Chapter 25: You Said It Was a Pure Love Diary, You Crazy Bastard.
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 25: You Said It Was a Pure Love Diary, You Crazy Bastard.
"So, you're saying you suddenly felt like shaking Kim Min-su down for cash?"
"Yes... yes... that's right..."
"Senior, why are you using formal speech? You're the older one, just speak casually."
"Oh? Oh... right, Tae-yang..."
The incident was wrapped up quickly.
Since Awakeners are only permitted to use their abilities in authorized situations, the fight hadn't escalated beyond a simple fistfight.
Baek Tae-yang had been hailed as a genius fighter even before his awakening; he couldn't have lost even if he wanted to.
"Isn't that a bit much... acting like it hurts that bad just because a few fingers are broken?"
"Tae-yang, I think you might have hit them a little too hard..."
"Min-su, uh... hmm... just go to class first."
Translated, it meant: You're in the way, so get lost.
Min-su, predictably failing to read the room, nodded with a clueless expression.
"Thanks! I actually had a lot to talk about with Yu-min anyway...! I'll head out first!"
Min-su sprinted toward the school gate as if his feet were on fire.
The group of seniors watched him go, their eyes pleading, Can't you let us go too? But there was no chance of that.
"Answer the question I asked earlier again."
"Today, for some reason... I just really felt like shaking Min-su down..."
"I told you to speak casually."
"I felt like it..."
Was he being manipulated for the sake of a cliché?
It didn't seem like he had simply become a better person because his heart opened up after a good beating.
Then again... what would someone lack in a school that only accepts the top 1% that they'd need to mug someone?
Since Victory provided monthly stipends and numerous cultural benefits, no one was at risk of starving. Even if they lived extravagantly, as long as they had the minimum for food, they could eat their fill at the cafeteria.
Cadets also receive character education until they become adults.
Only rare cases like Baek Tae-yang were rushed into a mid-term transfer to the Academy. Everyone else was thoroughly taught about the responsibility of power and social norms.
"Um... Tae-yang... if we wait any longer, we'll be marked late..."
"Stay still. I'm thinking."
"S-sorry..."
According to the Ginyu-style squad, they felt an unusual urge to take Min-su's money. They hadn't been thinking about it at all, but the moment they saw Min-su's face, they dragged him into the alley to mug him.
Is the author intervening in the novel...?
It was a rational deduction.
The author needed to create a cliché, but the setting where everyone received thorough character education must have been a hindrance.
But Kim Min-su needs to grow...
There was nothing better than a "good rewarded, evil punished" story to solidify an image of being kind and righteous. It was simple and easy to understand. Defeat the bad guys, save the good guys!
That would also explain the department store monster.
Chubby Ahn had looked incredibly shocked when he saw me. The author was likely trying to phase me out while pushing Min-su forward.
"Not a chance. Right?"
"Wh-what? What do you mean..."
"Just nod and agree."
"Right! You're exactly right, Tae-yang!"
"Whatever Tae-yang says is absolutely correct!"
Having received the support of so many people, I had plenty of objectivity.
Maybe this will make things even easier.
I could steal a significant portion of the protagonist's standing just by hijacking these cliché events. Right now, it was only 0.1%, but what if I took over every time a major incident occurred?
There was a possibility I wouldn't even need to go through the complicated process involving Yu-min.
"A lot of possibilities are opening up, aren't they?"
"Y-yes, Tae-yang...! But can we go to school now...?"
"We'll get a lot of demerits if we're late...!"
"It's definitely not because my knees are going numb or anything..."
Had I been lost in thought for too long? By the time I snapped out of it, it was time for school to start.
When I nodded and gestured with my chin, the five of them scrambled up simultaneously. They staggered toward the school gate, their legs clearly numb, looking quite pitiful.
"This might be easier than I thought."
My steps toward the gate were light.
++++++++
"Cadet Baek Tae-yang, could I see you for a moment?"
The person greeting me at the gate wasn't Su-jin.
"Yes?"
"We need to conduct an investigation regarding the incident at the department store."
It was a woman with brown hair, wearing a clean and neat office look. The only disappointing part was that she was wearing pants instead of a skirt, though that was to be expected.
Ryu Hye-mi...?
She was an instructor I hadn't seen before. Her name tag read [Research Instructor] in addition to her name, making her purpose clear.
"You don't need to worry about your classes. I'll take care of your attendance."
She spoke in a suggestive tone, but it was essentially an order.
Well, the research samples back then were all just corpses.
They must be severely lacking in clues. They needed to conduct research but had very few ways to do so. Since they couldn't figure much out from the footage, their only option was to investigate the person who had fought directly in that environment.
"Where should I go?"
"Please follow me."
She had a very intellectual image. She didn't look like a mere researcher to anyone's eyes. In an Academy where only the top 1% gathered, even the instructors' momentum was on another level. She gave off a strong vibe of I'm the expert, so just trust me and follow.
"Is Senior Su-jin also being investigated right now?"
"Yes, Cadet Yoo Su-jin is currently being questioned by Instructor Kim Seok-gu."
"Aha..."
There was a reason she wasn't at the gate.
Instructor Ryu walked ahead, telling me to follow. As soon as we passed the gate, we moved away from the other cadets; it seemed there was a separate building for investigations.
I should check her info while I have the chance.
[Licking Eyes activated! As a penalty, your gaze becomes greasy. Be careful not to cause severe misunderstandings!]
I had wanted to check her info since we first made eye contact, but I held back. There was no need to ruin my image by being misunderstood just because of my gaze.
==================================
[Name] Ryu Hye-mi
[Body] Height: 171cm / Weight: 60kg
[Description] She is the "older girl next door" who was close to Kim Min-su when they were young.
They grew up in the same neighborhood, but they were separated when she awakened first.
From a young age, she showed exceptional talent in the fields of research and investigation.
As a result, she practically skipped the cadet course, which is why she didn't receive education alongside Kim Min-su.
She still remembers a childhood promise that Kim Min-su has forgotten.
Normally, she doesn't care much for dressing up, but she is currently putting quite a bit of effort into her appearance.
Main Skill cannot be confirmed as she is still a virgin.
==================================
What?
My mind went blank.
At first, I didn't think there was any problem. But looking closer, there were more than a few suspicious things.
The "close neighborhood noona" setting? A childhood promise?
It was full of stories I knew nothing about. I doubted whether these settings were even necessary.
"Cadet Tae-yang, is something the matter?"
My body had stopped on its own upon seeing the shocking information window. I questioned whether what I was seeing was correct. I had been praising the skill's performance until yesterday, but today, I couldn't believe it.
If this was true, it was a serious problem.
"It's... nothing. Do I go in there?"
"Yes. Please wait a moment while I go gather the materials."
Instructor Ryu said that and left my side briefly. I opened the door in front of me and walked in. I had expected an atmosphere suited for an interrogation, but the room felt very cozy.
It feels similar to my room.
The first things I saw were a beam projector and a large screen.
Is she planning to explain while watching footage?
Two metal chairs were placed around an antique wooden table in the center. There were various other items as well, all clearly intended to suppress a heavy atmosphere.
The problem was, the atmosphere wasn't what mattered right now.
"Did you wait long? My apologies."
Instructor Ryu entered. The first impression I had thought was "intellectual" now looked different. From the "no-makeup" makeup to the C-curl perm and the sophisticated lipstick!
Now that I knew, she was dressed for a blind date.
Looking at it this way, her clothes too...
It was her workplace, and her usual image probably prevented her from wearing a skirt, but her outfit gave off a fresh spring vibe. Beige pants, a dress shirt that showed just a hint of cleavage, and a cardigan—she reeked of "female."
She hadn't broken her sophisticated image, but it was the scent of a woman who wanted to emphasize that she was a woman!
"Is there something on my clothes?"
"It's not that. I'm just a bit nervous."
"You haven't done anything wrong, Cadet Tae-yang, so you don't need to be nervous."
"In fact, you did something wonderful. You can look forward to a reward from the school."
Concluding with that, she turned on the beam projector and began displaying several photos.
"This is a photo taken when the goblins first appeared. Can you see the Gate appearing and disappearing very briefly?"
I couldn't hear her properly. The thoughts that had hit me the moment I saw the information window continued to scramble my brain.
"Cadet Tae-yang, you probably haven't learned much about Gates yet, but I assume you have a general idea."
If my suspicion was correct, the duration of the quest made sense. It wasn't a problem that would end with just the relationship between Yu-min and Kim Min-su, which is why a long period of one year was given.
"You know that this phenomenon is impossible. Were there any strange signs before the goblins first appeared? Like the ground shaking..."
"Instructor Ryu."
I couldn't suppress my curiosity any longer. If I didn't ask now, I wouldn't be able to focus on the conversation at all. I opened my mouth, praying it wasn't true.
"What do you think of Cadet Kim Min-su?"
It was an out-of-the-blue question that could make the atmosphere awkward. She might have suddenly frowned and gotten angry.
Please, just get angry.
Tell me I'm not focusing, that we're dealing with a serious matter and to save the small talk for later. I hoped she would give me a warning.
Please... please...
However, Instructor Ryu's face gradually turned red, and she started waving her hands frantically.
The worst variable, a disaster of unimaginable proportions, was happening right now.
"No, I mean, wh-what... he's just a cadet. To me, they're all... all the s-same cadets."
Fuck...
There was a reason the Main Quest emphasized only Kim Min-su's "pure love." If it was just about breaking up Yu-min and Min-su, it wouldn't have needed a whole year.
There was a reason for everything.
But the quest only emphasized Kim Min-su's pure love and gave a generous one-year deadline.
No, I only thought it was long.
I had been arrogant. I had misunderstood the intent of the quest. The true intent of the Main Quest wasn't to ruin a relationship he was currently in.
It meant I had to destroy Kim Min-su's love entirely.
This confirms it.
Why are ominous premonitions always so accurate?
The Academy Pure Love Diary is...
A harem pure love story.