Chapter 315
Traditional Culture of Korea
[Are you telling me to betray the former Master?]
The Professor looks at me and speaks.
His emotionless face and flat tone make it hard to read him.
In the original Volume 11, the Professor died with a satisfied smile after Seira’s happiness right after the washing machine started, so I have no idea what feelings the current Professor has for Messiah.
The very fact that the Professor is alive right now is something that didn’t happen in the original.
Of course, there’s no need to panic over this.
[No matter how much of a betrayer I am… ]
“For the Chairman.”
I cut off the Professor’s words.
“With that testimony, I’m going to persuade the Undertaker to switch sides. With the relic she possesses, the Immortal Heart… it could heal the Chairman’s wounds. The wounds you inflicted, that is.”
Before and after betrayal and corruption, the one the Professor cherishes most is Yoshizaki Seira.
If I bring up Seira’s name, the Professor will have no choice but to cooperate.
Of course, Seira’s permanent Magic Core damage is a serious injury, and it won’t be able to heal in just one go with the Immortal Heart. Still, I had no intention of leaving it be.
[…Persuading the Undertaker…]
The Professor’s eyes tremble.
He closes his mouth.
It seems multiple calculations are running through his mind.
But he knows he has no choice but to bite the bait I’ve thrown.
He knows very well that the only existing way to heal permanent Magic Core damage is the Immortal Heart.
One reason why the relationship between the Undertaker and the Professor isn’t good is that the Professor covets the Undertaker’s Immortal Heart.
[…If the Undertaker is indeed who I suspect her to be… You’re trying to use that fact, aren’t you?]
The Professor mutters to himself beyond the glass wall.
The fact that the Undertaker is Wilhelmina Heisenberg, the sister of Damian Heisenberg, a member of the Five Crowns, is a secret known only to Messiah.
Wilhelmina awakened her powers after Damian’s death while working as a researcher at the Federal National Gate Research Institute in the U.S.
Right after awakening her powers, she was lured by Messiah’s promise to help revive her brother, disappearing from the public eye, joining the New World League, and beginning to operate under the name Undertaker while hiding her gender and true identity.
She began to act under the name Undertaker, hiding her true self.
So, except for Messiah, the one who made Wilhelmina the Undertaker, and the Undertaker herself, nobody knew that the EX-rank villain Undertaker was actually Wilhelmina, the sister of Desperado.
Not even the other villains from the New World League, the 13 Apostles, or even the Four Horsemen, who were close associates of Messiah, knew.
Only the Professor vaguely guessed it.
However, the original Professor was a servant to Messiah until the very end and didn’t have a good relationship with the Undertaker, so he didn’t dig any deeper.
An awkward silence sat between me and the Professor.
The Professor speaks.
[How did you find out her identity? I wasn’t completely sure and was only vaguely speculating about it. I had no hard evidence, just an inkling…that wasn’t even accurate…]
He asks me, “Do I have any reason to tell you?”
Here, I have to brazenly deny it with a straight face.
After all, I’m the one holding the knife, not the Professor.
I can afford to be assertive.
This is a friendly world, after all.
[There’s no reason for that…Huh. Fine. I’ll let you know.]
The Professor speaks with a look in his eyes as if he’s reached enlightenment.
[But can you promise me one thing in return?]
The Professor’s gaze becomes serious.
The promise is obvious.
He must be asking me to heal Seira.
“What kind of promise?”
I already know, but I throw in the question out of courtesy.
[If I can persuade the Undertaker with my testimony, I promise to fully heal you using the Immortal Heart. If you promise that, I’ll give my testimony.]
And the answer comes back.
Of course, it’s expected.
As befits a friendly world, it’s a very easy condition.
“I promise.”
I immediately respond to the Professor’s words.
Naturally, if I succeed in persuading the Undertaker, he’ll heal Seira too.
In the aftermath of the original story, it was the Undertaker’s Immortal Heart that healed Seira.
[We made this promise as men, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung.]
The Professor smiles faintly as he speaks.
[Now, let’s start the testimony.]
The Professor begins to speak.
Along with him, I start filming the Professor with the camera I had prepared.
[The death of the Five Crowns, your question about the Master of the League, Messiah being behind it, is indeed true. Ten years ago, I heard from the Master of the League that for the creation of the New World, the death of the Five Crowns, which symbolizes the order of the old world, was absolutely necessary, and that removing all the Five Crowns would signal the start of the New World plan.]
The Professor’s testimony continued, spilling out the truth from ten years ago.
He revealed that after unleashing the Omega Rank otherworldly entity Pafnir in France, they had it rampaged through Dokta Shinahel’s potion, leading to the Black Prince’s death.
[Of course… I expected that. I had a nagging feeling that the League was involved until my death…but to think it would go this far.]
The Black Prince spoke in a serious tone, which was unusual for him.
[Damn it…]
The Black Prince burst out in frustration.
‘I get it, so calm down.’
[…Huh. Okay. That wasn’t very gentlemanly. Fine. I’ve calmed down. Calm……]
“Seriously······.”
The Black Prince agrees with a trembling voice at my words.
Red Star Nikolai Kasatkin maneuvered the Soviet leadership from behind to purge them, and because Yoshizaki Seira was a powerful opponent who utilized him, the swordsman Kurosawa Akira was killed directly by Messiah himself, as such behind-the-scenes tactics wouldn’t work on him.
“······Lastly, it was Messiah’s scheme that hired the unidentified villain who killed Damian Heisenberg. He explained all of this to me to corrupt me into a villain, preaching the justification of the New World plan.”
The Professor reveals this matter in a calm voice.
Originally, this information would not have come to light at this point.
In Volume 17 of the original story, after Yuji defeated the Elder in the confrontation with the Cult, the info obtained from the Cult’s confidential documents pours out of the Professor’s mouth.
The reason the Undertaker joined the heroine lineup by volume 19 was that she acquired evidence and artifacts to sway her at the end of volume 17 when she defeated the Elder.
“Damn it! My comrades······. When I find that bastard Messiah, I’m going to tear him apart!”
I hear the angry voice of the Black Prince.
He must have had an inkling of it too.
But suspicion and certainty belong to different realms.
Since Five Crowns had a good relationship, the revelation of hidden truths behind the deaths of their comrades would be even more shocking.
“Partner······. You can defeat that guy, right?”
“I must.”
If I can’t bring down Messiah, I won’t fulfill my goal of returning to my original world.
I have to settle this with him in whatever form it takes.
“Alright. If your resolve is firm, then I’ll lend my full support as well. I can never forgive that bastard······.”
The Black Prince grits his teeth, suppressing his rage.
“My testimony ends here. I’ve said everything I know. But Kim Deok-Sung. The Undertaker I know is a suspicious character. Unlike the other Four Horsemen, she was not in a superior-subordinate relationship with the Master and did not trust him. But can you sway the Undertaker with just this testimony since you’re a complete stranger to her? I’m skeptical.”
The Professor concludes his testimony.
Click.
He finishes the recording.
“You’re not wrong. But this is enough for me.”
Because I have other information that can sway her.
There’s no reason to disclose that to the Professor.
With that, I left the visitation room with the camera.
Preparation is complete.
Now, the only thing left is to sway the Undertaker when she inevitably comes looking for me.
*
At the same time.
Shuo Hero Academy Dormitory.
Olivia’s Private Room.
“······Ugh. To fail the MVP award······. This can’t be happening······.”
On the balcony overlooking the schoolyard.
Sitting at an elegant table adorned with refreshments, Olivia’s hands trembled as she muttered to herself.
Olivia was already worried about her leading position as recent challengers like Aris and Haru were rising up.
Adding to that was Principal Seira joining the fray, which understandably heightened Olivia’s anxiety.
“I can’t just let this happen······. I need to come up with some sort of countermeasure······.”
As she fiddled with an empty teacup, Olivia mumbled to herself when suddenly.
Scoot scoot.
With a clear sound, hot tea steaming with the aroma of kim is poured into an empty teacup.
“Miss, do you need a plan?”
Bella, the brown bob-haired beauty in maid attire and Olivia’s personal maid, speaks in a cool voice.
“It’s Bella. Miss. It’s been a while since I reflected as an air character—my heart feels a flutter.”
“Bella, who are you talking to?”
“Nothing at all. Please don’t mind me.”
Bella casually throws out a meta comment straight out of a light novel while maintaining a straight face towards Olivia.
“I have a plan. A secret strategy to appeal your charm to the Master’s Master.”
Secret strategy.
Upon hearing those words, Olivia feels her heart race.
Her face turns red.
“What is it? C-Could you share? Hmph.”
Pretending to be uninterested, Olivia sips her tea with trembling hands.
Seeing her flustered, Bella speaks with a slight smile on her face.
“Do you know what November 11th is?”
Olivia falls into thought at Bella’s question.
November 11th…
No matter how hard she thinks, she can’t recall.
“…I’m not sure. What day is it?”
“It’s Pepero Day. A day in Korea when lovers exchange Pepero gifts filled with love.”
Pepero Day.
A day for lovers.
Olivia’s face flushes completely.
She was aware of famous days like Valentine’s Day in the West and White Day in Japan.
But Pepero Day?
It was a day she had never heard of before.
Wait, never heard of it?
Olivia’s eyes widen.
“Indeed… A Korean holiday… Then…”
“Most others are likely unaware. On November 11th, it’s a chance only for you to take care of the Master’s Master.”
Before Olivia could finish her thought, Bella jumped in.
She was right.
Even someone as interested in Korean culture as herself didn’t know about Pepero Day.
That meant the chances were higher that others also wouldn’t know.
A holiday that only I know about.
Thump.
At that moment, Olivia’s heartbeat skyrocketed.
“And in Korea, there’s a tradition on Pepero Day where couples kiss through a Pepero game.”
Swipe.
Bella shows Olivia a pre-prepared image of the Pepero game.
Upon seeing the image, Olivia’s face turns beet red.
“H-How can they have such a s-s-scoundrel of a game?!”
Olivia stutters, covering her flushed face with both hands.
A tradition like that on Pepero Day?
It’s truly a scoundrel and unhealthy tradition.
But if the Pepero game is a Korean tradition…
If Koreans want it, then maybe…
“B-But if that’s the culture in Korea, then I guess… I have no choice… It’s scoundrelish, but…”
There’s nothing I can do.
Having absorbed distorted cultural knowledge from Bella, Olivia rationalizes while clenching her fist.
A faint smile plays on Bella’s face as she watches Olivia.
This was the week leading up to November 11th.
