# Chapter 44
“I’m really worried about Lee Ha-min. His ability is amplification. His own power isn’t strong.”
At that, Ha-min shook his head.
“I’m strong because Eunwoo trained me. You saw it before. When the Espers attacked me, I didn’t lose easily.”
“Ah, that’s right. That happened before. Shim Woo-jin wasn’t there then, right? So you didn’t see it. But I’m really worried about Shim Woo-jin. It’s not like you always carry your violin around. From now on, carry it with you. Even when you’re walking around the dormitory.”
At Kyun In’s words, Woo-jin made a face as if wondering if that was really necessary.
Thinking about it, it did seem inconvenient.
Having to carry a violin even when just going to the cafeteria for a quick meal.
It’s already extremely annoying to always remember to bring a device with almost no weight or volume, let alone a violin.
“And if they try to kidnap S-class Espers, they’ll deploy at least A-class psychic Espers for the job, and if there are more than a few of them, even an S-class Esper could be overwhelmed. It’s better for everyone else to stay alert and be careful too.”
When Kyun In spoke one after another, I also became a bit tense.
As far as I knew, Kyun In had been involved with Origin to some extent from the beginning, so his words didn’t sound hollow.
Others nodded without complaining.
“Then it’s better not to go around alone.”
I nodded unconsciously at Ha-min’s words, but then quickly turned to glare at him, wondering what scheme he was plotting this time, and Ha-min smiled broadly.
“You! No way! Don’t even think about coming near me from now on!”
At that, the faces of the S-class Espers all brightened simultaneously.
“Wow, Seo Eunwoo! You’ve finally opened your eyes? Are you tired of Ha-min now? Good. Well done. Don’t hang around with such a wet-behind-the-ears kid anymore and hang out with me from now on. That’s what you should have done from the start. It’s time for Eunwoo to raise his standards.”
Byun Tae-young said with a grin, and I shook my head.
It seemed like there wouldn’t be a moment of peace here.
***
The Center Director and the center’s leadership were gathered in the spacious conference room.
They were receiving our report about going to Origin’s territory to conquer the dungeon.
Since there was a system in place, we reported the dungeon conquest, and the expressions of those listening were not very good.
“The S-class Espers could have been in danger. This shouldn’t happen again in the future.”
The Center Director spoke, and other leaders nodded, saying we should be more careful in the future.
“The S-class Espers are indispensable to the center. If Origin’s dungeon had opened, we would have sealed off Central. We don’t have the capacity to protect people who have left Central, but we can protect our Central. From now on, it would be better if S-class Espers also acted accordingly.”
“If the perception develops that S-class Espers will conquer dungeons, those people will continue to act this way. They won’t conquer dungeons they can tackle themselves and will leave them until they open. Why wouldn’t they? If I could expect that S-class Espers would repeatedly come to conquer them, I’d probably do the same.”
“I think this isn’t a matter of blaming Origin, but rather the S-class Espers were in the wrong. What if you had been seriously injured there? Even though you were fortunate to all return safely this time, the situation could be different next time. What were you planning to do if you returned injured and a dungeon appeared in our Central?”
Since these weren’t wrong statements, the S-class Espers couldn’t say anything.
Given their usual personalities, they might have been defiant after hearing such words, but everything said was correct, so it seemed they couldn’t help it.
Then the Guide Team Leader looked at us and asked.
“But how did you handle the Guiding? Didn’t Esper Lee Ha-min return in a state of rampage? We couldn’t do anything because the S-class Espers so adamantly blocked access to the dormitory. This absolutely must not happen again. Esper Lee Ha-min isn’t an S-class Esper, but he’s treated on par with S-class Espers at the center, and if his life is endangered because he doesn’t receive Guiding in time…”
“We take care of S-class Espers’ Guiding ourselves.”
Before the Guide Team Leader could finish, Byun Tae-young spoke.
But the Guide Team Leader seemed unwilling to back down and spoke firmly once again.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“There is something you can do for us.”
When Ha-min, who had been quiet the entire time and seemed likely to remain quiet until the end, opened his mouth, everyone looked at him as if surprised.
“Please put more effort into researching stabilizers. Effort alone is not enough; please allocate more personnel to that task from now on. If it were me, I wouldn’t let the lights go out in the research building. You talk as if you’re extremely worried about the S-class Espers, but I don’t know what you’re actually doing for them.”
“…”
No one could respond to Ha-min’s words.
If one of the S-class Espers had said that, they would have thought it warranted.
It wouldn’t have been a matter of qualification, but rather one of character that they would have accepted.
It wasn’t the first time the S-class Espers had acted this way.
But when Ha-min, who was considered the most docile at the center, spoke like that, everyone couldn’t help but be shocked.
Our Ha-min has a knockout punch.
He always had one.
It was really hard for me to hold back from boasting that this Esper was the one I raised.
“Don’t easily say that you can’t do anything for S-class Espers because you’re not S-class Espers or Guides. You’re not doing your best with what you can do. It’s been a long time since we asked for stabilizers, but what have you produced? Was that your best effort? And yet you still sleep, eat, and rest, it seems.”
Ha-min closed his mouth as if he had more to say but would refrain from going that far.
The Center Director and leadership could only stare at the desk without saying anything.
It must have been as shocking and humiliating as being slapped in the face.
It was satisfying.
The S-class Espers looked at Ha-min as if impressed.
A pleased smile spread across their faces.
“How long will it take? It’s not like we’re asking for stabilizers equivalent to an S-class Guide’s Guiding, is it? Don’t easily assume that we’ll continue to be here in the future. Don’t think of us as fish you’ve already caught. Even if Origin’s actions are unsightly, we might go to Origin if there’s no development here. It might be this place that can’t conquer dungeons appearing in Central later, not just Origin now, right?”
The color drained from the Center Director’s face at Byun Tae-young’s words.
It had been almost a taboo topic until now.
The course of the S-class Espers.
Whether they would go to Origin or continue to stay here.
It seemed they had carelessly felt reassured seeing the S-class Espers not joining the exodus while other Espers left the center, but in reality, there was no reason to think that way.
What if the S-class Espers had just been postponing their decision until now?
People seemed to have snapped to attention at Byun Tae-young’s words.
“There’s no need to be too afraid. We’re not saying we’ll leave right away. But if the stabilizer development is still at a standstill next week, things might change then. Don’t you think?”
When Kyun In joined in with threats, the Research Team Leader adjusted his glasses.
Multiple gazes turned to him as he swallowed dryly, as if his mouth was burning.
Suddenly, his shoulders became heavy.
“Don’t be too late. We don’t like playing the villain either. We’re only saying this because it seems you’re taking the opportunities we’ve given too lightly.”
Shim Woo-jin spoke as if driving in the final nail, and I watched the scene with excitement.
It started with Ha-min.
And the S-class Espers appropriately shared the burden.
The most interesting thing was the S-class Espers.
I felt like I could tell that they were being used by Ha-min, but they weren’t aware of it at all.
They probably couldn’t imagine that Ha-min was using them to achieve his aims.
***
“Eunwoo. I think my wavelength is a bit strange.”
Ha-min said, coming to find me in the middle of training a few days ago.
I wanted to tell him to stop talking nonsense and ignore him, but I couldn’t.
His wavelength really was strange.
“What did you do? Did you conquer a dungeon alone? That can’t be it, right? There haven’t been any dungeons.”
If a dungeon had appeared, my device would have rung.
Even if my device hadn’t rung, I would have at least known if other Espers were being deployed.
But there had been no sign of that at all.
Could it be?
“Hey, Lee Ha-min! Did you go to Origin again? Did you conquer a dungeon there? Are you crazy?”
“No. Not that.”
“Then? If not that, why is your wavelength like this?”
His wavelength was really jumping around severely.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
