Chapter 202 – Succession Ceremony (4)

The night grew deeper. The cool dawn breeze fluttered between Ryozo and me before fading away. Despite the cold air, our conversation flowed effortlessly.

I’d started listening to Ryozo’s story almost unintentionally, and even though she spoke with an impassive face, what she told me was heartbreaking. It was comparable to my own story as an abandoned orphan. Just by listening, it was clear that Ryozo, in practice, also lived without a family.

“…And that’s how I ended up completely alone in the family. But later I found out my mom had simply left me. In Japan, it’s not that uncommon. There are cases where parents just vanish and leave their kids behind.”

Ryozo’s feet crossed under the bench as she spoke. She didn’t look at me. Throughout the whole conversation, her eyes shifted only between the sky and the ground.

“And even so, that Jeokgung guy insisted I had to become one of the Seven Stars. Can you believe it? My mother had vanished overnight, and the only thing he had to say was that. Does that make any sense to you?”

“No wonder you had a nervous breakdown.”

“Right? Honestly, back then, I just wanted to shoot an arrow right between his eyebrows. But since I couldn’t do that, I practiced by picturing his face as the target. That way I never missed.”

Ryozo let out a small laugh. I just gave a quiet murmur in response.

She said she pictured her father’s face as a target—what was I even supposed to say to that? If I added anything, I’d probably end up sticking my foot in my mouth.

“Hina wasn’t like that before, you know?… It’s kind of embarrassing, but as a kid, I used to follow her around and even called her ‘big sister.’ But Kojima, that man, encouraged competition between us, and eventually, it ruined her personality.”

“What I’m curious about is why your father is so obsessed with making one of his children a member of the Seven Stars.”

“……”

Ryozo fell silent for a moment. With her gaze drifting into the void, she slowly replied.

“Like I said before, that man has many wives. I think it’s five, if I’m not mistaken.”

In this world, there are a few countries where polygamy is allowed. Under the justification of creating stronger heroes, men can have multiple wives.

It was a scenario made possible by the existence of a shared enemy to all humanity demons.

After all, superior genes were considered vital for the survival of the human race.

But in the end, it was just another excuse in a world trying to stay logically consistent with its own system.

It was the classic “protagonist privilege.” This world was practically designed for one man—Leon van Reinhardt.

That marriage system, so out of step with my sense of normalcy, existed solely so Leon could reach his harem ending without moral conflict. And Jeokgung was one of those taking full advantage of that regressive system.

Still, even within that context, Jeokgung was an extreme case. The norm was a maximum of three wives. But he had five. That was completely abnormal.

Five wives. For some reason, I felt both shocked and dizzy. But what Ryozo said next left me even more stunned.

“And that’s just the living ones. If you count the one who passed away, it’s actually six.”

Six? Was he insane? Jeokgung Saki Kojima was no ordinary man.

Ryozo kept talking.

“The deceased wife… she was the only person Kojima truly loved. Her name was Alice Louise. She was one of the Seven Stars, known as the Iron Warrior. Does that ring a bell?”

“If she was one of the Seven Stars, then…”

“Exactly. She died forty years ago during the operation to eliminate Basmon. It happened right after they lured him from the Gate of Gehenna into the military base. You probably haven’t heard her name—history class barely mentions her. I only know because she’s family. Otherwise, I’d have overlooked her like any other in the group.”

A spark of emotion flickered in Ryozo’s eyes.

“Kojima, that man, he’s furious at the idea that the person he loved most is being forgotten. And he believes it’s because she wasn’t the best of them all.”

“……”

“I know what you’re thinking, Geom-Ma. ‘What do you mean “not the best,” so she gets forgotten?’ It sounds stupid, right? But after losing his first wife, Kojima went insane for years. Even if he seems normal now, inside, he’s completely broken.”

The image came to mind of sashimi restaurant owners drinking soju like madmen after a breakup. Some had lost their partners, and it took them ages to return to normal. Losing someone you love changes you deeply.

“I’m sure that guy wants to find a replacement for Alice Louise among his children. The other wives and relatives are just tools for that goal.”

The death of his first wife had shattered him, and when he saw the world beginning to forget her, he searched for meaning in the darkest possible way.

‘He seemed like someone calm, with a serene gaze…’

But his thinking was on another level. Is that what they call “a madman with innocent eyes”? Seriously though, how does he have six wives? Is it just because he’s handsome? If you look at Leon, I guess… yeah, that’s enough.

A stab of defeat made me sigh bitterly.

“But anyway, setting all that aside…”

Ryozo looked at me silently. Her gaze told me it was my turn. Time to tell everything.

“The real reason I became one of the Seven Stars…”

I told Ryozo everything that had happened.

The subjugation of Corps Commander Agor, the purging of Elder Cladi, the incident with the villain alliance.

Despite all that, the circumstances had forced me to keep everything hidden. That frustration was what led Jeokgung to propose the Seven Stars succession to me. After several months of reflection, I accepted. That’s the summary.

Ryozo listened carefully. Even her legs, which she’d been swinging back and forth, came to a stop. A calm stillness lingered in the air.

I swallowed. Just as the silence was beginning to feel heavy and I was about to say something, Ryozo opened her lips.

“You’ve been through a lot.”

Her voice was quiet, spoken in her usual tone.

In that moment, a lock of her sky-blue hair brushed my shoulder. An autumn fragrance tickled my nose. She was hugging me.

The situation took me completely off guard. My mind went blank, frozen. I couldn’t move. I don’t know how many minutes passed like that.

Ryozo slowly pulled away. Her face was slightly flushed.

“Don’t get the wrong idea. I didn’t do that because I got caught up in the moment.”

“……!”

“And well… congratulations. Regardless of my personal feelings about the Seven Stars, you, Geom-Ma, you deserve it. At least now they won’t look down on you just for not being noble.”

“T-thanks.”

“And one more thing…”

Ryozo hesitated for a moment, then brushed off her clothes and stood up. As if nothing had happened, she began to walk away. But just before turning the corner, she glanced back slightly.

“I’m proud of you, Geom-Ma.”

With that, she kept walking. The unevenly placed streetlamps lit her figure one by one. I stood there silently watching her go. That’s when my pocket buzzed.

[♩ ♬ ♫ ♪]

Suddenly, Vixbig started whistling suspiciously, like a complete pervert.

[My master had a moment of great bravery tonight. How do you feel about that?]

“I don’t know, idiot.”

[In these situations, you can honestly say you felt ‘moved,’ you know? I, Vixbig, am an AI who fully understands human sensitivity. I can even guess exactly what you’re feeling, Geom-Ma!]

“If I record this and show it to Ryozo, I bet that sensitivity of yours would disappear in an instant.”

[…]

I dropped onto the bench. What the hell was that, anyway? Ryozo just left, saying, “You’ve been through a lot.”

I expected her to say something sarcastic or at least coldly brush me off. But with such an unexpected reaction, all I could do was blank out.

‘Congratulating me is one thing… but a hug? What the hell does that mean?’

I leaned my head against the bench’s backrest. My scalp felt hot with blood rushing up.

I asked Vixbig,

“Why do you think she hugged me?”

[I don’t know.]

Damn it, is she offended?

“Come on, Vixbig, the superior emotional-sensitivity AI with godlike efficiency.”

[Hehe.]

“You’re part of her family, so you must know something. Plus, you claim to have emotional intelligence. I know it’s weird to say this to an AI, but… I don’t really understand people’s feelings anymore. I used to, but lately, it’s like I’ve forgotten how to read others.”

[About that, Ryozo has mentioned it several times. She sometimes wonders if you might be a psychopath. She says you seem to have trouble with empathy.]

I pulled out my phone. And my sashimi knife.

[B-but! According to my personal analysis, the likelihood that Geom-Ma is a psychopath is extremely low. I believe… you fall into another category. In any case, to answer your question… I recommend asking Ryozo directly.]

“So basically, you don’t know.”

[I, Vixbig, at least have more emotional sensitivity than you, Geom-Ma. Honestly, you’re completely disqualified as a human being just for asking me this.]

“Ugh, I’ve had enough.”

I clicked my tongue and turned off the phone. Just as I slipped it into my pocket, Vixbig threw out one last comment in a distorted voice, like one of those damn systems from another novel.

[Did you know? A bill to legalize polygamy was recently proposed in South Korea’s National Assembly.]

“What?”

[They’re going with the flow. Even Korea, the land of eastern virtue, is hopping on the trend. It’s likely that by the time Geom-Ma is of legal age, it’ll already be officially implemented.]

“This world is insane.”

[Good luck to you.]

***

Joaquin Academy was bustling with preparations for the succession ceremony.

The entire campus was thoroughly cleaned, and vibrant bouquets of flowers were placed everywhere.

All of it was made possible thanks to the initiative of Changseong, the Vice Director of the Association, and the tireless efforts of the guild staff, who darted back and forth without rest.

In just four days, Joaquin Academy completed the setup for the succession ceremony—a truly astonishing execution speed.

The students, unaware of what was happening, initially wondered if something unusual was going on. It wasn’t a festive season, yet the academy was being decorated as if it were.

But as the saying goes, rumors travel faster than the wind. Before long, word spread that it was all for the succession ceremony, and the atmosphere among the students grew increasingly lively.

The media began publishing reports on the arrival of important guests from around the world.

Just looking at the guest list made it clear how grand the ceremony would be.

Heads of state, along with prominent figures like All Mute Khan Elizabeth, Mao Lang, Warrior, and even several Senior-ranked heroes were expected to attend.

During those days, I was so busy that I could hardly breathe.

In fact, I don’t think I slept more than an hour or two each night recently.

Rehearsals for the ceremony, last-minute adjustments to the uniform I would wear that day, piles of documents to sign…

The bags under my eyes practically reached my jawline, but I couldn’t complain.

I wasn’t the only one putting in the effort—Jeokgung, the academy director, and Changseong also stayed up every night helping me.

And not just them. The Association staff, especially Chief Sung, were on the move day and night as well.

It was a nationally significant event, the first of its kind in half a century, and the academy, the Association, and the government were all working together as one.

Thus, the first, second, and third days passed in the blink of an eye, and now, as the fourth arrived…

.
.
.

The morning of the succession ceremony had come.