Ch.140Chapter 6. The Devil Is Everywhere. (2)

The waves crashed with a swooshing sound.

‘I go to Ulleungdo quite often.’

I frequently boarded the ferry that travels between Ulleungdo and Sejong Island.

‘I’d like to live on Ulleungdo, but then I wouldn’t be able to respond immediately to situations on Sejong Island.’

I went there partly just to “Ulleung” around, but also to recover my magical power at the Ulleungdo pension.

‘Though I do go to Ulleungdo every weekend.’

So I’m used to taking the ferry.

Being an ability user, I’m immune to simple ailments that affect modern people, like motion sickness or colds, thanks to my abilities.

That’s why I felt a bit sorry for Celestia, who was currently suffering from seasickness.

“Urgh.”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. I took medicine, so it should get better soon.”

The Tavern Owner, Celestia, was currently suffering from seasickness in our cabin.

“If necessary, I could help you somehow.”

“No way. How could I do that in front of a man?”

“I don’t think it matters if I’m a man or woman.”

“It’s the minimum self-respect I have as a woman.”

I patted her back while she clutched a clean trash bin lined with plastic, her head buried in it.

“Haa, haa. Ugh, really… I absolutely hate, really hate riding boats.”

“You should have said something.”

“How could I refuse when it’s company business on Ulleungdo? I can endure for about 30 minutes. Sorry. If only there was a bathroom, urgh.”

It would be fine if there was a bathroom in the cabin, but unfortunately, the bathroom was communal.

“Rather than hugging a toilet in a public bathroom, it’s better to do this here. Should we go outside for some fresh air?”

“No, no. If I throw up into the sea, I’ll get cursed at like crazy. It’s better to handle it in the room. Ughhhh…”

Since it takes less than 30 minutes round trip from Sejong Island to Ulleungdo, there wasn’t really a need for each cabin to have its own bathroom.

“Really, haa. How many minutes have passed?”

“Ten minutes left now.”

“Really?”

“I’m not a PT trainer, I have no reason to lie about that.”

“Haha, that’s true…”

It’s not like she drank alcohol or anything.

She’s just suffering from seasickness on the rocking ferry after staying on Sejong Island for so long.

“Ughh, really, at times like this, I envy ability users.”

“Because we don’t get seasick?”

“Not just seasickness. You’re practically immune to almost all diseases that modern people suffer from. Phew, really.”

Another advantage of being an ability user.

“Ability users, haa, I’ve never heard of them getting sick… It’s not like mana acts as some kind of vaccine.”

Ability users don’t get sick.

No colds, no viruses, no atopic dermatitis.

“You know what? Phew, they say mana is like white blood cells from outer space. Something that protects humans from all viruses on earth, ugh, that’s what they say.”

“Isn’t talking making you feel worse?”

“Talking actually makes me feel a bit better right now. For now…”

When raising children, they don’t even catch simple illnesses, to the point where there’s self-deprecating criticism that charging heroes for health insurance is just taxing them heavily without providing any benefits.

“I really envy having a body that doesn’t get sick.”

“Instead, ability users suffer from chuunibyou, don’t they?”

It’s jokingly called chuunibyou, but it’s a serious condition for ability users.

“If I could suppress all diseases while having chuunibyou, I’d take that deal.”

“But if you fall, you become a demon?”

“Just maintain good mental discipline so you don’t become a demon. How many ability users become demons in a year anyway?”

“About 10%.”

That’s quite a significant number.

Since we live in an era where ability users aren’t the mainstream and coexist with ordinary people, the social safety net to embrace ability users is still inadequate.

-Aaargh! I’m turning evil!

At least that percentage is decreasing, and with the creation of environments like Sejong Island, the rate of falling into demonhood in Korea has decreased to about 3%.

-Kukuku, I’ll abandon my humanity!

-Damn it, don’t use those lines when becoming a demon! It ruins the image of the work!!

The situation is different overseas, but it’s not a major issue if you consider that the process of becoming a demon is purely a mental problem.

Would you take a small risk to become a superhuman who can live without disease for life? Or would you rather be an ordinary person who has to deal with minor illnesses throughout life, get vaccines regularly, and whose health could suddenly deteriorate if you get cancer?

This is why everyone wants to have abilities.

Whether they want to cure their own illness, or want their children to live without chronic diseases.

-If you just raise them well without going astray, they can live happily forever!!

Since chuunibyou and demonic corruption are mental issues, you just need to create a happy environment.

-If you become an ability user, you won’t get dementia, cancer, or even go bald?

With such thoughts, everyone wishes to become an ability user.

-Hey. Do you think ability users might live much longer than the average human life expectancy?

-If that’s true, it’s insane. Without disease, just managing mental issues, you could live forever.

-Like elves born in human bodies. Haha, that’s nonsense… No wait, could they really live young without aging even 70 years later?

-…The government should develop and distribute a vaccine that can turn humans into ability users! Distribute it!

And there’s still one unproven point, which is why everyone wants to become an ability user.

Everyone.

“Seriously, do you want to become an ability user?”

“Me? Sometimes, I think about it. Like how everyone thinks about winning the lottery.”

Celestia sighed deeply.

“I’d have more opportunities at the company. Unlike ordinary people like me, ability users are given more tasks.”

“What would you do with those tasks?”

“Hmm…conquer the capitalist world? Our company devouring all companies worldwide.”

The company is The Syndicate, and other companies are equivalent to nations.

“How about that?”

“You’re really something. Come to think of it, I’ve never heard why you joined the company.”

“The same goes for you, ur-“

I patted Celestia’s back.

Though she hadn’t thrown up yet, with her pale face, she took a sip of the barley tea beside her and thumped her chest.

“Ugh, really. This is exactly when I want to be an ability user. Anyway, about why I joined… Well, it’s probably similar for everyone.”

Celestia turned her position while holding the bin.

Leaning against the wall, she tilted her head back and looked up at the ceiling with eyes that seemed full of worries.

“…Revenge and belief.”

“Those aren’t words to be spoken carelessly.”

“True.”

These aren’t things to discuss freely on a boat like this, where listening devices could be planted anywhere.

“Just believing that working for our company would definitely change my life. And about revenge, well, it’s simple. Our family was destroyed because of our company’s competitor. That’s it.”

“……”

“Since this isn’t the time to go into details, for now…urp.”

Celestia grabbed the bin again.

“Um, sorry, but could you leave me alone for a moment?”

“Excuse me then.”

I stepped outside.

I could hear rough sounds from inside, but they were quickly drowned out by the sound of waves.

Beep.

A text message arrived.

It was from Ymir.

-Teacher, I’m totally screwed.

“……?”

For Ymir to react like this already.

What on earth is happening?

-Our team has all the ‘muscle-tattoo-pigs.’

“Ah.”

I understood.

* * *

At that time, on the southern road of Ulleungdo.

“Junior Ymir? Have you had any problems since coming to Korea?”

“No.”

“Th-that’s good. I’ve seen foreigners really struggle to adapt when they come to Korea.”

“I’m fine.”

Ymir had no idea how to deal with the two men in front of her who kept asking her intrusive questions.

“Huff, huff.”

Maybe it’s because they’re in the same space inside the car.

Even without proper ventilation, a strong odor emanated from the large man who had been wasting time since they left Ulleung Port.

“Um, isn’t it hard to talk? Can we close the window? I think the smell of drying squid is coming in.”

“The sea smell is nice.”

Ymir was subtly using her magic to breathe through an invisible mask.

Someone might criticize using S+ class ability just to block the smell of cigarettes and coffee, but if there’s a way to avoid something unpleasant, shouldn’t you use it?

“Ymir, do you have a boyfriend?”

The skinny man sitting next to her spoke informally from the start, with eyes as narrow as slits.

“No.”

“You don’t? Hmm, I see.”

Ymir got goosebumps from the man’s smile, as if he knew something.

“Well, of course you wouldn’t have a boyfriend. Ah, I’m not saying anything weird. Just saying. You’re not misunderstanding, right?”

“I’m not misunderstanding.”

“That’s good then. I’ve seen some foreigners who interpret things strangely. With Korean, you need to listen to the end. Haha.”

“……”

Five days of practical training with these men.

She was screwed.

At least the other person seemed somewhat approachable…

“……”

A woman with black hair who looked relatively, no, objectively plump.

Unlike the sticky gazes from the two men in front, the woman beside her didn’t even speak, just sitting quietly in her seat.

Ymir thought.

If she made one wrong move, at least one of the three would definitely become a demon.

“Junior Ymir. Can you give me your contact? Training mates need to keep in touch.”

“The team leader… yeah, let’s make Ymir the leader. When foreigners come to Korea, they usually take on roles like team leader.”

“……”

Muscle-Tattoo Man D.

Creepy-Narrow-Eyes Man C.

Silent-Chubby Woman B.

Indeed, which one of them would become a demon?

Ymir wanted to teleport away immediately.

Training mates were in groups of 5.

She could only hope that the remaining A-rank person would at least be normal.