Chapter 147: This Is a Secret, So Keep It to Yourself
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 147: This Is a Secret, So Keep It to Yourself
After performing the ritual to connect Yeon-woo to the Source, Erin returns to her office alone.
The ritual itself wasn't difficult, but designating him as a member to protect the Source was a momentous decision. Exhausted by the sheer amount of details she had to oversee, Erin flops face-down onto the sofa.
Dropping the professional facade she usually maintained as the principal, Erin turns her head to see Frey sitting across from her with her arms crossed.
"I only appointed Yeon-woo as a Guardian because I trust you. If something goes wrong, it’s your responsibility."
"Pfft—bullshit. You already ran all the tests and reached a consensus internally."
Erin simply offers a playful smile in response to Frey’s scoff, as if she had just been teasing.
Yeon-woo was already highly regarded within Yggdrasil.
Even setting aside his magical prowess, the ingenuity he displayed during his time at the academy had earned him the absolute trust of the faculty. And while his classmates might be loath to admit it, his personality—defined by his willingness to sacrifice for his comrades—was beyond reproach.
"A mage who uses mana barriers... how on earth did he come up with that? Even the teachers are saying it warrants its own research project."
"I didn't teach him that."
"Oh, stop being modest. You’re usually so fierce, but you turn into a shy kitten the moment someone praises you."
"I think you’ve got the wrong idea. I only met the kid a little over six months ago."
The playful expression on Erin’s face freezes at Frey’s cold remark.
When Yeon-woo first entered Yggdrasil, he was under suspicion from both the government and the academy. The reason those suspicions had largely vanished—to the point where he was now trusted as a Guardian of the Source—was largely due to Frey’s influence.
A person like him couldn't have just dropped out of the sky.
Thinking logically, the government assumed there was someone backing him, and they were convinced that person was Frey. Currently, only Randall’s 4th Division still insists on further investigation and remains suspicious.
The prevailing theory was that his ordinary background prior to entering Yggdrasil was a complete fabrication, and that he was a disciple Frey had raised in secret. Whenever Yeon-woo lacked the strength to handle a situation—like when he struck the Geukryu Society to save Yukina—he had requested Frey’s help. To outsiders, it looked as though he was using Greyhound as his personal henchman.
"For the record, when I first met him six months ago, he was worse at magic than an elementary schooler. He had a decent mana barrier, but it was average for his age."
"...Does that even make sense?"
Erin’s shock grows as Frey continues.
Even with the influence of the Source, to grow a mana barrier enough to withstand Frey’s Magnum in just six months? This was growth that defied the common sense of the 12 Zodiacs—no, of the entire world.
"M-tendency... HP Tank? I don't know why he gave it such a stupid name, but he’s the one who developed that combat style using mana barriers."
"...Isn't that a contradiction? You said he was clumsy with magic six months ago."
"It’s only natural to find it strange. Even I, who helped him train, don't understand it. He was a guy whose knowledge seemed like it was scraped together from some random corner of the internet, but strangely, regarding that M-tendency... shit. Anyway, he already had a firm belief and vision for this combat style from the very first day he met me."
Frey spoke as if it were no big deal, but she tilted her head back to look at the ceiling before lowering her gaze back to Erin, her lips curling into a smirk.
"And he proved it."
"...It’s hard to call it a coincidence since he actually proved it—"
"No, it wasn't a coincidence. There’s a girl named Setsuna who’ll probably take the entrance exam next year. He’s the one teaching her, and you’ll probably faint when you see her fight. That guy can definitely see something we can't. Or he already knows."
Had Frey ever placed this much trust in anyone before?
Having known her since they were children, Erin found this side of her friend unfamiliar.
"He really is a mysterious boy..."
"He’s a total enigma. That cocky, lighthearted personality of his doesn't seem like an act, but the bastard never says a word about the things that actually matter."
"So, his sudden increase in assets and his connections... none of that was your doing?"
"Yeah, exactly. Ah, does saying it like that make it sound more suspicious?"
Frey’s eyes drift to the documents laid out on the tea table.
Information obtained while reclaiming the base from the White Abyss.
In terms of importance, the base itself was worthless compared to the value of this data. A force opposing the government, possessing power that transcended humanity and could even manipulate natural phenomena. Monsters and demons were headache enough; this was a matter so grave that those two problems almost seemed welcome by comparison.
However, at this moment, Erin and Frey are the only two people who know this truth.
"That frustrating bastard won't speak plainly, but it seems like there are some unidentified sons of bitches hiding in key government positions as well."
"Given that he gave this information only to you instead of making it public, one can't help but think that way."
Yeon-woo’s extremely cautious behavior suggested there were enemies even within the government. Whether he had a specific plan or simply couldn't identify the spies was unclear, but he had trusted Frey and left everything to her.
Frey denied it, but to Erin, they looked like a master and disciple who were incredibly close and trusted each other implicitly.
‘I’m the principal, yet am I not trustworthy enough for Yeon-woo? I’m starting to feel a bit jealous...’
Nursing her small grievance, Erin discusses future plans with Frey.
They couldn't afford to waste information that an Yggdrasil student had gone through such lengths to obtain, even if his origins were a mystery. The seeds Yeon-woo had sown to mitigate the destined tragedy were slowly beginning to sprout.
During their long meeting, Erin pauses for a break and asks, "Do you think he might have escaped from this mysterious organization?"
"Him?"
"Yeah. They poured their heart into raising him, but he felt skeptical about their ideology of destroying humanity and betrayed them. Now, he’s struggling in the shadows to stop them."
Frey stares at her with a look of pure patheticism.
"Are you still watching that kind of stuff?"
"Wh-what do you mean 'that kind of stuff'? It’s art. Don't discriminate. Besides, it’s a common cliché in movies."
"I’d sooner believe... what is it? That thing kids watch these days. Going to another world... Isekai? I’d sooner believe it was that. At least say something plausible if you want me to play along."
Neither of them could have known that Frey had just hit the nail on the head.
* * *
Wow, I’ve really moved up in the world.
Not that anyone knows... well, they shouldn't. Not knowing the identity of the Guardians is one of the core principles of protecting the Source.
Anyway, becoming a Guardian without any family prestige—does that mean they acknowledge me that much? I really want to brag to Frey, but I can't, and it’s making me itch.
Regardless, with this, anyone who wants to seize the Source has to get my permission first. A system where every Guardian within the Yggdrasil territory must give consent to access the Source... I wonder who came up with that.
In the first place, the Source itself exists in a different space, so the system can't be bypassed or forced open. That’s why those guys have the simple, thuggish idea of just wiping out Yggdrasil—thinking that if there are no Guardians, they won't need permission.
While I’m thinking about how best to stop them when they arrive, I feel a gaze on me.
"Whoa, you startled me."
I turn around to find a hooded girl standing right behind me, looking up at me.
Akane, the spy sent by the people trying to steal the Source to uncover the identities of the Guardians.
She’s tiny, but back when I played the game, if I didn't pursue her route and ended up fighting her, she was insanely strong. I died to her more than a few times. Well—that was in the first playthrough. With the current Akito, I could probably win easily.
The bobbed hair peeking out from under her hood, covering one eye, reminds me of a character from a certain anime. The only difference is that her hair is white instead of light blue.
Even though I tell her she startled me, she just looks up at me expressionlessly, blowing a bubble with her gum.
But isn't this a bit too close?
We’ve seen each other passing by, but we’ve never exchanged a single word. You’re way too close. Don't you know what personal space is?
As I stare at her, Akane blows a large bubble until it pops, then licks her lips as she pulls the gum back into her mouth.
"What were you doing in the principal's office?" she asks.
"We had an in-depth discussion about my volunteer hours."
"Did you get in trouble?"
Are we close?
She’s talking to me as if we’ve known each other forever, without any rhyme or reason.
"Nope. My cleaning skills are so top-tier that I went in to negotiate my volunteer time."
Since being a Guardian is a secret—and especially something I can't reveal in front of Akane—I make up a random excuse.
Akane tilts her head, and another bubble emerges from her mouth. She makes it so large I almost want to poke it with my finger. It pops, and she licks it back in again... I mean, isn't the gap between sentences too long when you blow bubbles mid-conversation?
Regardless of my discomfort, Akane follows her own pace, chews her gum, and asks again.
"Is that even negotiable?"
"Making the impossible possible is the mark of a true negotiator."
"How much did you get off?"
"Uh... I reduced it by two hours."
I already knew her personality from the game, but talking to her in person makes me wonder if this is really how it’s supposed to be. What was that organization thinking, sending her to Yggdrasil? No wonder they can't identify a single Guardian and just go, "Ah, whatever! Let’s just kill everyone!"
Akane, lacking basic conversational skills, tilts her head again.
"Is that a lot?"
"Hey, two hours out of seventy-two is about 2.5%. Don't you know corporations would kill for a one or two percent difference?"
"You’re an individual, not a corporation."
Well, she’s got me there.
A one or two percent difference only matters when the numbers are huge. When the scale is small, it doesn't really matter. She’s surprisingly sharp; she actually made me speechless.
After another awkward silence filled by her bubble-blowing, Akane begins her interrogation again.
"Was there anything else?"
"Not really. Why? Is there something you’re curious about?"
"...No."
As if she’s lost interest, Akane turns around and walks away without even saying goodbye.
Look at that... what a rude brat. Like organization, like spy.
She does look cute walking away with her hood up, though...
Watching Akane leave, a good idea suddenly strikes me.
From what I’ve observed, Akito is too busy trying to woo the heroines who joined his Magic Research Club to pay her any mind. The encounter event that starts Akane’s route has already passed. Unless Akito gives up on the major events for Kkanp and Pauper to pursue her, she’s a confirmed enemy.
When I played the game, I used to curse the developers for overlapping character events and key items to force multiple playthroughs, but now I’m grateful.
Even accounting for the fact that this is reality, Akane and Pauper are fundamentally incompatible. If it’s the soft-hearted Akito, he’ll choose Pauper, whom he’s spent more time with.
In that case, I can take her, right?
Looking at Akane’s back, now some distance away, I speak up.
"Oh, I forgot one thing. I became a Guardian."
The word 'Guardian' isn't particularly familiar to most students. Since their existence is a secret, it’s hard to know about them unless you’re an insider.
However, Akane freezes in her tracks as if turned to stone.
Her favorite bubblegum falls to the ground, and she slowly turns back to look at me.
"Clean that up before you go. I don't want to have to clean again."
I give her a bright smile and turn away first this time.
Akane, looking startled, starts to run toward me, then rushes back to frantically peel the gum off the floor before scurrying after me.