novelraw Chapter 15 : Chapter 15
Chapter 15 : Chapter 15
Chapter 15. Clumsy Justice (3)
"Haha! Boy, what are you so surprised about?"
Shin Yu-hwan laughed as if my reaction was amusing and stared at me.
I was also so dumbfounded by his behavior that I almost let out a laugh.
'What do you mean, what am I so surprised about?'
Where in the world is there a person who accepts a favor without even listening to what it is?
Moreover, since it was a favor a mere Cadet was asking of a renowned Player, it was only natural to be flustered.
Shin Yu-hwan, who had been quietly observing me, clapped his hands as if he had realized something and opened his mouth.
"Aha! You are moved, boy! Oh my, there is no need to feel so burdened. I do not intend to do volunteer work for free, either."
I was not moved.
I just thought he was a strange person.
However, I did not focus on that part.
'You do not intend to do volunteer work for free?'
That meant he was going to exact a price...
"What do you want?"
"Hmm? Haha! The boy has quite an impatient personality."
"Because I am originally not supposed to be here."
"Ah, I see. As expected, were you a first-year Cadet at Glory?"
I nodded my head at Shin Yu-hwan's words.
Because it was a fact I did not need to go out of my way to hide.
"Right. Then there is only one thing I want."
"What is that?"
"Boy, there is no need to be so tense. I have no intention of asking you for an unreasonable favor."
Saying that, Shin Yu-hwan smiled and stated his condition.
"Do you know about Glory's Midterm Exams practical?"
"Yes. You are talking about sparring with an official Player, right?"
"Yes, you know it well. You just have to nominate me there, boy. Since I am not affiliated with a guild, I can participate in that exam."
"...Pardon?"
I could not help but be flustered by Shin Yu-hwan's words.
He wanted me to nominate Shin Yu-hwan as my opponent Player in that practical exam?
"Do you hate seeing me attend the academy?"
"What? Haha! How could that be?"
My question was reasonable.
Because it was generally common to nominate an appropriate Player and then show off one's skills.
If I nominated a big-shot Player like Shin Yu-hwan and only showed a pathetic display, I did not know what would happen to my grade.
"Even so, do you think I would go all out against a boy?"
"It is not a matter of going all out; it is just that as a subject of comparison, you are too much to handle, Mr. Shin Yu-hwan."
"Do you think so? I actually evaluate you higher than you think, boy."
What good did that do?
Just because Shin Yu-hwan evaluated me highly did not mean I actually became stronger.
However, as if my opinion did not matter, Shin Yu-hwan drove a wedge in.
"Anyway, that is my condition. If you do not like it, let us end the conversation here."
Shin Yu-hwan's expression as he said that was quite a sight.
Looking at him pretending to sulk when he was not even a child... It made me feel quite strange.
'I still have to accept it, though.'
I was not in a position to refuse in the first place.
Because right now, there was no one else I could ask for a favor besides Shin Yu-hwan.
'And with a condition like that, it is practically a freebie.'
Shin Yu-hwan was a Player whom nine out of ten people would know just by hearing his name.
If I could move someone like him with just that condition, it was essentially a profitable trade.
As for the Midterm Exams... If I trained hard until then, it would work out somehow.
"Understood. I will do that."
"Haha! Yes, you thought well. Then shall we hear your request now?"
"...Isn't that usually supposed to come first?"
"It is tiring to live too confined within the world's mold, boy."
I think you are too far out of the mold.
...I firmly swallowed those words and stated my request.
What Do Gang-ho was currently going through, the reason Do Gang-ho could not rebel against Lee Ho-jae, and even the parts where Shin Yu-hwan's help was needed.
Shin Yu-hwan, whose expression rotted minute by minute as he listened to the story, opened his firmly shut mouth as soon as my words ended.
"He is trash. Trash that is not even worth associating with."
His voice was so cold and sharp that it made my knees tremble just listening to it.
"So the boy's request is to make sure no pressure is put on that child Do Gang-ho's family, right?"
"Yes. That is correct."
"I could just handle it all for you, you know? Starting with that rotten bastard and even the ones who colluded with him."
It was a tempting offer.
However, at the same time, it was an offer I could not accept.
"If we do that, it will be nothing more than crushing a massive power with an even more massive power."
What I intended to do from now on was an action that would completely change Do Gang-ho's life.
A plan to keep Do Gang-ho, who originally would have quit Glory and grown on his own, at the academy.
I did not know how Do Gang-ho, who would remain at the academy from now on, would grow.
However, this one thing was certain.
'Do Gang-ho's greatest strength was his steadfastness in trying to overcome anything on his own.'
But to receive Shin Yu-hwan's active help?
That was tantamount to an action that ignored the significance of Do Gang-ho's existence.
I only wanted to protect the heroes; I did not want to block their growth as well.
"Haha! Is that so. It hasn't even been that long since I said I evaluated you highly, but it seems I looked down on the boy too much."
"Even if you evaluate me highly, nothing will come of it."
"I know that much. What would I even receive if I did?"
As if he had never made a cold expression, Shin Yu-hwan smiled playfully.
"It is just my own feelings, so do not pay it any mind, boy."
"I am thankful for that, then."
"Yes, yes. By the way, shouldn't you be getting going soon?"
At Shin Yu-hwan's words, I checked the time.
The clock was racing toward 6 PM.
As he said, it was time for me to get up and leave.
"Then I will trust that you will handle the part I requested well and head back."
"Understood. When we see each other next time, let's see each other at Glory."
"Yes."
With those last words, I stood up from my seat.
Shin Yu-hwan waved his hand enthusiastically from behind, but I decided to pretend I did not see it.
***
Evening, when the sun had set.
Having arrived at Glory, I tried to return straight to the dormitory, but unfortunately, I became unable to do so.
"Yu-seong. I have something to say for a moment, is that okay?"
Because I ended up being caught by Kim Su-hyeok before I could go back.
At first, I tried to refuse because I was busy, but that was difficult to do.
Because he was exuding a somewhat serious atmosphere instead of his usual bright appearance.
"What is it that you want to say?"
"Do you remember what you told me in the cafeteria earlier?"
"I remember."
He was still keeping it in his mind.
Given Kim Su-hyeok's personality, I knew he would do that. It was something I had said with that intention in the first place, too.
"I thought a lot about those words. What clumsy justice is, whether I can truly pursue justice in the future, and so on."
"...And?"
At my question, Kim Su-hyeok looked at me with serious eyes.
"Even so, I realized I couldn't give up on justice. Because to me, justice was the only driving force that allowed me to move forward."
"......."
"So I thought. If clumsy justice is the problem, wouldn't it be fine if I realize a certain justice? Wouldn't it be fine if I save not just the present, but the future together as well?"
I did not know how much Kim Su-hyeok agonized to deduce that conclusion.
I only knew Kim Su-hyeok well; I was not Kim Su-hyeok.
However, I knew this one thing.
That what he was saying right now was a truth without a single lie mixed in.
I could know it for sure because the proof was floating right before my eyes.[You have influenced Kim Su-hyeok's predetermined destiny.]
[You acquire 1,500 Influence Points.]
'Can I earn points by influencing the destiny of a main character like this, rather than just the worldview?'
Then again, since the destiny of the world would also be affected if a main character's destiny changed, perhaps it was an obvious matter.
Still, since paying attention to Kim Su-hyeok in front of me was the right course of action right now, rather than my talent, I looked into Kim Su-hyeok's eyes and thought.
'That is a relief.'
Honestly, I had been worried about what to do if Kim Su-hyeok fell into despair.
Because although he was usually a guy who lacked a bit of tact and always smiled foolishly, Kim Su-hyeok was someone who was serious about his own goals.
So I had worried a lot about whether the words I threw at him might have hurt him, or if it might ruin Kim Su-hyeok by any chance, so it was truly a relief.
I smiled slightly and praised Kim Su-hyeok's resolve.
"I think it is a good goal."
"Ahaha, I am glad you feel that way. Still, it is only a resolve for now, so please do not hype me up too much."
"If it is you, I think you can fully realize it."
At my words, Kim Su-hyeok scratched his cheek as if he were embarrassed.
In the midst of that, he spoke to me with a face that showed he had remembered something.
"Then what about that friend? Is there any way I can help?"
As expected of Kim Su-hyeok.
It couldn't have been long since he re-established his goal, but he was already trying to step forward.
However, unfortunately, there was no place for him to step forward this time.
"It's okay. I have a plan set up."
"Really? You are amazing, Yu-seong. I was only worrying about myself..."
There was nothing particularly amazing about it.
Because I knew the future to some extent, I formed a connection with Shin Yu-hwan, and it was a plan I was able to set up because of that.
However, I could not say something like it was possible because I knew the future, so I appropriately glossed over it.
"So you do not need to go out of your way to step forward this time. Leave it to me."
"Isn't there anything I can do to help?"
"Sorry, I don't think there is anything in particular."
Kim Su-hyeok made a sullen expression at my words.
Still, it could not be helped.
If Kim Su-hyeok stepped forward for no reason, the incident would actually end up finishing ambiguously.
'The problem is that the current Kim Su-hyeok has a personality that is too gentle.'
He would probably say something to Lee Ho-jae about there being room for rehabilitation or whatever.
I had no intention of watching that happen.
Because he would have to gladly accept the punishment for daring to mess with my hero.
'I don't have the slightest intention of ending it nicely.'
Although it was something that hadn't happened yet, the Lee Ho-jae in the novel was a guy who crossed the line as far as it could be crossed.
If I just thought about what that bastard did to Do Gang-ho, he was a guy who wouldn't be satisfying even if he was torn to death a few times.
Therefore, I could not stand to see Lee Ho-jae safely graduate from this Glory.
"Kim Su-hyeok. Just as you have your justice, I have my justice. So do not step forward this time."
It was a slightly embarrassing line, but I held it in and spat it out.
If noble justice was Kim Su-hyeok's goal, my justice was solely a justice for my heroes.
For the sake of the heroes I admire, I will not care about the means and methods.
The only thing I could do for the heroes in this world.
Therefore, even if it was Kim Su-hyeok, I could not let myself be interfered with.
***
DING- DONG- DANG- DONG.
Now that a day full of various events had passed—meeting Shin Yu-hwan to ask a favor during the day, and meeting Kim Su-hyeok for a serious conversation in the evening.
In the slightly quieter classroom after the long classes had ended, I was packing my bags to return.
'I wonder if Kim Su-hyeok and Oh Jin-eon are working hard.'
As soon as class ended, Kim Su-hyeok invited me to go train, but I refused.
So the two of them went excluding me, but I didn't know if they were doing well.
'Who am I to worry about anyone else.'
To think I am worrying about Kim Su-hyeok when my own matters are the immediate problem.
After slapping my cheeks a few times in the sense of waking myself up, I stood up from my seat.
"I should get going now."
There was something important today.
Namely, meeting Do Gang-ho.
It was a bit wrong for me to be making a plan to save Do Gang-ho while Do Gang-ho himself didn't know about it.
Because he did not particularly like help without a reason.
"As for how I should talk to him... I'll just think about it when we meet."
The current Do Gang-ho would be very sharp-edged.
How to persuade him was a problem I had to figure out while conversing.
Therefore, I started directing my steps to a place where Do Gang-ho was likely to be.
'Wait just a little bit, Do Gang-ho.'
Because I will pull you out of that hell soon.
Besides, shouldn't I show it?
What a certain and meticulous justice is, rather than a clumsy justice.
Because I have a personality that keeps what I say with my own mouth.
Now it was time to prove it.