The Academy's Deceased Ate It All

Chapter 42

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How would she react now?I stared at Jin Ye-Seul, still tense.“That’s… What do you mean?”After a while, she opened her mouth with a trembling voice.Bingo.“Are you really going to pretend? Your footwork earlier. Others may wonder what it is, but my eyes can’t be fooled.”I paused for a moment to assert in a tone of conviction.“Flowing snake, I never thought I’d see one of my ancestor’s arts here.”“I asked, now! What does that mean!”I couldn’t help but flinch for a moment at the shriek that sounded like a scream with a cracked voice.Unlike before, Jin Ye-Seul was looking at me with desperate eyes.It would be easier than I thought.“What do you mean, that… Ancestor? Ancestors, that can’t be……  .”I hesitated for a moment.There was no other reason.It was because when I tried to say this with my own mouth, my hands and feet seemed to cringe.‘Come now and pretend to be a chuunibyou.’But what to do?It was much better to be embarrassed for a moment than to have Jin Ye-Seul try to kill me.“Yes, my ancestor.”I said, staring at Jin Ye-Seul.I lifted my lips, which were about to cringe somehow, and grinned.I thought it would be better to have gestures, so I didn’t forget to make an exaggerated gesture like the Thorns Cross Society executive I had seen a few days ago.“The world called him Shadow Walker, I think? He was my great-grandfather.”Shadow Walker was a character who was active approximately 100 to 150 years ago before the start of the original story.It was said that those who have reached a certain level of awakening have a longer lifespan and age more slowly than normal people, so I thought it would be appropriate to refer to him roughly as my great-grandfather.“Lie… .”Jin Ye-Seul muttered in a small voice.In fact, she was right.She shuddered as if she had gotten sick.“It’s a lie… ! He has no offspring, obviously… !”“How can you be so sure when you don’t know anything about it?”The fact that the Shadow Walkers died without leaving any offspring was also mentioned in the original story.And to collect all the legacy left by such a Shadow Walker, to become his true successor and to achieve growth.That was Jin Ye-Seul’s main scenario and main story.“Look.”I deliberately raised my hand in an exaggerated manner.Then, Henir’s Shadow climbed up my arm, wrapping around it like a gauntlet.Her eyes, seeing it, were gradually losing their light.“If an unqualified person gets drunk, Henir’s Shadow bites off its master’s neck. Are you still claiming that I’m lying?”Of course, it was a downright lie.However, it seemed to have approached Jin Ye-Seul differently.“I wondered why there was nothing there when I visited the grave keeper’s land, it finally makes sense. You must have stolen it, right?”I muttered in a contemptuous tone as if chewing.“Like a dirty rat.”She flinched and trembled at my words.She was now reacting to every word she would normally pass on.For Jin Ye-Seul, the true successor of Shadow Walker was a word with that much meaning.The only faith she believes in itself.“But you didn’t just steal it but you’ve also learned it….You even tortured him to get information out of him? You’re very good at that, making the Gravekeeper mouth his open.”“…… .”Jin Ye-Seul bit her mouth as if not to answer.But her eyes were already shaking violently with confusion and frustration.‘That’s understandable.’Not surprisingly, her first episode was about getting the Flowing Snake.And in the process, she killed the grave keeper that Shadow Walker arranged in advance, and got a lot of information out of it in the process.“It can’t be…… .”All of this happened in a hidden dungeon.It was information that no one should know except for Jin Ye-Seul and the already dead grave keeper.“Then, really…… .”As for Jin Ye-Seul, when I even knew the story about the grave keeper, she seemed to have completely fallen over.“Yes. I am the rightful successor to all of his.”“Ah…… .”At that, Jin Ye-Seul sighed in a trembling voice and lowered her head as if in despair.Looking at her trembling head, I quietly organized my thoughts.‘It’s good that I roughly led the story to here…… .’What should I do now?I thought hard, catching my breath.The option to kill Jin Ye-Seul did not exist from the beginning.She was one of the few playable characters, and among them, she was unusually anti-heroic.It should go without saying that she would have an impact on a number of stories.That said, it was preposterous to overlook her like this.I had slashed at her as hard as I could earlier, but to just let her go was an action that was completely at odds with my previous act.‘Besides, I will definitely need Jin Ye-Seul for my plan.’The first Seven Evils to be unsealed.I had to kill that guy, regardless of the others.And to do that, it could be said that Jin Ye-Seul, not anyone else, was the most necessary key figure.That fact alone was reason enough to keep Jin Ye-Seul alive.‘Now then, what shall I do?’No one knew if she would turn her eyes in the wrong direction if I touched the wrong Jin Ye-Seul.Because she could suddenly declare, ‘Then I will kill you, his real descendant, and I will become his true successor.’In other words, the best scenario would be to coax her nicely and get her to do what I wanted.At the same time, I had to make sure that she didn’t show any hostility towards me.What the hell should I do?‘… Okay.’If I decide on the concept of chuunibyou, I have to push it to the end.With that determination, I made the decision and withdrew the dagger that was aimed at her.“Having said that”“… ?”Henir’s Shadow, which had been restraining her body, flickered and began to fade away as I flicked my two fingers.Then, Jin Ye-Seul sat down on the ground as if collapsing.Then she slowly raised her head and looked at me blankly.It looked like she had lost all her will and enthusiasm.I felt goosebumps on my back, but I pretended not to notice it and put on a nonchalant face.“Your ancestors are your descendants…  And there was only one word left for me.”[Note: ‘선조님께서 당신의 자손들’ ‘Your ancestors are your descendants’ – Some kind of Korean proverb(I think). Man, why does this novel have so many proverbs, sigh(exhausted one)]Of course, there was no such thing.Shadow Walker was all about the legacy he left with a few lines of explanation in the original story.It wasn’t even mentioned how he died.The value of his existence was just a stepping stone for Jin Ye-Seul’s growth.“My legacy belongs to you, and my blood belongs to you.”Jin Ye-Seul listened to me silently.“And now I am his only descendant, and I am the only rightful heir of the legacy.”I could see her falling apart more and more with each word I continued to say.Now it was time to offer her the rope.“So it’s up to me what I do with it.”“… .”“Whether I inherit it or pass it on to you or someone else.”“… !”I did not miss the moment Jin Ye-Seul’s expression flickered.I knew very well that I should not be pushed back by the momentum for a single moment against Jin Ye-Seul.At this moment, I had to be intimidating, overbearing, and arrogant enough to not allow my opponent to rebel.I deliberately chose pale and sharp words, and I could feel her expression gradually becoming more nervous.“From what I see, you seem to be more obsessed with his legacy…… .”“Th, that means now….. .”Cutting off her words, I sighed heavilyJin Ye-Seul was startled by my sigh and started to look into my eyes.“If you keep voicing my words, it will be difficult for us to continue our conversation. Don’t you think so?”“Bu, but!”Jin Ye-Seul shook her head as if she couldn’t believe it.“It doesn’t make sense… ! How could you give up his legacy, so easily… !”“I told you before.”I looked at her as if she were pathetic at her legitimate suspicion, and murmured ridiculously.“If you don’t know anything, please don’t be so sure of anything.”“…… .”Jin Ye-Seul immediately shut her mouth.I kept eye contact with her as we continued to talk.“And it doesn’t matter now why I can give up on the legacy, does it?”What’s important is that you can have the legacy I gave up.“Don’t you want that?”Her dead eyes blinked at my whispers, and expression gradually began to appear on her face.“The legacy of my ancestor. I don’t know why, but you want to have it as you’re making this uproar, and even rushing into me without knowing anything. right?”She nodded her head blankly.“If you want that much, I’ll give it to you. What are you going to give me instead?”“Anything.”Jin Ye-Seul spat out immediately like a person possessed by something.“My belongings, no. I’ll give you anything I have. I’ll give you everything.”“What the hell do you have?”At that word, Jin Ye-Seul suddenly reached out and took the dagger that had fallen to the ground.And before I could react, she struck the back of her hand with all her might.With an eerie sound, the dagger pierced the back of her hand and dug into the floor, but she didn’t even blink.“Literally everything I have.”“…… .”“Before that, if I cut off one hand as an apology, would you believe me?”I was so startled that I couldn’t even scream as I looked at her, but I nodded slowly.“Okay… .”There were more words I had in mind, but I wasn’t confident enough to talk to her anymore.‘You’re even crazier than I thought…… .’Instead of answering any further, I moved Henir’s Shadow.She was silently watching what I was doing.As I moved Henir’s Shadow and pulled the dagger out of her hand, she let out the breath she had been holding back.“I will do whatever you ask. I’ll pay the full price. I will be really useful, Really.”Jin Ye-Seul muttered nonstop, maybe thinking I might change my mind.I didn’t want to answer, so I held out my hand, ignoring her words.She looked at my hand as if it were salvation.And the words she uttered at that time were……“Young master. Young master.”At the quiet whispering voice, I was terrified and freed from my thoughts.Before I knew it, Jin Ye-Seul came closer and stared at me.“You don’t need anything… ?”Her attitude, as if she had become a servant, made my expression crumpled.“I told you not to call me that way. How many times do I have to tell you to just call me comfortably?”“Ah.”She made a sad face when I said it.“But you are his descendants…… .”“…… .”“Ah, no. No. I was wrong… No, I’m sorry. Ji-Hyuk.”She hurriedly shook her hand.I wasn’t stupid enough to be deceived by her acting.“I will give you an order.”Her eyes sharpened in an instant at my words.“Go and get a part-time job or make some friends in class.”“… Yes?”“You need to work on your social skills.”After saying that, I turned my head and looked at Lee Yu-Na.Perhaps because there was a little distance, she stared at us but did not seem to understand what we were saying.Then, as if she had lost interest, she sat down and began to concentrate on sharpening and polishing the weapons.It was only the second day, but she silently spent all of her time just tending to the weapons, just as Professor Grossman had said.I continued to wield a dagger at the training doll, and occasionally had a fight with Professor Grossman, in contrast to Jin Ye-Seul, who also had a one-on-one fistfight with Professor Grossman.“Okay, the break time is over.”Professor Grossman appeared, clapping.She looked at me and beckoned me to get up, and I staggered out of my seat.“Let’s change the way you learn. Follow me. I’ll show you how it’s done for now, and you can do that for the rest of the time.”With that said, Professor Grossman told Jin Ye-Seul to take a break as she would start classes in a little while.For Lee Yu-Na, it was just a reminder to work harder.Anyway, I can’t believe she’s changing the way she teach.‘Did she notice what I was doing earlier?’It was impossible to show sudden growth in a day, so I was relaxed, but she seemed to have noticed it like a ghost.I followed Professor Grossman, slightly nervous.* * *Jin Ye-Seul stared at the back of Yoo Ji-Hyuk, who disappeared after Professor Grossman.She still wondered if this was real, so she took out her dagger and stabbed the tip of her finger.She felt a tingling sensation.It wasn’t a dream.That he was the descended of Shadow Walker.And that he acknowledged her.And that, depending on how she did, the opportunity to rightfully claim the title of his heir would come, the only title she had ever wanted in her life.It was all a reality, not a dream.She closed her eyes carefully.“…… .”In the past, among the words she had heard while torturing the grave keeper, there was undoubtedly a story about the Shadow Walker’s legacy.He left a total of six legacies.The one she knew for sure was the Flowing Snake she had mastered.And the Henir’s Shadow that Yoo Ji-Hyuk had.The other four she knew only by name.But she was not in a hurry.As long as Yoo Ji-Hyuk was by her side, it was only a matter of time to find them anyway.The only thing that mattered was to gain recognition from him.The moment she earned his recognition and proved her worth, she would be the rightful successor to Shadow Walker.Okay.That’s it.I only need to be recognized by him, the only person in the world who can help me get what I want.There was never any doubt that he would lie.Because the descendant of Shadow Walkers would never do that.‘Certainly.’The legacies left behind by Shadow Walker were six.But the grave keeper had indeed stated that if you collected all six of those legacies and were recognized as a true master, you would be able to obtain the seventh and final hidden legacy.At first, she didn’t know what it was.But now she seemed to know.A descendant of the Shadow Walker, the one who heard his will, someone who had his blood in his veins.The blood relatives who carried on his legacy.Yoo Ji-Hyuk.Then, wouldn’t he naturally be called Shadow Walker’s legacy?Jin Ye-Seul, who came to a conclusion, smiled quietly.‘But before that… .’She needed to carry out his first order perfectly.To get a part-time job.And make friends in class.She repeated it over and over in her mind, in case she forgot.________