Chapter 31
People must take responsibility when they do something wrong.
For example, if you make a mistake with the cash register at a convenience store, you have to make it up from your salary,
If you make a mistake with contraception, you have to take responsibility by getting married.
That's what freedom is, and that's why we can enjoy freedom.
No matter how harsh that responsibility might be.
And I made a mistake.
"PUHAHAHAHAHA!!! Seonghoon, you weakling!!"
"......"
"What? How did this happen? Someone who spent over half of their 25 years sitting in front of a computer? Losing to someone who just picked up a game controller for the first time!!"
"....One more round."
"No? Seonghoon. I didn't want to say this, but I must."
"...What is it."
"You're worse than me. Why don't you just give up and admit it?"
"......."
I kept my head down, not lifting my face. I know what will happen if I look up now. That damn blonde will have a mocking expression and tease me.
No. This is my first time playing this fighting game too. It didn't exist in our world. Who made this stupid game? This is weird. I shouldn't lose.
With my head still down, I raised one finger.
"Once. Just one more time. Then I'll admit defeat."
"Tsk. Seonghoon. Do you think I'm stupid? This is already the third time, but what if you happen to win the next round? I know."
Ssuup. Raphael took a breath and spoke like a machine gun. Her diction was so good it all hammered into my ears.
"'Raphael. You're really bad at this. You're no match for me.' You'll say something like that, and when I ask for another round, you'll say 'Why should I? The last winner is the champion, stupid' and treat me like a loser? Too bad! I'm not someone who falls for such things!!"
"....."
It's more annoying because she sounds quite similar when imitating me. When I slightly raised my head, I saw the blonde covering her mouth and smirking annoyingly, as if she'd been waiting for this.
Ah. What should I do? This one has seen through all my moves. Are you using mind reading? Are you Gungye? Using the attention method?
"Now! Keep your promise!"
"Fine. I got it."
While ignoring the blonde saying something like 'You're surprisingly obedient?!', I took out my phone from my pocket.
"Wait a minute. Go get it yourself! That's cheating!!"
"Why should I when I have maids? And don't you know it's dangerous outside right now?"
"Isn't it dangerous for Ishia too?"
"She's strong, isn't she? A mere wraith is no match for Ishia, right? And there's Maid No. 2 just in case."
She keeps saying things like 'Cheating─!!', but I can't go buy snacks for gaming when it's this dangerous.
"If I had lost, you would have sent me, right?"
"Of course."
She keeps saying it was an unfair game from the start, but I ignore her. That's how the world is, Raphael. You've taken another step as an adult today.
Saying that, I called Ishia.
Rrrrrring─ The call connected on the first ring.
[He-hello!? Why are you calling? Ahem! Ahem ahem. Just a moment.]
After hearing sounds like clearing her throat, a more composed voice came through.
[Yes. This is Ishia. What is it?]
"What are you doing? Never mind. Maid, go out and buy some snacks now."
[What? Don't tell me you called at this hour for that? It's almost 10 PM? Haven't you seen the safety message?!]
"I saw it. Can you lose to a wraith? No way, right?"
[....Of course not.]
"Then I'll leave it to you."
[What? Really? No way, right? There probably aren't even any stores open now─]
Click.
I hung up without listening. When she buys them and comes to the dormitory entrance, I just need to go down and get them. Ah. Having maids is so convenient.
"A man who makes a woman buy snacks on streets full of criminals at 10 PM..."
When you put it that way, it does sound weird. Stop it. You're making me sound like a real bad guy. I'm not. I asked because Ishia is perfectly capable.
Since we've played games a lot anyway, maybe I should rest until the snacks arrive─
With such thoughts, I lay on the bed, turned on my smartphone, and went on the internet.
The internet here felt unfamiliar at first since it was my first time using it since coming here, but I got used to it quickly. This is the adaptability of animals. This is being human. This is being a 21st-century civilized person!
While browsing places like bulletin boards to understand the academy's overall situation.
I saw unbelievable posts.
─This wraith incident is serious. I heard the "Dawn" Guild Master's daughter collapsed too?
─That brown-haired girl with pink eyes? The cute one?
─They say the academy's in chaos because she collapsed. The guild contacted them and everything's crazy. They might come directly through the warp gate soon?
─Is Justitia finished? First time seeing an academy that can't handle wraiths.
Such posts. Cold sweat ran down my back. What is this all about? Yang Minji was attacked? She shouldn't have any connection to this incident?
"Ah."
Yang Minji is someone who doesn't miss any place where Kim Taehyun is, from early to late parts.
She attracts incidents, and is often targeted because of her skill. But that skill, you see.
It's extremely important, can't do without it. If Yang Minji dies here, probably. Everyone dies. The whole world. Me too.
Something feels wrong. I can see the gears that were turning smoothly becoming misaligned.
I knew it wasn't a normal wraith incident, but something's very off.
I quickly called Ishia again. However.
Rrrrrring─ Rrrrrring─ Rrrrrring─
"....."
A thought flashed through my mind. No way? Not you too? But the ringtone kept ringing thoughtlessly.
Rrrrrring─ Rrrrrring─
".................."
"Oh? Seonghoon? Where are you going?"
"Raphael. You know what?"
"Yes?"
"When people make mistakes, they have to take responsibility."
And that time is now.
***
"Nothing's open..."
Ishia walked while grumbling. Of course, when they keep warning about wraith attacks, what store would be open at this hour? Even 24-hour convenience stores are 12-hour convenience stores now.
There's hardly anyone around. All there is is the chilly air and occasional cute cats jumping out.
"It's just a wraith anyway."
Ishia was confident. Wraiths are beings that disappear after a few magic spells. Though it's better to be careful, how could a maid say no when Seonghoon asks?
Already, her position has been diminishing lately because of No. 2 (Sophia). He doesn't ask her to do things much, doesn't even call her.
I'm the senior, I'm the more capable maid─
"Wait, isn't this good?!"
She was startled by the sudden thought. Thinking like that means she's completely steeped in the maid mindset.
So this is what they mean when they say circumstances make the person─ thinking such thoughts, she passed through the completely dark downtown area toward a more secluded place.
There's a store she knows there. Having tried all other possible places, this was her last hope.
She had thought about ordering online initially, but magic delivery wasn't available for snacks unless ordered in bulk.
There's no point getting bulk orders they can't eat anyway. Better to just buy a small amount.
"Still, it's pretty creepy."
While rubbing her arms due to inexplicable goosebumps, she could understand the reason for those goosebumps.
It was a slightly open space. Upon arriving there, something was flying toward her. It was a bit far so she couldn't see clearly, but one thing was certain.
It was coming straight at her without the slightest deviation. No, flying at her.
A fluttering black robe visible even from far away, a body that seemed five times her size, and a scythe.
Ishia instinctively realized. That thing is the wraith. But wraiths shouldn't use weapons?
Putting aside the sense of incongruity, she leaps backward while chanting magic.
The magic she's chanting is 3 lines.
"《Darkness.》"
She chants one line and measures the distance. There seemed to be enough distance to finish chanting.
Two lines, three lines. As the chant ends and the magic completes, magic power circulates through her body to create the magic.
Then she designates coordinates and spews forth a pillar of darkness.
The charging wraith should disappear, enveloped in the pillar of darkness─ but didn't. Not even a scratch.
"Huh? Why?"
There's no answer to her question. Instead of an answer, only an eerie howl is heard.
The distance closes. Not good. Ishia is a pure magician. She can't even do close combat.
First, to create distance, she tries to leap backward using leg strength enhanced through magic power operation─
"GUOOOOH!!"
Before she can, the scythe rushes in. This will cut me, she thinks.
Something appears.
Two knives blocking the scythe. Held in reverse grip, commonly called backhand.
Blue-black hair faintly glowing even in the dark situation.
"Wondered where you were going, you're a strange one."
He pushes away the scythe he was blocking and takes his stance again.
"Give back the souls, you bastard."
***
Though he spoke confidently, Kim Taehyun was a bit flustered.
He could feel it just from briefly crossing weapons. This monster is strong. Probably so strong that his current self isn't even a match.
However, he didn't put away his knives.
The reason is very simple.
Yang Minji.
An annoying, irritating woman. Always chattering beside him when he's alone, waiting by herself in a place that won't interfere until training ends.
That woman had her soul stolen. Because of him, who came out to train ignoring the warning to stay in the dormitory.
Then, as a matter of human duty. Who should return that soul to its place?
Besides that, this damn thing took five souls. They all need to be returned to their places.
He takes his stance. Puts strength into his knives, refines magic power and raises vigor throughout his body.
"Here I come."
Though he charged at the wraith speaking confidently, it wasn't looking at Kim Taehyun. Its gaze was fixed on one place.
The woman with long black hair. The woman he met once at the department store, who seems to be in the same class.
The wraith stretched its arm toward the woman, not even caring about Kim Taehyun's attack. Though he cut off one arm, it doesn't stop.
And it keeps muttering.
"Repentaaaance"
Angel? That one word brought ten thousand thoughts. But now isn't the time to think about such things.
The slash he made doesn't do any damage. The arm doesn't stop either. Kim Taehyun gritted his teeth.
"Angel?"
Instantly the surroundings freeze. The temperature drops, and particles freeze creating frost.
What freezes intensively is the wraith's hand. Now it looks at him as if finally considering him a nuisance.
"If there were angels, those demon bastards couldn't have done that shit."
No answer comes back. It wasn't a statement expecting an answer anyway, so it didn't matter. Ice spreads from the frozen arm.
Thanks to that, for a moment. Just a brief moment, the thing's movement stiffens. That moment was enough for Kim Taehyun to leap backward with the still frozen woman.
"Hey. You're in the way, just run away."
"What? No. Listen. I can fight too?"
At those words, Kim Taehyun frowned and pointed at the wraith that had already broken the ice and regenerated its severed hand.
"Look at that. It's still only looking at you. I can't fight with one piece of baggage. Go call someone or run away. Disappear quickly."
"This person is funny? Though it's a bit creepy, I can support with magic if you fight in front!"
This person doesn't get it. This woman is annoyingly troublesome too.
"Hey─"
His words couldn't continue. Couldn't continue because the wraith raised the scythe it was holding and made a big swinging motion.
Not magical, mana-based, or ability-based measures. Just swinging. Yet the wind pressure generated sends people flying.
Kim Taehyun grabbed Ishia to prevent her from falling while being blown backward. Then landed while holding her.
'As expected, it's strong.'
To the point where he can feel the invisible difference in power. Even if he had a truckload of his current self, he probably couldn't win.
He raises his knives.
"I won't say it twice. Run away."
"No."
Ishia stands up and draws a magic circle, and Kim Taehyun takes his stance.
The wraith also doesn't back down and raises its scythe again but.
Stops.
Its gaze that had been fixed on Ishia without a moment's rest is now fixed elsewhere.
Not at Ishia but further back. A bit further away.
Following that gaze, two silhouettes can be seen there.
─Damn, this is far. Is this the right place? It's creepy and scary. Why did you go into a place like this.
─Because you told me to buy them, Seonghoon. Coming here, I found all the stores are closed.
─Is that my fault? You should have just lost to me. Don't you think so too? Feels like it's your fault, right?
─Your thought process is really different from others. I respect that one thing about you.
─Thanks for the compliment.
Before Kim Taehyun could react, the wraith was already flying toward that location.