Chapter 135
Chapter 135
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter Title: Thus Spoke Han U-sol
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'...Tough bastard.'
Aselrika clicked her tongue as she glared at Han's corpse. She'd thought he was a rat in the bag, but she never imagined he'd come at her with that much desperate fury.
The first time their swords had clashed years ago, it hadn't felt like this at all. Something had clearly changed him dramatically over those three years.
-...He's not going to suddenly get back up and charge again, is he?
One of the heroes muttered that.
Though the light had long faded from his eyes, the heroes remained on high alert, seriously wary that Han might rise again and attack. His final desperate struggle had left that strong an impression on them.
"Are your wounds okay?"
"It's not deep."
Aselrika stanched the bleeding from her wound and looked around.
Roughly seventy casualties.
In a typical battle against magic beasts, losing that many wouldn't have been particularly unusual.
But this time, the opponent had essentially been a single human, which made the losses feel all the more painful.
"......... "
Aselrika fell deep into thought.
What to do next.
There had been casualties, but not to the point where they couldn't act. Many heroes had died, but even more were still fit for battle.
"Captain, there's still that teleporter left besides this guy. For now, that one..."
"No, Na-rin. We can't forget our objective."
Aselrika shook her head at Yoon Na-rin's suggestion to find Betty first.
The heroes had come here to slay the sleeping demon. Normally, she might have gone along with Yoon Na-rin's idea to hunt down Betty, but right now, locating where Kahatel was slumbering took priority.
But before that, they needed to find Han U-sol, who'd been blasted away by the attack. If things went wrong and the demon awoke, Han U-sol's role would become crucial.
Besides, Anis's strike that had sent Han U-sol flying in one blow.
No matter how she looked at it, that speed wasn't ordinary.
Han U-sol had been covering for her in all sorts of ways up until now, so he was probably struggling without being able to counterattack against Anis.
They had to hurry and assess the situation. It would be a problem if Han U-sol died before they even found the demon.
"We'll go look for Han U-sol first."
With that, the heroes began moving toward the slums a short distance from the city center.
Somewhere between dusk and night hung the sky.
Here, it felt especially dark.
Anis Harper and Han U-sol faced each other.
"......... "
"......... "
We fell silent for a moment.
An awkward silence.
I crossed my arms and tapped my elbow a few times with my fingers.
[Time's on our side-]
[Anis said 'let's talk very slowly,' right? So she's trying to take it slow.]
The hallucinations chattered away.
I had said let's talk slowly, but this slow was ridiculous.
My gaze sharpened slightly as I looked at Han U-sol. He clearly had a lot to say but seemed unsure where to start.
"What're you doing? You wanted me to listen."
At my urging, Han U-sol finally began to speak. It looked like it would be quite long.
I focused quietly on his words.
There was only one thing I wanted to know.
We both longed for the old days equally, yet something felt off somewhere.
What was the reason for that.
Days without a father from birth, and a frail mother who grew weaker bit by bit with each passing day.
Starting the year Han U-sol turned five, his mother began suffering from chronic illness, and by the time he was around ten, her condition had worsened dramatically—she couldn't even take a single step from her bed.
And that summer.
Han U-sol ended up losing his mother as well.
If happiness could be averaged out, Han U-sol's childhood was unmistakably below average.
But Han U-sol never thought of himself as unhappy.
His mother, though frail, had loved him unconditionally, and he was certain his father had loved him too, even if he'd never seen his face. His mother had always said so with a happy smile whenever she recalled her husband, so Han U-sol believed it without doubt.
[I just want you to be happy. Live the way you want.]
As his mother had said, Han U-sol was happy. Perhaps he was the 'happiest among the unhappy.'
His strikingly handsome looks and exceptional talents had stood out since childhood.
Though he'd lost his parents early, both had loved him endlessly, and most people he met growing up had been favorable toward him.
He'd never struggled with money either. The inheritance from his parents wasn't enormous, but it was enough to live comfortably.
They say those raised with love develop personalities to match. Han U-sol was the same.
In response to the kindness he'd received from others, he grew into a refined person—kind to everyone, never showing dislike even if something bothered him.
Even when people envied and slandered him, he didn't clash with them. Even when those wearing masks tried to use him, he didn't get angry.
As the days wore on and it grew more exhausting, he still treated everyone kindly without showing his displeasure.
Because that's what he had to do to become the 'hero' he'd dreamed of since childhood.
And then, he met Anis.
Anis was a peculiar person.
She didn't approach him for his looks like others, nor did he sense any jealousy from her.
Even with abilities that were completely inferior to his, she didn't look down on him.
No matter how oblivious someone might be, that would catch their attention, but Anis approached him without any hesitation.
It felt refreshing to Han U-sol. Perhaps because he was so used to being judged by others. She was a fascinating existence who looked at him as he was, without any standards.
She and he were too different. From personalities and preferences to how they handled problems—everything.
If Han U-sol was the type to gladly grant any request, Anis was the type to make it clear she didn't want to do it first.
Though her timid nature meant she'd give in if pushed a little, as if she had no choice, so in the end, she granted requests just like him.... Anyway, Anis seemed similar to Han U-sol at a glance, but upon closer inspection, she was his complete opposite.
Even so, that's why Han U-sol liked her.
Her attitude toward him was different from others, so it felt fresh.
Everything from one to ten was different from him, and that's what drew him in.
Even though she seemed full of irritation and prickly about everything, her desire to save others was always unwavering, so he liked that.
That's why.
He regretted it. Not protecting her.
He despaired. Upon learning the secret of his birth, that his mother had abandoned her duty for personal happiness and fled.
And he blamed himself. After realizing that Anis being summoned to this world was ultimately because he had been born.
It all felt like his fault. The world falling apart, her dying.
No, to put it coldly, it was Han U-sol's fault. If he hadn't been born, things wouldn't have escalated this far.
In endless guilt, Han U-sol suffered. Sometimes even resenting the mother he'd loved so dearly.
And then, Anis returned.
The one he'd thought had died because of him.
Han U-sol thought.
This time, he wouldn't make any mistakes. He'd put only her first.
He'd save her, eliminate the demon and magic beasts, and return to the peaceful daily life like before.
Back to the days when he'd steal glances at her profile, anxious she might notice his feelings.
Back to sitting side by side on the vending machine bench, vowing to save people.
Her being from another world? A magic beast? The thick scent of demonic energy wafting from her?
It didn't matter.
In the past, he'd been flustered, and thus only regretted it later.
Now, he could turn it back. There was a way.
So, Anis.
"Let's go back."
To that time's you, and that time's me.
Han U-sol extended his hand to Anis as he said that.
He laid it all out, from his past story to the secret of his birth.
The guilt he felt toward her because of it, and the feelings he'd harbored for her long before that—without omission.
Why he wanted to go back with her.
It was essentially a confession.
Han U-sol's neck and ears began to flush red.
Anis stared blankly at the hand he offered. Her eyes trembled slightly, showing a hint of bewilderment.
Of course she'd be flustered by such sudden confession-like words in this situation. But he had no choice if he wanted to explain why he wanted to save her.
"......... "
Anis remained silent.
For a moment, as tension made sweat bead on his skin, Han U-sol looked at her, pretending to be nonchalant inside.
Anis's eyes darted this way and that.
She pondered for a short while.
And then.
"How is that for my sake?"
She asked coldly.
"It's not for you?"
Han U-sol's expression hardened.