novelraw Chapter 63 : Chapter 63
Chapter 63 : Chapter 63
Chapter 63: Beetle Comics (3)
The man who had instantly transformed from a character cutout into a human spoke in a sugary voice.
[Edward Allen]
[Gladness, Joy]
His white-shining hair was perfectly in place without a single strand out of order, and his straight nose bridge and smooth contours were excessively neat.
Above that were eyes stretched like thin lines, as if closed.
Those eyes, barely revealing the pupils, seemed to imply that normally, it would not be easy to grasp this man’s inner thoughts.
And at that moment, Representative Park Esther, who was sitting at the table, flinched and stood up.
“W-What is it! Since when were you…….”
Her eyes widening, she half rose from her seat and reached for the emergency call device placed on the desk.
Simultaneously, Edward snapped his fingers—tak.
A short wave seemed to spread through the air, and Representative Park Esther’s body stopped abruptly—ttuk.
Soon, her eyes lost focus, and the tension hanging on her face smoothly disappeared.
“…….”
In the next moment, she sat back down in her chair as if nothing had happened and picked up a pen.
She pressed the call button to make a call somewhere.
And began talking on the phone in a cheerful voice.
“Secretary Kang! It’s me. That festival our works were supposed to participate in, remember? When was the schedule for that? Yes, yes, the one Nave is hosting. From the 10th? Is Author Woo Youngdo’s fan meeting schedule okay? Ah, really? Okay~.”
Finishing the call, she started organizing documents nonchalantly.
The appearance of being appalled by a stranger’s sudden appearance just a few seconds ago was nowhere to be found.
[Park Esther]
[Suggestion]
She was naturally continuing a scene from her ordinary daily life.
As if the presence of other people in the room had been completely erased from her world.
That's right. The real owner of this company was someone else.
A madman who manipulated the memories of dozens of people to set up a perfectly fine company and enjoyed this entire masquerade.
Edward.
This man who appeared before my eyes was the true owner of this place.
“I thought I’d hide and play a prank, but you’re sharp as expected. Can’t beat you. Even though you’ve become a boy, your senses are still good.”
He smiled broadly and lightly raised both hands.
“How is the body? Did you have any trouble adjusting to a young body?”
Edward threw a short greeting and sat on a chair without hesitation.
The contrast between Representative Park Esther working diligently and Edward sitting leisurely in front of her created a peculiar scene.
“I’m adjusting somewhat.”
“I was also very busy after you vacated your position. It was frantic, I tell you.”
Edward’s voice continued on and on.
Complaining that he suffered because one person in charge of brainwashing and suggestion was missing as Balzac disappeared, that they managed to patch things up somehow thanks to other members helping out, and even grumbling that there were many requests from here and there.
He rambled on for a while with stories mixed with small talk without reserve.
It seemed he was definitely convinced that I was Balzac.
Starting from recognizing Jack and Edward and knowing their names—things that would have been impossible unless one was Balzac—it was natural.
I maintained a nonchalant expression and only nodded occasionally.
After a while, Edward glanced at his wristwatch and smiled softly.
“Let’s stop the small talk here. Since the time given isn’t long, I’ll get straight to the main point.”
He crossed his legs and leaned forward.
His pupils visible between his slit eyes gave off a somewhat eerie feeling.
He’s bringing up the ‘main point.’ My breathing heightened unconsciously.
Perhaps his words now could determine my path ahead.
If he makes an absurd demand, everything I planned would go awry from that moment.
While I was waiting silently, he finally opened his mouth.
“We hope that Mr. Balzac will continue to be active at Zero Academy as you are now. If things work out well and you become a hero just like that, it would be perfect.”
“…….”
“Zero Academy’s armory is no different from the nation’s top-level treasure house. If you become a hero from Zero, you can officially access it. Without the risk of being caught, entering and exiting the interior with a ‘legal identity.’ Isn't it exciting just imagining it? It means an endless source springs up for us.”
Just like that, Edward explained the benefits to be gained if I became a hero.
The trust given by the signboard of Zero, perfect infiltration into hero society, and the immense information and opportunities that naturally follow in that process.
His explanation, continuing with an ecstatic expression, was simultaneously seductive to me as well.
‘That’s not bad?’
I was listening to his story with interest.
Because Edward’s words didn't particularly conflict with my original purpose either.
Anyway, I was in a position where I had to graduate safely from the Academy to return to my original world.
Even if a situation arises where I can’t return to reality by any chance, if I become a hero, I would be able to live a life without lack.
‘Ultimately, Edward is saying he will help me become a hero. Rather good…….’
However, it was then.
“However, there is one condition.”
Edward’s eyes began to scan me slowly.
“The body ‘Ryu Jinwoo’ you are using right now…… is somewhat disappointing. The limits are distinct.”
Listing simple evaluations, he paused for a moment, then abruptly brought up an unexpected proposal.
“……So how about transferring to a better body?”
“A better body?”
When I asked back, Edward nodded.
“We will fabricate the incident plausibly. You just have to treat the current body as dead. Moving to a new body.”
He spoke the real main point.
“Because what we need is not a C-rank or D-rank hero. For the future ahead, you must rise to the highest level among heroes.”
Slowly, a shadow fell over his lips.
“For example, how about a talent like Miss Seol Hayun?”
“…….”
Seol Hayun.
The moment that name rose to his lips, a chill ran down my spine.
He wasn't joking. He was thoroughly serious.
He intends to raise me as Bremen’s undercover hero.
“Of course, it’s fine to choose another candidate. We will cooperate as much as possible on Bremen’s level. We just need to decide on a suitable target and plan together how to seize the body.”
He spoke softly, flipping his hand like a magician.
“If you’re going to do it, it’s better to move to a new body quickly. To leave time to adjust, it would be wise to hurry.”
His words were ultimately this.
‘Let’s discard the current body.’
It was nonsense.
Maybe if it were Balzac, but I can’t do something like transferring bodies.
But if it were the real Balzac, how would he have heard this proposal?
‘There would have been no reason to refuse.’
Can obtain a better body. Will help with the process.
It was a proposal to welcome with open arms.
A good proposal for Balzac, but the worst proposal for me.
Edward was quietly waiting for my reply.
Invisible pressure tightened around my neck.
One wrong move and I die right here.
I can’t refuse Edward’s proposal with a clumsy reason. Because he won’t accept it.
For a moment, I considered making an excuse like ‘strangely, I am bound to this boy’s body and cannot transfer to another body anymore,’ but that was more dangerous.
If I say such a thing, Edward will persistently dig into my mind and body.
In the worst case, the fact that I am not Balzac might even be exposed.
I instinctively felt that I had to hold on tight to my mind.
Right now, Bremen and Edward are mistaking me for Balzac.
Then I must thoroughly utilize that misunderstanding.
Wear Balzac’s mask, but lead the conclusion in the direction I want.
‘I am, Balzac.’
I repeated it once again.
So that I can perform the acting perfectly.
When I faced Jack before and became Balzac for a very brief moment.
I began to revive the sensation of that time, the emotions of that moment.
“Balzac? Are you okay?”
“……It seems I did indeed suffer a laughable plight.”
“Pardon? What do you mean?”
I stroked my chin with a serious expression.
While recalling Balzac’s patterns in my head.
“When I terrorized the museum. Honestly speaking, I wasn't thinking about changing bodies. It was completely different from the plan.”
“It was. It was sudden for me as well. But consequentially, you succeeded in naturally infiltrating Zero-”
“Right, that’s exactly it.”
I was waiting for those words to come out of Edward’s mouth.
‘Balzac succeeded.’
I narrowed my brows and stared into Edward’s eyes.
What kind of person is Balzac?
What would Balzac have done?
How would Balzac have taken Edward’s words?
Summarizing Balzac’s personality simply, it boils down to one word.
Arrogance.
Deceiving others and looking down arrogantly.
Thanks to that arrogance, I was alive right now.
If Balzac hadn't chosen to torture me to give maximum pain until the end before killing me, I might have died right there in the Mystery Hall.
To such a person, Edward’s words ‘let’s look for a body to transfer to’ would have sounded like this.
“Edward, your words are this. ‘My choice was wrong.’ Doesn’t it mean that my choice of picking this boy is a failure?”
Failure.
The moment that word popped out, the corners of Edward’s lips hardened for a moment, then a feigned smile spread again.
“I didn't intend to express it that far, but.”
“You asked how about transferring to Seol Hayun’s body. Have you already forgotten? That time.”
After pausing for a moment, I intentionally lengthened the silence.
As if using even silence as a weapon to look down on the opponent.
At the timing when Edward’s brows narrowed faintly, I continued speaking again.
“At the time of the terror, Seol Hayun was also present in the Mystery Hall where I was.”
“……Aha, she was.”
Edward made an intrigued expression.
Slowly tilting his head, he seemed to be rewinding an old scene in his head like a film.
“That’s right. In that place, not only the boy whose body you took, but Seol Hayun was also there.”
He must have immediately understood the intent of my words.
Since he quickly drew the conclusion on my behalf.
“Then it means that even though the best candidate named Seol Hayun was there, you chose that boy’s body.”
“Right, I chose this body. If you want to say my choice was wrong…….”
I tapped the sword at my waist and recited arrogantly.
“I feel I must pay back the insult I received.”
“…….”
Edward brought a gloved hand to his lips.
While thinking deeply about something.
A gleaming gaze between his slit eyes scanned my body thoroughly.
“It appears to be a situation where you cannot deploy your unique spell because you have no magic power, however.”
Slowly, he opened his mouth.
“The body is quite usable, but without magic power, the limits are clear. It’s not like the background is good either. Seol Hayun is the direct successor of the Hwaseung Guild. Even if not her, there are many at Zero like the Sword Emperor’s son or children of prestigious families.”
He counted one by one, unfolding his fingers.
As if placing weights on the scales of given options.
“……Even so, there was a reason it had to be that boy. Is that it?”
His gaze, which had turned cool, pierced through me.
Facing that gaze squarely, I answered.
“Right, there is. A world you do not know.”
A resolute attitude.
Without an inch of doubt, thoroughly arrogant.
Immediately after I answered, the room fell silent for an instant.
A cool stillness hung in the air.
Swish-!
A presence digging in swiftly in an instant.
Edward, who was suddenly positioned in front of me, reached out and grabbed my chin.
Cold fingertips conveyed a chilling sensation.
“What are you doing, Edward. Remove your hand.”
“Your previous body was bigger than mine, but now it’s a bit small.”
Ignoring my words, I slapped away the hand still holding my chin—tak.
“Well, it’s a 17-year-old’s body.”
Whatever action the guy takes, I must never be shaken.
I suppressed my bewilderment as much as possible.
Not even a single blink was allowed.
“A world I do not know……. Interesting words.”
“…….”
His eyes slowly scanned my face.
A heavy gaze sticking persistently towards me.
Even the surrounding air slowly hardened.
However, there was absolutely no need to worry about things like ‘Did I say something wrong?’
[Edward Allen]
[Euphoria, Joy, Excitement, Anticipation]
Because right at this moment, he was enjoying it more than anyone else.
Without breaking my momentum at all, I steadfastly withstood his gaze.
“Hmm.”
Edward, letting out a light hum, swept his lips.
Rubbing the tip of another finger with the thumb of the hand I had slapped away, as if enjoying the lingering feeling for a moment, he began to return to the table.
“Good. Then let’s put the plan to switch bodies on hold for now.”
Finally, Edward’s verdict was handed down.
‘I survived…….’
I got through it for now.
I bought time with improvised bluffing.
Instead of suspicion, Edward harbored deep interest.
The key was whether I could satisfy that interest.
And whether I could satisfy the condition Edward put forward.
“As long as you can become a top-tier hero with that body, there is no need to bother changing it.”
The condition he put forward was ‘top-tier hero.’
That is, meaning I have to become an S-rank, or at least an A-rank hero.
Furthermore, it means I have to clearly show that possibility.
Ding-!
[Tactical Manual]
[A new task begins.]
[Task: Proof]
[‘Bremen’ wants you to become a top-tier hero (S-rank, A-rank). Constantly prove your worth.]
[Reward: Survival]
[Failure Penalty: Death]
As if responding to Edward’s words, a quest started.
A quest that starts immediately without acceptance or refusal.
Is it for helping with situational awareness?
The simply written reward and penalty rather approached intensely.
“I hope to learn what it was that I didn't know.”
“Hmph, you will come to know even if you don’t hope for it.”
One last word of bluff added at the end.
This was the only weapon I had right now.
The problem is that I have to make that bluff real someday.