Chapter 39: Redheads don’t die! (5)

It was definitely not an easy fight.

If it were just based on stats and firepower, Yushin would have lost.

He only barely won by seeing through his opponent’s inexperience.

If his opponent had been as seasoned as Yushin.

No, if he had even been half as skilled as Yushin, he would never have lost.

But what does that matter now?

In the end, he was the winner, and the other was the loser.

Yushin believed that alone concluded the story, and it was true.

Surviving a lost battle was not as easy as one might think.

Maybe it’s different now in this academy setting, but in the world of Dark Fantasy, you’d suffer a fate worse than death.

Like becoming a slave or a living decoration.

Especially when he witnessed a defeated opponent being turned into a living ornament, he was so shocked that he couldn’t eat properly for days.

Anyway, leaving the old memories behind, Yushin savored the joy of his victory.

Athena, as well as Hayoung and Yuri, came over to congratulate him on his win.

“I knew you’d win, Oppa!”

“I… I believed in you! Yushin!”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“A splendid victory, Reville.”

‘He’s probably learned his lesson after this.’

Thinking so, Yushin turned his head, only to tilt it in confusion.

Hyunwoo had definitely been lying unconscious in the center of the arena.

For some reason, in the instant he turned his head, Hyunwoo’s figure had vanished.

‘What?’

‘I didn’t sense any presence.’

‘Did the medical team take him away in that short time?’

‘Well, no reason to worry about it.’

“Yushin.”

“Disciplinary Committee President?”

In the first place, Yushin couldn’t afford to pay any more attention to it.

An unexpected guest had come to see him.

The Disciplinary Committee President, Kang Seol-yeon, was now standing before him.

“This is surprising. I thought you’d go to your brother right away.”

“Hmph, he lost a fight he could have easily won. He brought it upon himself.”

“You’re strict, but you do have a kind side.”

“This incident will likely make him realize a few things on his own.”

Seol-yeon nodded in agreement.

Hyunwoo certainly had talent.

Enough talent to be promoted to Class S if he put his mind to it, yet.

He kept missing his chances due to arrogance and carelessness.

No matter how skilled you are, no matter how talented you are, if you repeatedly miss opportunities?

That in itself is your skill and your limit.

And as his older sister, Seol-yeon felt a sense of responsibility for Hyunwoo.

A responsibility for not having taught him properly.

“I’m going to briefly visit the infirmary to check on his condition, then return to my disciplinary duties immediately.”

“You’re not going to stay with him?”

“I’ve been too soft on him until now.”

“Hmm, I see.”

Yushin just nodded noncommittally.

Getting involved in someone else’s family affairs was a major hassle.

After sending Seol-yeon off, Yushin spoke.

“We can’t just let a day like today pass by.”

“So?”

“Let’s go straight home today and eat and drink.”

No matter what he had to do, Yushin wasn’t so boring as to let a day like this just slip away.

He could at least relax comfortably on a day like today.

At Yushin’s words, Yuri and Hayoung rejoiced and began listing the foods they wanted to eat.

Meanwhile, Athena couldn’t keep up, not knowing what any of the foods were.

Explaining them fell to Yushin.

But before they could have their party, there was something they had to do first.

That was taking Selena to the infirmary.

“I’m sorry, I was just a burden.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. After fighting him myself, I realized I couldn’t have handled him alone either.”

“I know, right? A senior is a senior, after all.”

Yuri chimed in, agreeing with Yushin.

Fighting Hopran, one of the second-year Class A students, had made her realize her own shortcomings.

‘I can’t stay by Oppa’s side like this.’

‘I need to obtain it too.’

‘My own power, my own awakening.’

But the girl’s wish would be answered a little later.

For now, Yuri chose to help her brother, Yushin, carry Selena to the infirmary.

Fortunately, Selena was only covered in scrapes and had no life-threatening injuries.

Nor did she have any critical wounds that would prevent her from being a hero in the future.

That was a relief.

“To think I was ambushed by two of them.”

“You were ambushed by two? By Meina and Hopran?”

“Yes? Hopran? Who’s that?”

“…?”

However, a crack appeared in an unexpected place.

Selena had no idea who Hopran was.

Yushin immediately noticed the unnaturalness of it.

“Yuri, didn’t you say Hopran was a famous powerhouse in the second-year Class A?”

“Did I say that?”

“Hmm.”

Yuri tilted her head and asked Yushin back.

Judging by her reaction, she didn’t seem to know who Hopran was either.

Unless she had short-term amnesia.

Someone had clearly intervened in this matter.

And this method was one that Yushin had suffered from terribly.

This dirty method of manipulating people’s memories at will; Yushin immediately scanned the infirmary.

But no matter how he looked, he couldn’t see Hyunwoo, who he thought would have been taken there.

Yushin gritted his teeth.

Athena approached the troubled Yushin.

“Reville, no, Yushin. No matter how I look at it, this seems to be his work.”

“I think so too.”

“Could it be, was he really alive?”

“There’s a saying that what you fear most comes true.”

Impossible.

I definitely killed him properly back then.

I even blocked off any possibility of resurrection, just in case.

But even if it’s impossible, there’s proof that he’s alive.

To deny it any further would be foolish.

He had to accept it.

The greatest and worst enemy he had ever faced in his life had reappeared before his eyes.

Even Athena, upon realizing the truth, wore a tense expression.

It couldn’t be helped.

Both I and Athena had suffered immensely at his hands.

Being treated as a non-existent person due to his mind-manipulation abilities, or being treated as an enemy by our comrades.

Some of them even had to end their own lives with their own hands.

Yushin and Athena, who could only watch as their comrades took their own lives, were deeply scarred.

And the one who appeared before them had the gall to say this.

[They have been saved. There is absolutely no reason to be sad.]

How could he not be furious when he said things like that?

Athena also despised the Sage intensely.

As a demigod, his abilities didn’t work on her, but the problem was that he would take the people around her hostage and openly threaten her.

‘If you don’t obey, everyone around you will die.’

Thanks to that, to save the people.

Athena had no choice but to deny Yushin’s achievements.

The guilt from that time still remained in Athena’s heart.

Even though Yushin himself said it was okay.

[He’ll let them live if I deny you? That’s a condition so good it’s almost foolish. You did well.]

In fact, Yushin knew that fame was a futile and expendable thing.

So he praised Athena’s actions.

Fame is not necessary.

But human lives are not.

A person who has died cannot be brought back to life by any means.

How much more so should one take care of the lives of those close to them?

But no matter how much Yushin said it was okay, Athena herself was not okay at all.

‘How dare he force me to do such a trashy thing.’

‘I will never forgive him.’

‘I will definitely end that bastard’s life with my own hands.’

‘That is the least I can do to atone.’

What meaning is there in a life controlled by others?

Can a life that proceeds according to a scenario determined by a god truly be called one’s own?

If I were to answer that question, I would say no.

The story of a hero defeating the demon king.

It is an honor to be a main character in that story.

But I have lost too much in that story.

It can’t be helped; sacrifices are inevitable.

That’s how I tried to comfort myself.

‘It can’t be helped.’

I was deliberately looking away.

But, the truth was far more cruel and sharp than I thought.

So painful that it felt like it would gouge out the eyes that witnessed it.

In fact, the ending of this story was already decided.

The humans who survive.

The humans who are sacrificed.

The good and the evil.

Everything was already set in stone.

Can this truly be called a life?

No, this is not a life.

If I had to say, it’s nothing more than a puppet show.

Therefore, I decided.

I will completely shatter the scenario that someone else arbitrarily decided.

The lives of puppets being controlled are of no concern.

On the contrary, for them, it would be a salvation.

They would no longer be manipulated at will.

If that isn’t salvation, then what is?

However, my plan failed completely.

By an absolute being who wished to protect this scenario.

I admit it.

My preparations were insufficient; I underestimated them too much.

But there is still a chance left.

The purple-haired girl, Hopran.

No, the thing that had taken the form of Hopran turned its head.

Before its eyes were two unconscious figures, a man and a woman.

May there be salvation for you.