Chapter 19
Translator - Zofu
----------------------------------------
* * *
Everything melts in hellfire, and all that melted freezes in bitter cold.
At the heart of Chosang Society, the patriarch of the Ije Group and his second daughter, A-rin, are currently... 'conversing.'
A fierce flame grazes my left cheek.
"No, damn it, I don't want to go!"
I raise my right hand, create a boulder-sized chunk of ice, and hurl it at Father.
Father, who shatters that ice chunk with a single punch, looks at me.
"Do you find your father's words amusing? Your sister went too! Shouldn't you, her younger sibling, go as well!"
"...Whether Sister went or not, why do I have to go!"
"If you're a member of the Ije Group, you MUST graduate from the Academy!"
"That damn Academy, Academy! Isn't it enough to just finish the regular curriculum!?"
Father creates a phoenix above his head. It is as large as the ice chunk I'd thrown earlier.
"It is not!"
It wasn't just one. The phoenixes multiply, one or two at a time, filling the sky.
Seeing the phoenixes, I begin filling my surroundings with yetis made of ice and snow.
"Humans are fundamentally hairless beasts—at birth, everyone is a beast! However! As they grow, the beastly nature disappears, replaced by 'humanity'! A-rin! Do you think that entire process just 'happens' on its own?"
Dozens of phoenixes rush at me. The yetis see this, grab the phoenixes by their throats, and slam them to the ground.
"It does not! That entire process doesn't come free! It's 'education'! The 'education' unconditionally received as a member of society is what keeps us human! So how is it, A-rin, that you..."
"...wish to remain a 'beast'!"
The phoenixes and yetis tear at each other and ultimately annihilate each other.
Crackling from my clenched fist, fierce cold energy flows out. When I open my fist, a spear forms in my right hand and a shield in my left.
"You've grown stronger. However."
Father grasps a staff and looks up at the sky.
There is a fire dragon in the sky.
"You're still young."
A house-sized fire dragon rushes at me. I barely deflect its fierce face with my shield, and jump up to avoid its massive body.
And with a Kuuooo- cry, I strike down hard at the fire dragon's head with my spear.
It's not very effective. The hot flames sting my eyes. Against fire, I need armor made of ice that can withstand flames. The fire dragon's eyes turn toward me, floating in midair.
The fire dragon opens its mouth toward me.
The hot thermal wind gathering between its jaws lets me predict its next move. I quickly wrap my entire body in armor made of ice and snow to brace for impact.
Kugugu- The breath engulfs me.
The ice melts rapidly. I quickly fill the melted parts with new ice. The breath doesn't stop. It feels like being a trapped egg in a microwave.
As I land on the ground, I create a massive ice wall to block the breath.
Partially melted ice clumps tangle in my hair, obstructing my vision. If they can make a dragon, so can I. I concentrate and visualize the dragon's manifestation. Behind me, the sound of ice crashing and solidifying echoes.
"Impressive."
Father's fire dragon changes its target.
The target is the ice dragon forming behind me. I notice this too, and quickly place both hands on the ground and look at the fire dragon. In an instant, ice pillars and ice chains rise from the ground, restraining the fire dragon's movement.
"However, A-rin."
I turn to look at the source of the voice.
Father is not there.
"Are you not forgetting this father of yours?"
He is right behind me.
The blue flames enveloping Father's fist head toward me. Before, his movements were invisible, but now I can see them. Time seems to flow slowly. I quickly strike both hands against the ground and, with all my might, create a heavy shield to block it.
Kwajijik-! Fire and ice collide.
"To think you could block this! Perhaps you're even faster than our firstborn."
Sister emerges from Father's mouth.
With a grinding sound, teeth clash.
"...Why is Sister coming out from there."
"It's praise, A-rin."
Father smiles at me. A slightly embarrassed smile.
As if awkward, he stops there and looks at me.
"I don't want to hear it."
I discard my half-shattered shield and stand before Father.
"However, Father."
"Hm?"
"Aren't you forgetting something?"
At those words, Father hurriedly turns his head.
"Oh dear."
The completed ice dragon is opening its mouth right in front of Father.
Moments later, as the breath fires, I roll my body to the side.
"You got me."
Kwa-gwa-gwa- As the fierce breath fires, Father raises both hands, wrapping himself in a shield of flame. As if that's not enough, he covers his entire body in armor made of fire. Now, it's about time.
The sound of chains snapping echoes.
The fire dragon has awakened again.
The fire dragon, its restraints broken, rushes at me again. It looks slightly drained, having taken some cold damage. I make up my mind.
Let's end this with one final blow.
Extreme cold energy begins to gather in my right hand. At this unusual aura, the fire dragon slightly recoils. But that's only momentary—the fire dragon, regaining its senses, rushes at me. Since it's already used its breath once, using it twice in a row would be difficult. When the fire dragon's face reaches right before me—
Thwack!! I uppercut the fire dragon away.
Literally, I blow it away.
The fire dragon's face, now completely shattered and unrecognizable, falls to the ground along with its body. Now I must brace for impact. I raise my right foot and stomp the ground with a thud. With a groan, a pure white ice wall rises from the ground. Moments later, the fire dragon that fell to the ground—
Explodes.
The impact creates a crater in the ground, trees planted there turn to ash in the flames, and statues melt into lava. The ice dragon is no exception.
Only two figures withstand it.
Only the patriarch and his daughter.
"...Magnificent."
"Hah, hah..."
"That achievement is so great, it's indescribable. A-rin."
"..."
"A-rin, is the reason you don't want to go to the Academy... because of that?"
I wipe my sweat-soaked forehead with my hand.
I roughly grasp what Father is trying to say. Without meeting his eyes, I give a slight nod.
"...Is it because of your sister 'So-cheon'?"
I nod my head.
I hate my sister.
I hate my sister, who is stronger than me. I hate my sister, who has become more perfect. My sister is at the Academy now. I don't want to be compared to her there.
What is my life's motto?
It's 'roughly.'
No, to be precise. It was 'roughly.'
I have talent. Talent several times greater than others. Anything, as long as I do it 'roughly,' is enough. 'Roughly' gets it done.
But my sister... is not like that. She lacks talent, merely ordinary. The difference between my sister and me is clear—I am always the leader, I am always first. My sister is constantly compared to me.
But as we grow older, that gap begins to narrow.
I hate effort, but my sister loves it. Everything I brushed off doing 'roughly,' my sister begins to do with all her heart.
As we grow older, that gap narrows, and eventually my sister surpasses me.
After that, shocked by the reversed relationship, I somehow try to 'work hard' to catch up to my sister... but someone unaccustomed to effort has no chance of catching up to her.
Now, I am the one being compared to my sister.
That fact is so shameful, I've been avoiding her. My sister sees me like this and merely laughs at me occasionally. Even if I try to work hard, there is an innate limitation. I don't like effort at all. Someone accustomed to 'talent'... can't possibly 'work hard.'
Before, school was split, so it was fine... but the Academy is different. There's only one Academy in Korea.
I don't want to see that laugh again.
I hate myself for saying I'll catch up but doing nothing. I hate my sister, who keeps climbing higher and higher, widening the gap. I just hate everything. If I meet my sister, I won't be able to face her out of self-loathing.
"Father."
"..."
"I... don't want to go."
I mean it.
Father looks at me.
"A-rin."
He looks at me with a determined expression.
"No. I can no longer back down."
My expression grows bitter.
* * *
Time passes, seasons change many times.
In the end, I enter the Academy. It isn't something I can refuse. After all, as a member of the Ije Group and the patriarch's daughter, I have to walk the proper path.
Surprisingly, my sister and I rarely meet.
Whether she is busy with her own matters, or simply doesn't care about someone like me anymore. Aside from occasionally passing each other in the hallways, we don't even acknowledge each other. It is slightly irritating that she won't even meet my eyes. But since I'm not being compared... it's fine.
Two years have passed since entering the Academy.
There is nothing I can do at the Academy I've been forced into. My goal is simply to obtain my diploma. That's all. So what I do is loaf around, study a bit, complain about my lot, have sex with my boyfriend... that's about it.
I've met many people.
Indeed, the Academy is full of rich kids with powerful connections. So-and-so from here is the daughter of a chaebol, so-and-so from there is the son of a politician... there are many. But they are all empty inside. As expected, they are strangely lacking in skill.
Their only common point is their high social standing. But even among chickens, there's a phoenix. There are exceptions.
Han Ye-rin, daughter of the Null Group chairman.
Kim Seok-hyun, son of the Mulsan Group chairman.
Kim Tae-ho, son of a nameless bakery.
Choi Si-yoon, daughter of an ordinary family.
Seok Ju-hyeok, son of an ordinary family.
Akina, an exchange student from Japan.
Han Seol-a, the witch.
And my sister.
All possess 'power' befitting the Academy's prestigious reputation.
They are clearly different from the other nobodies. And among them, one person stands out in particular.
Kim Tae-ho, the son of a nameless bakery.
Despite having nothing, he takes the top spot through effort alone.
That sight is like looking at my sister. Consciously or not, it bothers me. Though he is, well, Han Ye-rin's dog. I keep seeing that image overlap—his figure, the figure of his effort. He'll definitely be stronger than me, I think. Unconsciously, I compare myself to Kim Tae-ho. I've been doing that when...
Suddenly, he changes his style weirdly.
Suddenly, he becomes a strange person.
Suddenly, he gets kidnapped by Han Ye-rin.
It feels like a bomb goes off in my boring daily life.
I think he is just someone similar to my sister, but when I look inside, he is unexpectedly a crazy person. Since then, my interest in Kim Tae-ho begins to grow in a different sense.
From being my sister's replacement, to an interesting friend.
Maybe I'll try having a conversation with him later?
* * *
We have a conversation.
He's definitely an interesting friend. He's fun to tease, and conversation with him is enjoyable. Contrary to his appearance, his polite personality creates an interesting gap. He's different from my sister after all. I like that point.
I lean against the rooftop railing. The approaching footsteps stop, and the door opens.
"Oh, you came?"
Kim Tae-ho, who comes up to the rooftop, looks at me.
"Y-yeah."
"Good. So much better when you don't use honorifics. Why would you use formal speech between friends? Casual is the default, but if you use honorifics, it's like you come to a company, not an Academy."
Saying so, he laughs hollowly. Our eyes meet.
"I guess so."
Come to think of it, there's something I haven't heard from Kim Tae-ho yet.
"So, so? What kind of worries does our friend have?"
Pure curiosity. What kind of worries could he possibly have?
Starting with his style change, to the kidnapping. I have a mountain of questions.
Kim Tae-ho hesitates for a moment, then turns his head to look beyond the scenery.
"It's nothing much. Just that my grades drop a bit."
Grades? What is he talking about?
A question mark floats above my head. This guy, isn't he top of the class? No, isn't he second place? That can't be the reason. After getting kidnapped by Han Ye-rin, something like grades won't be on his mind.
"Hmmmmm... Really? That's unexpected, I think you are suffering from this and that after getting kidnapped by Han Ye-rin. Well, I guess grade problems can be worries too. Hmm."
Hearing my words, Kim Tae-ho's face distorts for a moment, then returns to normal. Interesting.
"Puhaha, hahahaha! No, it's a joke, a joke! If someone like Han Ye-rin does something 'serious,' they'll definitely disappear without leaving a trace. I'm just messing with you. Your expression really is funny, why? Did I hit the nail on the head? No? Puhaha. So, what happens after you get kidnapped?"
Kim Tae-ho presses his lips together and avoids my gaze.
Just saying.
In the first place, if you do something worthy of getting kidnapped over, you'll normally be dead before that. There's no way you earn Han Ye-rin's enmity to the point of kidnapping. What could be something Han Ye-rin would chase after like crazy, grab by the collar, and drag away? Something she'll kidnap you for because she likes it? Well, I don't know.
"Yeah yeah, you don't have to tell me. I'm not planning to listen anyway. I'm just teasing you. Puhaha. So, you're worried about grades? Why? Aren't you in the top tier? I see you are second place this time."
I'm not planning to listen, but I'm still curious. Why did she kidnap you...? No, forget it. No point thinking about it, the answer won't come. More importantly, why worry about grades when you're second place?
"...Because I have a goal. I must be first place."
A goal?
"First place? First place is your goal? Interesting, I only come here because my family nags me so much about going to the Academy. Wait... first place is your goal? Don't tell me..."
Goal... first place... goal...
Ah.
My eyes widen.
"You're trying to get into the Special Task Force?"
At my words, Kim Tae-ho nods.
That, are you out of your mind? Joining that suicide squad?
Kim Tae-ho turns his head toward me.
"You know about Fenrir, right?"
You are out of your mind.
A super high-risk monster still hiding somewhere in Korea is your goal? My head hurts. It's just plain suicide. I have to stop him.
"Are you crazy?"
I'm asking sincerely. Are you in your right mind?
Fighting a monster with a complete form is practically suicide.
Originally, 'monsters' that cross over through the Gate are shapeless lumps of flesh, their individual attack power aren't strong. However, when they gather and fulfill their respective roles, their danger level begins to rise. This is called 'taking form.'
Unconscious lumps of flesh gather, form a colony, differentiate, and gain consciousness. Depending on the resulting form, they receive different danger classifications, and the more similar the base form is to the original, the higher the synchronization rate, causing the danger level to skyrocket.
The most dangerous are monsters that resemble humans.
Below them: animals, trees, flowers, fire, water, minerals and other natural things.
Below them: cars, chairs, buildings, machines and other artificial things.
Below them: ears, eyes, nose, arms, legs and other... body parts.
Each being an extreme super high-risk monster. Super high-risk to high-risk monsters. Mid-risk monsters. And low-risk monsters.
So what about Fenrir?
It has the perfect form of a wolf. It sits at the ceiling even among super high-risk monsters.
"There are reasons."
I have to stop him.
I don't want to see him in mourning clothes at our reunion later.
"Reasons? Are you joking? You're just a moth flying into flames. Even though you caught Svarozhich the first time, is there any guarantee you can catch Fenrir? Do you even know that half the Special Task Force was sacrificed to catch Svarozhich?"
"I know."
My head hurts.
"Then why? Besides, Svarozhich wasn't even fighting back when it crossed into Korea. It was just walking. Yet half of them died. If it did nothing and still caused that much damage, do you think a meticulous Fenrir would be the same?"
Even that would've been a total wipeout if Null Group's chairman Han Seok-ju hadn't helped. So why this obsession with Fenrir?
"I have no choice."
Kim Tae-ho looks at me.
I look at Kim Tae-ho too. That look in his eyes... is sincere.
"My father was attacked."
The mystery is solved.
"...Ahem"
I pushed too hard... Regret washes over me like a flood. Damn it, if my parents had been attacked, I'd have said the same thing. If that's the reason for this level of determination, I can't stop him. I look at Kim Tae-ho with pity.
"Sorry, I ask about something I shouldn't have..."
"No, it's fine. You didn't know when you asked."
Kim Tae-ho laughs awkwardly.
That sight looks pitiful, and guilt rises in my chest.
"Later, I'll buy you something as an apology."
"Huh?"
"Hmm, you agree? Then let's meet later!"
Let's meet after school today.
I wonder what he'll want?
* * *
After school.
'What the hell is this...'
My boyfriend and I are currently
leaning against the hallway wall, holding our breath.
And focusing our ears on the sounds beyond the wall.
"Surprising, I think it'll be less stiff since it's used goods..."
What the fuck.
"Thanks, since your boyfriend's dick is this size. It's no different from new?"
The sound of water.
What the hell is this.
Seriously.
* * *