The Swimming Emperor(6) - I am Nam Hae-soo
How can I meet Mr. Nam Hae-soo, who is wearing the mask of another person?
There's only one answer.
Unless I have supernatural powers, I can only induce the situation for him to appear before me on his own.
Or,
'Knowledge of the future.'
The ultimate weapon that will allow Nam Hae-soo, who dreams of the past, to succeed once again!
There's no reason not to use this knowledge unless you have absolute power like the magical boy Choi Kang-min.
"By now, he must have become incredibly wealthy."
Although I learned about this era through fragmented knowledge from documentaries, Mr. Nam Hae-soo, who experienced this era firsthand, must know the detailed ways of making money!
I immediately started the investigation.
"Uh... well."
And I failed.
'I can't distinguish it at all!'
I didn't even know what Nam Hae-soo's means of making money was, and I couldn't guarantee that he was obsessed with money. There are too many rich people in the world!
'How am I supposed to know?'
As someone who has never lived in this era, my limitations were clear.
Climate change, epidemics, cryptocurrencies...
There was no development that deviated from the history of the past that I had acquired through history books and documentaries.
"Then..."
「Search: Prophet」
I tried to completely reverse my approach.
Considering the possibility that Mr. Nam Hae-soo didn't monopolize the 'knowledge of the future' and revealed it for the world!
「It will collide with a meteor.」
「The third world war breaks out.」
「A new epidemic spreads.」
「A volcano erupts.」
"Hmm..."
There were a lot of prophets floating around on the internet.
Considering that there are only two people in the world with the aptitude for 'prophet' in the results of P's aptitude test, it's an incredibly large number.
Moreover, the prophets of the old age were vague in their dates and content, and not all of their prophecies were 100% accurate.
'Gosh...'
There are too many wrong prophecies, right?
Compared to modern prophets who are trusted with weather forecasts and natural disaster warnings more accurate than supercomputers.
"Let's see... this prophet is a fraud... this old man is dead... not this girl either..."
I know the future.
Disasters, wars, incidents...
But even if you don't know the future, there is a way to distinguish frauds. This is because the prophet himself appeared on the broadcast and said it.
'The determined future.'
Even if they know, they can only predict the future that cannot be changed.
A representative example is aptitude.
Like Beethoven, the genius musician who left countless masterpieces even after losing his hearing.
Aptitude never changes.
On the other hand,
'Uncertain future.'
Prophets cannot foresee the future that can be changed by their statements or interventions.
For example,
Person A is scheduled to die tomorrow in a traffic accident.
But if A, who heard the prophet's warning, does not go outside?
The future where A dies in a traffic accident does not come.
So,
"All wars are fraud."
The future that can be changed by the prophecy of the prophet is not the future.
War, assassination, death, destruction...
That's why these prophecies must be filtered out without looking at them.
However,
'It's really complicated!'
People of the old age do not seem to trust the statements or warnings of the prophets as much as modern people do.
In this case, the situation changes again, and the prophet cannot interfere with the future, so he can foresee the future.
Let's give another example that is similar yet different.
What if A, who did not hear or ignored the prophet's warning, goes outside?
A dies in a traffic accident.
"An accurate prophecy..."
I carefully examined whether there was a prophet who accurately predicted the future that would happen on Earth.
It didn't seem like Mr. Nam Hae-soo would consider the risk of the future changing due to his statements.
The reason for the assertion?
Because I saw his children arguing over inheritance issues due to his careless attitude of not preparing for the future.
And on the tenth day.
"Ugh! I give up! I completely give up...!"
I collapsed onto the bed.
It was a waste of effort to investigate not only the Republic of Korea, which was Nam Hae-soo's nationality, but also the prophets of other countries.
There were too many wealthy people who made a fortune in a short period of time.
"I really don't know!"
"Molang?"
"...Huh?"
An extraterrestrial life form was squirming next to me.
"Molang?"
"Isn't it a slime? How did this guy end up on Earth...?"
It was a slime whose skin felt soft, not squishy.
The translucent body was not pink like the slime I often saw in the novel <I Became the Youngest Daughter of the Count>, but it was rainbow-colored...
"Molang~"
"Why are you here?"
"Molang!"
"Well, I see."
I have no idea what this molang slime is saying.
'Since this is a dream world, there must be a sword, right?'
I gave up on thinking deeply and organized my thoughts while touching the slime.
"Molang~"
"...Molang friend."
"Molang? Molang."
"From now on, if you agree with my thoughts, molang once, and if you disagree, molang twice. Got it?"
"Molang!"
Did it really understand? Anyway, it was fine.
"It seems that Mr. Nam Hae-soo did not actively utilize the knowledge of the future."
"Molang."
"But he, who started as another human being, wouldn't have failed in life either. If he had failed, he would have woken up from the dream long ago."
"Molang."
"Because Choi Kang-min did."
"Molang~"
Magical Boy Choi Kang-min, with the speed of light and absolute power, returned to reality only after his past failure was exposed and he became aware of the fact that it was a dream.
"Kim Eun-jung did too."
"Molang~"
Kim Eun-jung, the beautiful noble lady who all the handsome men loved. She also woke up from the dream after experiencing the crisis of public execution and terrible volunteer work.
"Song Seon-young is a bit different."
The girl who wanted to change her aptitude opened her eyes while accepting reality with my persuasion.
"Molang~molang"
"Huh? Are you saying my thoughts are wrong?"
"Molang!"
"...Molang friend. Are you really understanding what I'm saying?"
"Molang."
"Hmm..."
The answer was not very convincing, but I complained while stroking the slime.
"Where is this emperor of swimming, and what is he doing?"
"Molang~"
"Song Seon-young, Choi Kang-min, Kim Eun-jung. They were all trapped in a dream because they didn't like reality."
"Molang!"
"But what does Mr. Nam Hae-soo feel lacking that he hangs himself in the past? That too, in the form of another person."
"Molang?"
"I have no idea."
"Molang~"
My hand that was stroking it suddenly stopped due to the slime's behavior of molanging twice, as if to deny it.
"...Do you mean I already know?"
"Molang!"
"......"
Emperor of swimming, Nam Hae-soo, was a successful life for anyone to see.
Money, honor, family...
Although the children born by his beautiful wife, a former model, were struggling with inheritance issues, it was a harmonious family without any discord until he suddenly collapsed.
'I already know?'
Nam Hae-soo was a nobleman without greed, entrusting his wealth to the International Swimming Federation and supporting the cultivation of future generations.
Considering this, my guess that he became wealthy by utilizing the knowledge of the future is completely wrong.
"...Wait."
"Molang?"
"Has he no greed?"
If Mr. Nam Hae-soo had no greed, he wouldn't have swept the Olympic medals as he did.
Even just looking at the luxurious cruise ship he lent to the federation, he is a person who enjoys showing off quite a lot.
So why?
"Why is he so obsessed with cultivating future generations?"
Even for first-team athletes close to national representatives, a luxury cruise ship and a top-notch buffet were excessive luxuries.
Would Nam Hae-soo, who was once a player in the past, not know that?
No way.
"Molang?"
"Wait. I think I remember."
"Molang~"
The reason Mr. Nam Hae-soo was obsessed with cultivating future generations.
In modern swimming competitions, the outcome is determined by 'aptitude' as long as good swimsuits, environment, and coaching are provided...
"Aptitude?"
"Molang!"
"Right. That's right. Mr. Nam Hae-soo's aptitude was not for a swimmer."
But he sweeps the Olympic swimming medals and earns the title of 'Emperor of Swimming.'
Why?
It would be because the competitors' aptitudes were not for swimmers or they did not receive enough support.
"Molang?"
"...No. I think I know now."
It's impossible for me to find Mr. Nam Hae-soo wearing the mask of another person.
'I need to make him come to find me.'
How?
I got up from the bed and immediately connected to the internet.
「Search: Next Olympics」
In modern times, where sports monsters wearing human masks pour out every year, the Olympics are held every two years, but in the old age, it was divided into summer and winter with a four-year cycle.
"Ah... well."
"Molang?"
"There's not much time."
"Molang!"
"If I don't rot here for four years, I really need to hurry."
There was no time.
* * *
"Heeeyuuung~!"
Bang!
A beautiful androgynous-looking boy, whose gender is confusing depending on the viewing angle, roughly opened the door of the hospital room and rushed in.
"...Choi Kang-hoon, please be quiet in the hospital."
"Moon Soo hyung~!"
"......"
Seo Hye-joo, the manager who was handling Elmorangs Hospital's work from afar, took her hands off the keyboard.
'I already know?'
I received a 'notification' that this boy was coming here...
'Really annoying!'
His questions and interest, which were 86 times more than when his half-brother, patient Choi Kang-min, visited, were so disruptive to her work.
However, it was hard to ignore him because,
"Hello!"
"Welcome."
He had such a tremendously rich background.
"Doctor! How is Moon-soo hyung doing? I heard he fell asleep again!"
"There's nothing wrong with his body. But what brings you here..."
"It's vacation! I wanted to come as soon as I heard that my brother was treating an autistic patient named Kim Eun-jung, but it was during the semester then!"
"You seem to know the hospital's confidential information quite casually."
"It's because it's Hyung Moon-soo's matter!"
"I see."
It was usually impossible, but since the other party was the son of the major shareholder of Elmorang's affiliated hospital, it was passed by.
However,
"Oh! My goodness! It's truly amazing that such a beautiful lady is a doctor at Elmorang Hospital."
She didn't like the young man who entered the hospital room following Choi Kang-hoon.
Golden hair like an investigator's hook, dark green eyes, and a chiseled jawline...
His appearance, finished with a luxurious white tuxedo, exuded an attractive masculine beauty.
"Are you Prince Leon?"
"Oh! Beautiful foreign doctor. Do you know me?"
"I was contacted in advance."
Prince Leon.
A young royal of the country where this beautiful resort belongs.
If he were the legitimate heir, she would have to be polite, but there was no need to worry about a royal with an aptitude that did not suit a 'king,' no different from a wealthy second-generation heir.
'Annoying people doubled...'
Since she had a lot of backlog, she wanted to tell Choi Kang-hoon and Prince Leon not to disturb her.
Did her wish reach them?
"Kang-hoon, if you're done with your business, I'll show you around the island. The royal resort and restaurant..."
"Wait a minute. I'll just give Hyung Moon-soo a gift."
Thud!
Choi Kang-hoon attached a piece of paper to Kang Moon-soo's forehead, who was lying on the bed as if dead.
"Choi Kang-hoon? What on earth is that..."
Manager Seo Hye-joo, who didn't know that he would touch Kang Moon-soo's body directly, was startled and asked.
To answer her,
"It's a talisman from a famous shaman with a 500-year history! It has the powerful divine protection!"
"Ah, yes. Divine protection..."
"It's real!"
She was convinced that Choi Kang-hoon had been deceived.
"Gosh! I can't understand the thoughts of commoners."
Prince Leon also smiled in disbelief for a different reason.
At that time,
"What? Why are you here?"
"Why are you here, Song Seon-young, who bothered Hyung Moon-soo?"
"I bothered him???"
"That's right."
"No!"
Song Seon-young, holding two cups of iced coffee, entered the hospital room, getting angry.
"Ah... oh..."
However, she had no choice but to stop because Prince Leon, who had lost his wits seeing her, was blocking her way.
"Would you mind stepping aside?"
Song Seon-young immediately frowned her beautiful forehead, showing her discomfort.
"Beautiful lady! Your name is..."
"Song Seon-young."
"Oh! A name that sticks to my soul. Song Seon-young, I am...
"Would you mind stepping aside?"
Her voice, handing a cup of iced coffee to Manager Seo Hye-joo, was gradually getting annoyed.
"Ahem! Excuse me."
Embarrassed, Prince Leon quickly stepped aside.
Swish~
He couldn't take his eyes off Song Seon-young as she casually walked past.
"Huh? What is this?"
"Senior! Don't remove it!"
Choi Kang-hoon protected the talisman attached to Kang Moon-soo's forehead.
"It's your doing! Move aside."
"I can't!"
"Song Seon-young, I understand your noble concern for the patient, but if you could give me a moment..."
"Remove it right now when I'm asking nicely!"
"No!"
"......"
Manager Seo Hye-joo thought as she drank the iced coffee Song Seon-young gave her.
'It's a mess.'
Will this continue until Kang Moon-soo wakes up?
...She wished it wouldn't.
Read ahead by supporting me on Ko-fi. Access 5 advance chapters with Silver Tier($10) or 10 advance chapters with Gold Tier($18) or 15 advance chapters with Platinum Tier($35).
Choose your tier by clicking the 'Support Me' button!!
Rate and review this novel on NU to help people find this novel. Bonus chapters upon reaching specific milestones.