Chapter 48
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Summer Vacation Special Camp (2)
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[Advanced Summer Vacation Special Camp for Ability Users: Strengthening Abilities and Mentality]
On the surface, it looks like a camp for ability users to boost their college entrance specs, but that's not the case.
This was the mission that had been assigned to me this time. It seemed like it would span quite a long period, so popping over for a weekend visit wouldn't cut it—I'd have to set aside several full days to stay there. That's why they slapped on this plausible cover name: special camp.
Special camp, huh.
I knew full well that a brutal and vicious mission would unfold in reality, but just having this name made me a little excited anyway.
I wonder if we'll do a campfire?
"Hmm, wow, these days the facilities even run full-on programs like this? Sally. Did you have anything like this back in your day, Sally?"
The hum of a busy car engine and the faint smell of oil. This place, mixed with the scents of metal and earth, was Father's workplace. Today, since Father was going to be late coming home due to work, I'd come to visit the company to see his face and Sally's after a long time.
Sally, who should have been working at the research site, was in the head office too. Looking at the proposal in front of her, it seemed she'd come to suggest improvements to the ongoing research. She looked impressed at the paper I'd handed her and said,
"Wow, they even do stuff like this nowadays? I went to some pretty pricey places myself... but they didn't offer anything like this back then. Or maybe it was because my ability didn't match those specialized classes, so they didn't bother."
"Well, Serika's ability is pretty special, after all. Uhahaha!"
Father slipped in some casual bragging about his daughter while patting my head. Then, with a crisp thud, he stamped the paper and said,
"Serika. By the way. They're not doing any talent shows or anything this time?"
"Talent show?"
What was that about? I tilted my head, and Father asked again.
"Didn't you do a talent show during that field trip last time? No more of that?"
Oh, right. Last time, that was the cover story. This is why you have to be meticulous. I shook my head with an "oh no" expression.
"Oh, no, we're not doing that this time. They said it's just various experiential learning programs."
"Ah, then they're sending photos this time? I was going to ask about it, but last time they said no photos."
"Hmm, I'll ask once."
Of course, they'd say no. Taking photos during a dangerous, brutal mission was absurd. But whether Father knew I'd be turned down or not, he chuckled heartily and said,
"Hahaha! Sorry I can't visit because I'm busy, Dad. Next time, I'll definitely go."
"Okay, Dad!"
I answered in the brightest, cheeriest voice I could muster. My father was the type who thought of his family in everything and worked hard at it all. For such a father and our family's comfortable retirement, I could become a bad person as many times as needed.
But since I'm doing this for Dad, you can forgive me, right?
I tossed a silent apology to Father in my heart, then picked up the stamped paper and walked out.
Vacation was right around the corner. Having safely finished my exams, I pushed aside worries about my future path or failing grades into a corner of my mind and gossiped about how to spend the break enjoyably.
"What are you doing for vacation, Yumi?"
Of course, there was this grand event called the [Advanced Summer Vacation Special Camp for Ability Users: Strengthening Abilities and Mentality], but I wouldn't be tied up with just that the entire summer break, right?
No matter how brutal and harsh the mission, it would last at most a week.
Compared to the roughly month-long break, it was more than enough ratio for me to enjoy my work-life balance. A reward is only natural for someone who worked hard to save the world and build trust with the villains.
"My dad suggested we go to his villa in Okinawa for a summer getaway. So I'll catch fish with Dad, go for walks, and swim! Jealous?"
Yumi beamed at my question and said that. I barely held back from asking if she'd turn into a dog to swim, focusing instead on her sparkling eyes talking about playing in Okinawa.
"Really? That sounds fun! Should I ask my dad to go on a getaway too? But does your family have a villa?"
"Huh? Oh, it's not some super expensive villa—Dad bought a cheap house from relatives who used to live there and uses it as a villa! He said it's not that pricey!"
Sometimes I think about it, but actually, wasn't Yumi way better off than original Serika? Good family, kind personality, and an ability unique enough. Maybe she just got influenced by bad kids in her early childhood and veered off course?
"Hmm, my dad never mentioned a villa. I'm jealous."
We don't have a villa. Neither Mom nor Dad are the type to enjoy luxuries like that, and Dad's hobby for personal time is volunteer work. If I whined for one, he'd probably scold me harshly.
He might even make me cry from a lecture about not getting used to luxuries from a young age.
"What about you, Hwayoung? No villa at your place?"
Hwayoung blinked at Yumi's question, then nodded and said,
"...We do. Not personally mine or my parents', but... if it counts, then yes. Though it's not in Okinawa—it's in Korea."
I asked Hwayoung,
"So you're going to Korea this summer break?"
Hwayoung nodded. But her face was full of regret.
"Yes. It's time for my regular trip to Korea, and it falls during this summer break. It's a shame. I wanted to hang out together."
Yumi saw Hwayoung looking a bit down and lifted the corners of her mouth.
"Hmm, no need to be that gloomy! Then next time, let's all go to the villa together! Actually, I asked Mom and Dad last time if I could bring friends, and they said once we're a bit older, it's okay for us to come by ourselves. By next year, we'll all be a year older, so we're grown up, right? It'll definitely be fine!"
Hmm, is this what childlike innocence is? Somehow, it's a mindset even an adult like me can't catch up to.
Looking beside me, Hwayoung was gazing at Yumi with a grandmotherly smile too.
Yumi blinked, looking back and forth between us two, and said with a puzzled face,
"Huh? What? Why are you laughing? What's up?"
We gossiped about summer plans without telling Yumi the reason, chuckling to ourselves.
"Photos?"
Dennis frowned at Serika's words, delivered along with the stamped notice. Iwamoto Yoshio was tirelessly asking for photos again. Dennis couldn't pin down what kind of person this man was.
Not content with throwing his own daughter into danger, he wanted photos of her beating and training others in the thick of it—what kind of twisted hobby was that? Dennis always thought she'd hit rock bottom working with the Prophets, but Yoshio seemed even lower.
"Photos for a mission like this? Obviously not."
Security issues aside, leaving evidence was trouble. No matter how much he insisted, photos were out of the question.
As Dennis said that, she glanced back at the notice. Beyond it, she caught a glimpse of Serika fidgeting awkwardly.
Seeing that made Dennis feel a pang of mixed emotions. Fidgeting to carry out her dad's orders like that—what kind of treatment was Serika getting in spaces Dennis didn't know about?
But she couldn't break organization rules for some pervert.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Dennis's eyes caught the title on the communication.
[Advanced Summer Vacation Special Camp for Ability Users: Strengthening Abilities and Mentality]
"Hmm..."
Thinking about it, he hadn't specified what kind of photos. Just something related to this activity. How to interpret it was up to Dennis.
Dennis looked back at Serika and said,
"Just photos from the camp activities, right?"
"Pardon? Oh, yes."
Serika looked puzzled at Dennis's words but nodded.
Dennis gave her a sly smile.
That was it.
As long as there were no lies.
Just take and send photos of the [Advanced Summer Vacation Special Camp for Ability Users: Strengthening Abilities and Mentality] that Iwamoto Yoshio wanted. If he complained later, she could play dumb that she thought he wanted alibi photos.
She could already picture Yoshio ripping open the envelope in excitement, expecting brutal shots, only to frown at the contents.
Iwamoto Yoshio.
She absolutely wouldn't let that wicked man have his way.
"Hehehehe..."
Dennis curled her lips in a wicked grin.
Finally, she could land one on that filthy man.