RE: Player again

326

[Chapter 102] [The Storm Will Eventually Pass]

A storm hit.

The news of academy students' deaths spread like wildfire in an instant.

It seems that as soon as reports were received at Wonju City Hall, journalists with good ears quickly spread the news.

Moreover, journalists who rushed to the rescue site thrust cameras at those who were not well, capturing their images as they were.

It was natural for public opinion to be shaken.

The mass media continued to shake public opinion by creating sensational articles and broadcasting the damage situation.

Public opinion mourned the students' deaths, grieved with their parents, and further denounced who was responsible for this situation.

But this incident was a natural disaster.

The students were just, unfortunately, in the disaster area where a distortion occurred.

Nevertheless, people craved to pour out their emotions, which were about to explode without direction, on someone.

They shouted as if they couldn't live without blaming someone.

The Fairy government made another mistake.

What on earth is the government doing?

Why did the academy choose such a place?

I feel sorry for the dead children.

But if the Mana Management Agency had done a better job, this wouldn't have happened. If they can't detect monster waves, what's the point of us paying taxes?

Hoengseong County is a ruined city, so let's say that's why. But why didn't Wonju City Hall send immediate support when the incident broke out? How dangerous is that jungle...

There were many targets for blame.

The agencies targeted for blame had to explain somehow.

In such a situation, those who liked to stir up trouble spread rumors that this incident was someone's conspiracy.

People generally tend to be curious about things they don't know and like conspiracy theories.

Moreover, some people presented quite credible hypotheses on the internet. For example, saying that many of those who died were somehow related to groups ranking in the top 10 domestically. That most of those missing were them, and that traces were found on some corpses as if they had been attacked by people rather than monsters.

...That can't be! Why are you saying my son died!

No! He's still alive! Look for him properly! He might be hiding somewhere! Think about a 15-year-old child hiding in such a place! Go find him right now! Aaaagh!

What did these bastards just say? What? You sons of bitches, you call that words? Shut up... quickly go and tell the person in charge to come down!

Do you know who I am? I... I'm not someone who should hear such things from bastards like you. Speak properly! Watch your mouth, if you say the wrong thing, I won't let it slide!

Resentment, curiosity, and sadness.

These raw emotions stimulated public opinion.

The academy decided to suspend classes and set up a joint memorial altar.

In addition, small memorial altars were set up at each metropolitan city hall, and memorial processions continued across the country.

The parents of the deceased students all arrived at the joint memorial altar prepared by the academy.

There was no one who didn't shed tears.

Humans who could speak with language could only cry like animals in a space filled with bright flowers.

There was not a single sound completed by language there.

Only the sounds of shedding tears, sniffling noses, and wailing out loud circulated.

Intermittently, people who lost consciousness and collapsed were taken away in ambulances on standby.

...So many came.

Eunha was there.

☆

After signing the visitor's book, Eunha entered and looked around the joint memorial altar.

Photos of the deceased, including those missing, were fixed on the left, right, and front walls.

Colorful yellow and white flowers decorated the surroundings of the photos.

The photos of the four deceased instructors were all hung at the top in the front, while conversely, the photos of the deceased players were hung at the bottom.

Meanwhile, the students' photos were hung from the left to the right wall, divided by class.

"Support your right hand with your left hand, then hold the flower stem with your right hand."

"...Yes."

Eunha received a single flower for offering at the entrance.

Looking down at the white flower intently, he walked to where his class was.

There were people who couldn't leave the front of the photos, shedding tears endlessly.

They were the parents of those who died this time.

People who came wearing mourning clothes still had faces that couldn't believe the reality.

Eunha looked at the photos fixed above their heads.

I heard our class had the most deaths compared to other classes.

Most were people he didn't know.

There weren't many he knew.

Eunha, who offered flowers and bowed deeply, looked at photos of other classes while moving clockwise.

That one definitely died...

The fact that his photo isn't in this class means he didn't die after all.

I'll have to postpone it to next time.

There was no mourning for the dead.

He was just calmly organizing those he would kill in the future.

"...I'm really sorry."

"...No. Geonwoong, you didn't do anything wrong, so why are you apologizing as if you committed a crime."

"Yes... this was... an unavoidable... incident."

It was when he headed towards Class 4.

Eunha discovered Kim Geonwoong, the direct descendant of KK Group, bowing his head to parents wearing mourning clothes.

He seemed to think that the reason students from KK Group affiliates died was all because of him.

That's not wrong.

Eunha had secretly followed him once to kill Kim Geonwoong.

In the situation where monsters were pouring in, he didn't stop students from rushing out to block monsters to protect him.

Eunha's target was only Kim Geonwoong, just him.

If he had given up his life, the people who would have died for him probably wouldn't have needed to die.

Eunha hoped that Kim Geonwoong would become weak-hearted because of this incident.

Until now, Kim Geonwoong had been strong-willed, so he couldn't think of a way to handle him.

If he could just reform his mind, there would be no need to go to the trouble of killing him.

"...Hello. It's been a while."

"Yes, hello."

Then Eunha's eyes met his as he raised his head.

The two people who had been looking at each other for a while.

Soon Kim Geonwoong approached him as if he knew him.

"Did you come to offer flowers to our class?"

"That's right."

"As far as I know, there were no friends of yours in our class..."

Kim Geonwoong asked, looking at the flower Eunha was holding in his hand.

He seemed puzzled.

Kim Geonwoong, who occasionally came to suggest sponsorship after Han Seoyeon went to study in Japan, couldn't not know his interpersonal relationships.

It was strange that he came to Class 4.

However, Eunha answered his question nonchalantly.

"Still, we're from the same academy, so I should at least offer flowers."

"Ah... yes, that's right. That's true."

Kim Geonwoong nodded a beat late.

As Eunha said, the academy had suspended all classes so students could attend the memorial altar.

Even those not related to this incident could come to mourn the deceased.

In fact, among the citizens who heard the news, some came up from the provinces to visit the memorial altar in Seoul.

"I envy you and your friends, Eunha."

"Why?"

"You're all strong. I really envy that. If it weren't for you guys, I might have died."

Kim Geonwoong suddenly said such words.

He blamed himself, looking up at the memorial photos with a complicated gaze.

It was a face filled with self-loathing.

The face that had always been successful in the previous life was shadowed in this life.

"What are you saying?"

Eunha hoped that Kim Geonwoong would be crushed like this.

So he replied calmly.

"We're not strong."

"......"

"You were just weak."

Kim Geonwoong's face contorted.

He couldn't say anything.

As if chewing over Eunha's words several times, his clenched fists trembled.

Yes, stay like that.

I want you to stay like that.

"...How... how can I become strong like you guys?"

Kim Geonwoong, who finally broke the silence, killing his pride.

With his head bowed, he seemed to be saying please tell me.

"I don't know that either. I just trained as usual."

However, Eunha had no intention of answering.

He wanted Kim Geonwoong to live consumed by guilt like this.

He had no grudge against him, but because he would grow into a dangerous existence for the Fairy government in the future.

"I'll go somewhere else now."

"...Okay. Thanks for coming."

"Don't think it's all your fault. It's not your fault."

"Okay..."

"It was an unavoidable incident, so no one could have stopped it. But maybe if it had been me—"

—I might not have driven my friends to their deaths.

Eunha swallowed those words.

However, the intelligent Kim Geonwoong would have already deduced from context what he was about to say next.

Eunha, who glanced at him from the corner of his eye, turned away.

Aaaagh! Why did my son die!

Who died!

No! Don't go, please...

Eunha listened.

He heard someone's resentful voice.

Although buried in the sound of sobbing, that voice didn't completely disappear.

They couldn't overcome their sense of loss and were blaming someone.

It seemed only a minority accepted their child's death as it was.

...It will start within this month.

That's why they wouldn't know.

That those who blame someone will someday become the target of someone else's blame.

They might not know that the sorrow of losing a child will remain in their hearts for life.

But the sorrow of people swept up in public opinion has an expiration date.

If they continue to force sorrow, someday public opinion will become sick of sorrow and turn its back.

They might be shedding tears for people's deaths now, but these deaths will someday be painted over with various meanings.

The dead have no words.

Therefore, the deaths of the dead belong entirely to those who survived.

The moment their deaths gain meaning, public opinion that has become sick will explode and tear apart, but everyone will rush to those who attached meaning.

If he drove nails into their hearts by killing their children.

Next, public opinion will drive nails into their hearts.

And—

—Im Gaeul will move.

The moment public opinion reverses.

The Fairy Im Gaeul will act as a mediator and drive a third nail into their hearts.

Only then will they regain their reason.

By then, the game will already be over.

"Eunha, you came too?"

"Yes. Are you alone today?"

"The kids who came with me went to pay respects to their friends. I finished early and was just resting."

It was too noisy inside.

Eunha came out for a moment to get some air.

When he opened the rooftop door and went out, Yoo Dojun, who was leaning against the railing, greeted him.

Was his neck stuffy?

He had loosened his collar and turned to look down outside.

Quite a crowd of people, including journalists, had gathered.

"Hey, Eunha."

"What?"

"I've been thinking for a while, but I think I'm a bit of a strange person."

Yoo Dojun rested his chin on his arm and opened his mouth as if complaining.

Eunha, who stood beside him, looked down at the people and asked.

"Everyone who came here is crying, but when I see people crying, I just have this thought."

"What thought?"

"With the world in this state, wouldn't funeral homes be quite profitable... I thought it might not be bad to establish an affiliate specialized in this kind of thing among Yeongwon Group's affiliates."

"You'd make a lot of money."

"I guess you didn't have any thoughts either?"

"Manage your expression."

Eunha cautioned Yoo Dojun when he burst into laughter.

He couldn't let him show emotions in a place like this and cause trouble.

How do you know if the people down there aren't filming them with cameras?

Moreover, other people had come up to the rooftop too.

They could hear.

"Ah, right. I'll give this back."

"Keep it. I made it to give to you anyway."

"Really? Then I'll keep it without hesitation."

Yoo Dojun held out a ring threaded on a chain from inside his clothes.

It was the artifact Eunha had given him before the final evaluation.

Fortunately, it seemed Yoo Dojun hadn't had to use the artifact.

Eunha faced him as he put the ring back in his pocket without hesitation.

Yoo Dojun's eyes were infinitely serious.

"I won't ask why you gave this to me. Although I'm curious, it's more important to organize what needs to be done from now on rather than questioning the cause at this point."

Yoo Dojun probably noticed.

That Eunha was involved in this incident.

Nevertheless, he didn't try to dig into it.

Instead, Yoo Dojun decided to use this opportunity.

"Yeongwon Card is shaking. It's not just Yeongwon Card. Several affiliates within Yeongwon Group are shaking."

Yoo Dojun is aiming for the throne.

He wouldn't miss this opportunity.

Eunha nodded quietly, and he calmly laid out what he was envisioning.

"Where is there time for me to grieve when my eldest brother's forces have weakened? Let others do the grieving, I need to pick up the sword."

"Is there anything I can help with?"

"I don't think there's anything yet. I can do it alone."

Yoo Dojun answered with confidence.

Amidst the storm of public opinion striking, unlike others, he was waiting for after the storm passes.

The same was true for Eunha.

Storms eventually pass.

If everything will be swept away by the storm anyway, why not disguise it and send what's dangerous flying in the storm?

If you cower because a storm is coming, nothing will be left.

He had to move like Yoo Dojun.

"But it seems Sirius is trying to start from now? It looks like Han Seoyeon's doing... don't you think it's too fast?"

"That noona has always been hasty. Anyway, Sirius Group probably only intends to prune the small branches."

There was one more person moving in the storm.

Eunha, who shrugged at Yoo Dojun's words, changed the subject, putting Han Seoyeon aside.

"More importantly, about what I mentioned before... are you getting the Myeongwang Clan's stocks?"

"Getting those is no joke. There aren't many stocks out in the market, so I couldn't get that many. It seems there's nothing left in the market now after scraping together everything."

"Still, keep a close eye on it. And as I said before, even if the stock price plummets..."

"Why would I sell that? I need a sword to manage the group."

"Anyway, I believe you'll do well."

The future where Myeongwang Clan is defeated in the clan war wasn't far off either.

Eunha recalled that time and then thought of the Fairy Im Gaeul.

I hope Im Gaeul does well...

He had set the table this much.

He only hoped she wouldn't be unable to eat even when given.

☆

The Blue House.

Im Gaeul was watching news about the joint memorial altar in her office, crossing her legs.

She's just rolling her pen.

Work wasn't coming to hand.

"Oh my, how unfortunate."

The screen particularly highlighted the faces of those wailing.

However, her words were filled with joy, contrary to the content.

Her voice trembled with sadness, but her eyes were infinitely cold as they looked beyond the screen.

"When I first received the report from Wonju City's Mana Management Bureau, I thought it was a big deal—"

She wiggled her crossed legs.

As if her shoes were uncomfortable, she took them off and started wiggling her bare feet.

"—Come to think of it, it wasn't just me who had a big deal, right?"

She picked up her smartphone.

A message from the National Security Office.

After reading the message, she broadly raised the corners of her

After reading the message, she broadly raised the corners of her mouth.

As she thought, problems were occurring in the activities of each group.

And other groups and companies boldly poking at those gaps.

She was in a situation where groups and companies were cutting down their own forces while she was sitting back.

"This is something I can give a warning about later..."

She just needs to wait for public opinion to calm down and then warn the groups that are tired from fighting to eat each other.

By then, they'll know they've done wrong too and will behave.

And she will take this opportunity to proceed with regulatory legislation that large companies have been opposing recently.

Even this will be done by people in the National Assembly who agree with her, without her having to push for it.

"I don't know how the situation will unfold from now on... But there's nothing to lose."

Reading the message, it says that on the internet, there are also stories saying that this incident is a natural disaster that no one can do anything about, so there's no way to handle responsibility.

Among them, there are also those who have lost their reason due to their child's death and are cursing at someone.

Meanwhile, images of parents acting high-handedly at funeral homes have also appeared.

She couldn't know how the situation would unfold from now on, but she judged that at least nothing detrimental to the Fairy government would happen.

No.

There was one thing to do?

A natural disaster with unclear responsibility.

However, the Fairy government had to give an answer to public opinion in some way.

Since they couldn't just appeal to the powerlessness of the Fairy government, they had to take responsibility in some aspects.

"─Then whose clothes should we strip off?"

She leaned back in her plush chair and recalled the blacklist stored in her head.

Since public opinion wants someone to go to the guillotine, the government has no choice but to respond to that.

However, she will decide who goes to the guillotine.

Im Gaeul hummed a tune and fell into pleasant contemplation.