Chapter 266: Soybean Powder
5bHQ6wmSaki Hina quickly arranged a visit to Joaquin Academy upon hearing that Ryozo had been hospitalized.XpOaI
mAQRd2gIn truth, she’d already been informed it was only a minor injury. Besides, the two of them didn’t share such a close relationship to warrant a hospital visit.bfDt
nxvDEven so, Saki Hina bought a plane ticket to Korea in the middle of the night. Since it was a secret trip behind her father Saki Kojima’s back, she couldn’t use the private jet.ahlP2
t0Jt1eA“Hmm.”zXph
nlcNhYOn the plane, Hina was reading each article pouring in like rain with intense focus. She didn’t even blink, entirely immersed.4i3e399
9o0gThe cabin was so cold, it seemed droplets of dew would form on her lashes.hwfSx
eS1[Terrorism at Joaquin Academy… Who’s Behind It?]AE3
t9Fr[Terrorists Storm Ballroom… Public Outrage Grows]Szlvci
Wb5[Joaquin Academy: Students Live in Fear Amid Continued Attacks]ESavq5
Sz9b2cV[Attack at Joaquin Academy Leaves at Least 20 Injured…….]VmytMmt
lhYM72Most were reports about the “Joaquin attack” from the previous day. But one line especially caught her attention.2zhGsgY
zamzOBa[At least 20 injured in the attack… but thanks to Heavenly Sword’s actions, the death toll was ‘zero’.]JWm3m
PZuFKDnA proud smile appeared on Saki Hina’s lips. She turned off her phone and looked out the oval window. The plane was starting to descend, piercing through the clouds.QLT
iKMe“We’ll meet again, Heavenly Sword.”Dp54
3HPM3KiAs the plane lost altitude, her smile deepened. She didn’t deny the pounding in her chest.7AU
IOLK10KThump.tAKko
6eFDHyoAs she thought about the face she would soon see again, Hina pulled the window cover down to close it.pZS
JXhINk***T8EU
6lsChRight after I killed that ghost-pale guy, I dashed out of the temple. The Poison Twins had already joined in and resolved the situation.XEW
kq7CJp4With the addition of the original members —Karon, Shail, Abel, and Ryozo— the enemies were no match. In the blink of an eye, the rebellion was crushed, and the twins swiftly handled the cleanup.jCI41o5
01YFortunately, the attack focused solely on the ballroom, which had been successfully defended by the original members. As a result, the damage didn’t spread beyond the premises.zXnUDf
towEThere were some injuries, but it wasn’t chaos. Most were minor. Most importantly, not a single life was lost. Even though dozens of enemies attacked us, there were nearly no casualties.SRZ
fb8Gu8It was an even greater accomplishment than quelling the attack quickly. That’s why Media grabbed my pants and cried like a child—though they were tears of joy, not sorrow, so it mattered.rfNQ8B
BlYMcZAfter bawling her eyes out, Media went straight to tracking down those responsible. Meain joined in, visibly furious. Winter break was starting in two days anyway, so the timing was convenient.4nV
bQyeaThey didn’t tell us where they were going, but I wasn’t worried. Who could possibly stop the Poison Twins now? Anyone who crosses them will get pulverized.Ntbn6
BNd1aTheir eyes were terrifying. Even I’m a little scared of them now.gdM6
UUpUXAt that moment, a sharp voice pulled me from my thoughts.cidJd7
yNURqkh“Mom! I told you not to touch that! It really hurts!”bOCw
FfH3“Stay still, now—goodness, what strong little arms you’ve got!”Eskk
eukAQRyozo protested as her mother, Cynthia, bandaged her arm.K8Esct
PebWbI was watching their adorable exchange from a distance, leaning against the room’s wall. I let out a soft sigh.Del6
lEMIWc‘I didn’t think her mother would show up this fast.’ldUL
3aaQShe arrived even before the Academy made any official announcement. I don’t know who told her, but I have my suspicions.6XpHH
Ap8Nb‘Saki Hina.’TQ8F
juXdHina was the one who gave Ryozo Cynthia’s whereabouts. So it’s not unreasonable to think the reverse happened.8qcDP3
Ger6aYCall it an information advantage. Even if there were local media or rumors, one look from me would shut them down.fIq
rPASJ‘Ryozo deserves these privileges.’tlx2c
Rp1X8aShe was one of the two students who stood out the most during this incident. The other was Abel. Both were involved from start to finish. This didn’t even count as favoritism.FnDO
nIzTMBy the way, Abel came out completely unscathed. Ryozo was the only one hospitalized, and it wasn’t even serious—just a minor bone fracture.0KRveNX
1Hu5Anyway.RsxA
tNM‘I’ll have to talk to the Association about rewarding them somehow.’xwZ9LW4
3vqFvrI know they’ll both reject any prize, but I’ll force at least something symbolic on them.4uCZFr
RKCDDAIt doesn’t have to be material, but they mustn’t go unrecognized. It’s not because I’m a Korean gamer. That’s just how things should be.qxEMGN
J4vtGS“Phew. Finally.”Ovlj2
zsB8bCynthia wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. On the bed lay what looked like a mummy. Only the face was visible—it was Ryozo, bandaged from head to toe.xVhl
92o“What is this?!”j8Xmwei
8y0UYVS“You know your mother was a famous doctor in her day, right? That’s why the doctors and nurses left your care to me.”FkYAKBc
YdT0MCCare? The moment they saw her, the medical staff bowed like they were greeting a goddess.kZ0z
ypqyatThey called her “The Divine Healer.” Clearly, Cynthia was no ordinary housewife. Even if she was the fifth or sixth wife, she was still part of the Saki family.OOn
8tcI’ve been in this caste-like society for two years now, and I’m starting to get how it works. Even so, I didn’t expect Cynthia to be this extraordinary.8B19
NsaFAnd even more surprising—yYc107
zjGjoX“Wow, you look like a pharaoh all wrapped up! Why not quit the academy and work in Egypt?”jBt5HUm
OjWOX“Moooom!”D9x8
8tLKUHWas how much she enjoyed teasing her daughter. A childish mother and a daughter who acts like an adult. A volatile combination.pyIn
BkQ6vXY‘What a way to live your youth.’25sG8i
S25FHRWRyozo, for her part, seemed to have forgotten I was even there and was throwing a tantrum like a child. It was a bit disconcerting. She had always been so mature, and now she was acting her actual age.HKxbn
7tJJd‘But I guess that’s okay. That’s how it should be.’wUwk0U
LOnL1I shook my head with a soft smile.J2X
tbP“Oh wow, I forgot you were here. It’s just too fun teasing her.”8P4zLp4
1Nb8RCynthia noticed me and quickly packed up the first aid kit.76gUY24
UoMz“I’ll leave you two to talk in peace.”gMk
MwXapjBefore leaving, she gave me a smile. Then she gently patted my shoulder.YqJQ3Ti
n9e5QO“My daughter always owes you. I know it’s asking a lot, but please—keep looking after her.”Jmft
scRIMXCynthia looked at me intently.xcRdLG
nG40u0“Jang… Seo… Bang.” [1]qmsOOQ
yNFHer eyes curved sweetly.g4x7fRq
1iC***tJ9Vz3V
q4IeD1The word “son-in-law” hit me in the gut like a brick. I was half dazed by it, but snapped out of it when a voice called from behind me.lR8IPXC
Yi6Be“Hey.”5HvOf2
SYBsaGnI stopped and turned around. The mummy—Ryozo—was staring at me with a blank expression.8JuM
iOl8xo“This…”tYkSOub
JFcShe was going to say, “Loosen it a bit,” but swallowed the words. On second thought, there was nothing underneath the bandages. Loosening them could result in a rather awkward situation.KLSY
BHp7INot that she’d dislike it. She might even enjoy it—but it was still too soon. She could wait until he came of age. Ryozo was already thinking long-term with Kang Geom-Ma.Llv
qetGfO“Sit here.”hk5Bt
JkijShe pouted and pointed to the folding chair beside her. With his neck and jaw firmly immobilized, that was the most he could move.75wLtI2
IXKBF5I scratched my eyebrow with my thumb and sat down. I only meant to check on her condition and leave. After all, I knew how important rest was after years of hospital stays.irG
EpMvFFBut even more important was the patient’s will. At least inside this room, Ryozo had the final say. If she said sit, I sat.c1DVXoF
YQ5RS3“……”vRUwDrU
sGSzUPRThe atmosphere turned uncomfortably quiet.hb7cMSV
fOl6Something felt off in the air. The scent of disinfectant strangely felt warm today, and the beeping monitor sounded like a heartbeat.gjk
48XWRyozo, her eyers darting about, sighed. More than the bandages, it was the tension that weighed on her. She had to break it somehow.amg
ZFoICp“What happened in the chapel that day?”CtmRYEl
zYp6wShe asked, and I hesitated for a moment.nL3gfm
A2WIt wasn’t easy to explain what happened without creating misunderstandings.qTxJ2O
b1aVHow do you explain that the Hero had been secretly talking to a demon? Even I didn’t fully grasp what had occurred. Explaining it poorly could create confusion. The facts still weren’t clear.f7Avi
Ak2The room where Sein was being held was now guarded by the foreign Church, and Leon was outright refusing any interviews. It would take time to uncover the full truth.aqXcc
tF0qKy‘Depending on what I say here, Ryozo’s image of Leon might change.’D1CpD9
Anb4There were already suspicions about whether the Hero truly deserved the title, and Ryozo didn’t have a favorable opinion of him to begin with. I felt uneasy thinking it might look like I was trying to turn her against him.dOEbEB
kETz‘But hiding it would feel worse.’UAMT
orzShe had a right to know why he fought for his life. I couldn’t lie. It was a matter of conscience. I could avoid the moment, sure—but it would betray the trust we’d built.qZuQqP
6hD1zI made my decision. Ryozo deserved to know, so I didn’t hesitate long.sMV
tWQTI told her everything exactly as I saw it, without embellishment or omission.RBL
XxNK“…I see.”4JtZt
236mWLfRyozo furrowed her brow. His analytical mind went to work dissecting the facts.7qrABq
MwtpNO‘The international situation is already unstable. If this leaks, it’ll spark a major crisis.’2nYO0II
cBkD3Despite her personal issues with him, Ryozo understood the importance of the Hero’s existence.95WcD
BvhgLeon had a near-miraculous ability to draw people in. Thanks to him, internal conflicts at the academy were quickly resolved.jeo5u
fVlzRd‘It must be part of his blessing as a Hero.’PoUfi
1ouIf he joined the heroic world after graduation, humanity would have a clear unifying figure. That was something even I, the youngest ever to reach the rank of the Seven Stars, couldn’t offer.LqT
St3PS1Just the fact that he’d spoken with a demon was enough to tarnish his reputation. People would begin to doubt him, and if humanity lost its figurehead, unity would become difficult.IBY
KcXz5With just that brief account, Ryozo understood the gravity of the situation completely. And she also realized that, at least for now, it had to remain secret.WvxN
Sl5V3iBut seeing how serious she looked, I scratched my cheek, uncomfortable.bc2kaA
U9ta6‘This is just making the mood more awkward…’opSy
ZshjySo I changed the subject.8SvJt
w20u“Hey, do you remember when you and Abel asked me which of you I liked?”uuM
mstCq1tI felt her ears perk up beneath the bandages. Her body was stiff as a cactus, but her ears were fully alert.b0Y4
7ja“I’ve been thinking about it alone since then.”phT
cU6I lowered my voice a little.hLa
Cnzv“But… do I really have to choose between the two of you? Among friends…”QOuSz
Sv1wTm9At that moment, the door burst open. Cynthia marched in with long strides toward us.xOkarXx
HeCuSAnd she wasn’t alone. Following timidly behind her was a familiar face—Saki Hina.vQjM
7jcjThe situation happened so suddenly that I froze. Was she listening to us? And what was Saki Hina doing here?obL2avP
wznOfdc“Kang Seo-Bang.” [2]Sc1Xm
yrXIt was the second time, but she already said it like it was natural. Swallowing hard, I tensed for no reason.I9QyrGl
oUN“I don’t care how many wives you take…”xmRTXkR
BS3QJvCynthia grabbed my hand tightly.8LGs7k4
CVTm“But my daughter—my daughter has to be the first wife! Got that, Kang Seo-Bang? That’s all I ask.”HJzdd
pZcK“…?”TLEBl
cY6VZMy pupils dilated. My mind went into chaos.MmH
j8l6E“I don’t mind being the second… or whatever number.”7qW6w1
OfPuD3Hina spoke shyly, covering her flushed cheeks with her sleeve.Kptk
bhrO“…This is a mess.”8QQCn68
zCkqERyozo muttered.IfV
uKyA cold and accurate judgment of her own family.aYWx3Eg
V1vgT/N:9B3
v46h(1): “Jang… Seo… Bang” (강서방) is a colloquial and familiar way of saying “son-in-law” or “my daughter’s husband” in Korean.FGDUo
NB17OU(2): 강 (Kang) is Geom-Ma’s surname, and 서방 (seobang) is a traditional expression used by in-laws to refer to a son-in-law.eOFAZ0Z
LEPJZVVSo when someone says “Kang Seo-Bang,” it means, “Son-in-law Kang” or “My dear son-in-law Kang.”l4eZk
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Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaRyozo will be first and second will be Abel
Haimiya_cutie.
MahayanaOpen minded mother.
Santiago. Bernal
MortalXd el harem se hizo
Sergey Kononov
MortalNo way, finally