Became a Traitor in an Academy

The Suicides (2)

The first thing I realized upon regaining consciousness was that we were falling from above.

Today’s fortune is really harsh. Wonder if I’d win the lottery if I bought a ticket on the way home?

Though it doesn’t matter whether I win that or not since I’ve earned enough money not to care.

…But come to think of it, the reason I could earn that money was from distributing all kinds of drugs including enhancement drugs and narcotics in the underground.

And the reason I’m falling like this now is also because I distributed drugs.

Even if I bought a lottery ticket, it probably wouldn’t hit.

Life, really.

Why is it that villains and corporations can commit evil deeds without any consequences, but karma for my evil deeds comes back instantly?

At this point, the story writer must have had malice toward me.

Or maybe the world just hates me.

Considering I was trouble on Earth and I’m trouble here too, that might be more accurate.

Well, if I strengthen with magical power and use breakfall techniques, this should end with just a broken arm.

Unfortunately I didn’t have any chemicals to increase body durability, so I clicked my tongue while channeling magic into my arms and synthesizing pain-blocking substances to prepare for impact.

At that moment, someone caught me from behind.

“…Got you! Blanca, sorry! There’s no time to explain, hold on tight!”

It was Jin-hyeon.

Looking carefully, Yeonhwa and Lapis were also attached to him or holding his hands.

What could this guy who did nothing during all that chaos possibly do?

That’s when I was wondering. He wrapped his hand around my waist and drew up magical power.

His touch was cold, and his breath was frosty.

…No way.

And it seemed my guess was right.

His hair and eyes turned sky blue.

And, a huge mass of ice emerged from Jin-hyeon, enveloping us.

What’s being engraved is regret, disappointment, self-blame, and guilt.

I strongly recalled emotions that don’t direct outward, that are cold and heavy.

If I had used my ability, Yeonhwa wouldn’t have needed to kill anyone.

If I had used my ability, she wouldn’t have needed to be traumatized.

If I had stepped up.

But, I didn’t step up.

Even when the most precious and closest person was struggling, I didn’t step up.

I didn’t step up even when I needed to.

Why?

Because I was afraid. If I couldn’t properly control my emotions, everyone would be in danger.

More than friends getting hurt, I ended up being more afraid of bystanders getting hurt.

Even though someone was struggling right before my eyes.

Even then, I weighed lives.

I was so disappointed and hated myself for that, and also…

…No, focus.

Hatred and anger toward my hesitating self weren’t suitable to use right now.

Fire wasn’t needed and… also, I was afraid.

Even now when I close my eyes, the surging flames from that day feel right in front of me.

If I get swallowed by fear once, I won’t be able to control myself eaten by terror with my current self.

So carefully and delicately controlling my emotions, I drew up magical power.

And strongly wished. That I didn’t want to be a nothing anymore.

Now I too, want to protect someone.

My ability, Emotion Manifestation, responded to that wish and created a huge ice mass enveloping everyone.

The ice mass that appeared instantly from mid-air took the impact we should have received and shattered into pieces.

But it couldn’t reduce all the impact.

“…Kugh!”

We rolled on the ground several times, hitting the floor and ice fragments.

Even while tumbling around noisily, I tried somehow to protect everyone while hugging them.

“…Is everyone okay?”

“I-I’m fine… My bones are metal, so you didn’t need to protect me… th-thanks.”

“I’m okay too… Jin-hyeon. More importantly, your ability…”

Lapis and Yeonhwa seemed safe. But where did Blanca go? I couldn’t see her anywhere I looked.

“…Would you move?”

Her voice came from below.

Looking down, Blanca was trapped underneath me.

Fortunately she didn’t seem to be hurt, showing no signs of pain or discomfort.

The problem was that my forearm was resting on her chest.

Ah.

I thought it felt too soft for the ground.

Her expression was so terrifying I felt she might actually bite my throat out, so I immediately moved off her while apologizing.

“S-sorry! That, I didn’t mean to-“

“I know, I know. Just… hah. Shut up, nothing happened. Got it?”

Blanca frowned deeply and said to pretend nothing happened, then clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention.

“Now then… let’s sort out the situation. First, you. Why were you just standing still not using your ability before, but now you use it? If you had used it then, we wouldn’t have come to this.”

Then she frowned as if projecting her recent grudge and complained about why I only used my ability now.

“Blanca…!”

Even though she must still be struggling, Yeonhwa tried to speak to Blanca as if to defend me. But, Yeonhwa.

I can’t stay sitting down saying past wounds hurt forever.

“It’s okay, Yeonhwa. Now is… the time to face it.”

While reassuring her, I revealed to her why I was reluctant to use my ability.

Long ago, when Emotion Manifestation first manifested, because I couldn’t properly control that ability.

Because of me, an entire department store was swallowed by flames.

It was an incident where most people died except for me, the source of the flames, and even the survivors had to live with aftereffects for life.

…My parents were no different.

Because they were right beside me.

Without even a chance to evacuate, they met with disaster.

Such things were too much for young me to handle.

Actually, it’s still hard to handle even now.

Just remembering and talking about it makes me nauseous and my whole body tremble.

But.

At that time, a hero appeared.

A hero who saved me, who was literally a ball of fire, telling me it was okay even while getting burned.

That was Pyro, Yeonhwa’s father.

He retired as a hero due to injuries sustained then.

…And, he took me in as family when I had nowhere to go.

That’s why Yeonhwa worries about me so much.

When I was young, to put it nicely, I was like a walking corpse.

Even now Yeonhwa is just pacing around not knowing what to do.

Sorry, Yeonhwa. I keep causing you emotional pain.

“So, I understand why you weren’t using your ability. Then why did you use it just now?”

Blanca made a troubled expression after hearing my story, then erased her expression and asked the reason.

“You said it yourself. If you hesitate and fail to save someone, no one will care about such circumstances. And… I’m tired of hesitating now.”

“Jin-hyeon…?”

“Even if I’m wrong, even if the end isn’t good. I want to act on what I believe is right. If I keep hesitating forever, I won’t be able to save anyone.”

So I’m telling you this, Blanca.

If it weren’t for you, I would still be hesitating.

“Hah, your mouth really is a door that invites disaster…”

After hearing my whole story, Blanca wiped her face with dry hands.

Yeonhwa approached me asking if I was okay now.

Probably asking if I’ve completely gotten over it.

“…No, not at all. I still see those flames when I close my eyes. But… I won’t look away anymore. I’ll face it straight on. And, I’ll save as many lives as I took away, no.”

More than that, I’ll become a hero who saves people.

“Um… uh… I-I’m sorry for ruining the mood but… u-um… rather than that, isn’t where we are right now more important…?”

Lapis broke her silence she had maintained until now, apologizing repeatedly while making a valid point.

“You’re right, Lapis. Painful circumstances, blooming resolve… all that only matters if we get out of here first.”

Blanca said that while continuing to sort out the situation.

“Right now we’re inside a Gate. Looking at how nothing has appeared until now, that Suicide… or whatever probably cleaned out the Gate interior beforehand to store the villains inside.”

“Uh… so, you mean they used the Gate like some kind of transport…?”

“Rather than transport, more like inventory. Everyone’s played games, right?”

Lapis shyly raised her hand.

Blanca gave a bitter smile, saying she believed Lapis would know what transport means, and continued.

“But, while there’s not a single monster, the Gate remains. Meaning, the wedge maintaining this Gate – the boss monster must be somewhere inside here.”

“C-couldn’t we go out the way we came in?”

Lapis raised her hand again and asked Blanca.

Instead of answering, Blanca silently pointed to the sky with her finger.

The Gate we came through had already disappeared.

“Meaning… for us to get out of here, we need to hunt a boss monster whose strength we don’t know, then destroy the core embedded in its corpse. Questions?”

This time Yeonhwa raised her hand and asked Blanca.

“Blanca. Where did you learn about Gates…? Weren’t you in the Hero Department…?”

Information about Gates wasn’t something non-Hunters could know.

All citizens could know was that they needed to run away.

But she was reciting information about Gates as if it was completely natural, so I was curious too.

“Live outside the safe zone. You’ll learn even if you don’t want to.”

“W-wait, Blanca. You lived in the outskirts?!”

“Later, later. Anyway, surviving comes first right now. Besides, it’s not like I have some grand story like you guys.”

Areas where Heros Corporation’s Gate suppression technology hadn’t been deployed were called the outskirts.

To think Blanca was from there.

“Anyway, situation sorted. What we need to do is clear. Let’s go. We need to get outside.”

Blanca said that and stepped into the dungeon interior as if it was nothing.

“…That is Blanca… right?”

“Let’s trust Blanca. She saved us too, after all.”

“…Yeah. Guess we should.”

While comforting Yeonhwa, I followed behind her.