ch 234
Became a Swordmanship Instructor at the Academy
Chapter 234
I frowned and looked at Lee Ji-sung, who kept his head down.
It seems like he really did wet himself.
I didn't particularly emit any killing intent or anything, so I'm a bit bewildered.
Well, even if he's a possessor... no, rather because he's a possessor, he probably knows my abilities better than anyone.
"You're scared. Or do you have incontinence problems?"
The smell was too terrible, so I used magic to clean it up.
Now I can breathe a little.
"Th-this is because you threatened..."
"You bastard. You have been bothering me for a while now - do you really want to die?"
Given my current position, dealing with Lee Ji-sung alone wouldn't be much of a problem.
Even being a third-generation chaebol heir wouldn't matter.
I could just say I dealt with him because he was related to Antas and that would be the end of it.
I already caught Hong Man-sik, who was both the boss of Antas Korea and ran the second-largest business group in the rankings.
Moreover, Lee Ji-sung isn't even the chairman of Hwasin Group, and he's not the only heir, so it doesn't matter.
Well, looking at it now, I probably don't need to go that far.
"Show some manners. Combining both my previous and current life, I'm way above you."
"Ah... Okay."
"’Okay’ is informal speech."
"I understand... So what exactly is your purpose?"
"Purpose?"
"There must be a reason you're doing this now, right? While completely twisting the original story..."
"What's that about? The future already changed when you and I came to this world anyway. You immediately interfered to prevent Do-hyun from properly learning the internal energy cultivation method."
At my words, Lee Ji-sung bows his head deeply again.
Actually, in the original work I know, that kind of progression was normal, but in the original work he knows, it wasn't like that.
"I was planning to teach him properly again later. And I didn't blatantly reveal the future like you did... Do you want to become a hero?"
Did he not investigate me at all?
It seems like he didn't.
If he had looked into it even a little, he would have known that I absolutely hate stepping forward.
"I'm not interested in being a hero or anything like that."
"Then why are you doing this?"
"Because I came back from seeing the future."
"That's ridiculous..."
"What's ridiculous about it? You know that Hell's Gate, the Trial of Origin that I went through, grants any wish if you overcome it, right?"
"...That's true, but anyway, what you said is all the content that was in the original work, isn't it? Even if you don't step forward and interfere like that, Kim Do-hyun will save the world later anyway. You're being greedy..."
"Can you call it salvation when 30% of the world's population dies?"
"..."
"I'd like you to realize that while it may have been a novel in our previous lives, it's now reality for us. Didn't you feel anything from this recent terrorism?"
Looking at how he can't answer immediately, it seems he didn't feel absolutely nothing.
"Just looking at Do-hyun, you prevented him from learning the proper internal energy cultivation method, so do you think things will proceed as originally planned even if you teach him now?"
"It hasn't even been two months yet. How much of an impact could that have..."
"Even if it's just two months, change is still change. The martial arts tournament victory should have been Kim Do-hyun's, not yours, right?"
"..."
"You saw the press conference, right? My purpose is everything I said then. Peace in this world. I like this world. Isn't that the same for you?"
"I don't know how it was for you, but I..."
"You're a third-generation chaebol heir, aren't you? Even if your relationships are a bit bad, that's something you can overcome sufficiently."
"Being pointed at and ostracized for things I didn't even do..."
"When I investigated your actions, I found that you worked hard to recover your image after possessing someone's body?"
"That was before, and now again..."
"Isn't it undeniably your fault that you ruined it again? That's why you shouldn't have touched my disciple. She's such a good kid."
"..."
"Are you exercising your right to remain silent? Anyway, fine. I called you here today to give you a warning."
"A warning, are you trying to silence me after all?"
His expression instantly changes to one of wariness, which is laughable.
"Am I like you? Relax. Considering what you did to our Eunseo, I did think about eliminating you, but I have no such intention."
The current Lee Ji-sung doesn't have the ability to cause me any harm.
But even a cornered mouse will bite a cat.
I can't rule out the possibility that he might turn evil if I carelessly provoke him.
Removing him now to eliminate future trouble is one method, but after talking with him today, I've decided that's not necessary.
Well, I'm not a psychopath either.
"I have no intention of interfering with you. Same goes even if you obtain Do-hyun's opportunities together or get ahead of him."
"Are... are you serious?"
"Have you been living your life getting fooled?"
"Then are you telling me to grow up and be helpful to you?"
Help my ass.
I've already decided to handle the future I've changed myself.
All I want is for this guy not to troll.
"I don't need your help or anything like that. Just don't do anything foolish and live your life faithfully. That's how you help."
"By foolish things, you mean..."
"Things like last time during the training camp, preventing Do-hyun from getting what he was supposed to get. Things that hurt and harm people around you. I won't overlook such things. So behave yourself."
"Ah... I see."
"'I see’ is informal speech. Let me say this once more… This place is reality for you, not a novel. If you approach people sincerely instead of acting hypocritically like before, the people around you will open their hearts again."
"..."
"Before that, you need to deal with the aftermath of what you've done, right?"
"Aftermath?"
"You humiliated my disciple like that and think you can just move on? A duel challenge will come soon, so accept it gracefully."
"Seong Eunseo is no match for me. Are you telling me to lose on purpose?"
Look at this guy?
"After winning with internal energy power. It'll be different from before, so you can do your best. I won't retaliate against you even if Eunseo loses."
"...And then later you'll say something different..."
"I promise that won't happen."
"Fine. Then instead of accepting that duel, can I make just one request?"
A request?
***
I returned to school and was about to leave after sending Ji-sung away, but the vice principal offered tea.
I was about to decline saying I was busy, but since we hadn't had a proper conversation since my return, I accepted.
"How's Ji-sung doing? The kid may have poor character, but his skills are truly exceptional."
"Well, I don't have any particular thoughts about him."
"No particular thoughts, my foot. I know from the news that you're busy right now, but if you took time out of your schedule to come see him like this, doesn't that mean you're interested?"
"I came to see him once because he beat Eunseo, but he was more disappointing than I expected. Eunseo will probably challenge him to another duel soon."
"Oh... really?"
"Don't worry… I won't do anything like retaliate even if Eunseo loses again."
"Well, you're not that kind of person. By the way, did you really come back from seeing the future?"
"If what I said was a lie, I wouldn't have been able to catch the Antas bosses, right? I know it's hard to believe, but I thought you'd be different, Vice Principal..."
"No, of course I believe you, but it was so sudden. Well... there's no reason for you to make up such a story. But people around keep saying that you..."
"Are spreading doomsday theories and trying to play messiah? You know well that I absolutely hate troublesome things, don't you, Vice Principal?"
"That's... true."
"I stepped forward because such things will really happen in the future, not because I'm interested in power or anything. Please speak well of me to those around you."
"I understand. I don't know how much help it will be, but I'll speak well to those around me."
"Thank you. Then I'll be going now."
"Leaving already? It's almost dinner time, so how about we have a meal together..."
"I'm a bit busy trying to annihilate Antas within this year. I have other things I'm pursuing separately. I'll visit you again later."
I left the vice principal's office and returned to my office, where Luciel was waiting.
"Where did you go?"
"To school briefly. You went to South America this time, right? Did you find them?"
"I found them all and locked them up in the basement warehouse."
"That's our Luciel for you."
Searching for and capturing Antas bosses - I'm relying on Luciel for a considerable part... no, honestly, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I'm completely dependent on her.
While Antas doesn't exist in small tribal nations or minor countries in Africa, Antas exists in almost every other country worldwide.
I remember the names of figures like Antas China and Europe who appeared in the original work and were mentioned frequently, but I can't know all the bosses of every country.
However, even if they're individual organizations by country, the regional central bosses know each other.
The method is for Luciel to read the memories of previously captured bosses to gather information and catch them.
"Did you finish the investigation too?"
"Yeah. This was the last one for South America, so they didn't know much."
"Then we can hand them over to the government right away."
"No. From the investigation, it seems like last time with China, they're connected to powerful people too. I think it's better to send them to the World Hunter Association."
"Really? Then I'll send them later. Good work today too."
"Just words? I'm doing all the hard work."
I used subspace magic to take out a chocolate bar, but she doesn't even glance at it.
It's not that her tastes have changed, but since she's been traveling around the world catching Antas members, she's probably been buying and eating things well on her own.
"Not this kind of thing."
She approaches me and brings her face close to mine.
In the end, I had no choice but to give her a light kiss on the cheek.
I made quite an effort to do it, but she doesn't seem very satisfied.
She wasn't originally the type to actively demand skinship like this, but she's changed a bit since the terrorist suppression last time.
"What?"
"Hmph, never mind. Why did you go to school? To see that Eunseo kid?"
"No, not Eunseo, someone else."
"Who?"
"Lee Ji-sung."
"Lee Ji-sung?... Isn't that the kid who bullied Eunseo last time? Did he cause another incident?"
"It's not like that... well, just."
"Just what?"
I haven't revealed to Luciel that Lee Ji-sung and I are possessors.
There's no point in telling her since nothing would change anyway.
I didn't even tell Master, let alone Luciel.
"Didn't you dislike him? You said he bullied Seong Eunseo."
"I do dislike him. I met him today to warn him. But he doesn't seem like such a bad kid."
I guess being a protagonist makes him a protagonist… While he was really disappointing at the beginning of our conversation today, my thoughts changed because of the request he made to me at the end.
I never thought he would make such a request...
"Hey, Luciel... ah, wait a moment."
I felt vibration from inside my clothes and took out my phone, but it's an unregistered number.
I haven't had this phone for long, so very few people know my number... is it spam?
I was about to ignore it, but the number looked familiar somehow, so I pressed the call button.
―Is this Kang Shin-hyeok's cell phone?
It's a young woman's voice, and I know who it is as soon as I hear it.
"Who is this? It's Seo-ra, right? It's been really long."
―It is you, senior. How can a person be like that? Not contacting me even once after coming back.
"As you would know from the news, I've been a bit busy. I've barely met anyone since coming back. How did you get my number?"
―A kid in our class said they met you, so I went to find the vice principal and asked.
Did Lee Ji-sung tell people around him about meeting me?
Well, I didn't tell him not to tell others.
The vice principal probably gave her my number because he knows about my relationship with Choi Seo-ra.
"I heard a first-year beat Eunseo, so I was curious what kind of kid it was and went to see. I just stopped by briefly, so I didn't have time to meet you too."
―Are you very busy?
"Yeah. A little? If there's no special business, I'll call you back later."
Actually, I'm not that busy, but since it's a young woman's voice, Luciel's expression is quite scary.
I need to hang up quickly and explain.
If I talk a little longer, I might get killed.
―I do have a favor to ask... If you're busy, please call me next time.
A favor?
"Is the favor by any chance asking me to treat a kid named Min Chan-seong?"
―Huh? How did you know...
How indeed - the request that Lee Ji-sung made to me at the end was also about treating Min Chan-seong.