novelraw Chapter 281 : Chapter 281
Chapter 281 : Chapter 281
Chapter 281: Preparation
Da-yeon, having said that, pushed her head even closer.
She was so close that even her faint breath clearly touched my skin as she silently glared at me.
“You promised me. That you wouldn’t lie to me anymore. And yet, you did it again.”
I flinched and avoided her gaze.
This was a story from several months ago.
At the Invention Day event, I had vaguely glossed over the topic of Da-yeon’s mother to prevent her from getting hurt, but I properly apologized and promised never to lie again.
But this isn't exactly a lie, is it?
As I silently avoided her gaze, Da-yeon raised both hands and sharpened her fingernails.
With her attitude suggesting she was about to scratch my face, I ultimately surrendered first.
“Ah, fine. Got it. I lost.”
It would be troublesome if she peeled off the fake face attached to my real one.
Setting aside the cost, it was a difficult item to acquire, after all.
I lightly rubbed the area under my chin with my thumb.
The space above my face shimmered like a mirage and then returned to its original appearance.
Then, the mask that had covered my entire face dropped with a thud—.
Holding the mask in my hand, I sighed and asked,
“How did you know? Even the Swordmaster couldn't tell.”
This mask is no ordinary item.
God of a Thousand faces.
Literally meaning 'God of a Thousand Faces', it’s a mask containing the Trait of a villain who had reached the pinnacle of disguise.
That villain, who had been active for 20 years yet whose tail hadn't been caught, was, in a way, a villain best described as the strongest.
The only reason I managed to catch him was simply due to the Sage having the good luck to spot him and follow his traces.
And instead of capturing and imprisoning him, I received the mask containing his Trait.
The effect was so good that even I couldn't recognize Wolf Fang when he was disguised with the mask right in front of me, and seeing that the sharp-eyed Swordmaster didn't recognize me, I was confident I'd never be exposed.
To think I’d be caught so easily.
Regardless of my distress, Da-yeon smiled brightly as she looked at me returned to my original appearance.
“Well.”
She stretched out one hand and placed it on my solar plexus, and the other on her own chest.
“Whenever the Professor is next to me, my heart pounds this strongly. It palpitates so much that I can't stay still for a moment.”
“...Isn’t that an arrhythmia?”
I muttered awkwardly.
She wasn’t realizing her heart was pounding because she saw me, but she was realizing I was nearby because she noticed her heart was pounding.
Isn't that something she should go to the hospital for, rather than a simple ability?
“No way.”
This time, she grabbed my hand and placed it on her chest.
That series of motions was so natural that for a moment, I was half-lost and followed her lead.
Fortunately, before things went further—
“That's enough.”
The Swordmaster, who was sitting across from us, swung his sheathed sword and knocked my wrist upward.
Only then did I snap back to my senses and push her hand and face away.
“Right. It's a relief if it's not an illness.”
Da-yeon pouted, having missed the chance to make significant progress.
What a person, utterly useless in life!
“But you have an iron stomach.”
I fiddled with the mask that had fallen from my face.
It wasn't a fitting expression for the face I was about to use for a while, but honestly, it was hideous.
When I first received the face and looked in the mirror, even I was startled.
Half of the face was melted away by burns, and the other half didn't have a good impression either.
No, I deliberately chose a grotesque appearance.
Especially this burn scar covering half the face—it only drew attention momentarily at first, but after that, everyone naturally wanted to look away.
To approach such a face so closely.
Da-yeon answered as if it were nothing.
“What's important isn't the appearance, but the inside, isn't it?”
“That’s not wrong.”
Da-yeon rested both hands on the sofa and leaned her head toward me again.
“So, what brings you here?”
It was already rare for me to come looking for her father, the Swordmaster.
Furthermore, judging by the face I wore when we first met, there must have been a reason to conceal my identity.
It would be a lie to say she wasn’t intrigued.
I hesitated for a moment, then explained the situation from beginning to end.
Since my identity was already revealed, rather than vaguely glossing over it and making her interested, it was better to explain it perfectly so she would realize this was not a matter for a mere student to get involved in.
I focused on explaining how dangerous this situation was and how it was on a completely different scale from something a single student could interfere with.
However, Da-yeon just stared blankly at me, seemingly completely fixated on something else.
She covered her lips with the back of her hand and mumbled.
“A Hero. A Hero alongside Professor...”
As her imagination reached that scenario, the corners of her lips, which had curled upward, absolutely refused to settle down.
Da-yeon finally regained her composure and asked, “Then, will you immediately start working as a Hero?”
The answer to her question, unexpectedly, came from the Swordmaster.
“No. I refused that.”
At his resolute attitude, I let out a faint sigh.
Of course, I didn't think it would be easy, but I didn't expect to be blocked here.
Yet, there wasn't much room for persuasion either.
Since I couldn't change the Swordmaster’s values on heroism and justice that blocked me, I would have to change myself to meet his standards.
But for me, that was impossible.
The reason I had solved all my problems so far was not simply my strength, but because my unconventional actions, unlike a Hero, were effective.
If I acted like a normal Hero, stopping Byeong-hoo would be virtually impossible.
I wouldn't even have a reason to work as a Hero in the first place.
Da-yeon listened to both our opinions, pondered for a moment, and then tilted her head.
“Then, what about a Sidekick?”
A Hero and a Sidekick were distinctly separate entities.
Although they were close enough to be called a Hero reserve force, and top Sidekicks were superior to active Heroes, most of the restrictions placed on Heroes did not apply to Sidekicks.
“No. The degree of freedom is different.”
I was firm.
While purely in terms of freedom, it was better than a Hero, a critical drawback existed.
A Sidekick's range of activity could not exceed 1.5km from their affiliated Hero.
This was the natural principle; a Sidekick was strictly meant to be a supplementary role to the Hero.
“That’s fine.”
Da-yeon raised her index finger.
“That regulation doesn't apply to Hero Offices where students doing Work Experience and Internships are affiliated.”
“...What?”
Not only me, but the Swordmaster also blinked, completely unaware.
Da-yeon continued her explanation.
In the first place, these were students who couldn't even be Sidekicks, let alone Heroes, who were deployed in the field.
It was natural for a Hero to stick by them and provide care.
It was a natural progression that the Hero’s activities would be restricted because of this.
Consequently, Sidekicks had to put in more effort to cover the security vacuum created.
“Is that an exceptional regulation?”
“It is. And since I'm still registered here for Work Experience, the Sidekick’s range of activity is also free.”
“...In that case.”
I silently stroked my chin.
Then I turned my head to look at the Swordmaster.
I merely needed a status to interfere in a fight between Heroes and to gather information.
It didn't matter much if my public status was that of a Sidekick.
The Swordmaster also pondered for a moment before nodding.
He wasn't so closed-minded as to impose his view of justice even on a Sidekick, let alone a fake one.
He was, after all, a person who had little interest in others aside from his sword.
“If that’s the case, it won’t matter.”
Having said that, the Swordmaster asked, with a tone of utter incomprehension.
“But why me? Wouldn't it be much easier to find another friendly Hero or a neutral one?”
It wasn't that there were no other options, and with alternatives available, there was no specific reason for it to be him.
The relationship between the Swordmaster and me could not be called good, even with flowery words.
If anything, it was as bad as, or worse than, the enemies I had fought so far.
Since not all feelings have been resolved, my back should be itching with caution.
I seemed a little surprised by the unexpected question.
But I quickly returned to my usual relaxed demeanor.
“You are the kind of person who is utterly impossible to respect as a Hero or as a person, but...”
I raised my index and middle fingers.
“You have a strong resolve and are a fair person. I trust that. And because you are not on my side. That is what's truly important.”
I folded my fingers again and leaned forward.
“I have never once lived thinking that I was the correct answer. I merely thought that my answer was correct. If I were to choose a fatal wrong answer...”
I trailed off.
People who only surrounded themselves with those unconditionally on their side always ended up poorly in their later years.
If I didn't want a miserable ending, keeping a threatening blade near my heart wasn't a bad idea.
In that sense, the Swordmaster was quite fair and threatening.
“You’re out of your mind.”
The Swordmaster shook his head.
I shouldn't be the one to say it, but that man is quite insane too.
“So, what's your plan going forward?”
“First, I need to dig up information. It would be better if I had an opportunity.”
My way of dealing with enemies has always been consistent.
I maximize the concealment of my identity, circle around the enemy to gather information.
After that, I infiltrate their ranks, observe their most fatal weaknesses and openings, and then, at a completely unexpected moment—Bang!—I prefer to destroy only the enemy's core.
“That side’s faction was also hastily formed, so there must be many openings.”
During the period of absence when Byeong-hoo broke out of prison and crossed over to Africa, he also had experience forming a faction.
Prioritizing the understanding of those things was key.
Da-yeon, listening to the explanation, suddenly placed her hand on top of mine.
She was always expressionless and showed little emotion, as if her feelings were dried up, but that wasn't the case when I was by her side.
“Anyway, Professor came in later than I did. So, since I'm the senior, should I teach you well?”
“This is ridiculous.”
I curled my fingers and flicked her forehead.
“Ow!”
The Swordmaster’s brow furrowed, watching the two of us who showed no sense of distance.
***
Equipping the mask again and descending, I discovered another unexpected face.
Ye-jin, who was half-lying on the sofa in the lobby, jumped up.
“Eh?”
She made a foolish sound.
She was obviously waiting for Da-yeon, but why was she coming down with a stranger whom she went up alone with?
It was a truly peculiar situation, especially since Da-yeon didn't even yield her side to the Swordmaster’s Sidekick.
Even more so, if that person's face was half-melted.
However, her doubt was short-lived.
She looked at me for a moment, then—
“...Uh, so. Hmm.”
She hesitated slightly, but soon asked me.
“This might sound weird. But you're Professor, right?”
Da-yeon let out a small laugh, and I sighed, scratching the back of my head.
I had asserted that no one else would be able to catch me, but Da-yeon asserted that Ye-jin, like herself, would also notice me.
So, I came down to check whose words were correct, and just as Da-yeon predicted, Ye-jin also noticed me.
“This is a mess.”
This mask.
Is it a scam, perhaps?
I took Ye-jin to a room where no one could see her, took off the mask, and explained the same thing I had explained earlier.
“So, it's dangerous to hang out with me.”
I raised my thumb and pointed to Da-yeon next to me.
“And you need to peel this one off too.”
Amusingly, her reaction was not much different from Da-yeon’s.
“If The Sun is really trying to collapse the Hero system, wouldn't it be safer by your side, Professor?”
She absolutely didn't say she would quit being a Hero.
At her firm attitude, I sighed.
I could logically rip them to shreds until they cried, but it didn't seem like they would listen obediently.
Instead, there was a higher chance of a problem arising if they secretly followed me.
I guess I'll have to take them along until a real incident breaks out.
Under the pretext of showing them the local patrol routes, I was dragged away, both arms held tightly by them.