Chapter 156

Peter’s death.

Of course, I had thought he should die.

Until a little while ago, that was the case.

But now.

No matter how much I think about it, I can’t.

He and I, we’ve come too far for that.

At the very least, I have no right to kill him. If anything, I should be repaying his kindness.

That was why.

I couldn’t just stand by and watch him try to pull some suspicious trick.

“Then we will now return to the Demon Realm…”

I cut Peter off.

“No. Wait here.”

“…Here?”

“Yeah.”

As I nodded, he asked with a dubious expression.

“…Why?”

“Because if you go there, they’ll take you hostage.”

“Am I even worthy of being a hostage?”

“Yeah. You are.”

With that, I picked up the phone in the department head’s office.

As soon as I lifted the receiver, I heard the voice of an employee from the secretary’s office.

“This is Choi Gi-woong.”

-Yes, yes!

“Is there anyone who knows Seoul well?”

-Seoul… you say?

I could tell he was trying to hide his bewilderment over the receiver.

It’s not that I didn’t understand how the employee felt. But right now, I wasn’t in a position to care about anyone’s feelings.

I looked at Peter.

“Yes. Please assign a few people who know the Seoul area well. We have a precious guest.”

-Ah, I understand. I will have them ready as soon as possible.

After I hung up the phone, Peter frowned at me.

His expression demanded an answer.

I shrugged and said nonchalantly.

“You came all the way to another dimension, so I should at least show you around. It’s nice here. Straighten up your face.”

This would be Peter’s first time in a civilized society.

Who knows, maybe a taste of civilization could change his mind.

“If I say I don’t want to…”

“I’ll make you recall old memories.”

“Ah.”

Peter flinched at the words ‘old memories.’

It seems he’s still afraid of getting beaten by me.

Instead, it was Ruiche, standing next to him, who was making a bigger fuss.

“Take it when he offers it.”

“Take what.”

“Whatever it is.”

As if he had no choice, Peter sighed.

“I didn’t know you were such a compassionate person, Master.”

“I just found out myself.”

“Hah. I suppose I have no choice. Understood.”

Right after I heard his answer.

I pressed the intercom in the department head’s office.

“Are the preparations complete?”

Rachel Carson was pressing on her temples, which had been throbbing until just a moment ago.

From the Middle East war to the Asia-Pacific conflict, and the seemingly endless war between Russia and Ukraine.

She didn’t know how many lives hung on a single signature of hers.

“Goddamn bastards. If I made things peaceful for them, shouldn’t they at least shake hands or something?”

Of course, if Choi Gi-woong were to step in, all of this would be resolved in an instant.

But that was out of the question.

She couldn’t ask for his help with such trivial mortal affairs.

After composing herself.

Just as she was about to check the mountain of reports again.

A call came in.

It was Lee Seok-jae.

“I’m busy right now… Y-Yes, I’ll be right there.”

Her face pale, she shot up from her seat.

At this moment, the reports were invisible to her.

She quickly ran out of the office.

Immediately, her secretary, who had been chewing on a sandwich, chased after her.

“Vice Chairman.”

“I’m busy.”

“I know. But there’s something more urgent.”

“There’s nothing like that.”

“You’ll be surprised when you hear it. The United States is seeking the International Association’s approval regarding the Middle East war dispute…”

“Tell me later.”

“They asked for a quick response as it’s a very urgent matter…”

Rachel, who had been walking quickly, came to a sudden halt. Even though she let out a deep sigh, her secretary’s eyes were firm. They held the determination to get an answer no matter what.

“Didn’t you hear me? I said something more urgent came up.”

“A lunch menu recommendation? Or what to wear to the Party?”

“Do you think it’s something so trivial?”

“Yes. So please give me an answer. Just one word is enough.”

“After I get back.”

“From where.”

The Middle East war was the most hotly debated topic in the international community.

A matter more important than that?

Impossible.

That’s what the secretary had thought until a moment ago.

“The Association President’s order came down.”

“Ah.”

The secretary’s head nodded automatically.

“Then you must go quickly. I’ll hold the elevator.”

Choi Gi-woong’s command was absolute. Nothing could come before Choi Gi-woong’s command.

“Good. Have you ever been to Seoul?”

“I have. About three years ago, I think. I stopped by for a K-pop concert.”

“Then you must know it well.”

“Know what…?”

“Draw up a Seoul tour itinerary right now.”

“…Pardon?”

She was momentarily stunned.

She thought she might have misheard.

Draw up what kind of itinerary?

A tour itinerary? And for Seoul? Isn’t that his hometown? Why?

All sorts of question marks floated around in her head.

“Didn’t you hear me?”

“N-No. I heard you. I will list up a Seoul tour itinerary and deliver it to you right away.”

“So I can have it when I arrive at the airport. Got it? If that man, Lee Seok-jae, beats us to it, it’s over.”

At the mention of Lee Seok-jae’s name, the secretary’s eyes changed.

The two vice chairmen in the Association.

It was an open secret that Lee Seok-jae and Rachel were rivals.

It was also known that Choi Gi-woong was leaving their healthy competition alone.

That was why.

The departments under them were competitively racking up achievements.

The department that best carries out Choi Gi-woong’s orders?

That achievement was something that couldn’t be expressed in numbers.

The secretary put on her glasses with a cool expression.

“I will assemble all department members.”

It’s not that there’s no way to change Peter’s mind.

The most certain method is mental conditioning, but.

Damn it.

No matter how much I’ve become something beyond human, something that can’t be expressed in words, this is a bit much.

I shook my head.

Let’s stop thinking about this. Right. If that’s his choice, then it can’t be helped.

-I think I know what that feeling is.

Durandal, now useless as a weapon, hummed.

-It’s the same for me.

Well, look at this.

Now they’re both at it.

-Ever since I realized that the ‘Lu’ I trusted and followed was just a power-hungry invader.

“Should I break the sword for you?”

-No. There’s no need for that. I’m satisfied as I am now. I’m just saying I understand how Peter feels.

“……”

-Your efforts are commendable, Master. But if you try and still can’t change his mind. Then.

“Right. I’ll have to grant his wish.”

Having made a decision, I feel at ease.

A cool autumn breeze swept over the rooftop.

Looking down at the city of flickering lights, my thoughts multiplied.

In one corner of my mind, a simulation is still running.

The simulation to complete Chilyanggong.

Have I run it over a hundred million times by now?

Probably.

I feel like the answer is here.

A hint for me to become stronger once more.

When that time comes.

[The System requests a conversation with Choi Gi-woong.]

[The Demon God sends a message to Choi Gi-woong.]

I’ll be able to eliminate both of them at once.

As expected, they were in a complete frenzy.

As time passed, their offers got better.

Not yet.

I need to stall for a little longer. Until I’ve completely mastered Chilyanggong. I have to play them off each other.

Sometimes, I think about what I should do after everything is over.

A world without the Demon God or the System.

What should I do in that world?

I thought a very long time had passed.

But it’s only been a little over two years since Han Seung-hoon disappeared and my department changed.

So much has happened in that time.

In the end, I’ve come this far. This far. To the highest place one can climb.

Of course, if I include the time spent in the Mental World, I’d have to multiply that several times over.

Compared to the rewards, I became stronger in an absurdly short amount of time.

“I need to get a grip.”

Complacency is forbidden.

The war isn’t even over yet.

But even as I repeat that to myself.

Like a grenade that explodes in an instant once the fuse is lit.

I know very well that the current three-way standoff will end the moment it begins.

And it’s self-evident that I will be the victor at that end.

That’s right.

The winner is already decided.

Let’s try to pinpoint when. The answer came quickly. From the moment the Demon God and the System underestimated Ian. Right from that moment.

In the depths of my subconscious, where the Chilyanggong simulation was in full swing.

Another image unfolded.

Fwoosh!

I replayed the scene that had been played in my head countless times.

Ian’s final moments.

-I’m going to die this time.

Ian, speaking calmly in front of everyone.

The shocked people. The scenes flash by quickly.

All the way to the end, when Ian stopped his own heart.

Only after breaking free from the System’s restraints did I realize.

Ian didn’t die because of anyone; he chose death himself.

It was for the sake of the bigger picture, which was me.

“Huh?”

Something just flashed by.

What was it?

It felt really important. I don’t know. If it’s meant to be remembered, it’ll come back to me.

“If you fall from there, you’ll die.”

I turned around.

Im Han-na had opened the rooftop door and was striding over.

“Ah, no, that’s not right. You wouldn’t even get a scratch, would you.”

She cracked a lame joke and sat down next to me.

This person has changed from how she used to be, too.

She used to feel sharp and thorny, always on edge, but lately, she’s always smiling brightly.

“What were you thinking about?”

“About what I should do now, things like that.”

“What’s with that? You sound like a retired father.”

Now that she mentions it, it does feel a bit like that. As I chuckled, Im Han-na swept her long hair back.

“I’m going to retire.”

This was a bit surprising.

“When?”

“I already handed in my resignation. Only the Head of department knows, though.”

“What’s the reason?”

“Well. The fact that I’m no longer useful?”

Unlike her words, her expression was bright.

“Now Monsters only appear in Hunting Grounds, and being a Hunter never really suited my aptitude anyway.”

“For someone who says that, isn’t your nickname the Grim Reaper?”

“It would be perfect if I could just kill the bastard who gave me that nickname.”

Giggling, she continued.

“I’m going to do something else.”

“What kind of work?”

“I have to think about that, too.”

“You’re not as much of a planner as I thought.”

“You’re just realizing that now?”

Im Han-na patted my shoulder.

“So don’t think too deeply about it either, Choi Gi-woong. Other people would be shocked if they heard you. They’d say, why is Choi Gi-woong worrying about such useless things.”

Now that I see it, was she trying to comfort me?

“The resignation is real.”

“I’m the one who approves that.”

“Ah. Damn it, I shouldn’t have said anything.”

After bursting into laughter once more, we went downstairs. We had taken the elevator and arrived in front of the first floor.

“Oh, by the way. Did you hear?”

“?”

“About the guests you brought, Mr. Choi Gi-woong.”

My foot, which was about to step out, came to a sudden halt.

Could it be, no way.

Peter…

“They seem to like it here. I heard they’re having a blast.”

“…What do you mean.”

An unexpected phrase came out.

A blast? Enjoying themselves? Peter?

I tilted my head at the combination of words that didn’t fit at all, and Im Han-na laughed as if she found it surprising.

“You didn’t know?”

I didn’t.

I had been deliberately tuning him out. In case I might use some strange magic if I saw Peter.

“Oh, here they come.”

The place she pointed to was the Association entrance.

Peter and Ruiche were walking over.

Wearing matching sunglasses. In one hand, they each held a glass of cola with ice floating in it.

And their expressions.

When was it that they were full of anxiety, worry, and gloom? They were now as bright as a honeymooning couple at a resort.

He spotted me and waved his hand enthusiastically.

As I approached him hesitantly, he held out his glass of cola.

“Master. Do you know about cola? This stuff is absolutely amazing. It fizzes in your throat… I’ve never had anything like this before.”

“…What?”

“Can’t I just settle down and live here? I don’t want to leave.”

Right.

This guy was always this slick.