"Wow f*ck…. Kang Yuhyeon, that guy speaks really harshly."
"…Indeed."
"Haa…, honestly, I was also in favor of killing Shin Yoosung, you know? You know it too. That's the best way to screw the Disaster of Floods. But…, since that guy said that and left, it strangely makes me rethink it, sh*t."
"…."
Kim Dokja made a serious expression for a moment and continuously recalled the words Kang Yuhyeon said before leaving.
Everything he said was true, without a single lie or error.
His intention was true even with Han Sooyoung's lie detection, and even when contrasting his thoughts and words with one of his skills, Omniscient Reader's Viewpoint, no big difference existed.
But Kim Dokja thought Kang Yuhyeon didn't wish for Shin Yoosung's death.
If he really thought of Shin Yoosung carelessly and only as a means to clear the scenario.
'Shin Yoosung would have died as soon as she returned to the camp.'
Kang Yuhyeon. That man was that kind of guy.
A person as solitary as Yoo Joonghyuk and unwilling to keep others recklessly by his side.
Therefore, as he said before leaving, he thought about people to some extent based on whether they were necessary or harmful to him.
The fact that the man with such a mindset kept Shin Yoosung by his side until now even though he said she was annoying meant that he thought Shin Yoosung was necessary to him.
And this was the case not only for Shin Yoosung but also for Yoo Sangah.
If she really bothered or annoyed him, he would have fired a technique immediately without asking or arguing, just like in Han Sooyoung's case.
If that is the case….
"…Hmm? Maybe this…?"
"What. What is it. Did something come to mind?"
It might be just a passing thought without any basis.
But as the sole reader who had read for a long time over 3,000 chapters, it seemed nothing else could explain it.
"Yoosung-ah. Yoo Sangah-ssi."
"…."
"…?"
Perhaps realizing something, Kim Dokja called the two who were each making a deeply despairing face.
Those who barely lifted their heads to make eye contact with him.
Looking at them, he smiled faintly and continued speaking.
"Kang Yuhyeon, I can roughly guess what that gentleman meant by those words, would you like to hear it?"
""…?""
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', frowns asking if your words weren't too harsh.]
"None of your business."
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', prays saying forgiveness is the shortcut to save oneself.]
"None of your business."
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', to you….]
"…Tch, is a fruit fly buzzing somewhere."
[The Constellation, 'Demonic Judge of Fire', looks at you and says this son of a ■■ keeps crossing the line so where do you liv…, ah ■■ck, sh■tty filtering….]
[Constellations belonging to Eden are flustered by the sudden action of the 'Demonic Judge of Fire'!]
[Constellations of the Absolute Good alignment watch you closely.]
[Constellations of the Absolute Evil alignment clutch their bellies and laugh looking at the Constellations belonging to Eden.]
Amidst the numerous messages coming up, the first emotion I felt was none other than exhilaration.
That Constellation called 'Demonic Judge of Fire'. It was quite annoying that she kept interfering knowingly or unknowingly since the scenario started until now.
…However, despite that, the reason why I felt quite lousy was.
"…Tch. Why are there so many of these Rabbit Escape bastards."
-Seo-geok, seo-geok! Seo-geo-geo-geok—!!
-Pajijik—!!
Even if I fire 'Dismantle' repeatedly, even if I fry them with Cursed Energy carrying the electrical property of Nue tamed recently, these Rabbit Escape bastards multiplied endlessly.
I suddenly regretted if I should have tamed another Shikigami, but well, what can I do.
-Kieeeek…!!
"…What is it, got a complaint."
-Kiiik….
While watching the scene blankly like spacing out at a fire, wondering when these Rabbit Escape bastards would be tamed, Nue flew towards me.
Because it was wearing a mask, unlike the Divine Dogs, I couldn't see its expression, but I could know what emotion the guy was looking at me with.
-Kiiik…!! Kirik!
"…."
Nue flapping its wings and conveying something.
The guy was asking me if I shouldn't just catch the one with a different pattern among those countless Rabbit Escapes.
"…I see. Thanks for the info."
-Kieeeek….
Leaving the Nue looking at me somewhat worriedly behind, I immediately fired 'Dismantle' towards the Rabbit Escape with a different pattern.
Then, with a seo-geok-! sound, the Rabbit Escapes that were countless just moments ago seeped into that individual and soon became my shadow.
"…."
Like this, the taming process was simple.
Kill the Shikigami summoned through the taming ritual and make it seep into my shadow.
It just took a long time due to the characteristics of Rabbit Escape; if it were another Shikigami other than this guy, it wouldn't have taken this long.
…No, actually, even if Rabbit Escape had such characteristics, it just took a little longer compared to other taming rituals, not something that would take this long.
It means I'm not paying attention to the taming ritual right now.
"…Troublesome."
Since earlier, my attention keeps leaking somewhere.
Even more problematic is that I'm not thinking of fixing it even though I know it.
Even if I question myself why I'm acting strangely like this, I only groan over the unsolved riddle.
I didn't feel like I was getting even a step closer to the answer to that problem.
Probably the cause is Shin Yoosung and the Disaster of Floods, but….
"…Haa. Leaving that brat behind that day was indeed the right thing to do."
My head throbbed.
Because of that clever kid who swore not to betray me even risking her life.
"…."
Even now, that thought remains unchanged.
If that child's wish is to die for the scenario, I will kill her as comfortably as possible with my own hands.
But, if it's the opposite wish. If she wants to continue the scenario and hates dying for others, I will kill the bastards threatening that child somehow.
In other words, in conclusion, whatever it is, I respect that child's judgment.
…But.
-Throb….
For some reason, I wasn't keen on it.
The appearance of that child choosing the former, not the latter.
Honestly, I wondered why she was hesitating. Choosing survival at the crossroads of survival and death is natural.
…However.
'I'm sorry. I'm sorry….'
Is it because the image of the guy curling up and suffering even while sleeping, wondering what dream she was having, came to mind?
'I will be punished….'
Is it because the expression the guy makes whenever I make a serious expression remains strong in my memory?
'I have no worth to be alive….'
Is it because the guy's empty eyes shown every time she took a life holding a dagger while taming bother me for no reason?
'…I want to live.'
…Is it because every single one of those appearances subtly resembles someone living somewhere quite a lot?
It kept bothering my eyes.
"Back then, what did that person do."
A child grows up watching the adult who taught them.
And that child becomes an adult and teaches what they learned to another child.
But such an adult didn't exist in my past.
…No, exactly one did exist.
"You said cigarettes are bad for the body."
"What does it matter to you that I ruin my body. Just go to sleep quickly, brat."
"Unlucky old Director."
"…Hey, where did you learn that word."
"Other people used it when calling the Director."
"These fcking btches and bastards are going crazy in pairs…."
Although he was such an adult who didn't leave anything beneficial to me.
Thinking about it, maybe that was why.
Because he left nothing for me, maybe I can't leave anything either—
"E, excuse me, Oppa…!!"
"…."
While thinking about that person who suddenly came to mind, a familiar voice came from somewhere.
Turning my body in the direction the voice came from, a child with a familiar face was standing there.
"…Um, that might seem selfish but…. I still—"
"…."
Shin Yoosung, that child continued speaking squeezing out courage repeatedly.
The content was none other than that she wants to live, that she doesn't want to die due to the Disaster of Floods after all, asking if she can make such a choice even though hundreds, maybe thousands of lives might disappear.
While listening to those words silently, I was about to reach out to Shin Yoosung, but.
"Hey, other brats were clinging to me asking to do something about you. How annoying. So, why were you doing that?"
"A bird with a broken wing was wriggling as if in pain. So I just killed it. If it dies comfortably, it won't be in pain."
"This is a complete psycho. Maybe that's why your parents abandoned you. It's creepy. If I were them, I would have abandoned you immediately if the guy who popped out of my belly was you."
"…."
"Go wash your hands quickly. Blood smell doesn't come off easily, so scrub hard with soap."
-Flinch.
Soon I withdraw my hand.
"Hey, are you crying?"
"…No. It's because the smell of cigarettes the Director smokes got into my eyes."
"Right, don't cry. No matter what happens, absolutely don't cry. If you cry, I have to soothe you. That's too annoying."
"…I've been thinking, are you really an adult, Director?"
"Yeah. Really an adult. Why, fascinating because different from adults seen only in books?"
"…."
"But can't be helped. Brats like you who are different from other brats from the start won't listen even if I say good things anyway."
Just a story of a cliché trauma experienced in childhood.
Because that story was still sitting in the center of my head.
"Director. Open your eyes. Other kids won't open their eyes."
"…Director?"
"…What on earth is this, ah…."
Because I never learned how to comfort a child from anyone.
"If that's what you think, fine. Then, let's go find the Disaster of Floods quickly."
"…Ah, yes!"
When Shin Yoosung smiled faintly and hugged me, only then did Kim Dokja, Han Sooyoung, and Yoo Sangah reveal themselves respectively.
I don't know about the first two, but Yoo Sangah seemed to have something to say to me for some reason….
Well, if it was important, she would have said it already.
"Now, we will go to the place where the Central Disaster is from now on. Everyone has no objection, right?"
"Doesn't matter."
Right, like that unlucky man looking at me with a detestable smile over there.