Chapter 41
Chapter 41
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: Reason for Enrollment
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I walk again.
As I walk, my mind clears. Seo-ah is not beside me.
I should have just stayed with her.
If the medicine and everything else were problems that couldn't be solved in the end, it would have been better to be together.
Of course, that's what I wanted.
Han Si-hoo was just as reluctant to enter the Academy.
The incident began like this.
First, there was no money.
Money had always been tight.
But Seo-ah was sick.
Even medicine costing a few thousand or tens of thousands of won was a heavy burden for someone with nothing.
So, I had to earn money.
If I grew stronger, I could earn more money in proportion to that growth.
For example, by hunting the monsters that appeared nearby.
Selling usable parts from their carcasses and items that didn't evaporate earned me a decent amount of money.
I only realized later that it was a form of smuggling.
Because I was selling unverified items.
In some cities, no one would care.
But this place was different.
Monster hunts occurring only in a specific area.
It seemed the city had taken an interest.
Whenever they arrived in an area where monster appearances were detected or reported, all the monsters were already dead.
And this repeated for a while.
That led to one conclusion.
A considerably strong Awakener was operating in secret.
"So it was an individual, not a group. You're quite something for your age."
Two professors from the Academy, and one Awakener who operated externally.
A total of three people found Han Si-hoo.
There might have been more, hidden from sight.
"Living in the slums? Your residence must be around here. We can't let talent like this go to waste."
"Ah, we may not look it, but we're professors. How about coming to the Academy?"
An immediate offer of enrollment.
"...Weren't you trying to arrest me?"
"It's not like you've been confirmed as a Villain. Though there have been some unsettling incidents around here lately."
"That's true."
"Anyway, student. No, not yet a student, but are you interested in joining the Academy? It's a great opportunity to grow as an Awakener under the goal of protecting humanity."
From the moment the so-called professors mentioned arrest, Han Si-hoo felt a sense of foreboding.
It was clear this was not something he could easily refuse.
"Ah, well, do you have any family? If so, we have protective facilities."
Protection?
There was no way he could believe such words.
He had never seen a normal place that was called a "protective facility."
Seo-ah was actually safer outside.
They were suspicious people.
Awakeners far stronger than Han Si-hoo.
He had to be even more careful.
"You've been living alone? Not hunting in a group or anything like that, right?"
He had no choice but to say yes.
"Long-term unregistered Awakeners are subject to punishment, but since you're still young, for someone like you..."
He was forced to tour the Academy.
If he had said no, he would have been arrested, or perhaps "dealt with."
He avoided being mistaken for the Villain who had been appearing near the city.
The price was enrollment in the Academy.
It was practically mandatory.
"Were you just living anywhere outside? The Academy provides dorms, so don't worry."
He followed his instincts' warning.
He couldn't let them find out about Seo-ah.
These people were monsters.
He could see the malice behind their kindness.
If Han Si-hoo had shown even the slightest hint of dislike, he might have found it difficult to return to Seo-ah.
The Academy tour somehow came to an end.
He returned home.
It took two full days.
After registering as an Awakener and completing the provisional enrollment procedures.
Only then was he allowed to leave the Academy.
Two days is a long time.
He had disappeared without a word to Seo-ah.
But he had returned, somehow.
"Where have you been?"
Seo-ah was waiting in front of Si-hoo's door.
Though they were close, Seo-ah's house and Si-hoo's house were different places.
A house for each of them—didn't that mean they were living quite well?
It was more like they were playing house.
"...Something came up."
"Where did you go?"
The problem was that he had disappeared for two days without a word.
What should he say?
*I was dragged away against my will?*
Han Si-hoo struggled to find a suitable answer.
"The Academy."
"The Academy...?"
"Yeah. I think I'll be attending."
Even though it was semi-compulsory.
He didn't want to worry Seo-ah.
He acted as if it were his own choice, not someone else's.
"Why?"
"It'll be better this way. I can earn a lot of money, too."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Sorry. It was a sudden decision."
"What are you talking about..."
Seo-ah said, as if she couldn't understand.
Of course she wouldn't understand.
But if he didn't attend the Academy... the only option was to run.
Taking Seo-ah to another region would be difficult enough, but the Academy had already put measures in place to make it hard for Han Si-hoo to escape.
The problem started when he stamped the enrollment contract.
A subtle but constant surveillance was already on Han Si-hoo.
If he were caught trying to escape, a child from the slums with no guardian would be sent to a facility.
And if Han Si-hoo were to be mistaken for a Villain, the problem would become even more serious.
"Don't go."
"We don't have much money."
"I-I'll earn it."
"It's right for me to go. I'll still come back here often, so don't worry."
He had to go.
He didn't trust the Academy, but there might be a way to use it.
From what he learned during the tour, the amount of money given to students was enormous.
And it was true that they were short on money.
"......"
At this point, Seo-ah was already addicted to the drug.
It was a time when the price of the drug was steadily increasing.
"Sorry for coming back late without a word. The Academy sent someone, so I went to meet them."
How would Seo-ah react if he told her he was practically forced to enroll?
He believed it was better to handle it alone.
He thought he could make good use of the Academy.
Thinking back, Seo-ah had started wearing long-sleeved clothes around that time.
Her habit of putting her arms behind her back was probably to hide the wounds.
"So... when do you start at the Academy?"
"Next week."
"Oh, okay."
"Yeah."
His mind was a mess, trying to figure out how to deal with the Academy first.
*Somehow. It'll work out somehow.*
That's what he thought.
"Well, if you say you're going, I can't stop you. Take care."
She spoke as if she had given up, as if it didn't really matter.
She didn't seem anxious.
"If the Academy sent someone for you, you must be pretty amazing."
She said with a smile.
"I'll come back often. I might not stay at the Academy forever. I might even quit and come back soon."
That's how it was until then.
Until he realized the rewards from the Academy were greater than he had thought.
"I see."
There was nothing wrong with Seo-ah.
And the Academy offered great rewards.
In that case, there was no particular reason to quit.
"I'm sorry."
Still, if Seo-ah hated him being at the Academy, he'd have to find a way.
That's what he thought.
And then, a week after transferring to the Academy.
Han Si-hoo received a sum of money larger than he had ever held.
Under the pretext of it being for Academy activities.
With this, there would be no shortage of money for living expenses or medicine.
If he saved up, they could even move to a better place.
It was evening, the sun was setting.
He made time and went to Seo-ah's house.
He handed all the money he received to Seo-ah.
Seo-ah didn't show as much interest in the money as he'd expected.
Seo-ah hesitated before speaking.
"Si-hoo, want to go see the stars together tonight?"
It wasn't the question he had expected.
It wasn't about money, nor was it about the Academy.
Just a suggestion to go stargazing.
"Can't you?"
He had an appointment.
An appointment with the Academy.
He had to return quickly to avoid drawing the Academy's attention.
"...Sorry. I have plans tonight."
"With who?"
It was with the Academy.
He had to go back.
"Ah, well, I have a friend."
It was a pointless excuse.
He said it because telling the truth just felt strange.
"Oh, so you had plans tonight. With a friend..."
She tried hard not to show her disappointment.
As if it didn't matter.
"I was just saying. Don't worry about it."
At the time, he thought Seo-ah would be fine.
There was still plenty of time, so even if she seemed a little disappointed, he could make it up to her later.
Besides, he had earned a lot of money, so wasn't that a good thing? That was his thinking.
"It's good that you seem to be doing well at the Academy."
But this was the last chance to maintain his relationship with Seo-ah.
I shouldn't have gone back to the Academy.
What if I had gone to see the stars with her then?
Maybe Seo-ah wanted to talk about the drug.
That the medicine she was using seemed strange.
She might have asked for help.
Even if Seo-ah hadn't said anything, Han Si-hoo might have noticed something was wrong.
But he didn't notice.
Was it because he was trying to believe there were no problems?
He told Seo-ah he would come back later.
Because there would always be a next time.
"Take care..."
And so, Han Si-hoo left.
Now, there was no one to talk to.
If he had to pinpoint it, this was the end of their relationship.
They had crossed a river from which there was no return.
"I'm sorry."
He apologized, but there was no one to hear it.
He believed that even if he started in the slums, he could reach a higher place.
There were many untrustworthy people, but there were also heroes worthy of respect.
There's so much trash.
But Han Si-hoo had believed that he, at least, was different from that trash.
But now, he wasn't so sure what was different.
What was I trying to do?
Kidnap Lee Yoo-ram's younger sister?
Hold her hostage and threaten her?
"I'm sorry."
Just the same kind of person.
Lee Yoo-ram was only trying to protect her family.
And it was something Seo-ah wanted.
She may have failed as a teacher, but it's hard to say her younger sister is also guilty.
How is it any different from what the Doctor was doing?
Still, I want to kill the Doctor.
At least hear his reasons for why he did it.
I want to kill him in the most painful way possible.
But there's no need to pass that pain on to others.
That's not right.
No, I want to kill the Doctor, even if it means accepting that much.
I want to deal with him.
I just hate the fact that such a being exists in my memory.
I wish he would never appear in my life again.
Actually, more than that, I just...
I want to go home.
I should have gone to see the stars.
Han Si-hoo stood still on the street.
A street where no one passed by.
No cars, no people.
A lone streetlight shone.
The truth is, Han Si-hoo had no friends either.
The time he spent with the kids he met at the Academy was nothing compared to the time he spent with Seo-ah.
It was a sudden realization.
Han Si-hoo also had no friends to reminisce with.
He was left alone.