Chapter 81 – Heavenly Demon’s Disciple (3)
“Sorry for the trouble.”
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
The police officers left after thanking us for assisting with the investigation. The Taekwondo association staff and the gym managers who came with them left as well.
“Whew.”
There had been a small issue, but it ended well after I promised to be more careful from now on.
And now—
“Moon-soo?”
“Yes.”
Coach Jang Seo-yeon and I were the only ones left.
“I heard you went to have your Taekwondo skills evaluated…”
“That’s right.”
“But anyone can tell this wasn’t simply evaluating your skills!”
“Hm. The athletes’ skills were worse than I expected.”
It was true.
Compared to Master Gomushin, who taught me Taekwondo in Nam Hae-soo’s dream, even the world’s second-ranked athlete was like a child.
The nickname Martial God attached to him wasn’t an exaggeration.
“Sigh… If you’re going to pull something like this again, explain it in detail beforehand.”
“Yes.”
“Promise?”
“I promise.”
I don’t want to cause trouble for others just to achieve my goals. I’m not a devil like Nam Hae-soo, who doesn’t care about methods.
I’ll rise through pure skill, fair and square.
…Even if that skill itself is basically a cheat.
Time flows much slower in the dream, so training my mind and body inside it partially carries over into reality.
Of course, that means death in the dream is also partially reflected, which is dangerous—but not enough to break my resolve.
“Alright, then a quick question. Yesterday you went to the hospital—what did you talk about with Chief Seo Hye-joo?”
“It was about a new patient.”
“That patient… are they like Sun-young or Nam Hae-soo, trapped in a deep sleep?”
“Yes. It’s been three years, apparently.”
“Oh dear… three years…”
Since her own daughter had suffered from that incurable condition, Coach Jang Seo-yeon’s expression turned heavy.
“We’re currently investigating the patient’s personal information.”
“And after that?”
“……”
“Don’t tell me—again, into the dream?”
“Probably.”
“Sigh… People are going to call me a salary thief again.”
Coach Jang flopped onto the soft sofa with a groan.
A salary thief.
Since I was her only athlete, she really had nothing to do when I was inside the dream.
“It’s not bad, isn’t it?”
“It is bad. It was nice at first, but that only lasts a day or two.”
“Because it gets boring?”
“My daughter keeps annoying me.”
Her answer was unexpected.
“I see.”
“…You’re not even going to ask why she’s annoying me?”
“I’m sure you have your reasons.”
I’m not some pervert who gets curious about the private life of a classmate who was my girlfriend in the dream.
That dream was a deserted island with just the two of us.
In the real world, there are plenty of men more handsome than me—like Leon, the prince.
“Sigh… you’ve got a long way to go.”
“Don’t worry about your salary.”
“Aaagh…!”
“Anyway, while I’m asleep, it’ll be safe since Elmolance University Hospital protects my physical body, but please handle any external issues.”
“Like the media or the police?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll handle as much as I can.”
“Thank you.”
With that, the conversation more or less wrapped up.
I was slightly surprised to have reporters and police show up early in the morning, but compared to the attention I got inside Nam Hae-soo’s dream, this was nothing—practically cute.
Right. There’s still a long road ahead.
Just like Coach Jang Seo-yeon complained, there was still plenty of work to do.
“Coach.”
“That’s the face of someone with another request.”
“Yes. Currently, my Olympic events are the 4000m swim and the 10km swimming marathon, right?”
“That’s correct.”
“But I want to try the 2000m, 1000m, 300m, and 100m as well. Please compare my times with other first-division athletes.”
“The 2000m is possible. But the rest are unrealistic.”
“……”
Her answer came instantly.
Coach Jang immediately added an explanation:
“You think I wouldn’t have checked already?”
“I heard my leg strength improved though.”
“But as you know, freestyle relies more on arm strength.”
“That’s… true.”
Maybe I should focus on push-ups in the next dream?
“But don’t be too disappointed. Your 1000m time is almost equal to the first-division athletes. The problem is that you can’t win a medal in the Olympics.”
“Oh!”
“I was going to talk about this anyway. After discussing the 2000m qualification with you, I was planning to submit the application.”
“How does that one look?”
“If you’re lucky, a bronze medal.”
“Hmm…”
“Don’t be discouraged. There are athletes who can’t even win that bronze and end up getting nagged by their husbands for the rest of their lives.”
“My apologies.”
Coach Jang was talking about herself.
“Oh dear! That wasn’t me asking you to apologize. Don’t misunderstand, okay?”
“Yes.”
“The 4000m swim is a guaranteed gold medal. And the 10km swimming marathon… you’ll keep winning gold until you retire.”
“That sounds right.”
In marathons, where endurance is everything, I was overwhelmingly advantaged—with almost limitless stamina.
The director continued:
“I suggested this before, but—how about trying the athletics marathon as well?”
“Sure.”
Olympic medals were something I wanted as many of as possible, so I answered without hesitation.
The athletics marathon was 100km.
Just the fact that it was more than double the distance of the old era showed how monstrous modern athletes were.
Athletes verified by P’s aptitude tester.
Coaches verified by P’s aptitude tester.
And sportswear and supplements developed by scientists and engineers verified by P’s aptitude tester…
The average level was simply different.
“Should I help you find a coach who specializes in the athletics marathon?”
“No. I’ll crush it using my specialty—endurance.”
“Well, fair enough.”
Knowing my stamina well, the coach accepted it without argument.
“Coach. Wouldn’t it be faster—and silence any criticism—if I join a marathon event and prove my skills directly?”
“Wait. I’ll talk to the dean about that.”
“The dean?”
Why was the dean of the sports university suddenly involved?
“Moon-soo, you’re not a student.”
“Well… that’s true.”
“I looked over your contract with the previous coach. The renewal cycle is one year.”
“That’s right.”
“The problem is that this contract is full of loopholes.”
“…That can’t be right.”
From what I remembered, the previous coach didn’t commit fraud when I looked through the contract carefully.
Director Jang Seo-yeon continued:
“When the previous coach was fired, your obligation to renew the contract disappeared.”
“Ah!”
“And honestly, looking at this contract… it’s obvious you never took your swimming career seriously. I’m right, aren’t I?”
“How did you know?”
Back then, after being fired from my convenience store job, I only wanted free room and board until I found new work.
Though things are different now!
At the time, I didn’t think I could ever catch up to first-division athletes.
So I planned to pretend to work hard for a bit and then slip away.
“The right to renew the contract lies solely with the coach.”
“Is that strange?”
“It’s one of the preventative clauses used to stop an athlete from transferring. But it also means that even if your treatment gets worse, you can’t leave on your own.”
“In that case, I’d just slack off while enjoying the free lodging.”
“And if they still refused to let you go?”
“……”
I hadn’t thought that far.
“Listen carefully. If you had no talent, it wouldn’t be a bad contract. They’re giving free support to someone who isn’t even enrolled at the university.”
“Hm…”
“But once your talent becomes obvious, everything changes. You’d be in a position where you beg them to terminate your original contract so you can get better treatment elsewhere.”
“…That’s true.”
This wasn’t the time to be thinking about Taekwondo or marathon running.
The contract.
I had just learned that a single poor decision in society can ruin your life.
“From now on, whenever you sign a contract or make an important decision, consult with me—no exceptions. You’re an athlete. The coach’s job is to help the athlete focus solely on training. Use your coach.”
“Yes.”
“You’re actually lucky, Moon-soo.”
“I am?”
“While you were proving your talent, the International Swimming Federation was planning to reinstate the previous coach.”
“What! Then…”
“Exactly. The loophole I mentioned would have become unavoidable.”
If the coach wished it, I would be forced to renew the contract every year—without escape.
“Right now, they can’t call him back because his wrongdoing is still too fresh. But once public opinion dies down—just before your one-year renewal deadline—they planned to quietly bring him back.”
“I had no idea.”
“Neither did I.”
“Then how did you find out, Coach?”
“You should properly thank Madam Park Han-hee, who loves you like her own child—no, more than her own child.”
“Ah…”
I never expected repayment to come in such a way.
“She blocked the federation’s plan in advance.”
“That’s a relief.”
I let out a long sigh of relief.
That was dangerously close!
In dreams, I might be fearless, but in reality I’m just an ordinary human.
Real life doesn’t tolerate failures and irreversible mistakes. You can end up like Nam Hae-soo, regretting everything forever with no way back.
“But don’t relax yet. The previous coach’s penalty was reduced from dismissal to suspension. The federation might ignore Madam Park’s wishes and reinstate him anyway.”
“……”
“That’s also why I’m going to meet the dean.”
“It wasn’t about the marathon?”
“That too. But mainly, I’ll pressure them by implying you might quit your athlete career entirely.”
“Is that allowed?”
“It is. Your natural aptitude is as a shaman.”
“Oh!”
“Even if the contract binds you and prevents you from competing, being an athlete is your secondary job. If we say you’re focusing on your main job as a shaman, they won’t be able to argue.”
“And if they keep pushing even after we explain?”
“In that case, it becomes a battle of public opinion. We’ll frame it as the federation and the university killing a guaranteed Olympic gold medalist.”
“Ah!”
“So don’t worry.”
“Yes. Thank you so much. I’m seeing you in a new light, Coach.”
Until now, I only thought of her as Song Sun-young’s mother—an attractive, confident middle-aged woman.
Her swimming skill was just a bonus.
“If you’re grateful, then hurry up and get your 100km marathon record measured.”
“Yes. I’ll look up the nearest marathon event and participate.”
“Too slow. I’m meeting the dean this evening.”
“No matter what, that’s still…”
There were no marathon events scheduled for today.
“Just wait.”
“Yes? Uh, okay.”
Director Jang Seo-yeon quickly pulled out her smartphone and made a call.
Ring~♪
【Mom, what is it?】
It was Song Sun-young’s voice.
“My beloved daughter, are you busy?”
【I’m busy… but I can spare a moment to talk to you.】
“I needed a favor, but if you’re too busy, then I guess not…”
【Are you sure you should be chatting during work hours? People will call you a salary thief again.】
“My daughter’s not the one who needs to worry about that.”
【If you’re going to say weird things, I’m hanging up.】
“You’ll regret it if you hang up.”
【What is it?】
“Moon-soo said he needs your help.”
“Coach?!”
I never said anything that terrifying!
【…Fine. I don’t have a choice.】
“I thought you were busy?”
【Where and when do you need me?】
“Hold on. I’ll text you the time and location.”
Click.
The call ended.
“Coach?”
“I have an appointment, so I need to go to the Taekwondo gym now. That’s why Sun-young will help you with the 100km athletics marathon.”
“Sun-young will?”
“Yes. Any problem?”
“It feels wrong to call your daughter away from work because of me…”
“It’s fine. She was exaggerating. You heard her—she agreed right away.”
“Well, yes…”
But is this really okay?
The director gave me a playful push on the back.
“Hurry and change into your athletic gear in the locker room. Don’t forget running shoes.”
“Uh… yes.”
“You don’t dislike Sun-young coming, do you?”
“No.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“……”
I didn’t know myself.
“Leave the detailed preparations to me. You should wash up and maybe put on some perfume—ah wait, you don’t have any. Not a big deal, but my daughter likes hyacinth scent.”
“Hyacinth?”
“It’s a type of flower.”
“I see.”
A perfume scent Song Sun-young likes.
Hyacinth.
I recorded the information in my mind as something I didn’t need to remember.