Chapter 116: Nightmare (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 116: Nightmare (2)
The little girl skillfully continued talking even while munching on her cream bread.
“You know, I wanted to wear my red dress today, but Mommy made me wear white because she said I shouldn’t stand out too much.”
“I see. You must have been looking forward to the party; it’s a shame you couldn’t wear what you wanted.”
Exactly. In times like this, telling a kid to just wear what they want is a rookie mistake. Kids like this hate being treated like babies.
“Right? So I threw a tantrum, but Daddy and Mommy wouldn’t listen because they said they had important things to talk about with other adults.”
The way she gulped down her strawberry milk and let out a satisfied “Phew!” was adorable, like she was trying to imitate an adult.
“Really? Well, throwing a tantrum wasn’t the best thing to do, but they were a bit mean.”
“So I just… hmph. I was only going to come out for a little, little bit. But then…”
“You got lost?”
“Yeah. I was so mad earlier that I yelled at Mommy that I didn’t care anymore. What if Mommy and Daddy hate me now and don’t come looking for me…?”
Just when I thought she’d calmed down, the girl started shedding fat teardrops again.
Oh, how precious. To think she’d worry about something like that. It’s so cute I can’t help but smile.
Wait, should I be laughing? As someone who actually has a history of being abandoned, I probably shouldn’t find this funny, but from where I’m standing, your parents would never abandon you.
They’ll probably start searching the moment they realize you’re gone.
The clothes the child was wearing were clearly high-end. In fact, children’s formal wear like this is often just as expensive as the adult versions. Not just the dress, but everything from her shoes to her hair accessories was top-tier luxury. To top it off, she was even wearing a high-quality anti-loss necklace. Why on earth would they abandon her?
The only problem was that even if I wanted to use the necklace to contact them, I didn’t have a smartphone.
“Well, wait a second. I’ll let you join our expedition. We can look for your mommy and daddy while we explore.”
The girl’s gloomy face brightened instantly.
“An expedition!? The other boys never let me join!”
“Haha, well, I’m not like other boys. So I can let you join whenever I want.”
“I see! Oh, but what if Daddy and Mommy say they don’t want to see me anymore even if we find them…? They must be really mad.”
“That will never happen. If they are mad, I’ll apologize with you.”
“…How do you know? What if they don’t accept it even if you apologize?”
“Then, do you want to make a bet?”
“…A bet?”
“Yeah. If your mommy and daddy run to you and hug you, or if they cry because they were worried, I win. If they say they don’t want to see you or if they’re indifferent, you win. How about it?”
“What are we betting? I don’t have anything to give you…”
“Don’t worry, I’m not planning on taking anything from you. If I win, you just have to listen to your parents from now on.”
“…And if I win?”
…Oh, she’s already thinking about what happens if she wins? She’s got spirit.
“I don’t know. Is there something you want to ask for?”
“…I’m not sure.”
“Then ask for it when we meet again later.”
“…Will you grant me anything?”
“As long as it’s within my power.”
“Then, can we meet again?”
“Who knows? Little one, things in this world don’t always go the way you want. Isn’t that what makes life interesting?”
Wait, So-hyun, how do you even know that line?
“…I don’t really get it.”
“Anyway, just trust me! I’ll find your parents for you!”
* * *
“No. I don’t see why I should.”
Whoa, our little Yu-hak’s rejection is sharp as a knife.
“…Why should I do such a thing? I’ve already been considerate enough by waiting for you for so long.”
“It’s not like I’m asking to stop the expedition, Captain. I’m just saying we should take on a new member. Why the attitude?”
“She lacks class.”
Oh, our Yu-hak is quite the smarty-pants, using words like ‘class.’
“…He’s scary.”
Aww, but it seems his fierce attitude is frightening to kids his own age.
Seeing her grip my hand tightly, she seems quite anxious.
“Give her a break just this once, Captain.”
“…You don’t think I’ll just do whatever you say just because you call me ‘Captain,’ do you?”
…Huh? He really is smart. He caught on after only three times?
“As if! I just thought you were the kind of leader who, like your father, has a broad mind and can embrace and look after his subordinates!”
“…Hmm, I see. My father might indeed act that way in a situation like this.”
Haha, you little brat. You’re still just a kid after all.
Pleased by the praise, little Yu-hak turned his gaze toward the girl behind me.
“…I will allow you to join the expedition specifically until we find your parents. Do not get in the way.”
“…Okay, I’m sorry.”
“Hmph, as long as you know. But that hand.”
“Huh?”
“She’s my subordinate, so let go.”
“…No.”
“…I told you to let go.”
“…I’d rather die.”
“…Guys, stop. I have two hands, so I can hold both of yours. Don’t fight.”
“…Tch. It was just an eyesore. It’s not like I wanted to hold it.”
“…Hmph.”
Good grief, these kids and their possessiveness. Well, this is the age where they go, “He’s my friend, why are you playing with him?!”
* * *
The expedition was fun.
Cheon Yu-hak showed off his knowledge by finding edible plants and herbs in the garden, and the little girl, having regained some energy after finishing her cream bread and strawberry milk, wandered around looking at the flowers.
Yes, a child should be smiling.
After letting them air out their feelings for a bit, we headed back. As expected, we heard an announcement looking for a child and spotted a young man and woman running around frantically.
“Well?”
“…Yeah.”
“Was I right?”
“Yes!”
Of course, I won the bet, but there was nothing to gain by rubbing it in now.
“Oh?! Baby!”
“There, she’s over there!”
The adults rushed over and hugged the little girl.
“Where did you go…! We were so worried…!”
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…! Mommy is sorry! I should have paid more attention!”
— I’m jealous.
Shut up. I’m not jealous. It’s a relief her parents were worried; what’s there to be jealous of? This is how it’s supposed to be.
As I approached the couple, who were presumably the young lady’s parents, their eyes turned to me.
“The child was crying alone. It was hard work comforting her, so please don’t make her cry anymore!”
“Ah, oh. Thank you, young man. Did you play with our child?”
Oh, at least he’s not hitting me and asking if I kidnapped his daughter. I was bracing myself for that.
He’s a sensible person.
“Ga-eul, you should say thank you to the oppas.”
“He’s not an oppa! He said he’s five years old!”
…Wait? Who did you say she was?
“What? My goodness, he seemed so calm that I thought he was older than our child. Thank you so much…”
“Ah, yes. I’m sorry I couldn’t contact you since I don’t have a phone.”
I mean, it’s not like Kim Ga-eul is the only Ga-eul in the world. It’s just a coincidence, right…?
“Don’t say that. I’ll be sure to repay you later.”
“Now, Ga-eul, say goodbye to your friends.”
The girl, held in her mother’s arms, hesitated before speaking timidly.
“…Um. Can I see you again?”
“Well, who knows…?”
“…Hmph.”
That strangely shrinking attitude, the reddish-brown hair, and the eyes that were a bit sharp for a child.
…Wait? Now that I think about it, she looked familiar from the start.
As the puzzle pieces clicked together, it wasn’t just ‘strangely’—she looked exactly like her.
It wasn’t as obvious as mini-Yu-hak, but looking at her as mini-Ga-eul, the resemblance was perfect.
“…Well, if luck permits, maybe we’ll meet again?”
The child’s parents thanked us repeatedly and disappeared into the crowd, taking the reluctant little Ga-eul with them.
No, how is this happening?
It’s not like I did anything; I just followed Cheon Yu-hak’s dream. Why is it turning out like this?
Suddenly, the golden wig I was wearing on my head came to mind.
…No way, it can’t be that. Who puts that kind of setting in a novel these days? No, wait, they might put it in, but they wouldn’t just kill them both off without ever using it, right? Right?
How many years ago was the ‘first love plot twist’ popular…!
“Hah, the dead weight is finally gone.”
Little Yu-hak, oblivious to my inner turmoil, muttered with a look of relief.
“You were actually getting along quite well with her, Captain.”
“…Hmph, you’re mistaken. I only humored her because it’s annoying when she cries.”
Sure, let’s go with that.
“Anyway, now that the distraction is gone, let’s head toward our final goal.”
“…Hmm?”
“I told you earlier. That it was too early for us to go there.”
Ah, he must be talking about the high stairs in the center.
“Now that we’ve learned the surrounding geography and gathered our supplies, it’s enough.”
For the record, the ‘supplies’ seemed to be the herbs and mushrooms he’d gathered while playing earlier.
“Let’s go. I’ll lead the way.”
“Oh, can I trust you, Captain?”
“Hmph, of course. I’m confident I can protect you no matter what happens, so there’s no need to worry.”
Little Yu-hak began to climb the stairs with a confident stride.
Little Yu-hak is super strong. He wins at everything.
“…Were you just thinking something weird?”
“No, not at all~?”
“…Fine then.”
We climbed the stairs and reached the second floor.
“Hmm, so this is the layout of the second floor.”
“…It’s strange.”
“Hmm? What is?”
“There’s too little sign of people.”
“…Well, that’s because the party is going on downstairs—no, you’re right. There should at least be staff members here.”
He was beyond calm; he was cold. Both of them were already acting in ways that were hard to call ‘childlike.’
“Let’s go down and call the adults.”
“No, it’s too late.”
“What?”
“They’ve already found us.”
At the same moment little Yu-hak threw himself aside, something like a steel pin slammed into the spot where he had been standing.
“…What? How did a kid like that dodge this?”
“Ah, you idiot, what are you doing? They’re just kids, you should have just sent them back.”
“Look at them, they’re obviously rich brats. We’re going to bury them anyway, so what does it matter?”
“Who said it didn’t? I’m saying, what if someone finds us while they’re searching for the missing kids?”
Villains.
Though calling them that felt a bit amateurish.
They were using crossbows and daggers, but they weren’t manipulating mana or using talents.
The fact that they were using attacks a five-year-old could dodge proved they were non-awakened.
However, even after attacking first, they remained careless and relaxed.
It wasn’t actually that strange.
Unless someone was a complete psychopath, no human would feel genuinely threatened or fight with their full strength against two five-year-old children.
That was common sense; it was only natural.
Well, setting aside whether non-awakened terrorists are ‘sensible’ beings, their attitude wasn’t that bizarre.
If the ones standing there were just ordinary five-year-old children, that is.
“…Pathetic.”
The boy smiled.
It was a face full of joy, as if he’d finally encountered a monster after finishing the tutorial of an RPG.
There wasn’t a trace of a sense of crisis.
A superhuman is called a superhuman because they are monsters that overturn the common sense of ordinary people.
Though he was still a growing cub, the thing in front of them was undeniably a monster.
They should have run. Or at least, they should have fought with everything they had so they wouldn’t have any regrets.
But they made a foolish choice, and now it was time to pay the price.
A terrorist who couldn’t even become a villain was sent flying by the child’s fist.
“…Huh?”
“Haha! They wouldn’t let me do anything but train after my talent awakened. This is my first real battle, and it feels better than I thought.”
Unrivaled.
His talent, which grows stronger the more enemies there are, identified the numerous ‘ordinary people’ surrounding us as ‘enemies’ and amplified its master’s mana.
“Haha…!”
Weapons? He didn’t need such things.
From the moment he awakened his talent and could shroud himself in mana, every part of his body was a lethal weapon, as long as his opponent wasn’t a fellow superhuman or a beast.
“What! A monster!”
“A monster? That’s rude. Aren’t you the monsters, whispering and plotting evil deeds!”
Grabbing a man’s arm as if he were swinging a doll, Cheon Yu-hak hurled him away.
It was literally a massacre, not a battle. It was no different from a child playing with dolls and breaking them because he didn’t like them.
Was the difference the blood and flesh flying through the air?
“Aim for that one over there!”
“Haha, fat chance…!”
There were those who rushed at me to take me hostage, but even to my eyes, they were painfully slow.
There was no way they could move faster than little Yu-hak, and the situation was quickly being wrapped up.
“Hey, stop it.”
“Stop what?! Even after this! Even after seeing this trash, do you still think they need salvation?! These beasts who repay grace with enmity?!”
This was dangerous.
He was clearly overexcited and losing his reason.
His talent, which he couldn’t yet control because he was too young, was beginning to consume its master.
“I said, stop.”
“Haha…! Ha? Hehe…”
Surprisingly, none of the thugs were dead yet.
It was proof that he was still holding back, but that would only last for a moment longer.
The light of reason had almost vanished from his eyes.
“Heh…”
The little demon, laughing like a beast with his tongue sticking out, stomped on the arm of the man beneath his feet as if it were a game.
“Aaaaaaaagh!?”
The sickening sound of bones snapping mixed with the man’s screams. As if the screaming annoyed him, the boy raised his leg.
His target was clearly the man’s neck.
“Ah, damn it. Don’t cross the line.”
And my body, which had been watching and trying to persuade him with words, finally began to move.
To stop him before he made a mistake he couldn’t take back.