Ch.159Episode 33. The Evil Sky Begins to Move (4)

I unconsciously furrowed my brow.

Existence? Do people normally talk like that?

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Um… Didn’t you come here because you were curious about me?”

“…”

I stared at him intently, knowing it was rude.

He let out an awkward laugh and raised his hand, as if to say there was no need to be so wary.

“Oh my. You seem to have doubts about the way I speak. I often get misunderstood because of it. But please don’t misunderstand. I am, without question, a ‘hero.'”

As he said this, he placed his hero license on the table.

I’ll need to look into how this person obtained his license later. There’s something suspicious about him.

“…I see.”

“Yujin. I brought your coffee.”

As I was looking at the license he had presented, Yeon Muhui walked over with drinks. She set an Americano in front of me and naturally took the seat beside me.

I discreetly checked what drink she had chosen for herself. It was a caramel macchiato.

“Card.”

“Yeah.”

I took the card and put it in my pocket.

“And this is…?”

“This is Yeon Muhui. She’s a student I’m currently in charge of.”

“Yeon Muhui… I see.”

He gazed at Muhui with a distant look and then smiled gently. After sipping his coffee, he put his hero license back in his wallet and said:

“So, what did you want to ask me?”

What should I ask?

I needed a question that would conceal my intentions while gathering information about him.

“Mr. Lim Surim… how long have you been an S-rank?”

“Pardon?”

Was my question unexpected?

His movements paused for just a moment.

Someone else might have thought nothing of it, but for some reason, it felt like a “disturbance” to me.

Lim Surim smiled kindly, the sort of smile that puts others at ease, and said:

“…It’s been a long time. Quite a while.”

A long time…

That means he might have been active as an S-rank hero even before Jeong Iyeon entered the academy…

Have I been too focused on the special class and indifferent to heroes? It’s true that I didn’t care one bit about hero rankings until Jeong Iyeon showed me the app.

But even so, does it make sense that a hero of S-rank was never mentioned in the story?

S-ranks were the ones who showed hope while countless people were dying because of Akcheon. He shouldn’t have been an exception.

“Is that so? I’m familiar with the three S-ranks: Ice Empress, Sword Fire, and Heelak. But the hero name ‘Forest’ feels a bit unfamiliar to me.”

“It hurts a bit when you say it so directly… Despite how I look, I’m quite well-known. Even with Yujin’s recent surge in popularity, I wouldn’t be overshadowed.”

“…Is that so?”

“Yes.”

“Then…”

I asked him about his personal information and the villains he had captured so far, but I didn’t get any noteworthy information. There was nothing suspicious either.

It was still puzzling that I, who had read the novel multiple times from start to finish, knew nothing about this person, but for now, it seemed right to be relieved that he wasn’t a villain.

“I feel like I’m being interrogated, as if I were a villain.”

“I apologize if it felt that way.”

“No, it’s fine.”

“…May I ask one more question?”

“Of course. You came all the way from the academy, so I should answer as much as I can.”

“Thank you for your kindness. Then… how much do you know about Anrakgyo?”

His eyebrows twitched at the mention of Anrakgyo.

Is this another unexpected question? Or is there something that makes him uneasy?

“…Anrakgyo is one of the pseudo-religious groups in South Korea. I heard from the Association Chairman that Yujin mentioned they’re being targeted by Akcheon… I’m not sure why you’re asking me to confirm this again?”

Somehow, his tone seems to have an edge to it.

In response to his tone, which seemed to be questioning me in return, I unconsciously lowered my voice and asked:

“What are you trying to say?”

“Just that… it’s impressive you know such information. Come to think of it… most of the villains Yujin has captured were from Akcheon, right?”

He continued speaking without removing the smile from his face, as if telling me to calm down. I sighed and corrected my irritable tone.

“That’s correct.”

“Is there a reason you’re fixated on Akcheon villains?”

“…Not particularly.”

“Are you sure?”

What’s with this persistence?

He might not realize it, but the more he acted this way, the deeper my suspicions grew.

Even if he didn’t seem like a villain on the surface, his true intentions were unknown. Heroes who acted as double agents, passing information to villains while working as heroes, had appeared multiple times in the story.

“Yes.”

“I see. Anyway… don’t worry too much about Anrakgyo. I’ll keep a good eye on them from my end.”

Is it just my imagination that his nuance keeps bothering me?

…No, it can’t be.

“…That’s reassuring. Knowing an S-rank hero is personally watching over it.”

For now, there was nothing more I could say to his response.

It was better to let it go than to say something unnecessary and cause conflict. Instead, I planned to maintain my suspicions about this person.

I always had to keep potential variables in mind.

However, it would be difficult to seek the Association Chairman’s help regarding Forest. If he had been an S-rank hero for quite some time, he would have much deeper trust than I did.

Moreover, the Association had always dealt with conflicts between heroes in a ‘neutral’ manner, so it was better not to expect anything.

That meant I needed someone else to monitor him…

I should find someone separately. Preferably someone I could trust.

“Thank you for answering my questions.”

“Oh? Are the questions over already?”

“Yes, they are.”

At least for now.

“I see. I was hoping to talk more. That’s a shame.”

I looked down at the cup in front of me. The Americano I had been drinking during our conversation had been empty for a while. Muhui’s caramel was the same.

“I can’t keep an S-rank hero occupied for too long. I’m grateful just for the opportunity to have this conversation.”

“No, not at all. I was quite looking forward to meeting the rising star, Yujin.”

That smile, now that I look at it, seems rather cunning.

I stood up from my seat, observing his enigmatic smile. Muhui also got up and collected the cups we had used.

How thoughtful. She even took mine.

“Then I’ll be going now.”

“I hope to see you again, Yujin.”

He really speaks suspiciously.

He’s like a typical villain with ulterior motives, making me want to beat him up right now. If he weren’t an S-rank hero, I might have been more aggressive.

“We’ll see each other again soon, even without saying it.”

Since he said he would participate in the raid on the hideout in Hongseong.

“Is that so? That’s good news.”

“…”

“…I look forward to your ‘changed activities’ in the future, Yujin.”

Forest stood up from his seat and extended his hand, just like when we first met.

Changed activities…?

While inwardly questioning this, I shook his hand. After completing the handshake and giving a slight bow, I turned around.

I still couldn’t shake off the unsettling feeling.

* * *

After finishing the meeting with Forest, I got into the car. Muhui climbed into the passenger seat and studied my expression.

“Yujin.”

“What?”

“You look upset. What’s wrong?”

I wasn’t really upset.

I had met Forest to resolve my questions, but after our conversation, I was just displeased that I had even more questions now.

“Because you said you dislike me.”

I spoke jokingly, not wanting to make her worry.

“Wh-what?!”

She reacted as if she was shocked by my absurd answer. Even I would be hurt by such a reaction.

“I-it’s obviously because of Forest, right? Don’t try to drag me into this.”

“Why would I be upset because of that guy?”

I pointed my chin toward the café as I spoke. When I spoke with feigned sincerity, Muhui tilted her head with a dubious expression.

“S-so it’s true?”

“It is. Don’t you believe me?”

“…”

Seeing her confusion at my words, I felt like I was about to burst into laughter.

Teasing Muhui is indeed fun.

Perhaps because she usually has such a rigid image, I can’t help but smile when she shows her emotions.

“So do you really dislike me?”

“I… I never said I disliked Yujin…”

“If you don’t say you like me, it means you dislike me.”

“Wh-where does that logic come from?”

“Who knows. That’s how it sounded to me.”

I spoke nonchalantly as I started the car. Muhui looked at me with annoyance and sighed. And then:

“…I-I don’t dislike you.”

She said, turning her head away. Thanks to her ponytail, her exposed neck was visibly flushed. She’s this embarrassed just saying that?

“So you like me?”

“I said I don’t dislike you!”

When I forcibly filtered her words, she immediately shouted back.

“Isn’t that the same thing?”

“It’s different!”

“How is it different?”

“…It just is.”

“I see. Well, I like you.”

“Wh-what?!”

“You’re a commendable student. How could I dislike you?”

I observed her reaction while inwardly chuckling. After watching her ears turn as red as her neck, I poked one.

“Eek—!”

She flinched as if having a seizure and grabbed both her ears, pressing herself against the door.

At that sight, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

“Hahaha!!”

“Argh! What are you doing…!”

Yes, this is enough.

It’s sufficient for me alone to carry the concerns. I can’t entrust such things to you, who isn’t even a hero, so early on.

“Just put on your seatbelt. We’re about to leave.”

“So annoying…”

Despite her grumbling, Muhui obediently fastened her seatbelt. I smiled slightly, shifted the gear to drive, and started the car.

Heading to Taean, where her mother was.