Chapter 29: Reunion with Unexpected Friends (4)

As a result, this incident was handled solely by Instructor Lee Young-seok.

From Yu-shin’s perspective, it was a very bitter ending.
But there was no other means to find out more.
Instructor Lee Young-seok was already not in a sane state.

To put it vulgarly, he had become a wreck.

Instructor Lee Young-seok, with his unsound mind, could not properly answer the questions asked.
He simply sat there, staring blankly into space, like a puppet with its strings cut.

Thanks to that, Instructor Lee Young-seok was dragged away like a child by the other academy instructors who had rushed over.
Heard that his prognosis probably wouldn’t be very good.

[We also have a technique to directly extract memories from the brain.]

[What happens to that person if you use that?]

[They probably won’t be able to recover their mind for the rest of their life.]

It could be called a cruel judgment.
But that doesn’t mean it’s incomprehensible.

This world is strictly a world in which a war with monsters is ongoing.
Even in conflicts between humans, there are many cases where traitors are punished as thoroughly as possible.

Furthermore, the opponents are not even humans, but monsters.

But to betray fellow humans and side with monsters, and even personally transform into a monster?
Now he wouldn’t be treated as a human.

He didn’t feel any sympathy.

He also knew that a lot of dirty work was done this way.

The world does not operate solely through clean methods.

Yu-shin himself, who saved the world as a hero, knew that best.
Moreover, he had no good memories of Instructor Lee Young-seok, so there was no loyalty or obligation to save him.

And above all, Yu-shin had a more pressing fire at his feet.

The definition of monsters is anything that crosses over from other dimensions through gates.
Even if a creature infinitely close to a human appears there.

Everyone agreed to treat it as a monster.

In other words, according to that logic, Athena was also considered a monster.
Thanks to that, the instructors regarded Athena as a monster and immediately tried to subjugate her.

“The welcome is rougher than I expected.”

The problem was that Athena instantly subdued everyone.
But Athena was clearly a strong individual who had reached the realm of heroes.
There was quite a lot of talk about the realm of heroes.

If there was anything commonly accepted, it was power strong enough to face an army alone.
Or having such methods or means was usually what they called it.

In fact, terms like ‘realm of heroes’ might sound grand.
But one couldn’t judge it precisely.
Since each person’s values of power and visible magnitude were all different.

Anyway, thanks to Athena subduing all the instructors.
He managed to buy some time.
Yu-shin didn’t miss that opportunity and immediately proposed a deal to Principal Ban Se-rin.

“Are you saying you’ll raise monsters directly?”

“They’re not monsters.
To put it simply, they’re like contracted summons.”

“Hmm? Summons, you say?
Then is that one a servant?”

Fortunately, this world also had heroes who were servants, or summoners.
Servants were, literally, monsters directly commanded by heroes through contracts.

There were those who stopped at nothing to win the war against monsters.
Some of them created a system where monsters could be commanded through contracts.

They created the so-called Servant System.
He heard that among monsters, there were quite a few species that were hostile to each other or friendly to humans.

It was a system to fight other monsters by contracting with them.
To summarize it in one word, perhaps it was like ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’.
Of course, there were also those who distrusted this system.

Bluntly speaking, they were also monsters.

How could one trust them and put their back into their hands?

But Yu-shin had learned in a previous history class that they had received too much help from the Servant System to ignore or abolish it now.

‘This is more helpful than I thought.’

Just by focusing in class, he could utilize information so usefully.
Thanks to that, Yu-shin could make a fairly plausible excuse to the principal who had come directly.

Moreover, Ban Se-rin had already firmly decided to support Yu-shin.
Thanks to that, Athena was treated as Yu-shin’s servant and the matter could be smoothly glossed over.

“Did a problem arise because of me?”

“Yes, but it was resolved somehow.”

“I apologize.
I didn’t intend to cause trouble.”

“If you know, then do better from now on.”

Perhaps a little flustered by Yu-shin’s scolding.
Athena cleared her throat with an embarrassed expression.
Yu-shin was slightly surprised inwardly by her unexpectedly mild reaction, but.

He maintained as calm an expression as possible outwardly.

Because he wanted to avoid being unnecessarily discovered and having a barnacle cling to him.
She was even immortal, so she wouldn’t die.
Even if he sealed her, she would eventually break free on her own.

‘But I can’t abandon a comrade who suffered with me either.’

No matter who Yu-shin was, the feeling of cherishing his comrades remained.
Athena, in particular, was a comrade who had suffered with him almost from beginning to end.

He even owed her a lot.

That was why Yu-shin couldn’t bring himself to abandon her.

No matter how annoying she was.

If she hadn’t been there, he wouldn’t have been able to overcome the trials and would have ended up as a corpse.
Even if that wasn’t the case, Yu-shin wasn’t so rotten to the core as to turn away from a comrade who was alone in an unfamiliar world.

But he had to make sure of one thing.
Why on earth did she, an immortal, deliberately end up in this other world?
Yu-shin sighed and said.

“Then let’s have a talk.
What was your purpose in coming here?”

At first, Yu-shin had hated her so much it caused a stir.
But as his emotions subsided and he regained his composure.
Questions slowly began to sprout in his mind.

No matter how obsessed with dueling she was.

Would she cross dimensions just for a single duel?

She was a demigod and a guardian deity protecting a continent?

Yu-shin, having regained his composure, soon realized that assumption was absurd.
The Athena Yu-shin knew was not a scoundrel who would abandon her mission.

There must be a plausible reason.

For example, the revival of the Demon Lord.
Or cultists starting to spread rampantly again.
Could she be looking for him, the hero, for such a reason?
That thought crossed his mind.

“I’m looking for someone.”

“For what reason?
Is it some incredible story or something?”

“No, I’m looking for him for a strictly personal reason.”

Naturally, Athena had no choice but to answer this way.
Out of longing for the hero, unable to overcome her desire to see him again, she had come all the way here.

However, Yu-shin, hearing that reply, thought.

‘Surely she didn’t really come all the way here just for a duel?’

Not for a greater cause, but for a strictly personal reason?

Surely not, right?

“This is surprising.
To think it would turn out as you said.”

His exaggerated gestures could not be concealed even by the deep darkness.
He was a middle-aged man impeccably dressed in a suit, wearing a fedora on his head.

Outwardly, he looked like an ordinary gentleman.
Neatly combed hair, the scent of perfume emanating from his body, and above all, excellent looks.

But anyone who knew even a little about men would have either run away or tried to take the man’s life.
The reason was simple.

He wasn’t human.

The man smiled and took a sip of the liquid in the wine glass he held.
Gleaming with a deep red, it looked like wine at first glance.

However, a keen-eyed person, or someone familiar with that liquid.
Would recognize that the liquid in the glass was blood.

Just in time, a test subject conveniently rolled in.
Thanks to that, he could conduct a good experiment.
The power of the newly formed alliance, and a potential enemy.

“However, I can’t believe it.
Is that guy Baek Yu-shin truly the hero?”

[No doubt.
Perhaps not others, but I can tell.]

“How can you be so certain?”

[Because I was once his comrade.]

His appearance was not visible.
Only his voice echoed in the deep darkness.
But the man nodded, as if understanding, and said.

“If you say so, it must be so.
How about it?
Would you like a drink?”

[I’ll overlook minor taunts.
But if you mess things up, then…]

“Don’t worry.
Isn’t the Sage, who was the hero’s comrade, helping me?”

He had already heard the entire story from him, so he had a general understanding of the situation.
This other world, here.
And also, a world different from the one they originally lived in.

Who would have known?

The Sage, the hero’s comrade, was actually the mastermind manipulating the Demon Lord and the demons?
He even considered the hero an obstacle and exiled him.

Everything seemed to be going according to his plan.

Until the hero returned, bravely wielded his sword, and cut off his neck.
Everyone must have thought he was dead.
Even the hero himself.

But he survived imperfectly.

And once again, he seeks to achieve his goal.