Chapter 86: How To Capture A Hero (7)
Chapter 86: How To Capture A Hero (7)
“Promise to kill me if I become a villain.”
I felt a sense of inexplicable bitterness and distance upon hearing those words.
‘So she’s decided to walk the path of a hero, no matter how tough and painful it is.’
Although physically we were extremely close, a distinct sense of distance existed between her and me.
I was a villain.
Yumir hoped to be a hero.
[Don’t you want to become a villain?]
“No. I don’t want to kill people. Even if those who lost their powers because of me eventually chose death after a few days or experienced pain worse than death, I don’t want to kill anyone by my own will.”
A hero-like response.
“Although I lack in many aspects now, I’ll definitely become stronger. That’s why I came to Korea.”
[What about joining Gyeolsa?]
“Gyeolsa…”
As she was the protagonist who had a more upright mindset than anyone, I wanted to pull Yumir deeper into Gyeolsa.
[Even if you join Gyeolsa and become a villain, it’s not necessary to kill people. You can just be in the group.]
“But someday, the day I have to kill someone will come, right? Or stand by and watch someone die.”
[I can’t deny that.]
Gyeolsa was an organization that removed any obstacles to our world domination.
And ‘murder’ was naturally included in our means.
“Gyeolsa is not a place for me. I want to help people, not control them with power.”
[To say that when you have the power to control…]
“Everyone has power, but how we use it is different. This power was given to me not to control people, but as a gift from God to purify those who have become demons and return them to human life.”
[A gift from God, huh.]
In other words, it could be the author’s setting, the protagonist’s fate.
“Yes. Although fundamentally it involves taking from others, if it means taking from those who have become demons…you can think of it in a slightly better way, right?”
The author created this world, and Yumir was the protagonist of this world.
[It will be tough.]
“It will be tough, but I have to try. It’s just the beginning. I can’t back down from the start because it’s tough. I’m not that weak-willed.”
[Your thoughts might change when you can’t see each other for a year.]
If, for example, they tried to destroy the Earth by dropping a meteor from the sky.
“Don’t worry. If I work hard, someone will appear to help me. I don’t have anyone now, but someone will.”
[It’s a shame that God did not attach an assistant to you. It’s a principle that a hero should have a sidekick.]
“I don’t need a sidekick because I have someone who can help me.”
[Who is it? The person who helped you come to Korea?]
“……Who could it be?”
Yumir just looked at me and smiled.
[I have no intention of helping you.]
“Oh my. You didn’t think of the Goblin, did you? You must think it’s you?”
[Then who is it?]
“I have no intention of telling the Goblin.”
Yumir stuck her tongue out at me.
It was an overly classic action, but at the same time, it was so funny that I was flabbergasted.
[It seems they are more reliable than I thought, seeing how much you cover and help them.]
“Yes. They are incredibly handsome and extremely mannerly, and they give me enlightenment whenever they speak to me. They are the only person on this suffocating island to whom I can breathe and talk.”
I felt good, but still, I tried not to give away my identity as much as possible.
[Well, be careful. He is probably a man since you said he’s handsome.]
“What should I be careful about?”
[All men are wolves.]
“Huh? Pfft!”
I was serious, but Yumir laughed while holding her stomach.
[If someone wants to get close to Yumir, an E-class ability user, they might have lascivious thoughts towards psychics. Are you really sure there’s no possibility?]
I was lowering myself, but if I didn’t do this, I wouldn’t be able to get rid of the suspicion she had about me.
“Is that so? I don’t care.”
[What? You don’t mind even if he flirts with you?]
“Um… Yes. If he does something serious or goes all the way, I think he’ll have to live with me for the rest of his life….”
Yumir leaned her upper body towards me.
“If it’s you, let’s talk about it as a man and a woman, not a hero and a villain. How would you feel? What do you want to do with me?”
[What are you talking about?]
“Hehe. It’s a joke. I just said it because I know you’re not the type of person to do such things.”
[…….]
This woman.
“Perhaps?”
[Then what do you think that man will do? From your perspective, what do you think he’ll really do to you?]
“Hmm… Well, I wish he’d feel the same?”
[You seem to be quite smitten with him.]
“That’s right. He showed me kindness when I came here, he has really helped me a lot, and he is still helping me, and also….”
Yumir raised one hand towards the sky.
“He helped me recall my goals again.”
[Turning the fallen into humans again?]
“Yes. To use my abilities to the maximum in the places where I can. Not to steal abilities from someone but to find human forms from those who have fallen into demons. And to help them so that they do not live a miserable life. That’s what I want to do.”
[Gyeolsa can help with that.]
“Wow, you’re persistent. Do you want me on your side that much?”
[Of course. I know about your abilities. Why would I give up?]
I got up from the bench and stood next to Yumir.
[Do you know how many children are abandoned in this country every year?]
“…Why the sudden change in topic?”
[I’m trying to show you a world you haven’t yet seen. I’ve seen it. A couple who gave birth to their child as their last lottery ticket in life, and when the child was not an ability user, they abandoned the child on the street.]
“……”
Yumir’s face paled in an instant.
[Gyeolsa is protecting and caring for such children. So that the children are not abandoned and die so that they are not sent somewhere to receive brainwashing education from an early age in the name of dedication to the country, and so that they are not used as test subjects for human experiments in superhuman research, we are trying to create an environment where children can grow up well.]
“That’s….”
[Yes. It’s completely different from the area you’re thinking of. But think about this. Gyeolsa can help with the goal you have. It can provide facilities to care for those who were demons and have become generous. It can prevent them from committing suicide or running wild and provide a social safety net for those who have lost their abilities but can live as humans.]
“It’s a tempting offer.”
Yumir answered with a smile but firmly shook her head.
“But I respectfully decline. Whether others acknowledge it or not, I will follow the path of a hero as I see it.”
[…I see. However, I will continue to make recruitment offers. Every time you seem to waver, every time you seem to need strength, I will recommend joining Gyeolsa.]
“You’re persistent. Do you sell insurance?”
[I recommend it with more desperate feelings than an insurance salesman. Yes. Then… that’s probably best for now.]
I reached out my hand to Yumir.
[Check around you whenever you have time. And if there’s a demon near you, I’ll give you enough time to purify that demon.]
“Villains should be executed immediately, right? By using the Grand Cross?”
[…Instant execution is my principle, but I can change the policy a bit to recruit a magical girl like you.]
“How about not killing them?”
[That’s a principle.]
Demons created other demons if left alone.
The same applied to villains, hence why they were killed.
It was better to kill cleanly than to risk a spared villain becoming a demon in prison later or being used as experimental material for demonization research.
[Promise me. If there’s someone near you who is creating demons, I’ll take care of them.]
“That…what was it?”
[Oni.]
“Ah, right. … Wasn’t there another name?”
[Oni is Oni.]
That one that called himself Duoexini.
[You continue on the path of a hero who purifies demons. I will continue on the path of a villain who kills those who make humans into demons. And if you ever get tired or have a hard time, you can come to Gyeolsa. Gyeolsa will do everything for you.]
“Hmm…. Then, how about you try walking the path of a hero with me? Become my partner.”
[I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. I have sworn loyalty to Gyeolsa and am bound by it.]
“…Does Gyeolsa hold your heart or something?”
[You could say that.]
The head of Gyeolsa held it.
[Anyway, I look forward to it. If you join Gyeolsa, I will remove my mask and formally greet you.]
“… I’ll look forward to it. Hehe.”
Yumir just smiled meaningfully.
What was this?
Did she know who I really was…?
Heading towards the bike, Yumir shaped her fingers like a camera behind the Goblin who was walking in front of her.
She took in the sight of Goblin’s back and went through her memories.
“Hmm….”
All Yumir could do was laugh.
“That guy, he doesn’t even know he’s talking about himself.”
She did let it slip a little in the middle, and the Goblin seemed to have noticed it a bit, but he seemed unsure.
“No, maybe he knows and is pretending not to. Just like me.”
It was normal.
No one would expect to figure out the Goblin’s identity like this.
And it was just a suspicion, not a confirmation.
“…Probably thinks I’m a pervert.”
She whispered softly, in a tone that the Goblin wouldn’t hear or mind even if he did.
“His hip line and back muscles are just like Jihwan oppa.”
Watching Goblin climb on his bike, Yumir savored the sight.