Chapter 19: Want to have a go?

The season after Fraud retired.

And my first season as ST’s starting mid laner.

[ST Gaming! They are eliminated in the semifinals!]
[Was Fraud’s absence too high and too deep? True fought hard until the end, but the Nexus—is destroyed!]

What’s the point of lying?

ST completely messed up that season.

The league, of course, and even invitational international tournaments and the LOC World Cup.

They reached around the semifinals, but it was a season without any connection to winning.

[—Disband, you fckers]
[—ST without Fraud is just a different team]
[—No titles this season, what the]
[—Sigh…everything is just mediocre]
[—True isn’t bad, but…]
[—The whole team is just unstable]
[—That’s supposed to be Fraud’s successor?]
[—lololol I’m just dumbfounded]
[—It’s the preordained end of LOC, you bastrds]
[—The fact is, only ST is f*cked]
[—lololol]

Not only did the players who shared glory with Fraud retire one after another, but he also had too many roles within the team.

I was still a rookie, and of course, I couldn’t even do half of what he did.

So, after the season ended, I gave up my vacation and was reviewing the games while sighing deeply, when.

“The season’s over, didn’t you go home?”

Fraud, who had been missing for a whole season after retiring, with no interviews, no coaching, and no one knowing where he went, had returned.

There was only one thing I could say to him, who suddenly disappeared and appeared at such a random time.

“What have you been doing?”

It wasn’t like I had entrusted him with anything, but at the time, I could only speak so bluntly because the team’s condition, and my condition, were not good in many ways.

“Sorry, I needed some time to sort things out.”
“……You know that makes me the bad guy, right?”
“What’s new? I’m already the guy everyone wants to kill among the fans.”
“You say you don’t look at communities, but you really see everything.”
“I’m not a player anymore, am I?”
“…..Ugh.”

At that moment, Fraud’s playful side as an individual, rather than as the player Fraud, was more visible.

Of course, from the listener’s perspective, it felt like my personality was twisting.

“True, do you know something?”
“What?”
“I was able to retire because of you. If it were someone else, I wouldn’t have stepped down during the finals.”
“……”

Usually, the sixth man on a team is treated as a non-existent person as a player, or is brought in for the rookie’s experience or for the atmosphere.

But on the day that incident happened, he gave me, who could be considered no more than a filler, his trust.

Well, I already let him down, and I let him down again throughout the season.

“I’ve never made a wrong judgment about this game, and that includes my thoughts about you.”
“……”
“You have the ability to succeed me.”

With not an ounce of falsehood in his eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to answer.

“Of course, it’s true that you’re still lacking, and it’s true that you’re inexperienced compared to Fluke or the others.”

As he said that, he sat down in the empty seat next to me and naturally pressed the computer power button.

“But, the reason I chose you despite that is.”

That one thing was enough.

The atmosphere in the media room changed.

“Eunseol is completely stiff.”

The photographer chuckled at my expression, which I hadn’t even made while taking pictures, and my stiff movements, and gestured for me to go over there.

The appearance of Fraud in front of me hadn’t changed at all from my memory.

Of course, even the wrist guard he usually wore.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”
“No! No! Absolutely not! Please come in, Fraud!”

From the makeup artist to the camera crew filming the vlog.

The incarnation of ST descended here, and they were flustered, but since they were capable people in their respective fields, they quickly got back to their jobs.

So, as luck would have it.

I ended up doing a mini-interview with Fraud in an empty space with two chairs.

For reference, the host was Coach Ahn Jaehoon, who had brought a bag full of ST goods for my parents.

“You didn’t have to do this much…”

I don’t know why it’s so grand just for recruiting a rookie for the 3rd division team.

“What are you talking about? We recruited a celebrity, so we need to get at least one more video out of it.”
“…Am I a celebrity?”
“After you appeared on Durang’s stream, people asked a lot about when you would join the team.”

It seems that the impact at that time was bigger than I thought.

A Challenger, good mechanics, and even a pretty middle school girl joining ST.

‘…Maybe it’s understandable?’

Thinking about it again, it seemed like the video team could get four or five videos out of it.

“So, did you call Fraud because of me too?”

“No. It’s not like he’ll come just because you call him. He’s very arbitrary and plays so many pranks. He just came because he wanted to.”

At that, Fraud playfully nudged the coach next to him.

“Haha. Did I break the fantasy of an idol too much?”

The coach gave an awkward laugh, but I could agree with those words a thousand, ten thousand times.

People who reach the top in one field are missing a screw somewhere, and that’s no lie.

“Anyway, let’s get started. It’s a natural video anyway, and we’ll edit it if necessary, so just talk comfortably.”

Actually, considering the camera in front of me, I couldn’t be more comfortable.

They might be seeing me for the first time, but I’m not.

“Um, then I’ll introduce myself first. I’m True, the new ST3 mid laner. I’m in my third year of middle school. Nice to meet you!”

I bow my head while sitting in the chair.

Fortunately, the well-groomed hair fell down appropriately.

“Oh, the new recruit has a very good posture, it’s nice to see.”

Fraud said, suppressing a laugh.

“By the way, how did you know to come here, Fraud?”

The staff member holding the camera suddenly asked, and Fraud answered casually.

“I memorize all ST-related schedules.”
“You really love the team. In a similar vein, did you come to encourage the new player?”
“Well…something like that.”

Hmm. No matter how I look at it, every time I see him smiling like that, there’s something there.

“Have you seen Fraud’s play a lot, True?”
“You can show me any game, and I can tell you when and who he played against.”

To catch up with Fraud.

There wasn’t a single game I didn’t analyze to grab even the tail of the legendary skill that fans talk about.

Moreover, at that time, I could live with the person who could explain the intention of the play next to me.

“That much…?”
“There’s no reason not to refer to the answer sheet.”

At that, Fraud spoke again.

“I like True’s playstyle.”
“Oh, have you seen True play?”
“I watched it a bit with Jaehoon. She’s good. The reason I came here today is because that play kept coming to mind.”
“You mean she’s a player with solid skills?”
“Yes. I think she will definitely make ST3 a strong team.”

At his words, everyone in the room was surprised.

“Hey, I told you not to put too much pressure on the new player. She’s a rookie.”
“If she’s a rookie, she can’t play like True.”
“You know best that I’m not talking about the game.”
“Jaehoon, look at her. Does she look nervous?”

I quickly straightened my posture at those words, but judging by everyone’s chuckles, it seemed like it was already captured on video.

“You were very nervous when Fraud came in.”
“Well, everyone was so friendly, so I guess I relaxed a bit.”

It’s not that I was nervous because it was difficult to deal with him, but that I was momentarily stiff because I met Fraud again.

“So, Mr. Fraud.”
“Yes?”

I added, so that the video team could scream with joy.

“You must have a reason for coming all the way here, right? Don’t tell me you came to see my face.”

I already knew the destructive power of my appearance.

If I say this much, even this sly human will have to get to the point.

Of course, I had no intention of waiting even that moment.

“Since you came all the way here, do you want to play a game with me for a bit?”
“…On the same team?”
“No. One-on-one.”

I knew it.

He didn’t come all the way here for no reason.

The unhideable competitive spirit made it easy to guess why he was here.

A rookie who plays the closest to ‘me’.

What pro could resist?

“That’s interesting. Actually, that’s why I came here today.”

There seemed to be no need for further pretense.

Even in the changed world, Fraud was still the strongest.

But I haven’t experienced him yet.

“Then shall we go?”

For me, it was time to reset the standard of the game called LOC.