Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Sehyun's Resolve
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Due to a tip from someone, Taehan Group's illegal activities were exposed in detail.
Under the pretext of researching Player awakenings, they had conducted human experiments, along with evidence of other unspeakable acts.
And then.
“They say Chairman Kim Taehwan is dead?”
“…Whether it was murder or...”
“What about Kim Sehyun?”
The students' conversations were all related to Taehan.
“What the hell is going on.”
It wasn't just because the students of Shinseong Middle School were the children of those in power. This was an unprecedented major incident that had turned all of South Korea upside down.
Swoosh.
Go Yohan quietly took his seat while listening to the students' talk.
“I heard that Choi Sinwoo and his gang from Shinseong Middle School went missing because they're connected to Teraco too.”
Just a few days earlier, news had broken that Choi Sinwoo from Shinseong Middle School and his group had gone missing.
Because of that, Shinseong Middle School had been thrown into chaos on a small scale.
“And they say Teraco's guild master and members already sensed it and ran away?”
“I heard Sky and the others aren't satisfied with just legal punishment, so they're retaliating.”
On a larger scale, it was another incident shaking South Korea.
The children of those in power had been frequenting clubs and bars disguised as middle schoolers, indulging in alcohol and drugs they had no business touching.
To top it off, Sky Guild, once one of Korea's top three guilds, was involved.
Swoosh.
Before they knew it, the students' gazes were directed at one spot.
“…On the night Go Yohan went to the club, I heard Choi Sinwoo was there too.”
“Isn't Go Yohan closest to Kim Sehyun?”
Go Yohan.
It was actually ridiculous.
To think that such major incidents could be connected to a mere middle schooler like Go Yohan.
Especially without a shred of evidence, just baseless suspicion.
“…I heard Go Yohan is connected to Teraco.”
“Actually, Chairman Kim Taehwan was... to Kim Sehyun...”
“That Go Yohan gaslighted her...”
Absurd rumors and nonsense.
Of course, not a single line or word of such doubts or suspicions had ever been mentioned in the media.
They were just childish ramblings from kids.
Just like fantasies about someone from the neighboring school being tied to the underworld, or someone from another school taking down five or six Players single-handedly.
Of course.
‘But it's true.’
Even if it was the truth, who could recognize it?
It was then.
Creak.
“…Huh?”
The students who had been speaking fell silent the moment they saw the person entering through the classroom door.
There stood Kim Sehyun, who had supposedly finished her father's funeral that very dawn.
“…Uh, uh... Sehyun.”
“......”
Her eyes were glazed over as she received the flustered greetings from the students.
Without a word, she went to her seat, organized her bag, and slowly laid her head down.
“Wow, she's cold-blooded.”
“She even came to school today.”
Perhaps because she didn't return their greetings.
The students gossiped about Kim Sehyun even more viciously than before.
“Look, with Chairman Kim Taehwan dead, Kim Sehyun...”
“How else could she show up to school like this?”
“If it were me...”
It was then.
Scrape.
As Go Yohan stood up with the sound of his chair dragging, the classroom began to quiet down once more.
“Yawn.”
Go Yohan let out a big yawn.
“It's so noisy I can't even sleep.”
At those words, the students all returned to their seats and pretended to mind their own business.
They had always found him intimidating, but now that he had become like the protagonist of a ghost story, they couldn't ignore his mood.
*
*
*
All day long, Kim Sehyun stayed slumped over her desk, mimicking Go Yohan, and didn't get up.
Go Yohan didn't easily approach her.
No matter the reason.
“......”
Because to her face, he was no different from the murderer who killed her father.
The other students treated Kim Sehyun like she carried the plague.
There was no need to mention how Taehan was being torn apart by this incident, with lawsuits from victims and disciplinary actions from the association.
“Taehan is done for now.”
Taehan's downfall was a foregone conclusion, having repeatedly failed in guild business and declining in wealth.
Perhaps because the students cared so much about such backgrounds, and due to Kim Sehyun's attitude up until now.
“Ugh, don't look. Let's go.”
They were trying hard to thoroughly ignore Kim Sehyun.
It was then.
“Go Yohan.”
A familiar voice called out to Go Yohan, who had his head down.
He quietly lifted his head to see.
“It's lunchtime. Let's go eat.”
It was Kim Sehyun.
The students buzzed as they watched the scene.
And then.
“Yeah, let's go.”
Go Yohan stood from his seat and moved with her.
“......”
Even Lee Jaekyung seemed to be watching the mood and didn't join them.
It was only after the eerily silent lunch ended.
“What are you doing after school?”
Kim Sehyun asked.
“......”
“Let's eat chicken.”
She said.
“You buy. My family's ruined, no money.”
It wasn't just talk.
In fact, the stocks of all Taehan affiliates had plummeted repeatedly, and there were talks of delisting.
Taehan had already been declining.
Especially considering the numerous lawsuits and punishments to come.
Of course, they say even if a rich family falls, it takes three generations, and they wouldn't have no hidden assets—so Kim Sehyun's claim of not having money for chicken was probably her effort to act brighter.
“Alright.”
Go Yohan replied.
“Thanks.”
After school, the two rode in Lee Jaekyung's car toward the outskirts of Seoul.
“Dad was a good person.”
Kim Sehyun said abruptly.
Nod.
It was something he knew.
While Taehan's problems stemmed from repeated failures in guild business, Chairman Kim Taehwan was widely reputed to be a fine man of character.
“Dad changed... around a year ago.”
Kim Sehyun continued.
“The guild he said would be his last failed big time... He was really struggling.”
The car drove quietly.
“And Mom talked a lot about you, and they fought a lot too.”
A year ago—he knew.
It was around then that talks of marriage between Go Yohan and Kim Sehyun at Shinseong started.
Of course, Go Yohan's parents, who had a love marriage, refused, saying what era is this for arranged marriages.
After that, there were talks with Sky's Choi Sinwoo.
“...It was Mom.”
Kim Sehyun's grayish eyes began to take on a reddish tint.
“It was Mom. She gave him that thing, and she was the one pushing him from the side.”
Humm.
Her power, faintly rippling, began to manifest visibly.
Kim Sehyun still couldn't control this power.
“A couple months ago, Mom left the country separately. I don't know where. But...”
Before they knew it, the car was entering Yohan Church.
“I'll find her. Help me find her. Please.”
*
*
*
Taehan was the core of this incident.
It was Taehan who had revealed the location of the gate where Teraco's seed—the origin of the seeds—was located.
Before distributing the seeds, they had bought people with money to test them on, conducting experiments—that was Taehan too.
But Kim Taehwan.
-He seems to have been manipulated by the seed since a year ago.
In a way, he was a victim.
Though he couldn't be called innocent, having succumbed to the devil's temptation.
-We are tracking Hwang Sujin. However, her tracks have already been erased, so it may take time to find her.
The goal was to catch the one who committed the greater sin.
“…I should have listened to Greed sooner.”
Go Yohan had imposed restrictions on the movements of followers and Apostles.
Though he declared he would become a demon, a villain, he was originally a holy knight.
“Tell Greed to loosen the restrictions a bit more.”
-Understood, Captain.
Not a ruler, but a knight—however, if he set his mind to it.
‘I have to become a villain.’
It seemed he could no longer afford to hesitate.
Before such a Go Yohan, Kim Sehyun smiled as if full.
She had toured Yohan Church a bit and devoured the chicken.
“Thanks. It was delicious.”
“......”
“You don't have to make that face.”
Kim Sehyun looked somewhat relieved.
“I'm not an idiot. I know it couldn't be helped...”
And then.
“I know you saved me too.”
Kim Sehyun grinned broadly.
But Go Yohan couldn't miss the anger burning deep in her eyes.
“I'm going to study abroad.”
“Study abroad?”
“Yun Seunga teacher... no, Sloth? I'm not used to it yet. Anyway, I talked to her. She said in Korea right now, I'd just get caught up in complicated stuff no matter what.”
Go Yohan nodded.
“I have to find Mom too... And they said people here are going to operate overseas, and I could be helpful with that.”
“Is that okay with you?”
“No. Not yet.”
Kim Sehyun was honest.
“But I'm going to try to make it okay. I feel like I was just too young. You live in this world, right? A world normal people, Players... even Shinseong folks don't know about.”
Kim Sehyun's change wasn't incomprehensible.
‘Potential.’
With the Sin dwelling in her, her potential had finally bloomed.
“I'll come back. By then, I can help you too.”
Kim Sehyun looked straight at Go Yohan's face.
“And I'll erase even the tiniest bit of resentment toward you.”
He took her father right in front of her.
No reason could make that easy to accept.
“Thanks, and sorry.”
Those feelings seemed to make her sorry toward Go Yohan too.
“You'll do great.”
Go Yohan said.
“Hearing you say that gives me a bit of strength.”
Kim Sehyun stood up, now satisfied.
Go Yohan rose with her.
“Things will be different from now on, right? I won't feel hurt. And when we meet again, I'll work hard so I can face you proudly.”
Kim Sehyun extended her hand, and Go Yohan clasped it.
And that night.
[Player, you have declared Apostle upon Kim Sehyun.]
[Player, Faith stat is activated for Kim Sehyun.]
[Player, Zealot title is generated for Kim Sehyun.]
[Player, for Kim Sehyun....]
“Take care. Captain.”
Less than a week later, Kim Sehyun left the country.