TRPM 325

chapter 325

I endured my seat with superhuman patience.

It was ironic that such superhuman patience was required for something like this.

“If I wasn’t careful, the mouse in my hand could have broken.”

Replacing a broken mouse wouldn’t be a problem.

“… Hey, Geon-woo. There’s a vein popping on your forehead…”
“What?”
“… It’s nothing.”

Ryu Ah-min, who caught my gaze, quietly turned her head.

After confirming that, I looked back at the computer screen.
There, I saw the artist spitting out harsh words with a haughty expression.

“… Do people see me like that?”

After calming down for a moment and thinking objectively, I realized that people who didn’t know me well would probably believe I had that kind of personality.

“Since the world doesn’t know I’ve returned, they’d only see me as a strong person who’s been taking down criminals since I was eight.”

And if people had praised me as a genius from such a young age, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for them to assume I had an arrogant personality.

When I worked as an artist, I tended to be reserved in my speech.

More importantly…

“… Even among the awakened appearing in games not based on me, there are often cases where the personality in the game differs completely from the real personality.”

For example, Chairman Shin Han-ji, the miserly one, Sir Sergey, the doting grandfather, or Chairman Richard, who is both the head of the World Awakener Association and a behind-the-scenes power in the underworld.

It’s common to give some character traits rather than copying a real person exactly, to make the character more vivid.

Though, this often results in game companies being sued.

“Phew…”

Compared to that, an artist showing a bit of arrogance is nothing to worry about.

Of course, the Iron-Blood Guild might file a complaint, but that’s another matter.

“Ah, the story’s over.”
“Looks like the artist appears after all. The direction is pretty impressive too.”
“If they didn’t appear, it would have been unfair.”

The kids seemed to have finished watching the story as well and started commenting.

“But somehow… the atmosphere feels like…”

Am I imagining it, or does it feel like the artist will later appear as an enemy?

“……”
“……”
“……”

Well, if a character shows that much arrogance… it’s likely they’ll appear as an enemy.

“Eh… But maybe the story will show them reforming after becoming an enemy?”
“With someone like the artist, I think they’ll appear as a final boss or hidden boss.”
“And that skill of throwing swords… I probably won’t be able to learn it.”

After that, the children’s mood sank.
They chose swords hoping to use the skill of throwing swords, but it seemed grim since it looked like they wouldn’t be able to learn it.

“… No, but if we defeat the artist as an enemy, can’t we learn the skill?”
“With our team, we could defeat them…?”
“Even if not, maybe in Vigilante, they’ll teach a skill that mimics the artist’s technique to defeat them.”
“… That could be possible?”

Watching the kids cling to hope in any way, I sighed.

That evening.

While waiting for dinner, I told Yeon Mi-rae about the game I played at the PC bang today…

“… Excuse me? Our guild never gave permission to use your image for a game-related purpose.”
“… What?”

I could see Mi-rae flustered.

“No, even if someone had gotten permission to use your image, they would have blocked a story like that, of course. If it had been approved before I came to Korea, maybe, but at least during my time here, no permission was given.”

Sophia added to Mi-rae’s words.
In other words, the game I played today had used my image without authorization.

“Even so, punishment would be difficult.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Even if you stepped in directly, it would probably just result in a fine and a warning at most.”

So practical punishment was unlikely.
Of course, I couldn’t be sure since neither Mi-rae nor Sophia was deeply familiar with Korean law.

“Alright, enough game talk, come and eat.”

Our mother placed a pot of braised short ribs in the center of the table.

“There’s plenty in the pot, so let me know if you want more.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”

We answered and sat down to eat.
As I pulled apart the ribs, I recalled the events of the day.

“… The announcement by Chairman Richard revealing the organization to the world, and a game using my image without permission…”

Of course, the first was far more important.
Yet, strangely, I felt I needed to focus more on the latter for now.
If I didn’t handle it now, it might become a nuisance later…

“Is it because if I let this image theft slide, other media might just take liberties with my image too?”

No, it didn’t feel exactly like that…
I couldn’t tell what my instincts were trying to say.
Even if it didn’t make sense, I had no intention of ignoring my instincts.
When my instincts react, it usually means leaving it alone will cause problems later.

That meant…

“Could there be a mastermind behind this?”

Someone whose goal is to completely tarnish my image?

“……”
“Why, son?”
“Nothing.”

Several candidates came to mind immediately.
First, criminals I caught or their families.
Organizations trying to monitor me, or the Oracle in China.
But it was unlikely that any of them did this.

“Criminals or their families either are in prison or don’t have the wealth or influence to be behind a game company, and even if someone did, I doubt they’d choose this method.”

Organizations or the Oracle had no reason to resort to such methods.
What would they gain from tarnishing my image?
Then…

“If the purpose is purely to damage my image…”

Awakener supremacists.
Simply put, people who just dislike awakeners.

“Ah, that makes sense.”

Thinking that far, I felt a sense of clarity.
If there were Awakener supremacists behind this incident, I could understand their actions.

“Awakener supremacists differ from those seeking personal gain through awakening superiority.”

Among the latter, there are often weak awakeners who aren’t treated properly.
They dive into supremacism hoping for personal benefit.

“But Awakener supremacists are different.”

Their goal is simply to lower the authority of awakeners and damage their image, not to benefit themselves.

“… In the previous copyright issue, some lawmakers hoped to benefit, but that was an exception.”

Awakener supremacists, even at personal cost, aim to harm awakeners.
They simply dislike awakeners.
In fact, they’re practically terrorists.

“Hmm. This must be it.”

Having concluded, I tried to focus back on my meal.

“……”

Until I saw the almost empty pot of braised short ribs.
It barely took ten seconds to come to my conclusion…

“… You said there’s more in the pot?”
“Shall I bring it?”
“No, I’ll get it myself.”

I got up and headed to the kitchen.

The next day.

Having left the game-related problem with Mi-rae and the Iron-Blood Guild, I headed to the Seoul Awakener Academy.
I was going to practice shooting regularly with Woo Ji-min.

Upon entering the academy’s shooting range, Woo Ji-min, tidying training firearms while waiting, greeted me.

“Ah, Geon-woo’s here? No one in the dorm tried to mess with you, did they?”

… For context, Woo Ji-min still thought I was weak.
I thought people might tell her the truth by now, but many seemed to enjoy her misunderstanding.

“Her obliviousness doesn’t help either.”

Naturally, I filled Woo Ji-min’s body—my doll—with my internal energy.
She, seemingly aware, smiled lightly and handed me a training pistol.

“No need for that. Maldong… no, Han-ji said she wouldn’t send me into dungeons until my personal pistol was made. So I didn’t use much energy in this body.”
“I can tell from that.”

I knew this was my own doll, so I could tell the energy consumption was minimal.
Still, it’s better to keep internal energy ready, just in case something happens.

“Even if I’m not going into a dungeon right away, it’s better to recharge whenever I remember.”

If the doll’s energy ran out during an emergency, it would be disastrous.
Even if Ji-min is at the academy, I might not be able to come see her for a while if I have work elsewhere.

“Anyway, get into position and aim first.”
“Yes.”

I aimed at the target as Ji-min instructed.
Having done this several times, I was accustomed to it.
Just as I was about to pull the trigger…

“Ah, wait, wait. Today we won’t shoot. We’ll just practice aiming and maintaining the posture.”
“Excuse me?”
“So just hold the aiming posture and maintain it as training.”

Shooting is really a test of stamina and focus.

“Keep that posture for training. Your arms might hurt, but can you endure it?”
“… Sure.”

Though I wasn’t an expert at shooting, I understood this from similar sword training.

“Training to maintain the posture for a proper swing…”

Recalling the sword lessons, I aimed at the target and maintained my stance.

“This is tougher than it looks…”

But once this process is complete, one reflexively takes the correct posture before swinging.
It becomes the most familiar stance.
A sword swung from that stance is far sharper and more powerful than one swung hastily.
Shooting would work similarly.

“In urgent situations, I’ll naturally get into the correct shooting posture.”

Though tiring, this training showed me that Ji-min was properly instructing me.
This would make the shooting classes starting in the second semester useful for students.