Chapter 163: K-Hero (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 163: K-Hero (1)
TV, newspapers, and Neotube were completely plastered with news of that day.
`[Breaking] Academy Principal Medea Visits Bereaved Families of Joaquin Disaster to Beg for Forgiveness.`
`[Breaking] Vice President of the Hero Association Schedules Visit to South Korea... to Pay Respects to Bereaved Families.`
`[Accountability] Joaquin Academy and the Hero Association. The Public Asks: Who is Truly to Blame?`
In the beginning, most articles were based on rumors. This was because Joaquin Academy and the Association kept their statements to a minimum, merely saying they were still investigating the facts.
The reason these two powers acted this way was not to hide the truth. They intended to make a public announcement as soon as they finished sorting out the situation.
Everything has its priorities. They had pushed the announcement down the list to prioritize managing the cadets' mental health.
Seeing several of their friends die right in front of them, a giant monster the likes of which they had never seen before, and the descent of the 3rd Corps Commander, Vesna.
They had vividly witnessed events that made one wonder if normal daily life would ever be possible again. All together, on the same day, at the same time.
Humans exposed to such terror and shock need time to process and calm down. This was especially true for teenagers whose minds were still maturing.
It was only because they were cadets of the prestigious Joaquin Academy that they managed to pull themselves together; if they had been ordinary people, their brains would have been shattered by PTSD, making normal life impossible.
Thus, Joaquin Academy kept as quiet as possible about the incident.
Of course, this was only possible because they had obtained the consent of every single cadet who was present.
Honestly, the cadets' cooperation was unexpected. For those high-and-mighty noble children to keep their mouths shut so submissively...
Those kids with zero social skills? Did they actually grow up a bit because of this incident?
'I guess people really have to go through hardships to grow up.'
Even so, the truth was slowly leaking onto the internet.
Then again, look at the world we live in today. It was impossible to completely cover up an incident of that scale nowadays.
Journalists, driven by their reporting instincts, ran around until their feet practically smoked. They gathered and compiled information from every corner.
...And they scattered the truths they uncovered, each in their own way.
`[The Archipelago Shocked, the Continent Astonished... The Hero of the Joaquin Disaster, the Sashimi Sword Saint.]`
`[The Sashimi Storm, Kang Geomma. Is He Truly a God?]`
* * *
I threw my phone aside and covered my burning face.
"Please..."
Why did I have to be the one to feel all this shame and embarrassment? For the first time since falling into this world, I wanted to cry.
* * *
Joaquin Academy Affiliated Hospital.
[Room 313]
As I was checking the room numbers, a voice drifted out from behind the door.
— Then let me be...
— ...Do what?
— Silver Weed, honorary firefighter.
It sounded like a drama...
Just hearing the line made my fingers curl in cringe.
This middle-aged man and I really don't share the same tastes. But what can I do? I have to respect it.
Ahem.
I cleared my throat loudly on purpose, then knocked.
"Ah, yes...! Come in!"
The sound of a TV being hastily turned off. When I carefully opened the door and stepped inside, Manager Seong welcomed me.
I pretended not to notice the remote control he was quickly slipping under the blanket.
"G-Geomma-nim! What brings you here?!"
"..."
Manager Seong's face was so gaunt he looked practically skeletal. When he tried to struggle to his feet from the bed, I waved my hand to stop him.
"I was just passing by and decided to visit. And please, stay still. Your stitches will burst. I know from experience; I've been hospitalized a lot."
"Oh, don't say that. My savior has personally come to visit, so how could I just lie here?"
This was coming from a man who had practically crossed the River Styx and back twice. I shook my head with a stern expression.
"Who's going to take responsibility if you end up having a funeral because of the person you call your savior? Just stay still. Otherwise, I'm calling your attending physician and running away."
I knew I was being cheeky to an elder, but I felt like he would literally kick the bucket if he kept this up.
Manager Seong had undergone major surgeries over the past few days. Honestly, he had seemed beyond saving, but a dozen medical staff had clung to him and barely managed to pull him back from the brink.
Even the doctors were busy patting themselves on the back, boasting that they had practically resurrected a dead man.
He still had several surgeries left, but fortunately, they said the worst was over.
I checked on Manager Seong's condition. The sense of loss written all over his face must have stemmed from a wounded heart.
His cherished subordinate had turned out to be an enemy from within. His disappointment must be immeasurable.
But there was no reason for Manager Seong to shoulder that guilt. He was a good man. That was enough.
"Ah, yes. If you put it that way..."
Manager Seong leaned his back against the bed once more. I placed the canned fruit I had bought on the nightstand and sat down beside him.
"How are you feeling?"
"As you can see, other than a few minor injuries, I'm perfectly healthy!"
Manager Seong laughed, trying to make light of it.
"You lost an arm and a leg, and you call those minor injuries? That's a bit of a dark joke."
"Well, when you work in a hero-related field, aren't injuries like this par for the course? Actually... I chose a desk job despite the lower salary precisely to avoid things like this, but..."
Manager Seong, who had been talking animatedly, let his voice trail off. Soon, his expression brightened, and he shook his head.
"To prepare for situations like this, the Association is providing me with prosthetics made from one of their artifacts."
Manager Seong suddenly slapped his knee and said,
"Ah! If there is anything you desire, please tell me, Geomma-nim. I am speaking on behalf of the Association. Aren't you the hero who saved the cadets and myself in this Joaquin disaster?"
"Honestly, I was just lucky."
"Haha, to call that luck! I can still see that scene vividly. Suddenly, sashimi knives floated into the air, and with a swoosh-swoosh, you sliced and diced the enemies to save us! You are more than entitled to demand a reward, Geomma-nim."
It was just as Manager Seong said. At the time, I had suspended thousands of sashimi knives in midair to slaughter the enemies.
And on top of that, I had even spat out that cheesy line: "Sword-Control Technique."
Recalling that moment made my face flush with embarrassment.
Was there really any difference between me and this middle-aged man watching cringey dramas?
At least if it were just a matter of taste like his, it could be respected. But I had put on airs right in front of the enemy.
I wiped my face as a sudden wave of embarrassment washed over me.
'Why on earth did I do that?'
Now, my Mental Rank was even controlling my actions. To think this would be more dangerous than the erosion of my humanity...
...Anyway, since then, I hadn't been able to manifest the Sword-Control Technique again. I had tried a few times, but it didn't work.
Only the image of the sword would form in my Mindscape Domain, while the physical sashimi knives in reality wouldn't budge an inch.
It seemed a specific condition had to be met, and it wasn't hard to guess what the clue to that condition was.
`[The Blessing of the Sword God — Heart is manifested.]`
Only when that phrase appeared would I be able to wield the Sword-Control Technique.
I didn't know how to trigger it again. But that was something I could figure out in the future. I decided to think about it later.
I looked back at Manager Seong. He added with a bitter expression,
"...Supervisor Ha, that girl plotted this entire affair. Our Association feels deeply responsible for that. So, we can only express our endless gratitude to you, Geomma-nim. You personally excised the Association's blunder."
"I see."
"The truth will definitely be made public. But before that, we have agreed to give you a fitting reward, Geomma-nim. No matter how great a hero is, they shouldn't work for free. There must be proper compensation."
His words were incorrect. I had already reaped my own harvest.
Jörmungandr's fangs. The teeth of that demon beast were a top-tier enhancement material, even among high-grade ones.
However, because they could only be obtained in the Demon Realm Gehenna, they were incredibly difficult to acquire in the Miracle Blessing M system.
But by some stroke of twisted luck, I had run into the beast, defeated it, and quickly harvested them.
In fact, I had just come from leaving Murasame and the fangs with Wieland.
Since the hospital happened to be on my way back, I had dropped by. In other words, I had already taken what I wanted. I wasn't working for free.
For the record, Jörmungandr's corpse had dissolved into dust shortly afterward. It was due to the incomplete summoning and the sudden change in environment. Its body probably couldn't handle it. I had wanted to harvest its scales too, but I ran out of time. What a waste.
'A reward...'
I pondered briefly. Since things had turned out this way, I might as well ask for what I wanted.
"Actually, there has only been one thing I've wanted all along. Access to the artifact 'Monolith'."
Manager Seong looked flustered. He asked back,
"But isn't that as good as accomplished already, Geomma-nim? Once you become the Student Council President, you will naturally be issued an Association pass."
"That's exactly what I don't want. What I want is only the Association pass, without the Student Council President title."
I wanted to throw away the shell and just eat the kernel. To put it more bluntly, I didn't want to be the Student Council President.
"Is that possible?"
Only then did Manager Seong seem to understand my meaning, and he swallowed hard. After a moment, his dry lips parted.
"It is possible. Of course it is."
"Your reaction was so lukewarm I thought it wasn't possible."
"I was only surprised because your request is so modest. The higher-ups had already agreed to readily accept even material demands... Geomma-nim, you truly exceed my expectations in every way. Should I say you are detached from worldly desires?"
His reaction was understandable.
It wasn't like I lacked greed. Nor was I the type to throw away practical benefits just to save face.
But I was satisfied with this. Right in front of me was a man who had lost so much to this incident.
Manager Seong, who had lost his limbs and his subordinate. I didn't feel right demanding this and that from such a person, even if the compensation was coming from the Association.
Besides, I might need something else from the Association in the future. It was better to temper my greed now and plan for the future.
Manager Seong stroked his chin with his one remaining hand.
"To summarize, you wish to forfeit your candidacy for Student Council President and only want the Association pass?"
"Yes. If I end up with the highest percentage of votes, please hand the position over to the runner-up."
Having made up his mind, Manager Seong nodded.
"Understood. I will handle it that way. I wanted to do more for you, but since you refuse, well... I'm starting to feel a bit embarrassed."
He let out a sheepish smile.
"You should take good care of yourself, Manager. Otherwise, your wounds might get infected. Anyway, I'll be going now."
The deal was struck. Just as I was about to slip out of the hospital room—
Almost paradise~♪ More dazzling than the morning~♫
A ringtone echoed from behind me. It was coming from Manager Seong's phone.
That middle-aged man is truly obsessed with dramas.
With a bright red face, Manager Seong answered the call. Just as I was about to leave, once again trying my best to pretend I hadn't heard, he hastily called out to stop me.
"Geomma-nim! Please wait a moment!"
Without turning around, I shook my head.
"I didn't hear anything."
"N-No, it's not that! They want to speak with you."
"What? Who?"
Without a word, Manager Seong just thrust the phone toward me. I hesitantly took the phone. Then, a thunderous voice pierced my ear.
[I've heard so much about you from my niece, but this is the first time I'm hearing your voice! I have to visit South Korea in a few days, so we'll get to meet in person then, bwahaha!]
"Who is this?"
[I am the Vice President of the Hero Association. My name is Richard, and my family name is de Myura.]
"...?"
[If that's too hard to pronounce, you can just call me the Spear Saint.]
* * *
...At the same place, at the same time.
Saki paced back and forth along the corridor on the third floor of the hospital. After wandering around in circles, she finally leaned against the window frame.
"Sigh."
Feeling the chill of the glass window against her back, Saki tilted her head back. She stared blankly at the ceiling.
"Seriously, what is wrong with me?"
Saki had also been injured during the Joaquin disaster that day. She had been cut up all over and lost a massive amount of blood.
However, unlike Manager Seong, Saki was relatively fine.
Weapon and Kang Geomma, who were at the scene, had manifested their healing blessings together. Thanks to that, only faint scars remained, and even those were barely visible now.
Still, she had to undergo regular checkups. They said they needed to monitor her progress since her body had taken the full brunt of the magic. That was why she had visited the hospital today, but...
Lowering her gaze, Saki stared intently at the door of Room 313. Just then, the door slid open with a rattle, and Kang Geomma stepped out.
"Oh, Ryozo. What are you doing here?"
Ryozo didn't reply, her eyes darting around nervously. She couldn't think of a proper excuse.
Should I act casual and say, "Oh, I saw you go in, so I waited"?
...I'd rather bite my tongue than sound like a stalker.
Ryozo's pupils spun like whirlpools. Watching her, Kang Geomma looked puzzled for a moment before his eyes lit up.
"Ah, today is your checkup day."
Ryozo quickly jumped on his words.
"Y-Yeah. That's right."
"It's good that you're getting treated. That's a relief."
At his gentle smile, Ryozo felt something inside her melt.
"B-By the way, Geomma, what are you doing at the hospital?"
"I came to visit Manager Seong. I ended up getting dragged into some annoying business because of it, though..."
Ryozo tilted her head, then quickly shook it.
Waiting for him was one thing, but now she was even prying into his privacy. This was bad. She was in a dangerous state of mind.
Her legs felt like they were twisting together. Ryozo hung her head low, unable to bring herself to look him in the eye.
Watching Ryozo quietly, Kang Geomma readily spoke up.
"If you have time, let's go to the grocery store together."
At his suggestion, Ryozo peeked up at him. Kang Geomma scratched his cheek and said,
"I promised to buy you some yanggaeng."
"...Ah."
"I don't eat sweet things, so I don't know which ones are good. Besides, it's always best to choose your own snacks."
Ryozo stared blankly at Kang Geomma. She had completely forgotten about it. Geomma is surprisingly attentive to remember that... Ryozo twiddled her fingers.
"Could we get something other than yanggaeng...?"
"Not yanggaeng? Then what?"
An awkward silence hung in the hospital corridor. The setting sun cast a soft glow over their shoulders.
Ryozo replied in a tiny voice.
"Geomma... the kimchi stew you make."