Chapter 12. Sacrifice (3)
April 23rd, Friday, around seven in the evening. Inside the break room of Professor Seo Sang-wook's private lab, I sat face-to-face with Charlotte Tate alone.
The other two heroes and Professor Seo Sang-wook had stepped out to discuss something separately, and on the table between her and me floated a small mana construct.
It was the research I'd published at the beginning of the month. A universal defensive construct applicable to all magic C-rank and below.
"How on earth did you come up with something like this...?"
I gave Charlotte Tate, who repeated her admiration for what must have been the umpteenth time, the same response I'd given before.
"I just put my mother's theory into concrete practice. I didn't do much myself."
"Anyone can have the idea that even someone without mana could awaken and climb to first-class mage level. But this is the result you achieved, so don't deny it. If researchers were overly humble, what would that make us, flying all the way to Korea just to see this one thing?"
She took a sip of her steaming coffee.
Me, Professor Seo Sang-wook, Charlotte Tate, Andrey Ilyin, Arnaud Duré. The five of us had arrived at the lab over an hour ago, and the three heroes who'd examined the research all agreed without hesitation.
This defensive construct was, without a doubt, a revolutionary discovery. Worth their trip from afar.
Hearing that, I gained certainty. The trap I'd hidden in this defensive construct—no one would find it unless I revealed it myself.
After all, it was installed using my A-rank trait, Peeping Eye, tailored for constructs C-rank and below.
No matter how high their level, no mage would suspect this structurally perfect construct.
So, in conclusion, though they'd come for technical exchange, there wasn't much to discuss with them. I'd already declared I would distribute the defensive construct worldwide.
Europe would just adopt it a tiny bit earlier than other continents. Their entourage, not the 36 Heroes, would handle the preparations.
Professor Seo Sang-wook had taken the two men aside not for business, but because it was a golden opportunity to have his own research evaluated by the eyes of the 36 Heroes. He seemed thoroughly excited today.
Charlotte Tate, however, had no interest in that and stayed behind because she had more to talk about with me.
She fixed me with a serious gaze.
"The kid you called here is named Jin Yu-ri, right?"
"Yes, Jin Yu-ri. She's one of the top three students at the school where I work, and the odds are very high that she's an immune body holder."
"Well, we'll see when she gets here. Could you tell me exactly what you want again?"
"Please confirm if she's an immune body holder. Assess her talent level. And if you could give her some advice, I'd be grateful."
"That's all?"
Charlotte Tate gazed at me steadily after her short retort, her eyes piercing like they could see right through me. I answered in my usual tone.
"For now, I just ask that you take a look at her. If you get interested, Charlotte, then next time, I'd like to propose a deal instead of a favor."
"Fine by me—I get to see your sister Sea after ten years. You said that Jin Yu-ri kid and your sister are rivals?"
"Yeah... though they've gotten a bit closer lately, she's more rival than friend."
But then, she chuckled softly and asked with a meaningful tone.
"Do you know why I asked your sister to come too?"
"From the way you're putting it, it doesn't seem like you just wanted to see her. Probably something related to Yu-ri."
"You'll find out soon enough."
She left it at that, and just then, the sound of a car pulling up outside the window caught my ear.
After some bustling noise, six people opened the break room door and entered.
"We met them at the entrance and brought them here."
Professor Seo Sang-wook's explanation. Arnaud Duré and Andrey Ilyin watched the other three with intrigued eyes.
"......"
Lee Sea blinked quietly before bowing her head slightly to Charlotte Tate.
"G-Good evening!"
Jin Yu-ri greeted in her unmistakably Korean-accented English, while Jin Cheol-min looked somber. With me and Charlotte Tate, that made eight people, and then a hologram appeared.
You have successfully completed the first sub-quest of Volume 2 of Kill the Evil!
Clear Condition: By 9 PM on April 23rd, gather a total of five people at one place: second-year high school student at National Academy 1, Jin Yu-ri; Lee Sea; 'Sword Queen' Charlotte Tate; 'Dreamer' Arnaud Duré; 'Blue Eyes' Andrey Ilyin.
Reward: Authority to fine-tune the second sub-quest of Volume 2 of Kill the Evil
A ridiculously easy quest. But the reward could be used very effectively.
It would be too optimistic to think the hologram was just feeling generous for no reason.
As I organized my thoughts, Charlotte Tate suddenly stood from her chair and approached Jin Yu-ri and Lee Sea.
"There's translation magic, so speak comfortably in Korean. Sea, do you remember me?"
"......Yes."
From her expression, she didn't seem to remember well. Whether she knew or not, Charlotte Tate looked down at Lee Sea with soft eyes before turning to Jin Yu-ri.
"You're the one with the immune body?"
"Y-Yes. No, yes...!"
Jin Yu-ri, visibly tense, answered in a shrill voice and glanced at me. I just gave a faint smile, and Charlotte Tate said,
"It's hard to check properly here, so shall we go somewhere spacious?"
"The magic lab is quite large and sturdy against impacts, so let's go there. I'll guide you."
"No. Just the four of us: me, Sea, Yu-ri, and Dojin. Too many people might interfere."
Charlotte Tate, advising even the 36 Heroes, the magic engineering authority Professor Seo Sang-wook, and Jin Yu-ri's father Jin Cheol-min not to follow, exited first.
I knew the magic lab's location. As we walked the corridor with the other three, I started a conversation to ease the tension.
"Pretty shocked, huh?"
I directed the question more at Jin Yu-ri than Lee Sea.
She stammered, "Y-Yeah... really shocked."
"Don't be nervous. She's an amazing person, so listen well to what she says—it'll help on your path."
"Yes, Professor. Thank you so much..."
By then, we'd reached the magic lab. Lights flicked on in the dim space, and in the center, Charlotte Tate and Jin Yu-ri faced each other.
A few seconds of silence. Then Charlotte Tate spoke abruptly.
"I can't tell just by looking if you're an immune body holder. But if you have that power, I can teach you an easy way to draw it out."
Her following explanation sounded logical if logical, illogical if illogical.
"Immune body holders perceive their internal mana as foreign. You know that, right?"
"Yes."
"So it's hard to control mana, and even harder to activate the immune body."
Activation—that's what she meant. The construct Jin Yu-ri had manifested in her magic engineering practical exam. A power like a sure-kill move with low activation odds for immune body holders, but capable of immensely influencing external mana.
Charlotte Tate was the only awakener in the world who wielded it freely.
"What were you thinking when you succeeded in activation yesterday?"
"......"
"Tell me honestly, just as it was. Otherwise, I can't help."
"......"
Jin Yu-ri glanced between me and Lee Sea. She hesitated, lips pressed tight, then answered in a thread-like voice.
"......I didn't want to lose. Even if the results were bad, I thought I should show what I could do properly..."
"I see?"
Charlotte Tate nodded as if it made sense, then said quietly,
"Competitive spirit, the desire to prove yourself to someone who gets under your skin. That must be your trigger. Recall that moment and activate your immune body. I'll give you an hour."
She elaborated: There was no systematic way to activate an immune body. Triggers varied by person, shaped by their life experiences, making it hard for others to help.
"Unless it's someone who can evoke that emotion in the holder, all I can do is give verbal advice. I brought you two here together because you were there for her first activation... Looks like that was the right call."
Addressing me and Lee Sea, Charlotte Tate glanced to the opposite side.
Jin Yu-ri, already ten minutes in, was struggling alone, her face like a lost puppy—far from her usual self—as she looked our way.
No wonder; it must feel utterly hopeless. A power she'd awakened long ago but never drawn out.
Consciously manifesting it would be hard even in a day, let alone an hour.
"Hngh, urgh—!"
Boom!
Right after Jin Yu-ri let out a groan-like shout, a reddish orb appeared in the air.
A normal construct, detectable by Peeping Eye. Charlotte Tate, watching intently, said to me and Lee Sea,
"Want to go help?"
"How?"
"I don't know the specifics. I don't know exactly what happened yesterday, so recreate a similar atmosphere."
At her simple advice, Lee Sea and I walked over to Jin Yu-ri.
"What? Why are you here? Ah... it's not what I told the professor."
"......"
Lee Sea shot her a slight glare, and I explained: She said recreating yesterday's situation would help, so we came.
"A situation like yesterday...?"
Muttering to herself, Jin Yu-ri pondered deeply. Then, hesitantly, she said to Lee Sea,
"Could you... say something mean to me? Like curse words?"
"......?"
"Huh?"
Lee Sea was surprised, and so was I. Jin Yu-ri, face flushing, elaborated.
"Not really harsh curses, just bad words. Like ignoring or mocking me."
"......"
Lee Sea stared blankly before sighing heavily. Then, in a voice full of reluctance, she spoke.
"......Is that all you've got?"
Even though she'd asked for it, it seemed to sting; Jin Yu-ri winced slightly.
"Harsher."
"I think I did better than you on the exam this time. ......And I probably will from now on. So starting now, I'll keep winning."
Was that really just for show? It didn't feel entirely devoid of sincerity...
As expected, it worked better than the first. It was based somewhat on facts, not just made up.
Jin Yu-ri's shoulders trembled as she asked again.
"Say more. Anything you've always wanted to say to me. I won't complain later."
"I don't get it, but... the kids say I'm way prettier than you."
"Again."
"I overheard... some kids talking bad about you."
"......Again."
"Three guilds you want to join contacted me back in middle school, saying come as soon as you graduate high school. ......Even though my grades were lower than yours."
"......"
"They still contact me sometimes."
"............Again."
"Once I studied for the written exam... it wasn't that hard. I studied less than half the time you did."
"Liar...! ......No, again."
Lee Sea, expressionless as if she'd given up deep thought, repeated mechanically, while Jin Yu-ri's face grew redder.
This farce was getting too painful to watch, so I intervened.
"Need any help from me?"
Jin Yu-ri, looking mentally battered, gazed at me with weary eyes and replied,
"Just... say I can do it well."
"You got this. Hang in there."
"......A bit more sincerely, ......gently, please."
"Yu-ri, you can do it."
"Ah... Yes, ......thank you."
My gentlest tone embarrassed her, and she squirmed slightly. Around then, Lee Sea's word choices grew sharper.
"Written, practical—from now on, I'll be better. You just take first in general subjects. ......The ones useless after graduation."
Still expressionless and monotone, but the intensity made it eerier. Jin Yu-ri's anger neared its limit, and Lee Sea landed the decisive blow.
"You'll be under me... forever."
A bit too much, I thought—and sure enough.
Jin Yu-ri finally exploded.
"Y-You...! Shut up!?"
"You can do it. Fighting."
I slipped in my encouragement right then. Not sure if it helped, but...
It manifested anyway.
Shooooaaa—!
The absorption-type construct Jin Yu-ri manifested.
> Peeping Eye (Rank A) activated.
> Construct unmeasurable.
It floated erratically through the lab air. Power beyond mere absorption. It sought to suck in even the ambient mana.
"Ah..."
Jin Yu-ri stared up at her own construct in a daze, and applause came from afar.
Clapping as she approached, Charlotte Tate said to her,
"17 minutes 43 seconds. It took me over 23 minutes for my second activation."
"Ah, I just got lucky..."
Charlotte Tate calmly denied it.
"Immune body holders don't have luck. Just talent and effort."
"Yes..."
"Jin Yu-ri, right? I vouch for you. Keep at it without giving up, and you can reach this level."
Her eyes as she said it... felt strangely cold somehow.
Not taking my eyes off her, I stepped forward.
"Charlotte, I'd like to make that proposal now."
With Jin Yu-ri, Lee Sea, and Charlotte Tate watching, I got to the point.
"If you rate Yu-ri's talent highly, I'd like you to teach her, Charlotte. At least while you're in Korea. And after, if possible."
Smiling as if she'd expected it, Charlotte Tate probed,
"Since it's a deal, you must have prepared compensation... Tell me what it is, and I'll consider."
"Beyond this defensive construct, all future magic research I conduct. As long as you help this kid, I'll help you too, Charlotte."
The best card I could offer. Jin Yu-ri looked at me in shock.