Chapter 31: Choi In-ho, Is It You Again…?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 31: Choi In-ho, Is It You Again…?
Leilan Academy was swept up in controversy.
Well, it was only natural.
The terror attack was the work of outsiders and had been successfully thwarted without any casualties, so that was one thing. However, an incident perpetrated by an internal academy professor couldn’t be dismissed just because it was stopped and no one died.
I was worried they might try to cover it up, but fortunately, the Chairperson wasn’t the type to do that. She took the aggressive step of going public with the incident before the media could get a hold of it.
In the end, the Chairperson of the academy bowed her head in a public apology. Inspections were carried out on all faculty and staff, not just the professor involved. Some might see this as an accident that tarnished the reputation of the “greatest academy,” but knowing how the original story flowed, I thought we had actually defended quite well.
“Um, please cheer up.”
So, won’t you please stop moping?
The Chairperson, the very person who had summoned Lilac and me, was currently burying her head in her office desk, looking quite depressed.
Looking at her like this, it was hard to believe she was one of the few S-rank Heroes in the world.
“Chairperson, you’re in front of your cadets.”
“Yes, I know. I know, but I just can’t find the energy.”
Despite her words, she must have realized she couldn’t keep showing weakness in front of her students. She soon lifted her head and met our eyes.
Seeing her try to put strength into her gaze, it seemed she wanted to maintain her usual confident expression, but the fatigue around her eyes only made her look more pitiful.
“Right. First, it’s only proper that I thank you. Cadet Kang So-hyun, who noticed the culprit’s scheme faster than anyone and headed to the rescue. And Cadet Lilac, who responded immediately to a friend’s call even at a late hour to prevent the damage from escalating. Both of you showed excellent judgment that is hard to believe coming from cadets.”
As if her words were sincere, she looked at us with great pride.
She likes this side of people, so even if I didn’t know for sure, I figured she probably liked us quite a bit.
“If it weren’t for you two, the academy wouldn’t have been able to settle this situation just by apologizing and giving up some of its rights. No, the academy’s rights or apologies don’t matter. There might have been horrific sacrifices, and that would have been a loss incomparable to something like the academy’s honor.”
She bowed her head to us with a solemn attitude.
“Setting aside my title as the Chairperson of the academy, as a human being, I am truly grateful.”
“It was only what I should have done.”
Lilac seemed to think the Chairperson’s gratitude was excessive, but in fact, it wasn’t at all.
A mere cadet had stopped a hostage situation orchestrated by a professor.
By the way, hearing her mention giving up rights, it seemed external forces would eventually enter the academy, just like in the original story.
I had hoped to prevent even that, but well, since the incident wasn’t stopped entirely before it began, I suppose it was unavoidable.
They probably wouldn’t be able to exert as much influence as they did in the original, so I could just deal with them later.
“Anyway, while the situation isn’t great, simply expressing gratitude for the incident in words isn’t the Leilan Academy way.”
Oh? Could it be?
“Both cadets will be awarded commendations and a significant amount of points. This is the second time for Cadet Lilac, isn’t it? You’ll shoot up to the top rank in an instant.”
Indeed, this could be seen as a much better start than in the original story.
In the original, the academy’s internal affairs were a mess due to consecutive terror attacks and kidnappings, so the reward and punishment system didn’t function properly.
Lilac was a saint-like figure who was fine with not receiving what he deserved, and Cheon Yu-hak thoroughly ignored incidents unless they affected his immediate circle because he couldn’t settle points properly.
Compared to that, accumulating points steadily from the beginning like this would definitely help with growth.
Ah, is this how a parent feels raising a child…?
It’s nothing special, but I feel unnecessarily proud.
“Um, Chairperson. Actually, I have something to say regarding that.”
However, it seemed our Lilac had something to say to the Chairperson.
Yes! Lilac, do whatever you want!
“I would like to share half of the points I earned from the entrance ceremony incident with Cadet Kang So-hyun.”
No, you crazy bastard. Share what? Lilac, stop doing whatever you want!
Lilac, who had gone from being my precious child to a crazy brat in an instant, started talking nonsense.
“Hmm?”
“Ho.”
The Chairperson and Professor Cathy, who was standing nearby, both seemed surprised by Lilac’s words as they tilted their heads with inquisitive sounds.
“Cadet Lilac. Direct point transfers between cadets are fundamentally prohibited. It might be different if it were a trade, but allowing unilateral transfers could lead to violence or disputes between cadets. It’s written in the school rules; surely you aren’t saying you don’t know?”
“I know.”
A look of interest appeared in the Chairperson’s eyes.
“Then why are you making such a request despite knowing that?”
Exactly, you lunatic. Why are you giving me the points you earned? Did I teach you to do that?
“Actually, I wasn’t sure because he denied it himself, but after this incident, I’ve become certain. On the day of the entrance ceremony, I was able to use power beyond my capabilities, and the reason was thanks to So-hyun, just like this time.”
Ah, shit.
As if to prove he was a genius, he seemed to have realized that the reinforcement he received this time felt very similar to the sensation from that day.
Cathy and the Chairperson both knew about my talent and its penalty.
They probably already grasped the true story behind the incident.
Hey, my Secret Friends 1 and 2, please stop this guy from talking nonsense.
“If that’s true, shouldn’t we also retrieve the points Cheon Yu-hak received and split them among the three of you?”
Wait, why is this person saying something weird too?
“No, I am the one who received help. I also know that we can’t re-issue commendations for the incident now. Besides, So-hyun himself wouldn’t want things to go that far.”
If you know that so well, why are you doing this?
“I just… think I’ll feel more at ease if I do this.”
My heart is about to be torn to shreds, you bastard.
In the first place, I don’t even really need those points.
“Right, I understand what Lilac is saying. But don’t you think it’s a waste? This is an opportunity to widen the score gap overwhelmingly, and you could even rent an artifact you like with those points.”
“How can someone who aspires to be a hero abandon their principles for material greed? It is the right thing to do, so I have no regrets.”
“We have many good cadets—no, good children this year.”
The Chairperson seemed to have taken quite a liking to Lilac.
Damn it, she’s probably going to say his intention is admirable and grant the request.
Who the hell do you think is just going to watch? Lilac! Stop being a pushover!
“Yes, it’s very good to see you holding yourself together without giving in to greed. Especially as per Cadet Lilac’s request…”
“Wait.”
“Hmm? Cadet Kang So-hyun?”
“Who said you could just transfer points? I have no intention of accepting them.”
Didn’t see that coming, did you? You brat.
“So-hyun?”
“Ho.”
The Chairperson seemed to be thoroughly enjoying this situation, her previous gloom nowhere to be found.
Trying to feign ignorance here would be a bad move.
Lilac, as well as the other two, already understood the circumstances, so there was no point in that.
“I have no intention of pettily taking points someone else earned, and in the first place, I didn’t do it expecting a reward. Cadet Lilac had already saved many students from the explosion at that point, and I too would have been seriously injured or even killed if it weren’t for him.”
That’s right.
If I couldn’t deny it anyway, I just had to shift the perspective a bit.
“Above all, even if I hadn’t helped then, Cadet Lilac would have blocked it just fine.”
That was a bit of a lie, but he would have blocked it anyway.
There would have been some casualties, though.
“No! That flame, for me…!”
“Enough.”
Lilac tried to speak up in a hurry, but the Chairperson stopped him.
As expected of Secret Friend No. 2! I knew I could count on you!
“I understand what you want to say. But then, Cadet Kang So-hyun, do you intend to ignore your friend’s sincerity?”
Wait, why does the person I trust keep stabbing me in the back?
She’s probably trying to pressure me and see my reaction, but yeah, not a chance.
“Yes.”
“…Eh?”
“I’m going to ignore it. To… totally and completely.”
I shouldn’t use profanity like “fucking” in front of an adult, right?
“May I… ask the reason?”
“Yes, of course. As a fellow cadet, I want him to learn that unwanted favors and goodwill can come across as unpleasant. And as a friend, I don’t want to share something that could help him on his path for such a reason.”
It was incredibly cringeworthy, but there wasn’t a single lie in those words.
There was no point in lying to someone who could see through my lies anyway.
I didn’t want Lilac to live as a protagonist made only of goodwill, as he was now.
I wanted him to know the malice of the world, and I prayed for him to grow into a more mature protagonist.
And it was also true that I had no intention of coveting what had fallen into his lap when I wasn’t even in a hurry.
“Is that all? If you have points, you could even obtain spirit medicines that would help with your constitution.”
Her gaze, searching for more, seemed to expect a lot from my answer, but I had already given enough of an answer to satisfy the Chairperson. I didn’t intend to overdo it.
“I don’t need them. I can take care of it myself.”
Thinking about the Professor Cathy incident, raising favorability blindly wasn’t always a good thing.
Maintaining an appropriate distance was essential.
“Puhuhu. Right. Of course. ‘I can do it myself.’ That kind of attitude is important.”
Wait, what?
I gave that answer to tell her to buzz off, but my Secret Friends seemed to like it quite a bit.
Have I already built up so much favorability that my rudeness looks like boldness…?
Lilac also looked a bit disappointed, but he seemed to find it acceptable as he nodded and looked at me with an expression of firm determination.
I don’t know what you’re thinking now, but Lilac, stop doing whatever you want!
* * *
Alcatraz, the prison for superhuman criminals.
Known as the inescapable prison island, it was about to receive a new inmate.
Jin Gyeong-tae.
Once a professor of Monster Studies, he was now merely a criminal, waiting for the ship that would soon come to collect him while bound in restraints.
“What crime did you commit to end up here?”
Normally, he wouldn’t have answered a question from an adult, let alone a filthy prisoner, but perhaps because the waiting time felt strangely boring, he answered the other prisoner’s question.
“A crime? I simply tried to provide some education because I hated seeing my students turn into filthy adults.”
“Students? Are you a teacher?”
“Something like that. I was a professor working at Leilan Academy.”
“Aha, so you’re the professor who got fired for causing trouble at the academy because you hate adults? The whole world is buzzing about it. I didn’t recognize such a celebrity.”
“Celebrity, my foot. Now I’m just a captured villain.”
“A ‘just a villain’ wouldn’t be going all the way to Alcatraz. That’s a place only for those with serious crimes, isn’t it?”
“Aren’t you in the same boat as me? In the first place, what were you caught for?”
It was only after asking that far that Jin Gyeong-tae realized something was wrong.
Although he was in a similar position now, he was originally someone who loathed criminals.
Yet, not only was he answering questions politely, but he was even asking questions back. It was something that shouldn’t be possible.
“Aigo, it seems this is the limit for my mana. No, let’s stop with the polite talk since we both know each other’s true natures.”
The man’s face, which had been blurry as if painted over with darkness, came into view.
To be precise, the rabbit-shaped mask he was wearing on his face came into view.
A ridiculous and unpleasant rabbit mask that he, a former academy professor, couldn’t possibly not know.
“I don’t think we’ve met, but since you’re a former professor, you know who I am, right? I’m Choi In-ho, and I’ve come to recruit you.”
“…Hah.”
“He said your answer back then would be different by now. Have you felt like joining ‘us’?”
“Us?”
“Yeah. Actually, I wasn’t originally a direct subordinate, but I received some help while escaping this time, so I joined them.”
“I recall that you and I don’t get along very well.”
Both wanted to kill cadets, but while one acted out of an inferiority complex, the other acted out of twisted affection. As such, they actually disliked each other very much.
“And, it seems you were using mana to guide my consciousness until just now. How can I trust you?”
“Does that matter?”
“Pardon?”
“I asked if that really matters. If you refuse the offer now, you’ll just rot in prison for the rest of your life. Don’t you still have unfinished business? I know I do.”
That was true. He did have unfinished business.
“Even if I were to join hands with you, how do you plan to escape?”
“It’s simple.”
He brought over an unconscious guard from somewhere and cast a spell on him.
“Polymorph…?”
“It’s Camouflage, a much lower grade. It only changes the appearance and can’t copy abilities at all. Still, it’s enough to buy time. Once I get you out, they’ll come to pick us up.”
The guard who was subjected to the transformation magic took on the appearance of Jin Gyeong-tae.
“Well? I’m asking one last time. Do you have any intention of escaping?”
A feeling of loathing for criminals rose up for a brief moment, but Jin Gyeong-tae soon smiled.
Was he not a villain himself now?
“…Yes. There’s a student I want to see, and perhaps I can be of some help to your side. I know a student who would be useful.”
He smiled at the thought that perhaps he could continue his unfinished lesson.