Chapter 27 Part 2: Commission – Violence

“Well, help yourself to anything you want to eat or drink.”

“…Um, isn’t this alcohol?”

“Huh? Why?”

What, can’t she drink?

Seeing the student looking at me as if it was strange, I cleared away the alcohol, thinking she couldn’t drink.

I was going to give her some of the alcohol I had piled up as a gift.

Then, as if she was tired of my nonchalant appearance, Haran looked at me as if she was dumbfounded.

“What do you mean why? Don’t you know students are prohibited from drinking alcohol?”

“Ah, that’s right. Was it? I forgot.”

“You forgot…”

The story about the food a little while ago was an excuse, but this was true.

Since it’s common for students to do drugs or drink alcohol, I inadvertently forgot.

There was such a law in Neo City too. Of course, it wasn’t followed.

Right, minors are prohibited from alcohol and cigarettes.

As a sign of apology, I waved my hand, and the student waved her hand as if it was okay.

Hmm, she’s a nice friend.

“Um, so what is this place…?”

“Well. What do you think it is? Want to guess?”

I stared intently at the female student who was the client’s niece.

She doesn’t seem to have any idea what this place is, but her uncle told her to come here?

At first glance, it could be thought that the former client’s explanation was insufficient.

But it was strange to say that the explanation was insufficient. It was as if he hadn’t mentioned this place that provides revenge at all.

Then….

“Haran, just a moment.”

“Yes?”

“Do you have the first client’s phone number? Call him and ask if he’ll pay instead of the commission fee. He’ll probably accept.”

“Okay.”

I whispered softly into Haran’s ear so that the client couldn’t hear.

Then, did she think I was talking about her? The client flinched, so I patted Haran’s back and smiled as if it was nothing.

“Haha, don’t worry too much. It was a story about the maintenance of the facility.”

“I, is that so?”

“Yeah. There’s so much paperwork to do… So? Why do you think your uncle brought you here? Have you thought about it?”

He said it would be good to go here, but he doesn’t explain what kind of place this is.

There were occasional cases like this.

When they don’t want revenge themselves, or when they are so listless that they can’t even think that they can take revenge.

In these cases, acquaintances or family members secretly brought them in.

This student is probably in a similar situation.

When I glanced at Haran, Haran raised her thumb and nodded as if my guess was correct.

“Don’t worry too much. I won’t tell anyone.”

“I guess so… This is, because it’s a counseling center….”

A counseling center.

What made her think that?

As I waited quietly for the student to open her mouth, a drop of tear fell from her eyes.

“Of all people, my uncle had to see it… Wh, what do I do now? He said he wouldn’t tell my family, but what if he does? If he reports it to the police? Th, then my house will be ruined this time!”

If she reports it to the police, her family will be ruined?

My face and Haran’s face hardened in an instant, feeling that the female student’s words were unusual.

I thought it wouldn’t be a normal case since she was sent here, but it seems like it’s a more serious matter than I thought.

“Is it something you can’t tell us either? Your uncle told you to go to us instead of the police. It might be helpful?”

“Hmm, right. You might not believe it.”

She was forced to come because her uncle accidentally found out, so I didn’t think she would say that we, who she was seeing for the first time, could solve it.

Then what should I do?

The answer was very simple.

“…What are you doing now?”

As I looked at the female student as if licking her body, she looked at me with the eyes of looking at a criminal.

And, I felt that gaze from behind too. Haran is probably looking at me with a similar gaze.

I thought Haran would trust me because she’s a business partner…

Have I not built up enough trust yet? I was a little sad.

While receiving the two people’s suspicious gaze with my whole body, I reached out towards the female student’s chest.

“E, Ella-ssi?! What are you doing…!”

“Hoi.”

“Aah?! My phone?!”

If I can’t hear it, I can just check it myself.

After taking the client’s phone, I quickly disassembled the security that was as sloppy as walking around naked, and rummaged through her phone.

Then, the female student hurriedly snatched the phone from my hand, but I didn’t care.

I’ve already seen everything I needed to see.

“Wh, what’s with you suddenly?! How can you take someone else’s phone!”

“Sorry, Eun-ji yang. I was just a little curious. Will you forgive me?”

“?! H, how do you know my name…!”

“I saw it all.”

I checked everything in that short amount of time.

Eun-ji yang didn’t seem to want to believe my words that I declared that.

So, I decided to reveal a little bit of her personal information so that she could believe it.

“JinYang Academy 2nd year, Kim Eun-ji. Affiliated with the close combat department. Family is mother and father, and a younger brother. Favorite idol is….”

“Ella-ssi. How about you stop talking there? I think they’ll look at us strangely.”

“They’re already looking at us strangely, so don’t worry.”

“That’s not comforting at all…”

“Okay, Eun-ji yang. I already know what situation you’re in. So, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.”

“…No, I’ll tell you.”

“You made a good choice.”

Did she think that it was meaningless to hide it since she had already been caught?

She sighed and opened her mouth.

“…I’m being bullied.”

“Yes? But why are you trying to hide that…”

“There’s no point in saying it. Those guys all have several strong guardians. There’s nothing I can do even if I resist.”

Even if I consult someone, the situation will not improve.

She seemed to be sure of that.

That’s why she had been hiding it from her family. Then her uncle accidentally found out.

“I struggled at first too. I reported it to the police and asked the teacher for help too.”

“But why..?”

“Do you think there’s anyone who wants to oppose the son of a famous guild leader, the daughter of a judge, and the son of an association executive…?”

“The teacher told me. He said he would respond to counseling if anything happened. So when I told him, I was treated like I didn’t exist from the next day. Isn’t it funny?”

“What about the police?”

“Is there any reason to stir up those people and upset them? The investigation was closed without anyone knowing. No charges.”

Her appearance of letting out a hollow laugh as if it was absurd seemed disappointed.

Was it towards the teacher who betrayed her expectations? Or was it towards the public authority that should have resolved her unfairness?

Maybe it’s both, or maybe she’s disappointed in adults.

One thing was certain, it seemed like there was no hope that she could overcome this situation.

“So no matter what you guys do, it doesn’t mean anything. Reporters, police, and teachers are all the same people. You guys will be the same too.”

“Then, what are you thinking of doing in the future?”

“What else can I do? I have to endure it. Until graduation. I’ve already endured one year. I can endure the remaining two years too….”

Poohk.

“Kkyaaaaaak!”

“Endure what? While you’re dying like this. You’ll get sick of it?”

When I poked her in the side with a cynical gaze, she writhed like a salt-sprinkled slug.

I saw everything. Why are you pretending to be strong?

There’s no way she doesn’t know about the bruises all over her body that are mockingly uploaded to the messenger.

“I think it’s amazing that you’ve endured for a year. But you, do you think you can graduate in this condition? You’re in the close combat department?”

I don’t know exactly what the academy teaches…

I could tell just by hearing the name close combat department. It must be a place where you use your body.

In such a place, there was no way she could graduate properly if she acted like she was going to die of pain even if she was stimulated like this.

“Then what do you want me to do? Besides being able to endure until graduation, what can I do? Huh?”

As if my words had hit the nail on the head, she glared at me as if she was possessed by evil.

She seemed to be resenting me for saying that, even though she knew vaguely that she wouldn’t be able to endure it.

“The academy tuition isn’t cheap, and I can’t just throw away all that money just because I’m being bullied a little. Even if I quit, how am I going to explain this to my family? Huh?”

“If I just endure a little more, just two more years, and endure the academy life, it’ll be okay. Then, I can be treated as a B-grade Awakened. Then everything will be okay.”

“Um, Ella-ssi…”

“Yeah.”

“If I just graduate, everything will be okay. If I rest a little and make my body healthy again, then…!”

She was talking about a happy future while rambling, as if she was hypnotizing herself.

Just endure a little more. Then a happy future awaits. I can’t cause trouble to my family.

She muttered like that as if she was escaping.

“It’s serious. That’s why she was brought here?”

She herself had no will to do anything. She’s in a situation where she can’t even think of standing up to the perpetrators of violence.

But she didn’t seem to be thinking of quitting the academy either. She was thinking that if she just endured, a happy future would await.

I could see at a glance that she would break down without being able to endure if she went on like that.

Maybe that’s why she was brought here.

I sighed and asked Haran.

“Haran. Please prepare a JinYang Academy uniform.”

“Yes? By any chance..”

“Yeah, well. What else can I do?”

I didn’t want to wear a skirt, but I couldn’t help it.

I can’t insist that I’m a man with this appearance.