It only took three hours for Edward, who spoke so confidently, to start whining.
[N-now, enough...]
[We haven't done anything yet, and you want to stop? There's still so much we haven't explored.]
[You don't need to throw rocks! I can't break rocks anyway!]
[I thought you might be able to break them somehow if you use kinetic energy well. That's why I said we should look into ways to utilize kinetic energy.]
[Stop it! You madman!]
In the end, Edward ran away from me. Seeing Edward disappear while scattering dirt so I couldn't catch up, I thought maybe I went too far... as if.
"We only did it for three hours!"
—How hellish must those three hours have been for him to react like that?
Tsk, should we call it a day? Yeah, it's the first day, so let's take it easy.
—Take it easy? If you go any harder, we'll see that friend as part of Seo-hyeon's collection tomorrow. You're really something, making someone so worn out on the first day.
'Worn out? It's his own fault for not being properly trained.'
I didn't intend to push Edward this hard from the start. But seeing him use his amazing ability in such a haphazard way made me feel uncomfortable, like the meat I ate yesterday was sitting heavy.
'It felt like watching someone play jacks with diamonds!'
I understand he was always busy just trying to survive and never had time to properly examine his ability, but to think he knew his ability so little...
—Isn't he someone who thought he couldn't do anything alone and shut himself away? Moreover, how could a guy without a single friend to open his heart to find someone to train his ability?
'...That's true.'
He didn't know it himself, but Edward was a shining raw gem.
—Do you still have no thoughts of recruiting him to Weltschmerz?
You were like this with Jeong Ho-san too. Anyway, you're worse than me when it comes to drooling over talent. I quietly shook my head.
'I told you before, what he said wasn't his true feelings.'
He just rushed to the option in front of him due to the shock of all his dreams crumbling.
'I've seen this type before. They struggle to gain recognition from others rather than themselves. That type needs time to get to know themselves by stepping away for a while.'
I hope the time spent with us will be helpful to him.
Whether Edward's dream was right or wrong, it was Kim Jae-ho who shattered that dream, and the responsibility lies with me as Kim Jae-ho's guardian.
'I just hope I can handle this situation well. And recruiting him to our organization doesn't fit at all with resolving this.'
Although it would be grateful if a reliable awakener like Edward joined, our organization is too, well, terrifying to casually bring up recruitment.
—I have no idea what's terrifying about it.
'It's the purpose. Our goal is to defeat that terrifying Seol Rok-jin.'
Seol Rok-jin was by far the worst person I've ever met.
The fact that he can commit terrible acts using brainwashing as a weapon whenever he's cornered, the fact that he has a tight grip on power as a politician. His faint emotions that make you wonder what you'd have to do to shake that poker face.
What I realized in the 9 years I spent with Seol Rok-jin was that finding a way to bring him down was nearly impossible.
Even now, I'm hiding in the shadows with my body extremely lowered because I don't want Seol Rok-jin to discover my existence.
'Killing Seol Rok-jin will take a very long time. I have no intention of stepping out until I'm certain. I don't know what we'll go through in that process, but it won't all be pleasant.'
We won't only do righteous things. Much blood is already on my hands, and there will be more to come.
Despite that, the reason I always act lightly and stay cheerful is...
'Just because the purpose is heavy doesn't mean the process has to be painful and arduous.'
I don't like that kind of thing.
I was originally such a weak person that I didn't have the confidence to walk such a thorny path. Walking steadily towards revenge with the feeling of swallowing blood and crushing bones.
Only the protagonist of a hardboiled movie can do that kind of thing.
I just, very cowardly, want to go that path comfortably and enjoyably.
'Actually, revenge is something that should be done alone without dragging innocent others into the mud, but I'm not strong enough for that.'
I know my limits.
I'm not that great of a person.
My abilities aren't that great, and neither is my personality. I get very lonely easily, I can't do housework, I'm not good at cooking...
—Housework has nothing to do with revenge!
Ugh, I swallowed the laughter that was about to burst out at Ray's words. This is what I mean. I really hate heavy atmospheres.
'Do you remember what I said before? That you can't save the world alone.'
Revenge is similar for me.
The Seol Rok-jin inside me was so huge that my heart ached just thinking about facing Seol Rok-jin alone. The brand on my heart has long since disappeared, but the scars he engraved on my soul still haven't faded.
—Are you still scared of that guy?
'To be precise, I'm only scared now.'
I whispered to Ray.
'In my previous life, I hated Seol Rok-jin to death but wasn't afraid of him. It became that way at some point. Why? Because there was nothing left for him to take away.'
When my life was the only thing Seol Rok-jin could take away, I finally felt free. Because my life was no longer precious to me. In fact, it was the least valuable thing I had.
'Then he branded my heart so I couldn't even die as I pleased, but well, I still wasn't afraid of Seol Rok-jin. But now? I'm terribly afraid.'
It was ironic. I brought in several people because I couldn't do it alone, but that actually gave me more weaknesses.
Yes, now I have too many weaknesses. I have too much to lose.
Jeong Ho-san, Han Seo-hyeon, Kim Jae-ho, Cha Song-jin. And Do Chae-hee, Nam Ju-hyeon, Hong Nan-hee, Professor Geum. Everyone I've reached out to and who has helped me.
Just imagining what might happen to all the people I've saved and who are connected to me at Seol Rok-jin's hands makes my heart constrict terribly.
'So I'm not thinking about how to deal with Seol Rok-jin right now. Because I'm afraid. I have so much to lose now, and I can't possibly think I can protect it all from him for certain.'
Recruitment can't be easy in this situation.
With what feelings did I embrace Cha Song-jin?
With what feelings did I reach out to that guy who knew nothing?
'I'm such a weak person, aren't I? Dragging everyone into this revenge and now being afraid of losing them.'
Ah, this is why I tried not to give affection to anyone. I really didn't learn anything from all those lessons. Even after losing so much, I was still foolishly affectionate.
'Should I buy a massage chair?'
—Is that something to say now?
'Come to think of it, there's no reason I can't buy one now, right?'
Right. I don't know why I didn't buy one all this time when there's no one to stop me now. I'm buying one for each person. We'll put them anywhere, in the living room or wherever, and enjoy them to our heart's content.
Because Seol Rok-jin, who wouldn't let me buy a massage chair, is gone now.
—You really...
'I told you. I don't like heavy atmospheres.'
I burst into laughter and moved my steps. Well, I should see if Cha Song-jin's training is over.
* * *
I headed to IKEA with Han Seo-hyeon alone. But sadly, IKEA didn't sell massage chairs. Han Seo-hyeon told me there was a massage chair specialty store nearby as I stood there with my mouth hanging open.
"What confidence made you come here without even searching first?"
"I thought IKEA would have all furniture."
"The kind of massage chair you want is only sold in specialty stores."
And at that specialty store, there really were lots of massage chairs I had only dreamed of.
"Ooooh!"
Unlike me, who was excitedly enjoying the massage chairs, Han Seo-hyeon calmly listened to the staff's explanation.
"Well, this model has a zero gravity mode where it reclines like this. It needs a bit more installation space for that..."
The staff's explanation sounded like a lullaby. What woke me from my half-asleep state was Han Seo-hyeon frowning.
"So what are you going to buy?"
"Hm? Five of the best ones."
"What? You're going to buy five?"
"Well, there are five people in our house, right? It's okay, I have a lot of money."
"Oh my goodness."
"Why are you buying massage chairs for each person? It's not like dining chairs or something."
"I want to lie in a massage chair whenever I want."
Despite Han Seo-hyeon's dissuasion, I bought five massage chairs.
"Hehehe."
From delivery to installation. I took care of it all myself.
I even made a new room just for the massage chairs. Han Seo-hyeon still looked at me with eyes that couldn't understand, but once he actually lay down in the massage chair, he quietly closed his eyes and enjoyed the massage.
I called everyone else over too.
"Why, why..."
Cha Song-jin, who was half-dead, brightened his eyes seeing the massage chair.
"T-this is!"
"Yeah, you worked hard. From now on, relax your body here after training. Don't forget to shower clean before sitting. I'll kill you if you use it covered in sweat."
"Eek!"
At my chilling threat, Cha Song-jin hurriedly nodded.
"Now, I've put name tags on each one, so use only your own!"
I gave Edward the same explanation in English.
[So you're saying if I sit in this chair, the chair will touch me all over?]
[Well, it gives you a massage.]
[Right. Hmm. Sounds like it might feel strange.]
Edward sat in the chair with a lukewarm expression. Hmph, what a human who doesn't know the coolness of massage chairs.
Kim Jae-ho also sat in a chair following the others. Good, everyone's enjoying the massage chairs well. Now I should sit down and enjoy a massage too.
As I thought that and closed my eyes sitting in the chair, it happened.
Crash.
Bang.
I hurriedly opened my eyes at the sound of something breaking.
"What? What's that sound!"
When I opened my eyes, I saw Kim Jae-ho panting and destroying the massage chair.
"J-Jae-ho! What are you doing!"
"The chair hit me! So I hit the chair back."
I collapsed on the spot watching Kim Jae-ho say that with a triumphant face.
"Insolent chair! Hitting my butt!"
Kim Jae-ho smashed the chair to powder, and no one dared open their mouth. Han Seo-hyeon, who watched Kim Jae-ho panting and leaving his seat, said to me:
"Let's just have Jae-ho hyung skip the massage, okay?"
"...Yeah."
Forget massage chairs.
"Sit him in the thinking chair for 30 minutes."
Go sit in a cursed chair!
—Are you admitting it's a cursed chair too...