The shrimp dumpling covered in cream sauce melted smoothly in his mouth, the vegetables grilled over low heat were savory, and the meat he clumsily cut with the knife and took a bite of was a taste he had never experienced before.
So Cheche put down his spoon. He lowered his eyes to savor the aroma and taste lingering in his mouth when Evil beside him dropped his knife onto his plate with a loud clatter. Everyone flinched and looked at Evil.
“What the hell is this taste? It’s completely bland and the inside isn’t cooked at all. Hey, call the chef over here.”
“Director-nim…”
James, who had been standing guard even during the meal, called out to him with an expression pleading for reconsideration. Evil raised one eyebrow and jerked his chin toward Cheche.
“It’s not just me who thinks it tastes bad. Even the refugee brat has some taste buds and isn’t eating.”
At the words aimed at him, Cheche lifted his eyelids.
“No, it was delicious.”
“Then why aren’t you eating more?”
“Because I want to take it home.”
A moment of silence passed, and Evil laughed loudly. He swept back his golden hair and raised his chin.
“Ah, really? Take it home? You’re going to pack it up and eat it at home?”
“Yes.”
“Just like a refugee, full of beggar’s spirit. Made me laugh for the first time in a while.”
To anyone watching, that wasn’t a pure laugh. However, Cheche lowered his head again without any change in expression.
“Lost my appetite. Stop eating and let’s just proceed with the discussion.”
Evil said with a sulky face, pursing his lips. He was annoyed because the person he wanted to torment thoroughly wasn’t showing any signs of distress at all.
The others also wanted to end this gathering quickly, so without a word they called staff to clear the plates. James, who had been anxious they might be told to call the chef, was relieved.
***
Today’s agenda had one item. Aura User volunteer dispatch, one of the refugee relief projects. The User Center occasionally dispatched Aura Users to conflict zones to help civilians. There were many countries at war besides Tar in the world, and compared to them, Tar was a very small country. The Center hadn’t extended a hand to Tar for almost ten years. However, since Cheche, a Tar refugee, was formally joining the Center, this year’s refugee relief project location was confirmed to be Tar.
The User Center’s director had already half-approved it with the premise of “if Advisory Director Evil permits it.” The adapter side had also expressed their opinion that if Aura Users were dispatched, they would naturally accompany them to enhance and heal the users. The problem was the Advisory Director of the Aura User Center.
“I don’t want to.”
Evil answered simply, narrowing his eyes.
“I don’t want to. It won’t fundamentally help end the war anyway. You’re just trying to appeal to non-users that we’re doing such righteous work, aren’t you?”
“Don’t misunderstand. It’s purely to help refugees.”
“The users will never participate in the war there. We plan to have them build walls for collapsed villages, remove unexploded ordnance, dig wells, and create waterways.”
“So what? The village walls will collapse again, shells will fall, wells will dry up and waterways will be cut off. You might as well send everyone to end the war.”
Evil sneered.
“Ah, but Tar only has non-users, right? It wouldn’t do to have Aura Users massacring non-users. It’s fucking ridiculous that they can block shells but they’re just going to do volunteer activities like children’s play and come back.”
Everyone wanted to refute Evil’s words, but they held back because his mood seemed extremely twisted.
First of all, they couldn’t block shells. Evil spoke as if it were a very easy task, but it was impossible for ordinary Aura Users. Evil must have known that fact too.
Also, aside from the difference between Aura Users and non-users, since Tar was in a “civil war” situation, it was difficult for Aura Users with Alcity nationality to interfere in the war. The Tar government was very closed off, so even this volunteer dispatch had only been confirmed thanks to Vilain Jerado, a country adjacent to Tar, making the connection.
“How about not releasing it to the media? If you won’t publish dispatch articles, I’ll permit it.”
“……”
“See? Can’t say anything.”
Evil drank the wine that was as red as his eyes, wearing a cold smirk.
Actually, even without Evil’s permission, they could force it through if they had the Center director’s and executive directors’ approval. The reason they couldn’t was because of the morale of the users to be dispatched.
Evil Endem had a bad reputation among non-users, but he was an object of admiration for some Aura Users. Although there was so much critical public opinion that they didn’t openly declare “I like Evil,” there were many users who secretly admired him.
If the morale and will of the Aura Users to be dispatched declined, forcing it through would be useless. They wanted to kick over the table and say that arrogant young bastard’s opinion sitting there with his legs crossed wasn’t needed, but they had to suppress their boiling insides and endure.
This project was a collaboration between the Alcity government and the Center.
If you asked about the wealthiest nation in the entire world, everyone would name Alcity first, Rondel second, and Vilain Jerado third.
Rondel, on the opposite side of the globe from Alcity, was a country that could never surpass Alcity in either financial or military power. In that Rondel, at the end of every year, there was a “Good Deed Award” ceremony that gave awards to those who contributed to world peace that year, and both last year and the year before, Rondel’s Aura Users received the biggest awards.
For Alcity, it was quite a humiliating award ceremony. Dispatching Aura Users to a civil war country was Alcity’s determination not to lose the Good Deed Award this year. They absolutely had to succeed.
Having already finished discussions with the Vilain Jerado side that handled all of Tar’s foreign policy, it was quite troublesome for Evil to oppose like this.
It would actually be better if this devil were someone who could be swayed by bribes. It was daunting to figure out what to use to coax someone who had no consistent likes, whose hobbies and tastes changed as soon as he turned around, who was difficult, arrogant, and had nothing to fear in the world.
“……”
Evil had a bored expression as if he had read all their thoughts. While just stirring the Ezibidi-style coffee that came out for dessert without drinking it, Cheche looking down at his teacup entered his vision as he pondered how to refuse whatever proposal they would make in a way that would raise their blood pressure.
An amusing thought occurred to Evil, and he pulled up the corner of his mouth.
“Hey, refugee.”
“Yes.”
Cheche raised his head and looked at Evil. His large golden eyes still contained no emotion whatsoever.
“What do you think? Would you like Aura Users dispatched to your country?”
“If you would dispatch them, that would be good.”
Unexpectedly, Cheche opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.
Evil, who had expected him not to be able to answer or to just quietly lower his eyes, raised one eyebrow.
“To send Aura Users to a dog’s death? They’re people who can’t even block a single shell? Do you only care about Tartarians and don’t give a damn about foreigners?”
Evil picked a fight again, contradicting what he had just said himself.
“We can predict to some extent where the airstrikes will be, and if they only work in villages close to World Peace Citizen or journalist union stations, it won’t be very dangerous.”
“This is the first I’ve heard that there are places in Tar that aren’t dangerous.”
“…As Director-nim said, Tar is a place full of dangerous elements.”
The two adapters and Dr. Victoria listened intently to their conversation. Cheche looked up at Evil with his faded golden eyes and said calmly.
“Young children die scraping lead and copper from unexploded ordnance to get food. Their fingers are exposed down to the bone from digging wells with their bare hands, and there’s no water to use, so even when babies are born, they can’t be washed. That place desperately needs Aura Users. If it’s alright, please dispatch them. I’m asking you.”
“……”
In the silence, James, who stood apart from them, drew in a breath.
Listening to the voice flowing out calmly, it felt like the terrible scene was unfolding in his mind. There was no change in emotional inflection, nor was there detailed description, yet in this moment James wanted to help Tar’s refugees. However, there was nothing he, a non-user, could do. He just kept his mouth tightly shut in case a sigh escaped from his pitiful heart. The two adapters and Dr. Victoria also seemed to feel no differently, showing sympathetic expressions.
Only Evil looked down at Cheche with arrogant eyes and crossed his arms.
“So this is how you survived.”
“…Pardon?”
“Unconsciously, in that manner.”
No one in this place understood what his muttered words meant.
Evil beckoned with his finger at Cheche. At the gesture to come closer, Cheche stood up and approached.
Evil pulled at the thick collar of Cheche’s clothes with his finger. On the tan skin, dark bruises were vivid.
“This is in exchange.”
“……”
“Isn’t your head working? Are you ignorant and also clueless? I’m saying I’ll dispatch Aura Users to your trash hometown.”
“Ah.”
“Hurry up and say thank you.”
“Thank you.”
Cheche bowed politely.
“Thank you very much.”
