There are tis when soone hates a person for no reason.
Because his hair color was the sa as a boy in his fragnted mories.
Because he acted in ways the boy never would.
He resented him even more for these reasons.
ht like the boy in his mories.
Of course, the man was truly a villain in reality.
Prioritizing personal gains over justice.
Valuing killing over the sanctity of life.
He shunned Yuria and committed evil deeds, making him a villain through and through.
They were fundantally incompatible.
Their ideologies were different, making them irreconcilable.
Sitting on his bed after unpacking at the accommodation, Michail looked at an old photograph.
-What are you doing alone? Co quickly!
-…I don’t want to take a picture with you guys.
-Shut up and co here!
Michail looked at his wrist.
The spot touched by the boy who insisted they take a photo together.
It felt like the warmth from that day still lingered on his wrist. The boy’s gentle grip, pulling him into the crowd with a smile, still seed to remain there.
-Smile!
-I don’t want to…
-Smile!
Click.
…
Michail’s mories were all contained within that single, worn-out photograph.
The hardships in the slums.
The boy’s figure.
His own young self.
It was all captured in that faded, old photograph.
Though not a happy mory, it was a picture that held unforgettable mories throughout his life, making Michail smile bitterly.
“Idiot.”
Michail held up the photograph in the moonlight coming through the window, lowering his head.
‘Am I doing well…?’
‘I’m trying hard.’
What would the boy have said?
Would he have patted his back, saying he was living properly, or kicked his butt, calling him foolish?
Although all these thoughts were futile, Michail wanted to hear an answer to his questions. Even if it was harsh words, he wanted to hear the boy’s voice just once more.
Lowering his head, Michail drifted into sleep, clutching the photo tightly, hoping to avoid nightmares this ti.
In the dark night, the wind blowing through shook the curtains, bringing a gentle breeze.
After about 10 minutes.
-Tok.
A small pebble fell inside the accommodation through the window.
Michail sat up, poking his head out of the window, curious about who was calling him at this late hour.
Slowly, Michail put his white forehead out the window.
“Eek!”
With a scream, Michail rubbed his forehead.
The sharp pain made Michail look down at the accommodation’s floor, spotting a pebble the size of a fingernail.
Soone outside the window must have thrown a pebble at him. Though it wasn’t thrown hard enough to be a surprise attack, Michail was annoyed.
No matter how kind-hearted he was, he couldn’t tolerate being hit with a pebble for no reason.
Holding his throbbing forehead, Michail looked down from the window.
Wondering who would do this at such a late hour, planning to give them a piece of his mind if he caught them.
Seeing the man’s face outside the window made Michail’s expression harden.
“Nice shot…! Oh, I’ve been caught?”
Ricardo, holding a handful of pebbles, was waving his hand energetically as if he had t an old friend. Seeing Ricardo waving so excessively, Michail sighed deeply and reached for his sword.
‘Ricardo…’
The man he hated the most.
The only man he felt he could hurt without guilt was smiling brightly.
*
Inside a quiet restaurant in Hal.
I smiled at Michail, who was glaring at as if he wanted to kill .
“Why do you look at like that? Did sothing unpleasant happen?”
“…Shut up.”
“Such horrid words…!”
Teasing Michail, I raised my hand to order a fried chicken and a beer from the waiter.
“Michail, would you like a beer? I’ll get you one.”
“I won’t drink.”
“Why not? Isn’t it customary to have a drink and chat on a day like this?”
“It’s disgusting to sit with you. That’s why.”
“Is that so…? It’s not because I’m a man, is it? You pervert! Lolicon!”
Michail glared at as if he would draw his sword any mont.
Faking a bitter smile, I told the waiter bringing the beer, ‘This friend has a terrible personality. Please understand,’ painting Michail as a problematic character.
The waiter responded with an awkward smile.
Placing a tip on the table, I pushed for the waiter’s understanding. I didn’t mind spending money to ss with Michail.
“Thank you very much!”
Money is the best.
Nodding at the waiter’s bright smile, I looked at Michail’s stiff face and sarcastically said, ‘He’s a man of character disorder.’
The red flush on the waiter’s face was a bonus.
Michail looked at with an exasperated expression and spoke.
“So, what’s your point?”
Sighing deeply, Michail demanded I get to the point, his stern deanor making feel sowhat resentful.
“When have I ever asked Michail for a favor? I’m happy to see your face after such a long ti.”
“…At least lie convincingly.”
“It’s true, though?”
I felt wronged that Michail couldn’t understand my feelings.
Well, Michail wasn’t wrong.
Wiping the smile off my face, I spoke to Michail.
“It’s true that we’re not close enough to have friendly conversations.”
“Indeed. So get to the point.”
Sighing deeply, I looked at Michail. It was now 9 PM. Late if considered late, early if considered early.
The reason I called Michail at this hour was one thing.
“I have a favor to ask.”
It was a small request.
Not a difficult request for Michail, but one vital and heavy for .
Although the chance was slim, I wanted to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances, hence my presence here.
Hearing the word ‘favor,’ Michail furrowed his eyebrows and voiced his suspicion.
“A favor?”
“It’s not a difficult one.”
“You’re asking for a favor?”
“I’m capable of that. We synchronized well during the ball. It hurts that you don’t rember.”
“Synchronize? You unilaterally slaughtered.”
“I had my reasons.”
Gnashing his teeth, Michail spoke through gritted teeth, adding that he felt disgusted.
Given his fury, I shut my mouth. Continuing further would only result in scolding.
“Reasons…? Do you think that’s justifiable?! 50 people… 50. That’s how many you killed…”
“Let’s drop it.”
“Drop it? I haven’t even started.”
“Michail, you know as well as I do that saying this won’t change anything.”
“Bastard…”
Shaking my head, I interrupted Michail’s dull moralizing. We weren’t here to have such boring discussions.
Seeing the face of the lolicon disgusted , and Michail must have felt the sa seeing my face. Giving a bitter smile, I spoke to Michail.
“I’ll be straightforward.”
“Speak quickly.”
Sighing deeply, I said.
“Please, don’t co to our mansion.”
Michail furrowed his eyebrows, clearly showing an expression, ‘Why would I go there?’ His open display of disgust sowhat reassured , encouraging to continue.
“As you know, Michail’s relationship with us is the worst. Especially with the lady.”
“You brought it upon yourselves.”
“That’s why I’m making a request to you. Please don’t visit.”
“Even without your request, I wasn’t planning to. Who knows what mischief Olivia might pull.”
Hearing Michail’s derogatory comnt about the lady, I wiped the smile off and spoke coldly.
“Watch your words. Michail.”
“…”
“You’re not in a position to speak so carelessly.”
After a brief silence, Michail found a weak point in my argunt.
“So, you’re asking not to et Olivia. Is that it?”
“If possible, forever.”
“Hah.”
Packing his sword and standing up, Michail ignored the food coming to the table. His decisive steps spoke volus.
“You needn’t worry.”
“That’s a relief.”
“I never want to get involved with you again.”
Seeing Michail leave with heavy steps, I waved my hand.
“Safe return.”
-Thud.
-Thud.
-Thud.
Michail stopped before exiting the door, turning his head and speaking.
“I have one request too.”
“Of course.”
“Don’t pull any strange tricks during this practice.”
“…”
“And no matter what happens, don’t interfere with . It’s revolting.”
I gave no reply, simply handling my beer mug and smiling slightly.
When Michail finally left.
Alone, I sipped my beer, muttering quietly.
“That might be difficult.”
Michail’s request would be hard to fulfill. It wasn’t sothing I could overlook as a character.
And also.
I couldn’t ignore past bonds.
-Click.
As Michail stepped out, other custors in the shop pushed their chairs back and stood up.
Rude idiots trying to leave without paying. Seeing the waiter looking flustered, I handed her a tip and signaled her to leave.
Watching the hurriedly exiting waiter, I ‘thud’ placed the beer mug on the table.
Looking at the awkward movents of the tagalongs intending to follow Michail, I spoke to them in a low voice.
“Sit down.”
“If you don’t want to die.”
*
Where Ricardo was tossing pebbles at Michail.
“…”
In the dark alley lay dozens of cultist corpses, scattered as lifeless bodies.
End of Chapter
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