Chapter 78
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: Rehabilitation
While things were unfolding in utter chaos inside the prison,
Justice sat alone in her now-empty home, tilting her glass.
She cursed her own ability that snapped her back to sobriety no matter how drunk she got,
downing shot after shot in the hope that the buzz might last just a little longer.
Maybe, just maybe, she was the one at fault.
If only she'd told him she believed him during that visit, even if it was just empty words.
Would he have been a little kinder to her the next time they met?
Justice had no answers. She used to bounce these worries off Crow, but now she was left fighting silence in her deserted living space.
If only she hadn't trusted Lily.
No, if only she'd rejected Lily outright the first time they met.
Then maybe right now, she and Crow would be chatting away over a shabby spread of drinks.
"..."
Strictly speaking, Justice wasn't to blame. She'd simply been swept up in the circumstances and lost Crow.
But,
if she dug even deeper.
If she threw open the doors of her heart and laid bare even her smallest thoughts and desires to herself and everyone else.
Would Justice truly consider this situation the absolute worst?
Just like the conversation between Lily and Crow,
Justice was the kind of woman who would gladly do something insane for the sake of her own justice and convictions.
At the very moment all these events unfolded,
hadn't Justice given even a passing thought to the position and status of Director she'd gain?
No. That wasn't it.
Humans inevitably weigh their options and secure their own gains from time to time. There's no helping it.
It's only natural human thinking. No matter the shock, people need to analyze their situation to some degree.
Even at a funeral, shedding tears,
humans soon start calculating the economic hardships and obstacles left in the wake of the departed. Some even look into inheritance right away.
"..."
That's why Justice suffered even more.
Humans inevitably harbor tens of thousands of thoughts,
and among them are surely selfish, cynical ones.
"Damn it..."
Justice was especially tormented by the little greed she'd harbored, unable to ignore it.
Whenever she thought of it, everything she had to do felt like it was exploiting Crow's tragedy.
She was just doing her best in the position of leading the Hero Association.
That's really all it was.
But,
the more she recalled the intense hatred Crow had shown her,
the more confused Justice became.
In a way,
Justice had done the absolute best she could.
She'd kept faith with him,
and had no choice but to hand him over after being deceived by Lily.
Yet she'd been cursed out harshly and driven away.
Maybe Justice had become the pitiful protagonist of a tragedy.
Next to her glass sat two smartphones,
and the screen of the first showed various videos.
Different speakers, different footage, different titles and topics,
but all public opinion boiled down to one thing.
[The greatest hero, betrayed but returning to protect the world.]
[This era's last conscience, the final bastion.]
[A symbol of hope that endures without breaking, no matter the trials.]
Justice was loved by all.
And on the second smartphone,
internal channels used only by Hero Association members sent her data on future plans and directions.
Crow and the Director weren't the only brains in the Hero Association. There were also rare intelligence agents supporting the heroes.
They didn't care about Crow or Lily. Their focus was solely on the Association's survival and supporting the current Director.
While Crow thrashed in hell,
Justice obtained everything she'd so desperately wanted and pursued.
Public distrust in the Hero Association had briefly threatened Justice's position,
but the Association's media play—claiming it all stemmed from Lily and Crow's premeditated crime—had enough impact to overturn every disadvantage.
While Justice lay on the brink of death,
the Hero Association had truly made the best choice.
They'd abandoned Crow and Lily,
but now they were rebranding with Justice at the forefront.
A hero unbroken despite betrayal by her closest allies.
A hero who, in that brutal tragedy, had personally executed her former comrades turned villains...
Justice
became this era's greatest hero.
"Haa..."
Crow and Lily, whom she'd once shared affections with,
had both fallen as villains, losing everyone's trust.
All that lost trust flowed to Justice.
"..."
And so,
paradoxically,
Justice gained power and authority stronger than ever before.
This entire situation
didn't feel quite like the worst anymore.
Justice began to question whether she truly deserved to monopolize all the public's sympathy and trust.
Before this irresistibly tempting allure,
Justice tilted and shook her empty glass.
Her reflection in the glass
shimmered in multiple layers.
To rescue Crow, she'd have to threaten her position and society's peace with extreme measures—
like infiltrating the prison or orchestrating an escape.
At that point,
Justice fell into deep contemplation.
Should she really abandon everything now granted to her
to save Crow?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Crow saw his own reflection in Creep's eyes. It felt strangely like he was being drawn into them.
"Baby, does it hurt a lot? Drug withdrawal is brutal. I've tried it a few times myself. Everyone acts like they're dying."
Through the doorway, he'd glimpsed the common area outside where all the people who'd opposed Creep lay sprawled, writhing in agony,
and Lily was beaten half to death, barely breathing,
yet for some reason, Creep never laid a hand on Crow. Instead, she gently stroked his forehead with a soft voice.
"You're holding up well? As expected, my baby is different."
In this bizarre disconnect, Crow swallowed hard and tried to push Creep away. He couldn't just leave Lily collapsed in the corner, groaning in pain.
"G-get... off..."
"No. Baby, look at me. If you keep trying to go to her, I might really kill her."
Creep restrained Crow's actions with a single sentence. Her head injury hadn't erased her memories, so she clearly understood how much Crow cherished Lily.
"I'm serious. You know my temper, right?"
And Crow knew Creep well too. She never wasted words.
"O-okay, I... okay... B-but at least send her to the infirmary... Ngh...?"
So he avoided provocative words as much as possible, pleading with Creep. His broken body and mind no longer had the strength to resist her.
"My baby’s gotten so much cuter~"
But Creep dismissed even that as mere cuteness and hugged him tight. It was like watching an owner unable to leave her adorable puppy alone, smothering it with kisses and sobbing happily.
"Nngh... So pretty!"
She planted sucking kisses on Crow's cheeks and lips. Creep couldn't keep her hands off him because he was so beautiful.
Mwah— smack!
Amid this affectionate display, Creep kept chatting away.
"The boss and that girl really trained my baby well, huh?"
"I-infirmary..."
"Sigh! Tch! She won't die from that. Wanna keep making me jealous? Should I really beat her again? Harder this time? Climb on and smash her face?"
Just as Lily had hoped, Creep wedged herself firmly between them, causing massive ripples. Both women got what they wanted, but Creep was the one reaping immediate benefits.
"N-no, sorry..."
"Good girl, good..."
Creep hugged Crow to her heart's content, savoring the happy, joyful time.
It was surprisingly platonic skinship. She could've ripped his clothes off and pinned him down right then without anyone batting an eye.
"Baby, listen to me. Since others already did what I planned, I don't really intend to torment you more."
Creep whispered in Crow's ear while maintaining her gentle demeanor.
"But not that little brat. I hate bitches who scheme like that. But there's one way. If my baby obeys me from now on, I won't beat her to death. Promise. For real."
"...Yeah, got it. Got it. Do whatever you want..."
Crow was already resigned, ready to surrender his body,
but Creep's demand was enough to fluster both Lily and Crow.
"Good. Then..."
Creep gave him one more kiss and said,
"Let's do rehab training together until you're healthy again. Exercise hard, rest deep when resting... How could you let your body get like this? Take care of yourself first. So no more cigarettes from now on—they're confiscated!"
She was genuinely worried about Crow's condition.
"You quit drugs cold turkey. Got it? Next time you crave, I'll beat her half to death. That'll help you quit, right?"
And she added one condition.
"...And from now on, pet my head too."
She craved that gentle, parental touch
from when her mind had been broken.