The Fortune Teller Behind the Election — 30 Billion
The amount was three hundred billion. Honestly, it felt completely unrealistic. Even for Romance Academy, a game packed with shocking settings. Come to think of it, that jeep from last time was supposed to be worth hundreds of billions too.
The artifact jeep that Liu Yen had pulled out and driven during our first class. I remembered Lucas saying it cost hundreds of billions. And Liu called it pocket change, didn’t she? Terrifying. The Great Wealthy class really was something else. I’d brushed it off when I first heard about it, but now that an absurd sum of money was actually sitting in my hands, I finally understood just how ridiculous Liu Yen’s wealth truly was.
Isn’t that the most broken class? I sighed at the gap between the Great Wealthy and the Fortune Teller while staring down at the briefcase stuffed with checks.
“This money… you said it was part of the student council budget, didn’t you?”
“Don’t worry, junior. Most of it is the president’s personal funds.”
But didn’t you just call it the student council budget? Samuel answered calmly, as if to reassure me, while casually stroking a three-hundred-billion slush fund that sounded like outright embezzlement no matter how you looked at it. Wait, so there was some budget money mixed in. Usually people try to hide embezzlement, don’t they?
“We have to handle it this way so the president’s family will provide support… I’m sorry for dragging you into this annoying business.”
“…Not at all, Samuel senior.”
Hmm… let me piece this together. Lily White-Rose was the young lady of the White-Rose family, one of Europe’s most prestigious houses. Because of her personality, they basically treated her like a child left out in the rain. Still, her position as student council president of Romance Academy benefited the family, so they supported her only for student council matters. They’d mixed in official budget funds with my payment to classify it as “student council business.”
Wasn’t this just money laundering? If I gave it back to Lily, it would be textbook laundering. I doubted Lily had actually intended to launder money—her personality made that unlikely—but it still sent a chill down my spine.
“By the way, junior, how did you know my name…?”
“Ah.”
I’d seen him often in the game, but this was my first time meeting him in person. Still, there was no need to panic. I had the ultimate cheat key.
“I saw it through physiognomy.”
“Physiognomy… an Eastern form of fortune-telling. You can even discern someone’s name with it? Impressive.”
“Junior! Do you also know the name of this Knight of Knights?!”
“…You are Lily White-Rose, senior.”
“As expected, truly impressive!!”
Was there anyone in the academy who didn’t know her name? She was famous in every possible way. Still, it seemed I’d earned a bit of trust from Samuel, which was a relief. Lily might lead this insane group, but Samuel made the important decisions.
“Junior junior! What’s my name?!”
“And mine? I’m not as handsome as you, but still quite good-looking, aren’t I?”
“Hmm… there are names I can read through physiognomy and names I cannot. It seems the two of you fall into the latter category.”
One sycophant and one sleazy guy were piling on, but I wasn’t about to tell them anything. You two don’t get to know.
“Alright, that’s enough. President, it’s about time we explained the situation to our junior…”
“Mm! I leave it to Samuel, the most knightly among these unknightly people!”
“Haa… understood.”
Samuel Lipson let out a profoundly deep sigh and sat down across from me. Behind him, Lily was surrounded by the sycophant and the sleazy guy, chatting among themselves. Is it just me, or does this feel like watching a group project?
“Junior, let me apologize again. I’m sorry for dragging you into this troublesome matter… but I hope you understand how desperate we are.”
“It’s fine. Since I’m being compensated, I’ll do my part. What exactly do you need me to do?”
“First, how much do you know about the student council?”
“Only a little.”
A gag character group that never actually did anything but stuck their noses into everyone’s business? They were basically in the same position as Team Rocket from Pokémon. Honestly, I didn’t know much beyond that.
“In truth, the student council doesn’t hold much real power at Romance Academy. At best, we supervise clubs and various smaller organizations.”
“Isn’t that still quite a lot?”
“It’s ultimately middle management. The academy makes all the final decisions. Major events, exams, festivals—those are all handled directly by the academy.”
Then what’s even the point of the student council existing? Samuel must have read the question on my face because he gave a bitter smile and continued.
“The student council is… a kind of face.”
“A face?”
“Exactly. When the academy needs to promote itself externally or handle public matters, we’re the figureheads. You could call us a mascot of sorts.”
“………”
“You seem sharp, so you’ve probably already figured it out. The student council president election sounds grand, but it’s really just a popularity contest.”
So that’s how it was… That explained why Lily White-Rose kept getting reelected for two whole years in the setting. Not because of hidden administrative talent or competence, but simply because she was popular?
“In that regard, the president is the perfect figurehead. She has great character, an excellent family background, a pleasing appearance, and genuine skill to back it all up.”
“This might be rude, but… is she even controllable?”
“If she weren’t, she never would have become president. Besides, the president doesn’t have many occasions to step forward, and she deeply respects Instructor Scarlet Redfield. If the instructor says something, she listens well.”
I see. In the game there were barely any events involving the student council, so I’d just seen them as an annoying bunch. Maybe I didn’t know as much about Romance Academy as I thought.
As I nodded along, Samuel lowered his voice slightly.
“And… the reason we came to you is simple.”
“You want me to divine the president’s reelection, correct?”
“That’s right. I downplayed it earlier, but the benefits given to the student council are quite substantial. There’s a scholarship, recommendation letters after graduation, and various privileges in regular classes.”
So that’s why this sensible senior was still sticking with that crazy group. When I looked at him with a hint of pity, Samuel waved his hand as if to say he appreciated the understanding.
“Most importantly, it’s thanks to this position that the president can live at all.”
“…I see.”
Lily White-Rose had essentially been cast out by her family. A young lady who only ever talked about chivalry wouldn’t survive long if suddenly thrown into society alone. Maintaining her position as student council president was the only reason her family still sent her living expenses and other funds.
“You catch on quickly. That’s why we want you to divine her reelection.”
“The fact that you specifically want a reading means…”
“Yes. After two years, a competitor has finally appeared. And a very strong one at that.”
What? So for two years, Lily was the only candidate? …No. It was probably that no one dared run against Lily White-Rose. As I thought earlier, becoming president benefits the White-Rose family, so they would have used their influence to prevent other candidates.
Which meant this competitor must have backing even stronger than the White-Rose family.
“This competitor you mentioned…”
“It’s Kim Hae-neul from the third year.”
…Who the hell is that? If she was strong enough to rival Lily White-Rose, she should have appeared in the game.
“She is a member of the Imperial Family of the Korean Empire.”
“Pardon?”
Wait, what?
Character Event Unlocked: <Stigma of Patricide> - Kim Eun-ha
“…So that’s why you came to me?”
“Precisely, Your Highness.”
“This is… quite something.”
In the top floor of the imperial family dormitory, Kim Seong-il let out a dry laugh, surrounded as always by several retainers. I returned the smile with a gentle curve of my own lips.
“…………”
“……….”
“…………….”
The glares from the newly replaced retainers were sharp enough to sting. I suppose if one of my employees went straight to the chairman, I’d be annoyed too. But this was the most direct method, so what could I do?
“Your Highness, we should immediately expel this insolent—”
“Enough.”
“Y-Your Highness?”
“Didn’t I already say so?”
Kim Seong-il shot a glance at the flustered retainer. The retainers immediately fell silent like mute men who’d swallowed honey and turned their questioning gazes toward me. Their eyes asked, Who the hell is this guy?
Oh, right. They probably don’t know who I am.
“Yes, I can spare as much time as needed for my close friend.”
“As benevolent as ever, Your Highness.”
“Namgung Min, you can speak comfortably. After all, it’s just the two of us here.”
──Right?
Though he spoke with a smile, those words weren’t meant for me. The retainers, having understood the prince’s intent perfectly, continued their guard duty in complete silence, not even breathing loudly. It was as if they could neither see, hear, nor remember anything. Seeming satisfied with their attitude, Kim Seong-il nodded and relaxed his posture.
“You’re speaking much more naturally now.”
“Haha, I apologize for before. When we’re both students it’s one thing, but in private while maintaining my position as prince, a somewhat overbearing act was necessary. This is my true personality.”
“It’s much more comfortable to talk with you this way. That aside, you’re treating me quite well.”
“You helped Eun-ha. It’s only natural. Her position in the imperial family has become somewhat… precarious.”
Precarious? As far as I knew, Kim Eun-ha had given up her claim to the throne in exchange for control of the imperial family’s shadow organization.
“Is that so?”
“Yes. I heard you already… know about Eun-ha’s secret.”
He was referring to our conversation in the entrance ceremony maze. …But why exactly was Kim Eun-ha’s position precarious?
“Was that also why you came to me?”
“Is there any other way?”
“…No, there isn’t. Now I understand why Eun-ha has been watching you so intently.”
In the game, Kim Eun-ha had already solidified her position within the imperial family. Even when assassination threats came from Kim Seong-il’s faction, she handled them cleanly, and afterward there was no further noise. …I needed to change the subject. If we kept talking about this, my ignorance would be exposed.
“As a fortune teller with a heavy mouth, you needn’t worry. More importantly, this Kim Hae-neul you mentioned—who exactly is she…?”
“Ah, yes. Kim Hae-neul. It’s been a while since I’ve heard that name.”
“A while?”
“You know that Eun-ha and I are twins, correct?”
“Of course.”
Kim Seong-il was born a few minutes earlier, making him the older brother. I remembered his background well because I could relate to the position of an older brother tormented by his younger sister.
“Eun-ha and I are the only legitimate children, but Kim Hae-neul is a concubine’s daughter.”
“Ah, I see.”
A concubine’s daughter. Like the illegitimate sons often seen in historical dramas, it referred to children born from a concubine. So Kim Hae-neul was the daughter of the emperor and one of his concubines.
“Even though she was a concubine’s child, she lived in the imperial palace, so we saw each other often when we were young. But after an unfortunate incident, all contact ceased.”
An unfortunate incident? …I wanted to ask, but since the prince himself called it unfortunate, there was no need to pry.
“Thank you. The only members of the imperial family I knew about were Her Highness Kim Eun-ha and yourself…”
“Strictly speaking, that’s correct. Only myself, Eun-ha, and His Majesty possess the special class Imperial Family. It is a class passed down exclusively to the legitimate bloodline of the Korean Empire.”
Right. That was it. The reason the ridiculous-sounding class Imperial Family existed was exactly that. It was a class granted only to those with the most noble blood of the Korean Empire. Why didn’t other constitutional monarchies have an Imperial Family class? In this game, thinking too hard about such things meant you’d already lost…
“Anyway, I don’t know much about Kim Hae-neul. We were never particularly close. It might be better if you asked… Eun-ha instead.”
“After what happened last time when she grabbed me by the collar, I’m afraid to go see her.”
“Mmm… I can relate completely. She’s my sister, but there are many times she truly terrifies me. Still, what can I do? She’s my only sister.”
…A younger sister, huh. We both suffer because of our little sisters.
“………No, wait. Now that I think about it, it would be better if you didn’t go ask Eun-ha.”
“Pardon?”
“Ah, it seems you don’t know about that part yet. Since you already know her secret and a Mediator is coming to the imperial family anyway, I’ll just tell you.”
“………”
“As I said earlier, Kim Hae-neul is a concubine’s daughter. Specifically, she is the child of the sixth concubine.”
The sixth? Just how many women does this emperor…?
“And… Kim Hae-neul received our mother’s affection. Our mother was rather unique. She loved all her children equally, whether they were born from the empress or from concubines.”
Mother. He must mean the empress, mother of Kim Seong-il and Kim Eun-ha. The one who had died of illness when the prince and princess were young—
“The fact that Eun-ha essentially killed such a mother… is why her position remains precarious to this day.”
“……Pardon?”
──What?
The murderous experience Kim Eun-ha went through… was with death row convicts, wasn’t it?
“………Doesn’t Her Highness Kim Eun-ha possess a skill that causes murderous urges?”
“That’s right. It’s a truly tragic and unfair thing. What sin could Eun-ha possibly have committed…”
The secret I knew about Kim Eun-ha was simple. She had been born with both the Imperial Family class and the general skill Murderous Intent. Both skills enhanced physical abilities, which was how she’d obtained such absurd strength. However, Murderous Intent also triggered homicidal urges, which she suppressed with other skills. In her childhood, before she knew any better, she had satisfied those urges by beating death row prisoners to death. That was Kim Eun-ha’s secret… or so I thought.
It was also a secret that was thoroughly concealed. In truth, most powerful figures in the imperial palace knew about it, but the Mediator’s power prevented them from speaking of it, so it remained a secret. If word got out, it would damage the imperial family’s dignity and bring fierce criticism upon Kim Eun-ha for possessing Murderous Intent.
But… what?
──The fact that Eun-ha essentially killed such a mother… is why her position remains precarious to this day.
The past has changed.
The past of Kim Eun-ha that I saw in the game and the past she had now were clearly different. The moment I realized that, something appeared before my eyes.
Stigma of Patricide
Kim Eun-ha was born with a blessing, but because of Murderous Intent she drove her own mother to death. That truth has become a shackle that will follow her for the rest of her life, and Kim Eun-ha desperately tries to forget it. Because remembering only brings pain.
Yet she does not know. That neither the Murderous Intent she possesses nor her mother’s death were her fault. A contradictory princess who, despite having killed someone with her own violence, does not hesitate to use violence. She knows that if she does not periodically release violence, she will go mad, so she never hesitates to swing her fists.
But what lies within her heart? There is a mastermind who made her this way. Someone who has deliberately driven one person’s life into the abyss with clear intent. The only one who can uncover the truth is you.
Event Objective: Draw out Kim Eun-ha’s true feelings (Completing this objective will unlock the next objective)
Remaining Period: ???
Completion Reward: Kim Eun-ha’s favorability maxed, Imperial Family’s friendship maxed, Acquisition of general skill Absolute Authority
It wasn’t a class quest or a skill description. This was the first character event I had ever encountered.