Chapter 197 – Conflict (3)
yC7wNbVIn all my lives, past and present, there was only one person I could truly call family.N16
IwSj3My first master.HLn
M5Of8AAlthough saying “first” master was somewhat redundant—he was the only one who ever truly taught me anything. Still, he insisted on emphasizing “first.” I never knew why. And honestly, I never bothered to ask.rBV
fsZLgWhat’s indisputable is that this person fulfilled the role of family for me. He took me in when I ran away from home at seventeen, gave me shelter, food, and even taught me a trade.sMCE
CHEAMaybe that’s why my mindset and values are so deeply influenced by him. It wasn’t like I had much of a choice, considering how insufferably persistent he was. Just stopping for a moment would make him frown.1TPjn3
lP022SjStill, many of his words stayed etched into my mind. And right now, one of those phrases came back to me.OAT
IKb3m—Be careful with women who approach you for no reason.eYBORX
ja3NEMSaid like that, it sounds obvious. But he didn’t say it as an obvious warning—he said it with a strange conviction that gave it weight.77t27l
KxvA woman who approaches you without reason, offering unearned kindness, is surely hiding something. Maybe if I were handsome it’d make more sense—but that wasn’t the case. In neither this life nor the previous could I be called attractive.Ekkpg4
pcN7Nyf“Seeing you up close is even more fascinating. It’s like looking at a celebrity right in front of me. Like I said, I’m a big fan of yours.”GdzX
gcZphxThat’s why the blatant flirtation from the woman in front of me was deeply annoying. Her revealing outfit, her gestures, her words—none of it felt sincere.nDG
iVXXEven if I assumed it was just her style, the system wasn’t having any of it either.0K6
rq1ZW[Unauthorized external intrusion into your mind detected.]F1G
a52EBta[Toxic blessing with seductive intent identified.]7sl
26e1D[However, due to high ‘spirit level,’ no effect has occurred.]HJ8
fu27ef0Outwardly, I stayed calm, but inside, I was stunned.BZliW
czp2nKFirst, because a blessing like that even existed. And second, because my ‘spirit level’ automatically rejected it. The exact opposite of what had happened with Agor back then. It seemed my mental resistance had improved a lot since then.On6AeP
JO2xuThat had its advantages—I didn’t have to worry about useless environmental stimuli anymore. But at the same time, I felt a hollow emptiness. Because it also meant my body barely reacted to anything now.Nly
jlgQao‘Haa.’BOAPVVA
4GWXgpZI sighed in resignation. The woman, still smiling seductively, continued her act. And with every word, the system issued a new alert. It was exhausting.Gwpg
3pTB7tI silently observed her. Then she closed her fan and revealed her face completely.HRc03Mo
f5xNo doubt—she was beautiful.Y63z
cae5But that was it. After spending time around girls like Abel, Saki, and Rachel, my standards were sky-high. No matter how pretty she was, I felt nothing special.Q7KFn
kAOpaKThe woman smiled smugly, convinced she had me. She raised a hand gracefully. Palm down—it clearly wasn’t a wave.Hn0Q0Q
up6ploAWas she expecting a kiss on the hand?JEu
Qx68She’d appeared out of nowhere, thrown a few flirty lines, and now she was acting all aristocratic.rmWZCGX
FomcmoqI let out a dry laugh, shoved my hands into my pockets, and walked right past her like nothing happened. She flinched.uTw73
ROjWkx“W-why?”vUpm14
4cWzd0Apparently, she realized her plan was falling apart. Her expression turned confused.zuHv
6JRlPg“Wait a minute! Don’t you want to know who I am? I told you I could become part of your family!”PdeRBUT
lMuJ0I turned just enough to glance at her. Meeting my cold gaze, the woman took two steps back. I spat out my words like venom.dydMo3
nPrOOd“I’ll let it go once. But not twice.”VojF
g961tNH“……!”YgzqJr
bb78iHer face went pale. She clenched her lips and let out a sarcastic laugh.pdB
JVYlU6Y“Ha… That Ryozo girl really knows how to pick them. If not even a blessing can affect you, then—ugh!”ENit
sZ7WGoBefore she could finish her sentence, her fan dropped to the floor. She grabbed her throat, choking with a sharp squeal.1ebItbx
JWULJI‘T-this…’ZbYCuhq
6WBIt felt like something was squeezing her heart with claws. She lost her balance and collapsed, crawling along the hallway floor. Slobbering, she barely lifted her gaze.heFJVjr
V5EfAnd there they were. Black eyes glaring down at her.k3P8RQ
Se8HNQkSsshhh.Bi7AzO
rKwQ02XA dark crimson energy enveloped her, pressing down like an invisible prison. It was pure killing intent—so dense, it had taken form.GqUu
VzPSaki Hina understood immediately. The figure in front of her was no longer human.3C5BEgR
sN3A monster capable of subduing a seasoned heroine from a noble family without lifting a finger. Just with his killing intent, he could take a life.eKqN0Jt
C4gdVKang Geom-Ma spoke.8hN
vtWJqf“Once might be a mistake.”j3Ygn
528YZC4“Ghhhk…”xmyKPv
49t1“But twice? It’s not. And you dared speak that way about someone dear to me…”SLDj
7kTovVVSaki Hina’s pupils began to lose focus. If this continued, her breathing would stop.1kfJW7w
FU3bcho‘No… no… I can’t… breathe…’2192lGT
kIsu6SShe had to escape that deadly pressure immediately. Just as she shakily reached her hand forward—ytdWW
Yhtrwah“Hina.”nqd
5fxSfKA voice echoed from the end of the hallway. Both Kang Geom-Ma and Saki Hina instinctively turned toward it.sov1yd
wzoA man in a pristine uniform walked toward them with firm steps. Despite the overwhelming murderous aura in the air, his expression remained calm.0oo
WhhKang Geom-Ma observed him closely. The middle-aged man, with a neat appearance, exuded a peculiar aura. His gaze was gentle yet chilling—like a shadow naturally clinging to him. He walked effortlessly through the undulating killing intent.RTkIKGB
FV04kxv‘Definitely not an ordinary guy.’euTArhg
63jsIHAKang Geom-Ma narrowed his eyes, analyzing. He didn’t sense hostility. And being in the academy’s main building, it was unlikely this was an enemy.A5ry
16uWith that conclusion, he withdrew his killing intent. The dark energy filling the hall dissipated instantly.92QE
993“Haah… Haah…”9FDn8j8
IY38BSaki Hina gasped for air. Her uneven breaths refused to settle. Still, she struggled to her feet. More than relief at surviving, her priority was maintaining composure.LB8c
unjHRNr“…Sir… Prime Minister.”SoJEBB
QCyKShe quickly straightened her clothes and bowed respectfully. Kojima, now only a few steps away, narrowed his eyes.qlVoPu
nkCrFAfter quickly assessing the situation, he stepped up in front of Kang Geom-Ma. And without hesitation, bowed deeply.AmyA
f4R“It seems someone from our side has caused you trouble. On behalf of the Saki family, I sincerely apologize. If you require compensation, please let my secretary know.”m0Fe
e3fI stared at him, puzzled.1w6
jVmZFI expected him to get angry or try to assert authority as her accomplice. But instead, he was polite and deferential. I didn’t know how to react.ruI6tiW
k9zqRVtMaybe sensing my confusion, the man introduced himself.jOq7vtG
uTUTM“I’m Saki Kojima, Prime Minister of Japan. A pleasure to meet you.”1BHMKE
eHjxi9j“Ah… yes. I’m Kang Geom-Ma.”QBJ
Wbn6VSaki Kojima—also known as the Patriarch—smiled politely. He spoke casually but never without respect.VPIO4NF
RNKg“Who in this world doesn’t know your name, Mr. Kang Geom-Ma? Introductions are for people like me—not for someone already at the top.”4QuBYt
G5EwMedia had described this man as public enemy number one. Yet among all the adults I’d met, he showed me the most respect. He spoke formally to me, even though I could be his son.ZyB2kq
SniGG7‘But.’e18GI
NJqThe woman who had flirted shamelessly moments ago now trembled faintly in the distance.Ir9g5Lm
C7Fxq2tEven under my killing intent, she hadn’t looked this scared.E0IzIu
mYr4jbThat could only mean one thing—she feared this man more than death itself.hoE
CWUG9And now that I thought about it—not once had he asked about her condition. Normally, you’d at least say something like, “wasn’t that a bit much?”sOX
bNOKOf course, even if he had, I wouldn’t have apologized. If he’d tried, I would’ve drawn my sashimi blade without hesitation.5eg
SlYP‘Still, the relationship between the two of them… it’s just too strange.’38m
gDtOcWhile that uneasy feeling lingered, the patriarch spoke again.MnuFpK
kzm“Please, go ahead to the guest reception room first. I’ll be along shortly after dealing with my daughter through my secretary. I’m concerned about her condition. And I must scold her for her rudeness to you, ha ha.”GpXKB4
TvNjiI glanced at the woman he called “Hina.” If she was his daughter and looked to be in her twenties, then she had to be Ryozo’s older sister…a8uIV5o
PD1dHow hadn’t I realized sooner? Well, looking at her again… maybe they did resemble each other a little.kqOT
0nx‘But I remember Ryozo being listed as an only child of the Kojima clan.’Sm5XGNb
xTyuMBThen again, background info on gacha game characters was often inconsistent. The Kojima family had always been an enigma, so it wasn’t wise to trust the fine details.FdMSAW7
IqWkYIz“The Sword Master and the Director are waiting inside. If you take too long, they’ll come looking—and that’ll just make things messier. Please, go ahead.”7l2r
hxLtdzBAfter thinking a moment, I nodded.KBB
jxbp“Understood.”XrX
cWBnbEEven though the unease hadn’t left, it wasn’t something I could show openly. All I could do now was watch carefully.tjX1hE
mK1I let go of the sashimi blade handle hidden in my pocket.3RTdR
9wQuS***dELHsBN
OE7VpThe patriarch stood silently, staring at the spot where Kang Geom-Ma had just been moments ago.ZSefli
wa1Do“Hina.”pc2vLYM
SV4vRRHe spoke the name without moving. Hina closed her eyes tightly, then opened them again, feigning indifference.WYL
Y5B5A“I acted on my own. I’ll accept whatever punishment you see fit.”ZO7i
UOiybCrThe patriarch slowly turned. He looked at her with an empty expression, then lightly patted her shoulder.Z6GR
9En“You did well, Hina.”jLtBtx
yA2“…Excuse me?”U2h
GxZ“It’s just a shame. It would’ve been better if you had fully captured him. But I won’t forget your effort.”i5W3
GLa“I’ll… try even harder.”y7nkAmP
73qX“I hope so. I have high expectations for you. So get results—no matter the means.”Jjpv9qN
Ik5jF0OHaving said what he needed to, the patriarch turned away and gestured for her to leave. Hina accepted the silent dismissal without protest and walked off.qCXrto
GYRFJ4…Saki Kojima, now alone in the hallway, took a few more steps. He stopped in front of a portrait and stared at it.b5Z
AYId『Former Hero of the Seven Stars, Alice Louise』9pm9NPq
NDfl7He slowly brought his hand to the frame and wiped away the dust gathered on it with his fingers.hf32
kqr48r9“My dear, it’s been forty years since you died. You know, fewer and fewer people even remember your name. Even though the seven of us saved the world together, the only one people still talk about is the Sword Master. I suppose I, Kojima, and the Sage will fade away with time as well. Because…”tMD
zHoX0KSaki Kojima murmured as if speaking to the woman depicted in the painting.LM2Fm
CQe6“This world only remembers the one who stands at the top. The one who rises to the summit is the only one etched into everyone’s memory. But… if someone manages to seize that summit, then they can also grasp eternity.”3whA7W
0J2GYA cold smile, like ice, curled across his lips.xfVLtV
s9IZNjP“And that day is very near.”fVby7
What did you think of this chapter?
Report comment
Please select the reason for reporting this comment. False reports may result in account suspension.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaWhat a nasty man.
nothingjkps
Mortalas media said,he wasnt always like this he went crazy after losing his wife or something.
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaPractice make man perfect…