Became a Human Rights Advocate

81 – Episode 16. Battle of the boosters.

＜7＞

-I’m not surprised. Even though I saw the chairman who I thought was dead.

“There is no reason to be surprised.”

It is Plato who hid his existence even from Ju-Young Ju.

The fact that such a Plato appeared to me means that he made his own conclusion about me.

-I see. Is it.

Plato’s hologram raised its head and looked at me.

-You seem to know a lot about me. Can I recognize you as a completely different being from the existing Lee Si-hyuk?

“About half right.”

It is ambiguous to say that it is completely different.

If that were the case, he wouldn’t have suffered so much from the trauma imprinted on Lee Si-hyuk’s body.

-About half. Interesting. It makes me want to ask for research right now.

“… I’ll think about it later after everything is over.”

-What if everything is over?

“After Academia becomes peaceful.”

At those words, the movement of the hologram suddenly stopped.

-I see.

After that, Plato stood still without saying anything.

Using the current conversation as a hint, he must be in the process of drawing a final conclusion about me.

After such a very brief silence, Plato spoke again.

– I guess it’s not like reading the future.

“… You’re right.”

It would have been a little more comfortable if I could read the future.

I should have been able to predict the future that was changed by my movements.

-Retrograde in time. To say the least, since no change in the time axis was detected, this would not be the case either.

The change of the time axis.

I glanced at the watch on my wrist.

Items from the 21st Edelweiss Student Council obtained from the Arboretum’s Tropical Pavilion.

If you use this, at least Plato seems to know that fact.

I need to remember that.

-If it’s not a matter of time, the story becomes a little simpler. It gets simpler… , At the same time, it will be a principled story.

“The original story?”

-If the teacher hears it, he might be frightened. No, I might have enjoyed it.

If Plato’s teacher is Socrates?

Well, I only borrowed the name, but these must be completely different from the philosophers of the world I lived in.

I got a little interested in seeing a character who wasn’t even mentioned in the original story…

Currently, time is urgent.

“Don’t spin around, can you tell me the conclusion?”

-I’m sorry about this. It’s a conversation that an old man has been having for a long time, so it’s a little long.

An old man with the appearance of a boy. Well, given the setting, he is a nobleman who has lived for several thousand years, so he deserves to be considered an old man.

-Yes. Sihyuk Lee. So I’ll just talk about the conclusions of my guesses. Are you from the upper world?

I was surprised.

I thought I would get lost a little longer, but I thought I’d reach the answer in this short time.

“… You’re right.”

-Really!

Suddenly Plato thrust himself in his face.

The serious look from before is nowhere to be found, the attitude of a boy receiving a gift.

-Yes. Did the upper world exist? Sihyuk Lee. No, would it be better to call you Sihyuk Lee?

“No… You don’t have to.”

What is this passionate response?

-Okay. Then do it. Why was it Lee Si-hyuk’s body? Because the wavelength is right? Or are you the idea of Lee Si-hyeok in the upper world? How did you come to this world? Is it common in your world? Can I ask you a little more about the structure of this world? Is there a being who manages our world? Or is it just an object of observation?

-Father. Lee Si-hyeok is embarrassed.

As I was distracted by the bombardment of questions, a feminine voice resounded throughout the floor.

Ideology, an AI in charge of managing the Central Tower and Idea.

… By the way, did you call Plato your father?

It was Plato who created the ideology, so if it’s an accurate title, it’s an accurate title.

Just when I was thinking about that, Plato’s hologram, which had calmed my excitement, took a step back.

– Excuse me.

“Maybe.”

I would have been similarly excited if I had been in Plato’s shoes.

-Yes. Is it the upper world? I mean, it’s from the upper world.

“It was not my intention.”

It’s just a coincidence.

… If it’s not a coincidence but someone’s will, I really want to see that guy’s face.

Just one.

I want to hit the face with just one blow.

-Yes. So, now that we know what you are, there’s something else to check.

“Is there a problem to check?”

Plato’s hologram nodded and continued.

-Are you on the side of humanity?

Plato.

A person who has watched over mankind since ancient times.

A mysterious existence that provided the “Ark” Called Academia to mankind in danger from the Irregular’s attack.

Everyone in the world is curious about his identity, but one thing was certain.

He is on the side of humanity.

A being that claims to be the protector of mankind.

What about me?

I have neither the desire nor the qualifications to take on such a grandiose role as the protector of mankind.

For now, it might be wiser to cover it up with an appropriate lie.

But I thought it shouldn’t be like that.

“… Unless humanity becomes my enemy.”

My number one goal is survival.

I don’t know about Plato, but I have no intention of sacrificing myself.

-I see.

Plato nodded his head in understanding.

-You’re more petit bourgeois than I thought, so it’s more interesting.

“Are you finished now?”

-Yes. Sorry for wasting your time. This is a response, but what are you doing?

Plato’s hologram reaches out to me.

Then, something appeared on the palm of the hologram.

A rectangular, blank, white card.

-I never thought there would be another person to hand this to. Use it covertly. The fact that I am alive is something that should not be known to the outside world yet.

“… Keep that in mind.”

-Then let’s go. Someday, I’m waiting for the day we can talk again.

From noble mtl dot com

With those words, Plato’s hologram disappears.

In the midst of the sudden silence, I looked at the cards in my hand and smiled stupidly.

It is an unexpected harvest.

A master key that can be used anywhere in Academia.

Items that can be entered and exited except for a few cases where analog locks are used.

I can’t even imagine how many items can be obtained with this.

“… Shall we move at once?”

I deliberately muttered out loud to calm my excitement.

Communication will be restored soon.

I don’t know where my next destination will be, but it’s time to get out of the tower.

For now, the priority is to safely prevent this situation.

＜8＞

A dark secret room.

Innumerable monitors replace the lighting in the closed room.

In real time, the entirety of Academia was displayed on the monitor.

A wall made of monitors reminds me of modern art.

In the middle of the castle, Plato is sitting in an upright position.

No one but Plato knows the existence of this room, and no one can enter it.

But Plato was still talking to someone.

-Father.

“It’s okay. No need to worry.”

-Lee Si-hyeok is dangerous. It may cause our predictions of the future to fall apart.

The conversation partner is artificial intelligence, not a human.

Ideology.

The central tower, which can be called the heart of academia, the AI that manages Idea.

“If I had to say the future I predicted, it would be a future that would be destroyed by the hands of the Irregular.”

– It’s just a probability. Joo Joo-young and Ungyeong-gwan will surely save mankind.

“The probability was less than 5%”

Observing Plato’s bitter face, ideology stopped talking.

Even if it is a special unit that has fully grown thanks to Joo-Young’s hand, the chance of succeeding in surviving the human race is less than 5%.

That was the future predicted by ideology’s computational technology.

After a moment of silence, ideology spoke again.

-But, Father. Lee Si-hyeok said he could be the enemy of mankind. And his abilities are actually intimidating. Before that happens, it’s better to remove-

“Ideology.”

Ideology stops talking at Plato’s cold tone.

“This is my student.”

-… Excuse me, father.

“Never say that again.”

With those words, Plato stopped talking to ideology.

“No one can force an individual to make sacrifices.”

Plato closed his eyes for a moment.

What came to mind was something from the distant past.

‘Plato.’

His teacher who resisted logic and doubted the truth.

It’s good to see him laughing until the end while moaning from being poisoned.

‘I go first.’

The first Superman in human history to seal the Irregular for humanity.

A hero who lost his life to the people he protected as a price for pursuing change.

Socrates.

“… The choice can only be made by you.”

The ideology is too radical.

Under the principle of protecting humanity, it tends to disregard individual lives.

The sacrifice of a cow for the sake of the great is just a temporary trick, and nothing remains at the end.

As Plato, who has only a few days left to live, hopes that his eldest daughter will realize that someday.

Plato opens his eyes and looks at a nearby monitor.

The scenery reflected in the monitor is a water management facility.

I saw Makina tied up with scars all over her body.

My heart hurts.

Just like Makina ideology, her own daughter.

It’s not easy to just watch the messed up look like that.

But Plato has already stepped back from the stage.

He stepped forward for a moment to confirm the identity of the newly intruded audience, but that was only this once.

If all of this is to forge a shield that will protect humanity.

Plato just watches everyone inside.

‘A bigger storm will come soon.’

The terrible future of human extinction as seen by Plato.

The only possibility to avoid that future was in the hands of Joo Joo-young.

Her ability to always create the best hand in any given situation.

Only making Ju-Young grow was the best choice Plato could make.

But one more thing, a being that can create a ‘variable’ has emerged.

An unexpected existence not only for himself but also for the Irregular.

A card that can be either medicine or poison.

For example,

Joker.

Plato still doesn’t know exactly what kind of man Lee Si-hyeok, who has just come on stage, is.

The protagonist’s journal, the assistant’s journal, the good’s journal, and the villain’s journal. Everything is in an unknown state.

However, if the existence of Lee Si-hyeok increases the odds of mankind winning even by 1%, Plato was ready to bet everything on it.

Someone’s shadow appeared on the monitor with Machina.

It seemed that the three of the Special Division had just arrived at the water management facility.

Now that Makina’s safety has been confirmed, it’s time to check the protagonist of this stage.

Plato turned to a monitor in the corner.

Inside it, I could see Joo Joo-young moving away from people’s eyes.