Chapter 47
Chapter 47
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Someone's Sidekick
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“Oh! You're Cadet Kang Yuna!? Nice to meet you! I'm Hero Shieldman!”
B-Rank Hero Shieldman. A cheerful man in his early thirties.
It's essential to study up on the hero you'll be sidekicking for going forward.
Kang Yuna offered a handshake to Shieldman, who greeted her warmly.
“Hero Academy first-year cadet, Kang Yuna.”
“I've heard all about you. They say you stood up to that Smiling Man without flinching!?”
“...Ah.”
Come to think of it, the events of that day were still misunderstood by everyone.
The one who saved her and took down the villains was that Smiling Man himself.
But it didn't make sense for a villain to help an aspiring cadet and clean up other villains.
To top it off, the S-Rank Hero Holy Knight murder happened right then.
And decisively, all the terrorist acts pinned on the Smiling Man.
Any way you sliced it, telling the truth about that day had become impossible.
“I just got lucky. Um, more importantly, are you okay with this? I'm still a first-year cadet. I only just enrolled not long ago, and now I'm assigned as your sidekick...”
“No, no. If anything, I'm excited. I even saw the video where the Smiling Man himself was so shocked by your guts that he ran away? I hope you show that same spirit when we're out sidekicking!”
“Ah..., yes, sure.”
He's building up expectations in completely the wrong direction! This is bad!
Kang Yuna screamed internally, but Shieldman just kept grinning.
The Union had thoroughly covered up the truth, so there was no way for him to know.
The media. The articles. They'd all agreed to hype up only Kang Yuna.
B-Rank Heroes aren't weak, but they're not the Union's main force.
Those who couldn't get close to the truth just believed what they saw and heard.
“Alright. This is your first sidekick mission, right, junior?”
“Yes!”
“No need to be too tense. I'm not A-Rank or S-Rank or anything. B-Rank Heroes mostly handle standby support or prioritizing civilian evacuations. Just move accordingly, junior.”
To do that, the first thing to know was the locations of all the shelters.
She listened intently to Shieldman's blood-and-guts advice.
“...And you know how monster appearances have spiked lately, right?”
“I heard that's why I could even apply to sidekick.”
“Even I, a B-Rank, feel it in my bones. We've never had this many monsters show up before. Because of it, even people who should be resting are on standby. Heck, some who handle villains have to prep for monsters too.”
That's why they're ramping up sidekick recruitment more than ever.
As he explained, Kang Yuna headed to the hero lounge in the middle of downtown.
A few other B-Rank Heroes were taking a short break there.
“Alright, everyone, say hi. This is Kang Yuna, first-year Academy cadet. Starting today, she's my sidekick.”
“What? They're really pulling in first-years? This isn't some child soldier draft...”
“Hold on, hold on. Kang Yuna? Wait, the Kang Yuna?”
“Heh heh heh. That's right! The one you all know got assigned as my sidekick!”
“Whoa. Talk about a promotion. Sidekicking with a celebrity.”
“Nice. That junior over there is way more famous than you.”
The heroes approached one by one, offering handshakes.
They were all Academy alumni and future workplace seniors.
As Kang Yuna frantically shook hands and tried to bow politely...
Aeeeng!-
An alert blared. Judging by the tone, it was a monster appearance, not a villain.
“Argh! Here we go again! Hey! Where is it?”
“Luckily not downtown... Ah, no. Not lucky. This is exhausting in its own way.”
“Why? Where?”
“Right next to the highway.”
“Oh man. Junior shows up for sidekick duty and we get a huge welcome party.”
The heroes looked at her pityingly, and Kang Yuna blinked.
Didn't they just say B-Rank Heroes' main job was standby support?
As their sidekick, she shouldn't have combat duties at all.
Yet they were all fretting like that, stirring up an inexplicable unease.
Why are they acting like that? Are there so few heroes that even I'll have to fight?
Kang Yuna would soon understand the heroes' reactions.
In a way very far from the hero life she'd imagined.
“Argh, when the hell can we get through?! I have urgent business! If I'm late, you guys are taking responsibility?!”
“We're sorry, citizens. A monster has appeared nearby, so we're conducting precautions. We ask for your understanding...”
“I saw the news—it was pretty far from here! Just let us through!”
“It's not super close, but not super far either. It's for your safety, so even if it's inconvenient...”
“That's what I'm saying! Being late is the most inconvenient! I won't complain if I run into a monster on the way—just let me go! Why block a perfectly fine highway?!”
No matter how many times she explained the situation, he wouldn't listen.
He looked ready to grab Kang Yuna by the collar instead of the steering wheel.
He vented his frustration with his whole body.
Endure it. This is all part of being a cadet. A sidekick. A hero.
Heroes don't always get praise and cheers from citizens.
Sometimes they get resentment. Complaints. Suspicion.
Some heroes harbor strong grudges over it.
Why do we go through all this? Can't they even be grateful?
She understood. Both the citizens and the heroes. She understood both sides.
But even so, Kang Yuna believed heroes had to endure.
Heroes who save the world inevitably require self-sacrifice.
Sometimes without understanding. Hearing bitter words. Taking abuse.
She believed the cheers from far more people would follow in the end.
“Argh, fuck! When can we go?! I've been stuck here over 30 minutes!”
“...”
But right now, even Kang Yuna's patience was being tested to its limit.
Not everyone was waiting quietly because they wanted to.
The other citizens were waiting too. But they weren't complaining.
They knew why the heroes and sidekick were doing this.
To prepare for any possible accident.
To ensure no innocent citizens died today.
Just wanting everyone to get home safe and have dinner with their families.
“Fuck! Are you deaf?! Hey! You, come here. What's your name! I'll file a complaint on you for sure. Do you know who I am?! Huh?!”
Kang Yuna instinctively looked around.
If a hero were here, it'd be better.
This guy was ignoring her because she was just a sidekick.
Almost no one pulled this crap on actual heroes.
But Shieldman and the others were on standby near the site.
She could see police over there, but they were just as busy.
Thud!-
“You sidekick bitch ignoring a citizen?! I'll really make you regret... Urk!”
The man who'd just opened the car door screamed.
A young man had appeared out of nowhere and kicked the door.
“What a racket. Don't you think, Cadet Kang Yuna?”
“You?”
That face. Definitely the records room clerk. She remembered clearly.
But why was he on the highway instead of the archives?
“Ah. I was en route for some business when bad luck struck—a monster popped up nearby. Got stuck, and then I spotted Cadet Kang Yuna's face.”
“I see. More importantly...”
Thanks to the clerk kicking the door, the man had banged his arm and was cursing in pain.
Snarling, he got out and approached the clerk.
“You fucking punk! Kick my car? You dare? Do you know how much this costs?!”
The car he pointed to was definitely a pricey foreign import.
But the clerk looked at it like trash and burst out laughing.
“All flash, no substance. Looks like you scraped together your entire future to buy it on installments. I can tell you're struggling to pay it off.”
“W-what? What the hell are you saying?! That car's worth more than a loser like you could earn in a lifetime!”
“Me?”
Chortling, the clerk pointed with his finger.
Kang Yuna looked first and went, “Whoa,” covering her mouth.
The loudmouth followed and immediately yelped, stumbling back.
“A-Aston Martin Vulcan? W-why the hell is that there?!”
“What was that? Something I could never afford in a lifetime? Hahaha!”
The clerk laughed uproariously as the man ground his teeth.
He'd lost. It sucked, but there was no winning this.
Fine. He still had an ace up his sleeve.
“You car-poor fuck! Betting your life on a car like some loser! Once word gets out, trash like you is done for! You! Do you know who my dad is?!”
“Why? Didn't your mom tell you who your dad is?”
“...Huh?”
“Aw, poor thing. Best of luck finding your father.”
Pfft. Unable to hold back, Kang Yuna finally burst out laughing.