Chapter 88: Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat
Chapter 88
As the sunlight that had been hidden behind the dark clouds illuminated the earth again, the screams that echoed throughout the city gradually subsided.
I could see from afar that people who had been controlled were starting to regain their senses one by one.
The horrific situation that had shaken the city for several hours today finally came to an end.
Relief washed over me at the thought of having minimized the damage that could have been much worse.
But that relief was short-lived. I wiped my reddened eyes, realizing that we still had work to do.
I looked at Yoon Si-woo and Sylvia Astra and spoke to myself as if to reaffirm my resolve.
"......Let's move. There are still heaps of people who need help."
As I stood up, I suddenly felt dizzy and staggered. Yoon Si-woo and Sylvia hurriedly grabbed my arms.
Supporting me to prevent my fall, they spoke with concern.
"Scarlet, if it's too hard, don't push yourself and rest."
"That's right. You've been running around for a long time now, it could harm your health..."
I shook my head and replied.
"Thank you for worrying, but I'm still physically okay. And right now, every helping hand is needed."
As the sun shone on the once-dark city, the scene that had been hard to see became much clearer to my eyes.
Taking in the sight, I firmly grasped the hands of the two people holding my arms.
"Let's focus on what we need to do. We're saving people. As many as we can."
With that, the two of them nodded with determined expressions and ran off in different directions.
I also moved to find those who needed help.
I transported the critically injured on stretchers to the hospital.
I comforted a child who had difficulty breathing, shocked at the sight of their bleeding parents.
I persuaded someone who, in trying to protect themselves, had hurt a controlled person and was now despairing and contemplating a drastic choice.
As I went around helping people, I heard the sorrowful cries of those holding the unmoving bodies of their loved ones.
Those cries probably echoed throughout the city.
As if they were the follow-up sounds to the earlier screams.
After running around helping people for a long time, the sun eventually set, and night deepened.
If only this body had no limits to its stamina.
After nearly half a day of non-stop running around, I felt like I would collapse from exhaustion, so I returned to the gym, which was currently being used as a temporary resting place for students.
Entering the gym, I saw Jessie among the many resting students.
Jessie, who had collapsed as if she had fainted, could barely acknowledge my approach with a slow blink.
I nodded slowly in return and plopped down beside her.
Just as I was about to fall asleep from the sudden wave of exhaustion, Jessie's phone vibrated beside her, indicating a call.
It seemed that the communication, which had been cut off until now, had been restored.
I watched as Jessie struggled to take out her phone and bring it to her ear.
Not long after she answered, I saw tears welling up in her eyes.
"Ah, ugh... sob, sob..."
As Jessie started to sob, her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the floor with a thud.
From the phone on the floor, I heard the familiar sounds of sorrowful wailing that I had heard countless times today.
"Our, our brother... big brother..."
Hearing her sobbing words, I bit my lip and recalled her much older brother, who looked worn out beyond his years.
I had only seen him a few times, but he remained in my memory as a good person. Sorrow washed over me at the news of his death.
But instead of succumbing to the sadness, I chose to comfort the girl in front of me.
Knowing how immense the grief of losing a loved one can be.
As I approached and quietly embraced her, she, despite her exhaustion, sobbed in my arms for a long time.
The time during which the city's people were controlled and acted abnormally was only a few hours at most.
But the scars left by that brief period were immense.
*
Perhaps because of the massive incident we had just experienced, despite my exhaustion, I woke up early in the morning.
Carefully, I got up to avoid waking Jessie, who was sound asleep with swollen eyes in my arms.
As I rose, Jessie stirred and mumbled in her sleep.
"Mmm... the bad witch who killed my brother... I will never forgive you..."
I gave a bitter smile as I looked at her murmuring, then left the gym.
The city was still dim as the sun had yet to rise.
But even at this hour, I could see a few people busily moving around.
Just as I was about to step out of the gate to offer help, I heard a voice from outside.
"They said we could manage without the students now, so take a break. You worked hard yesterday, so get some more rest."
It was Yoon Si-woo.
His words made it seem like the situation was finally coming under control.
I had thought it wouldn't be resolved quickly, but it seemed the damage was less than expected.
Feeling slightly relieved, I sat on a flower bed near the gate.
Yoon Si-woo hesitated for a moment, then sat a little distance away from me.
Judging by the fact that he was just coming in from outside, it was clear he had stayed up all night.
"...Did you stay up all night? You must be exhausted."
"Not really. Staying up all night is nothing."
When I asked, he replied as if it was no big deal, but even Yoon Si-woo, who wielded the indomitable Holy Sword that enhanced his physical abilities, couldn't possibly be unexhausted.
The power of the Holy Sword he used yesterday was a technique that consumed a significant amount of stamina due to its immense force.
"Don't overdo it."
"I'm not overdoing it. I'm just doing what I can."
Just doing what he could, a phrase Yoon Si-woo had said countless times in the original story.
In the original, Yoon Si-woo had to be someone who could always do what was necessary.
If Yoon Si-woo couldn't overcome the approaching hardships, humanity would face its end.
If Yoon Si-woo hadn't been there for this incident, who knows what might have happened. But as I looked at him speaking that way, I couldn't hide my complex feelings.
When Yoon Si-woo said such things, it usually meant he was facing a particularly tough situation.
"...That's a lie. Remember, you told me before that it's okay to talk to me if something's bothering you. I can tell you're having a hard time, so if there's anything you want to say, just spill it."
When I said that, Yoon Si-woo flinched for a moment, then eventually gave a bitter smile and spoke.
"...While helping people earlier, someone told me it was all our fault that their family ended up like this. They said it was because heroes like us failed to do our jobs that this happened. Hearing that made it feel a bit hard to go around helping people. You, me, and the other heroes are all doing our best for everyone..."
From the perspective of someone who was running around tirelessly to save people, such words were understandably frustrating.
But it was not something we could blame them for.
Looking at the cityscape, I spoke.
"...They're just too sad."
The sky, gradually brightening as the sun rose beyond the horizon, cast shadows that looked like scars etched into the city.
"Do you know what happens when people are too sad?"
Thinking of those left in the city, wounded and having lost their loved ones, I continued.
"They start getting angry. They look for something to blame. It doesn't matter what. It could be a witch, or it could be the heroes."
Jessie, who mumbled in her sleep that she couldn't forgive the witch.
The person who told Yoon Si-woo it was the heroes' fault.
"Someone might even end up hating the world itself."
And though I didn't show it, I hated the world that had taken my loved ones, the world where good people suffered.
In such a view, perhaps grief itself was just another form of anger.
In the original story, those who had lost their loved ones to the monster in the gym protested on the streets in immense grief.
This incident might lead to a similar outcome, which had to be prevented.
Determining a target for their anger might help mitigate it to some extent, but...
"...But sad people don't just look for something to blame."
Looking at the distant dawning light, I continued.
"They also look for something to lean on, to forget their sorrow."
Like how looking at the light makes shadows less noticeable.
Having something to rely on helps people forget their grief.
For some, that might be a god.
For others, it might be their friends.
"I have a request."
So, who could be that reliable pillar for the people of this world?
"It might be too much to ask, but it's something only you can do."
In the distance, the sun rose.
Radiating brilliant and bright light.
People might have been disappointed in the heroes who failed to protect them.
But here, there was someone who had saved everyone from danger.
"Yoon Si-woo."
That's why I had no choice but to rely on this boy.
To entrust him with this request.
To the protagonist of this world.
To the hope of this world.
"Be a hero for everyone."
The times called for a new hero.
My god scarlet such a pure and selfless girl
ReplyDeleteSo chapters will be uploaded here now?
ReplyDeleteyes
DeleteWill you translate all chapters (past c173) or is it more of casual approach? Would love to support you
ReplyDeleteSry but i did not understand what you mean
DeleteI haven't seen the original source but I will guess that past chapter 173 is where the chapters will be paid chapters. I'm guessing the person meant that if would translate all of the chapters even the paid ones. If you will then the person will gladly support you whether it's by paying for patreon or something else
DeleteOffcourse i will do till the end whether its free or paid and also support me by patreon if you can (haha, thats why is patreon for)
DeleteScarlet, she said, "the bad witch". You is not a bad witch
ReplyDeleteThis will definitely not be sustainable.
ReplyDeleteSi-woo is human at the end of the day. He too, needs people he can rely on when he cracks. And even if he had an indomitable will, he is still just one person.