strength by becoming a Demon.
Sensing the two’s thoughts, Seo Da-hee spoke up.
“You’re both thinking it, right? That Yoo Sung-woo might be a Demon?”
“It’s hard not to be suspicious, given the circumstances.”
“Don’t worry about that. His identity’s been verified. Actually, Instructor Kang Jae-seok personally asked me to run a background check on him.”
With that, she snatched Ha Yoon’s tablet and pulled up a file.
On the screen appeared Yoo Sung-woo, shirtless in the infirmary, along with detailed records of his past.
Yoo Iseo’s eyes widened.
His body was covered in scars—so many that one might believe a child had used his skin as a canvas.
It was hard to believe such a body belonged to a boy his age.
“They say he got those scars from being captured and tortured by a Demon when he was young. There’s a chance he could be tied to some other organization, but he’s definitely not a Demon. The school nurse also confirmed it.”
Yoo Iseo nodded, convinced.
“With a past like that, it makes sense.”
“Then let’s approve him too.”
At Yoo Iseo’s words, Seo Da-hee clenched her fist in quiet triumph.
Meanwhile, Vice President Ha Yoon’s expression twisted—
As if he had just been faced with an unexpected and unpleasant variable.