Chapter 87: Destiny (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 87: Destiny (6)
I rested for five more days.
I practically did nothing but sleep. Right around the time bedsores were about to form, I was finally released... no, discharged from the hospital.
As I stretched, an alarming cracking sound came from my joints. Even the air tasted sweet and salty. Was fine dust always this flavorful? Guess I should breathe it in more often.
"Mmm."
Just then, my thigh vibrated. I checked my phone and saw the caller was Choi Seol-ah—the hottest celebrity of the moment.
To make a long story short, it all started with that infamous broadcast—or rather, the broadcast accident. You know, the one where she attended as an interviewer and threw a total fit.
A cheap rabbit mask, tall and sleek proportions, sharp-tongued self-assertions, and a public service broadcast to top it off.
Viewers dubbed Seol-ah the "Public Service Announcement Girl," or "PSA Girl" for short. Clips of her antics flooded online communities as memes, sparking a cult following.
Smirking slightly, I answered the phone.
"Yeah. Hey, PSA Girl."
―Ah, seriously! Stop calling me that!
"Why? Has a nice ring to it."
―Nice ring, my foot! If you're just going to tease me, I'm hanging up!
"You're the one who called me."
―Ah.
To think Ryozo uses someone like her as a secretary. I suddenly felt worried that Seol-ah was only adding to Ryozo's workload. Then again, word on the street was that she actually handled her job quite well. I guess work smarts and general intelligence really were two different things.
―You were cursing me out in your head just now, weren't you?
Yep. Definitely two different things.
―Seriously!
"So, why did you call?"
―...The Academy Principal wants to see you.
My sweat glands suddenly burst into overdrive. Sure enough, it was Ryozo. And calling me through Choi Seol-ah no less.
'Looks like she's still mad at me.'
It was common knowledge that there had been a scuffle while I was hospitalized. Although my mother-in-law had somehow managed to patch things over, that was merely a band-aid applied by a third party. Ryozo and Abel had only let it go because I was bedridden; the bad blood remained.
Whatever the case, the parties involved had to settle it themselves. I was terrible at resolving conflicts, so I had planned to give it a few days and think it over, but...
―She says to come to the main building spire.
D-day had just been bumped up significantly.
"...What does she want up there?"
The reply came in an indifferent tone.
―Go ask her yourself. I'm curious too.
The screen went dark. I stared blankly at my reflection on the black glass.
This Choi Seol-ah girl...
Hanging up on me first?
"Ha, haha."
Hahahahaha!
I stowed my phone and brushed my thumb against my coat. Murasame and my EX-rank Armament were safely in place. It had been a while; time to break them in again with fresh blood. Guess I should film another public service broadcast—teaching the lesson that flinging your mouth around leads to tasting blood.
'Before that...'
I tilted my head back. The noon sunlight stung my eyes. The peak of the main building reflected on my corneas. Focusing my visual acuity, a figure flickered into sight.
It was Ryozo. I could feel that fierce, sharp gaze—unique to an archer. Lingering any longer would be dangerous.
Bzzzzzt!
I shot upward with Lightning Magic. The next instant, the nape of my neck felt scorching hot—a consequence of getting too close to the sun. Casting the magic once more, I plummeted downward at a diagonal angle.
Bzzzt.
Electric current coated my entire body. Clad in lightning, I landed directly across from Ryozo. She stared at me with half-lidded eyes. My heart dropped.
"..."
Setting aside the glare she shot me at point-blank range, Ryozo was holding a bow—her S-rank Armament, Red Bow, White Arrow. A bad feeling washed over me. Depending on how I handled this, I might end up being the target.
"Are you discharged?"
Ryozo asked with a face rough as sandpaper. I hesitated before nodding. She let out a sigh and added:
"How are you feeling?"
"My mother-in-law took good care of me, so I'm fine. Actually, I feel great."
"Right... Don't overdo it."
Her voice sounded like sand—gritty and dry. A sharp prickle settled in my lungs. I stumbled over my words without realizing it.
"Um..."
"It's not like it's your fault. I know that. Back then, Abel and I just acted out in the heat of the moment. I'm sorry for whining at someone who was sick. I'm reflecting on it."
"I—"
"Geomma."
My body froze. Ryozo looked down at me as I shrank back.
"There's nothing that makes someone feel more miserable than apologizing to them when they're already genuinely sorry."
"..."
"I know you're trying to be considerate of me, of us. I really do. But just this once, I want you to take our words at face value."
"Al... right."
"Say it with some strength in your stomach."
"Got it."
Cold. Her hand slipped between my shirt buttons, feeling my abs. It was like a cold-blooded animal slithering over my skin.
"You're not tensing up though?"
"I got it!"
Ryozo offered a bright smile.
"Good boy."
I felt like I was being tamed. It was probably just my imagination. Probably...
As I tidied my clothes, curiosity struck me.
"By the way, what were you doing up here? I don't think I've ever seen you up here before."
She could enjoy the view from the Principal's office, which would be far more comfortable than up here where the biting wind howled incessantly.
"I was just waiting."
Her sky-blue hair swayed, leaving a faint luster in the air.
"Huh? Is someone else coming besides me?"
"In about ten minutes, a few high-ranking government officials are coming to the Principal's office. The Prime Minister, the Minister of National Defense, and the Minister of Strategy and Finance. Those three."
Quite the impressive lineup. Excluding the President, the head of state, they were the most powerful figures in South Korea.
It was strange.
Ryozo despised abusing authority. Ordering people around simply because she was the Principal was something she couldn't tolerate. Yet here she was, summoning political titans—and in broad daylight on a weekday, no less. Something serious was brewing. But after briefly recalling the events of the past few days, everything pointed to a single conclusion.
'It's because of the New Villain Syndicate.'
Villains had taken root across all eight provinces of Korea. She intended to share information with executive officials responsible for national security. Joaquin Academy was, at its core, an educational institution. While it functioned as an asymmetric deterrent in emergencies, it was primarily a place where cadets learned.
"And..."
Ryozo cut through my thoughts.
"This wind."
Almost simultaneously, the air currents shifted. I felt it against my skin, and could see it in the motion of her sky-blue hair.
Ryozo raised her bow. Pulling an arrow from her quiver, she nocked it. One eye closed as the bowstring pressed firmly across her lips. Before I could even ask, the arrow left the string.
Twaaaang!
The arrow traced a high arc through the air before fading into a tiny speck, its trajectory so high it was as though the sun itself were the target.
Ryozo shaded her eyes with the edge of her hand for a brief moment, then turned around. I called out to her back:
"...What was that just now?"
Ryozo stopped in her tracks. After a long pause, as if settling on the right word, she spoke.
"A celebratory salute to welcome a guest."
"A celebratory salute?"
"You'll find out in about an hour. For now, could you come with me to the Principal's office? Given who these people are, I feel like I might get intimidated."
That was a lie. Ryozo was a woman who could take on a hundred prestigious nobles single-handedly without blinking. She clearly had an ulterior motive.
Not knowing the full picture, I had no choice but to oblige. I followed her without complaint.
Outside the Principal's office, I spotted a female secretary fidgeting nervously from afar. Upon seeing us, her expression brightened instantly with relief.
"Principal! Ah, and Heavenly Sword!"
"Are they here?"
"Yes. They arrived two minutes ago. But... when I mentioned you were briefly away, their expressions soured a bit."
Ryozo clicked her tongue dryly.
"Over a mere two minutes?"
Complaining aside, this was Ryozo's power play. Arriving late was a subtle flex to assert dominance in their dynamic. The impatient guests knew exactly what she was doing, which was why they were annoyed.
"Let's go in."
As the staff member opened the door, a strong waft of perfume poured out. Immediately, the people sitting on the sofa leaped to their feet. At a glance, all three were suit-and-tie figures with immaculately groomed hair.
"It's been a while, Principal. Oh! Heavenly Sword!"
"We heard you were hospitalized—how are you feeling?! You are the pride of Korea, after all..."
They chattered endlessly like baby birds desperately waiting for their mother. It was a completely different reaction from what the secretary had described. Ryozo offered a businesslike smile as she took the head seat.
"You are the busiest people in this country, so I apologize for calling you all the way out here."
"Oh, nonsense! If Joaquin calls, we'd leap out of bed and run right over. Absolutely. Isn't that right, Minister?"
"Hahaha. That's right. If anything, I am grateful that Joaquin is taking such a proactive stance to cooperate during this national crisis. I can practically hear the public's trust in our administration soaring already!"
"If it's alright with you, could we make this meeting public? The by-election is right around the corner."
Ryozo tightened the smile on her cheeks slightly.
"Of course, Minister of Strategy and Finance."
Goosebumps broke out across my arms. They had no idea. When Ryozo smiled like that, it usually meant she was scheming something.
I glanced around just in case. Standing beside her, I was the only one shuddering in foreboding.
"Thank you! In that case, I'll make a quick call right away!"
The Minister excitedly dialed a number, clearly intending to broadcast this everywhere. The phone call dragged on for minutes. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister and the other Minister exchanged eye contact, sharing a cryptic smirk.
Whether aware of it or not, Ryozo leaned down to search for something beneath the coffee table. Moments later, she pulled an object out and set it on the table.
It was a chessboard. Heavily stained by time and caked in dust, looking as though it belonged to an era prior to the Media Generation.
"Principal. What is this...?"
"Prime Minister, you used to be a professional chess player, right?"
"Ah, well, yes."
The Prime Minister scratched his cheek, looking somewhat embarrassed. The wrinkles beneath his fingers were sparse—he was remarkably young for his rank.
"And quite a famous one at that."
"Haha. Famous? Far from it. I had a lot to learn."
False modesty.
The Prime Minister was a chess grandmaster so famous even I knew of him. He had practically dominated international tournaments single-handedly, bringing glory to the nation. I vividly recalled the news footage of him crossing Olympic Boulevard with a flower lei around his neck. It was that very fame that laid the foundation for his political career.
"My, but what brings out the chessboard?"
"Given that our topic of discussion could easily become tense, I thought we could chat while I learn a bit of chess from you."
"Principal...!"
The Prime Minister's eyes opened wide, his nostrils flaring slightly. He looked visibly moved, thrilled that the Academy Principal herself was pandering to his interests.
'He looks ready to confess his love.'
Noticing me, he bit his lower lip awkwardly before setting the chess pieces onto the board.
"How experienced are you?"
"It's been about ten years since I last played."
"Oh!"
That was a complete lie.
In all ten years of knowing her, I could guarantee I had never seen Ryozo play chess even once.
"Then we won't need to play with odds."
"What's playing with odds?"
The Prime Minister responded to my question.
"It refers to removing a piece or two to give a weaker player a handicap. It's a term mainly used in Go, but it's occasionally used in chess as well."
"...I see..."
That was enough for my role here. I just needed to maintain a minimal presence. My instinct told me that this entire scene was a stage set by Ryozo.
"You may go first."
"Thank you."
Ryozo reached out her hand. The pieces moved in turn, clinking rhythmically against the board. Heartened by the atmosphere, both the Defense Minister and the Finance Minister—who had just hung up his phone—watched with gleaming eyes.
Clack. Ryozo struck his knight with her bishop. The knight collapsed helpless. Rubbing his mouth, the Prime Minister counterattacked with a rook. A pawn blocked the advancing rook. Out of options, the Prime Minister's queen stepped up, and Ryozo responded in kind—except she moved her 'King,' not her Queen. Immediately after, her rook shifted alongside it.
"Ha."
The Prime Minister gasped.
"Castling."
"What is castling?"
Unable to hold back, one of the Ministers spoke up.
"To put it simply, it's moving the king and rook at the same time. It's one of the few special maneuvers in chess."
"Is it that impressive?"
"It's difficult even under normal circumstances. Pulling it off against a grandmaster goes without saying."
Both Ministers gawked, their mouths agape. The Prime Minister stared intently at Ryozo.
"Your skill is remarkable."
"Far from remarkable. It was just coincidence."
Even I had expected a one-sided match, but the game was unfolding as an even contest. Was it even possible to hold her ground against a retired top-tier grandmaster?
"There are no coincidences in tactical play."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. More importantly, someone of your stature, Principal, wouldn't move a piece without a clear purpose."
Ryozo slowly leaned her upper body back into the sofa, casually resting her hand on the armrest.
"Queen, two squares diagonally."
"...Are you playing verbally now?"
"Yes. My back hurts a little."
"..."
"If you wish, Prime Minister, you may do the same."
The air chilled instantly.
"Someone still needs to physically move the pieces. And personally, I prefer using my hands."
Resting her chin on her fist, Ryozo retorted:
"Hoengseong."
"...Pardon?"
"Paju, Gumi, Jangseong, Haenam, Cheorwon, Taebaek."
As the list of locations spilled out, the Prime Minister looked stunned. He was shocked. To emphasize—it wasn't panic, he was genuinely shocked.
"Those are locations where only the armed forces are stationed. Correct, Minister?"
The Defense Minister nodded reluctantly.
"Yes. B-but how did you..."
"They were the bases for the cell units of the Villain Syndicate. After thoroughly searching all eight provinces over the past week, forgive me for being so blunt."
"Ah, I see... Wait, what?"
The Minister's face turned pale.
"What a strange coincidence!"
"The Prime Minister just said it himself. There are no coincidences when moving a piece."
Ryozo tilted her chin up toward the Prime Minister, whose pupils were trembling wildly. Her interrogation pressed on.
"Minister."
"Yes, ah, yes, Principal."
"I understand the government recently closed the dungeons in those areas I mentioned, causing the heroes to withdraw. Is that correct?"
"Yes, that's correct."
"Whose order was it?"
"That is..."
His eyes darted to the side—toward the seat beside him.
"Um, Prime Minister..."
"..."
"Prime Minister?"
"It wasn't me."
Feigning ignorance? I couldn't tell from his face alone. The Prime Minister was a man renowned for his unshakeable composure.
"I am offended."
Frowning deeply, he stood up abruptly.
"Your cause and effect are reversed. I was indeed the one who issued that order. But you should be looking at it in reverse. The cell units overran those regions after the withdrawal. Even if I were involved, do you truly think I would handle matters so carelessly?"
"I agree. It wasn't obvious at all."
Her voice resonated—a low, sharp warning.
"If it's not obvious, then I should make it obvious."
"Principal! I will not sit by and tolerate this disrespect—!"
In that instant—
Vrrrrrrm!
The Prime Minister's pocket vibrated. Ryozo muttered as she picked up her knight.
"The Sword Princess spent night and day scouring the country. I doubt she even slept a wink this past week."
Vrrrrrrm!
The smartphone's vibration buzzed continuously in the silence. Ryozo moved her rook.
"Bongseon assisted as well. Thanks to them, we managed to outline the location of the Villain Syndicate's headquarters, not just their cell units."
"..."
"Don't bother asking the obvious question of how I found out. When I looked into the broadcasting stations pushing negative narratives about my husband, I found an interesting commonality. Well, wouldn't you know it? They were all networks you had close ties with back when you were constantly on TV."
"T-That alone isn't..."
"It isn't enough, of course. There are plenty of people with ties like that. But then I saw that public service broadcast a few days ago. Every single one of those stations was airing the exact same PSA—which falls directly under the jurisdiction of the Prime Minister's Office. That's when I grew suspicious."
A chess piece shifted on the board.
"The sudden villain cells in areas where hero forces withdrew, the broadcasting stations maliciously targeting my husband, and several other factors... When I drew out the spiderweb, every thread pointed straight to a single spot."
Coincidence.
"There are far too many overlaps to call it coincidence. Inevitability would be the proper word. That's how I see it."
"..."
"Now that I had reasonable grounds for suspicion, I needed evidence. I have a friend who specializes in that kind of thing—Speed Weapon. He belongs to the Association, which means undercover operatives are placed within every government ministry. Including the Prime Minister's Office, naturally."
Ryozo's bishop advanced, flicking pawns aside with light taps.
"By now, he's likely secured the transaction records. Details like the number of zeros exchanged between you and various organizations—financial ties, in other words. Along with the secret locations where those deals took place."
The Prime Minister's collar began to soak with cold sweat.
Vrrrrrrm!
The dark wetness bled down to his necktie.
"Go ahead and answer it."
"..."
With trembling hands, the Prime Minister lifted the smartphone to his ear. The moment he did, a deafening shout nearly split his eardrum.
―Hey, you son of a bitch! What the fuck did you do for an arrow to come dropping right on top of us?! The firepower's like a fucking mortar! Anyone can tell this is the Immortal Archer's arrow! You motherfucker. You traitorous bastard. Fine. Fuck it, I'm coming to sever your ankles first, so you better prepare your ass—%@^%#!
Snap.
The corner of the smartphone shattered under his grip. His face reflected off the spiderwebbed black screen, distorted by the cracks.
"The king must move for the other pieces to act."
Ryozo's queen took a step forward. Her other hand held mine tightly.
"When a king thrashes desperately just to save his own skin, his subordinates die."
The black and white kings met face-to-face.
"And eventually, he becomes isolated. A king left all alone? He ends up surrounded."
Ryozo spoke without breaking her gaze from the chessboard. Her target was not the Prime Minister.
"Minister."
She addressed the man with the moustache.
"Are the preparations to go public ready?"
"I've just finished them."
The Minister of Strategy and Finance dropped his smile, his narrow eyes opening slightly. At that, the Prime Minister collapsed like a marionette with its strings cut.
Through his disheveled hair, the Prime Minister's gaze shifted toward the chessboard. Only then did his unfocused eyes take in the board's state.
Behind Black stood multiple pieces. Behind White, even the pawns had turned their backs on him. Furthermore, a pawn that had breached deep into enemy territory had already promoted into a bishop.
"...Checkmate."
An unavoidable trap with no escape.
– Destiny. End.