classifiedscript Chapter 102 : Chapter 102
Chapter 102 : Chapter 102
Chapter 102: Flower Blooming in the Mud (4)
The confrontation with Baek Ha-seong continued.
It was a moment of such intense tension that my throat felt parched.
-Everyone, gather in the center of the island! We will join forces and hold them off there!!
A grand voice echoed across the entire island.
I momentarily forgot my nervousness and felt a sense of relief at the sound.
'Thankfully, it seems like everything is proceeding properly without any issues.'
The voice that just rang out was Kim Su-hyeok's talent, 'Echo of the Battlefield.'
It was a mental interference-type talent that conveyed his words to everyone on the battlefield while simultaneously boosting the morale of allies and lowering the morale of enemies.
'It is the most suitable talent for the current situation.'
Even though they were gathering toward the center, the cadets were scattered all over the place.
There was no time to find and gather them one by one.
If they tried to do that, it would be impossible for everyone—except for the fast ones—to gather before the villains arrived from the outskirts.
'Of course, the villains must have heard that shout as well…….'
It did not particularly matter.
There were nearly a thousand people in this large group.
Was it even possible for that many people to hide until Glory intervened?
Rather than trying that, it was far more important to gather in one place, even if the enemy knew about it.
As if to prove it, Baek Ha-seong, who was in front of me, let out an exclamation of admiration.
"That is a good judgment. Numbers are a more important factor than one might think."
"…Does it even matter to you anyway?"
"But those things are not me, are they?"
He did not even try to deny it.
Well, even so, I did not feel that he sounded arrogant.
Baek Ha-seong was a man who was more than qualified to speak that way.
Therefore, rather than wasting time on useless chatter, I went straight to the point.
"So, what is the reason you came here?"
"Hmm, does a villain need a reason to do villainous things?"
"Since it is just the two of us anyway, do you really need to act that way?"
"Did you hear it from the Puppeteer? I suppose it would be strange if you did not know, since she was urgently contacting someone."
The Puppeteer? Contact?
I did not have any memory of receiving such a thing.
'Ah, perhaps.'
Thinking back, when I went to the Gate with Kim Su-hyeok, my phone had been destroyed.
Since the final exams were not far off, I had just left it alone, planning to fix it once they were over…….
'Did she try to contact me then?'
Of all the times to receive a call, it had to be then.
Though, if I thought about it, it was only natural that it would be strange for no information to arrive since we were bound by a contract.
I vowed never to put off things until later again and spoke.
"For my part, I do not know what it is that has piqued your interest."
"Hmm, really? Is it not quite simple?"
Baek Ha-seong said that and briefly explained the reason.
"An academy cadet contracting with an S-Rank villain, and an existence that holds the attention of both the Spear God and the Celestial Flower. That alone seems like more than enough."
"……."
…I could not even argue with that.
Now that I heard it directly like this, there was absolutely nothing I could say to refute it.
With those reasons, it was certainly not strange for Baek Ha-seong to show interest.
Was he not a man whose range of action was originally undefined anyway?
If there was such a reason, I had no choice but to accept it.
'If that is the case, could I perhaps persuade him reasonably?'
Interest was not something that necessarily had to be resolved right here and now.
So, I thought that if I spoke well, I might be able to get out of this situation.
Therefore, I cautiously spoke to Baek Ha-seong.
"I understand what you mean. However……."
"However?"
"There is no need to satisfy that curiosity right now, is there? After all, someone like you, Baek Ha-seong, could approach me whenever you want."
"Mmm, indeed. That is true."
Baek Ha-seong nodded and agreed with my words.
I held a momentary hope at that sight.
"But I cannot do that."
That expectation was shattered instantly.
Baek Ha-seong had expressed his refusal.
"…May I ask why?"
"Why? That is quite a meaningless question. Still, it is a simple matter, so I will give you an answer."
The answer Baek Ha-seong gave was, as he said, a very simple reason.
"I am interested in you; I am not interested in the other cadets."
"……."
"So, what happens to the cadets gathered over there is none of my business."
At those words, I found myself at a loss for words.
It was exactly as he said.
In the first place, there was no reason for him to look after the cadets.
Rather, the fact that Baek Ha-seong was not aiding the villains' work was a stroke of absolute luck for us.
"But……!"
Even so, I could not give up.
I had a reason why I had to go to where the others were.
However, Baek Ha-seong’s mind showed no sign of changing.
"Have you forgotten something? I am a villain. I have no reason to care if a few cadets die."
"That may be true, but……."
"And in the first place, if they are destined to die from something like this, they would not have lived long anyway."
To say that Year 1 cadets facing C-Rank or B-Rank villains would not have lived long anyway.
It was a truly ironic thing to say.
'He is not wrong.'
That was the nature of this world.
In the industry of Players, it was not strange for any accident to occur at any time.
Even while joining forces with the likes of Kim Su-hyeok and Ryu Jin-oh at the lead, if they died because they could not protect their own lives?
If they were only at that level, it would be difficult for them to keep their lives in this harsh world.
"…Then, what must I do for you to let me go?"
"Why are you so intent on going? If you are worried about the friends you usually hang out with, they should be fine. You already know they are no longer at the level of mere cadets, do you not?"
He said the friends I usually hang out with, not the ones from earlier…….
I had not even noticed it, but had he investigated me to that extent?
I thought my skills had improved quite a bit, but it seemed I was still lacking.
"It is true that I am worried, but that is not the only reason."
"Then is it because you are worried about the lives of the other cadets? From what I have seen, you do not seem to have that kind of personality."
To tell a cadet who strictly aimed to be a Player that they seemed uninterested in such things.
However…….
'He is not wrong.'
Of course, it was not that I was trash who felt no value in such things.
But I was not a god, was I?
In a plot designed simply for people to die, I did not have the luxury to look after everyone's lives.
"……."
However, I did not deny Baek Ha-seong’s words.
'He is not wrong, but he is not entirely right either.'
It was true that I was worried about the lives of the other cadets.
It was just that the reason was not a worry stemming from a sense of justice.
'The damage from this incident will directly link to the Academy's strength.'
For now, they could fight together because they were gathered toward the center.
In the original work, that was impossible, and it caused massive casualties.
And that result led to the weakening of Glory Academy.
'That must not happen.'
A prestigious institution was still a prestigious institution.
No matter how many accidents occurred or how often they allowed villains to infiltrate, a prestigious school remained prestigious.
As if to prove it in the story, as soon as external intervention was allowed, it led to even larger disasters.
That was why I had to go there to reduce even a little bit of the damage.
The problem was that it was not as easy as it sounded.
"Well, even if that is the case, I have no intention of letting you go."
"……."
"Unlike at first, my interest in you has deepened. So, I do not really feel like letting you go."
"What does that……."
My interest has deepened? What did that mean?
That question was resolved by Baek Ha-seong’s following words.
"You said this: that I could approach you whenever I wanted."
"…I certainly said that."
"That means you are well aware of my talent. A talent of mine that I have never particularly revealed."
Baek Ha-seong continued to speak after that.
"Of course, that is not all. The Puppeteer might have told you that much. Although, knowing the Puppeteer’s personality, I do not think she would have said anything."
"……."
"But you see, you were not that surprised when you first saw me. Even considering that you heard about me from the Puppeteer."
It was as if I had known him well from the beginning.
After saying that much, Baek Ha-seong gazed at me intently and asked.
"Is this simply because you have a calm personality? What do you think?"
Of course, he was not asking because he was truly curious.
His question was in a form where the answer was already decided.
'…This was my blunder.'
The fact that I treated him calmly even though it was the first time I had seen him.
And the fact that I spoke as if I knew Baek Ha-seong well.
It was all my mistake.
Considering that Baek Ha-seong’s shrewdness was not shallow, it was something I should have naturally been careful about, yet I failed to do so.
'It will be impossible to take it back now.'
The milk was already spilled.
Making various excuses now would not change anything.
Rather, it might just provoke Baek Ha-seong’s temper.
'In that case.'
Instead, I had to be bold and move forward without any sign of trying to hide something.
I had to explain why I had shown such a reaction.
Along with a plausible reason that could convince him.
'A reason…….'
Of course, I had no intention of spitting out anything like the fact that I had entered a novel.
What was needed was a plausible reason, not the truth.
Then, what would be the most plausible-sounding reason?
After thinking for a brief moment, a good idea came to mind.
'Thinking about it, if it is that…….'
There was that misunderstanding Yu-hyeon was always making.
'The ability to see the future.'
In fact, it was not that far from the truth.
Since the novel I had read was a story of the future, in a way, it was correct.
'Fine. Let's go with that.'
Once decided, there was no need to dwell on it further.
Therefore, I proceeded with a brief explanation to Baek Ha-seong.
I told him that among my talents was the ability to see the future.
And that by using that talent, I was able to roughly know about the existence named Baek Ha-seong.
The reaction from Baek Ha-seong after hearing my words was…….
"Is that so?"
I did not know why, but he did not seem particularly surprised.
Usually, if someone said they could see the future, people would be incredibly shocked, right?
I did not expect such a calm reaction.
As if reading my thoughts, Baek Ha-seong spoke in a tone that suggested it was no big deal.
"There is no need to be particularly surprised. It is a sufficiently possible story."
"…Is it?"
"It is a talent that explains all the actions you have shown so far. If you can see the future, it is not particularly strange."
His words did not stop there.
"It is impossible for a cadet who entered the academy in 899th place to suddenly gain enlightenment and gain the interest of famous figures through ordinary means."
"……."
"The world is never that easy, is it?"
He was right.
If asked if those with innate talent succeed, I would answer that I did not know.
But if asked if those who succeeded had innate talent, I could assert that it was so, with the exception of a very few.
That was how unfair the world was.
"So, there is no need to be surprised. That is just how talent is."
"Then, have you not resolved everything you were curious about by now?"
"So you want me to let you go?"
"…I would be grateful if you would do that."
"Yes. That would not be bad either. It is not like I came here specifically to clash with you."
Baek Ha-seong’s words could be seen as a hopeful observation.
However, I did not relax.
'If he were going to let me go easily with just this, he would have done so long ago.'
And as expected.
The words that followed from him were a sign of negation.
"But that is no reason to let you go."
"Why not?"
"Rather, I will ask you. Why should I let you go? Even if I feel interested, you and I are not on equal footing, are we?"
Is that so?
'Everything he said is correct.'
Because he was a character I had seen so much in the novel that he felt familiar, I seemed to have unconsciously forgotten.
Right now, I was not a reader, but merely a Year 1 cadet.
And Baek Ha-seong was an existence who could trample over such a cadet at any time.
'So, he has no reason.'
No reason to let me go.
In that case, could I not just give him that reason?
A reason that would make Baek Ha-seong feel an emotion strong enough to want to cooperate with me as an equal.
And for me.
'That reason exists.'
Although I did not see the ending, I had read all the major episodes related to Baek Ha-seong.
Among them, was there not a single thing that could captivate his heart?
That was absolutely not the case.
Rather.
'There was an element that would act as something very important.'
Of course, I did not know how this would work.
It might even end up provoking him.
But what of it?
'If I could not handle even that much risk, I would never have said I would protect the hero in the first place.'
A world racing toward destruction.
In such a world, could one walk a path of roses without experiencing a single danger?
Such a thing was impossible.
Rather, there would be many cases where I would have to move while risking my life at every moment.
So.
'I will not be afraid.'
No matter what kind of factor this turned out to be.
I had no intention of being afraid of such a thing.
Therefore, I spoke to Baek Ha-seong in an incredibly serious voice.
"If there is a reason—if there is a reason why you and I should be equals—will you let me go?"
It was a single sentence that might seem like nothing.
But for me, it was a sentence I uttered while risking my life.