"Really, that guy is an Irregular?"
Sihyun, with his mouth agape, looked at Irregular with suspicion in his eyes. He couldn't understand why the world's number one Awakened person would casually be on someone else's school trip. When he asked if it was true, the man replied, asking if Sihyun had been deceived all his life. Despite claiming to be American, his Korean was quite proficient.
"Your Korean is really fluent."
"I've always been talented."
Ah, I see...
In an instant, the evaluation of him, who was in the normal category, plummeted vertically. Despite being the world's number one Awakened, it seemed like he was no better than Minsoo Lee in terms of charisma. Sihyun, tongue-tied, turned his gaze towards the teachers, who were evaluating both his abilities and appearance.
"Did the Association hire this guy too?"
"Huh?"
He seemed dumbfounded by the word 'hire.' Judging by his awkward laughter, it seemed like I had misunderstood. I had wondered if it was a possibility, but it seemed like he wasn't hired after all. Thinking that, when I looked at Irregular, the man with blue eyes who seemed to have misunderstood my gaze spoke about his own worth.
"So, how did you come here?"
"While I was about to ask that, Mr. Sihyun woke up."
"Ah..."
At the teacher's response, Sihyun let out a short sigh. Stepping back and urging him to continue, the teachers, after confirming Sihyun's condition once more, spoke to Irregular.
"When did you come to Korea? There was no contact from the Association."
"I came secretly, so not receiving a call is natural."
"…What?"
For a moment, I thought I had misheard. With Irregular speaking so confidently, Sihyun stared at the audacious illegal immigrant. It wasn't only Sihyun who was taken aback by his words.
"...You came secretly?"
"They said a Quadruple emerged. So, isn't it proper to come and see once?"
If he came for that reason, it didn't seem like a matter of propriety.
Instead of replying, Sihyun stared at him as if he were crazy. Until I got to know him, he seemed like a strong and famous person, but now he just looked like a troublemaker.
Although I don't know the details, I know he's in his late twenties. He might be young, but he's not too young. I worried seriously about the future of humanity with such an acknowledged strongest character.
Despite everyone being speechless, the man seemed to find it amusing. When my story came out, he looked at Sihyun with a playful voice.
"I'll meet the Association chairman when I go back, so don't worry. If my coming here was helpful, that's enough, right? I didn't cause any harm."
I just wanted to see Quadruple quietly. Sihyun, who had been silently considering, sighed as if he understood the meaning behind the man's words. Since he saved a person, it would be good to think of it as a favor. However, judging by the man's attitude, it didn't seem likely. Surely, he would use this incident as an excuse to exploit him someday.
This might lead to going to the U.S.
Feeling caught up with a troublesome person, I sighed. The cause of making me sigh again was the man who blamed Sihyun for the incident with a cheeky smile. When Sihyun sighed as if to understand the meaning of the man's words, the man looked at him with a sarcastic gaze. Sihyun thought the Eastern etiquette country was not Korea but the U.S. Meanwhile, the teacher, who was tapping his phone, attempted to talk to Irregular again.
"We've already informed the Association. Since it wasn't even through the airport, it should be treated as an illegal entry, and you should accompany us to the Association..."
"I already planned to do that."
"...Yes."
The man responded nonchalantly. After their conversation was completely over, silence followed. Naturally, everyone's gaze focused on one place.
"...What is it?"
Sihyun looked at me with uneasy eyes, surrounded by curious gazes. As if wondering why everyone was making a fuss, the response came, "Are you okay?" Sihyun, who had already reassured multiple times, had to utter those words once again.
Having healed with Hilo, there was no pain left, and he had even spat out the water he drank, feeling perfectly fine. The only discomfort was a lingering salty taste in his mouth and the fact that his wet clothes made him slightly cold. It was regrettable that the Clean skill didn't include a function to dry seawater.
Other than that, everything was really fine. However, the stares directed at him were unusual, and the teachers, who were about to scold him, remained silent, chewing on their lips. The Awakening individuals from the association, who were next to the teachers, were in the same boat.
"I'm really okay."
He felt like he should take a look around or something. As he hesitated whether to stand up or not, the teachers' expressions darkened even more as they closed their eyes.
"...I'm sorry."
"......"
"We couldn't protect you, and you ended up sacrificing yourself."
"Ah...."
Suddenly, the atmosphere became heavy. Sihyun, sitting on the thorny seat, frowned at the teachers who were apologizing for not fulfilling their duties. It felt like a scene from a movie.
What could they have done when the opponent was at a disaster level? If they had recklessly gone out and even the teachers had died, the strongest first-year students left alone on the sea might have become food for the Kraken. They had made a wise decision in their own way. It's not like they didn't make any effort. Remembering the teachers flying away with a snap, Sihyun claimed he was okay, looking at everyone.
He was fine. The teachers had fulfilled their duties. It was just that the opponent wasn't favorable. However, even if he said this, their guilt wouldn't disappear. Sihyun was choosing his words carefully to lighten the mood.
"It's because I'm incompetent."
"......"
A cold silence settled in with a single word. The moment Sihyun was considering words to lighten the atmosphere, the time seemed to have turned back to zero. The teachers and the Awakening individuals from the association trembled at his straightforward and unsparing words. When Sihyun noticed their reaction and glanced at them, the man still wet from the sea fixed his gaze on Sihyun as if piercing through him.
"Just today, I almost died at least three times."
His deep voice recounted the three incidents that occurred in the sea. Kraken, Sirens, and even Titans. As his voice brought back memories of the events, the teachers and Awakening individuals from the association's hands trembled. Sihyun, who had saved him from the Titan's grip, presented it as evidence. On the other hand, the teachers who couldn't save him looked at Sihyun with bewildered expressions. When one of the teachers, still unable to contact the Korean guild, was about to step forward, Sihyun spoke.
"Is it coercion?"
"It's a proposition."
"Then, I'll decline."
"...Huh?"
The man's expression changed at Sihyun's prompt refusal. Sihyun briefly looked at the relieved teachers before speaking.
"Today was just a school trip, and the school is safe. I don't think there's a need for special protection. Thank you for saving me, but I'll decline the offer."
Sihyun spoke with a composed tone, without a hint of hesitation. Looking at the visibly relieved teachers, Sihyun glanced at Ruth. He seemed like a madman. Although he had saved Sihyun, living in the United States with no acquaintances, relying on his protection, seemed less appealing than living in the top-class dormitories, petting Pia and playing the piano.
"I apologize."
Sihyun, who spoke calmly, bowed his head, and Ruth's eyebrows twitched with a thump! The gaze of Ruth, feeling chilly, reached me. Sensing the gaze on the back of my head, I lowered my head, and Sihyun, who had been bowing his head, swallowed nervously, rolling only his eyes.
A sinister thought crossed my mind.
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