Chương 19: 17: Future Consequences
"Interest can always be won, as long as you understand exactly what it is."
— Nilloen
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At three in the afternoon, at the entrance of the dungeon that Oreki had left just four minutes ago, a young Latina with dark skin appeared. Her skin reflected the light subtly, as if her very presence illuminated the gloomy environment. Her healthy, well-defined body moved steadily, but her expression was far from serene.
"Who..." she muttered, a cold irritation on her lips.
"WHO WAS THE BASTARD WHO ARRIVED FIRST?!"
His scream echoed through the dungeon, hitting the walls like thunder. It was pure hatred. Unbridled fury against the enigmatic being who had dared to pass in front of him.
"I SWEAR THAT IF I FIND YOU, I WILL KILL YOU!!!" The next scream was so loud that it spread across a large part of the forest, until it reached the ears of a certain young man with emerald eyes who, unhurriedly, was calmly descending the mountain.
"Brat..." Blood began to ask, curious about the scream, but was quickly interrupted.
"Ignore it." Oreki replied emotionlessly, his eyes fixed on the path ahead.
"What's up..." Blood tried again, but Oreki cut him off again.
"Ignore it." He repeated, now more firmly.
"Okay..." Blood grumbled, resigned.
As he passed a sturdy tree, Oreki continued on, seemingly unfazed. However, on the other side of the tree, a wild ginseng was on display, growing from the ground like a rare missed opportunity.
He continued walking, his gaze distant, reflecting on the bad luck that had followed him. Even using his elemental connection, he had still not managed to catch a single ginseng.
"This still doesn't make sense..." Oreki muttered, confusion and irritation echoing softly in his voice, completely ignoring the fact that he had just passed one.
***
"Huup." A muffled sound of effort echoed amidst the cluster of trees, where the light barely touched the ground.
"Five more!" A woman's authoritative voice cut through the air, clear and unyielding.
Within the darkness formed by the dense trees, two silhouettes could be made out. One of them, relaxed and comfortable, was lying on top of a massive block of stone, six meters high, weighing around 800 kilograms. The other figure, clearly less privileged, carried this block on his back, while doing push-ups.
Lee Mijin, the instructor of the anti-personnel training class, was casually lying cross-legged on the massive stone block. She was an above-average figure, with blue-black hair that fell to the nape of her neck and expressive eyes that conveyed determination.
She wore a black sleeveless T-shirt that accentuated her toned arms and dark gray combat pants. Her unassuming smile exuded a quiet confidence, while clean military boots completed her practical look.
She gazed up at the starry sky, as if she were at a picnic, while her student sweated profusely.
"So, why are you so late?" Lee Mijin asked, her voice as calm as the wind, as she completely ignored Oreki's monumental effort.
"199..." Oreki replied with a grunt, ignoring her question as he kept up the pace of his push-ups, determined not to let fatigue take over.
"Ten more for ignoring me." Mijin said in an almost casual tone, turning her head to watch the stars with disdain. "After that, you'll move on to squats."
Oreki paused briefly, shock etched on her sweaty face. "What!?"
Lee Mijin, still lying down but propped up on her elbows, leaned forward and looked directly at him, her smile clearly amused. "If you stop again, I'll add more. Let's see how long you can take."
Irritated but out of options, Oreki went back to doing the push-ups, his face a mask of exasperation. "At least I won't have to write the fifty-page apology," he muttered, trying to find some shred of solace in the situation.
"You're underestimating my creativity, Oreki," Mijin said, her smile even more visible in the moonlight. "I can still ask for a report on the benefits of hard work while you're carrying that rock."
Oreki snorted, his sarcasm struggling to come out despite his fatigue. "Oh, right, because every cadet needs to know what it's like to carry an 800-kilo boulder on their back for arriving only forty minutes before curfew."
"Exactly," she replied, without missing a beat. "You can even thank me later, who knows."
Oreki continued with the push-ups, sweat dripping down his body like a waterfall. Each execution felt heavier, and he had already lost count of how many times his body had screamed for him to stop.
"One more word and that'll be twenty extra squats," Mijin said casually, going back to staring at the stars as if it were the most relaxing thing in the world. The contrast between her peace and Oreki's suffering was almost comical, but she knew exactly what she was doing.
"Oh, how wonderful," Oreki muttered softly, with the last of his strength, almost wishing that one of the stars would fall straight onto his instructor, relieving him of this torture.
Lee Mijin didn't miss the comment, but she didn't seem to mind. In fact, she seemed to be enjoying his resistance. "You should be thankful for that. Few students have the privilege of training directly with me."
"Privilege..." Oreki mumbled between heavy breaths. "Definitely... my favorite word... but not when I'm dying."
"What's wrong, Oreki? I thought you were stronger. You're not going to give up now, are you?" Mijin teased, now resting her head in her hands, her elbows propped up on the stone. "I've seen your training, and it's tougher than this."
He huffed, gathering all his strength not to respond to the provocation. Every time he opened his mouth, the situation got worse, and he had no intention of prolonging this hell.
"Two... ten..." Oreki muttered, his voice barely coming out, but still with a hint of sarcasm. He had already overcome his mental fatigue, entering the automatic mode of pure effort.
Mijin smiled, leaning to the side and observing his student with genuine interest. "I didn't think you would make it this far. Maybe I should increase the difficulty?"
Oreki almost stopped again, but remembered her earlier words. "You... don't know how to play, do you?"
"I know how to play," she laughed softly, swinging her feet in the air like a child having fun on a swing. "But this? This is serious work. And we can't have you slacking off too much, can we?"
He continued to drag himself through the push-ups, keeping up the pace, as fatigue took over his body. Finally, after what felt like hours, Mijin let out a sigh of boredom.
"Okay, enough with the push-ups. Time for the squats."
Oreki nearly fell face-first onto the floor. "You're kidding, right?"
She laughed again, showing no mercy. "Ah, Oreki... joking is my specialty. Now get up, come on! You still have work to do."
With a groan of pure despair, Oreki slowly stood up, adjusting the block on his back. "Fifty, huh?"
"Fifty extra squats, that's right." Mijin paused dramatically and smiled. "And I want to see perfection. Because if they're not perfect, I'll double the number."
"You're insanely sadistic..." Oreki muttered, starting the first squat with the rock.
"If I don't get stronger, I'll throw myself into a volcano." His body protested with every movement, but he knew he had no choice. And he didn't want to give up either.
"I take that as a compliment," Mijin said as he clapped his hands lightly, as if he were watching a performance. "Keep it up, Oreki. Five more and you'll be even stronger for the next workout."
He closed his eyes for a brief second, trying to ignore the pain. "I swear... that one day I'll get my revenge."
"That's right!" Mijin replied, smiling. "But for now, you better keep going, because curfew is coming... and I haven't seen you finish yet."
Oreki huffed in exhaustion and frustration, but continued to move, determined to survive another night of training. "I should have stayed in the dungeon with Tomer..."
***
Thump.
"It's over..." Oreki threw himself onto the cold grass of the forest, feeling the rough ground against his skin. His shirt was completely soaked with sweat, sticking to his chest. His face was flushed from the extreme effort, his muscles burning and trembling with fatigue as if they were about to fall apart.
Beside him, the huge block of stone, the instrument of his torture, lay like a silent witness to his determination.
Instructor Lee Mijin, leaning casually against a nearby tree, whistled, visibly impressed. "Honestly, I didn't think you could handle it," she said, crossing her arms and tilting her head, her eyes shining with genuine surprise. To her, that had been a 'light' workout.
Oreki tried to respond, but his breath, ragged with exhaustion, turned his words into fragments. "You... didn't..." he struggled to finish, "believed... that I could... do it?"
Mijin smirked, starting to walk towards him. "Not for a second." When she reached his side, she pulled him to his feet, his body almost giving way at the simple movement.
"Ah..." Oreki groaned, his legs shaking, unable to support his own weight without staggering. Every muscle seemed to be on the verge of collapse.
"There you go. You can go," Mijin said cheerfully, giving him a light slap on the back—but even that gesture nearly made his legs give out.
Wiing — Wiing — Wiing —
A high-pitched, metallic alarm sound echoed from Oreki's smartwatch. The sound was unmistakable, the same emergency alert he had heard before, impossible to ignore.
[Searching for the last person who saw the world-class rookie cadet, 'Jin Hajung'.]
Oreki frowned as he read the message, his tiredness momentarily forgotten. "This came sooner than it should have..." he thought. The dates didn't match up with what he remembered from the Novel.
"Look on the bright side, you got the Aether before the incident," Blood whispered in his mind, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "Lucky you."
"Red flag." Oreki replied mentally, sarcastically. "Thanks for the luck, as always."
Mijin, who had been watching, leaned over to see the screen of his smartwatch, peeking over his shoulder. The carefree smile she had been wearing instantly disappeared, replaced by seriousness.
"Go back to the dormitory. Now. And be careful." Her voice had a different tone, firm and without room for argument.
Oreki nodded, still processing the change in atmosphere. "Thank you for the training," he murmured with a final sigh of gratitude, before slouching away.
Once Oreki was far enough away, Mijin let out a deep sigh. "I need to speak to the higher-ups... immediately," she muttered to herself, before disappearing into the darkness of the forest in a different direction than Oreki.
***
Oreki walked towards the dormitory without the slightest concern, ignoring his instructor's warning of caution. His body still ached from training, but his mind was still functioning.
"She didn't seem like someone important enough to go straight to the higher-ups..." He thought, reflecting on what he had picked up from Lee Mijin's murmur. Even from a distance, the wind seemed to have conspired to let her words reach him.
As he walked, Blood's voice sounded in his mind, as always, full of cruel enthusiasm. "So, what are you going to do? Kill them all at once?"
Oreki smirked, already expecting the sadistic suggestions. "A good idea, but I'll let things happen in due time. Even with Lilith and Evelyn on my side, Yoo Yeonha can be a valuable ally." He already had a strategy in mind, with his next steps ready to deal with the changes in the plot.
"Besides, I think she's a great character."
"Hehe," Blood laughed, as if he had already anticipated something.
"Why are you laughing?" Oreki asked, reaching the door of the dormitory building.
"Nothing much. I just thought something was... funny." Blood's sinister laugh echoed in his head again, increasing his suspicion. "Hehe."
"Craz..." Oreki began to mutter, but stopped suddenly, feeling the presence of someone approaching from behind.
"Looks like the weakling was training." The arrogant voice was unmistakable. The disdainful tone made it clear who it was.
Oreki turned and saw Shin Jonghak, his proud figure wearing his classic training outfit: a sleeveless black shirt, high collar, a cuff on the left arm, and dark blue pants that were almost black. The jacket was tied at the waist, completing his air of superiority.
"Ah, Jonghak," Oreki commented casually, as if they were close. "I see you're trying hard as always."
"Tsk." Jonghak clicked his tongue, clearly irritated. "Don't talk to me like we're friends. It gives me the creeps." He walked past Oreki, purposefully bumping into his shoulder as he strode arrogantly into the dorm.
Oreki smiled slightly, already anticipating Jonghak's reaction. "Jonghak, wait a minute," he called.
"Didn't I just tell you to..." Jonghak began, turning away in irritation, but was quickly confused when he saw Oreki holding a small notebook.
"Could you give me an autograph?" Oreki said calmly. "I really respect you and your family. Especially Shin Myung-chul."
For a moment, Jonghak's expression froze. He had always idolized his grandfather, and hearing that name coming from Oreki, someone he cared nothing for, caught him completely off guard.
His face softened, but only for a second. He tried to regain his haughty posture, but the feeling was evident to Oreki. "Hmph," Jonghak snorted, not knowing exactly how to respond. "Respecting my grandfather is one thing, but don't think that means you deserve my benevolence." Still, he took the notebook from Oreki's hands, scribbling his name with a touch of pride.
As he handed the notebook back, Jonghak stared at him, still unsure of how to feel about that gesture. "Don't think that changes anything."
"Of course not," Oreki replied with a calm smile, as he put the notebook away. "Thank you for the autograph. I'll keep it safe."
Jonghak turned around, trying to maintain his dignity, but something in his posture showed that Oreki had caught him off guard. He walked to his room without saying anything else.
Meanwhile, Blood manifested itself again in Oreki's mind, amused. "Well played, boy. Looks like you hit a nerve."
Oreki just chuckled mentally, watching Jonghak disappear into the hallway.
"I guess I can consider him already on the list of people who have... converted?" Oreki thought, doubting his own choice of words.
"Never mind, go and test that magic book you got."
"I'll do that. I'll have to invest the fifteen million reward as well."
***
[Hello.]
Just as Oreki closed the door to his room, a message from Yoo Yeonha, whom he had put in his contacts as 'Sugar Mommy', appeared on his smartwatch's display.
He immediately replied.
[What?]
[The disappearance text, that's not yours, right?]
"She and her paranoia..." Oreki muttered as he removed the Evandel Seed from his Emblem and gently placed it on the bed.
[No, why would I be involved in this?]
[Then it doesn't matter.]
[Okay.]
[By the way, have you tried the new coffee shop that opened? They have amazing coffee.]
[Huh? No, I haven't.]
[Really? You should. I heard the coffee there has a special touch, like... magic.]
[Yoo Yeonha, what do you really want?]
[Oh, nothing much. I was just wondering, do you know anything about the "Giant Swamp Soldier" monster?]
Oreki couldn't help but chuckle. Yoo Yeonha always had this ulterior motive behind her conversations.
The Giant Swamp Soldier was a high-ranked monster, known for its colossal height of 30 meters. It was rare in Korea, as the country had no large swamps, but it seemed that her guild had obtained exclusive information about its location. Or perhaps she simply wanted to test it.
[What if I know?]
Few guilds in the country would have knowledge of this particular monster's vital point.
[I can buy the information.]
Oreki was initially going to decline Yoo Yeonha's offer, but with the recent arrival of two new people on the scene, he reconsidered.
[Consider this a done deal.]
On the other side, Yoo Yeonha happily picked up a French fry and put it in her mouth. This was while she was typing on her smartwatch.
[Perfect.]
[Give me an hour. I'll give you all the information about the monster, and in return, I'll make a small request.]
[Okay. Thanks.]
[Don't thank me like that. We're friends...]
Yoo Yeonha, almost instinctively, started to type a message contradicting this statement, but hesitated.
[Business, of course.]
"You..." She deleted the message she was writing.
The exchange of messages ended there.
"Are you really going to leave her like this? It would be more interesting if you refused." Blood teased, curious about Oreki's true intentions.
"Let's say I have other ways to change her." He fiddled with his smartwatch, searching for videos about the Swamp Soldier. "I'll let her fly a little closer to the sun, but I'll make sure she doesn't get burned."
Blood let out a hearty laugh. "Where did you get that line from? It sounds like a bad anime quote."
"It's just a reference... maybe." Oreki said with a smile as he downloaded all the videos he could find about the monster, speeding them up five times to process the information faster. "Technology is a wonder."
For about an hour, Oreki remained in complete silence, entering his state of deep focus. He used his enhanced flow state and SP (Sharp Insight) to process and discover the information from the videos while meticulously writing everything down in a notebook.
The work only took twenty-five minutes, but he spent the rest of the time preparing a snack. After all, no one likes to go too long without eating.
"Done!" he exclaimed, finishing what was probably the most complete report on the Giant Swamp Soldier that any guild would ever have on hand. The document contained detailed information about its behavior, body structure, weaknesses, vital points, and much more.
"I think starting a company with Kim Hosup to sell monster information wouldn't be a bad idea..." Oreki joked as he reviewed the report one last time to make sure everything was perfect.
Knock Knock
A knock on the door interrupted his thoughts. "Cadet Houtarou Oreki, I came here at Miss Chitanda's request," a familiar voice said from outside.
"Wait a few seconds, I'll be right there," Oreki replied, picking up his notebook and the gray container with the snack he had prepared.
When he opened the door, he found Jin Sechan waiting patiently outside.
"Sorry for making you act like an errand boy," Oreki said, handing the notebook and container to Sechan.
"It's no problem. It's my job to serve the young lady," Jin Sechan replied, putting the notebook away in a folder. "But why did you ask to call her Chitanda?"
"People aren't deaf. Yoo Yeonha wouldn't want people to know she's involved with a low-ranking cadet like me," Oreki explained, smiling casually. "Oh, could you hand this over too? You can prove it if you want." He handed over the jar.
"Sure," Sechan replied, still a little confused, but accepting the jar. "If that's all, I'll be going."
"Yes, thank you."
***
Yoo Yeonha sat in her impeccably tidy room, scanning reports on her laptop screen. Despite her busy mind, she still had something else on her mind: the information she was waiting for.
She was anxious. Oreki, that cadet she couldn't fully understand, had accepted her offer to provide information about the Giant Swamp Soldier.
"He's smarter than he looks..." she thought, wondering if he really had something useful or if he was just trying to impress her. Her instincts told her that Oreki was not someone who would show himself without reason, but still, she did not know the extent of his knowledge.
"Or just lucky..." she muttered, frowning. Intuition, networks, or even some gift? He could have access to sources that not even guilds could track... These thoughts ran through her mind as she considered the countless possibilities.
He was a mystery, which irritated and intrigued her at the same time. She wanted to control all the variables, and Oreki was an unpredictable variable.
Knock knock.
A soft knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, making her heart race for a moment. This was the moment she had been waiting for.
"Come in, Jin Sechan," she said, her voice controlled and calm, hiding her anxiety.
The door opened softly, revealing Jin Sechan with the folder that contained Oreki's notebook. He also held a gray jar with a translucent lid, slightly clouded by the heat.
"Miss Yeonha," Jin Sechan greeted her with a slight bow, walking over to her desk and carefully placing the folder on it. "Here's what you asked for. And… Oreki also asked me to deliver this."
He gestured with the jar before carefully placing it next to the folder.
Yeonha eyed the jar with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. What was he trying to do with this? The idea of accepting something as a 'gift' from Oreki didn't appeal to her, but at the same time, she knew he probably had some motive behind it.
"Open it," she ordered, crossing her arms as she watched Jin Sechan uncap the jar. The aroma of something homemade and appetizing filled the air almost immediately.
"Sandwiches and… what would that be?" Jin Sechan asked, looking just as surprised as she did.
Yoo Yeonha remained silent for a few seconds, observing the contents of the jar. There was a carefully wrapped sandwich and small fried balls that seemed to glow golden, and they gave off a delicious smell.
"What kind of food is this?" She muttered to herself, her mind trying to remember if she had ever tasted it.
"What kind of intention is he having now?" Oreki was definitely a peculiar person. The idea of sending her a snack seemed absurdly simple, and she felt a slight flush of irritation.
"Does he really think he can win me over with food?" However, curiosity was growing silently inside her, becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
"Put it aside. Let's focus on the notebook." His voice was firm, although a part of her was tempted to try what he had sent. She would never admit it out loud, but Oreki seemed to have great cooking skills.
Her mind flashed back to when she had attended the fellowship ceremony earlier today.
Jin Sechan carefully closed the jar and walked away, leaving the folder on the table. Yoo Yeonha pulled the folder closer, ignoring the tempting aroma and opening it with a controlled gesture. Inside was the notebook with the information Oreki had promised. Her breathing slowed, and she focused as she turned the first page.
As soon as her eyes landed on the notes, something inside her woke up. The information was incredibly detailed, far beyond what she had expected. Every aspect of the Giant Swamp Soldier was dissected with precision—behavior, body structure, weaknesses, vital points, attacks, resistance. He had compiled everything any guild would pay dearly to know. There were even well-drawn illustrations to make it easier to understand.
"How did he get this?" Yoo Yeonha couldn't help but let a small smile appear on her lips. "This guy… he really has something."
She continued reading with a mixture of amazement and growing admiration. The information was organized impeccably, as if he had spent years studying the monster.
"Where did he get all this from?" she wondered, intrigued. There weren't many people in the country who would have access to this level of detail about such a rare monster. For a moment, Yoo Yeonha let go of her caution and saw Oreki in a new light—he wasn't just an ordinary cadet. He was operating on a completely different level.
After a few minutes of reading, she closed the notebook and set it aside. Her hands were shaking slightly, but not from fear, but from excitement. "With this information… I can guarantee a victory against the Giant Swamp Soldier."
She stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the nighttime horizon, the cold night wind blowing against her face.
"Houtarou Oreki…" she murmured softly. "You are so much more than you appear to be."
Now, more than ever, she knew she had to keep him close. But at the same time, Yoo Yeonha knew that dealing with Oreki would be like playing with an unknown opponent.
"Jin Sechan," she called suddenly, still looking out the window.
"Yes, miss?"
"Tell Oreki that I accept the information, and tell him that I will do my part of the deal. Also, ask about this pot. And don't touch the food."
Jin Sechan tilted his head, intrigued. "Understood."
Yoo Yeonha let out a long sigh, mentally preparing herself for what was to come. Oreki could be an unpredictable variable, but he was on her radar now, more than ever. If he had something to offer, she was willing to accept it—as long as she could control it.
And as much as she wanted to keep her distance, she couldn't ignore the fact that dealing with him was becoming a necessity.
With a quick glance at the pot, she briefly considered taking a bite of the sandwich or one of the dumplings. But, as always, Yoo Yeonha stood her ground. He wouldn't be that easy to please.
Or at least, that's what she told herself.
========
Good afternoon! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I'll be direct because I want to get back to my business. I'm here to ask how you prefer the fanfic romance to proceed. I just realized that I was writing without planning this very important part. Do you prefer Oreki to have:
A harem (if so, how many people?);
Not be with anyone;
Or for him to be with one or three girls?
If no one answers or there's a tie, I'll let fate decide and use a digital roulette to choose randomly.
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