Ch.199Chapter 8. The Syndicate Is Everywhere (5)

At that moment, Busan.

“Thank you so much for inviting me, Director.”

“Welcome, Nadeshiko. As I noticed last time, your Korean is truly fluent.”

“I studied it. Hehe. Hello to you too, Baek Seol-hee?”

“Yes. Pleased to meet you.”

Seol-hee felt puzzled by Nadeshiko’s bright voice and gaze.

A faint ‘hostility’ directed only at her, not at others.

That hostility wasn’t toward Koreans, nor toward fellow S-ranks.

It was more like hostility toward a ‘romantic rival’…

“Ms. Nadeshiko. Excuse my bluntness, but do you have some relationship with Goblin?”

“Seol-hee?”

The association director was flustered by Seol-hee’s sudden question.

He quickly looked around to check if any reporters or others might be nearby.

“Seol-hee. What are you saying? Why create an awkward situation?”

“Oh my, you noticed correctly. You’re quite perceptive.”

“Ms. Nadeshiko?”

“I’m a hero, but I’m someone who likes Goblin.”

Seol-hee’s fist clenched at Nadeshiko’s words.

“My goodness. Why that reaction? Are you upset because I said I like the man you like?”

“I don’t like Goblin.”

“Oh, really?”

The tension in Nadeshiko’s eyes gradually relaxed at Seol-hee’s words.

“I-I’m sorry. Everyone says that you and Goblin have that kind of relationship.”

“No. I have no relationship with Goblin.”

With Goblin…

Since she hadn’t heard anything from him personally yet, there was no lie in saying she had no relationship with Goblin.

Seol-hee wasn’t lying.

“I jumped to conclusions because I didn’t want things to get uncomfortable due to misunderstandings, but it seems I was right. I hope there are no misunderstandings between us.”

“I’m sorry. I almost made a big mistake right after arriving.”

Nadeshiko bowed her head with her hand on her chest.

The association director cleared his throat at her overwhelming presence, but Seol-hee scrutinized her with subtle eyes and was certain.

That she herself had more magical power.

“Whether in Gangneung or Jindo, you’re always getting involved with Goblin, so I thought you had that kind of relationship.”

“What kind of relationship do you mean?”

“A hero and villain who became romantically involved…!”

“Ha.”

She couldn’t help but laugh.

“Of course…”

But she barely managed to swallow the words that almost escaped her lips, and composed herself.

“That’s absurd. Does Ms. Nadeshiko like getting involved with such villains?”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“I do like it. Since meeting him several times last year, I’ve come to admire him.”

What a bombshell statement.

Seol-hee had already spoken, but somehow she felt her fist trembling and took another deep breath to compose herself.

“…Hmm?”

No.

That woman had already noticed.

Seol-hee knew that her emotions about romantic matters were becoming more apparent, but Nadeshiko was also quite perceptive.

In that case.

“Y-you’re saying you like a villain like Goblin? Despite him being a villain?”

“Oh. Is that what this is about? Well, he may be a villain, but I can still like him.”

That’s a relief.

“Haah, Goblin…”

Fortunately, it seemed she had managed to deflect the issue, but Nadeshiko began blushing as if lost in her own world.

“About Goblin. Though a villain, isn’t he someone with abilities more special than anyone else?”

“Pardon?”

“Someone special and strong. That’s who Goblin is. And his actions, I see them as a ‘necessary evil.’ In that sense.”

Nadeshiko continued blushing as she stroked her lower abdomen with her hand.

“Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could bring such a necessary evil to our side? By any means necessary, if only we could guide that villain to the path of light.”

“…By any means necessary?”

“This isn’t something I’d say with the association director present, but you know, the government…”

Nadeshiko briefly twisted her lips into a cynical expression.

To Seol-hee, that look seemed to ask, ‘Aren’t you the same as me?’

“Haven’t they told you to use pregnancy tactics against Goblin?”

“W-what are you saying! Ms. Nadeshiko. Even so…”

“Someone must have said that to an S-rank, right? Oh my, Korea doesn’t do that? They’ve told me several times. Even this time, I was barely able to come to Sejong Island after they brought it up again.”

“No way.”

“It’s true.”

At her low, giggling voice, Seol-hee’s heart sank.

“The only reason I came to Sejong Island is to have Goblin’s child.”

“…Goblin isn’t someone who can be possessed just because someone wants to.”

“I know. But his child is different, isn’t it?”

“No.”

“Seol-hee. Times have changed. I don’t think women necessarily need to get married. In this era, we should be thinking about how to bear and raise children well.”

“……!”

Seol-hee…

“If I bear and raise the child of the man I love, wouldn’t that be happiness too?”

At those words, she unconsciously gulped.

Of course.

“…I wonder.”

If there was one thing she couldn’t agree with.

“If you’re going to have a child with someone you love, wouldn’t it be right to have the child’s father too?”

If you’re going to have something, wouldn’t it be better to have it more completely?

“I’ll support you, Ms. Nadeshiko. But if Goblin is Korean as many people think, then you’ll need to follow procedures first.”

“What procedures?”

“Korea follows the principle of nationality. If Goblin is Korean, wouldn’t the proper order be to go through Korean courts first?”

“…….”

Seol-hee wondered if she had said something unnecessary, given Nadeshiko’s strange smile.

“Hmm. Seol-hee. Perhaps…”

“Perhaps what?”

“Is there perhaps someone else you’re really dating? You seem to really dislike being romantically linked with Goblin.”

“…….”

The situation wasn’t conducive to answering “yes.”

“We’ve arrived. They’re waiting. Director?”

“Ah, yes. Ahem. Then, Ms. Nadeshiko? To the banquet hall…”

“Hmm.”

Seol-hee kept her mouth shut at Nadeshiko’s strange gaze.

She was dating someone, but…

It was an affair.

“The reason I came to Korea is one thing: to receive Goblin’s seed.”

“…….”

“If not that, I’ll just tour Sejong Island and leave.”

Seol-hee was certain after hearing Nadeshiko’s declaration in front of everyone as soon as they entered.

“Bring Goblin here. By any means. If you want to see me duel someone with my abilities, bring Goblin.”

I’m better than her, at least.

* * *

“So they’re saying to find Goblin by any means necessary? And such ‘instructions’ came down to the student council too?”

“Yes. There were instructions from the chancellor to somehow lure Goblin here.”

“The student council following the chancellor’s instructions…”

“Well, with two S-ranks singing about Goblin, I guess the chancellor wants to borrow even a cat’s paw. Though she’s a fox.”

Yoon Yi-seon made a clawing gesture and shrugged her shoulders.

“Teacher. If, hypothetically, there was a way to contact Goblin, would it be right to use it now?”

“Yi-seon, can you contact Goblin?”

“No. That’s why I’m asking. If we call Goblin for something like this, wouldn’t that be insulting to his beliefs?”

“Beliefs?”

“Yes.”

There was conviction in Yoon Yi-seon’s eyes.

“Goblin is someone who executes villains and punishes those tainted by evil, not someone who appears like a clown in front of others.”

“…….”

Somehow.

Those words resonated.

“Yi-seon, weren’t you a Goblin fan?”

“That’s why I’m saying this. Goblin has his own beliefs, and he only appears when he absolutely must. He even killed Dueoksini. Should someone like that come out just because two S-ranks from Japan are making noise about wanting a fight? I don’t think so.”

It’s somewhat touching.

Is this the true sentiment of a ‘fan’?

The fact that someone would speak like this for me was very moving and genuinely appreciated.

“You’re right. Goblin has no reason to appear in a situation like this. But Yi-seon, you seem to want Goblin to appear?”

“…What?”

“Otherwise, there’d be no reason for you to hesitate like this. From my perspective, it seems like you have a way to contact Goblin, but you’re reluctant to use it.”

“…….”

That makes sense.

Having directly participated in the battle against Dueoksini alongside Goblin, even if it was to draw attention, she could probably ask for help once in return for the help Goblin received.

Whether through Ymir or through some other route.

“…I can’t help but be reluctant. What I want to see and what the world wants to see are different.”

“Huh?”

“Goblin seems to be busier than we think. Much busier than we see, doing more important work. To ask someone like that to appear at an event like this… it’s too presumptuous and disrespectful.”

“Presumptuous, really.”

Goblin is just worried about someone right now.

“I think Goblin will accept Hayabusa’s challenge.”

“What? No way. Why would Goblin accept such a low-level challenge?”

“Low-level? An S-rank wanting to test their skills against another strong person isn’t low-level. Of course, the pretext unnecessarily stirred up conflict on the internet, but I understand Hayabusa’s feelings.”

Let’s say there’s a villain called ‘King Chiyou’ active in China.

If one day he suddenly wore a Taekwondo uniform and shouted ‘Arirang Kick,’ I’d be the first to speak up about it.

The Chinese person might have just changed his appearance to hide his identity without any particular thought, but the feelings of people who make a big deal out of it are different.

“Someone on the internet said that Doji Rider appears in the Goguryeo Subakdo.”

“Really?”

“Of course not.”

It’s not in the Cheonma Tomb or in Subakdo.

It’s not content from ancient murals either.

“Yi-seon. Setting aside the method, why not just ask? Who knows? Goblin might gladly accept your proposal.”

“…Why?”

“Well, I don’t know.”

If there’s a reason.

“But if, let’s say, Goblin is Korean. If he’s not injured somewhere.”

Thanks to Yoon Yi-seon, he was able to lure Dueoksini.

“It’s a Korea-Japan match, so maybe he could come out just once?”

Even though Goblin is a villain.

“If I were Goblin, I’d go if there weren’t other circumstances preventing it.”

Because he’s a patriot.

Even if.

Someone is setting a trap aiming for a pregnancy attack.

‘I can’t stand traitors.’