Chapter 356 – Spring has Come.
I feel like I’m going crazy.
I feel like I’m losing my mind.
I want to kill someone.
What a mess.
So many negative emotions arise relentlessly that I can’t even express them in words.
Despite the constant barrage of negative feelings updating in real-time.
The only word that escapes from my mouth is a single exclamation.
“F*ck!”
Is it too much to handle that it overloads my language?
Or can everything be explained by this one word?
Even my silent secretary beside me wouldn’t know.
“F*ck!!!!!!!”
“……”
Only Jang In-hyuk, who is pouring out his frustration right now, knows.
Before I learned that the academy was destroyed.
When I got the message from Kim Shinwoo, I felt a sharp pain in my chest.
Congratulations on becoming the chief.
As long as Kim Shinwoo was alone at the academy, he must have somehow dragged the chief down.
I didn’t care what he did.
I finally got the position of chief that I had been dreaming of.
If the chief disappeared, it was only natural that I would be the next in line.
However, getting close to the position of chief and actually sitting in that seat are two different dimensions.
“That was fine up to that point…”
Of course, my mood worsened after I learned about the academy’s destruction.
But that feeling quickly settled down.
The position of the academy’s chief was certainly valuable beyond its title.
Even though Kim Shinwoo, as the student council president, could use the academy’s budget,
The amount he could use compared to the academy’s ‘real budget’ was insignificant.
To put it a bit extreme, one could consider it just pocket change.
– Creak!
“Yeah… everything’s fine, but…”
As Jang In-hyuk tightly clenched his fist while letting out a deep breath.
The papers in his hand crumpled together disappointingly.
Along with his inner turmoil.
Even though the academy had collapsed, there wasn’t too much to worry about.
There were still many untouched budgets at the academy, and no matter how long it took, the state would take responsibility and rebuild it.
After all, the academy is a crucial institution for the nation.
Moreover, it was clear that the position of chief would be maintained until the next academy was built.
Since the academy’s budget still had a lot left, all that remained was to sneakily take what he could.
That was what he thought, but…
– Swipe! Swipe! Swipe!
“What the hell is this!!!!!”
Reality was not that easy.
In his rage, the papers in Jang In-hyuk’s hands tore apart.
Just as his heart was being shredded.
Of course, there was no way for either to return to their original state.
Moreover, another commonality was that.
Just like the anger in Jang In-hyuk’s heart wasn’t going away.
The contents of the paper also remained unchanged.
Since there weren’t many papers, they were light.
And since the content wasn’t abundant, it was supposed to tear easily in the old man’s hands.
Yet the weight of that content was heavier than anything else in the world.
The academy’s audit.
And the enormous compensations that were to be given to some individuals.
In the former case, the contract of the ability user was the root of the problem during the trial.
Coincidentally, the contract of the ability user got exposed.
And it happened to catch the eye of a prosecutor.
Especially one who wouldn’t bend to any lobby.
“How on earth did they get a copy of the contract! The academy’s storage was turned upside down!”
“They said they had a backup just in case from the public safety management department.”
“Why are those bastards so efficient at their jobs!!!”
“……I guess so…”
Even if he poured his frustration onto the secretary, it wouldn’t mean much, but Jang In-hyuk couldn’t help it.
If he didn’t vent somehow, he felt like he might really implode.
“Ha… f*ck…”
Just like most other state institutions.
The academy obviously had plenty of dirty secrets.
Much worse than some unfair contract nonsense.
But now it seemed like everything was about to be uncovered.
And that responsibility would fall to Jang In-hyuk, who had just become the chief.
Moreover, it wasn’t going to end there.
Previously, Kim Shinwoo had added a line to the contract citing a weird photo as an excuse.
Just that single line led to truly outrageous consequences.
In the event that a disaster (災害) causes the contract to be voided, maximum compensation will be prioritized.
The incident caused by the monster was regarded as a disaster (災害) in this case.
No one could command those creatures intentionally, as they arrive suddenly and unpredictably.
So much so that there are even insurance products specialized for monsters.
Yet, the recent collapse of the academy was treated as a disaster.
Even if the definitive cause was the previous chief’s fault.
Ultimately, it was because the academy was destroyed directly by a monster that it classified as a disaster (災害).
As he saw the amount written down, Jang In-hyuk had a quick intuition.
It’s a mess.
The amount was so absurdly high that it would completely drain the remaining budget of the academy.
After this audit storm passed, there would be nothing left to gain.
In fact, it would be a miracle if he didn’t lose even more.
“I want to file for bankruptcy…”
“……Chief.”
At least it was a blessing to have a secretary still nearby.
Without this, it felt like he wouldn’t be able to see the future at all.
With a bit of gratitude, Jang In-hyuk spoke to his secretary.
“Let me hear it.”
“Can you pay my salary?”
“……”
That gratitude quickly turned to resentment.
However, the situation was so desperate that he couldn’t even reply to the secretary.
Taking this in a negative sense, the secretary sighed and left.
“If that’s the case, I’ll take some unpaid leave.”
“……So be it.”
“It’s unpaid leave, so you must pay me later. Before I report to the labor office.”
“……”
Leaving behind those grim words.
In the end, what remained in the now completely ruined academy.
Was only Jang In-hyuk.
Or rather, again it was two.
“It’s late.”
“You! You! You!!!!”
Kim Shinwoo, who called Jang In-hyuk here, suddenly appeared.
He looked pale and drained, but.
That wasn’t really important to Jang In-hyuk.
– Thud!!!
Overwhelmed with emotion, he acted faster than he could speak and grabbed Kim Shinwoo by the collar and twisted.
Along with that, Jang In-hyuk’s mouth contorted even further.
Yet Kim Shinwoo’s expression remained calm in stark contrast.
“If you get the chief position, you promised you’d deposit it.”
“Huh?”
Only then did Jang In-hyuk remember the promise he made with Kim Shinwoo before.
That earlier casual remark about him depositing support funds once he became chief.
Now Kim Shinwoo was intent on collecting on that.
Jang In-hyuk was on the verge of going insane because of this dog bastard.
“F*ck off, you dog bastard!!!!”
“Ah.”
However, even while being violently shaken, Kim Shinwoo remained relaxed.
Now, he even started to wear a faint smile.
“───Your deposit is late, chief…”
Then he firmly grabbed Jang In-hyuk with one hand and started to frantically operate his mobile phone with the other.
“Otherwise…”
At that moment, gray ashes whirled chaotically.
They were gray, but for some reason, they looked different this time.
“Should I show this to Grandma?”
Like cherry blossoms blooming and scattering in the spring.
*
The Lizard Beastman was on her way to the academy.
After receiving contact from Kim Shinwoo saying it was okay to come out.
Spring.
When the fierce and cold winter guest leaves,
A gentle guest brings warm sunshine and sweet spring flowers to greet her.
But she hated spring.
It was a time when the sleeping beings began to stir and the pale ones found their energy.
But for her, it was the moment when nightmares began that could not be soothed by anything.
She no longer remembered how many springs she had endured.
How many tears she had shed?
In this empty wait with no promises, time flowed far too slowly.
So, she resented spring.
While everyone reveled in warmth and comfort, for her, it was a time colder than winter.
The warmth that would melt everything only froze her feet instead.
Yet she continued to move forward.
– Thud.
“……I must go.”
Spring, the guest, couldn’t simply be pushed away.
Ultimately, all she could do was silently accept what didn’t please her.
While taking another step, she suddenly remembered.
When her agony twisted to the point where not even tears—or the blood flowing in her body—could well up.
The event of meeting the boy named Kim Shinwoo.
“Surely, that was the start.”
A coincidental trigger, an unexpected bond.
A connection that merely brushed past.
But she was so desperate at that time that she clung to it.
So, she decided to stake everything on that coincidence.
To end this tiresome spring.
“Is it okay to go…? Shinwoo student…?”
Even if she was in a safe place, perhaps her heart wasn’t safe enough.
She didn’t even want to check the news with a few flickers of her fingers out of anxiety.
Because of that, she remained unaware of everything that had happened until now.
Could it be okay?
Is it safe?
Is another nightmare waiting for me?
This time, the anxiety stemming from ignorance gripped her feet.
Yet it didn’t last long; again she moved forward.
“……I’ll trust you.”
One step at a time.
Slowly forward.
Following the narrow and precarious path called hope.
Thus she gradually advanced, and finally, her footprint came to a halt.
The moment she witnessed an overwhelming sight.
There’s nothing.
The splendid and beautiful scenery.
Even the secret places where someone whispered love now.
Not even the dreadful place causing her profound suffering.
There was nothing.
Incredible scenes left her speechless.
So much so that time felt like it stopped, and she couldn’t even feel emotions.
At that moment, hearing a sudden sound, she slowly turned her head.
“I deposited it!!! Stop it!!!!!!”
“You still haven’t paid the entrance fee. You can’t buy this with money.”
As she looked upon the sight, she realized.
It wasn’t fake.
This was all reality.
And that spring, which had tormented her, finally came to an end.
The academy vanished in the blink of an eye.
She closed her eyelids and opened them.
All around was gray.
In the unfamiliar academy, at that moment unchanged, the boy was showing his grandmother───
And thus.
Once again.
Spring has come.
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