Part 1, Chapter 7 (5)

8:00 PM, Seok Harang’s residence in Busan.

“That birdbrain broke the window again before leaving.”

Seok Harang scratched their stomach vigorously and activated their mana. Moisture in the air gathered, filling the empty space of the broken window. Harang tapped the ice with their finger.

‘It feels harder than reinforced glass.’

Becoming SS-rank made them proud that even such minor things had improved. More than anything, they were happy to be able to live without air conditioning in the summer.

‘When I was in the orphanage, I got beaten to death. Because I’d always get sick in the summer.’

The fan, on the verge of breaking, was always Harang’s. Because of that, they often got into fights with other children in the orphanage and were tormented a lot, both openly and secretly.

‘That’s all in the past now.’

They didn’t know it when it was hard, but looking back, it all became memories. Harang fell backward onto the beanbag. Staring blankly at the ceiling, Harang placed their hand on their stomach and fidgeted.

“It’s lonely being alone.”

It felt strangely empty without the bird constantly chattering beside them. Harang reached to touch the bluebird hairpin in their hair but pulled their hand back.

“…Swindlers.”

Every single one of them was nothing but a swindler. Bad people who played with others’ emotions. Harang, feeling a surge of emotion, created a piece of ice in their hand and then broke it with their fingers.

‘I’m an idiot for wavering.’

Upon reaching the SS-rank, they understood. As all the puzzle pieces clicked into place and they realized the truth, they felt rather lighthearted.

After Gwanggeom Heo Yun-hwan’s death, the spirit power latent within Harang gradually began to emerge. Just as Phoenix had said, the ease with which they felt love for others was a transitional phase until the spirit’s power settled in their body, and the moment their mind and body became one, Harang was no longer confused.

‘…Or maybe not?’

Harang opened a can of coffee they had taken from the refrigerator. Activating a little mana, the canned coffee, made colder than it was when it came out of the fridge, looked as if it would freeze at any moment.

‘I’m like this, so how much did they screw up?’

It was a moment of pity. It seemed as if a senior who had walked the same path had become a mentor and was helping them find their way. If that were the case, Phoenix was prepared to stick their neck out for Harang-

“……You’re making me waver again, you brat.”

If they had just acted completely rude or mocked them, their heart wouldn’t have been so agitated. But Phoenix kept taking care of them and comforting them. It was absurd, though, that Phoenix themselves was the one who caused all this confusion.

“Still, I don’t dislike it.”

Seeing them anxious about whether they had said harsh words or hurt them, Harang sometimes even wanted to be tormented. Harang composed themselves and brought up a screen.

“……Washed my face, looking fine.”

It was almost time for the interview. It was the moment to firmly resolve their heart like an Arctic glacier and deliver a cold rejection. However, it was natural to be nervous.

“Gulp.”

Harang pressed the circular button on the screen. Soon, the screen split left and right, expanding into 12 screens. The first screen’s spot was empty.

Most of the faces were unfamiliar, seen only through screens. Amidst them, a feminine and familiar face appeared. Jilpungek, who was in a hotel just 10km away, had a calm expression, showing no sign of recognition.

[Welcome, Seolhwa Princess Seok Harang-yang.]

The blonde man in the center of the screen raised the corner of his mouth and greeted them. Harang also nodded in greeting.

“Nice to meet you, Sir Gawain. I don’t know how many years it’s been since we last met.”

[…You’re hitting a sore spot right from the start.]

[No, you’re right. I have to admit what’s true. I was weak back then.]

Jilpungek argued. Harang felt a momentary surge of emotion but decided to admit it. Because they were young and weak back then.

“Yes. Back then, I was an immature S-rank. So, what’s the Association’s verdict now?”

But then as now, Harang was overflowing with confidence. The difference was that when they were eliminated before, there was no basis, but now, the basis was not just full, but overflowing. Gawain nodded in response.

[Congratulations. The Association has decided to publicly declare you as the world’s first SS-rank. It will be announced four hours from now, at midnight.]

Harang maintained a poker face but clenched both fists. At the same time, Jilpungek added an unnecessary remark.

[Only as the world’s first SS-rank ‘Hero’, that is.]

[……Jilpungek, if you’re going to interfere, shut your mouth.]

The man in the turban glared at Jilpungek. The Hero, known by the epithet Saladin, had his entire face covered by a turban. Harang chuckled as if they had expected it.

“Seeing as you added the ‘Hero’ remark, it seems that Phoenix is also going to be announced?”

[Yes. Blue Phoenix. That’s the name of the SS-rank Villain who will be announced to the world along with you.]

Harang momentarily wanted to argue. That they were obsessed with their full name. But there was no reason to help them that far.

“Oh my. Are you planning to declare that there are three SS-ranks in Korea simultaneously?”

[……There’s no definitive proof yet that the unidentified swordsman is Gwanggeom. What’s clear is that we don’t know if those monstrous humans are truly Korean.]

[Maybe they’re just active in Korea because it’s easy to commit crimes here. Don’t you think so, neighbors?]

At Saladin’s words, two women, no, a man and a woman, with the characteristic black hair of East Asia, nodded. Jilpungek shrugged, and Unjang, whose face was revealed, gave a bitter smile.

[It’s not my place to say, but he is strong. Though not revealed, it’s no exaggeration to say he’s the strongest right now.]

[Gwanggeom also died by that bastard’s hand.]

Undine, who had kept their mouth shut like ice, spoke for the first time. Harang tilted their head at Undine’s expression, which somehow looked like they were crying. Oracle quickly said,

[Ah, as you all know, they and I are going to Korea together, right? They’ve been drinking, so bear with them. They can’t see straight right now.]

[What are you talking about?]

“…….”

That tone sounded familiar. Harang blinked and asked Gawain,

“So are those two coming to Busan?”

[No. Only Oracle. Undine is visiting for a separate purpose.]

“…Then who’s the other one?”

They had heard that two people would visit Korea for a power test. Sir Gawain scanned the room with a playful smile.

[Seok Harang-nim, you wouldn’t know because you were eliminated in the first interview last time, but there’s a second interview. Although, passing the first interview is practically enough to pass. Ahem.]

Gawain cleared his throat. A strange glint appeared in the eyes of the Round Table members.

[Now, we will proceed with a majority vote for or against the recruitment of Seolhwa Princess Seok Harang into the Round Table. Round Table members, please consider for a count of three and indicate your vote for or against. Abstentions count as a ‘no’ vote. Three, two, one.]

The votes for and against appeared on the Round Table members’ screens. It was 10 for, 1 against, and 1 abstention.

[…N-no, it’s invalid. It’s not like I intentionally pressed invalid every time like before. I was drinking, so I was late pressing it. P-please do it again.]

[Ah. …? Weren’t you asking who was against the Round Table recruitment? I’m positive about Seolhwa Princess’s recruitment, though….]

Undine recanted, and Unjang scratched their cheek with an embarrassed expression. Gawain gave an awkward, troubled smile.

[It’s actually a Round Table tradition for it not to be unanimous. Still, at 10:2, it has passed by the principle of majority rule.]

“Is it always decided this easily?”

[No. We discussed this countless times until this very moment today. It actually ended quickly. When it was Unjang, it was split fifty-fifty and took almost a week.]

[Because family issues are involved. There are cases like mine and Undine’s, but also where the relatives of Round Table Heroes hold key positions in their respective countries. Especially Unjang. Because of his father’s issue.]

“Father?”

Unjang nodded.

[My biological father is Mao Zeping, the director of China’s Monster Management Countermeasures Bureau. I was born from a one-night stand with my mother.]

At the sudden confession of his family history, the other Round Table members were taken aback. They already knew, but they never imagined Unjang would say it himself, so calmly.

Gawain quickly cleared his throat to draw attention.

[In that sense, Seok Harang-nim, you will need to prepare for that aspect in the future. While it will mostly happen within Korea, people claiming to be the biological parents of the orphan Seok Harang-nim will spring up like bamboo shoots after rain.]

[All those bastards should be thrown in jail.]

[……My apologies. From now on, I’ll ban alcohol on the private jet.]

Oracle tore their hair out in frustration. Harang scratched their cheek and sheepishly smiled.

“Don’t worry about that. If anyone tries to pick a fight over my family, I’ll reveal the truth myself.”

[The truth?]

Harang nodded.

“Gwanggeom Heo Yun-hwan, he’s my dad.”

Pfft. Undine spat out the vodka they were drinking.

* * *

“Amazing, amazing. Huge news.”

Hikari held their breath, eavesdropping on Hayate’s signal from the bathroom, where the Round Table meeting was in full swing. They never dreamed that the hypothesis they had been entertaining would become reality.

“Should I upload it while Oppa’s sleeping?”

The title, something provocative like ‘SS Seok Harang, Is Their Father XXX?’, would be good. Hikari giggled to themselves, then thought for a moment and changed their mind.

‘No. I can’t reveal this too easily. I need to save it for later and make three videos out of it.’

Step by step. Draw aggro with the first video, leave hints in the second, and then in the final video, present several candidates and emphasize one appropriately. Hikari tried to calm their pounding heart and subtly browsed the community.

“……Huh?”

Their heart sank. In the community’s trending video list, a video titled ‘The Shocking Reality of Seonui Cheol and His Gang’ was topping the charts.

“Seung-hyung Oppa is Seonui Cheol’s nephew.”

Hikari unconsciously clicked on the video. Hikari held their breath.

* * *

“The fire’s blazing well. As expected, it caused a stir once it went viral and racked up views.”

Jihwa watched the video on the screen and drank coffee. The shocking scenes were appropriately mosaiced before being uploaded, but the original, leaked in the meantime, was rapidly spreading through the underworld via the Black Market.

“…….”

Yooishin bowed their head like a sinner. As the one responsible for similar acts on the other side, though not shown in the video, they couldn’t bring themselves to lift their head.

Gaeul used a tentacle to lift Yooishin’s chin.

“Will this be enough to bring down Seonui Cheol?”

“I can’t guarantee it. He was a king in New Seoul. He won’t die easily, even if he dies.”

“Hmph. You guys made a mistake. The country will be paralyzed. You know that, right?”

Kang Soyeon, prostrated like a four-legged beast, scoffed at the others. Gaeul sat cross-legged on Soyeon’s back and crossed their arms.

“The Praetor? When are they coming up?”

“Expected to arrive in an hour. They said they’d come up to arrest them personally, so they must be boiling over with betrayal.”

At Jihwa’s words, Soyeon flinched.

“Hey, that’s not what we agreed on?! You clearly said you’d hide my identity in exchange for an anonymous tip-off?!”

“Yes. We did agree to hide your identity.”

Jihwa shook the camera in their hand. It was the very camera used to film the Heroes abducted during the past Seoul Reclamation Operation.

“But it wasn’t us who blew the whistle to the Hero Association, especially the Round Table. It was the proud Heroes who escaped the Association and threw themselves into Yuseong who revealed it.”

“What…? You, you sons of bitches, you tricked me?!”

“Tricked you? Why else would we have told you you were pretty and told you to come up to Seoul? Huhu, good job, Haneulseong. You seemed to enjoy it quite a bit, didn’t you?”

Ryu Cheon-seong showed deep displeasure at Gaeul’s sinister face.

“Don’t make me do things like this again. My dignity has been severely damaged. Make James do it, James.”

“Hey. Is it more fitting for someone dispatched from the Association to Seoul to be with me, or for you, the representative of Seoul, to be with me? Look at them. They’re glaring at you with disbelief.”

At James’s words, Ryu Cheon-seong bent down and met Soyeon’s eyes, who was prostrated like a dog. Soyeon’s pupils were trembling like an aspen leaf.

“Thanks to you, I had a very dirty experience. In many ways. I don’t think we’ll ever meet again.”

Ryu Cheon-seong threw a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket onto the floor. Gaeul picked up the paper with a tentacle and unfolded it with their hand.

“You had quite a bit of fun, didn’t you?”

“You were the one who said you’d spar with me depending on the results.”

“Ah, alright. Don’t make such a scary face. …Next time, I’ll make Deokbae do it.”

“That’s acceptable.”

Ryu Cheon-seong put on his fedora and prepared to leave. He left a little early to greet the Praetor, who was diligently driving up from New Seoul. Gaeul stood up and devoured the paper with a tentacle.

“Alright. Then, shall we hand over the criminal?”

“Kuaaa, haaak?!”

Soyeon screamed in agony from the gnawing pain in their stomach. Yooishin glared at Soyeon with cold eyes and said,

“Why are you in so much pain? The number of people who suffered from the sentences you wrote is hundreds.”

“It hurts, it hurts! Aaaah!”

Soyeon clutched their stomach and writhed, but their limbs were caught and subdued by Gaeul’s tentacles.

“It’ll be fine by the time the Praetor arrives. So, let’s just wait leisurely until then.”

“Save me, Praetor-nim, Ughhh?!”

“So noisy, seriously. By the way, where’s Jo Deokbae? Where did they go?”

* * *

“It’s blazing. Really. It’s burning properly.”

“You’re the one who made it like this.”

Jo Deokbae leaned against the railing and put a cigarette in their mouth. Phoenix flicked their finger, lightly burning the end of the long cigarette.

“Thanks.”

“…To think I’d hear ‘thanks’ from Deokbae-ssi for something like this.”

“Should I give a hard time to someone who lights my cigarette when I don’t have a lighter?”

Deokbae puffed cigarette smoke into the sky. The acrid smoke rose, and Phoenix lay on the railing, staring blankly as it disappeared.

“Seonui Cheol will also disappear like smoke, won’t they?”

“Why? Are you worried? Because it’s different from what you knew?”

“Of course. Seonui Cheol was originally someone who served for life until the day of their downfall. A lot will change from now on.”

“You know, but I don’t know anything, so it’s meaningless to say that.”

Phoenix turned their head with a mischievous expression.

“Shall I tell you? What will happen from now on? What was originally supposed to happen?”

“No.”

Deokbae flicked the long cigarette with their finger. After extinguishing the fire with the heel of their shoe, Deokbae pointed at Phoenix with their finger.

“I think it’s better to just watch what you do from the side.”

“Deokbae-ssi, do you find it amusing when I struggle to save the world?”

Despite Phoenix’s sarcasm, Deokbae didn’t care.

“Anyway, in this boring daily life, like a hamster on a wheel, shouldn’t I at least feel some fun? Hey, so what are you going to do now? Cheon Gaeul was making a fuss about you going to China.”

“…Are they already spreading that around? Honestly.”

Phoenix clicked their tongue. Deokbae stomped on the cigarette with their foot, then subtly approached Phoenix and whispered,

“Hey. Take me with you. I used to hang out in Incheon Chinatown, so I know a bit of Chinese.”

“What do you know?”

“Have you eaten?”

“Did I eat? I just came back from pouring a large sweet and sour pork for lunch, you know?”

Phoenix’s gaze sharpened. Deokbae shrugged and pointed to their smartwatch.

“Hey, in this day and age, this can translate everything. Who knows? What if you get left behind and get lost alone? You need a companion, don’t you?”

“I’d rather take Cheon Gaeul.”

At Phoenix’s sarcastic remark, Deokbae decided to use their last resort.

“If you take me with you, I won’t interrupt you. I’ll listen to your explanations obediently.”

“…Really? No, why do you want to come along so badly?”

Phoenix sat up from the railing. Although their face was indifferent, their actions and gestures were entirely focused on Deokbae. Deokbae pondered for a moment before answering.

“Because I want to see firsthand what kind of mess you’re going to make in China?”

“……That’s arrogant, but fine. I was going to take a big guy with me anyway. Puhuhu.”

“…Uh, did I just dig my own grave? That’s not it, right?”

“No take-backs! I should ask Eun Yuha to make Jo Deokbae-ssi a passport~”

Phoenix sat on the railing and looked down. Covering their ears from Deokbae’s chattering beside them, Phoenix licked their lips as they watched Cheongsong and Kang Soyeon being handed over to the Praetor.

Clink. The Praetor said nothing as they saw Kang Soyeon, simply putting the ability user handcuffs on them. Cheongsong said nothing, only tears dripping down their face as they were loaded into the escort vehicle.

That night. The whole country was abuzz.