Ch.210Chapter 8. Thorough Aftercare (1)

“What were you doing there?”

“I was serving my country.”

“Hmm… you pass!”

That’s the kind of situation that unfolded.

Though Ymir’s sudden action was bewildering, thanks to her—if I can even call it that—we managed to dispel Princess Bari’s suspicions.

‘This is a bit ridiculous.’

I never imagined Princess Bari would leave thinking we were actually serving our country.

Of course, Ymir was Ymir for making me pull out my bat so abruptly, but Princess Bari was something else for jumping up to check inside.

‘These heroines all have such strange concepts of sexuality.’

While this might be normal in this world, I can’t help but find the sexual norms that women here possess strange and frightening.

This world is too lenient about patriotic service.

Whether it’s because the author set up a world where anything is okay as long as it’s for the country, or because people in this world believe that ability users serving their country is the shortcut to world peace.

Or perhaps it’s because this society makes everyone think “patriotic service is understandable” regardless of time and place.

I don’t really know why this world is so obsessed with patriotic acts, but it’s certainly disconcerting that I can actually get away with situations by claiming patriotism.

“Haah.”

“Why are you sighing so deeply?”

“Because you’ve turned me into a strange person.”

“Everyone does it, so it’s not that strange.”

“Everyone does it?”

“Yes. It’s not weird to serve your country all over Sejong Island. We did it too.”

“No, you and I used magic to create a barrier.”

“That’s the story of Goblin and Platinum Sun. If it had been Do Ji-hwan and Ymir, the soldiers would have seen it and just said ‘good timing’ and moved on.”

“Huh.”

After returning home, I could only lament the absurdity of the situation.

“Taowu. Did I do something wrong?”

“No? It was excellent improvisation. Patriotic service is innocent! Ta-da-da. Didn’t evacuate during a dangerous situation? Turns out you were serving your country. Everyone would say that’s unavoidable.”

“See? Even Taowu acknowledges it.”

“He’s getting cocky because you’re validating him.”

Ymir committed an outrageous act, and I immediately confronted her about it.

But Ymir acted as if she’d done nothing wrong, and even Taowu seemed to take the stance that it was fine as long as it was entertaining.

“Next time I’ll just physically run away. Or maybe I should learn spatial movement myself.”

“You still can’t do it?”

“No.”

Perhaps because I’m not particularly brilliant, I still can’t properly utilize spatial movement.

“You can use time acceleration just fine but can’t do spatial movement. Is this what they mean when they say God is fair?”

“Maybe your bat is too heavy for teleportation.”

“Hey. Are you going to keep talking like that?”

“Ah! The Goblin is hitting people!”

“……”

I inwardly lamented Ymir’s habit of turning everything into a joke.

The protagonist wasn’t originally this kind of character, was he? Or was he actually like this all along?

If he had been hiding as a male, such stress might have accumulated and eventually exploded like a meteor.

“Sigh. It’ll be awkward if I face Princess Bari and Do Ji-hwan later.”

“How about wearing glasses as a disguise?”

“I think I’ll have to. Not that it’ll make much difference.”

I made direct eye contact with Princess Bari.

I even confirmed that Princess Bari lowered her gaze.

“What if Princess Bari sees Do Ji-hwan’s true form and realizes that Do Ji-hwan is the Goblin?”

“Taowu. Why are you saying that?”

“I’m just mentioning a possibility. Like how a certain Mr. White pretended not to look while enjoying the view in the hot springs.”

“…Well, that’s different. Ah, never mind. I shouldn’t say more.”

Next time, I should just hide my appearance as usual.

“Ymir. Next time, let’s either coordinate in advance or avoid creating situations where we need to improvise.”

“Should we rent a motel room instead of using the bathroom?”

“That would actually be better.”

A place that can be used as a private space, even temporarily, is much better than a public area used by many people.

“If there is a next time.”

“Next time, I’ll create a more solid alibi so we won’t get caught. Hehehe.”

“…Sure, sure.”

Well, thanks to Ymir we got caught by Princess Bari, but also thanks to Ymir we didn’t get caught by Princess Bari.

Because patriotic service can happen anywhere without being strange, and Sejong Island is also an island for patriotic service.

Ulleungdo?

That’s a place for bearing the fruits of patriotic service.

If romance is a game, it’s a place you go for end-game content. Sejong Island is no less impressive than Ulleungdo when it comes to patriotic service.

In fact, it’s even more so.

This is where you go through the process and procedures to become a definite pair before going to Ulleungdo.

The more capable an ability user is, especially those who have definitely become “adults,” the more people line up wanting to serve the country with them.

For instance.

Yoon Yi-seon, who was already quite popular as the student council president, has now earned the title of A-class “strongest.” From now on, the desire for patriotic service directed at Yoon Yi-seon will burn even hotter than before.

“Mr. Do. You seem really worried about Yoon Yi-seon. Why is that?”

“Worried? The teacher is worried about Yi-seon? Are you concerned she might get hurt?”

“No, no. You seemed worried she might be hurt by the Goblin’s intrusion.”

Perhaps because Taowu has merged with me, he immediately noticed that I was concerned about Yoon Yi-seon.

“I’m worried I might have hurt Yoon Yi-seon unnecessarily.”

“Hurt? How exactly did you hurt her?”

“By barging into a fight she could have won and causing a scene.”

“…I don’t think that’s something you need to worry about, and I doubt Yi-seon would care either.”

“You never know what’s in someone’s heart.”

Just like Ray Huang, who was triggered to go berserk when he couldn’t fight due to Hayabusa’s intervention after accepting defeat in a 1:1 battle with Yoon Yi-seon, each ability user has their own unpredictable sore spots.

“Ymir. Contact Yi-seon. Ask if she’s free early this morning.”

“…Why do you need her time?”

“Obviously for mental care.”

“You’re going to provide mental care for Yi-seon?”

“Yes.”

When I directly mentioned “mental care,” Ymir’s eyes narrowed.

“Teacher, do you like Yi-seon?”

“It’s not so much that I like her, but I think it would be good to recruit her into the Syndicate.”

“You’re not planning to use your bat on her, are you?”

“What do you take me for? Do I look like some trash who tries to have affairs with every pretty woman I see?”

“…Not quite that bad.”

Ymir shook her head with an ambiguous smile.

“Then what?”

“More like a more malicious man who makes women naturally want to have affairs?”

“You’re completely turning me into some kind of monster.”

“Am I wrong though? Ahaha.”

“Taowu, you too?”

With even Taowu joining in on Ymir’s comments, I had no allies in this room.

“Fine. Contact Yi-seon. Tell her to meet me at midnight.”

“The A-class winner will attract a lot of attention. Will that be okay?”

“She can take off her Taeguk Watch, and you can bring her.”

“Ah. I thought you were going to put her on the back of your bike like you did with me.”

“If I have your help, there’s no need to go that far.”

I didn’t know back then.

“Alright. I’ll contact her. But what are you planning to do with Yi-seon? Kidnap her to Ulleungdo?”

“…Really. Is your first thought about me always something like that?”

“Hmm, not the first, maybe the second?”

“Fine, let’s say that’s true.”

It’s better to just give up.

“Hmm… Since you’re coolly admitting it, there’s no fun in teasing you further. So what are you really going to do with Yi-seon?”

“You can listen when I talk to Yoon Yi-seon directly.”

Probably.

It will be an interesting conversation.

“It’s for Yoon Yi-seon’s mental care, and for world peace.”

* * *

[Ruined Finals, Tarnished Victory.]

[Winner Yoon Yi-seon? Chairman Wang: “The match isn’t decided yet.”]

“……”

It had been barely eight hours since the finals ended in such an unsatisfactory way.

Yoon Yi-seon wondered if she really needed to look at these trashy articles, but she steeled herself and checked people’s reactions to her victory again.

To sum it up in one word: “retirement home.”

Literally, people didn’t fully acknowledge Yoon Yi-seon as the winner.

“I got robbed of my victory.”

The situation was so absurd that she couldn’t help but mock herself, but the reality remained unchanged.

Yoon Yi-seon hadn’t settled things with Ray Huang.

Even if she defeated the person Ray Huang had beaten, she still hadn’t definitively beaten Ray Huang himself, so there was no way to change the situation.

Unless something special happened, she would continue to be called a fake winner.

“……”

Perhaps because of people’s reactions?

Yoon Yi-seon was curious about ‘his’ intentions for summoning her.

Even if it was to save her, he still took the spotlight from the finals, and while she didn’t want to blame him, human psychology is indeed strange.

Flash!

A golden circle appeared in Yoon Yi-seon’s room.

“Have you been waiting?”

“Yes. I can go right now.”

“Then come in. Ah. Your Taeguk Watch?”

“No electronic devices at all. Just my training clothes.”

As soon as Ymir reached out her hand from inside, Yoon Yi-seon grabbed it.

Soon after entering the circle, Yoon Yi-seon found herself in an unfamiliar space.

It was similar to the gymnasium where they had dealt with Dueoksini before, but smaller and more worn down.

“Where is this…?”

[It’s one of the gymnasiums in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province. A place no one uses. More precisely, one of the gymnasiums owned by the Syndicate.]

“…!”

Before her eyes.

[Congratulations on your victory.]

The Goblin stood there in a suit, leaning on his bat.

[And I apologize for taking your victory.]

“…No. It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize. The ones at fault are Ray Huang who took drugs, and Hayabusa who barged in thinking I would be hit by Ray Huang.”

[True. The fault lies with them, but… you’re the one suffering now. Being called a fake winner.]

“……”

If.

If someone other than the Goblin had said this, she might have been a little angry.

[So I want to apologize and help you.]

“…Help me? How? The Syndicate…?”

[No. The Syndicate can’t arbitrarily help Academy students. I’m the one helping you.]

“…Pardon?”

[I’m saying I’ll tutor your ability.]

The Goblin raised his bat.

[I’ll raise you to S-class. Then you can go to Japan as an S-class and beat Hayabusa. You.]

“Me… S-class…?”

[Yes.]

“Is that possible?”

[Yes.]

The Goblin approached Yoon Yi-seon in one swift movement.

[Do you want power? If so, accept.]

And then he lowered himself and extended his pinky finger.

[I’ll be your trainer.]

#Author’s Note#

I’ve crossed… the line…

Thank you always, everyone.

I’ll strive to write quality content that doesn’t feel repetitive even with romance and patriotic service…!