Chapter 146: The Source
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 146: The Source
Ah, what a happy life.
To think I actually managed to pull it off with that prickly Katrina, someone I’d half-given up on.
Setting that aside, the fact that I have to clean the men’s restroom is depressing.
You filthy animals, learn to use the toilet properly.
Since I’m doing this as disciplinary service, I can’t even use magic to clean.
As I scrub the stubborn stains off the toilet bowl with a brush, I feel it in my bones just how accustomed I’ve become to magic.
Life is so inconvenient and tedious without it.
Can I finally call myself a resident of this world now? Even though it’s only been about a year.
I’m grumbling my way through the grueling task when I hear the door open.
I put up the "Cleaning in Progress" sign; what kind of rude bastard is this?
I step out of the stall and see Under-the-Bed laughing with some woman clinging to his side.
“Looking good.”
The way he says it while kneading the woman’s breast as if to show off makes me want to deck him again.
Why? He was totally humiliated at the sparring arena, so how did he manage to pick up a girl?
I guess being a giant-cock NTR man makes things work out somehow.
Her face doesn't look familiar, so she’s probably a senior. Well, her life is about to be ruined.
“Can’t you see I’m cleaning? Get out.”
“You think I came in here by accident? I came to supervise and see if you’re doing a good job.”
Under-the-Bed snickers and starts groping the woman even more explicitly.
Hmm… that kind of provocation might have worked on the Comedy Duo, but I wouldn't even take a girl like that if she were handed to me.
Actually, I probably would, but since I’m already making out with top-tier beauties who are on an entirely different level, I don’t even feel a spark of jealousy.
As I stare blankly, Under-the-Bed’s hand becomes even more suggestive, sliding inside her shirt to knead her bare breast.
“Ah, stop it, he’s watching.”
The woman twists her body as if she’s enjoying it; she’s acting like a total slut.
If I leave them be, they’ll probably have messy sex right here, and I’ll end up having to clean up this prick’s semen. I wave them away.
“I said I’m cleaning, so get out.”
“Why so irritable? Whoops, my mistake.”
His foot kicks the bucket I used for my mop, knocking it over.
As the filthy wastewater spreads across the floor I just worked so hard to scrub, a wave of uncontrollable, deep-seated rage washes over me.
“What are you doing? Wipe it up. That’s your job, isn’t it?”
Oh, absolutely. This is my job. Cleaning up trash.
I refill the bucket with water and start mopping up the disaster Under-the-Bed created.
Under-the-Bed continues to paw at the woman’s body while watching me clean, mocking me.
Without saying a word, I silently rinse the mop, finish cleaning the floor to a certain extent, and then approach him.
“Move your feet. And get out.”
“Kyah~ Yggdrasil really is something, huh? To think they could turn a psychopath like this into such a well-behaved dog.”
As I push the mop toward him, Under-the-Bed takes a step back with a sneer.
Oh, you lifted your foot?
I immediately kick the bucket I’d brought with me.
“Kyaak!”
“Whoops, my mistake!”
How can a combat mage be so defenseless?
He’s got a girl on his arm and one foot in the air, so of course he can’t dodge something like this.
Drenched in filth, Under-the-Bed grabs me by the collar with a look of pure fury.
“You son of a bitch…”
“What? You gonna hit me? You’re too much of a coward to do it like I did. Go ahead, hit me. Right here. Hit me right here.”
I poke my cheek out with my tongue and taunt him, but Under-the-Bed can’t even raise his fist.
“Is barking all you can do? You cowardly piece of shit.”
“You! How dare you act like this toward a senior?”
And who the hell is this one?
Birds of a feather really do flock together; the filth-covered woman is fuming.
“Hey, get out while I’m still treating you like a senior. Before I really flip my lid.”
“Ugh… so annoying. Isaac, let’s go.”
The news of my duel with Under-the-Bed has already spread.
Many seniors saw the fight themselves, and the rumors have been growing, with some even saying I committed an act of terrorism against Yggdrasil.
When I glare at her with killing intent, the woman avoids my eyes and tugs on Under-the-Bed’s arm.
He ignores her at first, but as she continues to pull anxiously, he lets himself be dragged away as if he has no choice.
The prick and his pride.
He can’t do a damn thing, yet he tries to act tough until the very end, pretending he’s only leaving because the girl is rushing him.
After kicking the two idiots out, I wasted more time re-cleaning the ruined restroom.
What a pain in the ass, having to go through this because of those losers.
Satisfied with the now-sparkling restroom, I’m about to leave when the door opens again.
Ugh, what is it with today? Who is it this ti—
“Mr. August?”
“Yes, it is August.”
“If you’re here to use the restroom, could you perhaps use a different one?”
“Are you still cleaning?”
“Uh… I’m finished, but if people walk around before the floor dries, it’s as if I never did it at all.”
August looks around the restroom with his usual calm demeanor and replies.
“You did a thorough job. To even care about the moisture… it seems you’ve grown accustomed to this.”
“Uh… thanks?”
What’s this? Did August come here to mock me too, following Under-the-Bed’s lead?
While I’m trying to read the room, August turns around as if he has no further business with the restroom.
“Lady Erin is calling for you. Change into your uniform and come to the Principal’s office.”
“Huh? Why?”
“You’ll find out when you get there.”
What is he, a movie protagonist?
August leaves coolly after answering without even looking back.
What could it be… did Katrina accidentally out herself?
Feeling uneasy, I rush to the showers to quickly wash off the smell and head to the Principal’s office, trying to look as presentable as possible.
I’m not late, right? Clothes are neat, tearful acting is ready, and my "sincere and good-hearted young man" persona is good to go.
I head to the Principal’s office with a heavy heart and see Katrina.
Normally, you have to pass through the secretary’s office—or whatever you call it—where Katrina is stationed to enter the Principal’s office, so it’s a common sight, but seeing her today is terrifying.
Despite the frantic sex party we had for several days, Katrina merely glances at me with blunt eyes, stands up, knocks on the Principal’s door, and opens it slightly.
“Seo Yeon-woo has arrived.”
“Yes, please come in.”
The fact that Erin’s voice sounds so calm is just my imagination, right?
No matter how many "what’s going on?" looks I send her way, Katrina just looks me up and down as if wondering what I’m staring at, then returns to her seat.
So cold now that the "training" is over, even though she enjoyed it herself.
She said we wouldn't be involved anymore, but if I push her again, she’ll probably end up offering her ass while whimpering.
No, don’t think about that now. Control your emotions. Method acting, method acting.
I prepare to pull out my ultimate weapon if things go south—the "victim's tears" show—and step inside.
“Hello…?”
What the hell is this? Are they really trying to screw me over?
In the Principal’s office, it’s not just Erin; Derek and August are there too.
And people wearing black masks…
Those are the Gloomy Clowns, right?
It’s such a contrived item used when someone wants to hide their identity.
It’s enchanted with some kind of perception-altering magic, so you can’t identify the wearer’s physical traits or voice.
I guess you could call it a very convenient item for game developers.
Whether they’re short, tall, massive, or small, it hides everything, so whenever a mysterious "someone" appears, they’re always wearing that.
However, while it hides their identity, it amplifies their presence, so you can tell they’re there even from a distance.
The Principal’s office is built with top-grade materials and layered with multiple barriers and spells, so I didn't feel them until I opened the door, but now that we’re in the same space, it definitely feels unpleasant.
“You don’t need to be so tense. Have a seat.”
Perhaps because Derek and August are already seated, Erin, sitting in the central seat of honor, gestures toward the side sofa.
Are they going to jump me the moment I sit down?
The people wearing the Gloomy Clown masks are all standing, which makes me incredibly anxious.
I sit down while glancing at them, and Katrina comes in to serve coffee and tea.
Honestly, I was scared when Katrina suddenly walked in, but looking at the atmosphere, it doesn't seem like I was called here for that.
Then what is it? I haven't done anything that would warrant being summoned by people who look like participants in a secret ritual.
I relax a little and take a sip of the coffee, but it’s incredibly bitter.
I catch a glimpse of Katrina smirking as she leaves.
Wow, why is she so cute?
Feeling satisfied with Katrina’s petty revenge for her crushing defeat in bed, I listen as Erin speaks.
“Yeon-woo, how much do you know about the Source?”
“…A massive cluster of energy, I suppose… Ah, are you asking about its purpose or how it’s used?”
I actually know quite a lot, but since all the knowledge I gained from the game is top-secret, I pretend to be ignorant.
Erin chuckles softly at my answer and shakes her head.
“No, that’s an excellent answer.”
I don’t know what’s so excellent about it, but Erin continues, looking satisfied.
“The Source receives power from Gaia. It’s like planetary energy, so to speak.”
“… …”
The Source is a power controlled by the government, so unless you’re an official or high-ranking individual, you can’t even access information about it.
Students are told they receive power from the Source and so on, but even the students who use that power have never seen its true form or know much about it.
The generally known information is that you can increase your magical abilities by receiving power from the Source, and that it’s used for research because it holds vast amounts of energy.
“It’s such a massive power for a human to handle, so it’s been used in a limited capacity, but recently, much research has progressed, allowing it to be utilized in various fields.”
Yes, and if you research it further, Akito will receive the power of the Source and solve the Whitening Phenomenon.
Hiding my inner thoughts, I act surprised as if I’m hearing this for the first time.
“Wow. That’s. Truly. Amazing.”
“Hehe, yes. You could easily expect that much. The important thing is how it can be utilized.”
I thought that was a pretty good piece of acting, but Erin just giggles.
I know why Erin is suddenly explaining the Source.
To access the strictly protected Source, you need permission from designated individuals.
A few high-ranking government officials, the 12 Zodiacs, a few Rank 3 or higher Black Agents, and a few Yggdrasil officials, including Erin.
Actually, the 12 Zodiacs or high-ranking officials don’t matter much.
The designation isn't like a license given by the government; it refers to people connected to the Source, so if they move away from it, they have no authority.
That’s why the people stationed at Yggdrasil are important.
Anyway, this is also why I said before that the only way to seize the Source is to annihilate Yggdrasil.
Unless the officials all decide to betray the school together, there’s no way to access the Source.
“And I have a favor to ask of you, Yeon-woo.”
The reason Erin is suddenly explaining this to me.
She intends to connect me to the Source as well.
Originally, Yggdrasil designated a few students currently enrolled in addition to the officials.
If it were only faculty members, there’s a chance they could be targeted, so they designate about one person per grade to distribute the risk.
Normally, for the first-year students, only Akito and Shizuka receive this role…
“No one will recognize you for this, and you’ll only be taking on a dangerous responsibility, so you’re free to refuse.”
I see what she’s thinking, but is it right for me to accept this?
Is there a chance the other two will be dropped if I take it…? No, probably not.
Both of them have their family backgrounds to consider.
The Daihara family, with the strongest mage of the 12 Zodiacs, and the Amagi family, one of the Four Founders.
They have the trust that they will never betray the school, and both of them are incredibly skilled.
But am I on that level?
I’d like to brag, but it’s likely that the excellence of my masochistic tank build played a part.
I can stall for time if something happens, and I have a finishing move.
But doesn't Randall distrust me? Did the government give their approval?
Well, who is Randall to interfere when the high-ranking officials have made their decision? He doesn't have the seniority.
Erin, Derek, and August all wait in silence, as if giving me time to think.
Seizing the Source… as long as I’m careful about them once, it’s not a big deal since things are quiet during the school year.
“I understand. Thank you for entrusting me with such an important responsibility.”
“No, we’re the ones who should be thankful. Thank you, Yeon-woo.”
Erin thanks me, looking genuinely happy.
With this, I’ll be able to help Akito when the ones trying to seize the Source show up.