episode_0048

*****

In this day and age, being a hero is not simply based on personality. To put it more extreme, an ordinary person with strong strength is more suitable as a hero than a good person with weak strength.

Of course, the thoughts and cautions of a hero are really important. Even if you are strong, you can’t turn a villain into a hero, and this is a world where such thoughts and beliefs are associated with strength.

Even so, this is a story about awakened people above a certain level. Basically, you need to continue to train yourself until you have the ability to deal with your own crisis. No matter how non-combatant a hero is, that fact does not change.

“So don’t be lazy and work hard?”

“Not the reason… , encouragement… , I want to hear it… .”

“Oh, did you? Well, there’s not much left, so go for it!”

“Ugh… . Why do all heroes do this kind of self-torture… . I don’t understand… .”

“Haha, what are you talking about? You’re a hero too, right?”

“That’s right… . I am a hero… . I am a hero… .”

At the point when he was able to open his mouth like that in the first place, he still had the strength to run. I wanted to say, but looking at his wide-open eyes and trembling limbs, it was clear that Bobbin’s condition was close to its limit. Rather, it’s a miracle that even though my body is like that, my mouth is still running smoothly.

“Still, you worked hard. Now, take a break for 10 minutes.”

“Hehe, hehehe… . It’s a break… . I can see my soul sisters from beyond the sky… .”

As soon as permission to rest was given, Bobbin sank down on the spot. When two bobbins are stuck together like this, they stick to each other strangely, but this time they don’t even seem to have the energy to do so. Large, sweat-soaked breasts moving up and down with the sound of heavy breathing—hmm.

Feeling a little embarrassed, I looked away. Since I live with Sia and have my own, I thought I was used to a woman’s body. Maybe that overwhelming size is just a problem you’ve never gotten used to before. Like instinct, motherly love, or something like that.

Anyway, since I couldn’t just look at the fallen Bobbin, my eyes naturally turned to the surroundings. It may seem like usual training, but this is also clearly an internship. To be more precise, does it feel like ‘an experience of training time during work’? In fact, the other heroes of the Galaxy team were doing personal training like us, except for one person we hadn’t seen yet.

If I were to categorize it, it feels like it is divided into the physical training group and the mental training group. Cat is doing some kind of meditation with Raon and Mari, and Ryan is doing physical training with Hwain and Jeongyoung. In the case of painters, they are training and acting at the same time, which is a special training, so I might say it’s both.

Normally, Mr. Rabbit would have taken care of the other three, but Mr. Rabbit said he had office work to do and went somewhere. That person always gives the impression that he’s going around saying he’s busy. So, I was planning to relax a bit until the other two and Mr. Rabbit came… .

“You won’t train?”

“I’m not the type to fight savagely like you, kid.”

Yangachi was just leaning against the wall and staring blankly at his surroundings. It’s okay if you don’t do it because you’re free to train, but wouldn’t you be bored if you just stayed still?

If you combine what the gangster is doing now with the gangster’s delinquent appearance, it looks really bad. However, if you don’t disappear somewhere else and just stay calmly in the training room and wait for others to finish, you could be seen as being sincere. This is especially true considering that participation in training is not compulsory. Of course, it is not a good action in terms of group action.

In the end, I’m not sure if he’s a good guy or a bad guy, that’s how I feel right now. I’ve seen him walking around with girls around school a few times, but if you ask me if that’s a bad thing, it’s an ambiguous answer.

Normally, I would have completely ignored such an ambiguous guy. However, it is annoying that he was told by Seol-ah to take good care of his younger brother, and that he cannot escape from being a person of interest at the time of using magic power.

So, I’m asking this question as well.

“So, who is that person from last time? The person I met in the manager’s office on the first day of my internship.”

“… … .”

I felt the gangster’s gaze staring down at me, but I ignored it. It’s not sincere, but I don’t think I’ll get an answer back anyway. If you don’t tell them, it’s just a judgment that the relationship is that important.

“Then should I just leave it as one debt?”

“That again? What kind of favor are you trying to ask me?”

“Well? Still, if we get together, wouldn’t we ask for a favor that would be burdensome in its own way? So, will you accept it or not?”

It’s not to the point where I can’t talk about it, but maybe it’s just that it’s a waste to talk about it. I’m quite curious, so it doesn’t matter if I nod my head, but I’m not sure what this guy is thinking as he keeps saying he owes me money.

Well, I ended up nodding.

“It’s my brother.”

“Brother? But you say Seol-ah is your older sister… .”

“What about you? We’re the same age, right? If I had to ask, I’m the older brother. Looks like I heard a rumor somewhere again.”

“I know that Eonryeongsa people have early birthdays.”

“Anyway, it’s similar to that. It’s just that my father, who had no morals, sowed seeds here and there. I’m not interested in that kind of thing, but that guy seems fully interested in having a fight with his sister.”

Judging by the emphasis placed on the word ‘sister’, it seems that Yangachi is trying to maintain his position as an older brother. Anyway, the direction of the story is very different from what I expected.

“Is it a family problem?”

“Then what did you think?”

“I thought it was someone you had a fight with in the past or got involved in with a woman… .”

If you look at it that way, you can see that the gangster and the seaweed man are similar– wouldn’t you say it’s impossible?

… Actually, I don’t know. In the first place, the only thing that caught my eye was that seaweed man and his seaweed hair, so I don’t even remember the rest of his features. Even if you try to compare it with the bully in front of you, it is impossible because there is no data left.

“Is it okay to have that many half-siblings? He is the chairman of a very large company.”

“On the other hand, he is the chairman of a very large company. Polygamy was implicitly possible among our previous generations, especially among high-rank awakeners, right? In fact, there was a time when it was written into law.”

Ah, now that I think about it, there was something like that. During the period of great chaos, the imbalance in the sex ratio became enormous, and even though the sex ratio was good for the awakened, it was difficult to find a mate for various reasons. Due to prejudice, strict reasons that cannot be shared with good children, etc.

Of course, it was blocked again when society began to stabilize, but if you are at the age of attending Cheonmyeong High School now, when you were born… . hmm. It was certainly still a time when polygamy was allowed. Still, I’ve rarely seen anyone that promiscuous.

“I don’t know if he was a libertine, but my father is an Awakened supremacist. It’s funny that they said they would create an awakened person with excellent potential, but the funniest part is that a monster like that little sister actually came out.”

“I didn’t ask because I wanted you to tell me this far… .”

“This is a serious story, so listen carefully.”

Just a little, a light of seriousness appeared on that frivolous face. From the incident during the attack, I fully knew that the gangster was superior in his own way. I guess that means it’s such an important topic.

“It was common practice for the eldest son to be the successor to a company as long as he had no major defects, right? But my father nominated my younger brother as his successor. Just because it has excellent potential.”

“I don’t think it’s a behavior that I’m very happy with, brother and sister.”

“Okay. But it would have been difficult to turn it over. My father’s full support goes to my younger brother, and my younger brother has shown the ability to skillfully manage the company. So, unless you have ‘significant performance’, it will be difficult to get involved in the successor competition.”

Indeed, if it comes to this point, I think I know to some extent what Yangachi wants to say.

“So, what are you saying that seaweed might be doing something to increase performance?”

“Yes, that seaweed──Puhup.”

The gangster who was agreeing with my story suddenly burst out laughing. Oh, mistake. I inadvertently said it was seaweed.

“I’m sorry, but he’s my older brother, so I arbitrarily called him by his nickname.”

“No, it doesn’t matter at all. Rather nice. Seaweed, hehehe, next time I see that guy, I have to give it back like that.”

I thought it was a trivial nickname, but Yangachi giggled for a long time as if it suited Yangachi’s unidentified gag code. It’s no longer in the mood to talk seriously or anything.

“As expected, kid, you are fun. I recognized you from the moment you called me a bastard.”

“What is that mysterious favorability test? And when it comes to being rude, you’re even worse? I just fought back because I was called a kid, right?”

“It’s actually small.”

“If you think about it that way, you look like that too. Plus the devil… , Huh?”

One question came to mind at the part about the devil. Just now, it was said that the biggest reason why Eonryeongsa was designated as the successor to the company was because of his potential as an awakened person. However, it seems to me that Yangachi’s potential is not that much lower than that of Eonryeongsa. In some ways, it has an advantage.

So if Yangachi steps forward as the successor, wouldn’t he be quite competitive? When I asked that question, Yangachi shrugged his shoulders and answered:

“It’s annoying, that kind of thing.”

You are blatantly prevaricating.

But there was no point in giving chase. Before I knew it, a magical girl with cat ears was walking towards me with dead eyes.

“Thank you for your hard work, Cat. Is the training over there over?”

“Should I say it’s over or what should I say… . Fafnir, are you on their team?”

“Yes? Who are you?”

“That guy named Raon!”

Cat protests by holding both hands and coming right under the chin. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a hero who’s shorter than me, so it was a bit refreshing. Although it is limited to the magical girl transformation form.

“Did Raon make some mistake?”

“No, it’s not like that. That kid is interpreting my original magic without any hesitation!”

“Oh, is that it.”

“What a calm reaction!?”

No, I was surprised. Rather than the surprise of seeing something that shouldn’t have been possible, it’s closer to a sense of admiration.

“What kind of magic did you show me?”

“Did you see it last time? A magic meteor falling from the sky. I’m good at meteor magic. But I never thought I would be able to see the structure at a glance.”

The fact that Meteor Magic is a specialty here usually means that the direction of the potential is pointing in that direction. It feels like a potential that specializes in large-scale destruction magic, or a potential that specializes in magic that uses elements of the universe.

Magic, which is a special skill, has various benefits, such as making it easier to structure magic circles or chants efficiently and requiring less mana. So, it often becomes the main weapon or trademark of the hero in question.

“Ah… . First of all, I don’t think Raon had any malicious intentions. Should I tell you not to use it in practice?”

“No? It doesn’t really matter. There is no such thing as copyright in magic.”

phew. First of all, I was relieved that no new, unusual rules had been created without my knowledge. Well, if it’s a difficult magic, the number of people who will use it will naturally decrease anyway, so even if there are no restrictions, the number of people who can use it will be limited.

“Huh, then it doesn’t matter if Raon figures out the structure, right?”

“That’s it. It took me years to come up with the structural formula for that magic… . Moreover, if other people use that magic too recklessly, my uniqueness as a magical girl will be diminished.”

I don’t know that feeling. Although I was somewhat talented, when I saw true geniuses, my heart and pride were often shattered. I don’t know much about Unique Unwoon, but the heroes of these days said that image is important, so I can guess it to some extent.

“But can you tell me that? And it’s a little close, so please stay a little away.”

“You can at least listen to your senior’s complaints, right? Because I’m a junior. It’s the same magical girl bond.”

“I didn’t even know that this association or something existed.”

“You’re a tough junior… . Then please do it like this.”

“Okay,” Cat said, and jumped into my arms. There isn’t much of a difference in height, but it looks like they are burying their faces in their chest rather than hugging each other.

“Now, all you have to do is pet it. With the affection of a magical girl, I will especially allow you to touch the cat ears.”

“Well, it’s too close!”

“What’s wrong, we’re with the same girl.”

Ah, this person is mistaken. No, it’s a man. Of course, I’m not excited about having such a small child clinging to me, but considering that this content is OL, it’s probably not a good idea to be clinging to me like this.

However, before I revealed that I was a man, Cat seemed to have guessed my situation on her own.

“Do you care about the people inside? Ganchana, Ganchana. You know that this floor is a concept business anyway, right? One of the iron rules of being a magical girl is to follow the appearance when transformed. So, even if I act foolishly to fit my appearance, there is no problem at all!”

“I think it’s full of problems… . And this isn’t some kind of transformation magic.”

“Really!?”

Whoosh, Cat raised her face. It’s good that my body fell, but this time I’m fiddling with my face and horns.

“I don’t think you’re wearing any makeup. This is a no-make, no-transformation magic? Are the horns real too?”

“Yes, as I said last time, I am terrible at magic. Horns are related to potential.”

When I said that, Cat’s face became stiff with shock. No, he touched his own face with the hand that touched my face, and his astonishment went one step further. Maybe it’s my mood, but I feel like I’m more shocked than when I just saw through the magic structure.

“Dumping, it’s time to get to work. But why are you looking so shocked?”

“Hehe, Heter, laugh at me… . Not only was I pushed aside by a younger junior in terms of magic skills, but I was also losing in terms of quality as a magical girl… .”

“You are only taking advantage of the disadvantages of getting older.”

Ah, this person mercilessly stabbed me to the finish.

A man named Hatter appeared behind Cat and lifted the limp Cat. Although he looks slovenly on the outside with glasses, he is probably an awakened person.

“Well, that one… .”

“Oh, due to circumstances, I don’t have much time to come out, so I’m late in saying hello. My name is March Hatter, and I am a member of Team Galaxy. Of course it’s a hero name.”

Of course, the reason I said that was probably because I was aware that my appearance was clearly that of a Westerner. The awakened people had different eye and hair colors, but Hatter had a strong feeling that he was a foreigner just by looking at him.

The reason I saw him for the first time during my internship these past few days is because he is often in charge of chores within the company rather than fighting villains or monsters.

“That reinforcement doesn’t really work for me either. By the way, the reason I came to the training center this time was to advertise dumping.”

“Hehehehe, a lowly magical girl like me doesn’t have that kind of qualification… .”

” This is because he himself made a fuss. I have to become the company’s mascot, but it’s really difficult.”

I feel like the story is moving in a strange direction. Cat, who was pretending to cry, also started whimpering and slowly raised her head to look at me. I slowly said hello and tried to turn away, but the two people talking to themselves were faster than me.

“Ah~, I wonder if there isn’t a good magical girl who can help me film an advertisement~.”

“Dumping, you shouldn’t think of it as such a bad thing. Of course, since this is an advertisement for a pharmaceutical company, I will make a significant contribution to raising my image and the image of my team, and of course I will provide a sufficient guarantee, but this will be a burden for everyone.”

“That’s right~. There can’t be that many heroes who can offer the advantage of having already had some exposure to TV, so the pressure is relatively low, and they get good evaluations during the internship. And she’s a magical girl whose concept is similar to mine~.”

A glance, a glance, a glance.

Isn’t this too blatant!?

I also have the ability to learn. Through my experience so far, I have come to realize that my ears may be a little, quite a bit, maybe even a lot thinner. And in times like this, you should not give them the opportunity to deceive you with words.

I took a deep breath to let out the words of refusal that seemed to cut even my slightly regretful feelings with a single knife.

***

“So you fell for the rumor and filmed the commercial.”

“Yes… . I have nothing to say… .”

living room. I was kneeling in front of Sia, who was sitting on the sofa, with my head down. To hear a little less nagging――Hmm. This is a posture that has been used a lot in the past to show even a little more reflection. When was the last time you took this position? Was it when you thoughtlessly sparred with a hero from another country and made a black bowl? I miss you, haha.

“Focus.”

“Yes.”

I have simply committed a mortal sin.

“Senior, do you know? What is your situation now?”

“Yes, I am hiding my identity and working under a fake identity.”

“Of course, the Intelligence Department did their best to conceal his identity. Only some trustworthy heroes and association employees know the identity of the senior. However, if you are a senior, you probably know that if Genesis starts a full-scale investigation, you could get caught, right?”

“Well, of course… . But with just one advertisement, there’s nothing to worry about. I was on the news last time, right?”

“There is a lot of news about heroes defeating villains. Even if you were active there, the only people who would pay attention were your co-workers.”

“If you are a villain, you are treated as a partner──”

“It’s on a different level from advertisements that are continuously displayed across the country!”

This is truly a wise statement.

The interrogation did not end there. phut! Sia knocked on the sofa and pretended to hold the photos she was holding in front of me. These were photos taken as a side note after filming an advertisement with Cat. When I saw myself wearing a magical girl costume while trying to guess the concept, my face turned red with shame.

“Is it an illusion of my eyes that the senior in the photo looks a little happy? They hated it so much when I made the suit for them, but they actually filmed the commercial wearing the suit. This is an advertisement that goes out nationwide. You know that, right?”

“Well, of course… .”

“Hmm. So, Senpai, have you finally become a woman both physically and mentally, and you like these girlish outfits? Or did you like this magical girl enough to put up with wearing the magical girl suit that you hated so much? Senior, are you a pedo?”

“Is that possible? First, listen to what I have to say about that.”

It’s not like I filmed a commercial for joy or pleasure. To begin with, the photos that Sia is holding in her hands right now are only a small portion of the photos taken today. It’s literally a collection of the most embarrassing photos I’ve ever taken.

The advertisement filmed this time is said to be an advertisement for children’s medicine made by a pharmaceutical company that sponsors the Galaxy team. Of course, I had no choice but to use the magical girl image, but that was because of Cat. Originally, what I was picturing in that advertisement was not the magical girl, but the person drinking the medicine.

In the first place, the commercial I filmed with Cat this time was a type of internship activity. Wouldn’t there be a problem if I, who am not a member of the hero team, appear in a company advertisement? I do not know well but.

So, I participated only as an extra, not as the main character, and filmed various advertising videos, thinking that this was an experience. The fact that not only me but all the other kids participated and took pictures is proof of that. Although there are no pictures of that side here.

“So, the photo you are holding in your hand right now is not actually used for advertising. Of course, you could appear in a commercial as an extra, but that wouldn’t be noticeable, so wouldn’t it be okay? Yes, safe, safe.”

When I explained it that way, Sia let out a long sigh. I felt a little prickly because I felt like I had lost the energy to be angry.

“Sir, how do you think I received this photo in the first place?”

“Huh? Wasn’t it filmed using surveillance magic or something?”

“Look carefully at the composition of the photo. I received this from the company. This is what I brought as a still cut, saying it was an application to appear in an advertisement during my senior’s internship activities. In the first place, no matter how short you are, it’s not like you’d be in an advertisement for children’s medicine, right?”

“Well, that means… .”

“Yes, the plan was to first pass the application and slowly persuade the senior.”

Ku-gung. I never would have thought that there was such an intention in the videos that were recorded saying it was an experience. For some reason, I felt like I took a lot of pictures considering my experience.

“Perhaps my senior was also so excited about taking pictures that he didn’t think much of it. When you praise a senior for doing a good job, he or she gets excited and quickly poses when the photographer asks him to do it. ”

“Wow.”

“How about trying out as an idol hero? If you are a senior, you will have several fan clubs.”

“There is no way you can do this!”

” Right? Then, please stop behaving so carelessly next time.”

“Yes… .”

The story ended with the rejection of all advertisements. They said there was nothing they could do if the school rejected it since they brought in interns on their own anyway.

Rather, it was the conversation that followed that caused the change.

“The trainer’s older brother?”

“Yes. They say so. It seems like there’s some noise going on around the house.”

“Hmm… . It just worked out well. I will also go there to protest about this incident.”

It was supposed to be a light report for me, but for some reason, Sia was lost in thought for quite a while after hearing that. I guess it was quite important information. I wanted to ask in detail, but Sia shook her head and said she would tell me once it was more confirmed.

“Then I’ll take this photo.”

“No. Because I’m going to use it.”

I tried to secretly retrieve the embarrassing photo, but failed. In order to somehow seize the opportunity, I asked, ‘What are you taking it for?’ I asked, and instead of answering, I got a thump and a thump. Why?

After arguing for a while, the conversation with Sia that day ended with them agreeing not to show the photo to anyone other than the report.

*****