Blame v2c10

So what about it.

Evil held back his words again and waited. After a moment, Cheche added matter-of-factly.

“This device purifies dirty sediment in water to create clean water. Because it’s small in size, only a very small amount of water comes out, so it’s used for drinking water.”

“They could just make a big one.”

“It costs a lot of money. They’re making them now, but even if they make them, it’s a woefully insufficient amount. They can’t be used forever either.”

“They could just spend money and make a lot. You…”

With the money you spend bringing refugees out of Tar, you could build a factory—Evil was about to say this but stopped. Cheche was already spending all his money for Tar. Anyway, the cost of making those purification devices now would also be money coming from Cheche.

“Anyway, washing there was definitely a luxury. You must have gone around all filthy.”

“No.”

It was a rarely firm tone. Under long-shadowed eyelashes, golden eyes shining with wounds looked directly at Evil.

“I was able to wash every day. In homes with bathtubs, in bathhouses not yet completely collapsed, if there was water worth washing with, I could always wash.”

“How could someone small like you? Did you fight people over water and win?”

“My comrades yielded to me.”

“……”

“So that I could always maintain a clean appearance. So that in the few photos taken by the few war correspondents, a clean and tidy young hero of Tar could appear—I always washed myself.”

“…….”

People call Evil a psychopath. A cruel demon lacking in empathy. But even those people would know that calling Evil a psychopath makes no sense. A Soul User… a person with exceptionally high sensitivity and empathy. Evil’s rank was even SSS.

Evil knew with absolute clarity.

‘You must wash yourself clean.’

‘Because you are hope.’

‘Because you are our young hero.’

‘You must face them never appearing dirty.’

The voices that Cheche had carried on his small, scar-covered back were as vivid as if they were echoing in his ears right now.

“…Yeah, that must have been appreciated.”

“Yes, always.”

To the cracked voice, Cheche answered faintly.

Evil knew another truth as well.

Even if they gave up precious purified water like a treasure to wash him until he was squeaky clean, the young hero of Tar that Alcity’s wealthy citizens would see while scrolling through their phone screens with their fingers on comfortable beds would be an ashen face, scraped and injured in the middle of a battlefield.

Even after leaving Tar and coming to Alcity, he’d play the role of a dirty child soldier, and no matter how fine the clothes the Endem family dressed him in, that photograph from the battlefield would still be used as the main image in articles… and even if he wore neat clothes to work, he’d only hear curses from his superior calling him a dirty refugee.

He recalled the various types of bathing products in that small studio room. Evil felt his chest tighten unbearably….

“Hey… refugee.”

“Yes.”

Cheche answered obediently as if he’d completely forgotten the horrific conversation from moments ago. Evil had called Cheche ‘refugee’ as a matter of course until now, and Cheche hadn’t expressed any complaints about it. Evil, having called out to him, fell into an awkward contemplation about the form of address.

“Director.”

Just then, Cheche broke through Evil’s thoughts.

“But why are you bending your waist like that?”

“…Huh?”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

Read the room, you refugee bastard!

Cheche’s question was absolutely something that shouldn’t be pointed out in this atmosphere.

Evil quickly corrected his now-lax posture. Which meant he twisted his waist at an angle and bent his upper body.

“Th-this pose is comfortable.”

“Director.”

“What, what!”

“Are you perhaps taking that uncomfortable posture repeatedly to hide that?”

“What….”

Evil was at a loss for words. It felt like the first time in his life he was breaking into a cold sweat. No, maybe not the first time. Recently, he’d broken into a cold sweat once from being too flustered. That too seemed to have been because of this black flycatcher.

“If that’s the case, you don’t need to feel uncomfortable. Because it keeps being visible anyway.”

“D-don’t look. You should have told me if you could see it!”

“I thought you were showing it off on purpose.”

“Hey, look away! Fuck….”

“…….”

Cheche listened to Evil well. To Cheche, who obediently turned his head, Evil shouted explosively.

“Since when have you been looking!”

“It’s been visible for a while. Since you first came in.”

“Ah, shit… How was it!”

“You’re really amazing. Actually, at first I thought I was seeing wrong. It’s the first time I’ve seen something this impressive.”

Evil’s face turned bright red.

“A-and.”

“You’re very handsome. You look strong.”

“And.”

“It must be difficult. Are you okay? It’s been like that from the start.”

“F-for someone like me, this much is nothing. What even is ‘difficult’ in the first place? I have absolutely no idea what ‘difficult’ means, what kind of emotion it is. Because I’ve never felt it even once. I wish someone would tell me what I’d have to do to actually feel difficulty.”

Evil rambled without even knowing what he was saying. Cheche, who had been listening quietly, turned his head back toward Evil. Contrary to his confident rambling, Evil covered his center with both hands. It wasn’t even covered, making it more embarrassing to look at.

“L-look somewhere else!”

“I’ll be leaving now.”

“…Already? You haven’t washed yet.”

It was all too natural to not want to enter the same bath as someone showing off some body part, but Evil responded shamelessly.

“I’ll wash over there before I leave.”

“I said stay longer.”

Evil didn’t hide his regret. Watching Evil urging him to stay longer, Cheche asked calmly.

“Do you perhaps want something specific from me?”

“What?”

“…….”

“…….”

Evil and Cheche’s eyes met. Cheche lowered his eyes. To be precise, he directed his gaze toward Evil’s that.

“If you perhaps want me to… do….”

Cheche couldn’t finish his words.

In a different sense from Cheche, Evil also couldn’t open his mouth. His head went completely white as if someone had put his brain in a bell and struck it violently. He even had the illusion of hearing a ringing in his ears.

“That’s… that’s not it.”

This time, Evil, shocked enough to truly break into a cold sweat, denied it with even his voice trembling. The SSS-rank Soul Aura User instinctively knew he had made a grave mistake with Cheche. From the moment they first met until now, he’d constantly poured out verbal abuse that could wound Cheche’s heart, but this time it was a mistake that stabbed not only Cheche but Evil himself deeply.

“Really, it’s not. Don’t misunderstand.”

“…….”

Despite the urgent explanation, Cheche only watched silently. Evil instinctively tried to raise his Soul Aura to receive Cheche’s emotions, but it was useless. Whether he was hurt or held resentment—he couldn’t even know that. Evil shot up to his feet.

With only his upper body revealed above the water’s surface, appearing even smaller, Evil stood in front of Cheche with his legs spread brazenly and confidently, and suddenly shouted.

“You listen clearly.”

“…….”

“You’re not my type, and you couldn’t handle me anyway, damn it. And I have misanthropy, so I hate even having my body touch people. Just thinking about it disgusts me, so never say shit like that again!”

Evil shouted angrily as if he were furious, then rushed out of the bath. Thump, thump, thump. His footsteps were very loud, and not only his neck but even his firm back muscles were bright red.

“…….”

Cheche unconsciously released the tension from his body and leaned his head against the bath wall.

‘For someone who says he hates having his body touch just anyone, I heard he frequently held promiscuous parties.’

The Endem family had brought Cheche in because at the time, Evil’s reputation had fallen extremely low after he had stood by and watched someone commit suicide, then held a promiscuous party. Cheche knew this fact too.

He didn’t know how much of what Evil blurted out in uncharacteristic panic was true, but… since his misanthropy was real, Cheche felt relieved.

He decided to feel relieved.

If Evil wanted it, he could have done it. But fortunately, it seemed he had no intention of making him do such things.

Cheche knew all too well that Evil was extremely generous toward him. Since awakening as a Soul Aura User, he’d felt unhidden emotions flowing from Evil, and because James and Hips were startled each time Evil showed behavior unlike himself, he couldn’t help but know. He’d even conducted a few experiments by deliberately provoking Evil, and Evil was blatantly generous toward him in ways everyone could recognize.

A light favor stemming from curiosity… it was surprising that Evil himself was suppressing the sexual nature included in that emotion.

When a person is too shocked and faces an unbelievable fact, they become extremely dazed and can’t properly recognize reality. In truth, Cheche had been in a continuous state of shock. In Tar, when he fled to Alcity, and even now as Evil’s secretary after receiving an Aura measurement.

Cheche had, for a long time… since he was very young, felt like everything in his life was like something in a distant dream. Everything he experienced in life. For instance, waking up to sudden bombardment while sleeping at night, washing rice crawling with bugs to cook it, and even trivially… someone coming to him to speak and responding to those words.