However, the cage created through the collaboration of the Grand Elder and the Messiah was sturdy, and Beatrice couldn’t even dare attempt to escape it.
All she could do was engage in passive resistance using her status as a saint.
So far.
“I’ve heard there’s a saying among humans: the enemy of my enemy is my friend…”
Kim Deok-Sung.
Under normal circumstances, she would consider the name of this inferior human unworthy of remembering, yet she tenderly stroked the report that read ‘Black Beast, Kim Deok-Sung’.
The Messiah’s plans, which had never failed once, thwarted three consecutive times by a unique man—Kim Deok-Sung.
Could he possibly become the Joker card to liberate her from the cage?
“The Black Beast, does he truly qualify to be a friend of Yeoui?”
Beatrice’s red eyes sank heavily.
*
Upon opening her eyes, a colorful thumbnail came into view.
[K-hero Kim Deok-Sung! Saving the world beyond Japan! Why did three S-rank villains kneel and cry for their lives at Kim Deok-Sung’s feet in Kyoto?! Just how far can Kim Deok-Sung’s class go? The world applauds the outstanding achievements of Kim Deok-Sung, who moves the U.S., woos France, and makes Japan jealous! A focus on the exploits of K-hero Kim Deok-Sung, loved worldwide!]
[(Warning: Anger Zone) Japan’s shocking updates! The pride of Japan now leaves not a trace! Japanese netizens envious and infuriated watching Kim Deok-Sung’s exploits! Seeing the pathetic reactions from Japan, even the U.S. and France turned away! The whole world is fed up with Japan’s jealousy! “I can’t understand the poor treatment of Kim Deok-Sung. Such actions tarnish Japan’s national dignity.”]
[Why are Japan’s active heroes trembling like aspen trees, sweating cold beads, all tense? Because Kim Deok-Sung’s hero rank has actually transcended S-rank! K-hero Kim Deok-Sung has already outgrown cadet level! The opponents of K-heroes aren’t cadets anymore, but active heroes?! “Japan must be anxious about the emergence of Kim Deok-Sung.” K-hero Kim Deok-Sung toppled Japan’s hegemony!]
[Kim Deok-Sung, the pride of South Korea, performed brilliantly during the Kyoto incident. He accomplished a great feat in defeating three S-rank villains… ]
[President Kang: “Due to his performance in the Kyoto incident, Kim Deok-Sung has now grown to be loved not just by South Korea, but the whole world… His actions have advanced Korea-Japan relations further, and significantly elevated Korea’s national dignity… As one of the citizens, I even feel like kneeling before him…”]
[(Breaking News) President Kang fainted in tears during a Blue House briefing.]
[The Kim Deok-Sung Special Support Bill passed unanimously in the National Assembly with bipartisan agreement.]
[The National Assembly unanimously agreed to include Kim Deok-Sung support in the supplementary budget.]
[How far does the Kim Deok-Sung fever in the country go? His merchandise sells better than K-pop idols and top stars.]
[K-Reasearch survey: the most respected figure by Koreans is King Sejong, followed by Admiral Yi Sun-sin, and then Kim Deok-Sung.]
[K-pop idol Yoo Se-Ra confessed on air: “I want to date Kim Deok-Sung. I hope he accepts my feelings…”]
[Hey Jesus, why aren’t you starting the meeting?]
[(Four Great Saints Meme)]
[Kim Deok-Sung hasn’t arrived yet.]
[- If it’s Kim Deok-Sung, he’s recognized as the Fifth Great Saint lol]
[- I’m Christian, but I admit it]
[- Kim Deok-Sung… he’s a god!]
Wow!
[- Light Deok-Sung, Emperor Deok-Sung, King Deok-Sung]
[If everyone likes Kim Deok-Sung, should we hit that recommend button?]
[Recommend 23423524] [Dislike 0]
[- Cho Yong-Pil Orgasm Choo Shin-Soo]
[- This is a recommendation, lol]
[- Using cheat codes like a coward, haha!]
[- Look at the clean dislikes, lol!]
[- Not a fabrication, I recommend it!]
[- I’m from a family of Kim Deok-Sung fans for three generations, so I recommend it, haha!]
[Isn’t that recommend count a bit suspicious? It’s rising way too fast; and honestly, Kim Deok-Sung hasn’t done much. They say that Shuo’s Student Council President and the Japanese Hunter Association did everything, and he’s supposed to be on par with S-rank, you know? Just look at the Japanese news articles, guys;]
[Recommend 1] [Dislike – 2342345324]
[- The real fabrication is your Japan, haha!]
[- You overzealous cool kids pretending to be calm are so disgusting, right? haha.]
[- Recommend real name system, lol! So gross, haha!]
[- Look at him hiding with a VPN, lol! Is this the level of your Japanese fanboying? haha!]
[- Get lost to your Japan!]
Just looking at the chaotic internet reactions and YouTube videos makes my head spin.
My face is getting hot, and my hands are shaking.
This damn national pride is something I can never get used to, no matter how many times I see it.
What? The third most respected figure among Koreans? Only King Sejong and General Yi Sun-sin are above me?
This level of national pride is practically a disease. A sickness.
‘What the hell.’
If I keep watching, my mind might go haywire.
I turn off my phone.
It wasn’t a total loss.
Sure, they’ve overhyped it a lot, but it seems that at least the fact that three S-rank villains were defeated has somehow gotten out.
The fact that the League was behind it has been kept under wraps, and the credit for the incident has gone to Aris and the Association.
If it’s a boring ending, then it’s just that.
‘But it’s too early to relax.’
Crunch.
Olivia chews on the rabbit apple she peeled, lost in thought.
Two of the Twelve Apostles are dead, and one has been captured.
Plus, the situation where the Meijin Hero Academy, Kasumi-senpai, and Rena were all lost.
When low-tier villains like Vulture and Mad Hatter got captured, the League must have suffered a tremendous blow.
‘On top of that, I’ve disrupted the League’s plans three times in a row, no, if you count the Makoto incident, it’s four times.’
Messiah has always been an unnecessarily perfectionist from the start.
At this point, I’ve definitely caught the crazy final boss’s attention.
Still, it’s fortunate that my power hasn’t been exposed yet.
It’s one thing to have the final boss start suspecting me; if it became known that I’m the solver of this latest incident, I would have been completely screwed.
I feel a bit uneasy about acting like a cliche character in an academy story, but for now, I’ll play along with the ‘strength-hiding’ routine.
‘From now on, I need to be more alert and act carefully.’
The original story has started to change.
The future, which is unpredictable, makes me a bit anxious, but…
There’s no other option.
I’ll have to deal with it using my knowledge of the original story.
Crunch.
I take a bite of the last piece of apple.
This is tasty.
“Is there more apple?”
“D-Did you think of me as a maid who only peels apples? I am Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, the noble princess of France!”
Olivia puffs up her cheeks in response to the question.
She places her hand on her chest and shouts.
“What about you being a French princess and apples?”
“… Hmph. You foolish glutton. Just wait a bit. I’ll peel you another one.”
Olivia pulls out another apple from the box and starts peeling.
Crunch, crunch.
As I listen to the sound of her peeling, I lean against the wall and suddenly, the hospital room door creaks open, and someone appears.
“Junior! I came to see you again today. This time with Rena…”
An unexpected guest.
It’s Kasumi-senpai and Rena making their entrance.
This time, I really have to take advantage of it.
“Junior…”
Near the open hospital room door, I see a beautiful girl with purple hair, Kasumi-senpai, and a sickly-looking girl in a patient outfit with long light green hair being pushed in a wheelchair.
That must be Satou Rena in the wheelchair.
She looks just like the character from the animation, so I recognized her immediately.
Kasumi-senpai, pushing Rena’s wheelchair, widens her purple eyes.
She lets go of the wheelchair and rushes over to me.
“You’ve woken up, Junior!”
“Junior!”
Thud.
Kasumi-senpai hugs me tightly against her chest.
Wait, why is she abandoning her friend Rena and coming to me?
I can feel her soft chest.
“Junior, I’m so glad. I… really worried a lot. You’re a bad man, but… if you collapsed, the pure hearts of the girls you took would have nowhere to go…”
Kasumi-senpai mumbles something nonsensical as she pats my head.
I want to say something, but I decide to hold it in this time.
The image of her collapsing and wrapping around me in the Meijin Academy Underground, Labyrinthos, is still vivid in my mind.
Kasumi lying there in a pool of her own blood.
The Architect approaching leisurely, trying to kill me and Kasumi.
Just thinking about it gives me the chills.
I seriously thought I was going to die.
[Look at him enjoying it. Really, the most problematic partner is the one who keeps saying he hates it but outwardly accepts everything with his body. Hey, what about my little brother sitting next to you with his eyes wide open? Why is he doing that so openly? At least do it somewhere out of sight!]
The Black Prince’s voice echoes in my head.
Ugh, my head hurts.
“Hey, Black Prince. Weren’t you supposed to keep quiet? Did you throw away the honor of the Bonaparte royal family?”
[You bastard… how petty… Fine.]
Mentioning the honor of the Bonaparte royal family silences the Black Prince.
He should have done that sooner.
“I missed you, Junior. Hehe. I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Just then, Kasumi-senpai whispers those words in my ear.
“W-wait! W-w-what kind of embarrassing thing are you doing that I can’t bear to look at? Hoshino-senpai! How could you engage in such a vulgar act!!”
I hear Olivia’s voice in my ear.
“Oh my. Miss Bonaparte. What could Miss Bonaparte be thinking? I’m just comforting Junior as a senpai, you know? It’s all coming from my heartfelt sincerity.”
Pat, pat.
Kasumi-senpai pets my head while rubbing my face against her chest.
I’m starting to feel suffocated.
“That’s not even the right kind of chest!! I, Olivia Napoleon Bonaparte, the royal maid, cannot forgive such shameless acts!! Let go at once! Eek!!”
Thud, thud.
I can hear Olivia’s footsteps.
She forcefully separates me and Kasumi-senpai.
Kasumi-senpai, with a disappointed expression, licks her lips dramatically and says, “I just want to comfort Junior a bit more. It’s not fair, Miss Bonaparte. Junior would want my cuddles too, right, Junior?”
Kasumi-senpai’s violet eyes are directed toward me.
Why is she asking me that?
I want to say something like usual, but for some strange reason, the words won’t come out.
I should at least curse them out.
“Damn it.”
Every time I look at Kasumi-senpai, memories of that day come flooding back.
Her bloodied figure blocking my way.
She truly risked her life for me back then.
I can’t let my heart soften all of a sudden.
What do I do?
As silence drags on, a smile appears on Kasumi-senpai’s lips.
“Hey? Why are you being so quiet? This isn’t like you… Could it be that you’re enchanted by Hoshino-senpai’s chest? No way! That’s vulgar! That’s dirty! That’s shameless!!”
Olivia screams with her eyes tightly shut and her face turning red.
[Hey, why are you quiet? My lovely little sister is asking a question.]
To add to the noise, the Black Prince’s voice interrupts again.
“Hehe. Junior, I always knew you’d recognize my true feelings eventually. You may be the Black Beast, but you’re a man who knows how to move a girl’s heart.”
“Uuuuuhhhhhhh!!”
At Kasumi-senpai’s relaxed words, Olivia’s face turns as red as a volcano.
She dramatically places her hand on her chest.
“This can’t be! This nonsense…! A-and if we’re talking about breast size, I’m bigger than you, you know?! I’ve heard boys like big breasts!”
Olivia’s blue eyes spin around in disbelief.
“S-so, as your royal maid, if you give me such shameless orders, I-I have no choice but to… Uuuuuu! What am I even saying?!”
“?!”
She starts to ramble.
“You pervert!! Scoundrel!! Unbelievably low, the worst!! D-d-do you really like my chest that much?!!!!”
Olivia shouts at me.
[Partner. Enjoy it, but hurry up and manage this. Before my beloved sister explodes.]
I hear the annoying voice of the Black Prince.
Sigh.
What a mess. A total disaster.
Watching the two of them fight turns my stomach.
As expected, I can’t stand seeing the crazy state of this mad light novel world.
“I never said I wanted it specifically. Didn’t I tell you not to do that? Senpai?”
“Hmph. Junior is such a bad boy. Did you actually like it but are just pretending not to in front of the knight princess? You only get weak in front of the knight princess, Junior, you’re so annoying.”
Hoshino Kasumi pouts her cheeks.
Seeing her, Olivia speaks with a smug expression.
“Hmph. Well then, stop it already, Hoshino Senpai! Such vulgar behavior!”
“Junior is the Black Beast.”
Kasumi Senpai and Olivia’s gazes meet in the air.
[Good job. Partner.]
The Black Prince’s praise echoes.
‘I didn’t do this to get praised. By the way, didn’t you just say to keep quiet earlier?’
[······.]
As soon as I point that out, the Black Prince shuts his mouth.
Seems like he’s itching to talk.
I should really ask Saori to develop a real muting sword.
If I have to listen to all that chatter, I might just fall over with a nervous breakdown first.
“Um… Kasumi?”
Wheeee.
Rena, the sickly beautiful girl with light green hair, approaches Kasumi Senpai in her automatic wheelchair.
Her skin, white to the point of being pale, stands out as if she hasn’t seen sunlight in a long time.
“Didn’t you say you’d introduce me to Mr. Kim Deok-Sung?”
“Ah, right. Sorry, Rena.”
Kasumi Senpai pretends to give herself a head pat and smiles cutely.
Wow.
Seeing a gesture like that in real life is something straight out of an anime.
What a crazy world.
“Junior. Let me introduce you. This is my friend Rena.”
Kasumi Senpai pushes Rena’s wheelchair toward me.
Why is she insisting on doing that with a mobility scooter?
“Hello, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung. I’ve heard a lot about you from Kasumi. She said you saved me.”
Rena catches my hand with her sparkling light green eyes.
Whoa.
“Thank you so much, Mr. Kim Deok-Sung. Kasumi talked about you so much; I really wanted to meet you and see what my savior is like.”
“Um, well…”
She was this enthusiastic in the original too, but experiencing it firsthand is a bit overwhelming.
Those innocent eyes without a hint of malice look at me.
“You seem like a nice person in person. Your impression is a bit bad, but… still, you’re the one who saved me!”
Rena smiles brightly.
[Well, to be fair, our partner’s impression isn’t great, huh.]
The Black Prince adds another comment.
Is it okay for the honor of the Bonaparte Royal Family to be sold so cheaply?
Rena lets go of my hand.
She bows her head while sitting in her wheelchair.
“I wanted to thank you properly once you stood up. Thank you so much for saving me.”
“I’m grateful too. Junior, for saving my friend Rena… and for saving me as well. Sorry I’m late in expressing my gratitude.”
Kasumi Senpai bends at a 90-degree angle.
Ah, this.
I feel oddly fluttery and embarrassed.
I absolutely detest these awkward and cringe-worthy situations.
It’s a burden.
I just saved her to use her, but she’s genuinely thanking me.
What a ridiculously kind world.
It’s sincere, so I can’t really say anything, making it awkward.
“Ah, I got it, so you can stop bending and go take care of your stuff. Also…”
As I trail off, Kasumi, Rena, and Olivia’s eyes turn to me.
“Thank you for that time. Senpai. For shielding me.”
I awkwardly express my gratitude.
I don’t really like this cringe-worthy atmosphere, but I have to say what needs to be said.
Kasumi Senpai did risk her life for me.
“Junior…”
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