The Tyrant's Shadow
The sensor at the front door detected me and flashed an orange light. “Hmm...?” I frowned as I took off my shoes and spotted a figure in the living room. “Yuria, why are you sitting there with all the lights off?”
At those words, Yuria’s shoulders flinched visibly. Calling her by that name must have made her think of Song Jihyeok. She looked at me with a trembling voice.
“Dad...”
“Something must have happened. Your voice is full of worry.”
“Do you have time to talk...?”
“Of course. Let me change my clothes first.”
“Okay...”
I went into the master bedroom, quickly changed into comfortable clothes, and returned to the living room. I turned on the auxiliary lamp, took a bottle of beer from the refrigerator, and held it out to her.
“Beer...?”
“When your worries run deep, alcohol helps. Even a light drink can clear your head. Living in this body has taught me that.”
Yuria gave a weak smile, accepted the beer, and twisted the cap off with her bare hand. The casual way she did it was honestly a little scary. She then opened mine as well and took a sip. A soft “Kya” escaped her lips, and the corners of her mouth lifted faintly.
“It really does feel good.”
“Right? I’m a little sad you didn’t toast with me, though...”
I let my words trail off, sat down beside her, and turned to face her directly.
“Now, tell me. What’s weighing on your mind?”
“.... Dad.”
“Yes?”
“What do you think about ruling over subordinates through sheer force?”
“Are you talking about a tyrant? Or an absolute monarch who holds all governing power? If it’s the latter, the answer is already clear. Think back to the kingdom I once ruled. Remember what those days were like.”
“I mean the former.”
“Hmm... It depends on the situation. If the ruler possesses overwhelming power, they probably won’t ruin the country. Even if the people call him a tyrant.”
Yuria bit her lower lip hard. She was thinking about Tyrat.
“Our kingdom... was destroyed by Tyrat, who possessed that kind of overwhelming power. You already know this. My mother, Aaron, the royal mages... everyone was killed by monsters.”
“That’s true.”
“Don’t you resent him?”
“Of course I do. I dream every night of tearing him apart. But separate from my personal feelings, if Tyrat were to conquer Earth, he would rule it just as excellently as he ruled Erandel.”
Yuria’s expression turned to disbelief.
“That’s ridiculous... Do you even realize what you’re saying right now?”
“I simply answered objectively. Tyrat has power. Countless monsters under the Demon King pledge their loyalty to him. The very name Demon King is his strength. And it is an absolutely overwhelming one. Have you ever heard of those monsters causing any internal problems?”
“N-no...”
“They die again and again at the hands of Lee Sehwa, you, and Song Jihyeok, yet they never rebel. They carry out their orders faithfully. Why? Because the name of the Demon King inspires both fear and respect.”
“.....”
Yuria’s body trembled violently. The words that had just left Kim Taegon’s mouth were too similar to what Song Jihyeok had once said: “Respect is born from fear.”
“If the ruler lacks power, they will be overthrown by coups and rebellions. But if their power is so absolute that no one would even dare dream of rebellion... then ruling through force is a good thing, in my opinion.”
“Do you... really think that?”
“If I set aside my personal feelings... yes. If I had possessed the same power as him, our kingdom would never have fallen. Tyrat, wary of our strength, wouldn’t have even considered invading. We could have enjoyed peace for a very long time.”
“.....”
“And even if war had broken out, countless brave warriors gathered under my name would have risked their lives to fight his monsters.”
Yuria shot up from her seat. The beer bottle tipped over, spilling its contents across the floor, but she didn’t seem to care at all. She stormed into her room and slammed the door shut with a loud bang.
I silently cleaned up the spilled beer, then went into my own room and smiled.
Yuria would now ask three people the same question: Sehwa, the Doctor, and Yu Seunghyeon. Kim Taegon had defended Tyrat, and Sehwa would likely do the same. On the other hand, the Doctor and Yu Seunghyeon would oppose rule by a tyrant. That would make the split two against two.
But whether it was two-to-two or four-to-zero didn’t matter. What truly mattered was the degree of trust.
Yuria already trusted Kim Taegon second only to Song Jihyeok, who had been imprinted on her as an absolute being. After that came Sehwa, Yu Seunghyeon, and the Doctor in that order. Yet even if those three were combined, their credibility couldn’t compare to that of her “father,” Kim Taegon.
Moreover, Yuria was already becoming assimilated into my tyrannical nature. In simple terms, no matter what answers she received from those three, she would ultimately follow Kim Taegon’s opinion.
She was currently in shock from my answer, but once she processed it, she would truly open her heart to me.
Yuria met with Yu Seunghyeon.
—Hello, Seunghyeon.
—Hello... Yu Seunghyeon began to greet her but suddenly froze. He must have noticed her fingernails. A soft red color. On top of that, he was currently looking at her photo online and already knew she was a Beast Slayer. If he had any sense at all, he would be certain something was suspicious.
Let’s see how this plays out.
—Why... what’s wrong? Yuria asked with a puzzled expression.
Yu Seunghyeon answered.
—It’s nothing... You got a new manicure?
At those words, Yuria shyly touched her own hand.
—Ah, yes. How does it look?
—It... suits you well...
—Your face doesn’t look like you mean that at all?
—I was just... thinking about work for a second. Shall we go eat?
Yu Seunghyeon shook his head and returned to a bright expression. I thought his mentality would shatter, but he recovered with just one head shake? He’s grown more than I expected.
The two left the main street, walked along the sidewalk, and arrived at a restaurant. The place Yu Seunghyeon had reserved was quite upscale. The customers were refined, and the atmosphere carried an elegant, old-fashioned charm.
He showed perfect manners by pulling out Yuria’s chair for her before sitting down himself.
—Thank you.
What would normally feel a bit overprotective actually pleased Yuria. It seemed she saw Aaron in his behavior.
Yu Seunghyeon soon ordered for them with practiced skill. Even though this kind of place must be unfamiliar to him, he didn’t hesitate at all. He must have researched it beforehand. Not bad.
Once the waiter left, Yu Seunghyeon leaned in close to Yuria.
—Um... Yuria.
—Yes?
—Don’t you have something to tell me?
—What... do you mean?
—The new Beast Slayer who fought monsters alongside Leona in China. That’s you, right? I became certain after reading the World Coalition’s official statement.
At Yu Seunghyeon’s whisper, Yuria’s eyes widened. She asked in a trembling voice.
—How... did you know?
—Your appearance is a little different, but... I’ve seen you up close. I thought you looked extremely similar. And your name is exactly the same. Beast Slayer Yuria... There was no way I wouldn’t realize.
Yuria swallowed hard. The way she turned her head and sighed made it obvious she was thinking she should have used a fake name.
Yu Seunghyeon continued.
—I was surprised. I never dreamed you were colleagues with Sehwa... I mean, Leona.
Yuria’s shoulders flinched, but she forced a calm expression.
—You know Sehwa...?
She had only heard the name Song Jihyeok from Yu Seunghyeon and had never heard Sehwa’s name from him. The last time she confronted me in the park, she had deduced it herself. She had never mentioned it to him. So pretending not to know was the right move.
—Yes. Actually, my ex-girlfriend is Sehwa.
—Excuse me...?
Yuria’s mouth fell open. Her acting was flawless. Even better than Sehwa’s.
Yu Seunghyeon scratched the back of his head.
—That’s not the important part... I have something to ask you.
—W-what is it...?
—Did you approach me on purpose?
It was a reasonable suspicion. In reality, Yuria had deliberately approached him. She had no choice because of the title of Aaron’s reincarnation, but she had still approached him intentionally. And not long after breaking up with Sehwa, her colleague suddenly showed interest in him? Anyone would find it suspicious. Especially since her nail color matched Sehwa’s...
He would inevitably think she was toying with him.
—I... Yuria swallowed nervously and looked straight into Yu Seunghyeon’s serious eyes. His gaze seemed to say: If my assumption is correct, I’ll be disappointed, but I won’t judge rashly until I hear your answer.
After opening and closing her mouth several times, Yuria confessed.
—Yes, I approached you on purpose.
—I see. Thank you for being honest. Then... was your surprised reaction when I mentioned Sehwa just now an act?
—No. Absolutely not. I truly had no idea you were dating Sehwa. The reason I approached you, Seunghyeon... is because of reincarnation.
—Reincarnation...? You mean the reincarnation you mentioned last time?
—Yes. It’s related to that. I can’t explain in detail right now... but someday... I promise I’ll tell you everything honestly.
There was genuine sincerity in Yuria’s tone. Yu Seunghyeon stared at her expression with unusually sharp eyes before letting out a small sigh.
—I’ll believe you. So Sehwa has nothing to do with why you approached me, right?
—Not at all.
—Then that’s enough.
While they were talking, their food arrived. Juicy steak and wine. After the server set everything down and left, Yu Seunghyeon picked up his knife with a bright smile.
—Shall we eat?
—Yes.
The mood had nearly soured, but Yu Seunghyeon worked hard to keep the conversation going throughout the meal and restored the atmosphere. After they finished eating and dessert arrived, the two smiled at each other.
It was about time for Yuria to ask her question...
—Um... Seunghyeon.
—Yes?
—I have one question. If you were a monarch and ruled your country by suppressing your subordinates with force, what would you think about that?
Yu Seunghyeon looked stunned. He was caught off guard by Yuria’s sudden question, just like last time. But he soon fell into deep thought. After staring silently at the dessert for a while, he answered in a calm tone.
—I’m not very familiar with this kind of topic, but I’m against it.
—Why?
—Because I couldn’t bear to see the people suffering. That’s it. There’s no other reason.
Why do you think the people would suffer? If I ruled well, that wouldn’t happen.
—I see... So that’s what you think.
Although Yu Seunghyeon’s answer lacked depth, Yuria seemed satisfied. His tone carried a genuine concern for those beneath him.
I stood up and began putting on my clothes. It was time to pretend I had coincidentally witnessed their secret meeting. I had planned to wait a little longer before appearing, but Yu Seunghyeon’s growth was steeper than expected. If his mentality grew any stronger, he would stop being a useful toy and might even become annoying.
So let’s just kill him.
At the exact moment Yuria and Yu Seunghyeon were leaving the restaurant, I walked past the entrance and frowned deeply upon seeing them.
“Oh? Aren’t you Song Jihyeok?”
Yu Seunghyeon, who had been looking at me with a bewildered face, soon approached with a bright expression and extended his hand.
“I thought it might be you. It really is Song Jihyeok. What a pleasure. We last saw each other a few months ago at that pancake house, right? I never dreamed we’d meet again like this.”
I relaxed my expression and shook his offered hand.
“You’re Yu Seunghyeon, correct? It’s nice to see you too. But... who is this lady...?”
When my gaze shifted to Yuria, her shoulders flinched. Yu Seunghyeon, standing in front of her and unable to see her reaction, scratched his head.
“We’re on a date.”
“A date...? But I thought you were with Sehwa...”
“Ah... Sehwa and I... we broke up.”
“R-really...?”
As I stood there flustered, Yu Seunghyeon smiled gently.
“You must not have heard.”
“No... I took a leave of absence from university and I’ve been so busy with work that I haven’t been able to contact my classmates... I don’t even know what to say...”
“I’m fine. Please don’t worry about it.”
Like hell I will, you bastard. I’ve been thinking of nothing but how to kill you.
“Ah, I want to thank you again. Thanks to you, Song Jihyeok, I’ve paid off all my debts... and I’m living a steady life now.”
Yu Seunghyeon bowed his head politely.
“No need. I only did what had to be done. By the way... is that lady feeling unwell?”
“Huh?”
“The woman you’re on a date with. Her face is extremely red...”
At those words, Yu Seunghyeon turned around in surprise. Yuria’s face had turned bright red, as if it were about to explode. He approached her and asked.
“Yuria, are you okay? Are you sick? Do you have a fever?”
“What...? Y-yes!?”
After telling all those lies, running into me must have thrown her into a panic. Her future must look pitch black right now, and she probably couldn’t think straight.
Yuria’s face trembled before she shook her head.
“I-I’m fine...”
“Are you really okay?”
“I said I’m fine...?”
She furrowed her brows. Yu Seunghyeon took a step back.
“Ah, I see...”
I seized the moment and approached the two, then spoke to Yu Seunghyeon.
“I should get going. I have an appointment. It was nice running into you.”
Yu Seunghyeon replied.
“It was nice to see you too. Could I possibly get your contact information? I’d really like to treat you to a meal, but asking Sehwa for your number felt a bit awkward...”
“No need. I’m so busy I don’t know when I’ll have time. If we happen to run into each other again like today, let’s grab a cup of coffee then. Don’t worry about it. I’ll be on my way.”
“Thank you so much!”
Yu Seunghyeon bowed deeply once more. In the past he would have tried to hold me back no matter what, but now he only offered a simple thank you. He really had matured. Well, it doesn’t matter anymore.
I smiled kindly, leaned in close to Yu Seunghyeon’s ear, and whispered.
“By the way, I’m jealous.”
“Pardon...?”
“She’s incredibly beautiful.”
“Ah...”
Yu Seunghyeon lowered his head shyly and grinned. Yuria, who must have heard our whispering, was stomping her feet in frustration.
With one corner of my mouth slightly raised, I said,
“Take care.”
“Get home safely!”
I waved casually and turned away. As I headed home, my phone started blowing up. It was Yuria calling after parting with Yu Seunghyeon. I ignored her call and left only a short message.