How to Take Revenge as an Academy Scoundrel

Chapter 69. The Mark

“What did you talk about?”

Kim Dojin approached Misaki Ai again, casting his gaze toward the lake as he asked.

“Fortunately, he seems to be a better person than I had known. Perhaps it’s just because the comparison is with Karasuma Ryota…”

At Misaki Ai’s response, Kim Dojin let out a wry smile and asked back, “Was there nothing special besides the apology?”

“Nothing particularly special, but it seemed he was unaware that it was you and Instructor Astrid who intruded upon his hideout.”

“Right. That seems to be the case. Karasuma Tenshin is extremely cautious and thorough.”

“Yes. He also asked me to convey his gratitude to those who thwarted your brother’s scheme, saying he would always strive to help if needed.”

“To offer help, huh…”

As Kim Dojin muttered this, a peculiar smile lingered on his face.

Of course, he intended to collect the debt that Karasuma Seishiro wished to repay, but there was something else to gain as well.

*‘He hasn’t noticed, has he?’*

In truth, when Kim Dojin had seen Karasuma Seishiro moments ago, he had confirmed that the magical mark on his neck still remained, functioning as it should.

Originally, that magical mark had been inscribed by Karasuma Ryota to seize his brother’s body, so it was normal for it to vanish with his death.

However, as Kim Dojin devoured Karasuma Ryota’s ‘mental domination’ ability, the magical mark did not disappear.

In other words, if the conditions were right, Kim Dojin could seize Karasuma Seishiro’s body, even if only temporarily.

If Karasuma Seishiro were to succeed his father as the head of the ‘Karasuma Clan’ in the future and utilize this ability… how great would the benefits be?

*‘I hadn’t expected to reap this much.’*

Perhaps he could even tap into the full power of the ‘Karasuma Clan,’ one of the top ten guilds in the world.

With a satisfied heart, Kim Dojin struggled to keep the corners of his mouth from rising as he surveyed the peaceful lake scenery.

But then.

Misaki Ai, standing beside him, suddenly turned with an apologetic expression and said, “Actually, the one who should be most grateful to you, Dojin-kun, is me… I’m truly sorry for not being as capable as Seishiro-sama. Still, if there’s anything I can do to repay you, please let me know.”

In response, Kim Dojin nodded, trying not to burden Misaki Ai, and replied, “Got it. If I need help, I won’t hesitate to ask.”

Thanks to Kim Dojin’s inherently calm and cool demeanor, Misaki Ai seemed to lighten up, saying, “Yes. Please do! But… I have one question…”

Noticing the change in Misaki Ai’s demeanor, Kim Dojin tilted his head and asked.

“Curious about something?”

With that, Misaki Ai, for some reason, began to chew on her lips before speaking.

“Yes. Why did Dojin-kun go to such lengths to save me directly, risking so much…? He could have just dug deeper or passed it off to someone else…”

In truth, this was not the first time Kim Dojin had rescued Misaki Ai from peril.

He had saved her during the ‘Arc’ exam from an explosion of monsters, and if one counted the minor incidents, he had helped her several times.

It wouldn’t be strange to suspect he had some ulterior motive behind it.

Perhaps that was why Misaki Ai’s face had turned slightly red, but ironically, Kim Dojin had no such intentions toward her at all.

If he had any ulterior motives, it was rather to devour Karasuma Ryota’s ‘mind control’ superpower, so Misaki Ai was completely misunderstanding the situation.

Regardless, Kim Dojin had not acted without some benefit to himself, so he offered a casual response.

“Honestly, I didn’t think it would be that dangerous when I acted. And unless I was completely unaware of Karasuma Ryota’s vile scheme, I can’t just pretend I don’t know when I do, so there’s really no need to worry about it.”

“Huh? Ah…”

Perhaps she had been expecting a different answer.

Misaki Ai lowered her head, looking somewhat disappointed.

“I see.”

But it was only that her expectations had been high; her feelings for Kim Dojin would not change significantly.

Soon, she lifted her gaze again, looking at Kim Dojin with a strange expression that seemed to mix admiration and affection.

Of course, with her eyes covered, no one, including Kim Dojin, could see that look.

* * *

At last, all the field trip activities had come to an end.

The students of ‘Arc’ moved swiftly back to the central plaza through the ‘portal,’ and they finished counting heads to ensure everyone was accounted for.

Now, all that remained was to disperse and return to their respective dormitories.

‘This place feels like home now…’

The students began to exchange light farewells, and Kim Dojin also started to make his way back to his dorm room.

But then, in the midst of it all…

“Can we talk for a moment?”

Lee Jinryul, who had approached him without him noticing, spoke with his characteristic smile.

“Sure.”

Since he had somewhat anticipated this, Kim Dojin responded without any hint of surprise.

“But where?”

“In my room?”

“Good.”

And so, some time passed.

– Tiri-ri-ric!

Kim Do-jin followed Lee Jin-ryul into his dorm room.

‘Hmm…’

As soon as the door opened, the interior of Lee Jin-ryul’s room was surprisingly tidy.

Not only was it organized and clean, but it also carried a pleasant fragrance that wouldn’t seem out of place in a girl’s room.

‘Well, I had a feeling his neat appearance and personality would match this style.’

Anyway, what mattered now wasn’t Lee Jin-ryul’s tendencies.

“What do you want to drink?”

Lee Jin-ryul gestured for Kim Do-jin to sit on the sofa first and then asked, to which Kim Do-jin casually replied that he wanted some water and waited.

“Here.”

Soon, Lee Jin-ryul handed over the water he had brought and sat down across from Kim Do-jin.

“Good.”

As Kim Do-jin gulped down the water he had just received, Lee Jin-ryul cautiously began to speak.

“From your reaction, it seems you already know what I’m about to say?”

Kim Do-jin, having emptied his glass, placed it down on the table with a thud.

“Oh. Is it about the unauthorized departure?”

Lee Jin-ryul shook his head in disapproval as he answered.

“Yes. If we thought you were unaware of that fact, it would have been quite unfortunate.”

It was no exaggeration to say that it was shameful for agents of the ‘Special Defense Agency of South Korea’ to overlook the unauthorized departure of an awakened individual who was only 17 years old.

Of course, Kim Do-jin was an exceptionally rare case.

Anyway, Lee Jin-ryul and the other agents of the ‘Special Defense Agency’ had grasped the fact of Kim Do-jin’s unauthorized departure, which was something Kim Do-jin had secretly hoped for.

“I thought you would know. But why are you bringing this up now?”

“To be honest… we did realize you had left without permission, but we weren’t in a position to stop you.”

In truth, the agents of the ‘Special Defense Agency’ had only become aware of the unauthorized departure after Kim Do-jin had already vanished from the hotel.

Even if they had rushed to pursue him at that moment, closing the distance to Kim Do-jin, who was flying away on a special magical hoverboard, was impossible with the current capabilities of the agents on-site.

“Is that so? Then I guess it’s fine to keep being disappointed?”

To this, Lee Jin-ryul replied with a wry smile.

“In that case, I’ll deploy an agent specialized in tracking and mobility for this operation. But… why didn’t you consult us? We could have helped with assisting Misaki Ai.”

Indeed, it was as they said.

The agents of the ‘Special Defense Agency’ could not easily operate within Japanese territory, for the risk of escalating into international conflict loomed large. Yet, there were many tasks that could be carried out in the shadows, meticulously hidden from the light.

Had he revealed the full story and sought assistance, the operation might have proceeded with greater ease than originally planned.

However, there was a distinct reason why Kim Do-jin chose not to ask for help, despite being aware of this fact.

The first reason was that the moment Astrid Lindell became an ally, he believed they could succeed in their mission without the aid of the ‘Special Defense Agency.’

On the other hand, the second reason was his desire to test the capabilities of the ‘Special Defense Agency.’

In the end, both of these motives bore fruit, and Kim Do-jin concealed his satisfaction as he answered the question posed to him.

“Considering that this is taking place on Japanese soil, especially against the Karasuma clan, I thought relying on the Special Defense Agency would be too great a risk. And even if I had asked for help, wouldn’t there have been little we could do against Karasuma Tenshin anyway?”

Naturally, Lee Jin-ryul could not refute this statement.

Karasuma Tenshin was a global powerhouse, one of the ‘Ten Pillars,’ and a few agents, including Lee Jin-ryul, could never hope to match such a formidable opponent.

“That’s true. Unless the Director himself intervenes, Karasuma Tenshin is a force that’s difficult to contend with using ordinary strength…”

Once that acknowledgment was made, there was no need for further discussion.

Kim Do-jin nodded in agreement, then fixed his gaze intently on Lee Jin-ryul.

So, what was the next matter at hand?

“Ha… well. Since it ended in success, I suppose we can’t complain about being sidelined. But why did you undertake such a risky endeavor? You might not have anticipated Karasuma Tenshin’s involvement, but wasn’t it still too dangerous?”

Lee Jin-ryul continued to ask various questions, but Kim Do-jin, of course, did not divulge everything.

At most, he revealed that he had stumbled upon Karasuma Ryota’s scheme and acted to save Misaki Ai.

“Is that so…”

Lee Jin-ryul, not expecting much, decided to abandon his quest for information.

“But what do you plan to do after graduating from Arc? You mentioned before that seizing power within the Myungseong Group wasn’t your goal, so what do you intend to achieve with your remarkable abilities?”

In truth, Lee Jin-ryul had another purpose for seeking out Kim Do-jin beyond gathering information.

It was to recruit Kim Do-jin as an agent of the ‘Special Defense Agency.’

The ‘Special Defense Agency’ needed exceptional talent, and in their assessment, there was no one more outstanding than Kim Do-jin, making the attempt to recruit him a natural course of action.

“If you don’t have any other objectives, how about joining our Special Defense Agency?”

Kim Do-jin felt a surge of interest at that proposal.

His foremost goal was to absorb as many supernatural abilities as possible to grow stronger.

If he became an agent of the ‘Special Defense Agency,’ he could gather a wealth of information about villains to devour, and that too, legally. What better environment could there be?

He even considered accepting the offer on the spot, but he felt no pressing need to do so.

“Well…”

As Kim Do-jin responded with a deliberately indifferent expression, Lee Jin-ryul clicked his tongue in disappointment and nodded his head.

“Understood. Then take your time, but seriously consider it.”

Of course, Kim Do-jin had every intention of doing just that.

The conditions for consideration would differ greatly from what Lee Jin-ryul imagined, however.

—