The Civil Servant Who Concealed Their True Strength Turns Out to be a Master of Possession - Chapter 148

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

A Civil Servant Who Hides His Strength Is Exceptionally Good at Possession – Episode 148
They say they feed a cow plenty of fodder before dragging it to the slaughterhouse.
After Pee So-won treated me to a delicious cheeseburger, she promptly dragged me into Captain Hong’s car.
“We have an important victim interview today, so mind your manners.”
Of course, she called it a victim interview for my benefit.
“A victim interview? I’ve never done anything like that before…”
I’ve only ever apprehended criminals!
So why suddenly a victim interview?
‘I’m not confident about this.’
“Don’t worry. Once we get there, they’ll handle all the statements themselves anyway.”
“Well, if that’s the case…”
A victim who gives their own statement… I see…
And that person was, surprisingly—
“Don’t get flustered and answer well.”
“…?”
The President!
Why was the President the victim?
What statement was the President going to give?
Please, just—
Say something and bring me back!
Captain Hong must have read my expression because he spoke.
“Number One’s schedule can’t be shared with just anyone.”
Number One.
That was literally the pinnacle of our nation’s administrative hierarchy.
It referred to the President.
When I thought about it that way, it made sense…
‘But still!’
Why did the President want me in the first place?
Why exactly?
I stood in the annex of the Presidential residence known as ‘Sangchunjae,’ my mind in turmoil.
A high-ranking official descended the wooden veranda of the elegant traditional Korean house with a broad smile, approaching me while I couldn’t even appreciate the beauty of the architecture.
“Welcome. Director, it’s good to see you like this. This is our first meeting since the matter was resolved, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Well…”
Captain Hong’s voice cracked slightly, apparently nervous as well.
Director! If you’re this tense, how nervous must I be?
“Ah, and this must be the renowned investigator Lee Yu-ji. Thank you so much for taking the lead in resolving this matter.”
The man immediately bowed to me.
I followed suit and bowed in return.
Making sure to bow lower than he did!
“I-I should be the one…”
“Ah, I apologize for the late introduction. I’m Gu Jae-yong, Chief Secretary to the President. I’ve appeared on television a few times, but you probably don’t recognize me, do you?”
Gu Jae-yong.
I tried to recall his name, but nothing came to mind.
From seventeen to eighteen, I was too busy training, and after that, I was just… busy.
Besides, he wasn’t even a prominent character in the original work.
‘Choi Woo-jin never paid much attention to the President or political circles.’
There were some episodes involving opposition politicians related to Choi Jun-gu, but that was about it.
“Ah, I see… I-I’ll study hard!”
But regardless, this man is a higher-ranking civil servant than me!
I shouted with sudden intensity.
For a moment, silence fell between us.
It was Gu Jae-yong’s laughter that broke that silence.
“Ahahaha, you’re quite delightful as expected! I watched GoGoShow and was impressed—you really are like that in person.”
What does he think about my personality anyway.
Huh?
“I-I just get nervous very easily…”
As I trailed off, the Chief Secretary spoke with a subtle expression.
“For someone who gets nervous, you have far too many abilities. Your performance in Jeong-an was particularly impressive. I’d almost think you had a taming skill.”
I caught a flash of sharpness in his eyes.
The practiced composure of someone skilled in worldly affairs, someone who’s handled many people.
He’s testing me.
The moment I realized that, my tension oddly dissolved.
Like stepping back onto the mat.
When I think of him not as my superior but as a sparring partner, the tension disappears.
This is something…
‘Have I adapted to possession?’
My civil servant self from my past life had become too strong, and now my sense of self as Lee Yu-ji in this life was gradually merging with it.
It’s not confusing.
They’re both me, after all.
“Kang Si-bang follows me around quite a bit. I give him a lot of feed.”
And my choice was a feint.
An open guard feint, you could say. A fake showing I’m not much of a threat.
‘Just playing the bumbling investigator as always, what else.’
Or what can I do about it.
“Ah… Feed? Are you talking about that Slime, Kang Si-bang?”
“Yes. The feed costs quite a lot.”
As I looked at the Chief Secretary with sad eyes, he spoke with a surprised expression.
“Shouldn’t the agency be supporting that?”
His gaze naturally drifted toward Captain Hong.
Captain Hong, who had been watching the sparring, let out a cough like a coach who’d just taken a hit.
“Ah, well…. That Kang Si-bang…. No, that Slime is being kept by Inspector Lee Yu-ji on her own initiative, so there’s no budget allocation for feed. Inspector Lee Yu-ji is the temporary guardian, but Won-yeon and Il-yeon are essentially being raised by her.”
“Temporary guardianship? If it’s Kang Il-yeon, isn’t he the owner of the Haenimdalnim Workshop? An item craftsman.”
Since craftsman-class Hunters were rare, Gu Jae-yong naturally recognized Kang Il-yeon’s name.
“Is he also under Inspector Lee Yu-ji’s temporary guardianship?”
The way she said “temporary guardianship” made it sound like she was keeping cats.
I awkwardly smiled while picturing Kang Il-yeon, who was more dog-like than cat-like, and Kang Won-yeon, who was more like a leopard than a cat.
“Well…. Yes. They have memories of abuse, so sending them to an orphanage wouldn’t be right. Since there isn’t much time left until they become adults, I filed for temporary guardianship and am serving as their guardian.”
“Then their tuition and school uniform expenses….”
I was covering all of it through a secret contract with the Haenimdalnim Workshop—
but I couldn’t say that, so I answered solemnly.
“I have to pay for them. They’re like my younger siblings, after all.”
“….”
Gu Jae-yong’s expression became subtle at those words.
“You’re more righteous than I thought…. I…. Ah, never mind.”
Righteous?
I’m only keeping Won-yeon because I’m worried he might turn dark.
And I’m keeping Il-yeon to make money.
But his next words didn’t come.
A woman in a black suit came to the chief secretary and whispered something before leaving.
“The refreshments are ready. Shall we go in?”
“Ah, yes.”
Captain Hong and I were guided inside.
But the two of us entered different rooms.
“Please wait a moment.”
The chief secretary said this and guided me to a room with a view of a pond.
So I really was just brought along like a keychain.
Did the chief secretary, Captain Hong, and the President have something to discuss among themselves?
Thinking this, I entered the room.
In that space—modest in size for an annex at the Blue House—colorful, delicate refreshments were laid out just as the secretary had mentioned.
“Oh….”
Is this what foreign dignitaries eat?
I popped a pink rice cake that looked like songpyeon into my mouth.
‘Wow, this is delicious…! It’s red bean paste.’
I smiled, savoring the subtle red bean aroma that filled my mouth.
It was a rice cake my younger sibling and I quite enjoyed.
Songpyeon with white mung bean paste filling.
So every Chuseok, when Mom and Dad went to the mill in front of our house to order rice cakes, they always made it with this filling.
I suddenly thought of Lee Yu-gyeom.
I wanted to set aside one for Yu-gyeom.
“Please use a fork.”
At that moment, a calm voice rang out from behind me.
I coughed and spat out the rice cake into my hand.
“…?”
When I turned around, there was a familiar face.
Of course, it was far more composed and humane than the face I remembered.
‘Baek Hee-ryeong.’
The President.
She saw the rice cake I’d spat out, poured some tea water, and handed me the cup.
“Are you alright?”
“Yes? Yes…. Yes….”
I accepted the cup she offered with both hands, not knowing what to do.
What am I supposed to do here?
Just as the room began spinning before my eyes, Baek Hee-ryeong laughed.
“You’re surprised, aren’t you? That I suddenly asked to meet.”
“Oh, no! It’s, it’s an honor!”
I bowed my head immediately.
A full 180 degrees.
Laughter escaped from Baek Hee-ryeong’s lips at the sight.
She pulled out a tissue for me and spoke.
“You didn’t vote for me, did you? Why are you so nervous?”
At her spicy joke, I froze solid.
‘…I wasn’t able to vote.’
I was busy with an illegal raid.
But she didn’t wait for my response as if it were just a joke, and sat down across from me while speaking.
“Just sit down first.”
“Ah… Yes.”
I shouldn’t be this nervous.
Of course, the person before me is top-tier among civil servants, but…!
Still, Baek Hee-ryeong is right.
Baek Hee-ryeong is merely an elected official.
Not an emperor.
I should treat her the way I treat Captain Hong.
‘…like hell.’
As if that would work.
It was then that I thought this.
Baek Hee-ryeong stared at my face and spoke.
“It’s been a while.”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————