I Became A Framed Villain

 { Chapter 18 – Honorable Man }

“What… do you mean?”

The atmosphere in the room was chilly, it was a common feeling for those who had visited the Shinwa Group president's residence before, but as for Himari, it was an atmosphere she had never felt before.

“……..”

“Grandfather.”

“Kang Ha-neul killed Justia?”

Hearing the president's sharp voice, Himari shuddered with the cold sweat on her forehead.

“…Yes.
According to the data.”

“Impossible.”

Himari flinched for a moment at the resolute voice, then shook her head and started talking.

“No, it is certain.
Cross-validation has already been completed.
And the results of our group’s own investigation-”

“-Himari.” 

The president interrupted her with a raised hand and continued.
“Didn't I say it's impossible? Are you trying to tell me I'm wrong?”

“………”

“Are you trying to tell me I’m wrong?”

Hearing those words, Himari, who had been chewing on her lips, responded with tightly closed eyes.

“That’s right.”

And then there was silence in the room.

“It’s disappointing.”

Himari, who could not even stand properly in that suffocating atmosphere, was struck by the president’s dagger-like words.

“Stop and leave.”

“Grandfather, but…!”

“Didn’t I tell you to leave?”

Himari, who was about to refute, gritted her teeth at the stubborn attitude of the president.

“You have already crossed the line.”

“……..”

“It’s too late to turn around.”

The president looked at her with pitying eyes and muttered.

“When you leave, tell the secretary to come into the room.”

“…Alright.”

Then, as the president slowly closed his eyes and laid himself down on the chair, Himari, who bowed her head, answered in a low-pitched voice.

“…Whoah.”

As Himari bowed her head and left the room, the president sighed with closed eyes. 

'How did things get this far?' 

He had thought that everything was in control until today, but now everything had turned upside down in an instant.

‘After all, is it that guy?’

The situation was so chaotic that he could hardly see an inch ahead, but there were a few things that he could discern.

Lumia Obse, the child of prophecy.

A boy who he had initially tried to befriend, but then stepped back due to an ominous feeling, he was embroiled in a series of events.

This wasn't just a guess.
When one was too close, they couldn't see things clearly, but when they took a step back, they gained perspective.

And the president had a basis for such a judgment.

“He can’t kill people.”

This was because of a contract he made with Kang Ha-neul in the past.

“It’s frustrating.”

The concept that dwelled in the president was none other than the concept of ‘Contract’.

It was a power that allowed him to make an absolute contract with the other party.

Therefore, He wanted to inform his second grandchild bout the contract with Kang Ha-neul so that she could come to her senses, but it was impossible.

Because one of the penalties for his ability was that he could not disclose the contents of the contract to anyone.

In fact, the penalty for utilizing the ability was quite insignificant when compared to the tremendous power it granted.
However, what once seemed like a minor consequence had now grown into a significant issue.

“President, did you call me?”

In front of the president who sighed quietly, a secretary with a hard expression appeared.

“Lumia.
Investigate that child.”

“Alright.”

“And, umm…” The president paused for a moment,  ponders for a while, and then asks a question. 

“…what is the first grandchild doing?”

“Young master has been out of contact for two days.”

Hearing that, the president frowned and asked the question again.

“That idiot…
I just saw the second grandchild, so that’s enough, but what about the third one?”

“Young lady was in the middle of preparing for admission until recently, but she suddenly left the house announcing that she would aspire to the Hero Academy…”

“Ha.”

The president's head was already throbbing with a headache, but the news of his grandchildren's problems only made it worse.

The first grandchild had lost his mind, the second lacked emotions, and the third had a good personality but weak abilities.

On top of that, that third one had run off to become a hero while the other two were causing their own issues.

“Kang Ha-neul, I shouldn’t have missed him.”

The president, who had been muttering with his head bowed, suddenly turned serious and addressed to the secretary.

“From now on, we will treat Himari as a cherished grandchild.”

Although the words may seem innocuous, the secretary understood their true hidden meaning.

The president intended to treat her as a family member rather than a potential successor to the company. 

The implication was clear: Himari was no longer running for the leadership.

Within the group, it was like a death sentence.

“…Are you serious? Isn’t it a great opportunity to make Lumia a member of our group?”

The secretary quietly asked, and the president answers in a cold voice.

“I've missed my chance with Kang- ha-neul before, but I'm not going to make that mistake again.”

At that, the secretary asked a question with a puzzled expression.

“Is Kang Ha-neul so important?”

“……..”

“Of course, I know he’s the one who has dramatically improved the condition of the second girl.
But that doesn’t mean it’s going to affect the company vitality…”

The president, who was looking at such a secretary, began to speak in a low voice to her who was looking at him.

“You don’t know him.”

“Yes?”

“What name he was called during his academy days, what anecdote he had with Justia, why I supported him.
You don’t know.”

Then, the president stared at the secretary.

“…”

“And you have no idea what he gave up for Himari, or what he paid me.”

As the president's voice grew louder, the secretary involuntarily flinched, intimidated by the sheer force of his presence.

The president, a living legend, commanded attention and respect, even in his twilight years.
Despite his failing health, his momentum was enough to overpower those around him.

“And that's not all.
You don't know his true powers.”

The president, who had given off a fierce momentum for a while, cleared his throat again and said:

“And that, even Kang Ha-neul himself doesn’t know.”

“……?”

“The one who secures the ability he has will be the one who seizes the hegemony in the future.”

His eyes were shining fiercely.

“From today on, pay attention to my third grandchild.”

“…why?”

“You said she wants to become a hero, don't you?”

“……..”

“Then she will need my help.”

After hesitating for a while, the secretary nodded, and the president closed his eyes again and added something.

“And, if you have time, look for the Kang Ha-neul.”

“That…”

The secretary was about to protest, but seeing the president shivering with one eye closed, she sighed and nodded her head. 

“I will do my best.” 

“Well then, so be it.” the president said, dismissing the secretary with a wave of his hand.

“Thank you, president.” 

After saying those words, the secretary bowed to greet the president with her eyes closed and went outside.

“…if that’s the case, wouldn’t it be worthwhile to be recognized as a son-in-law at most?”

In the room left alone like that, the president mumbled in a complicated voice.

“Himari, how the hell did you make that choice?”

A few years ago, a young boy kneeled in this place, proposing a completely unequal deal with no benefit to himself.

“Why did you let go of a man who could give everything for her?”

When asked if his granddaughter was worth it, he answered without hesitation,

– It’s not a matter of whether it’s worth it or not.

That answer was one of the most impressive answers the president had ever heard in his life.

He even signed the contract without thinking a bit.

– How would you value the emotions of a child who had no emotions?

Falling back into a deep sleep, the president thought quietly.

‘An idiotic good guy.’

But that’s why his personality was a shining guy.

.

.

.

.

.

A few days after completing the deal safely and sharing kimchi stew with Noona, I returned to the academy as Oh Ji-seok.

“Every time I come here, I feel nostalgic.”

It was because I could not attend for a while in the name of treating the wounds suffered during the academy disaster, but I could be fired if I did not show my face now.

“I never thought I’d come back as a professor.”

I reflected, remembering my days as a student just a few years ago. 

Although my position was still temporary, it felt like a new beginning.

– growl…

‘But why am I so hungry from earlier?’

As I walked towards the facility, my stomach growled, and I realized that I had been feeling unusually hungry lately, despite eating three hearty meals a day.
I wondered if it was a side effect of my recent villainization?

‘Shouldn’t it be better to ask Dice later?’

I headed to the canteen, scratching my head at the unknown anomaly, and soon realized the reason.

“…looks delicious.”

It was because Justia’s younger sister, Ariel, was standing in the dining room in front of the canteen, drooling over the food.

“Ugh…”

The restaurant of the International Hero Academy was famous for offering cheap and delicious food.
When I was a student, I always ate food from this restaurant.

However, for some reason, Ariel was just standing around with a dark face in front of such a restaurant.

While I was looking at her with mysterious eyes, Ariel suddenly took out her wallet from her pocket.

“…ha.”

After looking through her wallet for a while, she let out a deep sigh and trudged toward the store with drooping shoulders.

“Hey… a cup of noodles, please.”

Then, with a sullen face, she chose cup noodles.

“It’s 1050 won.”

“Ah, 1050 won… 50 won… so…”

However, she soon encountered an unexpected situation, desperately rummaging through her wallet and then quietly gnashing her teeth.

“……One triangular gimbap, please.”

She held out a crumpled piece of 1,000 won, bought a small triangular gimbap, and walked out of the store.

– growl…

As I stared at her passing by with her head bowed down among the laughing students holding a tray, my stomach started to growl with a terrifying pain.

“I’m pissed off.”

That figure pressed the seizure button inside me.

'How dare she eat poorly in front of me.'

As I was sharing the pain with the ‘Physical Link’ skill, my stomach got sore.

“Two meal tickets, please.”

Even without that as Justia’s partner, this was something I couldn’t just watch even if dirt got into my eyes.

“There.”

“Oh, professor?”

With that in mind, I quickly bought two meal tickets and approached her.

“I accidentally bought two meal tickets, so if you haven’t eaten, would you like to eat together?”

I asked with a smile that seemed as friendly as possible to her.

“Ah, it’s ok… I’m…”

Then, she began to stir her hand with her shaky eyes.

– GROWL…!

But at that very moment, thunder roared from Ariel’s stomach.

“Huh? What?”

“That, that…”

I tried to pretend I didn’t hear it, and when I asked that again, Ariel, who had her ears turned red and her head bowed, answered with a crawling voice.

“…Ah, thank you.”

Her appearance was so cute and unique.
Without realizing it, I smiled at her and then handed the ticket to the staff who walked away.

“Here, two.”

“Ugh…”

While holding Ariel by the shoulder to prevent her from running away.

‘I don’t know anything else, but I just can’t let her eat poorly.’