episode_0038

*****

“Sorry, Amiya. I will properly punish you later.”

“It’s okay. The kid could be like that.”

Currently, we are going on a mountain road, more specifically, a mountain road leading to where Raon and Hwain were practicing. This is because when the topic of what to do at Hwain’s facility this Chuseok came up, my suggestion was, ‘I want to go to the place where I met a spirit named Sarah.’

Of course, it’s not because I’m a fan of the original, but because I want to advance Hwa-in’s strengthening period compared to the original.

“I’m really sorry… .”

“So it’s okay.”

However, the reason why Hwain kept apologizing like this was for a slightly different reason.

Right after an unexpected encounter in the director’s office. I thought I might have made the kids wait, so I hurried over and fortunately, they were also talking to someone. Judging by his short stature, he must be one of the children in that mourning facility.

However, there was one difference between him and other children.

“So now I can go to Cheonmyeong High School!”

“Yes, congratulations, Hojae. But you know that you have to study hard to come to Cheonmyeong High School, right?”

“Ugh… . I don’t like that.”

The visible sign of magical power and the blonde hair with no visible traces of dyeing showed that the boy was an awakened person. From his spiky hair and demeanor, I could tell that the boy was quite a prankster.

“I’m here~.”

“Ah, you’re here. Hojae, say hello. He is our colleague too. The hero name is Fafnir.”

The boy called Hojae upon Hwain’s introduction looked at me. I immediately leaned on my waist and struck a majestic pose.

Even so, I was quite popular with reasonably young boys. Girls and very young kids cried when they got close, but boys often gave me thirsty horses as fan service.

“Wow, this kid also got into Cheonmyeong High School? Then I can go in too!”

“Ho, good luck!”

“… … .”

Well, the treatment back then and now may not be the same. Now it’s time to get used to it.

But kid? A kid… ?

“Hey! The kid is you! Because I’m taller than you!?”

“There’s not much of a difference… . And unlike my sister, I still have 5 years left before I can enter Cheonmyeong High School. The director said that he would have grown up by then. It’s a growth period.”

That’s right. Unlike me, whose physical requirements are semi-fixed, kids at this time grow as quickly as bamboo shoots. Maybe even after half a year, this kid might be taller than me.

“The hero there is strong, right? But my sister doesn’t look strong at all. Sister, are you really a hero?”

As I was caught off guard by the correct words and was struggling, this kid delivered an additional blow.

No, you may not even think about adding extra hits. Because being a child means purely saying what you think. To be honest, I don’t really look strong right now.

In that case, as a senior hero, I should give you some advice here.

“Of course, a hero needs strength. But what is really important for a hero is the mindset to protect people from villains and monsters.”

It’s a cliché, but it’s also true. A strong hero without responsibility can cause greater damage than an average villain.

The boy──Hojae frowned at what I said. You’re probably thinking this is obvious. If you’re an aspiring hero, you’re probably sick of hearing things like that. Still, there are times when listening intently like that can be helpful.

Even if you don’t understand it yet, there’s nothing you can do about it. Instead, I pointed out one part of Hojae’s words that most needed correction.

“And I am a man. Call me brother, not sister.”

“Hyung… ? But your hair is long.”

“If you want to become a hero, you know what potential is, right? This hair is because of potential.”

“The voice is also thin.”

“That’s also because of potential.”

It was a very far-fetched answer, but it was also true given the setting. Because I am now set to have a woman’s body because of my potential. Of course, in reality, it has nothing to do with potential.

Hojae looked at me from top to bottom with a strange expression. That doesn’t mean my gender will change.

Hojae, who was searching for me like that, suddenly reached out to me.

“Yap.”

“””!?!?!?”””

The little boy’s small hand touched my chest. I suddenly stretched out my hand and did something. I slapped his hand away.

“It’s true. Even when I touch her breasts, she doesn’t squeal.”

“Of course. Because he’s a man. However, if even a man suddenly reaches for his chest, he will think, ‘What is this guy?’, so refrain from doing this.”

“Okay! But brother, my chest was soft. Is this also because of potential?”

“That’s right. But if you neglect exercise, you might end up like this, so you should exercise hard, right?”

“Yes! I exercise every day.”

After that, I showed him some proper exercise methods, and Hojae thanked me and ran out, saying he was going to play with the kids. He’s a good kid, even if he’s a little too honest. I want to grow my muscles like this and grow into a great hero.

When I said that, for some reason Hwain kept apologizing as if he was going to bow down.

“So you said it was okay. Honestly, it’s true that I don’t look strong on the outside right now, right? Do you think I’m so narrow-minded that I get offended by a child’s sentiments?”

“No, that’s not it… .”

Even after leaving the facility, I was starting to get tired of the constant apologies, so when I said that, the mood in everyone’s mood became strange. Hwa-in and Jeong-young look away, and Ra-on rubs his temples and sighs. What, did I do something strange?

“Is it because you taught me how to exercise to build muscles? It’s okay, just enough exercise to not put a strain on growth during the growth period──”

“──Amiya, talk to me later in the evening.”

“Uh, uh… .”

Raon’s mood was somehow similar to Sia’s when she was nagging a lot, so I nodded without realizing it. Wasn’t this too… ?

As a result of choosing the wrong option, a very unpleasant atmosphere was created. It’s a big deal. I already had to figure out how to guide them to their destination, but the atmosphere had become so difficult that it was even difficult to say anything.

How should I solve this──… ?

“Wait a minute. I think there’s someone in front of me.”

“This isn’t a particularly off-limits area, so they could be hikers or kids from the facility.”

“It’s not like that. Judging from the amount of magical power they feel, they are quite strong people. Be careful.”

I could feel all three of them getting nervous at my words. I also secretly raised my magic power.

It didn’t take long for me to encounter the people I had noticed. The total number of people is three. Two women and one man… , it was. maybe.

The reason I couldn’t be sure was because they were covering their faces with something like a mask, and all three of them didn’t have the bodies of ordinary people.

“Huh? Hello, are you from Hero School? What are you doing here?”

The woman in front of the three spoke warmly. For an ordinary awakened person, her green hair tied down would have been something unusual, but in her case, scales on the lower part of her chin and the backs of her hands were noticeable. The pupil was torn vertically.

I could see the three people, excluding me, loosening their guard at that natural, non-hostile attitude. Not surprisingly, all three were wearing the uniform of the Hero Association. Of course, I heard something, so my alertness went up even more.

“The facility where we stayed before entering school is nearby. I used to practice near here, so I’m going to go there.”

“Ah! You are from the House of Seeds. By the way, do you mean the vacant lot beyond where you used to practice? There were quite a few traces of magical power being used.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

He must have completely lost his guard after seeing the name of the facility being mentioned. Hwain talked about various things with the woman for a while.

“I’m sorry, but what should I do? The association is currently investigating this area. I would like you to refrain from traveling from now on… .”

“Investigation? What happened in front of you?”

“No! It’s not a big deal. I can’t tell you exactly. Well, I think access will probably be restricted for about a week.”

“Oh my… . What should I do, guys?”

I was lost in thought for a moment, leaving the kids talking with worried expressions.

What I had once doubted turned into complete certainty. These guys are definitely not the right guys.

The information that the woman in front of me said was completely opposite to the information I heard from Jeong So-yeon. And there is almost nothing going on within the association that special agents of the Intelligence Department don’t know about. The fact that the group in front of us is impersonating the Hero Association can be considered confirmed.

The problem started here. Should I reveal that fact or not, and if so should I fight or not?

First of all, the option of not disclosing the truth can also be eliminated. If you don’t reveal the truth, there will be a need to follow their words and step down. Considering the current situation where we only had three days, excluding the return day, we only had two days, so thinking of a way to retreat and then come back in was very inefficient.

So what if the truth is revealed? First of all, their identity will become a problem. If they were simple criminals trying to do something illegal here, they would probably give up and run away when their identity was revealed. There are not many crazy criminals who openly resist the Hero Association.

But if they are Genesis, things get a little more complicated. First of all, since all three think they are employees of the Hero Association, they will have to tell them why they think they are Genesis. Roughly something like this.

‘So, in fact, the person you thought was the director was a secret agent of the association! And the secret agent specifically informed me that there were no Association investigations around here! So they are bad guys!’

… No matter how much you think about it, it is difficult. Even if it’s okay for me to give in and get caught by the Chinese, if the guys in front of me are Genesis, it’s not good for my association’s relationship with me to be discovered. Because I am a kind of shadow escort.

Then what should I do──

“Ami, what about you? What do you think should be done?”

“Huh!? That, that~?”

The arrow of conversation flying towards me interrupted my thoughts. I haven’t even thought about how to reveal my identity or what to do in a fight! I hope that the surrounding situation will give me a cliche from a novel or comic that waits while I organize my thoughts.

Should we just jump straight into this decision? When I got tired of the troublesome thoughts and thought of an extreme solution, Hwa-in suddenly pointed at the animal-eared woman and raised a puzzled voice.

“That person over there, hasn’t he seen me before?”

“Oh, isn’t it?”

Startle! The wolf girl with her animal ears standing upright slowly walked behind the large man. No matter how I look at it, it only looks like I was stabbed.

Normally, they would have joked about whether or not they were working, but the atmosphere between Raon and Jeongyoung is also unusual.

“How are those mutts doing?”

“──You insult Eun and Cheong… !”

Is it like a colleague or family member? At Jeongyoung’s provocation, the wolf woman’s expression changed in an instant. The two arms exposed outside of the association’s conquest instantly transformed into those of a giant wolf.

“As expected…!”

Suddenly, at the same time that Fine—Surtur drew his sword, Raon and Jabberwock also entered a fighting stance. Perhaps because they realized that the other side had also been discovered, the two people behind the woman began to become more and more aggressive.

In particular, in the case of the wolf woman, it was as strong as a tight bow string, so it wouldn’t be surprising if she charged in this direction at any time.

“Hmph. Yes, it should have been like this from the beginning. I guess it suits my personality to walk around hiding in clothes like this──”

“Fenrir, ‘Sit down’.”

“Kkegaeng!?”

However, that charging attitude that seemed like it would explode at any moment was broken by a single word from the green-haired woman. No, it’s not like it’s loose, that posture really looks like a dog sitting… ?

“Hey! What are you doing in front of your enemies? W-don’t you let go of this shameful attitude!?”

“You should have told me? On this mission, you will absolutely obey my words. You are the one who agreed to that and allowed the right to command. So stay still.”

“But the identity was discovered anyway, so it was a play and all, so they just got rid of all the author stuff… !”

“‘Hand’.”

“Tsk!”

The wolf woman’s hand moved up to the woman’s outstretched hand. As we watched in shock, wondering what kind of scene this was, the wolf girl noticed our gaze and her face turned bright red.

“You, you, you… !”

“Did you not understand your situation? Or do you want to be even more embarrassed in front of them? Do you want to flip over and roll around on your stomach this time?”

“Ugh… !”

The wolf woman lowered her head with a red face. The woman, accepting this as a kind of declaration of surrender, turned her gaze towards us again.

“It’s difficult. How did you find out? Have you met this child before?”

“… Previously in the dungeon, a little bit.”

“Ah. So it looks like you are the boy with the ‘firework’ and his group.”

It looks like our identities have also been discovered. Well, since there was that wolf girl, the result would have been the same.

“Of course, you must have noticed that we are Genesis, right? But I’m in trouble. This mission was a top secret mission. Um, could you just pretend you didn’t see it?”

“What… ?”

“I don’t really like fighting. I accepted this mission because there was no need to fight. Fortunately, from what you just said, it seems like you all came here for a purpose that has nothing to do with our mission. How about we just pretend not to see each other and pass by?”

It was such an absurd statement that Surt questioned it without realizing it. Of course, I felt the same way, just didn’t open my mouth. Well, there are all these shameless women.

“You look like you are dumbfounded. But I’m serious. And there’s no reason for them to fight with me, right?”

“There is no reason. You are Genesis──”

“Yes, it is true that we are Genesis. But I swear to God, none of us have ever killed or seriously injured anyone. It’s not a lie that I don’t like fighting.”

Sigh. The woman took off her mask. A long, thin tongue slipped out between her lips, making a whistling sound.

“As you can see, we are all born with heterogeneous potential. Have you heard it too? Persecution of the awakened Lee Hyeong-gye… It is said that things are getting better thanks to the recent efforts of the association, but until a few years ago, such cases were not rare in local areas, right? Like this, there are some people who have no choice but to rely on Genesis.”

“That thing… .”

Surtur tried to open his mouth to refute those words, but no proper words came out. First of all, because what is being said is based on facts. The persecution of Lee Hyeong-gye was one of the important social issues that was covered several times in the news.

I could have come forward and refuted it, but for now I stayed quiet. Not only because it didn’t look good to leave the leader alone, but also because I was curious about how Surtur would deal with such emotional issues.

“… I knew you had a problem. But if that’s the case, we can’t just pretend not to see it and pass by. If you have no choice but to do this, I want you to surrender here and now. Then I will help you somehow.”

“That’s impossible. I told you, right? There are circumstances.”

“Then I can’t do anything about it. I’m sorry about what happened to you, but I want you to know that belonging to Genesis is such a serious crime.”

Fortunately, Surtur resolutely rejected the snake woman’s offer. What I personally like is that they say they will help in the meantime. Mmmmm.

The snake woman looked at Surtur for a moment with an expression that did not know what she was thinking. But then he sighed deeply and shook his head.

“I will tell you one last thing. ‘Please pretend you didn’t see it’.”

The last words he spoke were filled with deep magic and murder. Surtur, Jabberwock, and Raon all three reflexively drew their weapons.

But I noticed that everyone’s hands were shaking. The snake woman’s fierceness was so intense.

“Are you feeling a little more inclined to listen to my request now?”

“Qu… !”

Keying. The snake woman’s vertically torn eyes gave off a strange light. First of all, all three of them spewed out their magic to fight back, but they were losing momentum like a frog in front of a snake.

I guess a good idea just occurred to me, I guess this is enough. I stepped forward, putting my hand on Surtur’s shoulder.

“Now, don’t stare at me so scary. After a long time, your pretty face becomes a mess.”

As I stepped forward as if nothing had happened, the snake woman’s pupils widened slightly. Immediately after that, an even bigger beast than before exerted strong pressure as if it was trying to crush me.

But I haven’t been able to deal with this type of energy for a year or two. The snake woman’s deadly force was caught up in the flow of magical energy I sent out and scattered. All the pressure not only on me but also on my colleagues behind me.

Eventually, the snake woman seemed to have realized that what she was doing was meaningless, and her life ended.

“Indeed. It is said that there was an element of faith in the choice to fight. So are you going to engage here now?”

“Wait, wait. Aren’t you being too active in a topic where you say you hate violence? I was trying to suggest a truce.”

“A ceasefire?”

“Okay. You said that the mission you were doing was an easy mission with no fighting or anything, right? But even we can’t guarantee that you won’t do something useless to civilians. So please let us follow that mission or something.”

Shocked looks gathered from both the front and the back. The one in the front is a wolf woman and a large man, and the one in the back is, of course, the Surturs. I turned around for a moment and winked to tell him to leave it to me.

This is a good method I thought. The only thing Genesis would be interested in around here would be the facility I was targeting. If you are reluctant to guide it yourself, you can have the enemy guide you.

Now, how do you get out? If you accept my offer, you can just follow these guys. If you reject my offer, all you have to do is ask Raon to use tracking magic. Either way I am very welcome.

“… hmm. surely. As Fenrir said, it feels similar to us.”

But the words that came out of the snake woman’s mouth were completely unexpected. I can’t believe I feel the same way. I? With you?

I’m not sure if that’s true if you just look at it. In my case, I ended up in this situation not because of my potential, but because of completely different circumstances, so I don’t think it will be similar.

“Have you ever heard the name Guche Shrine?”

“… I don’t have one?”

Of course, I knew it well, but I couldn’t answer that way. It doesn’t seem like the Sphere Shrine is doing much activity at the moment. But why does that guy’s name pop up here?

“Really? Hmm. That’s too bad. I thought the number of sisters had increased again.”

Also, what are the sisters talking about?

But I didn’t give myself time to really think about it. The snake woman nodded, saying it was an answer to my suggestion just now.

“It’s really not something I mind doing, so there won’t be a problem if I go together. It’s just for a little while, but please take care of me.”

“Wait a minute, whoever you want… !”

“‘Get down’.”

“Keuung.”

With a cry so subtle that it could hardly be called a wolf, a strange party of Genesis and the hero team was formed.

*****