Became a Human Rights Advocate

26 – Episode 5. Baek So-so.

＜12＞

When I opened my eyes, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling. There must have been a lot of things, but I can’t remember the details. Why am i here

The last thing I remember is persuading Chae Hee-rin to burn down the entire second floor of the factory… But

I wonder if he passed out then.

…I was too reckless.

Maybe being alive is a miracle. I turned my head and looked out the window to see that the morning sun had just risen.

“Are you awake?”

“Teacher.”

Ju Ji-young was sitting next to the hospital bed. It is clear that she has been staying here all night, and her face is clearly tired.

“I was in bed for three days… It’s not like that.”

“I was unconscious for about five hours.”

Joo Ji-young looked me straight in the eyes, and then she lowered her head.

“I’m sorry, Sihyuk.”

“… Yes?”

Has Joo Ji-young done something to make me apologize?

“I was in a hurry. Just looking at the fact that she sent her to the first meeting without any hesitation. I should have given you the minimum amount of time.”

Come to think of it, Nicola and Chae Hee-rin didn’t even know what my ability was.

I was aware of what everyone’s abilities were, but it’s only natural that the others don’t.

“That… I see.”

“I should have thought you guys were students. Even if you want to be a hero, it’s still just a dream, but you haven’t become a pro.”

Joo Ju-young smiled bitterly.

“Things I take for granted, you guys are all experiencing for the first time. This is entirely my fault. I will make sure this never happens again. I’m really sorry.”

Ju Ji-young lowers her head again.

“… All right.”

“Yes, thank you Sihyuk.”

“Are the other kids okay?”

Responding to my question, Joo Ji-young recited the status of the other members of the special department one by one.

It is said that Suisei was just exhausted from exhaustion, and she was the first to come to her senses.

Chaehee Lin also had side effects from using her abilities excessively, but it didn’t seem too serious.

Machina and Alex, who were on the first floor, suffered no damage, and it was they who carried the four to the hospital.

“Nicola…. It was dangerous. If the wound was a little deeper, the organs would have been damaged.”

“Is the condition serious?”

“I’m almost healed now. It went into recovery gear.”

A recovery device?

When I made an expression that I didn’t know, Joo Ji-young added an explanation.

“It’s a device often used by heroes in the field. Quite a few traumas can be healed with it. Maybe by afternoon Nicola will wake up. I’ll have to take a few more tests, but….Don’t want to be discharged next week at the latest.”

“… It’s a recovery device… There was something like that.”

“Yes. The cost of using it is too astronomical, so I can’t use it easily.”

“Then money.”

“I handled it at my own expense.”

Listening to Joo Ji-young’s words, there is something that comes to mind.

In Legend of Academy, when a character is defeated in battle, it becomes injured and cannot use its full power.

To recover from an injury, the character is hospitalized and the recovery period is determined according to the severity of the injury. A method in which the character in full condition can be rewritten only after the recovery period has passed.

However, if you use diamonds, which are billable goods, there is no need to go to the hospital.

An animation of entering the capsule-like device appears for a moment, and the next moment, the character recovers from all injuries and is in perfect condition.

I thought it was allowed in the game, but did it actually happen?

“Do you have any more questions?”

“… Yes.”

“If anything happens, call me right away. The teacher expects Nicola to be in the hospital until she comes to her senses.”

When I nodded her head, Joo Joo-young said sorry one last time and left the hospital room.

And not too long after that, I fell into trouble again.

When I open my eyes, the sun is already in mid-heaven.

After finishing the slightly cooled meal like a crab, I slowly moved my body to the window.

Outside, I could see students in groups of threes and fives going home from school.

I pulled a chair, sat down, and stared blankly at the scene.

Many thoughts run through my head.

Last night’s battle left me with too much to reflect on.

Nicola was afraid of his first real fight.

However, he overcame that fear and eventually took a step forward.

It was Nicola who sacrificed herself to save me.

If it had been the opposite situation, would I have acted like that?

Why was I careless in front of Paulo?

The paul I know is the paul six months later, after boosters spread throughout Academy City.

Even though there is no guarantee that the Paulo at this point and the Paulo I know have the same personality.

Maybe I still don’t see the people in this world as more than mere characters.

With my thoughts deepened, I returned to bed and lay down.

I was forcing myself to go back to sleep to reset my mind, but I heard the door suddenly open.

“Senior.”

The first ‘character’ I met in this world, with silver bunting hair, was waving at me.

Unlike his usual jersey fashion, he is now wearing a school uniform.

“Baeksoso.”

“How did you get hurt like this?”

After taking a deep breath, Baek So-so approached with quick steps. She puts the basket of fruit in her hand on a nearby table and looks down with tears in her eyes.

“Yeah, how did I get hurt like this?”

“Eh, what is that strange way of speaking? It’s not like a senior.”

“… Okay?

“If you had passed me and entered the special department first, you should have shown a cool side. I got hurt from the first activity.”

While babbling, Bai Suso took out a fruit knife and began to cut the fruit. With a crunching sound, the apple quickly takes shape.

“Look, rabbit.”

“You are good at your tricks.”

“Right?”

Baek So-so raised the corner of her mouth each time and stuck a toothpick in her apple and handed it to me.

I was idly grabbing an apple with my hand and eating it, but Baek So-so looked at me with a dissatisfied look.

“Senior, that hair.”

The cause of dissatisfaction seems to be my hair.

“I didn’t like it because it was messy from the beginning. When are you going to cut it?”

“Maybe at the beginning of next month?”

“It’s too late! I still think I’m a beggar enough in the neighborhood, but if I do, I’ll become the king of beggars.”

“… Is that enough?”

Baek Suso nodded her head up and down with a serious face.

Not that much of a comment. She thought to do, and was fiddling with her bangs, which half covered her eyes, when suddenly Baeksoso came closer.

Baek Soso put his hand on my forehead and then pulled her entire bangs up.

“Hmm….”

“… White cow over there. What are you doing to the patient now?”

“What… , that’s not too bad. I’ll give you 60 points.”

After making such an assessment of my face, Baek Soso let go of his hand.

“Senior, come to Cheonryonggak as soon as you get discharged.”

“… I am going to go to dinner.”

“I’ll cut your hair.”

Hair? Was Baek So-so good at hairdressing?

When I looked at Baeksoso with a puzzled look, she puffed out her cheeks.

“Excuse me. I’ve been in charge of her family’s haircut ever since she was little.”

“… I see.”

After that, a few more trivial chatter followed.

It was a refreshing sensation, as if my heart, which had turned black, was slowly being purified.

“Then I’ll be there soon.”

“Oh, yes.”

“Just lie down. Don’t let the patient tremble.”

As I tried to get up from the bed, Bai Suso immediately shook his hand and restrained him.

Baek So-so took two steps towards the door, put his hand on the doorknob, and opened his mouth again without opening the door.

“Senior. Don’t get hurt anymore.”

“Okay.”

“I will also officially enter the special department soon. Ah, isn’t it for the senior? It’s just to make my dream come true.

Baek So-so said that in a gruff voice and then walked out of the hospital room.

However, right before the door closes, he carefully pushes his face in and adds another word.

“I will try harder. I don’t want to see someone dear to me get hurt anymore.”

With those words, the figure of the white cow disappeared.

That’s something I’ve heard before.

A recruit-only dialogue that the character would say one or two words when selecting a character.

That was definitely the line that Baek So-so used exclusively for recruiting.

I had no idea at the time. Back then, Soso Baek was just a character, and I was just a player playing games.

But even though I heard the same thing, what Baek So-so said had a completely different meaning to me.

“Yes, do your best.”

I will do my best.

＜13＞

Several fire trucks and police cars were standing around the warehouse that had been devastated by the fire. The fire was put out quickly thanks to the rain that fell overnight and there were no casualties, but it was necessary to investigate the cause of the fire.

As the crowd murmured and watched the scene of the fire, someone began walking slowly towards the ruins of the factory.

“Hey there, you are off limits!”

“It only takes a moment.”

“That will be——”

The eyes of the policeman who was blocking the entry of his man became hazy, and soon he changed to an expressionless face and nodded his head.

“Go in. Just a moment.”

“Thank you.”

The man steps on the ashes and slowly walks towards the center of the warehouse. When she clears the messy slates on her floor, the man her man is looking for sits in them.

“Paulo.”

“Eh, did the boss come in person? Aren’t you scolding me?”

“Thing”

Paulo shrugged his shoulders and took out the ‘object’ he had hidden behind his back.

The identity of the object is none other than the raw material for the booster.

A superior species of the Irregulars, enemies of mankind. It is part of the body of the white astray.

Zetas examined the body of Astray, which was handed over from Paulo.

There are slight scorch marks, but it does not appear to be damaged.

“Well done. Let’s go back.”

“Okay, Boss.”

Paulo rises from his seat as if to bounce off his body. Even though Booster’s manufacturing plant was in ruins, neither of them cared.

Even if the name of the family was attached, the Zetas were only interested in the executives.

The thugs flocking under it were no doubt good.

You will have to hide in the dark for a while. Until they get funding again and build a new production line.

Zetas moved slowly, making plans for the future in his head.

Paulo, who was following him, opened his mouth as if thinking of something.

“Oh right, Boss. I found an interesting guy.”

“If you are a funny guy.”

“He’s an amplification-type ability, but the level of amplification is ridiculous. It’s because of that guy’s ability that this whole place was blown away.”

It was a completely human booster- Paulo giggled.

“What is your name?”

At Zetas’ question, Paulo grunted and began to ponder.

I remember that it started with ‘Lee’. But after that it doesn’t come out well. Let’s think about it more, and the second letter came to mind that it was ‘poetry’.

“Ishi… Lee Si.. What was it.. Lee Si-young… ? Sihyun Lee… ? Hmm…..Oh yeah!”

As if he had finally remembered the name, Paulo exclaimed with a broad smile.

“Lee Si-hyeok!”