The Fixer (1)
Students at Terastial Academy were required to live in the dormitories. Everyone left their homes behind to settle into this new cradle called the academy. As a result, freshmen who hadn’t fully adjusted yet were still unfamiliar with dorm life and occasionally caused trouble.
“Hey, I’m trying to sleep here! You’re being so damn loud—quiet down!”
“What’s with the fuss about going to bed this early? And what business is it of yours what I do in my own room?”
Those from privileged backgrounds tended to stir up the most issues, their habits of unrestricted freedom from home lingering. Fights broke out for various reasons, but noise complaints were by far the most common. The dorms were well-built with decent soundproofing, but sounds from the rooms right next door—or above and below—couldn’t be completely blocked out. It was a problem that could be solved with a little mutual understanding and compromise, but for first-years still unaccustomed to dorm life, it remained a tough challenge.
“Ugh, those guys are fighting again.”
“I wish they’d just stop.”
Such scenes were unwelcome for most students. With the shouting dragging on, it was the biggest distraction for anyone trying to focus on their own tasks.
“Someone shut them up…”
“Right? I just wanna stuff gags in their mouths.”
“Hey, guys.”
That was when it happened.
“Want me to handle it?”
A man who dubbed himself the fixer, Seong Hyun-jin, appeared before the students lamenting their plight.
# Just the day before, on his way back after buying some crepes, Seong Hyun-jin had noticed something. No matter where he went, everyone gave Serena Eldark at least a glance. Many even recognized her and gasped in surprise. Seeing how truly every person showed interest in this woman named Serena Eldark, Seong Hyun-jin was a bit impressed.
“You might hate hearing this, but…you’re really famous, huh.”
“I told you, didn’t I? It’s because my father is so renowned. I can’t help it.”
Serena admitting it herself seemed a touch arrogant, but Seong Hyun-jin saw it as her having a good sense of self-awareness.
“So, how does someone become famous?”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I wanna be famous too.”
Serena tilted her head at Seong Hyun-jin’s sudden declaration of his aspirations.
“If you want to be famous, can’t you just become famous right away?”
“How?”
“Just publicly announce that you’re the disciple of the Sword Star. Everyone would come looking for you.”
“Nah, that won’t work.”
Seong Hyun-jin knew that method, of course. Leveraging Karin’s name would surely make him famous, if not quite on Serena’s level. But that defeated the purpose. His goal was to gain fame through his own efforts and elevate his master’s reputation in the process. He couldn’t ride on her coattails before achieving anything himself.
Seong Hyun-jin explained this to Serena.
“I need to raise my master’s fame, not borrow it.”
“You’re taking the long way around.”
“That’s what makes it meaningful.”
Serena pondered for a moment before speaking to Seong Hyun-jin.
“Do you know why the Palstar Heroes are famous?”
“No clue.”
As Seong Hyun-jin stated it boldly, Serena nodded as if she’d expected that.
“It’s because each of them accomplished heroic feats worthy of the title. What do you think a hero is?”
“Someone superhuman who does things ordinary people can’t, with abilities or power they lack?”
“Exactly. All the Palstar Heroes have pulled off such incredible feats. Most resolved disasters and saved countless lives—not dozens, but thousands, tens of thousands.”
“Oh, I see.”
Seong Hyun-jin nodded, intrigued. If all the Palstar Heroes had such achievements, that meant his master had done good deeds like that too. As her disciple, it naturally lifted his spirits.
But he was puzzled why she was bringing up the Palstar Heroes now.
“So why are you telling me this?”
“The point is, people remember those who helped or saved them. You wanting fame means you want to be remembered by many, right?”
“Yeah, you could put it that way.”
“Then help people.”
Serena lifted her head slightly, meeting Seong Hyun-jin’s eyes.
“Like how you helped me. That’s why I trust you now.”
“You trust me?”
“Did you think I didn’t? I don’t hang around people I don’t trust.”
“Hearing you say that’s kinda embarrassing.”
Whether it was true or not, Seong Hyun-jin smiled sheepishly. Seeing that, Serena thought to herself that he was a little cute.
…Is it because his face looks so young that he seems cute when he smiles?
Serena interpreted her finding his smile cute as being due to that reason.
“But just helping people willy-nilly… I’m not sure what or how.”
“For example… start by solving problems happening nearby. If they don’t need help, that’s fine, but they might.”
“Aha.”
Seong Hyun-jin nodded as if he got it.
“Like being a fixer, huh?”
“Something like that.”
Seong Hyun-jin considered Serena’s suggestion positively. But after thinking it over alone, he pointed out a problem.
“Thing is, I don’t have as many skills as you’d think. In this life, I’ve only learned the sword my whole life…”
“Don’t try to do everything—just help with what you can.”
Serena continued.
“Start with what you can do, and eventually you’ll reach your goal.”
“That’s nice to hear.”
“It’s something my father told me.”
It was advice from Serena’s father, the Dragon Star Ahajaka Eldark. Worried that his somewhat frail daughter—unbefitting of a Dragon Star—might feel intimidated elsewhere, he’d encouraged her in advance.
“He really is a great dad.”
“…Anyway, take it step by step, and it’ll work out, right?”
Serena still vividly remembered the power Seong Hyun-jin had shown in the class placement exam. He’d perfectly blocked the force she’d unleashed in excitement without a scratch. That proved it: Seong Hyun-jin had the talent to become famous naturally. Even without rushing, he’d likely gain renown and spread his master’s fame as he wished.
The Sword Star is already famous, though…
Since the disciple wasn’t satisfied, Serena decided not to interfere much. Then, recalling the expression Seong Hyun-jin had worn during the exam, she asked.
“Oh, by the way.”
“Yeah?”
“During the class placement exam earlier, you looked like you weren’t feeling well. You okay?”
“Oh… that?”
Seong Hyun-jin brushed it off casually.
“Just a bit off my game.”
“…Really?”
For something minor, his face had looked pretty bad. He usually wore such a carefree expression that it stuck with her even more. But before Serena could press further, Seong Hyun-jin spoke.
“Guess I’ll give it a shot like you said. Helping out here and there should make me famous eventually.”
“Good luck.”
“I’ll head back to the dorms first.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Seong Hyun-jin parted ways with Serena and headed to the dorms. His brisk pace toward the dorm slowed as his expression hardened, and he let out a labored breath.
“Hoo…”
It was because he’d overused the spirit’s power during the class placement exam. As Karin had warned, Seong Hyun-jin’s spirit, the King of Chaos, drained its contractor’s vitality every time its power was used. Vitality was akin to one’s stamina, and prolonged use left him exhausted, like someone who’d been running for hours.
Considering that normal spirit users didn’t suffer such stamina drain, Seong Hyun-jin bore a harsh penalty. He’d been fine at the crepe shop, but fatigue hit hard on the way back—that’s why he’d hurried to part with Serena. He’d thought he was okay at first since his body felt fine, but the delayed crash meant he’d overdone it.
…Shouldn’t have manifested it.
Determined to get back to the dorm and rest, Seong Hyun-jin dragged his legs onward.
# After returning to the dorm and crashing hard, he ended up witnessing his classmates fighting. Seong Hyun-jin saw it as the perfect chance to provide the “help” Serena had mentioned.
“Want me to handle it?”
That’s why he’d stepped in so boldly. Some might think, Who’s this guy butting in? But…
“Cha-seok, you?”
“Yeah, they might actually listen to you…”
Here, Seong Hyun-jin was the competent talent who’d proudly claimed second place in the entrance exam. Academy students, aside from a few conservatives, generally championed meritocracy, so they didn’t dismiss him.
“But those guys don’t even notice anyone else.”
“They’re just heated up.”
“We know that. So how are you gonna fix it?”
“Did you talk to the dorm supervisor?”
“Not yet—they’re not in.”
Seong Hyun-jin glanced at the clock in the hallway. It was still too early for the main dorm supervisor; only the assistant would be around.
“Perfect time for a little chaos, then.”
“Huh? What’re you saying?”
“Just watch.”
Seong Hyun-jin strode toward the two fighting students.
“Dear classmates.”
“Who the hell are you!? …Ch-cha-seok?”
The two ordinary humans, bulkier than Seong Hyun-jin whose frame hadn’t fully grown yet, tensed up instead upon recognizing the entrance exam runner-up. Plus, his actions in the Combat Department class placement exam had already spread via word of mouth among Combat Department students. His clash with top-seater Serena Eldark was especially the talk of the town. Though only a few had witnessed it, those who did were utterly overwhelmed. The rumors quickly spread through the male and female dorms, making Seong Hyun-jin’s ruthless plundering and impressive skills infamous among his peers.
Unaware of this, Seong Hyun-jin tried to placate them amicably.
“You guys keep fighting, and everyone’s getting disturbed. Let’s quiet down a bit.”
“…But he started it.”
“You’re the one being so noisy.”
Though tense, they couldn’t easily swallow their pride as guys. Seong Hyun-jin shook his head at them.
“Haven’t you fought enough? Other departments had placement exams today too—you shouldn’t have this much energy left. Weird.”
The placement exams weren’t just for Combat Department. Other departments with ample students had held theirs too. They should’ve been drained, yet here they were brawling—unlike some who’d collapsed while the sun was still high.
Seong Hyun-jin stared at them before speaking.
“Or is it youthful vigor you can’t contain? I might have a solution for that.”
He lightly grabbed their forearms and grinned.
“Wanna borrow the training grounds?”
The two fighters jolted in shock, then realized he wasn’t joking and frantically shook their heads.
“…N-no.”
“S-sorry.”
“So everyone quiets down? Make up a little. Just compromise.”
The pair who’d been growling at each other moments ago meekly nodded. They shared the sentiment of not wanting to deal with this ruthless monster. The situation resolved in an instant, and the onlookers thanked Seong Hyun-jin.
“Nice one, Cha-seok. Thanks.”
“Now it’ll finally be quiet.”
Seeing their reactions, Seong Hyun-jin recalled Serena’s words. Helping with what he could like this would surely lead to fame. Grinning, he told his classmates.
“If you’ve got any troubles in the future, let me know. I’ll help if I can!”
“Oh, cool?”
“Noted.”
But Seong Hyun-jin would soon come to regret those very words.