Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss

Suicide Before Defeating the Final Boss – 25

EP.25 Information Acquisition

Regina trembled as Jeong-hyeon held her head. It wasn’t a good look for the academy’s second-in-command. Despite all the values she had built up, they did nothing to alleviate her pain, forcing her to kneel before violence.

“… What do you want… If you just say it, I’ll… Aaaah!”

familiar proposal. Why do those with some degree of power always offer such conditions? As he pondered this, he moved the sword back and forth, causing her more pain as he spoke.

“What do I want? Many things.”

“T-Then at least… ugh … remove the sword…”

At her words, he pretended to consider it and pulled the sword out. Regina looked at him with a pale face, her eyes filled with fear. Then he quickly changed his mind.

“No, wait a second.”

He plunged the sword back in and spoke.

“We’re still negotiating, aren’t we? Why would I remove the sword?”

“W-Wait a moment…! Gaaah!”

Regina realized too late that she had unintentionally invited more pain upon herself and screamed again. Watching her writhing and gasping in agony, he continued.

“What do I want, huh.”

Ever since he fell into this world, his desire had been singular. Revenge. To inflict the same pain on those who had driven him to the brink and made him suffer for so long.

“Can you make that happen?”

His targets were Bishop Lea, the Sword Saint and second princess Karina, and Daisy, the first High Elf and Archmage. And on a broader scale, the entire kingdom and the order.  It was absurd to think that Regina, who couldn’t handle even one of them, could fulfil his demand.

“In case you’re confused, you and your lot are nothing. Just underdeveloped idiots.”

“…If I use my family’s power!”

“That would still be difficult. And can you even control your family?”

A promising talent. In other words, she hadn’t matured yet and had nothing to offer besides potential. So, it was ridiculous for her to suggest that she could control her family.

“So let me ask again. What can you possibly give me?”

He wasn’t usually this talkative. Seeing Regina reminded him of the Second Princess Karina, which might explain it.

‘Sorry, Regina.’

The torture he was about to begin contained a bit of personal bias… No, considering she had tried to kill him, it didn’t matter. Realizing there was no need to feel guilty, he drove the sword back in.

***

The torture did not last as long as Jeong-hyeon anticipated. Regina soon fainted. Feeling somewhat disappointed, he spoke to Lucia.

“Is the healing done?”

“… Yes.”

Lucia looked exhausted, but it seemed more from the mental strain of participating in the torture than from the continuous use of healing magic. She shook her head, trying to calm herself, and then looked around with a worried expression.

“Is this okay? If things get this chaotic, the academy won’t just sit back…”

“Oh, that’s fine. These guys won’t tell anyone because of their pride.”

Apart from the blood-soaked clubroom, ‘technically’ no one was seriously injured or dead, so they’d likely let it slide. Jeong-hyeon wiped the blood off his sword on Regina’s clothes and spoke to Lucia.

“Wait a moment. There’s someone I need to take with us.”

“Take someone? Wouldn’t it be better to just… kill them?”

“I’m not taking them to torture, just to ask some questions, so don’t worry.”

Lucia seemed relieved and responded with a mix of relief and curiosity.

“I thought you were going to keep stabbing them to raise your stats.”

Was Lucia a genius? Seeing his expression of realization, she awkwardly laughed, realizing she might have said too much.

***

The boys’ dormitory, unlike the girls’ dormitory, allowed for more visitors. Perhaps it was a convenience feature designed to make it easier for companions to gather, considering the game origins of this world. In any case, Jeong-hyeon had brought Lucia, Miria, and an unknown man into his room.

“… Ugh.”

It was the man he had met earlier, the one who had found him amusing. Normally, he would have ignored and left him, but the man seemed knowledgeable and potentially useful, so he brought him along.

‘Information is always valuable.’

Determined to extract information they didn’t have, Jeong-hyeon spoke to Miria.

“If he lies or tries to avoid answering, let me know. A few stabs with my sword should make him talk properly.”

“…Haha.”

Miria laughed awkwardly at his words. At first, she seemed like a crazy woman, but the more they met, the more docile she became, and he couldn’t understand why. Of course, it was a good thing for him, so he decided to accept it and nodded to Miria, signalling her to start gathering information.

“Ah, so… you’re Hillaton, right?”

Miria seemed to recognize him instantly, indicating he was somewhat well-known. Jeong-hyeon rested his chin on his hand and watched Hillaton, who trembled and avoided eye contact.

“… Yes.”

“Then I have a few questions for you…”

Watching the two talk, Lucia commented to Jeong-hyeon.

“It feels like a victim support group.”

“A victim support group? You and me?”

“No…”

Aside from Lucia and Jeong-hyeon, there weren’t any other victims here, so Jeong-hyeon couldn’t understand what she meant. As he looked at her, really not getting it, Lucia shook her head and spoke.

“No, it’s my fault for even saying that.”

With nothing more to say, he kept silent. Lucia, seemingly wanting to change the subject, glanced at a nearby potted plant and asked.

“By the way, what’s this?”

“… Oh.”

He was surprised to see the sprout he had completely forgotten about since the promotion exam. Lately, he had been too preoccupied to pay attention to it.

“Wow, are you growing a plant? I didn’t know you had such a sentimental side, Jeong-hyeon … I’m touched.”

Once again, having nothing to say, he stayed silent. Lucia picked up the plant and examined it, then tilted her head and asked.

“But aren’t you supposed to water it? There’s no water tray.”

At her question, he glanced at the two who were deeply engrossed in their serious discussion. They probably wouldn’t hear him even if he spoke, but not wanting to create unnecessary drama, he gave a casual response.

“I took the tray out to clean it.”

“… Oh.”

Watching Lucia nod, he had a good idea.

‘What if I mix my divine power with Lucia’s and pour it into the plant? It might yield better results.’

Given that the plant required divine power, it seemed like a plausible idea.

He decided to ask for Lucia’s help later, once those two were gone. As he nodded to himself, Miria called out to him, indicating that she had finished gathering information.

“Jeong-hyeon.”

Hearing her, he drew his sword, but Miria shook her head in alarm.

“No, no, it’s not that.”

“He didn’t refuse to talk? Usually, they won’t speak because of pride or loyalty.”

Jeong-hyeon found it hard to believe that the man had talked so easily. Hillaton, avoiding his gaze, explained.

“… Whether I talk before or after being stabbed, I’m going to end up talking anyway, so I just said it right away.”

“I don’t believe you.”

“I swear on my family.”

Hearing that, Jeong-hyeon fiddled with the hilt of his sword. It was a wasted chance to raise his stats as the man was too easily swayed.

‘Maybe Regina will come to rescue Hillaton?’

That would give him a legitimate reason to beat someone up again. He prayed silently, hoping Regina would charge in. Meanwhile, Miria continued.

“Based on what I’ve heard and what he said, it’s highly likely that most of the new teachers at the academy are from the kingdom.”

“… From the kingdom?”

“Yeah. With all the recent changes in the instructors, the kingdom saw this as an opportunity to fill all the positions with their loyalists.”

Jeong-hyeon began to question the logic behind it.

“… Really? Isn’t there a manpower shortage because of the war?”

“I wondered about that too. Maybe because the academy is the last line of defense, so they think it’s safe here.”

He let out a hollow laugh. Selfish behaviour right to the end.

‘Kingdom personnel… It’s likely someone who knows my face will come.’

This meant Jeong-hyeon would face danger twice—once during the award ceremony and again while attending the academy. Realizing the complexity of the situation, he fell into deep thought. Miria then dropped the most shocking news she had heard recently.

“And there’s a rumour that the second princess will be the new headmaster.”

“… The second princess? Sword Saint Karina?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Karina, one of the only two Sword Saints in the world. Just hearing her name made his stomach churn.

“… The first princess is a second-year student, and now the second princess is becoming the headmaster? Does that even make sense?”

Miria sighed and responded.

“Of course, it doesn’t make sense. But what can we do? The kingdom holds all the power right now.”

They had sent the headmaster and vice-headmaster to the front lines and filled the academy with their loyalists, leaving no room for opposition. It was a ridiculous situation, orchestrated to ensure complete control.

‘Damn, nothing makes sense anymore.’

He couldn’t understand why Karina would be sent to the rear during an ongoing war, nor could he grasp why. With the first princess already there, they would send the second princess to the academy, knowing it would cause conflict. And why did they insist on seizing control of the academy now?

When Jeong-hyeon reached this point, it suddenly struck him that the ‘Order,’ which included Lucia and Bishop Lea, was doing something similar.