108 – Suddenly, the ninjas appeared! #5
The attack by Ki Seung-jae and the Japanese ninjas was quelled in less than half a day.
Aside from the grass in the playground being burned or frozen, there was no damage.
Pak-.
Ki Seung-jae was tightly bound and kneeling in front of Seo Ye-rim.
Tsk- Seo Ye-rim clicked her tongue.
“Do you really not understand that causing a commotion this way, just because people don’t remember you, has a more negative impact?”
Ki Seung-jae’s objective was to create a disturbance.
The purpose of the attack itself was to instigate a major incident that would become an issue.
Ki Seung-jae spoke confidently.
“Now people will know why I had to do this. They will take an interest in us and our families, who are hurt, sick, and broken, and forgotten.”
Despite being bound, Ki Seung-jae held his back straight, resembling an activist or a martyr.
However, Seo Ye-rim had a different opinion.
“Humans are really naive. Korea is not a place where things unfold as imagined. If a first-generation Awakened goes crazy and terrorizes people—then articles will come out, and he’ll be regulated and excluded.”
I thought it unlikely at first, but upon reflection, Seo Ye-rim’s opinion had merit.
Once the fact spread that a first-generation Awakened was terrorizing a chaebol due to PTSD and poverty, the citizens would surely feel fear, thinking, “A first-generation Awakened lives next door! He talks strange nonsense every day; could it be PTSD symptoms!?”
“Awakened Regulation Proposal.”
Wouldn’t that lead to more rigorous inspections, making it harder to operate?
“What if people like Haildo, who are living diligently because of you, get hurt? Are you going to cause terror then?”
“Are you saying I should just keep doing things that nobody acknowledges? Seo Ye-rim, those like you who have lived without a shortage from start to finish will never understand!”
Ki Seung-jae shouted in indignation.
“How could an S Rank Awakened, treated like a VIP everywhere, know anything about us!”
“Huh?”
Although Ki Seung-jae seemed to have lost his senses and shouted, I thought it was foolish to say such things to none other than an S Rank Awakened like Seo Ye-rim.
There were only two S Ranks in Korea.
Ki Seung-jae surely did not understand the significance.
His narrow perspective was causing him to miss it.
I grasped Ki Seung-jae’s body and stood him up, then firmly said.
“Hey, Ki Seung-jae. Speak properly! Who do you think is protecting the peace we have now? Even if ordinary people don’t know, you shouldn’t say such things to Seo Ye-rim, who wants to be remembered by people!”
Humanity had developed alongside the Fifth Industrial Revolution.
The probability of losing life or getting hurt from rifts had become exceedingly low.
This was because many people’s challenges and sacrifices had established a system in various ways.
Even so, if the risk of getting seriously injured or losing life from rifts still existed, it would surely be the T-level rifts known as the worst that would pose the greatest danger.
The S Rank Awakened like Seo Ye-rim and Cha Yura were experiencing the sites where Ki Seung-jae and I had to risk our lives long ago, daily.
If a R (Ragnarok) rift surpassing T (Titan) level were to emerge in Korea, the first to be deployed would also be S Rank Awakened like Seo Ye-rim and Cha Yura.
No matter how dangerous and treacherous those places became.
“Seo Ye-rim is why we can sleep soundly every day. S Rank Awakened are the hope and light for people. They are the fortress.”
I wanted to be like that too.
Though I was still crawling due to a lack of power!
“…….”
Ki Seung-jae seemed to realize he had spoken out of turn, as he remained silent without rebuttal.
Soon, Seo Ye-rim scoffed.
“No. You spoke well. Yeah. I’m a golden spoon. So what? Is it a crime that I was born rich? And while you said nobody would remember, someone will definitely remember.”
Her expression turned very red as she spoke.
Was she angry after hearing what Ki Seung-jae said?
The temperature around us seemed to rise.
“Hyek…! The ice slush of Coris is melting again…! It means global warming is quite serious…”
As Coris trembled, Inoi raised a hand.
“The owner of the house tells this Inoi about computers every day…! And helps cultivate the golden apple tree, and uses plenty of water…! This Inoi knows that…! Nymphs never forget grace and will surely repay it…!”
It was a bizarre compliment.
Inoi puffed out its chest as if it had made a remarkable commendation.
Soon, Coris spoke as well.
“Preparatory Core Jina also brushes this Coris’s hair every day, takes walks with me, and teaches me how to work…! This Coris won’t forget…!”
“I, Illinois, will never forget how I was pinched on the cheek by Core Ye-rim and had my allowance cut by 80%, reducing it to 20,000 won…!”
It was a touching yet peculiar story in many ways.
Thud, thud-.
Then I heard footfalls and turned to see Seo Sang-yong approaching.
He looked at Ki Seung-jae and spoke.
“Ki Seung-jae. Unfortunately, this incident will not make it to the news or media. We can’t let the world know that Telos’s security was breached. Everything will be buried.”
“……!”
“It was as if nothing ever happened. On this island. We did.”
Ki Seung-jae was greatly flustered.
The fact that everything that had just occurred was reduced to nothing was shocking, undoubtedly.
But it was natural.
“Telos” was a megacorp with extralegal authority.
Making the events on the island disappear would not be hard.
Ki Seung-jae’s expression darkened in an instant.
His back, which had been straight just moments ago, slumped.
“Was it meaningless—are you saying my actions were meaningless?”
“No. It wasn’t meaningless. At least it was excellent for self-PR. If your technology and help are part of the new pet industry being promoted at Telos, I believe it could greatly accelerate the process.”
Swoosh-.
Seo Sang-yong untied Ki Seung-jae and raised him up.
Then he said to him.
“There was a non-profit project regarding pensions and welfare for first-generation Awakened and their families that had been discarded at Telos. It would be good to reconsider and discuss that.”
Flutter-.
Seo Ye-rim jumped in surprise.
“Are you serious about that? Isn’t Telos’s motto to thoroughly avoid unprofitable projects? Last time you outright denied it; what’s going on?”
“The corporate motto doesn’t change. What we pursue is not charity. As long as you are cooperating with us, Ki Seung-jae, we are willing to give something back. Don’t you think that’s a win-win?”
I thought it was a good opinion as well.
Being an executive of a giant corporation wasn’t something everyone could do.
If I were in that position, would I have been able to come up with such proposals immediately?
“Also, I, Illinois, will never forget the act of ruining my soccer betting…! Though it won’t be recorded in the media and news, I, Illinois, will never forgive…!”
Illinois clenched his fists.
He shouted.
“Come and get beaten by me and the nymph sisters once a month with a reflection mindset…! Perhaps it might relieve this anger…!”
…I really didn’t understand what was happening.
In any case, Ki Seung-jae was led away by the Telos security team.
Then Ki Seung-jae suddenly stopped in his tracks.
“Hey. Haildo. You said my plan was clumsy.”
“……?”
“If I had that bag you took from me with me, you wouldn’t have said that. I’m someone who doesn’t engage in fights I can’t win. Count yourself lucky.”
The bag.
Now that I think about it, I had snatched a very expensive and sturdy bag from Ki Seung-jae.
Should I return it? As I pondered this, Ki Seung-jae spoke.
“That’s a present. Take it.”
So it was.
# # #
“In the end, the Telos executive meeting has wrapped up in various ways. What about the share ratio and the issue of engagement?”
Ari yawned, seemingly tired as she examined people who might have been injured.
As Ari said, the meeting ultimately came to an end, and the outcome of it was uncertain.
Pak-.
At that moment, Reiko raised her hand.
“Hurrah! If no results are announced, then the engagement will fizzle out!”
Is that how it works?
I looked at Tsukki.
Tsukki turned bright red when our eyes met.
It was then that the events of the previous night came back to me.
I had unilaterally tormented Tsukki, who was a woman—(though it wasn’t intentional) in the bath!
If she were to say, “That guy harassed me!” it was certain that I would be featured in the papers even more prominently than Ki Seung-jae, who had instigated terror against executives!
“First-generation Awakened Haildo harasses a woman from the Japanese theater…”
“Growing incidents involving first-generation Awakened. Is this really okay?”
“Some are even reviewing regulations to control Awakened…”
News articles unfurled before my eyes.
And I thought about how the relationship between Japanese and Korean Awakened could deteriorate, leading to a severance of diplomatic relations and potentially a Third World War.
Was I more dangerous and worse than Ki Seung-jae, who attempted to conduct terror?
I needed to apologize before this escalated and somehow seek leniency!
I quickly approached Tsukki.
Tsukki was in conversation with others.
“The ninjas’ new personnel will be handled by us. It seems these guys were just hired with money. By the way, Haildo? What’s up?”
“Uh, Tsukki. About what happened in the bath yesterday… I will take as much responsibility as I can. So please, I beg you for leniency…”
If issues like sexual harassment arose for someone dreaming to be an S Rank Awakened, it would be the end of the road. And I felt pathetic for treating a woman like Tsukki as a man.
No—.
I just thought Seo Ye-rim told me not to treat her like a woman, so I assumed she was a man.
I had a lot to say, but ultimately it was my action, and it was my responsibility.
“…Responsibility?”
Tsukki showed a look as if she couldn’t understand my actions.
Then she slapped my back lightly.
“Well, we all make mistakes in life! And we, nothing happened, right? So don’t go randomly saying strange things elsewhere. We are fine, nothing happened.”
Nothing happened—
With those words, I felt a weight lift off my chest.
Was she saying she would make it as if nothing happened?
What a generous spirit!
She truly possessed a heart larger and more magnificent than any man.
That’s probably why she was called “prince.”
“And the word ‘responsibility’ is not something you toss around casually. For us Japanese, responsibility must always be proven by action. Like harakiri. Or cutting off fingers.”
Harakiri!? Cutting off fingers!?
I was sweating bullets in various ways.
However, Tsukki laughed heartily.
“But still, you’ve got some guts! It seems that ‘S. Ninja’ appreciates you. Soon, I’ll invite you to the Japanese theater’s main base. I won’t take no for an answer.”
