Recognizing Each Other's Existence - 15
'What is this... some kind of tradition here?'
Looking down at Yeonhyeon prostrated before me, I gave a wry smile. In any organization, there are times when you have to bow your head even if you haven't done anything wrong. I'd done it plenty myself. Back when I was a hero, people saw hope in me—and the whole world. That created fervent supporters who believed in me utterly, but it also bred intense haters. They'd vent at me: Why weren't you fighting monsters right then and there to save my daughter? or Those officers from the Empire stole the last of our food! All that resentment poured my way.
Still, I'd bowed my head. She was probably feeling something similar.
"I'll do anything! Please forgive me just this once! I swear I won't go against your wishes again!"
It was a bit over the top, but it did lighten the mood. If I just casually accepted her surrender here, things would wrap up smoothly—
"What the hell are you doing, Yeonhyeon? Get up!"
One of the council members scolded her.
"Don't you value your own life?"
I wasn't thrilled about them scolding her, but I couldn't exactly call them out with 'You were all just hiding anyway...' She'd rifled through the fallen women's pockets for improvised pistols and kept shooting at my back. It only stung a little, sure, but in a situation where my fist could end her life any second, she'd still tried to fight back.
"Of course I value my life! But everyone else's lives here matter more!"
Yeonhyeon shouted defiantly.
"You know it! This... this is a fight we can't win! Any more resistance will just provoke him further!"
"Oh... really?"
The councilwoman with the pistol glared at Yeonhyeon.
"You think if we grovel here and say 'We were wrong' to that man... what'll happen then?"
Yeonhyeon trembled, lips clenched tight.
"You think he'll just go 'Oh dear, my mistake! Misunderstanding cleared up. See ya!' and walk away now?"
I'd been about to shut her up, but those words made me pause. This could be useful.
"We'd end up begging him to kill us instead. Better to resist a little longer... and bet on the higher odds!"
The pistol-wielding woman ground her teeth and yelled.
"Odds? Odds? Look at us now—all because of your damn 'odds'!"
But Yeonhyeon wouldn't back down. She shot to her feet, glaring straight at the woman.
"What did you do to eliminate the 'possibility' that he'd harm us? To secure more supplies by dominating Anseongu and make the settlement safer—"
I stepped aside slightly, giving them room to clash. At some point, they'd locked eyes on each other, ignoring me. I awkwardly met the gaze of one woman struggling to her feet, then just stood there blankly, watching their spat.
"It failed! That's why we're in this mess! If we'd just let him go, none of this would've happened—we didn't have to try killing him!"
"They were a real threat! Assuming another group existed in Anseongu meant we'd have to scrap our plans from the start—"
"Then we should've scrapped them! We should've acknowledged they were there! Otherwise, we never would've had to fight someone like him!"
Listening slowly, I could see both sides had a point. Fear and anxiety numb the conscience first. Even decent people can turn cruel under the banner of 'If we don't, we might be in danger.'
But Yeonhyeon's counter was spot on too. Excluding and attacking others for group safety is inherently risky. You might run into someone overwhelmingly strong like me.
"That's selling out every settler here!"
"I... I believe in possibilities too! That this man... that he might truly forgive us!"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
"I know him better than you! This man... he..."
Yeonhyeon pleaded through tears.
"He might really, really forgive us!"
Seeing her defend me so fiercely eased my mind a bit—no bad blood there, at least.
Silence fell. The council, the other women—they all glanced around desperately. Deep down, they already knew. No matter what they tried, they couldn't beat me. They just couldn't admit it.
Surrendering now meant clinging to the delusion that 'Tomorrow might be just like yesterday.' Actions come from the heart, not the head, and their hearts couldn't accept the horrific, hopeless future ahead.
But Yeonhyeon had offered a new possibility. Even acknowledging me—even admitting defeat—tomorrow could still be like yesterday.
"..."
The silence and stares pointed to one conclusion.
Yeonhyeon looked at me. Composing herself, she bowed her head again.
"I'm truly sorry!"
Perfect. Especially since she had judged and rallied the others herself.
"Sorry!"
"We were wrong!"
The others followed, bowing and apologizing.
"It was orders from above... I had no choice!"
"I didn't even know this man was captured here!"
A few tried dodging blame, but that was par for the course.
"I apologize for my rudeness."
Surprisingly, Kim Chaeyun's attitude had shifted too. I'd expected fierce resistance or blind rage, but she knelt, sincerely begging forgiveness.
Preparations complete. I nodded calmly.
"Oh dear, I see! Just a little misunderstanding."
I laughed, playing it as absurd comedy. One fallen woman I'd pummeled laughed along. Not many did openly, but I felt the confusion ripple. Council members looked dumbfounded; rank-and-file smirked or stifled giggles.
Not bad.
I needed to seem non-hostile. I had weaknesses too. If they grew to hate me, they might target my people someday. To avoid enmity, they had to look away from my power to destroy them anytime.
"Seriously, if you'd done this from the start, no need to spin things in circles and hurt yourselves."
I helped the fallen women up. Some met my eyes and grinned sheepishly.
"Anyway... check if anyone's still down. It's cramped—those who can stand, step out for a bit?"
"Y-yes!"
I wouldn't be hostile, but I needed their fear. Instill terror through ambiguity. They had to see this as clumsy antics, a laughable mishap. Not witness my rage. That way, they'd accept reality.
"Council members, let's chat briefly."
"...Yes."
"Since things turned out this way, how about we talk like friends... or something?"
No trembling in fear of harm from me, no greed to exploit my flaws. I'd already sketched a plan in my cell.
Cull a few council members, slot Yeonhyeon in...
She'd exceeded expectations. A true Seven Seed insider, and she'd swayed hearts in a flash. Pin the blame, remove some, promote her—solid.
Though I half-expected this.
Worst case, if talks failed, I'd slaughter the council and install her as leader. Risky—might earn her hatred—but viable.
"Alright, friends are out..."
Dust and scorch marks lingered, but the meeting hall stood. Good enough.
"Let's start over from the beginning."
I extended a hand to Yeonhyeon.
"Looking forward to working with you. Kim Sunwoo, running a small group in Anseongu."
She took it.