DTD 10

Even if I’d absorbed half of the sword’s power, didn’t I still need the sword to harness that power? I thought of <Bloodletting Sword> currently stored in the depths of the Ark as I opened my mouth.

“Should I fetch the sword?”

“There is no need.”

“Then…?”

Mujeong didn’t answer. He merely gave a meaningful smile. Soon, he walked over to a wall lined with various weapons and brought back a tiny dagger, barely the size of a palm. Was he expecting me to fight with that instead of the shattered <Bloodletting Sword>? I glanced at him, puzzled, and Mujeong placed the dagger directly into my right hand.

“Are you not curious why the word ‘blood’ is in the name of the sword?”

He then grabbed my left hand and brought the dagger’s tip to my palm. The sharp blade brushed against my skin, causing my fingers to tremble reflexively. No way, I thought, but the ominous feeling solidified into certainty when I saw the crimson glint in Mujeong’s eyes. The <Bloodletting Sword> would be formed from my blood.

Without further hesitation, I drew the dagger across my palm in a long line. 

“Ugh.” 

A groan slipped out from the pain of slicing through my flesh. But the moment I saw the blood seeping from the wound, the pain vanished. Suddenly, a chilling sensation swept over my body, stealing my senses one by one. The last thing left was the beat of my heart.

Thud, thud, thud—. 

The heavy pounding resonated through my entire body, like an elephant stomping above my head. My hair stood on end, and my vision swam. I staggered from the sudden dizziness, steadying myself by pressing against something within reach.

“Haa, haa…”

I struggled to catch my breath when I faintly heard Mujeong’s voice.

“It suits you very well, Master.”

What suits me? Me panting like this? Was he deliberately trying to annoy me? As soon as the nausea subsided, I glanced at him irritably. But Mujeong’s gaze wasn’t on me; it was on my hand. Only then did I realize what I was leaning on—the sword.

“This is…”

It was the deep crimson color of congealed blood, but it looked exactly like the <Bloodletting Sword> I remembered. Only it was too light for a sword, making me wonder what I could possibly cut with it. Moreover, having no knowledge of swordsmanship meant I had no idea how to move.

As I awkwardly stared at the crimson blade, Mujeong approached me and spoke.

“Close your eyes and focus all your senses on the sword, Master.”

Following his instructions, I closed my eyes gently. Gradually, my frozen senses began to return, one by one. 

Thud, thud—. 

Hot blood surged through every corner of my body with each heartbeat. The vivid sensation sent an inexplicable shiver down my spine.

Finally, I felt the blood flowing to my hand, beyond my hand, into the sword. At that moment, a low voice spoke.

“Soon enough, the sword will no longer feel foreign. It will become a part of your body.”

My body, tense with nerves, gradually relaxed. My back straightened, and my arm holding the sword lowered naturally. 

Thud—. 

The feeling of the sword’s tip touching the ground was like pressing my fingertip to the floor.

“Now, think about what you want to do with this sword.”

Mujeong lightly placed a hand on my shoulder and whispered in my ear.

“Whatever you desire, Master. I, Mujeong, will grant it to you.”

When I opened my eyes, the world looked different. It was as if a thin, red veil had been thrown over my face, coloring everything in my field of vision a crimson hue. The gray walls and my pale hands had all turned red. Amidst the strange sight, the black practice dummy stood out in sharp contrast.

“Then.”

Let’s cut that dummy. The thought flitted by. The next moment, my body moved. In one swift motion, I dashed toward the dummy and swung the sword. 

Swoosh, swoosh—.

Two sharp flashes of light passed, and when I looked at the floor, clumps of cotton were everywhere. The thick leather dummy, once stuffed to the brim, had been sliced in half.

“What the…?”

What just happened? It was so bewildering. The events had unfolded so quickly that I wasn’t sure how I’d done it. As I stood there, dumbfounded, Mujeong approached and spoke.

“How do you feel, Master?”

“Well… um…”

It didn’t feel like my body was my own as if invisible strings were manipulating me. Trying to get used to that strange sensation, I repeatedly slashed at the dummy. 

But perhaps I had overexerted myself from my first day, as it wasn’t long before I collapsed onto the floor and slept like I’d been knocked unconscious.

I didn’t wake up until the next day. 

“Ugh, that was intense.”

My body felt like a boulder. Any slight movement made my muscles scream. Unable to move even a finger, I lay flat on the ground in the same spot I’d passed out. Mujeong stood over me, grinning.

“Did I not warn you?”

“I didn’t think it’d be this bad… I feel like I’m dying.”

Ultimately, I had to ask the staff who brought my breakfast to fetch me a recovery potion. Even if it meant getting a scolding from Simeon later, I felt I needed it right away. Otherwise, I’d be bedridden for at least two days.

Surprisingly, the staff brought me the recovery potion without much fuss. They even brought five bottles. I couldn’t tell if it was on Simeon’s orders or just a privilege of being an apostle, but with that many, I couldn’t resist experimenting. To see how much I could endure.

And so, I trained daily, drinking recovery potions as I went. Initially, I could only swing the sword for ten minutes before collapsing for ten hours. But gradually, my endurance increased. By the fifth day, I could last thirty minutes. I got used to the feather-light feeling whenever I picked up the sword, and now I could move as I pleased.

Mujeong clapped like a teacher every time I struck the dummy.

“Excellent, Master.”

“It’s still… not enough.”

Sleeping on the tattered dummy became routine as if it were a bed. 

Then, on the sixth day, I’d just come out of the shower in the training area as usual. I was stretching in preparation for training when the door suddenly opened.

I thought it was the staff bringing my meal, but an unexpected person entered the training room.

“Oh my. I didn’t expect to run into you here.”

It was Yulia. She was also dressed for a workout, wearing a loose T-shirt and tight leggings instead of her usual dress. I awkwardly nodded a greeting, but Yulia was already looking at the ragged dummy.

“You must be getting tired of using the dummy at this point.”

“Haha… Sorry. I’ve really worn it out, huh?”

“Well, what can you do? That’s what dummies are for.”

Yulia nudged the dummy with her foot, frowning as if in disapproval.

“But it seems like I can’t train with this today.”

“I’ll go grab a new one right away.”

“No need. I’ve found a better opponent.”

She gave me a strange smile. I stood there blankly, not understanding, until the look in her eyes finally clicked. No way. I awkwardly pointed at myself with my index finger and laughed.

“You… don’t mean me, right?”

“Who else would it be but you?”

A cold sweat ran down my back in an instant.

“W-Wait a minute. I’m still far from being a match for you, Yulia.”

“That might’ve been true before, but now you have that sword, right?”

“But still…”

“Don’t you want to get into real combat as soon as possible?”

Yulia folded her arms and spoke with a cool expression.

“No monster will stand still like that dummy.”

Hearing the undeniable truth in her words, I couldn’t bring myself to say anything weak. As she said, monsters encountered in real combat wouldn’t be like dummies. It would be an overwhelmingly one-sided battle, but it would be an invaluable experience.

“Well then, please go easy on me.”

I politely bowed and then immediately drew the dagger across my palm. After repeating this act for more than five days, it now felt as natural as stretching after a nap. On the other hand, Yulia, witnessing this self-destructive act for the first time, stiffened with shock. Then, her eyes lit up as the flowing blood solidified into a sword.

“The rumors were true.”

Could she be excited to face <Bloodletting Sword> again? Her bright smile seemed tinged with a hint of madness.

“Just so you know, I won’t be going easy on you.”

Yulia tied her long hair up into a ponytail with a hair tie on her wrist.

“Come at me like you mean to kill me.”

“What? But that’s—”

Before I could even finish speaking, Yulia’s figure disappeared. Gasping, I looked up to see her leaping into the air above me. The instant I saw her metallic prosthetic leg gleam in the light, I ducked hastily. Her foot barely missed my head, slamming into the concrete wall with a loud thud.

“H-Hey…”

I think she’s really trying to kill me. I clutched my pounding heart to steady myself as Yulia’s face reflected that familiar ‘oops’ expression, and she opened her mouth to speak.

“Oh, by the way, if you happen to get hurt because of me, you’ll keep it a secret from the boss, right?”

“…Huh?”

“I really don’t want to get fired.”

I nodded blankly, still processing her words, and Yulia sighed in relief.

“Thank goodness. Then I can go for blood without any worries.”

It was the most polite death threat I had ever received in my life.

From that point on, Yulia launched a relentless attack, not giving me a moment to catch my breath. Her movements were just as light and agile as I remembered. Watching her spar with Mujeong from a distance had been impressive enough, but directly facing her made her speed feel several times faster.

“Yulia, just wait a minute…!”

“I’ll listen to your complaints after we’re done sparring.”

Yulia flashed a bright smile and dashed forward. It would already be too late if I tried to evade her attack solely by observing her. I had to rely purely on instinct to dodge the silver flashes of her blade. But I could only manage that once or twice. As her foot kept aiming for my face, my eyes squeezed shut.

Perhaps finding my frightened reaction amusing, Mujeong whispered with a hint of a smile in his voice.

“Master, what are you doing closing your eyes in the middle of a battle? You must keep watching until you know where the enemy is aiming their attacks.”

“Do you think I’m closing them on purpose?”

“Haha! Well, if your head gets taken off, it is no concern of mine.”

The moment he finished speaking, Yulia’s foot brushed past my ear. The whoosh it made was as chilling as if a jet had flown by. I forced my eyes open and focused on her movements. Thanks to that, I managed to avoid her strikes narrowly, but even thinking of counterattacking was out of the question.

As I kept dodging, Yulia frowned slightly and paused.

“How long are you going to keep dodging?”

“………”

“Don’t tell me you can’t attack because we know each other?”

As if. It was simply a difference in skill. It’d only been five days since I started using <Bloodletting Sword>; it was natural that I couldn’t match her. Honestly, I thought it was impressive enough to be able to continuously avoid her attacks, which were almost impossible to track with my eyes.

“Come at me harder.”

However, Yulia clearly had no intention of stopping there.

“If you keep this up, you’ll only be a burden in real combat!”

Her words struck me, and I adjusted my stance again. She was right, a hundred times over. If I wanted to improve quickly, I couldn’t be satisfied with just dodging. I needed to counterattack. No, I needed to go further—subdue and defeat her with flawless swordsmanship.

“Haa.” 

After a brief breath, this time, I made the first move. As expected, Yulia dodged my sword with ease. She even stepped on the tip of my blade, leaped into the air, spun, and landed softly. That light movement showed the overwhelming difference in our skills. Still, I didn’t give up and continued to swing my sword.

The match lasted over twenty back-and-forth exchanges. Yulia’s kicks grew sharper, but to my surprise, my eyes gradually adjusted to her quick movements. Eventually, I spotted a gap.

Determined not to miss the chance, I raised my sword—or tried to.

“Huh…?”

But my body wouldn’t respond. The moment my legs gave out, Yulia kicked my sword upward. Unable to withstand the force, I flew backward. I had no strength left to get up. A cold voice called out from afar as I lay on the ground, squirming like a dried worm in the sun.

“Stand up properly. You’re not someone who tires out this easily.”

I’m not someone who tires out this easily? Haha… Aren’t you overestimating me? I’ve been at my limit for a while now. Honestly, I just want to throw in the towel and lie down. But seeing Yulia, who wasn’t even out of breath, a useless sense of stubbornness welled up inside me.

Even just once, I wanted to surprise her with an unexpected counterattack that would make her calm face show a hint of shock.

“Of course.”

Using the sword as a cane, I forced myself to stand. My heart was pounding as if it would burst, and my entire body was sweat-drenched. I only had a little time left to endure with sheer willpower. Three minutes at most. But recklessly charging would just end with me getting knocked down and fainting again.

First, I needed to bind those swift movements of hers. But how?

“What would you do…?”

I had only spoken to seek advice, but suddenly, the surrounding sounds disappeared. I couldn’t even hear my ragged breathing or my heart pounding. It felt like I was drifting in the vacuum of space, my mind gradually becoming hazy.

“Mujeong?”

No response came. As I lifted my head, I saw a new world. My vision, which had been tinged with a pale crimson, now turned a deep red, as if drenched in blood. I momentarily thought that I must’ve lost consciousness and was dreaming. But then I saw Yulia in the distance.

No, was that really Yulia? Her face was distorted, her body’s contours gone, she looked more like a doll than a person. Like one of those dummies I’d mercilessly cut up. If it were that, I wouldn’t feel guilty no matter how much I stabbed it. At that moment, a chillingly low voice echoed in my mind.

‘No matter how fast a falcon flies, it’s nothing once its wings are broken.’

It was like a devil’s whisper.

“Yeah. The wings…”

As I murmured to myself and smiled crookedly, Yulia’s shoulders flinched. Was she surprised? I couldn’t tell. Her face and expression were all too distorted to see anything. All I knew was that there was an enemy before me, one I needed to cut down.

I immediately grasped my sword and charged forward. My body felt unnaturally light, and I closed the three-meter distance instantly. Yulia, caught off guard by my speed, missed her chance to escape. As I raised my sword right before her, Yulia quickly lifted her guard to protect her vital spots.

It seemed she didn’t realize that my target wasn’t her heart or her neck but her legs.

“…Got you.”

As I crouched to aim for her legs, the training room door suddenly swung open. I stopped abruptly and turned my head. One of the staff members, who’d brought my breakfast, stood there, frozen. The person who never showed any expression no matter what happened stiffened like a stone the moment our eyes met.

“Uh, I…”

Seeing their face slowly turn pale with fear snapped me back to my senses. What… was I trying to do?

While I hesitated, Yulia drove her knee hard into my side. 

“Gah!” 

I flew back, hitting the wall with my back before collapsing. The pain was so intense I couldn’t even groan. Curled up on the floor, Yulia belatedly ran over to me.

“Are you okay?!”

Clutching my side, I struggled to lift my head. Maybe because of the impact, my mind was starting to clear. And yet, Yulia’s face still looked like a porcelain doll without its features drawn in. Because of that, I couldn’t tell what kind of expression she was looking at me with.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

Yulia bent over to help me up. At that moment, her white neck came into view. My vision that’d been returning to normal, colored red again. Before I knew it, even the pain had disappeared, and only one thought filled my head.

From this distance, with her so defenseless, I could kill her easily.

“Mr. Hajae?”

“……”

As she called my name, I sucked in a breath and lifted my head. Yulia was looking at me with a puzzled expression.

“What… are you doing…?”

Only then did I realize. Without realizing it, I’d been groping the ground, searching for my sword. Luckily, <Bloodletting Sword> had already turned back into blood and pooled around us on the floor. While I felt relieved, an ominous thought suddenly came to mind.

If the sword had been in my hand, I would’ve…

“Are you okay? Can you stand on your own?”

Yulia asked again about my condition, but I couldn’t answer. I ended up pushing her hand away and lowering my head to avoid her gaze.

“I’m sorry. Please excuse me.”

If I stayed here any longer, I didn’t know what I might do. I quickly got up, using the wall for support, and fled the training room. When I returned to my room, I didn’t even bother removing my clothes; I went straight into the shower and turned on the cold water. Even as the chill seeped into me, making my whole body shiver, I still felt like I was trapped in a dream.

Then, a low voice spoke, cutting through the sound of water pouring over my head.

‘That is the nature of the beast.’

My shoulders jolted. Hearing that voice vividly brought the scene from the training room to life. For a brief moment, I’d been consumed by <Bloodletting Sword>‘s evil energy, unable to control my impulses. Remembering it made my stomach churn as if it were about to turn inside out. I clamped my hand over my mouth and muttered, almost to myself,

“I saw it so clearly. Where to… cut.”

How to swing the sword to sever without hitting the bone, how to slice through the joints—every method became clear. I had never studied anatomy or watched someone get slaughtered, yet there was one reason that I so effortlessly knew exactly what to do.

“How to butcher something.”

Yes. The moment I held the sword, I’d been seeing the world through Mujeong’s eyes.

“…I was scared.”

“Scared of what?”

“What do you mean, what? Isn’t it obvious? I almost killed someone without batting an eye.”

Whack—! 

As I roughly turned off the water and looked to the side, Mujeong spoke indifferently.

“Did she not say so herself, Master? Come at her with the intent to kill.”

“But that was a sparring match.”

“Yes, and thank goodness it was. You would have sustained serious injuries if you had hesitated like that in live combat.”

I was at a loss for words. With my lips tightly pressed together, Mujeong frowned, seeming dissatisfied.

“What resolution did you have in mind when you picked up the sword?”

What kind of resolution? Well, of course…

“Protect ‘that person’…”

“To protect someone, sometimes you must kill someone else.”

It was extreme but not necessarily wrong. I swallowed dryly and replied in a much calmer voice.

“I understand that much.”

As doubt clouded his crimson eyes, I added another comment.

“I’ve already made up my mind to kill if it’s unavoidable.”

“Then.”

Mujeong looked down at me with an expression that revealed no emotion.

“What will you do if a situation arises where you must kill that woman from earlier to protect the Second Lord?”

“That’s…”

“Could you also willingly kill someone like Enoch or Raphael?”

Again, I was at a loss for words.

Could I kill them? No way. I couldn’t even imagine harming them. Of course, the apostles would never turn against Simeon. But I understood why Mujeong used them as examples.

“I know it might be presumptuous, but let me advise you.”

He was testing my resolve.

“Don’t pick up a sword with half-hearted intentions.”

And I failed that test spectacularly.

“If you do… you will end up being consumed by the sword like you almost were back there.”

I woke up with a headache so intense it felt like my head would split open. Even though it was a bed rather than the training ground for the first time in a while, my whole body ached. It was no wonder I felt like I had the flu, given how much I had strained my body in training and then taken a cold shower without warning.

“Ugh, I feel like I’m dying.”

I barely managed to sit up in bed and gulped down the last remaining potion. Sitting there holding the empty glass bottle in a daze, I suddenly found myself thinking about the past, back when I was the sole survivor of that bus accident, struggling fiercely to treat my burnt skin and broken bones.

“Are you all right, Master?”

I clutched my throbbing head and glanced sideways. Mujeong stood there like a dog that’d just learned the command ‘stay.’ Maybe it was because he was always there whenever I woke up these past few days, but I was no longer startled by his face in my half-asleep state.

“I took the potion, so I can move at least.”

“Haha, that is a relief.”

His hearty laughter sounded awkward today. When I looked up, Mujeong was uncharacteristically gauging my reaction.

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, about what I said to you yesterday, Master.”

“What about it?”

“Please, do not overthink it.”

I thought he would say something else, but it seemed he was worrying about yesterday, which wasn’t like him. Or perhaps it wasn’t like me. After receiving a stern warning from Mujeong yesterday, I’d spent the entire day lying around like a corpse. But that was only because I had a lot on my mind, not because I blamed Mujeong.

“No. Thanks to you, Mujeong, I was able to reflect.”

I slowly raised my aching body and touched Mujeong’s shoulder.

“Thank you for the advice.”

I left Mujeong, who still seemed like he had more to say, and went to wash up. Instead of the loose training clothes I had worn almost daily for the past week, I wore a hoodie and jeans. Mujeong asked with a curious look.

“Are you going out?”

“Yeah, to somewhere I don’t think you’ll like.”

I shrugged my shoulders and spoke jokingly, making Mujeong frown.

“Master, you are still holding onto what happened yesterday, right?”

“Haha, do you think so?”

I put the key into the ignition and started my car. I was headed into the city. 

Seoul, which I hadn’t been to in a while, was as bustling as ever. The roads were jam-packed with cars, and people stood in huge lines at the bus stops. The weather had become hotter, and people were already wearing short sleeves.

“Is it summer already…?”

I wondered how hot this summer would be. Even though I used to dislike the heat, I decided to savor it this year, as it might be my last. As I walked along the path under the shade of the trees, I saw a green spire in the distance. Mujeong, who’d quietly appeared, pointed to the gentle slope.

“Is it perhaps over there, the place I would not like?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“…Just a feeling.”

Mujeong curled his lips in disapproval. Even though it was a building that didn’t exist in his era, he wouldn’t know what it was for. Just by looking at it, he instinctively sensed it was a sanctuary. I felt slightly sorry for him but continued up the slope and stopped before the cathedral.

Hymns flowed out from the slightly open doors, suggesting a mass was in session.

“Ever since I was a child, whenever I felt stifled, I would come to places like this.”

I wanted to go to Jeongdong Cathedral, but if I did that and Simeon found out, there would be no avoiding him. So, as a compromise, I chose a cathedral in the heart of Seoul. Here, no one would recognize me.

I debated whether to go inside the cathedral but turned and sat on a bench instead. The grand sound of the organ and the cool breeze made my eyes naturally close. I was leaning against the bench, enjoying a rare moment of peace, when a low voice came from right beside me.

“Why are you not going in?”

I opened one eye and saw Mujeong sitting next to me. He tried to act nonchalantly, but his furrowed brow and tense eyebrows revealed his discomfort. He seemed uneasy just being near the cathedral.

For some reason, his expression amused me, and I smiled slightly.

“I’m being considerate so you don’t feel uncomfortable, Mujeong.”

“Now you are lying without even wetting your lips first, Master.”

“You could tell?”

I smiled faintly and leaned back on the bench, speaking to myself.

“There’s no real reason. I just… have a lot of sins.”

People who have committed crimes are usually afraid of going to the police station. Similarly, I find it hard to enter a cathedral. Some people say that through confession, you can confess all your sins and find peace, but even that is impossible for me.

After all, the final step of confession is to resolve not to commit the same sins again.

“And I still have many sins left to commit.”

I closed my eyes softly and asked quietly.

“What did the previous <Bloodletting Sword> owners use the blade for?”

“For many different reasons, but ultimately, for their own desires.”

“That’s probably true.”

“And is it not the same for you, Master?”

“For me…”

My thoughts, still unresolved, surged like a tidal wave, and I swallowed my words.

I had decided to use the sword to protect Simeon and to gather <Divine Comedy> more easily. I was certain that my resolve was strong enough. But yesterday, I realized that a half-hearted mind only brings disaster.

“I thought I could do anything to protect him… but I guess not.”

I sighed lightly, recalling what happened yesterday.

“Mujeong, you asked, didn’t you? If I could harm my comrades for his sake.”

Even thinking about it now, it seemed impossible, so I slowly shook my head.

“I can’t. If anything, I want to protect them. But that doesn’t mean I will abandon my goals because of them, either.”

I laughed in disbelief at my own words.

“I’m really indecisive, aren’t I? I’ve always been like that. Never able to clearly say yes or no. Always standing on the borderline.”

That’s the extent of my resolve. That’s all I am.

“I keep saying it’s all for his sake. But that’s just an excuse to fulfill my own desires. It feels a bit more noble to say it’s for someone else rather than admitting it’s for myself.”

Using ‘for him’ as an excuse to satisfy my own desires. Preferring to hide behind the excuse of doing things for others instead of admitting they were for myself.

“I only mention him to ease my guilt.”

I had known about this cowardly side of me. But I didn’t want to admit it. So I kept it hidden. I was afraid of being disappointed in myself if I admitted it. But now that I had said it out loud, I felt lighter.

As I sat there with my eyes closed, enjoying the breeze, I heard Mujeong’s voice.

“Finally, you are being honest with yourself.”

“…What?”

“If you have to deceive others, there is no need to deceive yourself, also.”

It felt like he saw right through me, and my eyes snapped open. I straightened up and looked directly at him. Mujeong shrugged his shoulders and said,

“If you deny your own feelings and thoughts, it is the same as denying yourself.”

“That’s…”

“At least be honest with yourself, Master. If you do not acknowledge yourself, who else will?”

At that moment, a cool breeze blew through. It was so strong that it seemed to blow away all my worries. With all the unnecessary thoughts gone, only a fundamental question remained.

Why was I deceiving even myself in a life already filled with lies? As Mujeong said, I should at least be honest with myself. I didn’t need to deny my momentary feelings and make excuses for myself.

“……..”

As a heavy silence settled, there was a loud thud followed by a scream from somewhere.

“What was that?”

I stood up and saw people running in a panic down the street in front of the cathedral. Something had definitely appeared. Rushing to the roadside, I spotted the source of the chaos in the distance.

“What on earth was that…?”

A giant spider clung to the side of a high-rise building. Its eight legs were bristling with hair like thorns and a giant, sharp pincer like a stag beetle attached to its head. At that moment, my phone’s siren blared with an emergency alert.

[A-rank Arachne sighted near Namin Building in Myeong-dong. Nearby residents are advised to evacuate.]

An A-rank… that’s on par with the Salamander that took three apostles to subdue back then. There was no room for hesitation. I quickly put my phone back in my pocket and ran with the crowd. Mujeong gave me a surprised look as if he thought I’d fight it.

“Are you running away?”

“I have no choice. If I use my powers, it’ll become a hassle.”

“A hassle for you or the Second Lord?”

“For both!”

The booming sounds didn’t stop as I kept running. I paused briefly and looked back to see Arachne destroying everything its horns touched. It was a massive creature, easily over five meters tall, with horns the size of street trees. Its destructive power was tremendous.

Someone needed to subdue it quickly, but no one was stepping in to stop Arachne.

“Seriously, are all the awakened people in Seoul off on a group vacation?”

As I looked around in frustration, Mujeong spoke slyly.

“There is someone right here who did not go on vacation.”

“Not me!”

“If you are concerned about revealing your identity, would you like to borrow my mask?”

“That mask of yours is invisible to others anyway.”

Of course, I could use the watch to hide my face, but I’m not an official apostle. If my powers got caught on camera, there’d be a lot of noise about the ‘Reappearance of the Thirteenth Apostle’ or whatever. Besides, this isn’t some remote area; we’re in the middle of Seoul. There must be an awakened person here who can handle that thing. I’ll leave it to them.

This isn’t my problem. That’s what I thought.

“Uh… ugh…”

A faint voice stopped me in my tracks.

“Didn’t you just hear something?”

“I do not know.”

I thought I’d misheard, but I clearly heard a voice this time.

“Hyung… where are you?”

Drawn by the young voice, I turned my head in that direction. Amid the people frantically fleeing, I saw a small-framed boy. Has he lost his brother in the crowd? Of all the times for that to happen… He looked like he’d tripped, hurt his knee, and couldn’t walk properly.

“Hyung…?”

The boy, clutching his bloodied knee, lifted his head. The moment our eyes met, his tear-streaked face made me unconsciously tense my shoulders. As I stood there in a daze, Mujeong whispered.

“Surely you won’t pretend you did not see him, right…?”

“I do have some shred of conscience.”

A thunderous crash sounded nearby just as I moved to help the boy. Arachne had already made its way into the alley. It was trampling over a parked car with its long legs, and then it suddenly stopped.

Dozens of eyes embedded in its head were all fixed on the boy.

“Oh, shit…”

Injured, small, and fragile. There was no way the beast would miss such easy prey. The moment I saw Arachne charge towards the boy, without a second of hesitation, my body moved on its own.

I grabbed the child’s arm, pulling him into my embrace as I ran. 

Thump, thump—. 

The sound of sturdy trucks being crushed like a paper sheet underfoot grew closer and closer. At this rate, we would be crushed without a chance. Frantically searching for a hiding place, I spotted an alley between two buildings.

There. If it’s that narrow, the creature with its massive size won’t be able to get in.

I quickly turned towards the alley. At that moment, a giant shadow loomed overhead. Arachne had lept at us with its forelegs raised. I tightly hugged the child and threw myself into the gap between the buildings. Almost simultaneously, a deafening crash echoed as sand and dust erupted around us.

Arachne landed in the flower bed in front of the building. We narrowly avoided its sharp legs. Thankfully, it seemed unaware that we’d entered the alley. But it was too soon to relax. Perhaps because of the smell of blood, Arachne continued to wander around the building, rolling its dozens of eyes.

“Haah…”

At least we’d bought some time. I let out a sigh, closing my eyes briefly when something wriggled in my arms. It dawned on me that I’d been holding the child too tightly. As soon as I loosened my arms, the child immediately squirmed out of my grasp and hid next to an outdoor air conditioning unit.

The child glanced at me warily, and I tried to give the most reassuring smile I could muster.

“Are you okay?”

I carefully extended my hand, but strangely, my forearm stung. No way, I thought, bending my arm to check, only to see blood seeping through my clothes. Rolling up my sleeve, I saw a wound about a hand’s length long on my skin. It seemed I had scraped against the asphalt when I threw myself into the alley.

Testing my arm by rotating it to see if any muscles were injured, the child suddenly spoke.

“Who… are you?”

The question was so unexpected that an honest answer slipped out of me without thinking.

“Uh… just a passerby?”

The child’s face twisted in suspicion, so I hurriedly changed the subject.

“Hey, your backpack’s unzipped.”

The innocent child immediately forgot their suspicion and checked their backpack. The zipper must have come undone when they fell earlier. As the child struggled to close it, I offered to help with a gesture. However, the child held the backpack close, eyeing me with distrust.

The sight of the child bristling with suspicion reminded me of someone from my own childhood, and I couldn’t help but smile.

“Don’t worry. Your brother will be here soon.”

As soon as I mentioned his brother, the child lowered their guard and handed me the backpack.

“…Brother? You know my brother?”

“Of course I do.”

I smoothly lied as I took the bag. While trying to align the mismatched zipper, I noticed a mask inside. Pulling it out, I found it was a Hahoe mask made from thick paper.

“What’s this?”

“…I made it in art class.”

“Mind if I borrow it?”

The child nodded but looked at me curiously.

“What are you going to do with it?”

“It’s just… it’d be a problem if someone recognizes me. So, can you keep this a secret?”

“Yeah…”

Crash—!

Startled, I turned to see Arachne staring at us through the gap in the buildings. The creature had found us, lured by the scent of blood. It was smashing the building walls with its horns, trying to squeeze into the alley.

There was no more time to waste. I stood up, put on the paper mask, and prepared to leave when the child grabbed my pant leg. It seemed they misunderstood, thinking I was about to leave them behind. I patted the child’s head with the hand untainted by blood.

“Stay here. Your brother will come. So, you need to stay put, okay?”

The child released my clothes and nodded quietly.

“Good.”

Leaving the child behind, I walked slowly towards Arachne. The closer I got, the more excited Arachne became, thrashing about and damaging the building. I dodged falling debris and looked at my hand. Thanks to the earlier injury, it was already drenched in blood. That should be enough.

“Mujeong.”

At my quiet call, a dark shadow appeared by my side.

“Let’s end this as quickly as possible.”

“Yes, Master.”

As I pulled up my hood, the world turned red. As soon as my blood trickled down and took the shape of <Bloodletting sword>, I leaped into the air and plunged the blade into Arachne’s eyes. 

Kiiek—! 

Arachne let out a bizarre scream and thrashed in agony. I sliced sideways with the embedded blade, and sticky green liquid burst from its numerous eyes.

“Ugh.” 

A wave of nausea hit me, and I swallowed to prevent myself from gagging as I landed on the ground. Glancing down, I saw my hood, pants, and entire body splattered with the green liquid. It felt like someone had doused me with a slime toy.

“I wonder if this will come out in the wash…”

As I tried to shake off the liquid, a sudden gust of wind hit me. Furious, Arachne began swinging its head wildly. Though it couldn’t attack me accurately with its lost eyes, its horns struck nearby cars and signboards, sending them flying in all directions.

“It’s going to destroy everything at this rate.”

I clicked my tongue and leaped onto the fallen truck. Taking advantage of the moment when Arachne stumbled over a street tree, I severed its horn with a single slash. 

Thud—. 

The cut-off horn landed on the hood of a parked car. As the familiar luxury emblem on the crumpled metal became visible, I turned my gaze away.

“Surely, they won’t charge me for that…”

“What a noble concern, Master.”

“Hey. It’s a serious problem.”

At that moment, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up, and I felt a familiar wave of murderous intent directed at me. Without turning around, I quickly ducked, and Arachne’s foreleg swung overhead. I twisted my waist sideways and swung my sword upwards, slicing the bent leg off cleanly. The leg happened to fall on top of another expensive foreign car.

“Oh, come on.”

“If necessary, we can appeal to the Second Lord.”

“What are you talking about? Simeon must not find out about today’s events.”

But that’s probably impossible. I had hoped to find some peace at the cathedral after a long time, but what on earth was this mess? A sudden burst of irritation surged within me. In the end, Arachne had ceased to be a threatening enemy and had become nothing more than an outlet for my frustration.

I moved swiftly, cutting off its seven legs in order. There was something strangely refreshing about slicing them off as if pruning branches. I was worried after the incident with Yulia, but it seemed I had no fear of killing things that weren’t human.

“Ugh…”

After cutting off the last remaining horn, I wiped the green liquid from my sword. At that moment, a sudden shout rang out.

“Hey! Where have you been?!”

Startled, I looked towards the alley and saw a high school-aged boy scolding the child, who was now in tears. I wasn’t sure how to go about searching for his older brother while covered in slime, so I was grateful that he’d found us first.

Putting off killing Arachne for a moment, I walked towards the alley.

“Do you know how long I’ve been looking for you? When we get home, you’ll be in big trouble…”

The older brother, who’d been scolding the child, sensed my presence and turned around. The moment our eyes met, he let out a gasp and froze. He immediately pulled the child into a protective embrace, looking up at me with terrified eyes.

“W-Who…?”

At that moment, the younger boy pointed at me with his finger and spoke softly.

“Brother. It’s him.”

“Huh?”

“He’s the one who helped me.”

The older brother looked back and forth between me and the younger sibling with a confused expression. It took him a while, but when he finally grasped the situation, he bowed his head toward me.

“T-Thank you… for saving my brother.”

I looked down at him silently, and he cautiously watched my reaction. Wondering why he was so scared, I glanced at my reflection in the building’s window. The white paper Hahoe mask, the red eyes visible through its holes, and the green fluid splattered all over me—I looked no different from a monster.

“Well then…”

While I stared blankly at my reflection, shocked by my appearance, the older brother quickly bowed his head again and hoisted his younger sibling onto his back. They ran hurriedly down the alley, their backs to me, looking as if they were fleeing. Mujeong, who’d been watching with folded arms beside me, commented.

“That is rather unjust treatment for our hero.”

“Haha… that’s not true, honestly.”

The reason I saved that child wasn’t anything grand; it was simply for my peace of mind.

“A hero is someone like my mom.”

Although we parted when I was seven, according to my father, my mom was an excellent hunter. She risked her life to save her comrades, and even after being cursed, she fought on the front lines with her undying body. When I was young, I wanted to help others just like her.

But the reality was different.

“I’m not that great a person.”

I tried to help others, but it only led to unnecessary emotions, leaving scars before I left. After that, I used my immortal body to make money. The words I always say, ‘for his sake,’ are just a poor excuse; the real reason lies elsewhere.

“You’re right, Mujeong.”

I walked toward Arachne, which still squirmed despite losing its legs and horns.

“I should at least be honest with myself.”

Cursed body. Cursed sword. My reason for using them.

Going back to the past. Cutting ties with him. The reason for saving him.

The lie that made me, the lie that made my whole life.

The lie that defines me, a lie that has spanned my entire life.

All of it has been solely…

“…For my own sake.”

Gripping the sword with both hands, I leaped behind the creature. As I plunged the sword into its head, Arachne let out a death cry. The creature thrashed violently but soon let its severed legs hang limply. At last, the first battle was over.

Only after everything fell silent did my vision clear. The street now in disarray, and the monster slain, with its body cut to pieces. Beyond that lay the green spire and the cross rising close to the sun. Seeing them, the reality of taking a life hit me finally. I quietly made the sign of the cross and recited a prayer.

“Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

As I released the sword, it immediately lost its form and turned into blood. My blood spattered across Arachne’s head.

Gradually, my vision returned to normal. Contrary to my worries, my consciousness remained clear. It felt completely different from when I sparred with Yulia. My body felt like it was truly mine. Whether it was due to a change in my mindset or because <Bloodletting Sword> recognized my resolve, I couldn’t tell, but this was undoubtedly a positive change.

“Let’s go back now, Mujeong.”

I stepped away from Arachne’s head and was about to leave the scene in haste when—

“An apostle?”

A stranger’s voice stopped me in my tracks. Glancing back, I saw someone sitting at the bus stop.

Wearing a white short-sleeved shirt, dark gray pants, and a backpack slung over one shoulder, he was unmistakably a high school student. The school emblem on his left chest wasn’t clearly visible, but it was evident that he attended some kind of physical education high school. His tall stature and sturdy physique stood out even while sitting in a chair.

Another notable feature was the scar near his left eye. However, even that was mostly obscured by his silver-rimmed glasses, making him look rather ordinary. Just an average student. But how did he know I was involved with the apostles? Was he just taking a wild guess? Or maybe he’s a fan of the apostles? No way… is he an undercover reporter?

As suspicion after suspicion ran through my mind, I simply stared at him quietly, and he also looked puzzled.

“That’s strange…”

Strange? That’s what I should be saying. When exactly did he start sitting there? While everyone else fled to avoid Arachne, he seemed completely unfazed by the chaos. He wasn’t fearless; instead, he seemed to have something else up his sleeve. Is he one of the awakened? If so, why didn’t he do something instead of just watching?

I glared at him with a gaze full of resentment, and he tilted his head slightly.

“Can we talk for a moment, hyung?”

Hyung? When did we get on such familiar terms? Words sharp enough to cut rose to my throat, and I barely managed to suppress them. What a strange guy. I stood there, unable to move away for a while, and Mujeong, who appeared next to me, discreetly tested me.

“Are you contemplating whether to kill him or not, Master?”

“…No way.”

I curtly dismissed his nonsense and left the scene. Contrary to my expectations, the student didn’t follow me. Still, to avoid any misunderstandings, I made sure to completely escape his line of sight before using my key to return to the Ark.

As soon as I got back to my room, the first thing I did was take a hot bath. I desperately wanted to wash off the slime clinging to my body. I threw my already ruined clothes aside and slipped into the bathtub. As soon as I submerged my body in the water, my eyelids, heavy with fatigue, started to droop.

Just a little nap. Just five minutes. I decided, sinking deeply into the warm water.

****

 My whole body was stiff, and I desperately needed water. 

“….Water…..”

Muttering to myself, I shifted my body and heard a voice from somewhere.

“You want water?”

“Yeah…..”

I answered without thinking, then realized something was off. I opened my eyes wide, and a familiar face came into view.

“Raphael?”

“You’re awake, hyung.”

“Why are you here…?”

As soon as I tried to sit up by applying strength to my waist, a sharp pain shot through my muscles. Grimacing in pain, Raphael urgently waved his hands to stop me.

“Don’t push yourself; just lie down.”

I had no choice but to relax as the pain shot through my joints. Fortunately, the bed was at least soft, so it was bearable.

Wait a minute. Didn’t I fall asleep in the bathtub? I had a sudden dizzying thought and hastily looked down at my body. I was wearing pajamas… No, that’s not the issue. I have no memory of walking to bed while dressed.

“Uh…”

Could I have been indebted to Raphael? I sneaked a glance at him. But Raphael tilted his head with a surprisingly innocent expression. Judging by his reaction, it wasn’t him. Besides, given his build, he wouldn’t have been able to move me while I was asleep.

Then who could it have been? The person who dried my body and dressed me in pajamas before laying me down. Suddenly, a certain person flashed through my mind, and a chill ran down my spine.

“What’s wrong, hyung?”

Raphael asked with a worried look. I almost asked him but figured it would only make things awkward, so I changed the topic.

“Sorry, but could you bring me some recovery medicine? My muscles hurt too much to move.”

I thought it wasn’t a difficult request, but Raphael frowned, looking troubled, and avoided my gaze. He usually readily used his abilities to heal anyone injured, but his reaction was different this time.

“Raphael?”

“I want to, but…”

After hesitating, he bit his lip and then blurted out something unexpected.

“Is it just for muscle pain? There’s nothing else wrong, right? Since I’ve healed the injured arm without leaving a scar…”

“What?”

At that moment, I heard a sound. And Rafael’s gaze moved past me to the side. Mesmerized, I turned my head to follow his gaze and then stopped. Standing by the window with his arms crossed, looking out at the ocean, was Simeon.

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work, Raphael.”

“Then I’ll take my leave…”

Raphael left before I could stop him. 

Thud—. 

The sound of the door closing brought silence.

It’s been nearly a week since I last saw Simeon. If he’s back at the Ark, then his business with the association must have concluded successfully. However, his expression looked darker than before. Of course, I had my suspicions. I just hoped they weren’t true.

“You’re here? It’s good to have you back.”

Feigning ignorance, I tried to speak casually, and Simeon replied.

“Yes.”

He really only gave a one-word response.

“Did everything go well with The Association?”

“Yes.”

What a conversation killer. But I cared less than usual about the conversation dying. I just wanted to sit up a bit, but after overexerting myself yesterday, even moving a finger was difficult. As I struggled to get up, Simeon came over and helped me sit up. So, he wasn’t that angry, after all.

“Ah, thank you. My body isn’t moving well right now…”

“I know. For the record, I stopped Raphael from healing you.”

The smile vanished from my face at those words.

So that’s why Raphael hesitated when I asked for recovery medicine. But why did Simeon stop him? Looking at him with a puzzled expression, Simeon opened the bedside drawer—the sight of what was inside sent a chill down my spine.

“It seems like there was quite a bit of excitement while I was away.”

Simeon held a Hahoe mask in his hand, smeared with a green, viscous substance. Although I had expected Simeon to find out eventually, I didn’t think it would be so soon, just a day after the incident. Before Simeon could start questioning me, I quickly began explaining.

“I really didn’t mean to get involved. I swear. But a kid had fallen over and Arachne was coming right for him. How could I just stand by and watch? I was trying not to cause any trouble… That’s why I used the mask.”

“….”

Why isn’t he saying anything? When I glanced at Simeon, he finally opened his mouth and spoke calmly.

“I didn’t say anything, Mr. Hajae.”

“That’s… true.”

Is this what they call a guilty conscience? I might not have done anything wrong, but if my actions caused Simeon any trouble, then that’s something I should apologize for. I was prepared to take whatever scolding he had to give and meekly lowered my head, but Simeon said something unexpected.

“There’s a lot of talk about you online now. They’re saying a previously unknown awakened person has appeared. There’s even a rumor you might be a new S-class hunter.”

Thinking about how the media used to spin wild stories about me being the ‘13th Apostle’ made my head throb.

“S-class… That’s an exaggeration.”

“It’s not an exaggeration.”

Simeon’s voice was firm.

“You took down an A-class monster by yourself, didn’t you?”

“That just… happened.”

Should I have just evacuated the kid to a safe place and run away immediately, regardless of Arachne rampaging and destroying buildings? My head was already full of thoughts, and now Simeon brought up something even more serious.

“Just as a person must be registered at birth, an awakened person must be registered with The Hunter’s Association. Of course, it’s possible to hide it if your whole family is in on it. But after yesterday’s incident, even that’s no longer an option. They must be aware of your existence by now.”

“Then… what do I do?”

“You’ll have to go to The Hunter’s Association for an investigation. That’s the protocol.”

My vision swam. All I did was save a child from nearly dying, but now things had escalated to this. Going to The Hunter’s Association and cooperating might settle the situation, but that meant revealing my unique abilities and immortal body.

As I tried to think of a way to slip away quietly, Simeon spoke gently.

“Of course, I don’t plan on sending you to them.”

“…What? Is that even possible?”

“There’s no need to consider the possibilities. The matter has already been resolved.”

The word ‘resolved’ caught my attention.

“What do you mean?”

“I made a deal with them.”

“A deal…?”

“In exchange for quietly burying the events in the rift, they’re dropping all suspicions regarding you.”

The Hunter’s Association, which should’ve been at the forefront of investigating me, would now have to quell any rumors related to me. In other words, the association had become my shield. The media wouldn’t dare say anything, either. Who would’ve thought he’d use the incident in the rift to create a diversion and silence the association?

“Now, you are officially part of The Apostles. Even though you haven’t taken the test, you won’t have a rank, and the public won’t know your name… from now on, neither The Hunter’s Association nor anyone else will be able to hold you back.”

The situation had happened and been resolved in an instant. It felt like a storm had swept through, leaving my mind in a daze.

“Is that why you were away for so long?”

“Well, there were other issues to address too.”

Simeon shrugged it off like it was no big deal. But this wasn’t something to brush off lightly. He had worked with the association he so despised for almost a week, and it was all for me. How could this be considered no big deal?

What should I say in moments like this? The first things that came to mind were, ‘Sorry for causing you trouble,” or “You didn’t have to do that.” I’d formed these habits to draw a line and avoid feeling indebted. But this time, I needed to be clear.

“Simeon.”

I had to convey my sincere gratitude to the person who’d gone out of his way for me.

“Thank you.”

It wasn’t like I’d said anything grand, yet Simeon’s eyes slowly widened. Had I really avoided saying thank you that much until now? Upon reflection, I realized that even when things were difficult or when I should’ve been grateful, I’d only ever apologized. Why had I been so reluctant to say thank you, as if it were difficult?

“To be honest, I owe you a lot from before too… I’m only saying it now.”

Feeling a little embarrassed, I flashed an awkward smile, and Simeon frowned in response.

“What are you plotting?”

“Plotting? It’s just… I felt like I hadn’t expressed it enough until now.”

I looked straight into his dark eyes and spoke again.

“Thank you for everything.”

I revealed my true feelings for the first time without deceiving him or myself. And so, a genuine smile naturally spread across my face. How long had it been since I’d smiled at him like this? It must’ve been a long, long time ago.

Just as I was relieved to have passed a hurdle, another worry reared its head.

Even apostles who use baptismal names have their unique abilities and hunter ranking known publicly. But everything about me remains shrouded in mystery. The more secrets you have, the more the public’s curiosity is piqued. I’m worried that those who try to dig into my past might cause unnecessary trouble for the other apostles.

Noticing my suddenly darkened expression, Simeon became quite serious.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m worried whether I’ll be able to hide the fact that I’m an apostle.”

How do other apostles maintain their everyday lives? Do they sever ties with people and arrange their personal affairs before joining the guild? Perhaps they even keep their apostle identity hidden from those closest to them. Luckily, I have no friends or family to worry about, but that doesn’t mean I can hide everything perfectly.

“And even more than that… this thing on my neck.”

What’s the point of hiding my face? This is a more distinctive feature than my physique or voice. Until now, I’ve worn a hood to cover my neck, but even that feels like an unsustainable solution. Maybe I should wear a scarf when I go into the city. People might think I’m a lunatic for wearing a scarf in the summer, but it’s better than people finding out that I’m an apostle.

While I was pondering my options, Simeon gave me a puzzled look.

“Didn’t I tell you? That’s invisible to others.”

“…What?”

“I asked Agnes for help. It’s been like that since we made your watch.”

It felt like a club had smacked the back of my head, making my eyes go wide.

Thanks to the watch called ‘Midas’ Work’, apostles can see each other’s faces even when wearing black masks. Agnes also used that very principle to make <Crown of Atonement> around my neck invisible.

“Really?”

“Why would I lie about something like that?”

“But the café owner saw it, didn’t she?”

That’s why I wasn’t hired… Wait. Did I have the watch then? …No, I didn’t. I received the watch from Simeon in the car right before entering <Codex Gigas>’s rift. Come to think of it, since I got the watch, the only one who’s talked about <Crown of Atonement> is Raphael, who also wears a watch.

“Is it really invisible to others?”

It was hard to believe since I could see it so clearly. Instead of answering, Simeon pulled out his phone to show me something. It was a photo of me, taken by the journalists who were stationed in front of <Codex Gigas>’s rift. At first, I wondered why he was showing this to me, but then I noticed something unusual.

“What the…”

There was no thorny crown around my neck in the photo.

Raphael had shown me this photo before, but I hadn’t noticed then. I was too focused on the fact that I had made it to the front page of the news to realize. After seeing the picture with my own eyes, my previous worries now seemed laughable.

“Oh, wow… thanks. At least now I won’t have to look like a crazy person for wearing a scarf in the middle of summer.”

Simeon chuckled at my silly remark.

“You’re welcome.”

Whether it was because I thanked him or just because Simeon was in a good mood today, the atmosphere felt unusually relaxed. If only it could be like this every day. Wanting to continue this comfortable feeling, I brought up something I’d planned to gloss over.

“Oh, and thanks for… moving me.”

“Moving you?… Moving what?”

What’s with that reaction? Is he just pretending not to know to save me from embarrassment? But Simeon genuinely seemed unaware of what had happened yesterday. The air around us grew tense, so I quickly explained.

“Uh, I fell asleep while taking a bath last night. But when I woke up, I was in bed, fully dressed… There’s no way the staff would’ve done that, so I assumed it was you…”

After all, Simeon was the only one who would enter my room without permission. Yet, his expression remained odd. He seemed more than just puzzled; he almost looked uncomfortable. After a moment of deep thought, Simeon spoke in a heavy tone.

“I returned to the Ark this morning. When I came into your room, you were already in bed.”

“What? Then who on earth…?”

Ah. A face suddenly flashed through my mind, making me swallow my words. The only person who could’ve picked me up from the bath and put me to bed was obvious. It was the same person who was now playing dumb, keeping their mouth shut. Or rather… the sword spirit.

“Haha… I guess must have sleepwalked into bed.”

Damn it. Why did I have to bring that up and stir things up unnecessarily?

I tried to smooth things over, but once the atmosphere had turned cold, it didn’t recover. Simeon already seemed to have guessed who the midnight visitor was. His suddenly stiffened expression looked almost intimidating. There was only one way to handle this.

“Hey, aren’t you hungry?”

Play dumb and change the subject.

“Why don’t we have breakfast together for a change?”

I doubted it would work, but…

“Sure.”

It worked. He surprisingly took the bait. I immediately reeled in the line.

“Then, could you please bring me some recovery medicine? It’s hard for me to move.”

This time, I managed to shift the conversation quite naturally. However, Simeon just stood there, looking down at me without saying anything. Just minutes ago, his dark eyes had been gleaming; now they looked half-dead. Fully knowing why he looked like that, I spoke with a thick-skinned face.

“I’ll repay you for the medicine soon. Including everything I’ve used these past few days.”

Still no change in his expression. Is that not it? Then…

“Oh, and I’ll repay you for the dummy dolls, too. I kind of destroyed a lot of them.”

I awkwardly smiled and tried to read his mood, and Simeon slowly closed his eyes and spoke.

“There’s no need.”

“Heeey, even so…”

“I’ll help you. With eating, with changing clothes. Everything.”

“…What?”

He wasn’t saying I didn’t have to pay for the medicine; he meant I didn’t need it in the first place. No, more than that, what does he mean by helping with everything?

The flow of the conversation took a bizarre turn, like a car suddenly veering off course. My mind froze, and I could only blink in confusion as Simeon approached the bed. It wasn’t until he sat on the edge of the bed that I snapped out of it.

“W-Wait a second.”

My urgent plea was ignored. Simeon, who had been quietly observing me, soon placed his right hand on the pillow beside me and leaned his upper body toward me. I tried to turn away quickly, but my tense muscles acted up.

“Ugh.” 

The moment I put pressure on my back, pain shot through my whole body like a herniated disc. Unable to move, I lay slumped on my side, so Simeon grabbed my shoulders and helped me lie flat.

“Just lie down comfortably. I’ll take care of what you need.”

The unselfish kindness almost brought tears to my eyes. Although knowing it was Simeon, I felt like crying for a different reason. I forced a smile and subtly expressed my discomfort.

“Haha, I’ll be fine if I just take some recovery medicine. Why go through so much trouble? It makes me feel bad.”

“You don’t need to feel bad. I’m doing this because I want to.”

“I’m telling you, I don’t want this.”

My true feelings slipped out like a sneeze. Yet Simeon didn’t even blink and responded immediately.

“Mr. Hajae, you said you were grateful to me, didn’t you?”

“Uh? Yes, I did.”

“Then repay me.”

“Repay… you?”

Simeon gently stroked my hair and smiled.

“Let me take care of you while you’re sick.”

This is the first time I’ve ever heard of such a repayment. Admittedly, I’ve been alone during difficult times since becoming an adult, so I occasionally missed the touch of my father’s careful nursing from when I was young. But this isn’t how I wanted to fulfill that longing.

At least my father did it out of pure love for me. I can see right through those bright, glowing eyes to the dark intentions beneath. He’s just trying to torment me. Anyone can see he’s doing this to take out his frustration about Mujeong!

“Should we start with breakfast?”

“Uh…”

“Oh, but you should change clothes first if we’re going to the dining hall. Pajamas are inappropriate.”

He’s lost it. Absolutely gone off the deep end.

I quickly spoke up as he began to pull down the blanket.

“Wait, I just remembered something I wanted to say.”

“Suddenly?”

“Yes, suddenly.”

As I nodded quickly, Simeon pulled his hand away from the blanket without resistance. He looked at me with eyes that said, Let’s hear it, and I spoke without pausing for breath.

“On my way back after catching the Arachne, a high school student suddenly called out to me. Then he asked me if I was an apostle.”

I thought it was quite a serious incident, but his response was very nonchalant.

“So what?”

“So what…? Don’t you think that’s suspicious?”

“I’m not sure. It’s a common occurrence.”

I never imagined he’d show no interest, so I hurriedly added more explanation.

“Everyone ran away from Arachne, but he was sitting alone at the bus stop, looking incredibly relaxed. At the time, I thought he was an awakened person, but now that I think about it, he might’ve been a reporter disguised as a student.”

When I somehow managed to raise a question, Simeon asked nonchalantly.

“What did he look  like?”

“He was wearing a school uniform of blue pants and a white shirt, but I couldn’t tell which school he was from. He had a nice physique, like an athlete, and…. oh! He had a scar over one eye.”

Simeon frowned slightly at the mention of the scar. Was there something suspicious? Anyway, I succeeded in diverting his attention elsewhere. Having gained a little bit of time, I was feeling relieved when Simeon tilted his head slightly and spoke.

“Was the scar over his right eye?”

I thought of the face of the male student sitting at the bus stop and nodded absentmindedly.

“Huh? That’s right.”

“He had a long scar from his eyelid to the bottom of his eye, and he was wearing silver glasses, right?”

“…How did you know?”

Goosebumps ran through my body as he accurately matched even the details that I hadn’t mentioned. Unlike me, who was stunned and dazed, Simeon returned to his indifferent expression and muttered softly.

“Because he’s a member of our guild.”

The incident I’d brought up that should’ve aroused his suspicion ended absurdly.

I never expected that well-built male student to be an apostle. Ah, that’s why he became suspicious and asked if I was an apostle when he saw me. Seeing a stranger wearing an apostle’s watch must’ve been baffling. I should at least learn his name, in case we cross paths again and there’s another misunderstanding.

“What’s that student’s baptismal name?”

“Matteo.”

It’s a name that suits his strong appearance… No, I’m getting distracted. Now that I’ve thrown out my only topic that barely managed to distract Simeon, it was time to get back to the main point. Simeon, as if he’d been waiting, asked subtly.

“Is that all you have to say?”

His face was devoid of any smile, making my mouth go dry.

“Do you really… have to do this? Even to a grown adult.”

“Is there any reason why I shouldn’t?”

He retorted nonchalantly, looking genuinely puzzled, and for a moment, I was at a loss for words.

Right. It’s not like he was planning to do anything to me. He just wants to ‘take care’ of me. Feed me, put me to bed, and wash me while I’m sick… It’s such a thoughtful gesture. Thoughtful… As I was trying hard to brainwash myself, Simeon suddenly spoke up.

“Why is it okay for him but not for me?”

The sudden question made my mind go blank. What does he mean by ‘him’? And what does he mean by okay or not okay? Despite its vagueness, I oddly understood everything. Maybe it was because there were so many things in my heart that I felt guilty about.

“Simeon, I think you’ve misunderstood something. I never asked him to do anything for me. That happened while I was asleep, and it was beyond my control…”

“Mr. Hajae.”

“Y-Yes?”

When I stopped rambling, Simeon raised the left corner of his mouth in a crooked smile.

“Earlier, you said you were sleepwalking.”

“…Ah.”

A sigh escaped my lips. I’ve fallen into another trap, haven’t I? It was too late to keep my mouth shut now. While I was staring blankly, having completely lost my way out, there was a knock at the door. I flinched in surprise, but Simeon seemed quite calm as if he already knew who was coming.

“Come in.”

I recognized the person who opened the door and entered.

“Simeon, I’ve prepared what you asked for.”

It was the staff member who used to bring meals to the training ground. Unfortunately, on the last training day, I unintentionally frightened her because I lost my temper due to the sword. Thankfully, she seemed to have forgotten about that day as she walked over with the plate, looking indifferent.

“Where should I put this?”

“Please place it on this table. Thank you for your hard work.”

I stared at her as she set the plate on the bedside table. I intended to apologize if our eyes met, but she deliberately avoided my gaze. Up close, I could see her lips trembling slightly and her pale complexion. It seemed she still remembered that day.

In the end, she hurriedly left without once looking at me. Even after she had left, I stared blankly at the closed door, making Simeon curious.

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing…”

Seeing her so frightened that she couldn’t even meet my eyes reminded me of that student I helped. He was as wary of me as Arachne, even though I’d just saved his younger brother. If I continue to use the sword, I’ll likely face worse treatment than this in the future. But being called a monster and pointed at is less burdensome than being hailed as a hero.

“What is that?”

When I gestured towards the bowl with my eyes, Simeon opened the lid.

“It’s rice porridge with vegetables. It’s been simmered for a long time, so it should be easy to eat.”

Steam rose with a savory aroma, making me involuntarily swallow. Simeon smiled faintly.

“I’m glad to see you have an appetite.”

Simeon slipped his arm between my back and the bed, wrapping it around my shoulders to help me sit up. My back protested again, but it felt much better once I was propped up against the headboard. More than anything, I liked that we were now at eye level.

“But if you were going to have the meal brought to the room, why did you talk about the dining room earlier?”

There was no need to change clothes if we were going to eat in the room. What was the point of that whole argument? Feeling wronged, I shot Simeon a side glance, but he replied without a hint of a change in expression.

“I wanted to see you flustered.”

It wasn’t even worth responding to. I gave him a cold look, but Simeon, unfazed, stirred the porridge with a spoon. Watching him blow on the hot porridge to cool it was like watching a father with his child. No, more like a teacher.

Memories of the past suddenly came to mind. There was a time I spoon-fed porridge to Sang when he was suffering from acute indigestion. He’d been adorably obedient, eating quietly without a word of complaint, even though he was embarrassed. It wasn’t as pleasant now that our roles were reversed, though.

“Now, say ‘ah’.”

Simeon held up a spoonful of porridge to my mouth. His slightly raised eyebrows urged me to open my mouth. Feeling strangely conflicted, I licked my lips and spoke.

“Simeon, you know how old I am this year, right?”

“Ah.”

“It’s my back that’s hurting, not my hand. I can still hold a spoon.”

“Ah.”

…Fine, you jerk. I reluctantly opened my mouth and ate the porridge. The temperature and seasoning suited my taste perfectly, which surprised me. What was more surprising, though, was how much Simeon seemed to enjoy feeding me.

“Is it good?”

“Tsk.”

Is this really that amusing? Sure, it was fun when I fed him back then, but we were kids at the time… No, I shouldn’t dwell on this. 

I kept eating the porridge Simeon fed me, finishing the whole bowl quickly. Simeon, who handed me a cup of lukewarm water to wash it down, looked genuinely satisfied.

“I’ll drink the water myself.”

As I grabbed the cup from him, Simeon immediately looked disappointed. After finishing the water, I brought up the topic I hadn’t had a chance to ask about earlier.

“But I didn’t expect a minor to be in The Apostles.”

Simeon stopped tidying up the dishes and answered.

“Matteo is technically an adult. He’s a senior in high school.”

“Oh, he’s an adult? I didn’t realize because he was wearing a school uniform.”

“He was held back a year due to circumstances.”

In high school, being held back is usually due to poor grades or attendance issues. I didn’t know which of the two was the case, but I got the feeling it was a rather unpleasant past.

“So, he’s the youngest among the guild members?”

“Yes, and he was the last to join the guild, twelfth in line.”

“It must be difficult juggling school life and being a hunter.”

Even though I dropped out of high school, I was quite busy with my studies in my first year. Perhaps that’s why I felt impressed by Matteo, who was managing both his senior year and being a hunter. Simeon, agreeing, nodded.

“It is. That’s why I usually don’t call on him unless necessary… but some things have come up.”

“What sort of things?”

“Do you remember what I said in <Monet’s Garden>? About another potential spirit item still out there?”

Of course, I remembered. When I confessed that <Bloodletting Sword> might not be the final piece to complete <Divine Comedy>, Simeon calmly mentioned that one candidate was still left. I nodded quietly, and Simeon continued, pouring water into a cup.

“It’s called <Amrita>. Referred to as an elixir of the gods in Indian mythology.”

In various cultures, it’s said that consuming the food of the gods would grant humans immortality. Similar examples include ‘nectar’ from Greek mythology or ‘ambrosia’ mentioned in Buddhist scriptures. It wasn’t surprising for something so well-known to become a spirit relic.

“Did it become a spirit object because of the myth’s popularity?”

“No, it’s for more practical reasons.”

Simeon handed me the cup again as if offering an elixir.

“The key factor that led to victory in the war of Kedu’s Kingdom in BC was precisely ‘Amrita’.”

“…Was that the name of a general? Or a strategy?”

Simeon slowly shook his head.

“It’s the name of a stimulant that the soldiers consumed. According to records, just a sip could make you forget pain and fight tirelessly, almost as if they were immortal.”

A stimulant. They borrowed a name from mythology to make it sound noble, but it was essentially a drug. Drugs may have unknown immediate effects, but they always lead to a tragic end. 

It was said that soldiers who drank ‘Amrita’ suffered from severe addiction and withdrawal symptoms after the war ended.

“Some even betrayed their comrades and killed their neighbors to obtain ‘Amrita’.“

Ultimately, Keddu Kingdom, led to victory by ‘Amrita’, met its downfall because of it.

“The intriguing part is that the true nature of ‘Amrita’ is still unknown.”

“Are you saying no one knows what the main ingredient is?”

“Yes. And since the formula was a state secret, there aren’t any records of it anywhere.”

‘Amrita’ remained shrouded in mystery. Some called it the elixir of immortality, others the key to victory, and some even called it the most devastating drug in history. As curious creatures, humans have always craved the divine elixir. And ultimately, the A-rank spirit item, <Amrita>, was born.

“So you think the chapter for ‘Wrath’ is inside it?”

“Yes. What’s more, <Amrita> is expected to be up for auction soon.”

An auction, huh? At least it didn’t require entering a rift like with <Bloodletting Sword>. But auctions brought their own set of problems. Considering <Amrita>’s fame, there’d likely be plenty of rivals vying to win the bid. I didn’t know the exact extent of Simeon’s financial power, but there are plenty of people with money in this world.

“So, we need to win the bid first?”

“Yes. But before that, the spirit item must arrive safely at the auction house.”

“Well, of course, it will arrive safely…”

… Or will it? As I furrowed my brows, feeling uneasy, Simeon’s voice sank.

“Recently, there have been incidents of spirit items being stolen while being transported to auction houses.”

“Stolen… you say?”

They’ve got some nerve, daring to steal a spirit item.

“What about the culprit?”

“We don’t know. They haven’t been caught yet.”

The unexpected answer caused my brow to furrow.

Honestly, it was surprising. As soon as the news of the theft broke, not only the auction company but also the association managing the spirit items and the various collectors waiting to bid must have jumped in to catch the culprit. Yet, they still hadn’t been apprehended, which meant this wasn’t an ordinary thief.

“The organization must be quite large. Or they hired a particularly skilled awakened individual.”

“Who knows? More importantly, the auction company is also at fault for this incident.”

“What did the company do?”

“It’s more like what they didn’t do.”

What they didn’t do? Simeon paused in the middle of discussing the case and cleared away his empty bowl.

“I’ll explain the details in the meeting room. There’s something I want to show you as well.”

“All right, then.”

“Change your clothes and come to the meeting room.”

I almost responded with a quick “yes” before realizing something. Changing clothes—a simple task—had become an obstacle for me.

“Uh…”

As I trailed off, Simeon glanced down at me with a sly smile.

“What’s the matter? Need some help?”

Given my current condition, I would have no choice but to accept his help. But… the mere thought of Simeon dressing me like I was a five-year-old going to kindergarten sent a chill through my body as if I’d plunged my brain into ice water. In the end, I quickly dodged his approaching hands and waved him off.

“No, no. I’ll do it myself.”

It wasn’t until I leaned back that I realized something was odd. What’s this? My back, which had been screaming for mercy at the slightest movement, was now quiet. No way. I shot up from the bed. My body felt light. Like a patient miraculously recovering, I moved my limbs around.

“What’s this? Wait, what did you do?”

“I asked them to mix a healing potion into your porridge.”

“Seriously?”

So, he had intended to give me medicine from the start.

“You should’ve told me earlier…”

I mumbled to myself, and Simeon tilted his head.

“What difference would that have made?”

“I wouldn’t have cursed you in my head, at least.”

Simeon let out a soft laugh at my candid response.

“You cursed me?”

“Well, I thought you’d tease me all day.”

A faint smile spread across his lips as I rubbed the back of my neck awkwardly.

“No way. I never had such intentions.”

“…Really?”

For someone who claimed not to have those thoughts, he seemed genuinely disappointed every time I refused his help. I squinted at him suspiciously, but Simeon only shrugged.

“What would I do if you ended up truly resenting me?”

“You care about that? What others think?”

“I don’t.”

He shook his head firmly, then added:

“But when it comes to you, it’s different, Mr. Hajae.”

Oddly, his gaze reminded me of a fish’s scales, shimmering with subtle changes in color depending on the angle. Every time his dark eyes blinked, emotions flickered briefly—sadness, joy, relief, and lingering regret that hadn’t quite faded away.

“Even if the whole world hated me, I hope you wouldn’t.”

I said nothing. No, I couldn’t say anything. Liars always fall silent in the face of truth. I could only stare blankly at Simeon’s retreating figure as he left the room after speaking those words.

“That’s terrifying…”

The weight of genuine sincerity.

My mind was in turmoil. In the end, I took a cold shower as if I were a monk meditating under a waterfall. I changed my clothes, and after a little while, I arrived at the meeting room, where the scent of coffee filled the air. Sitting alone at a large oval table, Simeon looked up from his cup.

“You’re later than I expected.”

“I was showering… But where’s everyone else?”

“They had other tasks, so I didn’t call them. Besides, they’re not involved with <Amrita>.”

So, it was just the two of us handling this <Amrita> case? Even if the team size was smaller than for <Bloodletting Sword>, it was too early to feel relieved. I remembered how hard it’d been for just the two of us to handle cases like <Codex Gigas> and <Blue Hope>.

“Coffee?”

Simeon lifted his cup toward me, but I politely declined.

“No, thanks. Could you continue with what you were saying earlier?”

“About <Amrita>?”

“Yes. You mentioned something about the auction company neglecting its duties.”

Simeon nodded and set his coffee cup down.

“Once the auction company receives the item from the owner, they assume full responsibility. If it’s stolen or damaged, the company compensates the owner. That’s why they hire guards from the moment the item is moved from the owner’s vault until it’s delivered to the final bidder.”

I suddenly remembered my time acting as a representative at an auction. Even the D-rank spirit item <Firebird’s Breath> had sold for over a billion won. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how much the A-rank <Amrita> would cost. The company naturally had to hire security to ensure nothing went wrong.

But the fact that they failed to do so meant…

“Don’t tell me they skimped on security?”

“They did provide security, as per protocol. But they hired armed non-awakened guards instead of awakened ones.”

“What? Why?”

“To cut costs, of course.”

A sigh escaped me.

Even if they were heavily armed, non-awakened guards were no match for someone who’d awakened. It was like the ferocity and intimidation exuding from a trained guard dog—until it meets a tiger.

“So, the culprit must’ve known the company would use non-awakened guards and targeted that moment specifically?”

“We’re not certain yet, but that’s my assumption.”

“How could they possibly know that…?”

“There was probably a snitch inside the company or a security leak.”

Of course, the primary fault lies with the thief who stole the spirit item. But considering the auction company hired non-awakened guards, thinking nothing would happen, it’s no wonder they were receiving the blame.

“Were there any witnesses?”

“No. And there were no survivors either. Everyone, from the driver to the guards, was killed.”

Everyone. Dead. The grim reality caused my clenched fist to tremble slightly.

“But surely there’s some CCTV footage nearby?”

“There isn’t. The incident happened on a remote mountain road.”

“…They deliberately targeted a place without CCTV.”

“Most likely. I’ve heard they didn’t find any evidence that could identify the culprit at the scene.”

Simeon gestured toward the tablet PC in front of me. He tapped the screen, and a photo appeared.

A large cargo truck was parked on the road carved into the mountain. Through the half-open container door, something dark was faintly visible. The moment I zoomed in to get a closer look at the inside, my eyelids trembled.

“This, this is…”

The dark objects lying on the ground were none other than corpses. Several unblurred corpses. Blood splatter from the scene was clearly visible, as if the photo had been taken right after the bodies were found. Unable to bear the graphic sight, I quickly turned off the screen.

“What was the cause of death?”

“You didn’t see?”

“I… I didn’t look.”

Unless I was half out of my mind from using <Bloodletting Sword>, seeing corpses with a clear mind was still too difficult. In contrast, Simeon leisurely sipped his coffee while gazing at the crime scene photos as if he were appreciating a piece of art.

“The causes of death vary, but all are presumed to be suicides.”

It was as if a hornet buzzed by my ear, snapping my eyes wide open.

“Suicides… you say?”

“Yes. Each one died by their own hand, with their own weapon.”

“But the culprit could have staged that, couldn’t they? To avoid leaving behind any weapons as evidence.”

“But there was only a single bullet fired from each gun, all of which were found in the victims’ heads.”

There were twelve people. Twelve guns. Twelve bullets fired. And all twelve bullets were found in the victims’ heads. The trained security guards had shot themselves in the head. If they’d encountered the culprit, at least one shot would’ve been fired at the perpetrator… How could this be?

“The victims showed no signs of resistance, and there was no trace of the culprit’s blood at the scene. That suggests only one thing.”

Simeon tapped the screen of the tablet lightly with his finger.

“The culprit is someone capable of mind control.”

At last, the scattered puzzle pieces clicked into place. The victims, under the control of the manipulator, had been unable to resist and were forced to commit suicide with their own guns. What a horrifying ability… Based on that, though, it also meant that the guards’ deaths weren’t because they were non-awakened. 

“If the culprit really did control their minds, the result would likely have been the same even if the guards had been awakened individuals.”

“No. If they were awakened—and professionals, at that—they would’ve at least been able to respond somehow.”

Simeon’s words made sense as I thought about how someone like me would respond to a fire compared to a trained firefighter. If they’d used properly trained awakened individuals, the worst-case scenario—where the entire security team was killed—could’ve been avoided.

“So this time, we’re trying to prevent the same thing from happening, right?”

Simeon closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. A question mark formed in my mind.

“But we can’t be sure the culprit will come to steal <Amrita>.”

Why did they steal the spirit item last time? The first thing that comes to mind is money. Or perhaps they wanted the power of the item they stole. Whatever the reason, the likelihood of them returning to steal <Amrita> again seems extremely low. If it were me, I’d lay low for a while. With everyone frantically searching for the culprit, committing the same crime again would surely get them caught.

But Simeon had the opposite opinion.

“No. They’ll definitely come.”

His eyes sharply glinted as he stared at the crime scene photos.

“How do you know that?”

Had he announced it like a phantom thief planning a heist?

Instead of answering, Simeon gestured towards the tablet with a nod. I was sure information related to the topic. But if I turned on the screen, a scene of bloody carnage would pop out. A head blown open by a self-inflicted shot to the temple… 

Ugh.

I didn’t dare look again, so I quickly pressed the power button and peeked at the crime scene photos. Two items appeared on the screen. One was a palm-sized glass bottle with gold decorations.

“Is this <Amrita>?”

The other was a picture of what looked like a sheet of golden material.

“And what’s this?”

Both looked too expensive for me to ever afford.

“They were supposed to transfer two sacred objects that day. The A-class item <Amrita> and the B-class item <Golden Fleece>. As it turned out, only <Golden Fleece> was moved because of the owner’s situation, but the culprit didn’t know that. And after the incident, they tried to make a deal with the company.”

The sharp clink of Simeon setting down his coffee cup filled the air.

“‘Hand over <Amrita>, we’ll return the stolen spirit item, and no one else will die’… so they said, anyway.”

“…That’s not a deal; that’s blackmail.”

While I frowned, Simeon remained as indifferent as ever, only raising an eyebrow.

“That’s why the auction house requested that we handle the escort.”

“And, did you accept?”

“There was no reason to refuse. We can’t let this chance slip through our fingers. More importantly, if the auction ends safely, they’ve agreed to cover the full cost of the winning bid.”

Tempted by the offer, I instinctively brought my hand to my lips. Agreeing to cover the winning bid meant they were essentially promising to give us <Amrita>.

“That’s a surprisingly generous offer from a company that skimps on security.”

“It’s a matter of survival for them. If <Amrita> is stolen too, no one will entrust a spirit item to them again.”

“That makes sense, but still…”

It felt like fixing the gate after the horse had already escaped. Still, better late than never, I suppose.

“How much of this case is public knowledge?”

“All of it.”

“Ah…”

“The public is already up in arms. Even people without any connection to spirit objects are condemning the company.”

As soon as Simeon finished speaking, an article popped up on the tablet screen. The image of protesters at the auction house’s entrance was more striking than the accusatory text. They covered their faces with masks and hats, but the anger emanating from the bright red placards they held was unmistakable.

[CEO Choi must take responsibility and resign for sacrificing innocent, non-awakened lives!] 

[We live in fear because CEO Choi let a criminal escape!] 

[What’s more valuable – money or human lives?]

Seeing over twenty protesters made me shake my head slightly.

“It looks like it’s too late to salvage their reputation.”

“Yes. The CEO has announced he will resign after this auction.”

So, their last act of responsibility was to hire us to protect <Amrita>.

“Will that change anything? The criminal is their focus, not <Amrita>.”

The real issue was that we still didn’t know the criminal’s whereabouts.

Imagine there’s a murderer who has already killed twelve people hiding in your neighborhood. Wouldn’t even friendly neighbors start to look like enemies? Most people wouldn’t step foot outside. But what if, without realizing it, you were holding a knife to your own throat?

The culprit wasn’t just any criminal; whoever it was could control minds. No one knew what conditions they needed to meet to fall under that spell or what happened once they did… The fear of the unknown kept growing.

We had to catch the culprit before that fear consumed society.

“Will you reveal to the media that we’re transporting <Amrita>?”

“Why do you ask?”

No matter how tempting the bait, they wouldn’t approach if it was an obvious trap. If the culprit knew we were guarding the transport, they surely wouldn’t act rashly. To lure them in, we had to make it look like we were vulnerable.

“Keeping it a secret seems like the best way to catch the culprit.”

“The company had that same thought process, so they asked us not to reveal anything to the media.”

“Good.”

I sighed softly and nodded, but Simeon, who’d been watching me closely, suddenly frowned.

“I’m willing to set up a trap, but don’t forget.”

“Forget what?”

“Our objective isn’t to catch the criminal; it’s to get <Amrita>.”

Ah. A small sigh escaped my slightly parted lips.

“If the culprit gives up on <Amrita> and runs, and the auction starts safely… we’re not going to involve ourselves any further.”

“But—”

“Mr. Hajae.”

Simeon leaned forward, his voice cold.

“Apprehending the culprit is the police’s job, not ours.”

… Right. Of course. I keep getting caught up in the case and forgetting. I still have a long way to go, and time is ticking by even now.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Only then did the stern expression on Simeon’s face relax.

With my mind made up, there was no need to waste any more time. The day to transport <Amrita> was a week away, so we only had seven days to investigate the culprit.

“If we can’t figure out the conditions the perpetrator needs to use their power, at least finding out more about the ability would help.”

“That’s why I’ve asked for help from The Association. I asked them to give us access to the list of registered awakened individuals.”

“Oh… we might be able to narrow down suspects from that.”

“If the culprit is a ‘registered’ awakened.”

Simeon raised his eyebrows as he looked at me. Feeling a bit guilty, I awkwardly smiled and looked away. Like me, there could be an awakened individual who’d hidden their abilities for a long time or who’d only recently awakened and hadn’t reported it yet.

At that, an uneasy thought crept into my mind.

“What if… just hypothetically, what if the culprit catches us?”

If the criminal could manipulate someone to take their own life, Simeon would be in real danger, wouldn’t he? Just imagining it made my throat dry, and I clasped my hands together nervously. Simeon spoke calmly at that moment.

“There is a way to avoid mind control.”

My eyes widened as I leaned forward, gripping the table.

“Really?”

“It’s—”

Just then, the door burst open with a loud bang.

“Hyung!”

Wha…!? I hunched my shoulders like a startled snail and turned around.

There was a well-built man standing in the doorway. He wore a white shirt and navy pants, had short hair, glasses, and… a scar over his right eye. It was the boy from the bus stop. Right, his name was Matteo.

“I’m—Sorry, I am here to tell you that I saw something epic!”

What is this? He’s completely different from when he approached me on the street in Myeong-dong. Back then, he was trying to act calm and composed. Now, he looked like an overly excited teenager meeting his favorite soccer player.

But no matter how heated you get, even boiling water cools when thrown into a cold bath. A low voice resonated through the room.

“Matteo.”

“Yes?”

“Knock.”

“Oh, right!”

With that, Matteo quickly turned around, shut the door, and stepped outside. A moment later, I heard a polite knock. 

What on earth…? 

Matteo peeked his head in through the door.

“Can I come in now?”

Matteo’s demeanor completely differed from when he had just barged in moments ago. Now, asking politely, Simeon finally nodded in approval.

“Come in.”

The moment he was given permission, Matteo grinned. With his short hair, his smiling face looked quite refreshing. He carefully closed the door behind him without making a sound and scratched the back of his neck with his thick hand.

“Haha, hyung. Sorry about that. I was in a bit of a rush… Are you mad?”

“No. But what’s going on?”

With a glance, Simeon gestured toward a seat, and Matteo pulled the chair out and sat down. The chair was oversized and made of metal frame and leather, but it looked almost like a small stool with Matteo sitting on it. Placing both his elbows on the table, Matteo eagerly waved his hands as he spoke.

“I recently went to Myeong-dong, right? And there, this biiiiiiiig spider appeared.”

“Giant.”

“Oh, right, yes. A giant spider. But the damn thing was attacking people and causing CHA-AOS on the street.

“It was rampaging.”

“Yeah yeah, rampaging like crazy, causing chaos.”

Good grief. This was a first. 

Simeon corrected every word with a red pen like a strict teacher. I tried to stifle my laughter, squeezing my eyes shut. It was getting harder to hold it in, so I coughed awkwardly, causing Simeon to glance over at me.

Despite that, Matteo’s vivid account of the situation didn’t stop.

“Have you ever seen a spider with horns? The horns were huuuuge. Almost as big as a streetlight!”

“You mean to say the horns were enormous?”

“They were enormous, exactly… Wait, no, hyung, that’s not the important part!”

Looking at Matteo’s genuinely frustrated face, I felt my own body curling forward until my forehead rested on the table. Oh, for the love of God, please get it over with.

“Alright, continue.”

Simeon took a deep breath, closing his eyes briefly before opening them again. Somehow, he looked like an instructor who’d just given up on training, but Matteo seemed unfazed. The sulky expression he’d worn moments earlier vanished, replaced by his usual lively demeanor.

“So, I was just about to contact my hyungs and Yulia noona, right? And then… this guy showed up out of nowhere and, with one swift move…”

Matteo trailed off, miming a cutting motion across his neck with his hand. He was explaining it so earnestly that laughing wouldn’t be polite. So I bit down hard on my molars to stifle my amusement. Meanwhile, Simeon quietly sipped his coffee, unfazed by Matteo’s chatter.

“He was holding some weird sword. The shape seemed familiar, but I couldn’t quite place it. So, uh…”

Matteo paused mid-gesture as he described the sword and stared at Simeon blankly.

“Hyung? Are you even listening?”

Simeon nodded with a bland expression. How could anyone react like that? If I were a stand-up comedian performing in front of an audience like him, I’d never step on stage again. Matteo wasn’t a comedian, but still.

Matteo slumped his shoulders, looking like a bear that just had its honey pot stolen. I quickly spoke up.

“You mean the Arachne incident? I was there, too.”

“Really?”

Matteo turned sharply to look at me. His face, which had brightened at finding someone who could relate, soon filled with suspicion.

“But… who are you?”

He doesn’t beat around the bush.

“Uh, I’m new.”

“A newbie?”

Matteo adjusted his glasses and stared at my face intensely. As if something clicked, he started to frown, pointing a finger at me. 

“Your finger.” 

Simeon, who’d been silently watching, spoke, calmly drawing attention to Matteo’s finger-pointing. 

Matteo immediately lowered his hand, but his gaze stayed fixed on me.

“Wait!”

Matteo’s mouth fell open. Had he finally recognized me?

“You look like that actor.”

“…Pardon?”

“You know! From that drama I watched recently… Ah, who was it?”

Out of nowhere, Matteo became hyper-fixated with figuring out which actor I resembled.

Well, to be fair, I was wearing a mask at the time, covered in sticky green goo, so it’s not surprising he didn’t recognize me. But I wasn’t expecting this reaction. With only a faint smile, I blinked slowly and patiently waited.

Sensing the awkwardness, Matteo quickly changed the topic.

“Anyway, you saw him too, right?”

“Saw what?”

“That guy wearing what looked like a mask like he’d pick it up for 500 won at a stationery shop.”

“Ah.”

His attention to detail was impressive—he couldn’t recognize the person behind the mask but correctly guessed the price of the mask.

I cleared my throat, stifling another burst of laughter.

“Uh, yeah, I think I saw him.”

I frowned slightly, trying to hold back my amusement, but Matteo grew serious, lowering his voice as if something grave had just occurred to him.

“That bastard… something’s really off about him.”

Unable to hold back, Simeon picked up his red pen again.

“That person.”

“No, listen, hyung. The second hand of the watch reacted to him!”

I’d heard before, back when we were inside <Bloodletting Sword>’s rift. Apostles can sense each other’s presence. The watch’s second hand tilted toward others wearing the watch, and the closer you got, the more it trembled. I’d been wondering how Matteo figured out I was an apostle the moment he saw me—it was the watch, after all.

“We need to tell Agnes right away that the watch is broken.”

Simeon let out a quiet sigh.

“…Midas’s creations don’t break.”

“Then why did the second hand react to that guy?”

“It’s because he was wearing a watch too.”

Despite the calm explanation, Matteo still looked confused.

“How can someone who’s not in our guild be wearing a watch made by Agnes?”

Simeon didn’t respond, instead turning his gaze toward me. It felt like he was passing the baton to me, so I obliged.

“I got the watch from Simeon.”

As soon as I said that, Matteo whipped around with wide eyes.

“What are you talking about?”

“I received it when we entered <Codex Gigas>’s rift.”

“Aren’t you a staff member? How do you know about that, hyung?”

Good grief. What’s with this? He thinks I’m staff? I’m not staff, but I’m not the 13th guild member either. Unsure how to explain, I chose a term that would make it instantly clear to Matteo.

“I’m that guy… the one you’re talking about.”

Silence fell. Matteo blinked at me in stunned confusion before bursting into laughter.

“Haha! You’re funny, hyung.”

I wasn’t joking. As I continued staring at him in silence, the smile gradually faded from Matteo’s face. He blinked rapidly, as if trying to comprehend the situation. He glanced at Simeon for help, but it was obvious he wouldn’t get any.

Finally closing his gaping mouth, Matteo swallowed nervously and asked.

“Are you serious?”

“Yes. At the time, I wasn’t officially an apostle, so I wasn’t using the watch’s functions. So, yeah, I was just kind of wearing… what did you call it? A ‘mask I’d picked up for 500 won at a stationery shop’?

I only repeated his words because I found them funny, but Matteo’s face darkened further. He looked like a student who’d been dragged into the principal’s office, glancing around nervously for a way out.

How could I lighten the mood? Saying it wasn’t a big deal might sound insincere, but if I say it was funny, it might seem like I’m mocking him. Let’s just change the subject. 

“Sorry for the late introduction. I’m Hajae Shin.”

I extended my hand for a handshake, and Matteo’s eyes grew wide again. After wiping his right hand on his thigh, he carefully grasped mine.

“I’m Matteo, hyung. Oh, and please speak casually. I’m pretty sure I’m younger.”

“No, you joined the guild before me, so you’re my senior.”

“Senior…?” Matteo mumbled to himself before grinning widely.

“Heh, yeah. I’m your senior.”

“Please teach me a lot, senior.”

“Of course. I’ll teach you everything.”

Matteo nodded vigorously, looking completely revived.

Both Raphael and Matteo—when I see people younger than me, I just feel this urge to take care of them. If I do this with people I’m not even related to, what would it be like if I had a real sibling? I’d probably keep them glued to my side. Or maybe I’d end up fussing over them every day.

Whatever the case, it would’ve been nice to have family around.

“Take good care of me.”

Just as I thought we had a successful first introduction, Simeon suddenly spoke up.

“You look like you’re enjoying yourself, Matteo.”

Simeon’s tone had an edge to it, or maybe that was just my imagination. Matteo, riding high on good vibes, didn’t seem to notice the shift in atmosphere.

“Haha, well, hyung is so kind.”

Matteo giggled, looking completely pleased with himself.

“But why did you call me here?”

Simeon, who had been watching him with a somewhat resigned expression, finally sighed.

“You know about the theft of the spirit item, right?”

“The one in Hongcheon a while ago? Of course. Everyone’s talking about it.”

It seemed like Matteo only knew what had been made public. When Simeon explained further, Matteo’s expression shifted with every detail. When he heard that the culprit likely had mind-control powers, his eyes grew cold.

“That’s someone very dangerous.”

“That’s why I called you.”

Matteo, suddenly serious, nodded as if he already understood why Simeon had called him. But I, having no clue, raised my hand slightly.

“Wait, sorry to interrupt, but what exactly is Matteo’s ability?”

Simeon answered for him.

“It’s the same type as the culprit’s.”

“Mind… control?”

I was honestly a little surprised. He clearly had the physique of someone who would excel at physical combat, yet his ability had nothing to do with that. And how was he supposed to fight the culprit with a similar power?

I looked at Matteo curiously. He uncrossed his arms and made a V sign with his fingers.

“Cool, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Haha.”

Matteo laughed like a kid who just got praised in art class.

“So, what’s the plan when we face the culprit?”

“If you’re already under hypnosis, you can’t be hypnotized again. The same goes for mind control.”

I thought about it for a moment.

“Ah. So, you mean we should already be under the influence of Matteo’s powers before facing the culprit?”

“Exactly.”

“Will that work? What kind of power is it anyway…?”

“Want me to show you?”

Since he seemed so eager, it couldn’t be a dangerous power, right? I had no reason to refuse, so I nodded. Matteo took off his glasses, revealing the scar over his right eye more clearly. His irises also seemed a bit lighter in color.

Just as I was about to look away, thinking it might be rude to stare, Matteo made direct eye contact with me.

“It’s better not to lie, hyung.”

At the sudden question, I answered out of habit.

“Uh, sure.”

Are we starting now? Whenever I encounter a new ability, my heart races as if I’m watching a magic show. I kept my eyes fixed on him, waiting, but the situation took a completely unexpected turn.

“When I approached you in Myeong-dong, you thought, ‘What does this idiot want?’…didn’t you?”

“…Excuse me?”

“Tell me honestly.”

My head tilted to the side automatically.

“No, it wasn’t to that extent… I was just a little surprised.”

“Really? Then have you ever regretted joining The Apostles?”

“Not… really. I’m indebted to you guys.”

“Oh, so you plan to stay with The Apostles in the future?”

Each question hit right on target. But I’m used to lying.

“If nothing major happens.”

I smoothly deflected the question, and Matteo grinned as he asked,

“Is there someone you like right now?”

Why is the question suddenly like this? It wasn’t even subtle interrogation—there’s no way I’d fall for such a clumsy trick. I gave a scoffing laugh and responded,

“Yes.”

……Hang on. 

What did I just say?

My heart sank.

Something was seriously wrong. I had always been able to deny it, but this time, the truth slipped out without warning, like a dog breaking free from its leash. I hurried to catch it, but it was already too late. The dog that had slipped from my grasp had already crossed over to Matteo, curling up in his lap.

“N-No, that’s not…”

I stammered, my eyes darting nervously, and Matteo laughed playfully.

“Haha! No need to be so flustered, hyung. It’s not a crime to like someone.”

It is a crime, though.

I felt as though I’d been stripped naked in an instant. But showing any emotional reaction now would only make things more awkward. I pressed my hand firmly against my thigh under the table and forced a smile.

“So, this is your ability, Matteo?”

“Yeah! Cool, right?”

Matteo wiped his glasses with the hem of his shirt.

“If someone lies three times, they’ll be forced to answer the next question truthfully.”

“Ah…”

“You need to lay the groundwork beforehand, but I’ll explain later. It won’t be fun if you know all the conditions already.”

I used to think Simeon was the biggest threat. Me with my immortal body and Simeon with the ability to kill anything—it’s a combination no one would want as an enemy.

But in front of Matteo’s ability, all of that seemed laughable. A habitual liar and someone who could always extract the truth—he was a perfect counter to me, more terrifying than death itself.

“So, who is it?”

Matteo smiled as he put his glasses back on. A cold sweat trickled down my spine.

“…What?”

“The person you like, hyung. Is it a childhood friend? A classmate? Maybe someone within The Apostles?”

Matteo’s eyes sparkled with innocent curiosity. He would never understand that his curiosity was strangling me.

“Haha, well, even if I told you, you wouldn’t know them…”

I was trying to brush it off with a smile when I heard a phone buzz. Matteo suddenly pushed his chair back and pulled his phone from his pocket. His eyes widened as he checked the caller ID.

“Ah, it’s my homeroom teacher. I’ll be right back; it should be a quick call.”

He excused himself and quickly stepped out of the meeting room. With a heavy thud, the door closed, and silence fell over the room. At the same time, I felt a piercing gaze on me from across the table. Actually, I’d been feeling it for a while, but I’d been doing my best to ignore it.

Silence. Staring. 

And a suffocating atmosphere pressing down on me. 

All of it combined made me feel like I had a wriggling bug trapped inside my mouth. Unable to bear it, I stood up quietly, but a voice, tinged with amusement, stopped me.

“Did you get a call too, Mr. Hajae?”

I almost wished I had. Even a spam call I’d usually block would’ve been welcome right now. Clenching my fists by my side, I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them.

“Did you invite Matteo on purpose?”

“What do you mean?”

“Did you bring him here on purpose because of his ability? To make me spill the truth?”

Calm down. I let out a short breath to keep my voice from trembling and spoke again.

“Is this your way of getting the truth out of me?”

Was he so confident I wouldn’t be able to keep any secrets with an apostle like that nearby? As I glared at him, Simeon’s lips curled into a slight smile.

“No, you’re the one who said you wanted to see Matteo’s ability.”

“That’s…”

“And if it were me, I wouldn’t have asked such a trivial question at the end. I would have been much more precise.”

Simeon leaned back in his chair, relaxed.

“Besides… Now that you know the most important condition for using his ability, do you really think you’d fall for it again?”

There was no trace of a lie in his composed gaze. Had I been too sensitive? But even if it wasn’t intentional, there was still something that didn’t add up.

“Then why?”

“Why what?”

“Why didn’t you use his ability sooner? There was an easy way, so why didn’t you take it?”

This game would’ve been over if he’d asked Matteo for help earlier. I would’ve unknowingly revealed everything and met my complete defeat. Yet, Simeon chose the thorny, roundabout path instead of the easy shortcut. Why?

I squinted at him, and Simeon spoke as he set down his coffee cup.

“Because… this is a game between you and me.”

His low voice felt as though it was whispering right into my ear.

“No one else can interfere. I won’t let them.”

He interlocked his fingers on the table and tilted his chin up slightly to look at me. His posture was confident, his gaze unwavering. The more certain he was of his victory, the smaller I felt.

Just then, the door slid open. Matteo walked back in, putting his phone into his pocket. At that moment, he was my savior.

“Sorry about that. My teacher couldn’t find my early leave form and…”

Noticing the sudden chill in the room, Matteo alternated his gaze between me and Simeon, his face stiff.

“Is… everything good?”

“Yeah, everything’s fine.”

Simeon shook his head casually, but Matteo still looked wary. Seeing him standing awkwardly, I pulled out a chair for him, diverting the conversation.

“Did you leave school early to come here?”

“Ah, yeah. But there aren’t many classes these days. Most of the students are preparing for practical exams.”

“Practical exams?”

“Yeah, for P.E. college entrance exams.”

So he really was a sports student.

“Shouldn’t you be preparing too, Matteo?”

I felt bad for taking up the time of a busy high school senior. Matteo scratched his short hair, looking uncharacteristically troubled.

“I used to be, but… it’s okay now.”

He cut himself off abruptly. Sensing I shouldn’t push further, I just nodded quietly. Matteo, seemingly relieved, quickly changed the topic.

“Anyway, about the ability. As long as you don’t answer the last question, you’ll be safe.”

“You mean we’ll stay in a hypnosis state?”

“Exactly.”

“Until when?”

“Until the rooster crows… well, until sunrise, anyway.”

At least that was one less thing to worry about. Even if we encountered the culprit while transporting <Amrita>, we could avoid the worst-case scenario. I barely had time to let out a sigh of relief before Matteo spoke again.

“But, you know…” 

He rubbed his chin and continued.

“There’s something I’m confused about.”

“What’s that?”

With Simeon’s permission, Matteo spoke cautiously.

“As far as I know, to use mind control abilities, you need to make contact with the target.”

“Contact?”

“Yeah, touching them or even making eye contact is enough. At the very least, you have to meet them once.”

As I processed his words, my head tilted slightly.

“Are you saying the culprit met all twelve guards somewhere?”

“That’s right. That’s why it’s strange. How could they have met all twelve guards?”

Where and how could they have met them? Even if they’d learned the guards’ identities, tracking them down and using their ability on each one would’ve been nearly impossible. Did they meet all twelve at once? The only time that would’ve been possible was the day the guards gathered to escort the spirit beast.

“Is there any way to check the guards’ movements on the day they were escorting the spirit beast?”

“I’ll look into it.”

With no further leads, the meeting ended there.

The next night, Simeon contacted me, and I headed to the conference room. I found Matteo there, and we exchanged small talk until Simeon arrived with an employee. They seemed to have gathered a good amount of information in just a day. Simeon pointed at the tablet PC in front of us.

“Let’s start by looking at the list of awakened people The Association sent us. I’ve filtered it down to only include abilities related to manipulating the mind.”

The list was extensive, including awakened individuals registered with The Hunter’s Association and those from foreign countries who’d entered Korea that day. Although names and personal details were redacted for privacy, the abilities were described in considerable detail.

As I skimmed the list, Matteo suddenly scooted his chair closer to me.

“Hyung! Hyung!”

Thinking he’d found something, I glanced over, and Matteo pointed at his screen with a grin.

“That’s me. ‘B-P-327’.”

“Oh, really?”

I scanned the tiny text and nearly choked on the coughing fit that suddenly attacked my body. Matteo’s ability was called ‘Confession’. 

Oblivious to everything, Matteo hurriedly handed me a cup of water as I kept coughing.

“Are you okay, hyung?”

Instead of answering, I took a gulp of water and spoke. 

“But what do the letters mean?”

“B is the awakener’s rank. P stands for… for… Oh, it’s on the tip of my tongue.”

Matteo clutched his head, pulling at his short hair in frustration. Just then, Simeon chimed in with a dry voice.

“It stands for ‘psyche’. It’s how they categorize unique abilities.”

“Oh, right! That’s it. As expected of our Simeon-hyung.”

As Matteo celebrated like Simeon had answered the final question on a quiz show, Simeon sighed and shook his head. 

As I scanned the list again, one ability suddenly caught my eye.

“Here, ‘B-P-219’. What about this person? They can make someone mimic their actions exactly.”

Couldn’t they have picked up something other than a gun and just pretended to shoot themselves in the head?

“It’s possible, but I heard that an awakened person can only control one person at a time.”

“Ah… then as soon as they killed one person, the other guards would’ve subdued them.”

Controlling twelve people at once—at the very least, that would be a feat beyond A-rank. As I skimmed past the B-rank and into the A-rank list, the number of candidates noticeably dwindled. And their abilities became much more threatening. One awakened individual particularly stood out.

“What about this one? ‘A-P-91’. It says they can spread feelings of rage.”

“Then wouldn’t the guards have killed each other instead of committing suicide? Like the soldiers under the influence of <Amrita>.”

“I suppose so….”

Matteo slowly nodded at his words as Simeon tapped the table.

“And judging from the expressions on their dead bodies….”

“I didn’t see them.”

Matteo’s firm interruption drew a sharp breath from Simeon.

“…If you had, you’d have seen their faces were closer to terror than rage.”