Among them, the biggest worry was the lack of contact from John Gale.
Cheche recalled the last phone call. Early in the morning, while Evil was running in the garden, he went into the closet and talked in a very small voice.
– I heard from Samila. If it’s certain you’re an S-rank Soul Aura User after the re-measurement, she wants to join hands.
‘What about the government side?’
– That side… before that, they’ll be desperate to kill you.
John let out a deep sigh.
– I heard Karon sent a special forces unit to Alcity…. They won’t kill you right away but will try to kidnap you. That bastard is obsessed with you. He’s personally hiring mercenaries to catch you because he’s afraid the government forces will kill you.
‘I’m currently inside Director Evil’s residence. You don’t need to worry.’
– I don’t know. Will that person really protect you? That Evil Devil…?
John’s doubt was natural. Cheche answered calmly.
‘He didn’t bring me into his house to protect me anyway. However, he won’t like someone invading his space, so I’ll be safe for the time being.’
– At the Center?
‘I always go around with the Director, so they don’t have a chance to approach.’
– That’s fortunate….
‘What about John?’
– I told you, Cheche. I’m an Alcity person. I’m one of the most famous Alcity people in the whole world, so they can’t touch me carelessly.
It was a tone that was very bitter rather than asserting the fact that he was prominent.
– What are you thinking about Samila?
‘It’s not confirmed that I’m an Aura User yet, so I don’t have a clear method yet.’
– If it’s confirmed… will you join hands?
‘……’
– Samila is a good person. An excellent leader… think it over well.
‘Yes.’
– I won’t be able to contact you for the time being while avoiding Akeo. Don’t worry and wait.
‘Yes, be careful.’
After that, John threw a few sincere jokes about how Evil Endem was actually more dangerous than the government forces or Karon before hanging up.
Cheche tried to contact John during the time Evil was busy with icy road accidents. However, only the connection tone was heard and he didn’t answer. When he returned to the room at the residence and called all of John’s contact numbers he knew from his notebook, they still didn’t connect.
Did something happen?
Cheche curled up his body with his arm under his head. Seeking an even more uncomfortable position.
His stomach hurt with a stinging pain. Like being stabbed with a needle from the inside. Similarly, there was also a headache. It felt like some large hand was grasping his head and squeezing hard.
In Tar, there was no place that didn’t hurt, but after living a peaceful life here, even this level of pain became difficult to endure. His hands trembled and even cold sweat flowed out. He wanted to wash, but he held back for fear of waking the residence owner who was sensitive to sounds.
The residence owner was a difficult person.
Cheche didn’t want to upset him. It wasn’t because he was afraid of him getting angry. Just… he wanted to stay as quiet as possible so that he could rest comfortably at least at home.
Cheche envied his abilities so much and at the same time pitied that he had such abilities. Sometimes it was amazing too. That he hadn’t collapsed until now despite having such abilities.
Thick soundproof walls and a bleak, desolate garden where not even a blade of grass grew.
Everything here was evidence that Evil had tried somehow to live.
It was a nest made to live life by whatever means.
It was amazing that he didn’t give up on life despite having such terrible abilities. In the repetition of tedious and boring time, even until now and even though scheduled hardships would continue in the future, he didn’t let go of everything or give up.
He was a strong person.
Different from me.
Cheche curled up his body even more. Cheche, who lay down with his body curled up in a ball, was so small that anyone who saw him would think they could pick him up with just their fingers. In Tar, there were people who nagged Cheche to stretch out his body and sleep. They used to warn him jokingly that if he kept getting smaller like this, he might get lost in the chaos of war.
Cheche thought it would be nice if he could really disappear from the world someday. Every time people pointed at Cheche and said he was small. He wished he would get smaller and smaller until he disappeared.
Was it because of me that the Director’s mood was hurt?
His head ached again.
Evil expressed his favorable feelings openly enough for even Cheche to feel. It was momentary curiosity and fleeting interest, but thanks to that, Cheche stayed in the safest place in the world. In the current situation, if Evil tried to kill Cheche again and tried to kick him out, it would be quite troublesome.
In fact, he still hadn’t properly figured out why Evil was sulking. He’d praised him as much as he wanted, so what was lacking? Even after hearing the driver’s words, he couldn’t believe it.
‘Our young mas… our Director Evil helped with icy road accident processing as many as nine times today, but Cheche-nim showed more interest in an arrogant and irritating Aura User just because he sponsored Tar children, so he seems to be angry.’
He thought there was no way that was true, but on the other hand, it seemed possible. Because it was true that recently Evil had been showing behavior unlike himself, limited to him.
He had changed.
Just as Evil thought he changed after seeing Cheche, Cheche also thought he became different after seeing Evil.
The Alcity person who hit his head and strangled his neck when they first met was now anxious about not being able to feed him more and eager to keep him warmer. Things that would warrant immediately cutting his throat according to his personality, he now just pokes his cheek gently so it doesn’t hurt. When their eyes meet, he sometimes smiles brightly for some reason. Though he seems unaware that he smiled.
Cheche, who had been rolling around battlefields since childhood, knew how to grasp the situation, and was quick to understand reality too.
Clearly, Evil had favorable feelings toward him.
Also, Cheche knew that this changed appearance would pass very briefly.
People don’t change.
He’ll go back soon. Curiosity born from whim disappears quickly. He’ll return to his original self. To his boring and tedious life.
Cheche hoped his curiosity would stay as long as possible, and Cheche’s wish wasn’t for himself. Although Cheche would also be in a difficult situation if his curiosity disappeared, more than that, it was because he disliked the someday when Evil’s life would become empty again.
Evil Endem is a kind person. If I say this, everyone won’t want to believe it, they’ll say how can you call someone who tried to kill you kind.
Cheche had no choice but to say that. Because he knew how much Evil had compromised, endured, and treated him differently until now.
He was the kindest person among all the people he met after leaving Tar.
But in the end, Cheche would return to Tar. Whether the contract ended after eight months, or whether he left immediately after the re-measurement results came out and the contract was terminated, Cheche would eventually leave Alcity. He hoped Evil’s emptiness and boredom would stop at least until then. For his own safety and for him too, he hoped the curiosity would stay alive until then.
Though it all seemed to have turned to bubbles.
He still didn’t know what upset his mood. Was the driver’s words really correct? If that’s the case, how should I apologize to him?
Is John running away? If the re-measurement results aren’t good, what should I do? If good results come out, should I try approaching Samila?
When I return to Tar….
Will his life become that empty again?
He could do anything for Tar. He could sacrifice himself as much as needed. However, he didn’t wish for Evil Endem’s daily life to become boring again because of that.
His mind was tangled in a complicated mess.
In the end, Cheche couldn’t fall asleep at all. He had no desire to sleep either. Before sunrise, he got up from his spot and took out the knife he’d hidden in the drawer. It felt like he should cut his chest with the palm-sized knife to see the red blood inside. However, the mansion’s owner had gotten angry several times mentioning Cheche’s self-harm, and not wanting to disturb him in his already sensitive state, he put the knife down.
It was frustrating as if a boulder had been placed on his body. When had it not been like this… Today too, his body was very fatigued. This was actually better. If his body felt refreshed, his mind would have been more uncomfortable.
Standing by the window, Cheche looked at the snow-falling garden. Today there was no one except the employees who came out to clear the snow. On one side of the garden, the Luzem workshop still under construction was visible. Construction had been temporarily halted because of the snow that kept falling without rest since the snowfall period began.
Cheche had considerable interest in Luzem. Many developing countries grew their economies by mining gems that could be used for Luzem and processing them into raw stones. When peace came to Tar, Tar’s citizens would also do that work.
Cheche, who had washed with his tired body, came out rubbing his stuffy stomach. He didn’t want to eat anything this morning, but the smell of food was already wafting from the dining room. While going down to the first floor, he discovered a blonde man sitting on the sofa. That very handsome person had been looking this way, but when their eyes met, he sharply turned his head away.
“…”
Cheche approached him.
“Did you sleep well?”
“…”
“…”
