〈 Episode 222 〉 Just Before the Speech Begins.
*
The day of the candidates’ speeches.
Ayeon handed me the speech script early in the morning.
With her eyes looking quite dark, it seemed she really had stayed up all night.
“Here it is.”
“Thanks, Ayeon.”
As I patted Ayeon’s head, she smiled happily for a moment.
Suddenly, she opened her eyes wide and started to glare.
“…Why are your eyes so dark?”
“…Good question.”
“Khrm!”
“Hmm! Hmm!”
Then Hyeji and Elcia cleared their throats from behind.
Of course, Ayeon was outraged at that.
“No way! I told you to rest the night before the speech, and what did you do all night?!”
“…I was just thinking about how to handle the speech at night.”
“Thinking my ass! With those sunken cheeks, it’s obvious you did something crazy!”
“…I’m sorry.”
Hyeji and Elcia went wild, relieved that she didn’t need to stay up all night.
Caught up in the heated atmosphere, I realized it was morning.
Naturally, there was no way I could have gotten proper sleep.
[Seriously, why the hell did you pull that shit the night before such an important day!!!］
‘I really only intended to do it just one last time.’
[You always say you’ll do it just once, but somehow you end up pulling off a close win!］
‘Damn it.’
Anyway, I calmly read the speech Ayeon handed me.
It was a beautifully written script with sentences appealing to people’s emotions.
My impression was…
“This is basically the Communist Manifesto.”
“And there’s also ‘I have a dream.’ and ‘Total War Speech.'”
“……Why do they all seem risky?”
For some reason, it felt dangerous.
But I couldn’t refuse it.
That’s because I had nothing prepared.
Anyway, after reading the script repeatedly, I realized the speech was about to start soon.
Fortunately or unfortunately, my turn was last.
It felt like the professors had a hand in it, but since I had more time, it was actually beneficial for me.
[Isn’t it better to be in the middle or at the start?］
‘It needed a bit of preparation.’
I quickly turned on my mobile phone and diligently made contacts for the speech preparation.
Fortunately, the other party picked up before the first ring was even finished.
“Are you well?”
“Oh, my spring, is it time?”
First, the representative of the research students.
“Yes, it is. Today is the moment of revolution.”
“Then should it start at the speech?”
“Yes. I hope as many people participate as possible.”
“What help can I provide?”
There were quite a few research students, and using that number had its advantages.
“I’d like you to act as a hype man while I give my speech.”
“Of course. Don’t worry.”
“Everything is for destruction.”
“Your greatness!”
The call ended there.
Next, I contacted the ability users, the cafeteria staff, and the security department staff in order.
They had their own important positions, so the staff available was limited.
But it was better than none.
[Is this a shareholders’ meeting or what? Why are we preparing to incite?!］
‘Silence. It’s that damn important.’
Before I knew it, it was my turn.
I had to step out immediately.
But a problem arose.
Maybe due to lack of sleep, my eyes were slowly starting to close without my noticing.
I even found myself dozing off while standing.
Seeing me, Hyeji shook me with a worried expression.
“Shinwoo, are you really sleepy?”
“Honestly, I’m pretty sleepy.”
Even pinching my cheeks or slapping my thighs didn’t help; sleep kept creeping in.
I tried downing energy drinks, but my body was still in a sleepy state.
I was worried I’d mess up the speech.
Then Hyeji stepped closer and made a suggestion.
“Should I cast a spell to chase away sleep?”
“Please do it, Hyeji.”
Hyeji suddenly bowed her head deeply.
She looked like she was trying to gather her thoughts.
[If she’s going to give encouragement, isn’t a kiss on the cheek more appropriate now?］
‘That would help, but it might be a bit lacking to drive away sleep.’
I doubted how effective it would be, but then I heard what Hyeji said next.
“Actually, I haven’t had my period since last month.”
“Wait, what the hell!!!!!! Really????”
Suddenly, my sleep disappeared.
[You crazy bastard! I told you to use proper contraception!!!］
‘Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit, shit!’
An unbelievable reality.
Naturally, I wasn’t the only one surprised.
“Shit!!! You little bastards! I told you to take it easy!!!”
“Sis! What do you mean? We promised to get pregnant together!”
“Don’t lie! I’ll slice you open! I’ll prove there’s nothing inside!”
Ayeon’s tone sounded completely different.
Her eyes, which had always been green, now looked strangely dark.
“……Ayeon, are you about to slice my throat and climb on top of me?”
“You, of all people, think I’d actually cut your throat?”
“Right? I was just overreacting.”
“However.”
Ayeon’s chilling words continued, regardless of my relief.
“I’ll think about cutting off your limbs, dear.”
“Just adding ‘dear’ doesn’t mean everything gets allowed, you crazy wife.”
Meanwhile, Piece was carelessly throwing out other comments.
[Since it’s come to this, give me a top!］
‘Shut up, you bastard. What good’s a weapon gonna do?’
In a situation I never expected, my hands were trembling without my control.
Of course, if someone asked if it was a congratulatory event, I would say it certainly was.
But I didn’t expect it to come in this way, so I couldn’t easily hide my embarrassment.
Then Hyeji smiled and spoke.
“Just kidding, you piece of shit. I never skipped my pills.”
“……Thank God.”
It felt like I had just fallen into hell and climbed back up.
Seeing me, Hyeji smiled and asked.
“How about it? Are you awake now?”
“Damn effective, fuck.”
In the end, thanks to Hyeji, I was fully awake.
Though that wake-up call was a bit scary.
[Be more careful next time.］
‘I seriously almost met my end.’
Anyway, now it was just a matter of stepping out.
As I prepared to give my speech, I started feeling nervous without realizing it.
Noticing that, the heroines each shouted words of encouragement.
“Shinwoo, do well!”
“Master! Crush them all!”
“You just need to say what I wrote.”
Hearing their support eased my tension a bit.
Seeing this, Caressy made a complex expression and spoke.
“Are you really going to stand above the Academy?”
“Just the Academy? Wrong.”
“Then how far do you plan to rise?”
“The sky.”
Just before I took my last step.
I turned around confidently and said.
“From now on, I’ll stand in the sky.”
And the moment I stood at the podium.
Suddenly, the wind blew.
*
Boom!!
The sound of a fist slamming down on the desk echoed hollowly in the empty room.
No matter how much I hit the desk, that frustration wouldn’t go away.
Instead, I only added pain to my already injured hand.
Yet my trembling fist wouldn’t stop and slammed down again.
Boom!!
“That bastard finally showed up!!!”
In the dark office of the Chief, even with the lights off, he glared intensely at the monitor.
Specifically, at the filthy face on the screen.
He was fixated on Kim Shinwoo, the one stepping up for the candidate speech.
That bastard not only smashed things up at the award ceremony but also killed his pet.
The resentment was enough to pierce the heavens.
But he couldn’t just sit back and take it.
“Khrhh! If you can talk, then go ahead! You won’t be able to do anything!”
The Chief had something prepared for this moment.
A professor hidden among the students.
Specifically, a professor with the ability to manipulate the wind.
When the Chief gave the signal, everything in sight would render Kim’s speech useless.
And now.
Kim Shinwoo was standing still in front of the podium.
He immediately contacted the professor he had on standby.
“Proceed!”
“Yes!”
Soon, the speech script in Kim Shinwoo’s hands was seen flying high in the air on the screen.
Kim Shinwoo’s blank expression was just a bonus.
“Hahaha! I knew it!!! What do you think you can do!!!”
Seeing Kim Shinwoo’s face, the Chief couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
With a slightly relieved expression, he looked at the screen.
Feeling like he had already won, he contacted the professor he had given orders to earlier.
“Good job! I knew I could count on you!”
“Then can I skip paying the students overtime?”
Hearing that, the Chief’s face turned slightly sour.
That was a pretty unreasonable demand.
There was a very high possibility it would run afoul of the Kim Shinwoo Law.
‘That bastard will get what’s coming to him.’
The Kim Shinwoo Law was so meticulously crafted that it could easily backfire if mishandled.
For something written by a student, it had almost no flaws.
No, the flaws left were traps, so it was more correct to say there were none.
Moreover, the people who had agreed were all high-ranking officials, so any wrong move would lead to serious risks.
As the Chief’s meager intellect wandered, one fact sprang to mind.
‘Come to think of it, that jerk Jang In-hyuk was involved too. I need to deal with him soon.’
Kim Shinwoo. And Jang In-hyuk.
Just dealing with those two was quite overwhelming.
And now there was a professor making unreasonable demands.
He subconsciously gritted his teeth, but right now, he desperately needed at least one ally.
There was no choice.
“Chief?”
“Do whatever you want! I’ll handle everything!”
“Thank you!”
For some reason, the professor muttered, ‘I should’ve done this from the start!’ but the Chief didn’t have the intelligence to understand it.
Moreover, if it looked like he’d get caught later, he’d just pass the blame onto the lizard secretary.
Although he didn’t like the idea of Kim Shinwoo mixing with his kind lately, he couldn’t deny that he had a remarkable ability.
‘Well, if he doesn’t want to dig into his own family, he better do well.’
Anyway, now Kim Shinwoo’s speech was completely ruined.
There was nothing more to worry about.
Thinking of the monsters to relieve his stress later, he started to feel happy again.
‘Today is the day! Let’s ruin that tour!’
Finally, he was planning to leave after watching Kim Shinwoo’s speech fail.
Full of thoughts on how hilarious it would be to watch him crash down.
However.
On the screen, the face of Kim Shinwoo was filled not with despair or fear, but with another emotion.
Indescribable.
But if I had to say.
It was hatred.
*
