“Please help me find schools or orphanages worth donating the Sunhu to.”
“……”
“I’m thinking of donating everything except one box.”
“……”
“We’ll eat the remaining one box between ourselves.”
Evil raised one eyebrow at the obvious trick. Cheche wore a faint smile. Cheche’s smile was a terrifying weapon that stopped all of Evil’s thinking. Even though it was an obvious trick, it worked accurately.
“If the Director dislikes it, I’ll eat it with Butler Hips.”
“……”
“And with Secretary James too. If the Director dislikes it.”
Evil breathed out long while repeatedly clenching and unclenching his fist.
“…You have to eat it with me. Why would other humans be with me….”
Finally came the answer that flowed out with a sigh.
He was by no means calmed down. If this were a grassy field, even tiny grass insects would fly away avoiding Evil’s side, and if it were on the sea, even waves wouldn’t rush toward Evil. He still emitted a dangerous aura and was still a beast that would bite anything that got on his nerves without delay.
He was just suppressing it.
“But thinking about it, there’s too much for just the two of us to eat it all.”
“Do it moderately. There’s no more concession.”
“You said it’s all mine anyway.”
“Shut up. I’m holding back even now, so don’t provoke me any more. Even if it’s you.”
“……”
“Even if it’s you….”
“……”
“Ha, damn….”
Looking at the golden eyes gazing up calmly, he couldn’t say anything more.
Evil creased his handsome brow as if not understanding his own actions.
“…I’m going crazy… Yeah, as if I’d hit you, as if I’d do anything. What the hell am I doing, really.”
He sighed while lamenting loud enough for all to hear. He even held his forehead. Then, as if finally giving in, he turned his body to the side.
“Let’s go in. Dinner’s ready.”
Evil precisely identified the food smell inside the residence even amid the Sunhu smell filling the garden. He still mercilessly scrunched up his face and waited for Cheche to stand alongside him.
Cheche turned around very briefly. Those who had collapsed leaning on each other all had tear-stained faces with dazed expressions. Cheche bowed his head slightly and soon stood next to Evil with quick steps.
“Aren’t you cold?”
“You’re the one. Your hair is cold.”
Evil’s blond hair was wet with moisture. The water droplets hanging on his hair met the cold winter evening wind and took on a transparent icy color. However, as if not caring about such things, Evil smoothly swept Cheche’s round back of the head.
“I heard you met your parents today.”
“How did you know? You don’t even use the internet.”
“The butler told me.”
“You’ve gotten so fucking close. Let me be clear: if you eat Sunhu with anyone other than me, I’ll kill them. I’ll kill everyone except you and only increase your guilt.”
Evil grumbled a warning. Cheche treated Evil as if he’d calmed down, and Evil also acted as if his anger had subsided.
However, they both knew. That Evil’s anger hadn’t subsided.
The monster who had never once held back his anger had just retracted his claws and suppressed it. Evil’s mood was still low.
“Your body is too cold. I told you. If you catch a cold….”
“Will you kill me?”
“No, I’ll kill everyone starting with the butler, the driver, and all the residence attendants here.”
Evil made threats while pressing his body toward Cheche. Evil’s firm, warm forearm touched the shoulder that had quickly become cool from being outside for just a few minutes. Cheche wore a knit, and Evil wore a short-sleeved cotton T-shirt, yet there was a big difference in body temperature.
“Did you receive a lot of praise?”
Cheche suddenly asked.
“What praise?”
“From your parents, about the Armal matter.”
“Which one from the Armal matters?”
Evil wondered, recalling what had happened over the past few days.
“When you held me in your arms and we watched the sea?”
“……”
“When I held back from wanting to touch your pupils?”
“……”
“When I threw your drugs into the sea?”
“……”
“Those were praiseworthy things.”
Cheche walked silently. To others it would just be an expressionless face, but Evil, who was observing carefully, felt that the latch had loosened slightly. A little… it seemed like he was sighing.
“I mean the earthquake tsunami.”
“Ah, that.”
Evil laughed out loud. Because they were so close, the low laughter sounded too near to his ear, making Cheche’s shoulders shrink. Though Evil was extremely sensitive and immediately noticed that flinch, he still clung to him without hesitation and playfully caressed the back of Cheche’s head with his fingers.
“You’re the only person in this world who would think I’d receive praise.”
Evil laughed lightly. He was sincere.
The news made a fuss about how Evil Endem had saved millions with abilities he’d hidden until now, but in truth they wanted to say something else. That the monster freely rampaging among humans actually had wings all along, that something already threatening had become an even more dangerous existence. To Evil, it was as transparent as looking into clear water.
“You’re the only one who thinks I saved people.”
“…”
“To other humans, I’m just a more dangerous monster.”
It was a fact without bitterness. Evil preferred being a monster. No one dares treat me carelessly, and I can treat anyone carelessly. Since this world is made up only of insects anyway, I don’t feel any particular emotion when insects call me a monster.
The mansion door was open. It remained just as Evil had hurriedly opened it and left. Warm light and heated air flowed out from inside. Evil stepped aside for Cheche to enter first, but Cheche didn’t go in and instead stood in the middle, looking up at Evil.
“That’s not true, Director.”
What wasn’t true?
As soon as he wondered, he realized.
‘You’re the only one who thinks I saved people.’
That this was a denial of those words.
Cheche looked up at Evil and smiled faintly. It was like slow motion. Sparkling golden eyes, eye corners curving upward, both corners of his mouth rising gently, and his cheeks plumping softly.
That smile struck Evil’s head heavily. Though it was a very faint smile, it didn’t disappear quickly like last time either. With that gentle smile still on his face, Cheche spoke to Evil.
“The Armal people know.”
“…”
“They’ll never forget that day. To the Armal people, you’re not a monster, Director. To them who had given up their homes, you’ll forever be their benefactor and savior.”
Between the cold wind and warm heat, Evil was caught by Cheche’s smile, unable to even blink.
“You saved millions that day, Director. You’re probably the only person in this world who could do such a thing. What kind of monster saves millions of lives? You truly did something amazing, Director. Something magnificent enough to remain in history—everyone will talk about it for a long time.”
“…”
“Your name will rise in Armal’s history books too. It might be taught all over the world. That an SSS Multi User prevented a great disaster. You, Director, who gifted Armal a miracle, will remain in everyone’s memory forever.”
“…”
Evil was being praised. The refugee poured out praise relentlessly and the tyrant received the praise helplessly.
The praise the refugee poured out was very special.
You did a great thing no one else could do. No one can deny that. You saved Armal and will remain their benefactor forever…
Evil had lived surrounded by praise since he was very young, from before he awakened as an Aura User until now. The media would publish critical articles about Evil one day, then put out articles of praise the next day, and the public called Evil a devil while also calling him the one and only messiah.
He’d received enough criticism to make his ears ring while simultaneously hearing just as much praise.
However, Evil was an SSS Soul Aura User. He could too easily see what this person praising him with a moved face was really thinking inside. Therefore, he had in fact never once received praise until now.
Everything was dirty.
Either containing fear, or permeated with wariness, or harboring jealousy and inferiority complex.
Evil had given up on praise. In a way, he thought receiving praise would actually make him feel bad. How dare these insect-like things praise me—that would make me feel even worse. These dirty, filthy things praising me would only make me feel dirtier.
