Chapter 165: Unintentional Luck (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 165: Unintentional Luck (1)
The next morning.
As I stepped out of the dormitory, a chestnut-brown sedan was parked at the entrance. It was so meticulously maintained that it practically gleamed.
Its elegant appearance was completely out of place in front of this building, which had the cheapest dorm fees. Every passing cadet couldn't help but steal a glance at it.
Whose car is that?
Their eyes were filled with curiosity. However, I could guess whose car it was thanks to its gold-plated license plate. I remembered seeing it in the setting book for Miracle Blessing M.
A pure gold-plated license plate. As far as I knew, there were only a handful of people in Korea who could freely ride in that car.
The President and those of the Seven Stars rank. Since there was no way the President would pay a visit here, the only remaining possibility was the latter.
Whirrr.
The heavily tinted car window rolled down. Through the gap, a woman wearing stylish sunglasses came into view. She used her index finger to slightly lower her shades, resting them on the bridge of her nose.
My eyes met her green, ringed eyes. It was Medea. She gave a bright smile and gestured for me to come over.
"Geomma, over here! Hurry up and get in!"
"..."
For a moment, I was speechless. Last night, Manager Seong had texted me, hinting that someone else would be driving me to the Association in his stead. But who would have thought that "someone" would be the Academy Principal?
I should have picked up on the hint from Manager Seong's odd phrasing.
No wonder his text practically dripped with caution. I never expected him to hide a secret like this.
Manager Seong?
As if it weren't enough that the Spear Saint of the Seven Stars had volunteered to guide me once I arrived at the Association, now the Sage of the Seven Stars was the one driving me there.
How did the scale of this get so out of hand? To exaggerate a little, it was like having two presidents waiting on me for my personal business.
Actually, in terms of international standing, they were even higher than presidents. Either way, it was excessive. The sheer pressure was suffocating.
Sigh.
Let's look on the bright side. Subspace portals couldn't be used for personal business, and taking a bus from Wonju to Seoul would take about an hour and a half.
But in this car, it would be a forty-minute trip. That was because there was a dedicated lane for state-guest-level VIPs.
It might seem unfair, but there was nothing to be done. I must emphasize: this world is strictly a class-based society. Democracy is nothing but a romantic notion here. Damn it.
I clicked my tongue, walked over, and climbed into the back seat. The moment I got in, Medea welcomed me with overwhelming enthusiasm.
"Oh, my dear Geomma! How many days has it been since I last saw you? Do you have any idea how much I missed you?"
"Cough—cough—"
Medea pinched both of my cheeks with her fingers. I pushed her hands away.
"Academy Principal, I get it, so please. Let's talk after we start driving."
"I was just so glad to see you. Driver, please start the car."
*
Inside the car as it sped down the wide-open highway, Medea and I chatted about this and that. The opening of our conversation wasn't particularly important.
To sum it up, it was along the lines of, "Geomma, you've been causing quite a stir lately!" and "Geomma, I can't thank you enough." She praised me until her lips were dry.
However, Medea's upbeat tone felt slightly off to me. Right now, she was trying hard to hide her true feelings.
Medea had an extraordinary sense of duty as the Academy Principal. Although she always grumbled to me about "low pay," "no welfare benefits," and "a murderous workload," she cared for the cadets more than anyone else.
Yet, just a few days ago, a massive number of cadets had died. Guilt and pressure must be weighing heavily on her shoulders.
I quietly observed Medea. Visible behind her dark lenses was the deep fatigue settled under her eyes. It was proof that she hadn't slept for days.
The world revered her as the Principal of Joaquin Academy and the Sage of the Seven Stars.
But in the end, she was also just a human being—one who lost sleep at night, tormented by guilt.
After a moment, Medea's eyes suddenly grew solemn. Sensing this, the driver tuned out their surroundings. The atmosphere inside the car became quite grave.
Medea clasped her hands together and let out a long sigh. She asked me in a low voice,
"Actually, I should have asked you this first... The enemy you faced back then... Are they really of that rank I'm thinking of?"
"Yes. At the time, the enemy introduced herself as the 3rd Corps Commander, Vesna. And having fought her myself, I believe that is correct."
"...Gasp!"
The sharp reaction to my words came from the front. Reflected in the rearview mirror, the driver's face had gone completely pale, and cold sweat beaded on his hands gripping the steering wheel.
"Sigh..."
Medea gently massaged her temples. Her expression remained calm, as her suspicion and the eyewitness testimony aligned perfectly. She elaborated,
"The cadets don't know who the enemy was back then. Even the instructors don't. Honestly, if someone told them they saw a Corps Commander—whom they would normally never encounter in their entire lives—would it make sense to them? They probably just thought it was an incredibly powerful foe."
"That makes sense. And it's probably less shocking for the cadets not to know exactly who the enemy was."
As I nodded in agreement, Medea's eyes widened. Then, she gently patted my head with a warm, maternal touch.
"How can a child be so mature? You really are such an old soul. But Geomma, now that things have come to this, we can't keep it hidden even if we try."
"I suppose so..."
"So, the Academy and the Association will work together to organize the facts and then announce them. What kind of enemy you fought to protect the cadets, and who they were. That's the only way people will stay alert."
Medea took her hand off my head and gently clasped my hand.
"Also, I got a call from the old geezer a few days ago. He said the preparations are almost complete."
"Preparations? For what?"
"How can someone so young be so forgetful? For your succession to the Seven Stars, of course!"
"...!"
Hiccup!
The driver began to hiccup. Medea continued talking.
"You've already subjugated the 5th Corps Commander Agor and the 3rd Corps Commander Vesna. We might as well push forward while we have the momentum. All preparations should be finished within two months. My visit to the Association's Korean branch today is actually to coordinate with the Gorilla about this, among other matters."
The driver had heard far too much in this cramped space. He felt as if he were about to get indigestion.
The hands gripping the steering wheel trembled slightly. The driver rolled down his window. A gentle breeze swept over his sweat-drenched face.
...Meanwhile, the car with the golden license plate entered Seoul.
* * *
The vehicle pulled into the Hero Association's Korean branch. The waiting agents quickly opened the car doors.
Through the open door, a pair of straight legs stepped out onto the laid carpet. The agents bowed in unison toward her.
"Welcome to the Korean branch of the Association! Academy Principal of Joaquin Academy and Sage of the Seven Stars, Lady Medea Poison!"
Medea stood tall. Her sunglasses gleamed sharply under the midday sun.
Click.
The next moment, the door on the opposite side opened. The agents shouted in unison once more.
"Welcome to the Korean branch of the Association! Cadet of Joaquin Academy and Hero of the Joaquin Disaster, Mr. Kang Geomma!"
"...Uh, yes. Hello."
Kang Geomma stood beside Medea, looking thoroughly awkward. He whispered to her,
"Is all this really necessary?"
The welcome was excessively grand. At this rate, they looked ready to drape flower garlands around his neck. Medea replied,
"The Hero Association has always been conservative. People who work for the state are big on strict hierarchies and protocols. Well... though that's not the only reason."
It was then.
Thud, thud. The ground vibrated with heavy footsteps. The agents silently parted to make way.
Medea's eyes narrowed slightly. She muttered under her breath,
"He's here."
Kang Geomma looked up. From a distance, a figure was approaching, radiating an overwhelming presence. A man of imposing build with a beast-like face. It was the Spear Saint, Richard de Myura.
"Bwahaha! I don't even know how many years it's been since I last saw you. Have you been well, old hag?"
The Spear Saint laughed boisterously. Click-clack. Medea's heels clicked against the pavement as she stepped forward to face him.
"Hey, Gorilla."
"What is it, old hag?"
The Spear Saint tilted his head with an innocent, childlike expression.
"I..."
Medea let out a deep sigh, then took a sharp breath.
"...told you not to call me that!"
Whoosh!
Medea threw a straight punch with a sharp, high-pitched shout. Her fist tore through the air and slammed into the Spear Saint's lower abdomen.
Boom! The sound of the impact echoed like a beating drum. A violent gust of wind whipped up from the aftermath of the collision.
What on earth?
Kang Geomma found the situation utterly absurd.
Was throwing a punch right off the bat how Seven Stars heroes greeted each other? This wasn't just playful bickering between friends. The stone pavement cracked, and the wind blew backward. It was clear: that attack had been delivered with genuine murderous intent.
While everyone else's eyes widened in sheer shock, the Spear Saint spoke with a bright smile.
"My, you've aged as well. In the past, it felt like my intestines were turning inside out, but now it's just a little stinging."
Even as he spoke, blood trickled down his chin. Medea snorted.
"Oh, look at you bluffing. I hit you gently because it's been a while, and you think you can take it? Besides, it's only because I haven't slept in days. Gorilla, your abs have gone soft like pudding, haven't they?"
The Spear Saint's smile grew redder with blood. The pain caught up to him a beat late; his internal organs had been damaged. Clutching his stomach, he tried to act nonchalant as he spoke.
"I've been slacking on my training lately, so this happened. Cough—still, you seem quite healthy for someone who sits behind a desk all day. I'm relieved, old—"
"Old?"
"...Medea."
Only then did Medea turn around, kicking up a cold breeze. Watching this scene unfold, Kang Geomma fell into deep thought.
Was succeeding to the Seven Stars really the right choice? If their greetings involved this kind of fistfight, he was seriously starting to hesitate.
While everyone stood frozen, unsure of what to do, Kang Geomma's eyes met the Spear Saint's.
"How wonderful it is to meet you in person!"
Contrary to his excited expression, the Spear Saint waddled over. He tried not to show it, but he seemed to be in immense pain.
"I wanted to see you so badly that I canceled all my appointments and rushed over! Since you're here, let's start with lunch together."
The Spear Saint offered a handshake. Medea roughly slapped his hand away.
"Don't try any funny business. Your job, Gorilla, is only to guide Geomma to the Monolith. Besides, do you think we only have one or two things to discuss while Geomma is busy?"
"Aw, I thought we men could tear into some meat and build some camaraderie."
The Spear Saint smacked his lips. Medea growled a warning.
"Are you a bandit? Tearing into meat? And don't think I don't know that lunch is just an excuse to sweet-talk our Geomma. You've gotten involved in politics, Gorilla, and now you're nothing but a snake."
"Medea, I know how much you care for the cadets, but sometimes I think you're being overprotective."
Medea dismissed his words sharply.
"I'd rather be overprotective than let something like the Joaquin Disaster happen again. So, in times like these, no one gets close to my cadets. Even if they are comrades-in-arms who have faced life and death together. That is my duty as the Academy Principal."
"...Haha."
The Spear Saint scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. Medea took off her sunglasses. Her haggard eyes, showing the toll of staying awake for days, glared at him.
"Both you and I carry our own debts regarding this disaster. Keep in mind that today is a day to discuss that responsibility, not a day to miserably tear into meat."
"Sigh, alright. My apologies."
The Spear Saint led the way, his shoulders slumped.
"Follow me. I'll take you straight to the Monolith."