For a Friend (1)
For a Friend (1)
Turning the clock back slightly, it was the afternoon while Yujin was enjoying his amusement-park date with Sia.
Vietnam's S-rank No. 7 Hunter, Võ Chí Công...
was consumed by terrible regret.
—Mutter.
"...What did I do to a man while drunk?"
The previous day, he'd finally defeated the Necromancer and brought peace to Vietnam. That part was good.
Perhaps the mistake was drinking bottle after bottle in the cemetery to honor the comrades he had failed to protect, such as Nguyễn Xuân Thiên and the others.
A terrible hangover greeted him when he awoke.
His phone showed twenty-three outgoing calls to Yujin.
...No matter how grateful he felt, calling someone while drunk had gone too far.
Công frowned.
'Yujin would undoubtedly tease me to death... Hm?'
[Remove my name from Outstar when you wake up]
[I do not want to take credit for your hard work]
"......Ha. This bastard?"
His frown eased.
Yujin had left him a message.
He didn't want to steal their achievement.
Công should receive full credit for liberating Vietnam.
The meaning beneath the curt wording was easy to understand.
'With an achievement of this scale, even the Church of the Lord would recognize him as S-rank. Yet Yujin was yielding it?'
A faint smile spread across his lips.
Vietnam would otherwise have continued that war for decades.
Yujin had provided the crucial—practically indispensable—information that ended it.
And now he intended to yield all the credit to Công?
Hmph. Ridiculous.
'...Though I liked it very much!'
-Beep.
"S-rank No. 4, Awakener Seol Hayeon. I will arrive in Korea around this evening. Please arrange the immigration procedures."
[Tsk. You rotten bastard. Why are you coming?]
"I'm going to make that admirable bastard buy me dinner. I'll handle some of your work while I am there, so let's help each other."
[I sincerely welcome you to Korea, Võ Chí Công.]
Công immediately arranged his departure through Seol Hayeon.
Before long, Công's private jet soared into the sky.
He landed in Korea slightly earlier than expected, at four in the afternoon.
That might have seemed too early for dinner, but accounting for the interview, the timing was perfect.
The interview lasted roughly three hours.
"Awakener Võ Chí Công. Regarding the rumor that you and Seo Yujin are dating...."
-Slam!!
"Fujoshi, shut up for a moment. Was getting on Yujin's bad side not enough? Do you want Công after you too? Shall I tell him you came to work without panties?"
"Hhk!!? Hey, how many times have I told you that was not—"
"......?"
'What were those reporters doing?'
There were several strange reporters among them, but in any case...
After the interview, Association staff guided him to the academy.
Association President Seol Hayeon rushed out barefoot to welcome Công.
"Welcome. Now, I'd like your assistance with some work."
'Valuable manpower had flown to me voluntarily. Yujin, you truly were a blessing!!'
Her reason for welcoming Công was simple.
The Chairwoman's workload had exploded over the previous several days.
Cleaning up after Winterer's terrorist attack. Determining the fate of the fifty villains captured with her. Revisiting the 'Bottomless Abyss' because of the Human Rights Association's uproar.
Work had piled into a mountain.
Now, however, an awakener famous for his uncanny ability stood before her.
She didn't know the exact nature of his ability, but her Sixth Sense suggested limited precognition.
...Good heavens. Merely asking, "Will I regret signing this?" would make everything so easy.
Reviewing documents was the most tedious task in the world. With that fellow helping, she could finish in no time.
The Chairwoman beamed at the prospect of coasting through her work.
Công naturally looked reluctant, but...
"Couldn't I eat with Yujin first? I have consumed nothing but water today, and I'm hungry."
"Go later. If you interfere now, there may not be enough of you left to bury."
"What? Is Yujin fighting someone? Where—"
-Startle.
"Whoa. That almost became a disaster. Give me the documents."
The sexual-harassment trial that would reverse itself several minutes later.
A British girl with all her underwear exposed, a gorilla wearing shamelessly lewd lingerie, and a wholesome young man caught between them.
After foreseeing it, Công wisely decided to remain and help the Chairwoman.
Công was indeed wise.
"This one is safe. Send this one back. I cannot tell about this one either."
"Tsk. You are less miraculous than expected. Isn't your ability a precognition type like mine?"
"If I knew the entire future, would I remain seventh? I'd have defeated you and taken second place."
"No confidence against Ninomiya?"
"Gorillas tear people apart."
Despite their peaceful conversation, the mountain of documents rapidly disappeared.
Võ Chí Công could see as far as one day into the future.
Seol Hayeon could work largely by instinct without causing problems.
Together, they were devastatingly efficient.
They completed most of the administrative work in only thirty minutes.
"Good work. We'll consider your debt settled."
"Yes. Then may I leave now?"
"Wait a moment. Let me see...."
Relieved, the Chairwoman concentrated.
She meant to use her Sixth Sense to determine whether Yujin had escaped the chaos and whether it was safe to send Công to him.
"Tsk. Yujin still hasn't seduced Ninomiya? That woman would become soaked from a single kiss."
"Not yet?"
"You take a look. My Sixth Sense becomes frustratingly vague in situations like this."
"Understood. Let me see...."
After the unhelpful Chairwoman, Công used his own ability.
He examined the future that awaited if he went to Yujin now.
He looked approximately five minutes ahead.
———A tragic future appeared before him.
"......?"
'What was this? What the hell had happened...?'
He saw himself opening the door.
Aika stood there in a bloodstained dress, close to tears.
Finally...
Yujin lay collapsed in a pool of blood.
Bloody froth bubbled from his mouth.
For some reason, his trousers were halfway down.
After a moment of thought, Công's eyes snapped open.
"We must rescue him immediately!!"
"Hm? What happened?"
"Aika must have finally tried to rape Yujin!! In five minutes, he will be collapsed and vomiting blood!!"
"......?! How did you arrive at that conclusion?"
"She probably pulled down his trousers by force, became angry when he did not become erect, and punched him in the stomach. She's a gorilla!"
Aika forcibly removed Yujin's trousers.
Yujin resisted like the wholesome young man he was.
The Japanese gorilla punched him in the stomach for failing to become erect.
The wholesome young man slept there forever.
...The reasoning was absurd, but Công was serious.
Yujin was plainly handsome by anyone's standards.
A gorilla well past marriageable age might understandably lose control. Yes.
Even if his conclusion was wrong, they still needed to rescue Yujin.
Seol Hayeon's eyes widened at the deduction.
-Shiver.
'Oh dear. I had expected that woman to cause trouble, but not to commit murder instead of merely rushing into marriage!!'
Her Sixth Sense belatedly began screaming.
It warned her...
This would not end with the death of one promising young man.
Yujin's death concerned the survival of Korea itself.
Seol Hayeon immediately threw herself through the window.
—Crash!! Whoosh.
"Follow me!"
"Yes!!"
-Scramble.
Công sprinted after her at full speed.
The fourth- and seventh-ranked S-ranks raced through the academy side by side.
They reached Yujin's dormitory in only one minute.
—BANG BANG BANG BANG!!
"Ninomiya! Do nothing foolish!!!"
Seol Hayeon pounded violently on the locked front door.
She could have blown away such a flimsy door, but feared that barging in might excite the gorilla further.
Công also shouted.
He sounded slightly less desperate than Seol Hayeon.
"Yujin, run!!"
'If he came out in one minute, I'd leave that gorilla to the Chairwoman and flee.'
There was a simple reason he was less desperate.
He could see it clearly.
He already knew how the matter would end.
And then...
—Bang open.
"Công!!! Perfect timing...."
"Come with me immediately!! Awakener Seol Hayeon, please teach that gorilla proper sex education!!"
—Grab. Dash.
"Huh?"
Công seized the hostage by the back of his neck and fled.
Yujin merely blinked, unable to understand what was happening.
"My disciple, that is...."
"Ninomiya. No matter the circumstances, rape is wrong."
"......!!? Seol Hayeon, why did you barge in and begin spouting nonsense!?"
"It is all right. I understand. No one understands your feelings better than I do. Nevertheless, rape is...."
"Stop talking nonsenseee!!!"
Aika, accused of attempted sexual assault, and Seol Hayeon, cautiously trying to educate the beast.
Chaos erupted.
* * *
After hearing Công pounding on the door...
I used Master's distraction to escape.
I grabbed my phone, clothes, and wallet.
Then I left only one message: "I am going to eat dinner with Công!"
...I had not said it merely as an excuse.
Công was the benefactor who stopped Master's rampage.
For that, I could buy him a second and third round of food and drinks.
I intended to treat him generously.
At least, that had been my intention before Công began spouting nonsense.
—Whisper.
"So you're claiming Master tried to rape me and punched me in the stomach?"
"Yes. You were vomiting blood with your trousers down."
Công revealed his ability while uttering absurd slander.
Ninety percent of my gratitude vanished.
What the hell was he saying about another man's wife?
I nearly poured radish-kimchi brine into his soup.
"There is no chance of that, you pathetic lightweight Rice Cake."
"It is difficult to believe, but true. My Innate Talent is...."
"I am not doubting your ability. Why would I resist Master in the first place?"
"...What?"
"Master is already so cute, beautiful, and lovable that I struggle to endure every day. I'd welcome it."
Master punching me in the stomach?
Impossible.
That was as absurd as claiming I became aroused by looking at the Chairwoman.
And why would she hit me? Because I failed to become erect?
Ha. Unfortunately, I could not show him how rigid my love for my wife was.
I could only sigh.
"Do you perhaps like Nino—"
"And I think I know why I vomited blood."
"...Tell me. Why?"
Công's gaze stabbed into me.
It irritated me that he looked cute while staring upward with chopsticks between his lips.
To change the mood, I parted my lips slightly.
"Only for a moment, to confirm something. Công, I'm actually a reg—"
I was actually a regressor.
They were the words I had once attempted to tell Master.
And...
-Ding!
[The skill 'Complete Hypnosis' becomes unavailable for 10 minutes.]
"Cough!!!"
The same bloody cough as before burst from my throat.
...I had known it.
The hypnosis preventing me from revealing my regression, and the penalty for trying to resist it.
This was exactly the same.
'A hypnosis preventing me from having sex with my wives. Whoever had regressed me was thorough in the strangest ways.'
It could mean only one thing.
A hypnosis existed that prevented me from doing such things with my wives.
It was the second hypnosis with no place in my memories that I'd encountered since regressing.
"Cough... Ugh. My throat hurts."
"Yujin, are you all right?! You suddenly coughed blood...."
"I'm fine. It's a side effect of my ability, so do not worry. It truly means nothing."
"Even so...."
"In any case, let us eat. Ma'am~ When you bring the blood-sausage soup, please bring two bottles of soju as well~!"
I changed the subject as though nothing had happened.
I pretended not to have noticed the hypnosis.
The reason was...
[A higher skill '???' shows mercy! The Absolute soothes your soul, greatly alleviating the failure side effects.]
'I didn't know who it was, but they were remarkably skilled at soothing a soul. Skilled enough to make anger difficult.'
Something had gently embraced my soul when the penalty struck.
I felt affection and kindness like a mother's.
No matter how I considered it, they didn't appear to be toying with me.
It felt more as though they were protecting me.
They were warning that doing this now would cause a true disaster, and that the time had not yet come.
If so, there was no need to resist forcibly.
It would be different if matters remained unchanged after I became strong enough and the time arrived for my first night with my wives.
I could still become much stronger.
I had known my wives for only two weeks.
My Yujindo still had a long time before seeing real action.
There was no reason to worry about it already.
'As for Master's rampage... I merely needed to stop saying that it was her fault for turning me on.'
—Thud.
"S-Se-Seo Yujin. Please enjoy your meal, and before you leave, could I have one autograph...?"
"Of course, young lady."
"......!!! Oh my. Such sweet words for an old lady like me. Ohoho."
"Not at all. Hey, Công. Hold out your glass. Let us drink first."
The food had arrived at the perfect moment.
At a celebratory drinking party, I should cast aside useless thoughts. Absolutely.
—Mutter.
"So your ability had an Overload like mine. Yes. I'll take responsibility for you and Ninomiya...."
"Stop muttering and hold out your glass."
"...Fine. To Seo Yujin's peaceful love life. Cheers."
"Pfft. What kind of toast was that?"
Judging by that terrible joke, Công also intended to enjoy himself.
* * *
A short while later.
"Right. Yujin, the Church of the Lord said I should take you the next time an S-rank Gate appears. Interested?"
"What? They said something sensible for once? Jackpot."
The old men and women's second donation struck me.