Chapter 44: Serial Runaway Event (7)
After resolving the incident, I returned to the motel.
P suggested having a drink, but with no particular inclination, I headed to my room earlier. Although there was a computer in the motel room, I chose to lie on the bed and spent hours on my phone. Sansuyu, who had been sticking by my side, fell asleep leaning on my shoulder, and the whimpering Shiba also quieted down at some point.
-Tick Tock.
Only the clock filled the silent room.
I was occasionally responding to Dallae and Seyeong’s messages when a sudden thought had me leaving the room. I sluggishly stepped out and breathed in the outdoor air.
The cool dawn breeze was unexpectedly refreshing.
“You’re here.”
A sudden voice reached my ears. Without looking at the face, I responded naturally.
“It’s Cheondo, isn’t it?”
“You can even recognize us without seeing the face now.”
“How could I forget the voice of someone who showed their naked body and ran away?”
“Ha. What running away?”
Cheondo wordlessly came and stood next to me with a pack of cigarettes in hand.
“Want one?”
I continued to stare at my phone. Cheondo, looking at me, offered softly while crossing her arms.
“You seem emotionally shaken. What happened today?”
She’s quick to notice. I extended my hand without the mask.
“...Give me one.”
Her white hand met mine, offering a lighter and a cigarette. I puffed out smoke.
“Want to hear?”
-Nod.
“Sometimes there are those days. When looking at someone else, feelings of your past overlap. So it’s somehow lonely.”
It was not a grand story.
“Just, seeing a child who lost their parents, I was reminded of the past.”
“Hmm... you didn’t have parents?”
“Straight to the point. It’s not like that. If it’s about love, I received plenty. I’m not someone to be pitied.”
-Huuk.
The cigarette made my mouth dry, but the bitter taste wasn’t unpleasant.
“When I was young. My father killed someone.”
I spoke, reminiscing about a man who probably doesn’t exist in this world but was alive in another timeline.
“The daughter, the son of the dead man, was my friend.”
“I see.”
“Yes. I’ve been sensitive since I was young, so I could quickly realize.”
I had seen it dozens of times by the side.
“How quickly a child who lost their parents breaks, I’ve seen it more than hundreds of times.”
I was not particularly empathetic. In fact, I could commit a crime anytime if situations didn’t align. It was the case with Lee Seyeong.
“I experienced seeing someone I know crying to death more than getting hit.”
Depression was accompanied by mental illness and symptoms from stress.
Those bound the immature body and mind, ultimately killing the young soul.
I closed my eyes, recalling the white chrysanthemum placed on the desk of my first elementary school deskmate.
My father had the worst character.
“So, I strangely want to take care of kids and want to show only good things if I have a son or daughter. Because my father couldn’t.”
The child who couldn’t do anything, growing up, learned guilt.
This incident was the same. If I hadn’t known that the monster turned into an Ent couldn’t return into a human, I couldn’t have killed that man.
“But it’s absurd that a bad guy like me thinks like this, too? Hypocrite, maybe?”
Cheondo stood silently, listening to my entire story.The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñøv€l-B1n.
I felt a guilt I couldn’t fully express with words. Vomiting one’s past and acting petulant was extremely impolite.
An emotional dumpster.
Listening to others’ unpleasant stories was, in itself, a difficult and painful task.
“I’m sorry for saying such things.”
“No. Rather, I’m sorry for bringing it up first. Can you hand me the lighter?”
“Follow me.”
The Spring Peach Blossom members, including me, were seated around a motel room, each in their own posture, listening to Cheondo’s story.
“There are two hideouts located here. One is disguised as a pharmaceutical company, a pseudo-religious group. And the other is an abandoned factory.”
Cheondo began her explanation skillfully and emotionlessly.
“They probably have noticed our organization’s movements and are slowly withdrawing. Therefore, we need to move even faster.”
Cheondo pointed to the place on the map where the pharmaceutical company was located.
“Bob and I will infiltrate this place.”
“So, the three of us will infiltrate the factory?”
“Yes.”
At P’s question, Cheondo nodded, but P and Roshi tilted their heads as if they did not understand. P raised her hand to speak.
“Captain, I am glad to go out with a handsome junior, but to be honest, I am a supporter, and this girl is a healer, right? Is it the right choice to allocate the combatants to one side?”
“Although I don’t want to admit it, it’s a valid point.”
A rare agreement between P and Roshi. Cheondo chuckled as if she didn’t know what they were talking about.
“Why no combatants?”
“Yes? No, I am not disregarding him, but honestly, isn’t he underdeveloped?”
“A lack of power can be compensated with buffs. If his stats are adjusted, Lee Shiheon will probably have skills similar to Bob’s.”
Roshi looked at me with widened eyes. Was he really like that? Her expression was full of doubt.
“I didn’t say anything. Master just blurted it out.”
As I surrendered, raising both hands, Roshi and P scratched their cheeks and again looked at Cheondo. Could we believe that? I, too, filled with the same doubt, looked at Cheondo.
Cheondo spoke confidently.
“Believe in the one I believe in.”
“...Did you watch a weird cartoon again, Cheondo?”
“Shut up, P. The mood is finally settling.”
Cheondo’s leaf sword slapped P’s head.
“Ouch!”
P, holding her head due to the ruthless strike, fell. We stayed silent. We thought that if we intervened, we would be in worse shape.
Cheondo put her drawn sword back into her waistband.
“If something happens, contact through magic. If magic is interfered with, use the radio. Shiheon, you know how to contact through magic, right?”
“Yes. But what if I can’t even use the radio?”
“Then, rely on your ability to handle the situation.”
This atmosphere was pushing me too much. Unable to gauge Cheondo’s intentions, I tightly shut my mouth and observed P and Roshi’s faces. They seemed generally indifferent, but doubt still lingered.
“Master. It’s good to test the junior’s abilities, but can we entrust him with such a big incident?”
“Roshi is right. We do trust our junior, but what about his judgement?”
It was an opinion anyone could see coming, and Cheondo nodded as if it was obvious. An accepting demeanor. For a moment, I thought she would retract her statement, but Cheondo hardened her expression and murmured softly.
“If it’s annoying, you guys lead.”
“......”
“......”
We didn’t give any response.
“I anticipated your discontent. If Shiheon’s actions go wrong, I’ll ask him to take responsibility-”
“I have no intention to do so-”
“-Shut up.”
“Yes.”
I was silenced in one breath.
“The growth of the disciple will be a great help to us in the future. Perhaps it could be the last piece.”
“It’s abstract.”
“You’ll understand when you see.”
To the dissenting P, Cheondo showed a small smile.
“He has an excess similar to Baekdo.”
“Master?”
“Yes. That’s why the heavier the task, the more growth. Haven’t you guys seen the most miracles? My eye is accurate.”
Roshi had a suspicious expression but did not say anything. Was it really okay to do this?
A huge sense of duty pressed on my shoulders, and I grinned painfully.
