novelraw Chapter 112 : The Responsible One (1)
Chapter 112 : The Responsible One (1)
The Responsible One (1)
This time, the Challengers event in which Alencia and Yeon-ji participated was being held under rules that offered a lot to watch.
Inside a huge stadium designed like a small city, the participating athletes could walk around freely and engage in combat with any opponents they encountered, defeating them.
As time passed, the zones of the stadium where athletes could operate gradually shrank, so even if one tried to hide and avoid fighting, in the end, a final battle was inevitable.
"This time, the rule favors awakeners with strong combat abilities, right, Gerard?"
"Yes, but if they're clever athletes, they will know how to compensate for their lack of combat strength."
Gerard, the main commentator for this Challengers, responded to the sub-commentator's words, focusing their attention on the two women appearing on the screen.
"Of course, there also seems to be a team that possesses both."
It was the team Gerard had been watching from the start.
Alencia and Hwang Yeon-ji.
Even though it was their first time participating in the Challengers, their popularity now ranked higher than that of any other competitor.
There were two main reasons for this.
First, Hwang Yeon-ji, a girl who introduced herself as just seventeen, was an awakener who had reached A-rank at her young age.
And it wasn't just barely A-rank; she was in the upper tier of A-rank.
"The appearance of a young genius girl always excites the audience."
"That's right. And she's teamed up with none other than 'that' Alencia. The ratings for this Challengers event are expected to be outstanding."
Alencia, the daughter of James Walker.
In the United States, few did not know her name.
Known as the con artist's daughter, or the troublemaker of Los Angeles, rumors had it that she survived by live-streaming on the Internet.
But today, Alencia was showing remarkable performance in the Challengers.
"According to the camera crew from Korea, she charges her magic power with electricity. That's why she uses electromagnetic waves, apparently."
"Is that even possible?"
"It's normally impossible."
What nonsense.
Charging magic power with electricity was already laughable, and manipulating the charged electricity freely?
Could she really fire off electromagnetic waves to pinpoint the location of nearby awakeners?
"But, if she's doing it in front of our eyes, what can we do? All we can do is applaud."
"Of course. It's great to be a commentator and see things from up close."
The commentators exchanged words like that, continuing to pay close attention to the two women's progress.
Despite it supposedly being the first time Alencia and Yeon-ji had worked together, their teamwork was so flawless that it was hard to believe.
"Four people are waiting in the second alley on the right."
"Oh my, I guess two teams have joined hands."
"Should we take another route since four is a bit much?"
"It's fine."
Yeon-ji fired a black chain through the window of the building connected to the alley Alencia mentioned.
The chain pierced the window, then smashed into the side wall of the building and struck the body of one of the waiting competitors with a heavy blow.
"Kyaaak!"
"Now there are three left."
"Y-Yeah."
Yeon-ji's skill was not simply extraordinary; it defied description with mere words.
Rather than dazzling genius, she gave the impression of having "plenty of experience."
She knew how to respond according to the situation and acted efficiently.
'Is it true that talent makes one gain experience faster?'
No matter how talented, the composure she showed at seventeen didn't seem normal.
Alencia's doubts were shared by viewers watching the broadcast.
「That's the first time I've seen that kind of magic. Is that the circle-magic Shin Ah-yeon recently talked about?」
「It might be, since both have unique abilities.」
「She doesn't seem to panic when fighting; is she really a rookie?」
「Her age and looks suggest so.」
Alencia would locate the opponent, and Yeon-ji would take them down.
That simple tactic left the opponents helpless.
Sometimes, people aimed for the weaker Alencia instead, but it was no use.
「ㅋㅋㅋ What is this, so fast ㅋㅋㅋ」
「Her escapes are legit top-class」
「What's even funnier is that lightning flies off her when she moves—totally badass」
When Alencia used magic power, her eyes glowed blue and sparks of electricity burst around her.
Even when utilizing her magic power to move, her speed was absolutely incredible.
It would not have been strange to say her instantaneous burst speed reached the B-rank level; it was uncannily fast.
Because of that, no matter how much people targeted Alencia, they couldn't even land a single blow, and that opening became a perfect opportunity for Yeon-ji.
'Could it be, I really can win this?'
As the match neared its end, Alencia started having that thought.
Since Challengers matches were mostly one-offs, being the winner meant only taking home the day's prize money.
Yet, that had a special meaning for Alencia.
She felt that someone as incorrigible as herself had finally accomplished something.
Thus, the Challengers reached its final round.
***
"You just need to go inside."
Eugene, who had said there was someone they wanted to introduce me to, disappeared after saying only that one sentence.
As if her role ended exactly there.
'Polaris Research Institute.'
I looked up at the rows of snow-white buildings.
The Polaris Research Institute in Denver was originally a very famous place in the US.
Magic power and electricity.
They researched the mysterious energy that suddenly appeared one day, and the energy that had long accompanied humanity. From what I'd heard, they had achieved considerable results until a few years ago.
Most of the technology now used in magic-engineering devices had started at the Polaris Research Institute.
But not anymore.
At some point, the Polaris Research Institute became a relic of the past.
'The manager here is Park Jung-woo. Please ask him to introduce you.'
As I was heading toward the institute, I recalled what Eugene had said.
'Why does he want to meet me?'
I couldn't understand, but I'd find out soon enough upon meeting him.
"Welcome."
And it wasn't long before I met the man.
At the entrance of an old building, a middle-aged man with a gentle impression was waiting for me.
When he spotted me, he slowly approached.
"I am Leon Baldwin, the head of this Polaris Research Institute."
"I'm Park Jung-woo from Unique Management."
I took his lightly offered hand for a brief handshake and exchanged formal greetings.
He spoke with a gentle tone, in keeping with his appearance.
"I apologize for suddenly asking for a meeting through Hunter Garland."
"It's fine, it just caught me off guard for a moment, but that's all."
"I appreciate you saying so. Well then... let's finish our conversation inside."
Leon opened the door to the old building and gestured for me to enter.
'This place...'
Unlike the relatively modern other buildings, this one felt especially old.
Amid buildings that had been either newly built or renovated, it looked particularly out of place.
'... Or maybe it's not just because of that.'
The sense of alienness was not simply due to its appearance.
It felt as if I was looking at something that didn't exist in this world.
Step, step.
Inside, quite a bit of dust had accumulated, suggesting the building hadn't been used in a long time.
"You look like you're wondering why I wanted to talk here."
Perhaps reading my expression, Leon smiled as we walked side by side.
"This was originally the most important facility in the Polaris Research Institute."
"It's important, but it's been left neglected like this?"
"The manager responsible for research here lost their life."
There was a peculiar nuance in his words.
Even if the manager died, did it make sense to leave it like this?
"My condolences. The manager must have been very talented."
"Yes, an extremely talented individual. The only researcher to possess knowledge unknown to this world."
I froze.
Leon, speaking so calmly, made me stop walking.
Leon, who'd taken a few steps ahead, also came to a stop.
"What do you mean by that?"
"A returnee like you should know what I mean."
Slowly, Leon turned to face me.
Then, reaching for the switch on the wall, he pressed it.
Viiinnng!
Suddenly, power returned to the building, illuminating a large, white space.
Most noteworthy was the enigmatic equipment set up in the middle.
A massive machine covered in countless 'magic formulas'.
"Sarah Walker."
Leon's face as he stared at me now was not the soft expression from earlier.
"She was the manager responsible for this facility."
The moment I heard that name, I understood why Leon Baldwin had called me here.
***
When researching about Alencia, there was something I had come across in passing.
James Walker's wife was formerly a researcher at some laboratory.
But her records were unclear, and I'd thought it odd.
To think, the institute where Alencia's mother had worked was the Polaris Research Institute all along.
"Dr. Baldwin, I didn't know you had a connection to Alencia."
"She helped me a great deal."
It appeared Leon Baldwin had been in a very close relationship with Sarah Walker, Alencia's mother.
The animosity in his eyes proved as much.
"Does that help include this machine as well?"
"......"
I gestured to the machine behind him.
A towering device whose purpose I could not determine.
But right at its center, it looked ominously empty, as if something essential had been removed.
'There's no core.'
There was no "core" needed to operate the device.
It was like a human missing their heart.
"Sarah told me many things."
Things about Alencia,
Countless knowledge needed for magic-engineering.
"And stories about your past."
Was he referring to the 300-year gap?
The gap of 300 years that occurred when I returned from that world to Earth.
If I deduced from Leon's words now, then Sarah must have lived during that 300-year interval.
"So you really are the 'Park Jung-woo' that Sarah told me about?"
"I am."
"Of course."
Leon's repeated confirmation made me slowly nod.
I still didn't know why the 300-year discrepancy had occurred, but if Sarah was from "that side," she must have mentioned my name.
"Then let's get to the point."
Leon fixed his cold gaze upon me.
There was not even the slightest warmth in that look.
"I ask you, please. From now on, take your hands off Alencia."
I gave no answer.
Given his peculiar hostility toward me up to now, it was not unexpected.
"Sarah never told Alencia about the 'Saintess'."
Whatever he made of my attitude, Leon turned on the old computer in the facility.
With a rough boot-up noise, a variety of messages appeared on the monitor.
"She also never told her about the Saintess's mark on her back... the Stigmata."
That was one of the strange anomalies I had noticed while teaching Alencia at Minerva.
Alencia had not even been sure she was an awakener until recently, and she didn't know the truth behind the mark or her own abilities.
Even after learning of her ability, she only thought it was a peculiar awakened power and never linked it to being a 'Saintess'.
Sarah, in fact, had often told Alencia stories about me in the manner of fairy tales.
And yet, Alencia had never once made the connection between the "Saintess" in those stories and herself.
'If Sarah Walker were an ordinary person, it wouldn't be an issue.'
But she was a reincarnator.
As a reincarnator, there was no way she didn't know about the existence of the 'Saintess', nor any reason not to tell Alencia.
"Park Jung-woo, you must know what the existence of the Saintess means. Sarah knew that suffering better than anyone. That's why... she hoped Alencia would never become a Saintess."
But that question was immediately resolved by Leon's following words.
"No way..."
A certain hypothesis suddenly came to mind.
How Sarah Walker, though reincarnated from another world, could keep her memories.
'Was Sarah Walker's previous life that of a Saintess?'
Then everything made sense.
Retaining memories from her past life was understandable if it was part of the Saintess's ability.
"She" had said as much once.
That the Stigmata branded upon saints touches their soul.
Left like a scar, the mark would remain even if they were reborn.
"But that means you're ignoring Alencia's wishes."
"Yes, but Alencia would certainly never give up. She's always wanted to be someone special."
With those words, Leon controlled the now-booted computer and played a video file.
"But I cannot ignore Sarah's wishes. You'll surely... understand when you see this."
With a complicated expression, Leon directed my attention to the monitor.
As the slowly playing video began, a woman appeared on the screen.
Seeing a face so similar to Alencia's, I instantly realized who it was.
【Hello, Alencia.】
Sarah Walker.
This was her final video letter to Alencia.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
Seems like Eugene is a decent guy.
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】