Chapter 32

Just because one is in the light, it doesn’t mean they don’t know what happens in the shadows. Just because one is in high places, it doesn’t mean they don’t know what happens in low places.

They simply pretend not to know even though they do, because getting involved brings no benefit and would just be troublesome.

The same went for the king.

Of course, how could there be no problems when you gather passionate young boys and girls in one place at their most heated age? He had a rough idea that some level of bullying, discrimination, and factionalism occurred at the academy.

However, knowing about something and seeing it with your own eyes are different matters.

“How can this be allowed to happen? Students getting drunk and throwing an innocent student out of a building? And on graduation day? Just how many more horrific things must be happening during normal times!”

The unprecedented situation where intoxicated students threw another student out the window had been witnessed by none other than the king himself. Naturally, the atmosphere hit rock bottom that day, and as soon as the graduation and appointment ceremonies ended, the king ordered a thorough investigation into this incident.

“It was Leon! That bastard set this up! We fell into his trap!”

“Y-yes, we did bully him usually and we did call him there that day, but… no, what happened that day was different! It wasn’t us!”

The perpetrators consistently claimed innocence but their claims were too absurd.

A student they had bullied for the past year suddenly seemed to become a different person a few days ago and went around beating up all the students.

But the victims and professors stayed quiet because they were threatened by that student.

They said they called him to negotiate but he suddenly splashed alcohol on them so they threw one punch in anger, then he kicked off the desk and wall and threw himself with full force through the window on the completely opposite side from where he had been.

Even listening objectively without any preconceptions, it was utterly incomprehensible rambling. In contrast, the testimonies from the victim, other students, and professors were simple and clear.

“Leon? Though his achievements aren’t remarkable, he’s a student with a rare diligence among today’s youth. With his determination to revive his fallen family, despite difficult circumstances he never shows any displeasure and always focuses on training – there’s no student quite like him.”

“Those guys are real bastards. They go around in groups picking fights with other students, and whenever they have free time they go out playing – there were plenty of rumors about why they even entered the academy when they act like this. We thought they might cause trouble someday but never imagined they’d go this far.”

The professors and students unanimously praised Leon as an exemplary student with deep loyalty to the king and country who focused on his studies, while condemning the perpetrators of this incident as troublemakers who had poor conduct and caused all sorts of problems.

When on top of that, quite a few students showed injuries as evidence of what they had suffered from them, the outcome was practically decided.

“…The following 17 students have shown violence toward other students and failed to sincerely focus on their studies, and in an intoxicated state committed the unspeakable atrocity of forcefully intimidating and throwing an innocent student out the window. For these crimes, they are ordered to pay compensation of 1,000 gold coins to the victim Leon, and are sentenced to expulsion from the academy and 3 years imprisonment.”

“N-no! My father will beat me to death if this happens!”

“Your Honor, please reconsider just this once!”

“Your Honor, please forgive us just this once! Your Honor!”

“No. Won’t change it. Not changing my mind. Hurry back.”

Such harsh sentences were rarely handed down normally.

However, by coincidence the perpetrators’ families didn’t have much power or influence, and with the academy professors unanimously calling for severe punishment and the king showing interest in this trial, various factors combined to result in an extreme sentence.

And on the evening when the perpetrators were sentenced, dozens of people gathered in an empty classroom.

“We’ve all kept our promise. Now it’s time for you to keep yours.”

“A promise, is it.”

Yuseong smiled looking at the professors and students surrounding him.

Though they were desperately acting confident, he could see through to the fear and humiliation hidden beneath. He wanted to toy with them a bit more and make them squirm, but recalling his near-death experience with Felix, he immediately took out his smartphone from his chest.

‘As Professor Felix taught…’

Crack!

The smartphone shattered the moment he handed it over.

Still not feeling fully assured by that, when an elderly professor made a gesture, the smartphone was engulfed in flames and scattered as ashes. After silently mourning his smartphone that wasn’t even paid off yet, Yuseong spoke with a bitter expression:

“I, too, have kept my promise. But please remember. I have another magical tool just like this one. If our agreement is not kept or if I die or disappear for reasons I cannot accept, someone will deliver the other magical tool to His Majesty the King.”

“You don’t trust us? Since we’ve already gotten rid of one, why not just cleanly get rid of the rest…”

“I cannot trust you. Think about everything I’ve experienced until now. Would you professors trust someone in my position?”

“Ahem!”

A situation where the other party held the leash.

Though it wasn’t a pleasant situation, since they couldn’t refuse either, they had no choice but to take a step back and present their final terms.

“Fine. But if you try to use that to threaten or gain advantages from anyone here, we absolutely won’t stay quiet. We’ll make you and your family pay the price by any means necessary, so you too keep your promise.”

“That’s exactly what I wanted to say.”

“…Tch.”

Felix clicked his tongue after their staredown and turned away, and the professors and students hurriedly followed him out of the classroom.

Left alone in the classroom, Yuseong stretched his arms up with a yawn.

“Mmm! Is this roughly the end? How does it look to you? Are you satisfied?”

-……

Leon recalled everything that had happened.

When he suddenly started beating up students, he thought his academy life was over, but using the mysterious magical tool to threaten the professors and students turned things around. When told to point out students who absolutely couldn’t be forgiven, he thoughtlessly named names and even those guys were expelled from the academy.

On top of that, as a bonus he received substantial compensation, guaranteed good evaluations from professors, and promises that they would never interfere with or disadvantage his future academy life.

-…I’m satisfied. Truly, I’m satisfied.

It felt like all the pain and suffering from the past year was melting away.

Each time Yuseong took action, he felt an exhilarating catharsis in his chest, and each time his words came true, he felt his heart swell with joy.

That’s why it felt even more regretful.

[You have cleared the quest ‘I Can’t Take It Anymore’]

[Analyzing clear process, please wait a moment]

[Fate Change Rate 169.9%, Otherworld Skill Usage 22.4%, Otherworld Artifact Usage 19%]

[Final Evaluation SSS Rank]

[Amazing! Han Yuseong succeeded in not just achieving the goal but accomplishing even more! Rewards will be given!]

[Basic Clear Reward: 100,000 Karma, Imperial Common Gold Coinsx30, Lesser Magic Stonex3, Bermund Vision Mana Training Method Part 1]

[Additional Condition Clear Reward: Imperial Common Gold Coinsx20, Lesser Magic Stonex2, Bermund Vision Mana Training Method Part 2]

[SSS Rank Clear Additional Reward: 2,000,000 Karma]

[Return to original world will begin shortly]

“Time for me to go now.”

-Are you really leaving?

“What, would you rather I keep possessing your body forever?

-To be honest, that might be better. For reviving the family, you would be better than me, Mr. Yuseong…

“Then make another quest request.”

-Haha, I’d like to but I’m not even sure how I was able to ask for help. But if another desperate situation comes, maybe I can request that quest thing again. If that time comes, I believe you’ll come help again.

“As long as no one else takes it first.”

[Initiating Deus Ex Machina Program]

[Ariadne’s Thread tracking complete]

[Initiating spirit particle transfer]

-Thank you so much! This debt, someday I’ll surely…

* * *

“Getting proper payment for work but making people feel all emotional…”

Yuseong scratched his nose with an awkward expression.

Though he had completed several quests before, he had never formed an emotional connection with the clients.

Unlike Alice who he only bickered with while desperately trying to survive a monster targeting their life, Hae Cheongyeong who he had time to talk with but barely conversed with, and Philip who he parted with in less than an hour, he had become quite immersed in Leon’s situation and chatted with him whenever bored, forming a vague friendship.

It left him feeling somewhat regretful.

“Whew, I’ll rest first and check the rewards tomorrow…”

As Yuseong turned to throw himself on the bed, he froze at the sight before him.

A naked man and woman tangled together under a thin blanket stared back at him with blank expressions.

After briefly fumbling in his pocket, Yuseong belatedly remembered his smartphone had turned to ashes in the other world and unconsciously asked:

“Um, could you tell me what today’s date is?”

Perhaps because it was such an out-of-place question in this surreal situation.

The man picked up his smartphone from the bedside as if in a trance and stated the date.

“…March 28th.”

“6 days? The ratio is almost 1:1? I really don’t understand how the time ratio is determined. It doesn’t seem based on difficulty or setting, but while fortunately there wasn’t much difference this time, if the time ratio becomes extreme…”

“Um…”

“Ah, sorry. Please continue what you were doing.”

Yuseong quietly opened the door and left the room.

“Kyaaah!”

Though he heard an unsettling scream from behind, Yuseong wasn’t nosy enough to care about such trivial matters.

After leaving the motel, Yuseong checked his pockets and sighed.

“Damn, I don’t have a single penny.”

Living in Leon’s body had made him momentarily forget that his Earth self was completely broke.

Though he had obtained numerous gold coins from the quest, brandishing gold coins for payment on Earth would instantly get him labeled a mental patient, and converting them to cash would require preparation like finding gold shops and cross-checking to determine the coins’ value.

But right now he didn’t even have enough money for lodging, let alone a smartphone to research information.

“Hey, mister over there.”

“Ahem, ahem.”

“Yeah you, the one who just cleared his throat. You, who just turned around. Got any money?”

“…Well, could consider this a bonus quest.”

Spotting some thugs harassing passersby, a cruel smile spread across Yuseong’s face. And that night, Yuseong was able to purchase a new smartphone, enjoy a satisfying meal, and sleep comfortably in a hotel.