chapter 147

Episode 147

It wasn’t that he lived without thinking, but Gio wasn’t a stupid person.

“...”

Rather, Gio’s brain spun faster when something he wanted appeared.

Seo Gio wanted his hometown not to become harsher. Giovanni wanted people not to commit sins without even realizing it, and Argio did not want to do petty, despicable things unbefitting a warrior.

“...”

How could he satisfy his own desire and still protect this precarious peace? How could it improve without becoming more wretched? Gio suddenly recalled his memories from when he was a priest.

He recalled the information he encountered when he went out to Earth, and the faces of the heroes who came to subjugate him. Since it wasn’t only “Seo Gio,” he conceived and discarded countless plans in an instant.

“...Right.”

Soon his lips moved.

“Nice.”

A plan he liked came out.

“I think it’s good.”

A clean plan, with no burnt offerings at all.

A satisfied smile fell over Gio’s face like an eclipse.

* * *

Meanwhile, Juhyeon—

“...”

Unlike the homeowner, he had so many worries.

“...This is confusing.”

Compared to the beginning, it was much better, but unlike his body, which grew more comfortable by the day, his mind did not. With barely a day passing before his noisy insides stirred, sometimes they loosened and sometimes they tangled.

Sitting on the bed and blankly looking outside the terrace, Juhyeon muttered softly.

“Didn’t we say we wouldn’t eat lunch.”

Because the talk ran long, their conversation took place between breakfast and lunch. Black Cloak said it seemed like he needed time to digest and suggested they eat dinner later, and Juhyeon accepted it as is.

“...Seriously...”

Since a mystery like Black Cloak wouldn’t have trouble digesting, that had to be solely consideration for Juhyeon, but no matter how he thought about it, he was a god unlike a god.

When dealing with such mysteries, humans had to match their rules. For a mystery to hand down rules for a human like this was, no matter how you thought about it, something that did not exist in history.

“...”

And so he fell into worries once again.

“...Slowly, one by one...”

Don’t look narrowly; look at the big line.

“Let’s sort it out with leeway.”

He already knew he could do that.

“I can do it.”

First, he organized the situation he was in.

If he requested it, he might be able to transfer to another institute, but a single institute was no different from a single kingdom. It would take a long time to adapt and seep in.

‘But staying in the current institute is strange, too.’

All the people who had, with difficulty, become his allies were gone. Now all that remained there were people busy pushing Juhyeon away, so it was an even worse move than transferring to another institute.

‘Should I aim for an administrative position at headquarters instead of an institute?’

Having grown used to researching mysteries, it would instead be difficult for Juhyeon to become an administrative employee at Association headquarters. Since the Association president personally resided there, headquarters had an open environment.

“Then even I, from a foreign orphanage background, would probably be accepted without too much difficulty.”

As he muttered without realizing it, Juhyeon was from an orphanage background. And employees who entered through the orphanage special track were generally disliked, and among them, Juhyeon was in an especially disliked position.

“...”

But this method didn’t appeal much either.

“...The Association might not be the only way.”

He grew up in an Association-sponsored orphanage, and because he knew the Association, which collaborated on equal footing with the government, he chose that path. He believed the Association was the best option for making the world he wanted.

‘But the Association might not have been as good a choice as I thought.’

The Association has already had many things put in order.

‘That also means there’s less room for someone like me to wedge in and make an impact.’

The Association was maintaining a stable state, and it had to. Even more than Juhyeon had imagined, the Association was delicately structured like a spiderweb, and each institution maintained extremely tight relationships.

“In a place like that, I tried to cause some change, so...”

Of course it wouldn’t look good.

“...”

After worrying for a long time, Juhyeon soon opened his mouth.

“...Then would a private guild be better.”

He knew “suspended” was an honest phrase, but in truth it was basically a recommendation to resign. Practically, Juhyeon had been kicked out of the institute, so he had to look for another path, but right now there was no choice he could be confident in.

“No, even a private guild is still following orders. The possibility of the same thing happening is much...”

Juhyeon suddenly recalled the people at the orphanage.

“...”

Unable to help it,

his insides burned.

‘...It would have been better if I’d conducted myself properly.’

Maybe his heart had been in too much of a hurry.

The ideal he chased was big, but Juhyeon was insignificant. He would have to move these small legs quickly to step on even the very tip of it while alive, but each step was far too slow.

So was that why he couldn’t look around properly? Or had he been bewitched by a wicked god? Maybe it was both. In the end, because of his impatience, Juhyeon pushed his family and friends into death and pain.

“...That...”

Juhyeon rubbed his face.

“How am I supposed to pay back that sin.”

To those who are already dead.

If you can’t settle the past, you can’t move into the future. But how could he pay the price for those who were sacrificed because he couldn’t conduct himself wisely?

“I’d like them to have found peace, at least, but I don’t know if I can dare to do that...”

A bitter smile came out.

He knew well enough that he couldn’t turn back the past. The moment they were born, humans had to move forward, and it was the same even after committing a huge mistake.

With a mere human body, he couldn’t scoop up the spilled water, so he had to at least clean up thoroughly.

“...Mm...”

The problem was that human death is not something that can be settled as easily as spilled water. Especially for a non-awakened person like Juhyeon with no authority, it was all the more so.

‘If I were a priest of a church like the Sun Church, would I have been able to help a little?’

He couldn’t grant rest to the dead, and since he had no god he served, he couldn’t even pray for mercy.

‘It would have been nice if I’d been a bit more diligent... but regretting that now won’t mean anything.’

Juhyeon suddenly thought of the Black Cloak, who would be somewhere in this cabin.

“...Mm, no matter what, this is...”

Juhyeon smiled awkwardly.

“Too shameless.”

For a moment he wondered if he could pray to Black Cloak for the rest of his family and friends, but Juhyeon quickly erased the assumption.

The fact that the other party was a wicked god bothered him too, but more than anything, Juhyeon was not shameless enough to demand such a privilege. How could he, who wasn’t even that being’s believer, ask him to bestow mercy of peace?

‘Even priests who have served a god for a long time rarely receive such a privilege. It’s not something an unbeliever like me can demand carelessly.’

Unless he suddenly awakened as a priest at this late age, it would probably be difficult, but he decided to do his best for the souls of those who died because of him.

“If I don’t forget my mistake, reflect on my sin, and live always with gratitude and apology toward those people...”

He thought perhaps it could reach them a little, truly just a little.

“...Right.”

That was the starting point.

“Should I make graves first.”

Their bodies had been recovered, but that was “cleanup,” not “a funeral.” Because everything had been so hectic, Juhyeon couldn’t even prepare a place where he could mourn them.

‘Was it because I thought I’d soon be going to the same place?’

It was too great a failure, too great a price. He had committed a sin too great to even think of recovery, and he was only sorry. He had no face to make amends and move forward.

“...”

Juhyeon smiled awkwardly.

“But that would be an even more cowardly thing... It would be no different from running away because I don’t want to take responsibility.”

Nothing was certain.

He thought being with those who died because of him was the proper apology. But that might only be running away. What the “right path” was, the Juhyeon of now could not know.

But one thing became certain.

“Right, let’s make gravestones.”

The bodies were already “cleaned up” and could not be retrieved. He tried belatedly to get them back, but all he heard was that they had already been disposed of.

That was why he hadn’t even thought of gravestones, but now it seemed he had to make them. He had the presence of mind for it.

“I’ll need a space where I can mourn.”

That was how humans—not gods—prayed for the peace of dead souls.

Draw the faces of the people I remember, carve their names, record the stories I had with them. At the very least, no one would call such an act “bad” or “wrong.”

“And after that...”

After that, what would be good?

“...”

Juhyeon pressed his lips tight.

‘At least, it can’t be the right path to die with them.’

And he didn’t want to do that, either.

Until he received Black Cloak’s help, he’d been in a state of giving up, but now he wasn’t. He had the leeway to worry about and choose a better path now.

But he couldn’t think of what that “better path” was.

‘...Should I go to a temple of abundance that values relief? No, the religious world doesn’t accept change easily. It’s as bad a choice as the Association. Then should I use the money I’ve saved up to start a business? I’ve thought of a few items, and if I use those as a base and gradually change the social atmosphere...’

He worried for a very long time, and—

“...”

“Ggurung.”

“...Ah.”

By the time he came to his senses, it was already dark.

“Is it mealtime.”

Black Cloak would be waiting.

* * *

After finishing today’s enthralling meal again,

“You seem to have many worries.”

Black Cloak showed interest in Juhyeon’s state.

“...”

“...”

He’d expected to be found out.

“...I do...”

No, to begin with, “found out” didn’t fit. Before an enormous mystery, what could a mere human do by turning his head? Wasn’t it like being in the Buddha’s palm?

More than anything, it was Black Cloak right before his eyes who brought Juhyeon, who was hesitating over whether to summon Sankalut. Even this situation could have been his intention, so Juhyeon didn’t bother hiding his state.

“I’m thinking about what I should do now.”

“Father told me you were thinking about a new career path.”

“A new career path...”

It was such a neat, normal word.

“...That’s true.”

Strictly speaking, it wasn’t wrong.

The path he’d walked until now had failed, and it was judged better to find a completely different path than to try to fix it. If you wrapped that “different path” in cleaner packaging, “thinking about a career path” was accurate.

“I was trying to divine how my life will flow from here on.”

“Do you have the talent to divine fate?”

“...Th-that, I... I absolutely didn’t mean it like that.”

Juhyeon’s face reddened at having said “divine” in front of living, moving fate.

How ridiculous did it sound? Like showing off wrinkles in front of a pupa—what in the world had he been saying?

‘It feels like I become unusually honest in front of Black Cloak—could that also be one effect of divinity?’

Gathering his embarrassment, Juhyeon glanced at Black Cloak.

“...”

“Tea brewed from grains.”

“Ah, thank you.”

Before he could look any further, something else was injected into him again. In moments like this, he really was like a grandma.

“...Is it corn tea?”

“Last time you said you liked savory things.”

“Ah, you were considering me.”

“It was a tea from corn I’m growing, whose outcry to be eaten was loud.”

“I see, corn’s outcry...”

Wait.

“...Outcry?”

Juhyeon looked down at the corn tea with a doubtful gaze.

“...Ahem.”

Not drinking it would be hard with how good the aroma was.

‘Food isn’t guilty.’

With one sip, for some reason his body and mind became comfortable.

‘This time it was a calming effect?’

After dozens of times consuming foods that immediately helped his health as soon as he ate them, Juhyeon was no longer surprised. He only looked at Black Cloak again with a mind even cleaner than before.

“...”

The world teaches you not to look into a god’s eyes.

“What is it?”

“...It’s just...”

It teaches you not to expect anything from them. Juhyeon knows that too.

“...Could you give me some advice?”

Even so, as humans always have, he desperately needed the help of an enormous mystery.

To begin with, Juhyeon was the one who had tried to speak to Sankalut. Compared to a typical wicked god who bullies and devours the weak, Black Cloak was definitely someone worth seeking advice from.

“What does my future look like to you, Gio?”

“I cannot see the future.”

Just as he thought it might be a refusal, he continued.

“However, I have often seen people like Juhyeon.”

“...People like me...”

“Simply put, a hero by nature.”

“...”

Juhyeon’s face crumpled with embarrassment.

“...You said that last time too, but why am I a hero?”

“A hero is someone who always chooses the greater cause over selfish desire.”

Black Cloak gave a gentle smile.

“Someone who values what is outside themselves over themselves, intangible concepts over what can be held in the hand, and foundations for eternity over a single moment. Juhyeon is such a case.”

“...”

“I know the stories you have told me and the stories you have not. Right now, Juhyeon is grieving over the sacrifices caused by your mistake, but what is more important is your conviction.”

The wicked god’s smile seemed to hold interest, and somewhere, it was playful.

“I am not saying you disdain the deaths of your family and friends. The point of this explanation is that, even while grieving and suffering as much as anyone, you are thinking of moving forward.”

“...Am I the kind of person who sacrifices the small for the large?”

“No, you are not. Juhyeon is a person who gives their heart even to small tragedies unrelated to you. Even if you save 99 out of 100, you will grieve the 1 who died. I know well that the only card you can sacrifice is yourself.”

“That’s not really...”

“Juhyeon is indeed a hero. You have a gentle heart, and you treat everyone you meet with manners. I think you are excellent talent.”

For an instant, Black Cloak’s hair flared red like a flame.

“So I thought I might provoke you a little.”

“Ah, pardon? Me? Why?”

“If I poke at your nerves, you might become a decent hero...”

“Please leave me out of it, I’m begging you.”

Juhyeon was horrified. He never thought he’d quietly withdraw that Demon King project, but he had absolutely no desire to join that line of deceivers called heroes.

As if he’d expected it, Black Cloak gave a thin smile. He looked like a pleasant fox.

“I won’t do anything so cowardly.”

“Th-that’s... good...”

“But I do want to make you my friend.”

“Why are you so obsessed with friends?”

“The more friends, the better.”

“That is true, but...”

He didn’t know it applied even to a god.

‘I also don’t understand why such an enormous mystery would want to make a mere human a friend.’

But with the experience he’d built up facing Black Cloak, he didn’t fluster easily. Juhyeon let out an awkward sigh, but he didn’t yelp at every word.

“So... I... uh...”

“Hero.”

“Ugh.”

“Why do you dislike it so much?”

“It gives me goosebumps.”

Anyway, putting that aside.

“So what were the endings of people like me?”

“They became a god, became history, or vanished cleanly without a trace.”

“More harsh than I imagined. Isn’t that too extreme?”

“Isn’t it shameless to walk such a path and hope the result won’t be extreme?”

“No, this isn’t something to talk about with ‘shamelessness’...”

“Anyway.”

Argio laughed lightly.

“What do you plan to do from now on? Do you have any work in mind?”

“I’m thinking about small cleanup first, but... I haven’t found a job.”

“So you plan to leave the institute. Then for a while, you won’t do anything.”

“When you say it like that, it sounds pretty jobless, but yes, that’s how it turned out.”

“Then if so, do you want to play with me?”

“...Wait, play? Play?”

“You’d be watching and supervising the natural disaster called me.”

“What kind of...”

“Doesn’t it sound fun?”

“...”

Juhyeon shut his mouth.

“...”

“...”

After a long while, he said,

“...Maybe?”

And so Juhyeon was dragged in front of Visabel by the hand of Yoo Seong-woon, who had received Gio’s request.

A future the person involved had never expected at all.

(To be continued in the next episode)