I Reject Quests

"In short, they are not available to the local public. The reports are only released to selected individuals. Most national news media are one of the groups a copy of the report goes to. If the national news media wants to honestly tell the contents of the report, the smaller news media would do the same. They control the level of what we should know.

"You might be thinking – why would the national news media bother hiding the report? The reason is simple – inter-state politics. Without going too much about it, I'll just say that our Nat Province isn't the toughest on politics, and sometimes, we appear as a laughing stock to some groups who have an attitude of 'holier than thou'. They can't see us getting the appreciation we deserve. That's why they tell the media they control to suppress the news. Also, this isn't the first time this is happening."

At this moment, the entire training ground was drawn into the words that were coming out of his mouth.

The media had their eyes popping out.

Before coming here, they were promised that something news-worthy would happen.

This was way more exciting and interesting than they expected.

How many days had they seen a respected individual who has some value and worth in the work he/she does directly speak out against the national news media?

Their ratings were bound to rise!

Famin had an incredible look on his face. He also found it unbelievable that the Branch Director would be so 'open' and 'frank'.

*Clap*

*Clap*

*Clap*

Claps resounded from every corner of the training ground.

Seeing everyone clapping, Famin also lightly clapped. When he looked to his left, he saw the blonde girl vigorously clapping while expectantly looking at the Branch Director. The claps had already made her palms turn red.

Seeing this, he wanted to say 'chill' but eventually decided to mind his own business.

On the middle seats.

Bianca and Co. had a smile on their faces.

Francesca frowned. Turning to the person sitting nearest to her, Kesha, she asked. "Was the story of Rewen's death fabricated?"

Kesha thought for a second, then answered. "It's not fabricated, per se… but it missed out a tremendous amount of information." 

"For instance?" Francesca couldn't help but ask.

"For instance…" As she was about to speak more, she noticed that the Branch Director had already opened his mouth to continue his speech.

On the stage.

The Branch Director swept his gaze around the training ground and had the urge to bitterly smile. 'I can already tell that I'm going to lose this job… hu… whatever. It's worth it.' Despite how he looks, he is past the hundred years mark in age. In his youth, he wanted to work for the Central Government but by the time he got the job in the Central Government, he had already realized the atrocities and corruption prevalent and thus, quit the job and decided to become a professor.

Slowly and gradually, he climbed the hierarchy and he is now the Branch Director working under the only Super-academy in the kingdom.

He had regretted several things in his life. His biggest regrets include the times he had to make friends and cooperate with the worst people. In fact, the only reason he could become a Branch Director is because of the support of corrupted people. For a long time, he had been disgusted with himself and with the decision he had made.

Despite all this, he never dared to speak out against the establishment directly.

The turning point was yesterday. He was one of the selected people who got hold of a copy of the report that had detailed information of what led to Rewen Klofar's death. When he read that he was a student studying in the Eastern Dream Academy Branch he controls, he got interested. The more he read, the more fascinated and interested he became. By the end, it came to a state where he blankly stared at nowhere for a long time.

He turned in the news to see which utterly disappointed him. 

Feelings of rage and disgust came to him.

Recollecting the same rage, he spoke. 

"When a B-list actor dies of old age or heart attack, the national news covers it for three days.

"When some rich second generation dies of reckless driving, the national news covers it for more than a week.

"When a politician you haven't even heard of and who barely did anything significant dies, the national news covers it for more than a week.

"When some unknown guy from the Frozen Fire Kingdom shits about our nation, the national news would go as far as to cover it for a month.

"When a damned criminal who committed all the atrocities one could think of gets captured or killed, the national news would spend months trying to make you sympathize with him. Hell. If he had some story to tell, even a series or a movie would be made.

"I ask you of this – how much time do you think a national hero gets for his death?"

"Not more than six hours. That too, not bothering to bring up the deeds he did in a short period of a week when the people sitting at the top of the hierarchy were helpless. Why do we not hear about it? Because the people controlling how much information we should take are afraid of their own incompetence highlighted in front of everyone."

*Clap*

*Clap*

*Clap*

The claps got harder.

Even the people from the media started to vigorously clap.

This is… wild!

Each word that is coming out of the Branch Director's mouth is wild.

Not only did it get the students and people from the media to get riled up but even the staff were no exceptions.

Educators, Lecturers, Instructors, and the management staff… all of them had an incredible expression on their faces.

"Instructor Xovin, were you aware of the things the Branch Director was going to say?" Instructor Venitt, who was sitting beside Assistant Instructor Xovin, asked.

Assistant Instructor Xovin bitterly smiled, then shook his head. "He just said he was going to say a few things about the boy. Who would have thought he would go on a rant about the media?"

Instructor Venitt lightly snorted. "We'll have to prepare for a farewell for him after this."

Assistant Instructor Xovin rationally thought about it, then shook his head. "No one can say for sure. Even they couldn't imagine the level of outrage if the Branch Director were to be fired. According to me, they would at most create difficulties for him. Firing him just like this would just go further to prove the moment the Branch Director is trying to make."

"Well, that's what I hope… With that being said, is the Branch Director trying to portray the boy as some sort of a 'national hero'? Are you sure his mind hasn't completely left him?" Instructor Venitt found the notion of the seemingly ordinary boy that she had black-listed being hailed as a 'national hero' a bit too far.

'For what? Just for bringing into attention the rise of a new group of terrorists?'

Assistant Instructor Xovin gave a small smile. "Let's hear him. Though I do think that you should be a bit prouder for the student you raised being called a 'national hero' by the Branch Director himself."

"Oh, definitely. I'm proud." Instructor Venitt perfunctorily replied. She is a realistic person. She doesn't think that she had done anything of significance to Rewen Klofar and therefore, she feels that there's no reason to feel proud. 

On the middle seats.

"A national hero?" Francesca couldn't help but sigh. According to her, the title of 'national hero' shouldn't be thrown around casually. Although she knows that the young man, who she met on the second day of the academy, was not an ordinary person, she feels that it's inappropriate to call him a 'national hero'.

At this time, she heard a couple of chuckles coming from beside her. The chuckles came from Kesha, Bianca, and Junar as they were the ones closest to her.

"What?" As someone who is used to having more knowledge than others, Francesca was mildly annoyed when she felt that someone was making fun of her ignorance. Suppressing her annoyance, she said. "I'm sorry if I made any irresponsible statement."

Kesha simply said. "No. It's fine. We don't blame you." 

On another corner of the training ground.

*Pah*

*Pah*

*Pah*

The blonde girl sitting next to Famin was getting more excited as every second passed by. Not being able to control her excitement, she repeatedly slapped the thigh of the person sitting closest to her. "OMG! Yas! He is a national hero!"

Famin had a grim expression on his face. He had never met such an upbeat person in his eighteen years of life. He had the urge to say – 'Miss, you are making yourself too comfortable' but then he noticed that the other person had noticed what she was doing.