Chapter 316: The Transfer Student is a Singularity (4)
5XcI talked about many things.HDkVad
AWOAbout a stained past and the unexpected master I met during the rainy season. After he took me in as an orphan, the memories that made me human.6pNH58s
BNDIqs“Back in the days when I misbehaved, he beat me so hard the rain would kick up dust.”giC
ihHNCI even clumsily added my personal reflection that even those beatings were a form of affection.R5VIl
0i3Cfa‘I need to help preserve the image of the first boss. After all, it’s the least I can do as his son.’sJ8
hoE54AfOf course, I left out the fact that this all happened in the original world. That is, on Earth.Ds0
itXVkOeIt weighs on my conscience like lead, but I have no way to explain it and, deep down, I’d rather keep it hidden.Z8izV
du1GGaI swear I don’t want to deceive Ryozo or Abel. If I could, I’d tell them everything. But…rMd
b6CkZ‘If I did…’Gu3aVqr
2doTjOYI’m already an unusual existence. If they also knew I came from outside this world, how would they react?VX81ys
9QdUiEven if Ryozo and Abel completely understood, their gaze toward me would undoubtedly change. I’m not ready to handle that.mCrUrgm
oxs3boh‘I still have a long way to go, Kang Geom-Ma.’MgUoaSl
9cYwYTurned into a god in a human body, all I care about is hiding the truth. I committed to telling them about my master, not about myself.Pwr
YmEAnd yet, here I am, rationalizing it with cheap excuses.BcD
syEB9aA moment of self-loathing crept in.KufMU
VWRZAnd as always, Ryozo’s voice pulled me out of the pit.dTery
mU3Bmf“He was a great person.”dFQ4BLQ
vLnnRiRyozo lifted her cheek, which had been resting on my chest. Her sky-blue eyes looked at me firmly.ff8Ty
hFquxu“…Yes, he was.”79SMRC
1DbMy lips went dry. I felt my skin crack.vDdEEV
09sOP“The truth is, if it weren’t for me, he could have enjoyed life however he wanted. But he dedicated his entire life to me.”g0CEM7b
GxLThat sentence carried a heavy weight.ehWi
UvPMy adoptive father, the founding hero Balor Joaquin —Ho Ah-Hyun on Earth— was an infinite regresssor.hf6i0n
t6SaA piece of G.M.’s plan to delay the world’s destruction caused by the false gods.Jez
K5jydW4But that G.M.… was me, Kang Geom-Ma.1SZFFi
9QlABIn other words, the boss never had a life of his own. In the world of “Miracle Blessing M,” he was just another cog in the system.4LezQ
nh9ekAnd on Earth, he sacrificed his whole life for a spoiled brat like me.opYp
2M853‘My father never had a life of his own.’eEKMjn
KTrgThe fuller and happier my life becomes, the stronger that sense of debt grows.ry8
YMNHe gave everything, and his son can’t even repay the bare minimum. He’s only ever taken from him.FRHA
vTslg“As the years go by, you start thinking about these things. But just growing older doesn’t make you an adult.”6l7
SdCI drifted into reflection. I stared at the calm light of the room. I should’ve been sharing happy moments, but all I’m doing is burdening my wife with negative thoughts.uVdA2
2m9o8gz“Maybe it’s just my nature. I bet by my age, my father was already much more admirable than I am now. But me…”GFYq
GnTdJZ“Sorry to interrupt.”5feXUK7
fwGjERyozo silenced me with her index finger on my lips.IE1BEA
LeyUJ8c“When I said your adoptive father was admirable, I wasn’t just talking about his character.”61Q8H
PUSBph“Hm… I don’t really know how to explain it… but in your style, Kang Geom-Ma, I’m sure you’d rather see something once than have it explained to you a hundred times.”m6Y
w5fSdphMurmuring as if thinking aloud, Ryozo suddenly turned toward me.h5Z
yAZThen she grabbed my wrist and pulled me to my feet.9UdvuE
xjYpKjJ“Let’s go.”ZyAq
LCk5GkFSo suddenly?aw9QZ9c
TQ03PZRRyozo yanked me up and walked outside. As I said, the grip strength of an archer isn’t a joke. Still, for some reason, I felt uplifted.cp8Pit
hgMDriven by Ryozo’s determined steps, I followed her without resistance. Her triple-braided hair swayed gently in the air.OHnG
DY7zFnG***7n3y5
TfIIp9T“Here.”yujYj
hrv4Our upward movement was brief. We climbed a few stairs, and that was it. The place Ryozo had taken me to was none other than the rooftop of our three-story home.3GHHUu
RyJUKrHThough the moment didn’t feel like it, I couldn’t help but think that the view was incredible. Across this costly expanse of the Joaquin Academy grounds, our family was probably the only ones with a spot so privileged as private property.31W
6hTowmsRyozo stretched out both arms. I froze for a moment, but then knelt on one knee and extended my arms as if I were about to hug the air.nWN11
sCu1s3Gently, I lifted Ryozo, cradling her like a treasure under my knees and at the back of her pale neck.HhdQUE
8SD08She also wrapped one arm around my neck and pointed out constellations with the other.PBBEBU4
pAb“Let’s go higher.”Jm4KzG
Qzt1rI had flown like this many times before, carrying Ryozo or Abel like a princess. If someone said I looked like some kind of magical airplane, I couldn’t argue—but it was the perfect way to score points with my wives.n7wIm
pa8IE‘She must have something in mind.’Q2u
mZdqI didn’t doubt her. Her intelligence was the best in the world, and the person I trusted most—was me.4XA
V0QUq“At your command.”U8El94G
7vmzkxpMy eyes blazed with an intense light. As if a strong electrostatic shock ran through me, my hair stood on end, and a current of energy spread across the surface of the rooftop.UCGHBWr
tHgRI pushed off from the ground. The view trembled and the horizon pulled inward.uZkh
tNsBoom!MpN
Xm1pA bolt of lightning struck.9YYWN1
Kr8YcTRyozo closed her eyes tightly and then opened them slowly. The next instant, the full moon filled her vision completely.lfTE
Qq9zIqWe were floating.61WU
XDQSomewhere between the buildings and the clouds.CW91hI
fjhqiWith Joaquin Academy beneath our feet.DhX4d
WREmWRyozo’s sky-blue eyes—like two merging skies—reflected first the moon, then me, then the academy below.HLorc0
LgI“Wow…”i1jT
O9Uz0lEven Ryozo, who rarely showed emotion, couldn’t help but sigh in wonder. Her reaction made my smile widen until my mouth trembled.Jae
1TX“Shall we go higher?”jmDZ
Mk8I“…Yes.”IVv1
4QWShe nodded softly, a little embarrassed.AANr
trkI pushed off again, using the tips of my toes to push through the clouds. Joaquin Academy receded swiftly.ZYr
wPoPCRWhat once was sharp detail now shrank to a pinpoint. From here, it felt as if we had plucked a handful of stars from the night sky.ncCWAU
z3NYThe air thinned; vapor escaped our lips. I glanced at Ryozo.jTh
ZNcEg“Can you breathe okay?”RQ2Vo
PEP“Yes. I activated the blessing.”WYPoh
WeyzHer Archer’s Blessing specialized in regulating breath. Besides, Ryozo was the daughter of the Absolute Archer of the Seven Stars. Her cardio-respiratory endurance was unmatched even among archers.1tMz
4se“And you, Kang Geom‑Ma?”iic19
Lus“I’m fine.”rh8Q
fxSpRI knew she asked as courtesy. After all, I had already traveled through space ten years ago. Being in an atmosphere was nothing to me.lS5oHvj
hLdo5I snapped my fingers a few times. We continued ascending.7zur3Nt
zpXBpc0Before long, the flat horizon curved into an arc. In mere seconds, we were closer to the sky than the earth.Ao4
fjtfAs if we were stars. To any students strolling the courtyard at night, we likely looked like a pair of twinkling stars.BR3fOxR
l9mcx“You know…”tBHFgl
vx6jbThat’s when Ryozo began to speak.vK5Jx
HGDl“When the previous director offered me this position, I swore I would never accept. Do you remember?”BONli5d
hAleJQk“Of course. Lady Media came to see you day and night for a week straight, begging on her knees.”M4r4N
CuqWQi“And in the end she even performed an imperial bow, remember?”9smKd
woX3EsThe imperial bow.nwq
a6aA clear example of how low human dignity could fall. And Media had done that to Ryozo.xyD
QIH‘It was a perfect bow, by the book.’CI7TGU
jPi7ARyozo recalled it and let out a loud laugh. Her breath dissolved into a pale cloud.jw5eevG
c8Cg“At the time I said no because we were preparing the wedding, but you know that wasn’t the real reason, right? Preparing a wedding doesn’t take that long. I’ll tell you only—actually, it was because of Kojima.”1iTP
FyD“…”4Zv4zd
5HVK4“Being at the Academy stirred a whirlwind of emotions in me. Kojima was the worst as a father—and even worse as a husband. But during the Second Great Human War, he sacrificed himself for humanity.”8zPpaL
W0lL9Ryozo’s face hardened.cU10ZB
bVJaN“As family, he was the worst, but as a hero… I respected him. That mixture of feelings… I, just a teenager, couldn’t bear it. And while I suffered in silence, one day my mother called me and said this that no matter his personality, that man was one of the heroes who saved Joaquin Academy. Because of him I exist today—and because of him I met Kang Geom‑Ma.”gbHAI3p
X3pn“Your mother said that to you?”fQI8X6j
ERJ4zAt my words, Ryozo made a slight grimace.oIP3Eq
9NOR“My mom adores you, you know that? Sometimes it feels like you’re her son, not me. Whenever she sees you, it’s always ‘our Geom‑Ma this, our Geom‑Ma that.’”QdMY
j2kO4“Your mother is delightful.”Oj035x
AxGNFree‑spirited, indeed.I6WJ
9nKhyAfter all, she was someone who gave her own daughter sex ed—and in conservative Korea, that kind of intellectual is born once in a generation.SfX
UyInnp3“Anyway… what I mean is that humans can’t be flawless, and in the end… Kojima was a great man.”zQ81
vKiVJust then, a stream of clouds brushed past us. Ryozo clenched her fists as she continued.nio9N
OHZ“It doesn’t erase his sins, but my mother and I forgave him. Besides, he lost his mind when his first wife, Lady Alice, passed away. Back then I couldn’t grasp it, but now I think I understand.”xmJmnDT
GLr“You think you can understand now?”qoHA
9TGs“Yes. Because if you, Geom‑Ma, stopped existing, I feel like I would break inside too. Everything would become hollow and meaningless. I’d wish the world would crumble—but that buried heroine spirit in me wouldn’t let me. And that would lead me straight into self‑loathing.”qotKN
ZqARqThat line pierced my heart like a dagger.DpSUff
uKiJxI don’t know if Ryozo said it deliberately, but she hit the exact spot of my current emotional state.fG2
4OkwDamn it. I never thought I’d feel empathy for Kojima.9pIQzMz
z9vkl“Kojima chose humanity over his family. Because he believed it gave his life more meaning. Or rather—he believed it was his destiny.”yRg996L
zFAs“…So what are you saying…”2BKq
GIA6C6“Your adoptive father didn’t give up on his life either. He found purpose in raising his son. And look at the result.” Ryozo nodded downward.NWhY
WnxWOur eyes took in the world below.oBIdBa
DaQ2pThis place—once a battlefield between humans and demons due to false gods—now shone brighter than any era before. It was the fruit of sacrifices by those spirits who passed on, and the tireless efforts of my father.7tk94
Mh5tzAThe ground they paved with their bodies.YevkCW
6WNThis world that my father handed me—protecting it fills me with pride, Geom‑Ma.VW1
x1JJdtShe had stepped away from dinner just to tell me that.BQh4VNP
CxdBF“Geom‑Ma.”DqLc
Be7dGgmRyozo stroked my cold cheek.Kk5DL0
3g4r“Your father, by saving you, also saved this world, and all of us.”NxopUf
7xKW“Don’t you think he’d be proud if he could see it? Even I—his daughter, who suffered from his absence—respect him as a hero.”FdMB6Q
pbaLOwMy eyes welled with tears, my nose burning. It must’ve been cold at this altitude.Mf3xA
XOhOb8hEvery hole in my face seemed about to leak.FX0ks8K
JuLf“Geom‑Ma.”j5zqJp7
swmRyozo called again. Her hand left a crease in my clothing, right above my collarbone.I3U0pU
4fY“I can’t breathe well.”ILGWhwJ
HttU“Did your blessing run out? Should we head down?”4tIHP
j9iU“No.”BfBLtYi
tjshlShe shook her head vigorously.FAz5qo
ttOpJ9l“I deactivated the blessing on purpose. I don’t want to go down yet.”s09xTr
E7z69“Then…”ZAniF
Z3kI moved closer and pressed my lips to hers. In that rare atmosphere, we shared each other’s breath.gfvhsLV
wByg4Under the Milky Way as our crown, we stayed like that for a long while…NeL3x
WqcThe night, up here, felt warm.jrY
l836UZIncredibly warm—for being above the clouds.rWE
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