Chapter 199: Tsukushima Satomi (7)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 199: Tsukushima Satomi (7)
Rude fellow, vulgar brat, reckless fool, bakayaro—a relentless stream of insults was being hurled my way.
"How dare you show such insolence in a place like this!"
It’s just an inn, isn't it? From the way they’re talking, you’d think I’d broken into a royal palace.
I was watching these people—the ones who demand the most etiquette while acting the most rude—when Satomi spoke up, her mana flaring.
"I am currently a member of Black Unicorn. I will not forgive anyone who insults Captain Jeong Yeon-woo."
As Satomi took my side, radiating a sharp killing intent, the middle-aged women who had been causing the ruckus shut their mouths and began to read the room.
Nice! Get 'em! That one over there was the loudest, give her a piece of your mind.
One of the politicians, looking cowed by Satomi’s gaze, glared at me and spoke.
"But for the Young Lady to take the side of that Korean..."
"And? I am a member of Black Unicorn, and a Korean is my captain."
"..."
The politician fell silent at Satomi’s firm declaration.
Just how powerful is the Tsukushima family that high-ranking government officials call her 'Young Lady' and walk on eggshells around her?
I had come here ready to flip the table because I was annoyed, but seeing these people grovel before Satomi made my anger evaporate without me having to do a thing.
"You come from a pretty good family, Satomi."
"Captain... please, just call me by my name like you usually do."
When I sat down comfortably and joked, Satomi gave a bitter smile.
"You! How dare you be so disrespectful!"
What, I can't even talk to her?
The woman, now fuming, jumped to her feet and pointed a finger at me.
"This person is a Miyake! She is not someone you can treat so lightly!"
At the woman's words, Satomi’s expression turned troubled.
Looking as if everything was over, she bit her lip and looked at me with sorrowful eyes.
Whoa! A Miyake!
...
Wait, what's a Miyake?
As I just blinked at them, the woman realized I had no idea what she was talking about and scowled.
"To not even know what a Miyake is... how vulgar..."
Whatever. It’s perfectly normal not to know another country’s culture.
"Do you know the Policy of Impartiality? Do you know Psy? Aha?"
"...What are you talking about?"
"To not even know Psy... what a vulgar bitch."
When I gave her a taste of her own medicine, the woman’s face turned beet red, and she began spewing curses at me.
Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just tell me what this Miyake thing is.
"Lady Satomi is of the Japanese Imperial bloodline. A Miyake refers to a branch family that maintains its royal status. She is a descendant of His Majesty the Emperor."
A relatively calm woman explained in a level voice.
So, 'Miyake' means she’s of royal blood?
They could have just said that simply instead of using jargon only they know.
Right, so she’s a descendant of the Japanese Emperor.
Wait, what?
I stared blankly at Satomi, who was hanging her head.
I thought she was just from a local influential family or a clan with some history, but she’s top-tier Japanese royalty?
Even if she’s from a branch line, blood is blood.
Now I finally understand why the Association gave Black Unicorn special treatment and why the Japanese media was churning out articles about us.
"Since Hero Jeong Yeon-woo, the leader of Black Unicorn, is here, I will ask him directly."
The woman who had calmly explained the Miyake lineage asked with a piercing gaze.
"Black Unicorn is highly likely to become a target for The Hero or the villains. You cannot deny that, can you?"
Since I’m the one receiving love calls from the Villain Alliance, I had no intention of denying it.
The woman looked at Satomi for a moment, then knelt and spoke.
"You must understand that the Young Lady holds a vital position. We cannot leave someone like her in a dangerous place like Black Unicorn."
"..."
So they want to take Satomi away.
Since her blood is precious, she shouldn't be kept in a dangerous place.
If I look at it through a twisted lens, is she saying that only those who are 'expendable' should play hero?
If that’s the case, why be a hero at all?
Ah, I’m not insulting Satomi.
She has no desire for fame, popularity, or money.
She respects the very essence of being a hero—protecting people from monsters and stopping heinous villains—and she strives to follow that path.
She possesses a conviction worthy of being called a hero.
"If you refuse, the Japanese government will ban Black Unicorn from entering any dungeons."
I thought we might be able to talk since she was speaking calmly compared to the other women, but then she goes and drops a threat like that.
At the woman's words, Satomi flinched and looked at me.
Unlike her usual reliable gaze, her eyes were now like those of a young girl who didn't know what to do.
We came here to help in an emergency, and you’re going to ban us? What kind of bullshit is this?
We’re already drawing everyone's attention, and you’re going to kick Black Unicorn out?
Are you guys really okay with doing that?
I laughed in disbelief at the threat from this 'brave' woman who was charging ahead without weighing the consequences.
"Satomi, how old are you?"
"Pardon?"
I looked at the flustered Satomi and nodded, prompting her to answer.
"In Korean age... I am twenty-four."
"You've grown up quite well."
Not understanding what I meant, Satomi just stared, while the other women glared at me with scowls.
"You keep hovering over her, telling her what to do, and telling me to hand her over or not. Isn't Satomi an adult who can move according to her own will?"
"That is why we are talking to you, isn't it? We are telling her to leave Black Unicorn for a while because it is dangerous."
"Whether it's loyal advice or just making a fuss depends on how the person receiving it feels. And don't ask me about Satomi’s future. Satomi is a hero who pulls her own weight and a person capable of making her own choices. I will support whatever choice she makes."
Everyone's eyes turned to Satomi.
Perhaps she hadn't expected to hear such words, as she looked at me with eyes filled with a hint of emotion.
It was a bit of a cheap move, but I made her realize that she is a hero.
"I told you, didn't I? I don't doubt or betray Black Unicorn members lightly."
"Captain..."
"Like this lady said, we will continue to be in danger. The New Human Alliance? The Hero? Even if those bastards don't target us, we will hunt them down and erase them from the face of the earth. Black Unicorn will always be on the front lines, eliminating monsters and dealing with villains."
I met Satomi’s gaze with eyes full of pride.
Actually, my main goal is just to eat well and live well. I’ll just take down monsters and villains along the way.
I felt a little guilty, but I couldn't afford to lose her here.
Satomi, who had been searching my eyes, closed hers slightly and smiled.
"The Captain makes me realize something every single time."
With a look of relief, Satomi turned her gaze back to the women.
"I am not going back. I am Tsukushima Satomi, the hero Nitenichi, and a member of Black Unicorn."
When Satomi spoke firmly, even using her hero name, the women were horrified and tried to dissuade her.
However, their words had no effect on Satomi, who had already made up her mind.
"Are you sure about this? Black Unicorn will have to withdraw from Japan."
Amidst the chaos, the woman who had issued the warning glared at me intensely.
"Well—am I the one who's going to lose out? Or is it Japan?"
"Japan will not collapse just because a single B-rank party leaves."
"True. Would a missing part or two really affect a Dungeon Impact? But it’s a different story if that part happens to be the trigger."
"..."
"Whether you point the muzzle at the dungeon or at your own head before pulling the trigger is now your choice to make."
Kicking out heroes who came to help.
Even if it wasn't Black Unicorn, this was something that could easily become a major issue.
Would they really risk international condemnation just to protect a bloodline? No matter how precious she was, they couldn't make that choice lightly.
And since Black Unicorn was a party that was already one member short, we wouldn't be able to clear dungeons without Satomi anyway.
If every choice leads to ruin, I might as well take Satomi with me when I head back to Korea.
"If you're done talking, could you please leave? The other heroes need to rest."
"This brat has become quite arrogant just because he has a bit of popularity!"
"It's not arrogance; it's because you people are being a nuisance. Oh, and for your information, this is all being recorded right now."
I pointed to Hornet, who was leaning against the doorway holding her smartphone.
"What are you doing?! Get rid of that!"
"Touch me and you die."
When the women screamed, the bodyguards tried to restrain her, but they all froze at the sound of Hornet's voice, which was thick with killing intent.
Having grown by facing only humans without ever clearing a dungeon, her killing intent was more sinister and ominous than anyone else's.
"Don't kill them."
"...Fine. I'll just cut off their limbs."
Knowing that her threat wasn't just empty words, I held her back.
We compromised on just the limbs, but there wasn't a single bodyguard here brave enough to touch her while she was radiating such bloodlust.
As I stood in a standoff with the scowling women, Lee Yuna trotted in, placed a book she had been clutching to her chest in front of me, and walked back out.
I stared blankly at her luscious backside as she moved with the natural grace of a waitress serving food, then looked at the book on the table.
It was the rulebook the Male Protagonist had, and she had even highlighted the notable parts with a fluorescent pen.
She really is meticulous.
I hunched over, picked up the book, and showed it to the women.
"According to the regulations, we are allowed to subdue anyone who commits malicious interference."
"How dare you!! Are you threatening us?!"
"I'm just following the rules. Ah, I suppose since you're a high-ranking official, you have some special privilege to ignore the rules? If you have a privilege that ordinary people don't, would you care to explain it?"
When I spoke with a bright smile, the woman who had been screaming glanced at Hornet, who was snickering while filming, and then looked away.
"Right. If you're finished, could you please leave? And put the tables and everything you messed up back the way they were. Also, the road out front is quite congested, so please move your cars quickly. The heroes worked hard to clear the roads; it would be a shame if you blocked them again, wouldn't it?"
As I spoke nonchalantly, the women looked like they had swallowed shit before getting up one by one.
The woman who had remained seated until the end glared at me as if I were her mortal enemy before turning her gaze to Satomi.
"Your mother will be disappointed."
"Yes, I am aware. If she is disappointed, I will go and apologize to her later. Thank you for coming all this way."
Even when her family was mentioned, Satomi didn't bat an eye and replied calmly.
Failing to get the answer she wanted, the woman stood up, glared at me for a moment, sighed, and walked out.
I told them to clean up before they left, those jerks.
In the end, the inn staff came in and tidied everything up.
The other members gathered in the banquet hall they had cleared, and Satomi knelt and bowed deeply to us.
"I am sorry. I joined Black Unicorn while hiding my identity. You must be disappointed in me. I thought it was dishonorable, but I feared I would be rejected if you knew I was a Miyake. It is my fault for being cowardly and immoral."
Sincere and serious people are really hard to deal with.
Satomi, apologizing in such a heavy atmosphere, kept her head pressed against the floor.
As I was trying to think of what to say while looking at the back of her head, Kwon Ye-jin spoke up.
"So, Satomi-unni is a princess?"
"Pardon? Oh, no... I am just a relative from a branch family."
When Satomi looked up in confusion, Kwon Ye-jin’s eyes sparkled as she approached her.
"Royalty... it's like something out of a fantasy. Did you live in a castle and stuff, Unni?"
"A castle... no, just a normal house..."
"But you've been to a castle, right? Since you're relatives, did you have parties with the King in the castle during holidays?"
"Sit down, you're embarrassing us."
Lee Yuna smacked the excited Kwon Ye-jin on the back and pulled Satomi up by the arm as she stood there awkwardly.
"There's no need to feel sorry, Satomi-san. No matter what your status is, you're a member of Black Unicorn right now."
"But I was deceiving all of you."
"If it weighs on your conscience that much, we'll give you a punishment later. For now, I'm just glad you didn't leave."
A punishment, huh? Maybe a few swats on the behind...
Ow. Stop poking me.
Feeling Yoon A-young’s hand jabbing my side to snap me out of it, I looked at Satomi and smiled.
"I look forward to working with you. It'll be dangerous, but please protect me and protect Black Unicorn. I'll do my best to protect you too, Satomi."
"Thank you, Captain. But because of me, Black Unicorn has been banned from the dungeons..."
"It's fine. Satomi is more important than a temporary suspension."
Satomi spoke worriedly, but they’d have to be insane to actually go through with a dungeon ban.
We spent a long time talking with a grateful Satomi before deciding to rest.
It had been a busy day with the dungeon clear and everything else, so everyone fell fast asleep.
And the next morning, Atsuko came to find us.
Seeing her arrive on a day when we weren't even scheduled for a dungeon clear, a sense of dread washed over me.
"Hero Jeong Yeon-woo... I am sorry, but..."
"Is it the suspension?"
"Yes... As of today, Black Unicorn is banned from entering dungeons within Japan. The time of notification is 8:00 AM..."
Atsuko muttered, unable to look me in the eye.
They actually went through with it.
Are these people insane?