ushernet Chapter 205
Chapter 205
The first thing to address was explaining the chairman’s absence.
There was no way I could let anyone know the truth—that the pillar of Korea was now wearing diapers due to advanced senility. No matter how much we joked around, I wanted to preserve at least a shred of her dignity.
“So, she threw her back out again?”
“Yes. It’s not serious, but she decided to take this opportunity to rest and recover... after dumping all the work on me.”
“Well, that makes sense.”
It wasn’t a hard sell.
After all, I’d already been acting as her proxy until yesterday.
A quick excuse, coupled with holding the chairman’s card, was enough to seal the deal.
Sure, I wouldn’t be able to wield all her authority with this makeshift arrangement...
‘Not that I’d need it anyway.’
It’s not like I craved power.
In fact, the idea of taking on the chairman’s position made my stomach churn. After all, I’d seen firsthand how that role had ground her down to the point of senility.
This was simply a temporary measure to keep things running smoothly.
‘Though... why does this feel so off?’
The murmuring among the association staff didn’t help ease my mind.
“Looks like the next chairman has already been decided. The handover seems to be happening right before our eyes.”
“For the chairman to trust someone enough to delegate this much during such a critical time...”
“I mean, it’s not like the back injury story is believable, either.”
‘Wait, are they really trying to push this on me? Should I use hypnosis to—’
Before I could delve into that line of thought, I was buried under a mountain of work.
“So, Chairman Yoojin, please handle these tasks!”
“...Busy, busy~.”
No time to question their intentions; there was too much to do.
The chairwoman had apparently left behind a backlog of tasks so massive that even breathing felt like a luxury.
“First, Chairman Yoojin, could you share your thoughts on defeating Ninomiya?”
“Is it true that the creature behind the Awakener Expansion Project has ties to the gate incident?”
“The Church of the Deity is rumored to be reassessing the S-rank hierarchy. What’s your take on that?”
“One question at a time, please!”
I tackled the media frenzy head-on.
Given the monumental events of yesterday—the duel with my mentor, Paimon’s appearance, and the revelation that the academy festival was a cover for a covert operation—it was only natural for the press to swarm.
Handling such questions was second nature to me after enduring relentless interviews in my first life.
It took some time, but I managed to get through the endless questions.
“Since it’s lunchtime, let’s wrap up the press conference here. Any final questions?”
“Chairman Yoojin, are you truly not involved with Bozzikong? There are rumors about you two renting out an entire sauna together—”
[Skill ‘Complete Hypnosis’ activates...]
“Get out.”
There was a bizarre reporter at the end, but with that, my official duties were over.
Even the association staff looked stunned at how efficiently I’d managed everything.
-Clap, clap, clap-
“As expected of someone personally chosen by Chairwoman Seol. Your efficiency rivals hers, if not surpasses it.”
“No wonder she trusted him with this much.”
“I was worried about what would happen after her retirement, but with him around, the next 40 years seem secure...”
“...What?”
Something felt off.
‘There’s still the matter of the EX-grade gate....’
The second of my two regression goals—preparing for the EX-grade gate that would one day spell humanity’s doom—still loomed large.
Until that was resolved, I could never truly rest.
I’d need to become even stronger, traveling the world and training endlessly to prevent that catastrophe.
‘But... I refuse to sacrifice love for preparation.’
"Let’s go, Mentor. Alice."
Despite everything, I didn’t hesitate to spend time with them.
The work to prevent the gate might make this day seem like a waste in the grand scheme, but it wasn’t.
After all, wasn’t saving the world about protecting them?
A danger fifteen years away wasn’t enough to ruin today.
Today, I would celebrate. With them. Fully and without reservation.
***
The festive atmosphere that had enveloped the day was gone in an instant.
"Yoojin? Are you okay? The fireworks were amazing, weren’t they?"
"Disciple? Yoojin! What’s wrong? Say something!"
I could barely hear Alice and my mentor’s worried voices over the pounding in my head.
I had given it my all.
Every step I had taken since regression, every decision I made, every trial I endured—I’d walked a path so perfect, even if I were to regress again, I couldn’t imagine doing better.
"This can’t be happening."
My hands trembled, betraying the composure I so desperately clung to.
['???' heaves a deep sigh, as if resigned to fate.]
[Hypnosis-chan swallows hard, frozen in uncertainty.]
I couldn’t believe it.
Unlike the first timeline, I had lived with purpose and discipline.
I hadn’t wasted a single day.
So why now?
Why, when I had allowed myself just this one moment of reprieve, had it come crashing down?
"This is impossible...."
The night air was crisp, but the chill that ran down my spine had nothing to do with the temperature.
"Fifteen weeks. It's only been fifteen weeks."
My voice was barely above a whisper as I stared out at the fireworks display that seemed so distant now, shimmering mockingly in the sky.
Why?
Why was it happening already?