Chapter 9

9

3. If you're going to talk like that (2)

I had to interpret, but the words wouldn't come easily.

Even though the coach's anger was clearly conveyed despite the language barrier, Sebastian looked at me with anxious eyes.

I was angry. So I moved Sebastian behind me and stood in front of the coach.

I chose English over Spanish.

"Why doesn't Sebastian Rodriguez integrate? Is there a problem within the club? Are you saying you don't know, right now?"

The coach's expression showed signs of confusion.

Yeah, it's impossible not to know, given that he comes to the training ground every day. Even without the help of an interpreter, anyone could tell that Sebastian was being bullied just by watching one training session. The trio was that overt.

I was going to ask why he had ignored it all this time, but this was perfect.

"Race..."

"I'm not curious about why he can't integrate."

"What?"

"I said I'm not curious."

The coach pursed his lips and looked up at me. He still hadn't gotten up from his chair.

"Problems between players should be resolved among themselves. It's a basic requirement for professional players."

"No, basic requirements have their limits. When a player's personality is being destroyed, wouldn't it be a case where the FA or UEFA could intervene without any hesitation?"

"I don't know anything about it."

This guy is really something.

Something inside me was boiling over.

Sebastian grabbed my collar from behind.

"What's wrong? What did the coach say?"

"No, just wait a moment."

The coach, who had been watching us talk, slammed the documents he was holding on the desk to catch my attention.

"Anyway, I'm done talking. If he can't adapt, it's better for him to skip today's training. Pass the message on, and don't overstep your bounds in the future. Interpreter."

The coach said this and pretended to look at the documents. His eyes weren't moving.

This is a dismissal. Whether you're here or not, I'm going to work, a dismissal.

Should I have grabbed him by the collar earlier?

"Why are you like this? You're not interpreting?"

Sebastian kept muttering, clearly anxious.

The coach's voice followed.

"Still haven't left?"

I calmed my anger and approached the coach to use the helper cheat. Using a cheat on a guy like this would be enjoyable, not a matter of conscience. Before that, I didn't forget to tell Sebastian, "It'll be over soon."

In this situation, I couldn't shake hands, so I pushed the camcorder hanging around my neck towards him.

"Take a look."

It was abrupt, but it caught the coach's attention. Seeing him lean forward, I handed him the camcorder and lightly touched his fingers.

Zing.

It worked.

And the video started playing.

I muted the sound so Sebastian wouldn't hear, but the video was enough.

It was a video I had edited from Sebastian's daily reports, showing the trio aggressively targeting Sebastian.

After the practice match, when I said I would give them a week, the trio didn't touch Sebastian, so the video only showed the basic training and practice match from the first day I observed the training.

"What is this?"

How brazen.

"What's the problem with a small player being dominated by rough play?"

"No..."

I couldn't take it anymore.

I was about to ask if it was intentional, but Sebastian grabbed my collar tightly.

The coach also seemed to feel guilty and avoided my eyes.

Could this guy be threatened too?

That's how he's acting, right?

Wait, you bastard.

Sebastian left the office first, and just before I stepped out, I checked my phone for information.

-Fears Liam Grant

-Left-footed

-Tactical skills are lacking

The first line was from Lucky; the other two didn't seem immediately useful.

Whether he was being threatened or just scared, it seemed I would find out eventually. At least I confirmed there was a connection.

I glanced at the coach and left the room.

Outside, the chief coach, who I occasionally greeted, was talking to Sebastian in fluent Spanish.

The atmosphere was friendly, so I stood there blankly. The chief coach spoke to me first.

"Hello. You're Sebastian's interpreter, right?"

Unlike the coach, he looked friendly, and his words and accent were polite. Despite the fatigue visible on his face, I extended my hand.

The chief coach shook my hand and spoke in English so Sebastian wouldn't understand.

"His performance has been declining over the past few months. It must be tough. Take good care of him. Living away from home is so lonely."

"Ah... Yes, thank you. I'll do my best."

He was the first person in the club to treat Sebastian kindly, so I was a bit surprised.

"I haven't been able to look after him as much as I did when he first joined because I've been busy with the players. Please tell Sebastian I'm sorry. Ah, I need to go into the coach's office. It's a mess again."

The chief coach smiled softly and looked at the coach's office.

From inside, the coach was yelling, "Roy! Get in here! Training is about to start!"

I waited until the chief coach disappeared into the office, then turned on the helper to quickly check his information.

-Sleep time last night: 2 hours

-Sleep time two nights ago: 1 hour 31 minutes

-Feeling good

Is he a psychopath? How can he feel good after sleeping so little?

I didn't know he was such a strange person because he was so unobtrusive during the week, except for tactical meetings.

Still, he doesn't seem like a bad person, so I might buy a box of Red Bull and chat with him later.

While thinking, I turned to Sebastian.

Sebastian spoke first.

"What did the coach say?"

I sighed and told him the truth.

Sebastian's expression hardened.

Finally, he looked dejected, not knowing what to do. I comforted him.

"I'll contact the agency."

"What about today's training?"

"We have to go, for now."

If we left after listening to the coach and the club punished us for unauthorized absence, Sebastian would suffer, and I wouldn't get paid.

We need to act only when the situation is clear or we have documents.

Most importantly, I have no intention of following the coach's wishes.

Sebastian's expression was still poor. I slapped his back, mimicking a sister's backhand.

"Pull yourself together. You're a pro. I'll do what I can, so you have to do your best too."

"Really?"

Gradually, trust filled Sebastian's eyes, as if he had forgotten his anxiety.

"Got it. I'll do my best. See you on the training ground."

Sebastian walked confidently towards the dressing room.

I headed to the training ground, organizing my thoughts.

What should I do next?

First, I need to call the agency after the morning training and diversify the information I get from the helper. Most importantly, I need evidence. The helper's information can only be used as a reference, not in court.

The trio is more cunning than I thought. Since the day they gave me a week's reprieve, they haven't touched Sebastian.

So, there's no video or audio evidence. Only the rough play on the first day. There's nothing about racial discrimination.

But it will start again tomorrow.

So, I need to turn on the recorder when filming training. I'll use my smartphone today, but buying a dedicated recorder might be a good idea.

It's fortunate that I have a day's reprieve.

On the training ground, I saw other players besides the trio, and club staff setting up training equipment and coaching staff.

I had neglected to gather information on them.

Starting today, I need to actively move and register them in the helper.

While organizing my thoughts and approaching Liam Grant, my phone vibrated.

-Regular customer at Sea Garden Hotel

Sighing, I walked towards Sebastian, who had just changed clothes.

Soon, the coach came out to the training ground, and the training began. The coach looked at Sebastian and me with a bad expression but didn't stop us.

Come to think of it, I haven't seen Chief Coach Roy Bradley in a week.

Reflecting, I realized I hadn't seen him on the training ground at all. I asked Sebastian, who had just finished a physical training session.

"Does the chief coach not come to training?"

"Yes, he mainly handles analysis of the opposing team and tactics, so I only see him during meetings."

If that's the case, he might not know about the racial discrimination. I need to exclude the chief coach and start moving.

"I'll talk to other players during breaks."

Sebastian tilted his head.

"I said I'll do what I can. Trust me. I'll bring results like last week."

"With the mystique of the East?"

"Ah, yes, that's right."

I hadn't heard that phrase in a while, so I stumbled over my words.

"I'll be looking forward to it!"

Sebastian nodded vigorously and ran onto the training ground. The training involved breaking pressure and building up play, divided into attack and defense teams.

Sebastian shone whether he was on the defense or attack. I had intended to talk to the coaching staff while Sebastian was training but forgot.

On defense, he excelled with his speed and judgment, and on attack, he played a key role in building up play with good passing and off-the-ball movement.

"Great job!"

I clapped and cheered when Sebastian scored a goal, not forgetting to glance at the coach.

Was the coach really going to kick out such a talented player?

If his eyes were that bad, he should quit.

Anyway, since Sebastian is working so hard, I need to do my best too.

"Drink up."

"Thank you..."

For the umpteenth time, the players took the towels and drinks I offered, but they avoided my eyes.

And their gazes ended up checking the trio, led by Liam Grant.

I wanted to have a conversation, but with this reaction, there's nothing I can do. Still, I achieved my goal, so it's fine.

I smiled, looking at the numbers on the status bar.