The Myth of the High School Graduate
EP 2: The Myth of the High School Graduate
The initial goal of the High School Graduate Myth had been to gather money and points. But without any personal achievements to my name, appraising artifacts or crafting items on my own was difficult. That was why I accepted these kinds of requests. It was never out of some deep sense of self-sacrifice. Sacrifice meant throwing yourself into danger for someone else's sake. I had planned to call Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah the moment any real harm came my way, so from the very beginning I had nothing to do with anything so noble as sacrifice.
That said, I hadn't done nothing. Yes. It was true that I had made medicine for a pitiful child who had lost her parents. I left it by Lee Ah-rang's bedside, so by now she had probably woken up and taken it. In the process, I had acted rather aggressively. As a result, I provoked her aunt and signed a marriage registration form as an exchange condition. And, well, clink—. It was also true that handcuffs had been slapped on my wrists to prevent me from fleeing before the wedding. If you asked whether that counted as sacrifice… I wasn't so sure.
In the end, Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah would resolve the situation. Thinking that, I figured the crisis wasn't that severe yet. So—
"Ji-tae oppa. Why… why would you go that far?"
I wanted to say that there wasn't any particularly tragic emotion on my face that would warrant such a sad look. No, really. I meant it.
EP 2: The Myth of the High School Graduate
Guest room. Handcuffs were locked around my wrists, and Han Ye-jin was sniffling beside me. Of course, eight maids had been stationed to keep watch over me. Whether they felt guilty or not, they avoided my gaze or lowered their heads, but none of them had any intention of letting me escape. It was their job. Only natural. I held no resentment. I couldn't exactly share my escape plan with the loudly crying Han Ye-jin either. If the information I gave her somehow reached Lee Ji-eun through the maids, the rescue might fall through. So in this situation, the only option was to keep quiet.
Han Ye-jin bowed her head, shoulders trembling. I could hear her sobbing.
"Oppa. You didn't have to sacrifice yourself like that…. So why…?"
To Han Ye-jin right now, I was no different from a saint in a fairy tale. Someone who offered their body to a monster to save a complete stranger's life. The kind of person who deserved the title of self-sacrificing hero. 'It's really not like that, though.'
Rather than sacrifice, I was simply doing everything I could. Eyes, ears, arms and legs were all still attached, so it felt less like sacrifice and more like simply fulfilling my duty. Even so, Han Ye-jin was shedding tears for me now. Even if I couldn't explain the full details, it would only be polite to at least convey how I felt.
"…I just want Ah-rang to live a normal life and enjoy everyday things."
"…Huh?"
"She was locked in a room for five years, screaming and having seizures. Even so, when I went to see her and treated her a little kindly, she smiled."
The maids who had been keeping their heads down slowly raised them. They stared at me with blank eyes, as if asking what on earth I was talking about, as if such a thing couldn't possibly be true. I scratched my cheek awkwardly and forced a smile.
"I just… don't want anyone to be unhappy."
Of course, I knew from experience that such a thing was impossible. There were people in this world who could only find happiness in the misfortune of others. My mother had been one of them.
"…Well. 'Anyone' is probably asking too much. Still, within the range of my sight… that much should be fine."
Han Ye-jin looked like she was about to tear her hair out.
"Then oppa… oppa… who…"
The words 'My own happiness is something I have to find for myself, so don't worry about it'—ah. I really couldn't say that. It would ruin the mood. I forced a smile. It ended up looking like I was straining to do so. It really wasn't easy to manage my expression in front of women.
At that moment, the maids clutched their chests as if in pain. Their faces flushed, and they looked as though they had witnessed something heartbreaking, mouths open, bodies trembling as they held back tears. I wasn't an idiot. They were reacting that way because they thought I was sacrificing myself. Still, I didn't like this atmosphere.
Han Do-yeon answered her phone, her face turning ashen.
"Th-they say the wedding will be held in one hour. Th-they've even called everyone from the Samjin family, so they're saying to dress the groom in his wedding attire and have him wait…"
Like a sinner confessing her sins, Han Do-yeon spoke haltingly. It would take at least several hours for Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah to send someone here. So I needed to buy some time until then. A place with too many women was impossible. Still, if I could be certain they wouldn't harm me, I could endure it for a while. 'Though my mind will probably be ground to dust and I'll end up with neurosis.'
A maid removed the handcuffs and brought over the groom's attire. Using Hephaestus, I could tell it was top-grade. It must have cost a fortune.
"I'll take my clothes off myself."
I unbuttoned my shirt and exposed my upper body. The atmosphere in the guest room grew tense.
"……Yoo Ji-tae-nim. This is…"
"Mm. Ah, right."
My body was covered in scars. They weren't the result of training—anyone could tell at a glance that they were handmade with cruel malice. Scars, burn marks, and bruises that would never fade stained my entire body. And on my chest, a black scar still remained. I opened my mouth as if making an excuse.
"My mother… she used to hit me when I did something wrong. She'd been doing it since I was little. My older sister and younger sister didn't like me much either. The ones I got when I was older healed quickly, but the ones from when I was five or so still remain. Even I was surprised when she pressed a hot iron against my leg."
I didn't tell them everything. I had enough sense to know what shouldn't be said. I glanced around the room. Han Ye-jin's eyes were already dead, blood dripping from her bitten lips. The maids were in a similar state, veins bulging on their foreheads, eyes bloodshot. I flinched. Something about this felt frightening, so I curled up, trembling.
At that moment, it was as if a trigger had been pulled in everyone's minds—their gazes changed. Feeling uneasy, I looked at Han Do-yeon. She was drenched in cold sweat, her hands and feet shaking violently.
"Ah…. Ah…."
She pressed her lips together tightly, looking as though she might burst into tears herself, as if she had been the one hurt. It was over the top. …It had been terrifying back then, but that time had passed. These people were different from my mother. There was no reason for them to stand there like criminals. Unable to find the right words, I smiled.
"I'm really fine. It's to save a sick person, after all. If anything, I'm a little happy."
"Uwaaaaaah!!!"
Han Do-yeon burst into tears and snot, tearing the groom's attire to shreds on the spot.
"Just run away with us and live together!!!!"
"No. That's impossible."
How was I supposed to live with a superhuman woman who could casually rip apart the finest wedding attire?
*****
Lee Ah-rang had been sitting on the bed for a long time. It was because a maid who had come running in tears had told her everything that had happened. The news that Yoo Ji-tae had accepted marriage to her aunt in order to save her was something she had to go over several times before she could even begin to understand.
When she saw the medicine bottle by her bedside that morning, she had thought something had gone terribly wrong, but she had never imagined the situation would turn out like this.
"What did Ji-tae say?"
The maid spoke through her tears. Her explanation was a mess, but hearing it again made it clear.
-"I'm really fine. It's to save a sick person, after all. If anything, I'm a little happy."
"If I say I don't need medicine or anything like that, will Aunt let Ji-tae go?"
The maid didn't answer.
"Right. That was a stupid question."
Lee Ah-rang sat blankly, staring at the medicine bottle. What it contained was clearly an elixir. There was no way anything he gave her could be defective. She couldn't allow herself to think it might be defective.
"Aunt really is vicious. That's why she couldn't get married even at that age."
Lee Ah-rang buried her face in the blanket.
"I wanted to talk about this and that with Ji-tae a little more."
"Aah… aah…"
Lee Ah-rang, who had been running her fingers through her already disheveled hair, let out a loud scream. It was a high-pitched cry that was almost a shriek, loud enough to make the nearby maid fall backward in surprise.
"Why! Why does Aunt always take everything away!? She killed Mom! Took the company! And now she's even trying to take my friend… away…! Why! Why is this happening!?"
Even as she screamed, Lee Ah-rang knew the answer. Panting, she collapsed onto the bed. The medicine bottle was still clutched in her hand.
"I need… power…"
Lee Ah-rang opened the bottle. If it contained something mysterious, it would surely take her to the realm of awakening. She had a strange certainty about that.
When she drank the medicine, a hot energy surged up from inside her body.
"Kuhk."
Pain as if her entire body were being burned alive. It was the foundation work to change her body from that of an ordinary person to that of an Awakener, from the very roots. Of course, this wasn't the end. Lee Ah-rang still had to overcome several distant thresholds.
Lee Ah-rang muttered.
"…I'll take it all back."
There were two minimum conditions for acquiring a skill upon awakening. To desire one thing with tremendous obsession. And to survive. The elixir's performance had satisfied the second condition. Only one condition remained. A powerful wish. The skill would manifest in an optimized form to achieve what she desired.
"I'll take it all back…"
Coughing up blood, Lee Ah-rang gripped the blanket and ground her teeth.
"I'll take everything back…"
Beyond her blurry vision, a single skill revealed itself. In the past, he had been a hero who dominated an era and loved his wife. Even after losing everything in defeat, he never stopped fighting. Everyone acknowledged his personal flaws, but his courageous fighting spirit was passed down to later generations.
The heat in Lee Ah-rang's body cooled. The haggard appearance she had gained from battling illness was gone. Her hair, shining as if poured from silver, glowed, and her snow-white skin looked so delicate it might crumble at a touch. Her originally small frame remained the same, but she now exuded an aura that made onlookers feel as though they were facing a silver lion. Though her appearance was merely cute on the surface, fighting spirit and killing intent spiraled wildly in her eyes.
Lee Ah-rang clenched her fist. A status window appeared before her. She read it.
Seochopaewang (A)
Enhances the user's physical abilities in multiple directions. The level of enhancement fluctuates in proportion to the user's mental state. Additionally, the user can perfectly wield all weapons that exist in the world. During combat, the user possesses absolute resistance to all attacks except physical ones.
*****
Meanwhile, the wedding hall was packed with Lee Ji-eun's acquaintances and members of the Samjin family. It was only natural. A woman from a chaebol family who had lived alone for so long without a husband had finally taken a younger man. It was cause for celebration.
"Ji-eun unni. Congratulations. I heard you caught yourself a young husband? Where is he? Let me see his face."
"He's getting ready right now. You'll see him soon anyway. No need to rush."
Lee Ji-eun looked like she was about to die of happiness. A husband, and as a legal wife at that. On top of that, he was a cute younger man. Every time Lee Ji-eun talked about her husband in front of her friends and family, the corners of her mouth curled upward.
Later, as the wedding was about to begin, Lee Ji-eun's mind was filled with rosy images of married life. Yes. Ji-tae always wore cheap clothes. So first, before the honeymoon, they should go shopping. What would suit him? The honeymoon would be in Dubai, so she should check out all the new summer collections. She would spend a few hours picking out clothes at their department store, then take him to that French restaurant she knew and give him a proper proposal. Two children would be nice. If they had children, she wouldn't let them fight like she and Ji-an did. She would raise them with plenty and fairly from a young age. Would Ji-tae like kids? Still, a family-oriented man was good, but she hoped he wouldn't like them more than she did.
"Uhehehe."
"Look at her. Her mouth is practically up to her ears."
"Is it?"
"Yeah. Why don't you come to a couples' gathering this time? You're a legal wife now too."
"Sure. Thanks. Ah. It's about to start. I'll go."
Lee Ji-eun, dressed in her wedding gown, sat in the bride's seat. The hall went dark, and a spotlight illuminated the door through which the groom would enter. As everyone's attention focused—
BOOM!!!
The door shattered into pieces.
"This wedding is invalid."
A silver-haired woman appeared. At the sudden turn of events, the lights in the hall turned on brightly, and the guests murmured. What on earth was this commotion?
"Ah-rang? Has your illness been cured?"
In the midst of it all, Madam Lee Seon-hee spoke. Due to the reverse aging characteristic of ability users, her appearance was almost no different from Lee Ah-rang's, which only added to everyone's confusion.
The one who cut through the murmuring was Lee Ji-eun, the star of the event.
"Ah-rang-ah. Aunt is getting married. Ah. You know the groom, right? It's Ji-tae-ssi, someone you know well too."
Lee Ji-eun mocked her with a wide smile, as if to say there was nothing she could do about it now.
"Aunt."
"Hm? What's wrong? Ah-rang-ah."
"From now on, I challenge you to a plunder marriage."
The inside of the hall fell into a brief silence.
"…Plunder marriage?"
In the past, before the framework of virtuous wife competitions was properly established, even married people had been targets of contention. Using money, skill, appearance, or age to steal someone else's husband had been common. Because of that, after society became ability-centric, the Male Management Department established a rule to prevent such indiscriminate husband theft. That rule was the plunder marriage system. By challenging head-on and winning, one could take the husband. But there was a condition attached to it.
"Ahahahahaha! How stupid. Do you really think that would work? Plunder marriage? Why would I accept something like that?! Are you an idiot?"
Plunder marriage duels without the other party's consent were prohibited.
"Are you running away? An adult, acting so disgracefully. Aunt, you're a college graduate. You should be able to defeat a rookie like me no problem."
"Ah-rang-ah. Your sense of humor has really improved. What I mean is, why would I have to accept that? There's no merit in it."
"Merit."
Lee Ah-rang nodded.
"Then let's do this. Grandmother. If I lose, please transfer all the shares you own to Aunt."
"Ah-rang-ah."
"Please, Grandmother."
Lee Ji-eun quickly calculated. Lee Ah-rang had only just gotten out of bed. On top of that, she probably didn't have any proper abilities, and even if she had awakened, as a mage she would only be at the Refined Realm at best. There was zero chance that Lee Ji-eun, who was at the Condensing Realm one level above, would lose.
The Samjin family members who had been watching the situation gradually spoke up.
"A virtuous wife is an incarnation of power. If you lose here to your niece who is only at the beginning of the Refined Realm, can you really say you have the qualifications of a virtuous wife?"
"Exactly! A virtuous wife is someone who protects her husband with power. If she can't even defeat a high school girl-level niece, then she shouldn't get married!"
The guests murmured all around. As if to cut through the murmuring, Lee Ji-eun stared at her mother.
"Fine. I'm sick of getting tangled up with you too! Mother! Then if I win here, you have to transfer the shares."
Madam Lee Seon-hee looked between the two of them, sighed, and sat down.
"Very well."
Lee Ah-rang smiled.
"It's just like the promise of the King of Western Chu."
At those words, some of the guests let out exclamations.
"The Chu-Han Contention!"
"It's the race between Xiang Yu and Liu Bang!"
"Ordinary people only study the Romance of the Three Kingdoms as general knowledge, but adding the Records of the Grand Historian on top of that. Quite a high level."
The guest seats were cleared, creating a stage for the two to fight, and several butlers in suits brought cameras and set them up.
"We will preserve this footage as notarized evidence. We will also broadcast it live to prevent any future disputes over the outcome."
A live stream went live on the official Samjin Department Store channel. Comments began flooding in instantly.
Lee Ah-rang, looking at the camera, smiled brightly.
"Yoo Ji-tae. He's my one and only rice bowl in this world."
*****
["Yoo Ji-tae. He's my one and only rice bowl in this world."]
I was watching the situation in the wedding hall. The place I was in was the CCTV room. The maids had said they would hide me until the incident was resolved, so I had somehow ended up following them. The wedding hall had already become a duel arena. Lee Ah-rang's hair had turned silver-white, as if she had taken the medicine and awakened, and Lee Ji-eun was wearing a black combat suit. Both were warming up in peak condition.
"They say it's a live broadcast. One of them is finished."
"What if Miss Ah-rang loses?! Then it's over!!"
"Ugh… Should we run away now…"
The maids were biting their nails, nearly in tears. Wondering what the internet opinion was like, I casually accessed the Alchemist, the Alchemy Association's community. It was filled with stories about the Samjin family.
It was a crucible of enthusiasm. Even if there were usually some twisted feelings, in the end they were alchemists. When results came out, they genuinely rejoiced. I was grateful for that part. I scrolled up afterward.
"What? Is this real?"
On a whim, I checked the internet live stream and it really was true. I had asked Secretary Yoo Hyun-ah, but I never expected her to go this far. I was truly grateful. With this, the problem was over.
"…I'm really tired."
Honestly, there had been too many exhausting things. Once the situation was resolved, I should go home first and sleep all day. Without being disturbed by anyone. Quietly, alone.
Smiling, I was watching the broadcast when—
["The target of this Samjin family's plunder marriage is said to be Yoo Ji-tae, a man who was previously rescued. From now on, we will release a photo of the man in question."]
"Wait, hold on."
But the broadcast paid no attention to that and showed my face. Right now, all the users of Alchemist were watching this broadcast. With a sinking feeling, I placed my finger on the smartphone screen, swiped up, and refreshed.
"Ah."
The bulletin board had exploded.
Blood dripped from my bitten lips.
"Why."