# Chapter 49
“Alice” was an organization with many S-class members, making it an appropriate organization to maintain balance. That’s why Peace never directly harmed “Alice.”
This was a fact that only Boss knew. If rumors spread that Peace was letting a villain organization be, it would certainly cause a huge commotion.
“Then why did they send Zenon as a spy?”
If they wanted to maintain balance, there would be no need to send a spy. They wouldn’t want “Alice” to weaken.
When Alex asked about this inconsistent situation, Boss quietly spoke.
“…There must have been someone who was in the way.”
It was an uncharacteristically vague answer from Boss. Alex looked at him as if wanting a clearer answer, but Boss avoided his gaze and changed the subject.
“More importantly, what’s the situation with the organization?”
“With empty seats in the executive positions, there’s a lot of talk going around.”
It was an obvious diversion, but Alex let it pass. He believed that even if Boss was hiding something, he wouldn’t do anything to harm Alice.
Alex handed Boss documents summarizing recent internal situations. However, he didn’t even look at the documents and pushed them to a corner of the desk. It was obvious what was in them.
“Among those, what they want is—”
“The selection of the next executives,” Zenon interjected before Boss could finish.
Boss sighed at Zenon’s interruption.
“I suppose so. Those who don’t know their place tend to have excessive desires.”
The answer didn’t deviate from expectations at all. At a time when two executives had disappeared, there would be many who desired those positions. Especially those with considerable abilities. Even other members couldn’t afford to be idle. They needed to line up behind potential candidates for promotion as soon as possible.
“Currently, there are no plans to select new executives.”
But Boss’s thoughts differed from everyone’s wishes. He drew a firm line, as if making a declaration.
“There will be strong opposition.”
These were people who normally wouldn’t dare approach Boss out of fear, but on this issue, they couldn’t back down. Executive positions represented a pillar in the organization. No one would stay quiet when faced with losing the opportunity to claim such a position.
“Tell them they can try if they’re fine with losing an arm.”
He answered with a bright smile. His voice, gentle yet authoritative, settled low in the room. His red eyes, so calm they chilled the observer’s gallbladder, quietly folded in. Feeling the hair-raising killing intent, Alex quickly bowed.
“I will warn them.”
This was no joke. Anyone who brought up executive selection again wouldn’t even dream of living a normal life. Alex thought he should warn the members as strongly as possible. If they had any sense, no further words would be spoken on the matter.
The reports continued after that. Given the chaotic situation and Boss’s absence for several days, it couldn’t be helped. Boss kept sighing at the reports pouring from Alex’s mouth, which were too extensive for documents alone. But Alex continued regardless and finally managed to complete the last report.
“That concludes the reports.”
With Boss’s responses added throughout, solutions had been arranged for urgent matters. Alex wore a smile of relief. But contrary to him, Boss dropped the formal speech as if things were just beginning and wore a serious expression.
“Kay isn’t waking up.”
“I heard. By the way, you did quite a job hiding such a superpower.”
As expected, Alex also switched to informal speech and agreed. Since he was now present as a friend, not a subordinate, there was no hesitation in his manner.
“It’s an ability that shouldn’t be known.”
“Well, I’m sure you didn’t do it on purpose.”
Alex’s relationship with Boss was in its fifteenth year. Keeping such a secret even from him could have been seen as a betrayal. However, Alex passed over it without adding much.
Boss’s expression changed subtly at this.
“You’re not asking more.”
“Would knowing change anything? If I needed to know, you would’ve told me earlier.”
“I thought you would ask though.”
“It’s not like I don’t understand.”
It must have been an unavoidable choice for him. The day Alex first met him wasn’t exactly a pleasant memory either. If anything, he was relieved that it was less significant than he had thought.
There might be other things he was hiding, but that was a matter to consider when the time came. Right now, Alex was trying to keep his thinking as simple as possible since they had enough to deal with.
“You said it’s a superpower you can only use once. Makes sense to hide it.”
Moreover, it’s an ability that can revive the dead. Anyone would have hidden that. Anyway, now he knew, so that was that. Alex focused on something else. Boss’s poor condition couldn’t be due to this. He wasn’t the type to dwell on minor matters.
“So. What’s the problem?”
“You told me before that I’d regret it.”
After a long silence, Boss finally spoke. Alex’s past words had clung to him persistently. At that time, he had only thought it would be interesting. Only now did he realize how complacent his past self had been.
Seeing Boss immersed in deep regret, Alex delivered a blow.
“I did. You should have realized earlier.”
It was surprising to see Boss regretful, but it was also expected. If anything, it was strange that he was only regretting it now.
“…I had my circumstances.”
“I know. That’s why I’m trying to understand.”
While he wasn’t sure what those circumstances were, it was probably related to Boss’s past. That’s why they could even have this conversation now.
“But you don’t think those circumstances will matter to Kay, do you?”
However, Kay’s case was different.
“That—”
“Honestly, if Kay hadn’t come back to life, I would have half-killed you too.”
Alex honestly revealed his true feelings. This peaceful situation was only possible because Kay had been revived. No matter what the circumstances were, they couldn’t excuse Kay’s death.
Even Alex couldn’t help but be shocked by Kay’s death. He only pretended to be unaffected because if he collapsed, “Alice” would be in danger too.
Just as that was reaching its limit, Alex heard the news that Kay had been revived. Even though he had died, Alex had faith in Kay’s abilities, so he could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Though the truth was a little different from what he had thought.
Anyway, since he was alive, Alex decided to forgive Boss. But would Kay be able to forgive him?
“I feel the same, so you don’t think the person involved will listen to your excuse-like circumstances, right?”
“I suppose not—”
“I was going to say that, but Kay will listen. That’s the kind of person he is.”
Alex already knew the answer to that question. While “unable to forgive” would be the normal response, Alex knew all too well that Kay wouldn’t be like that.
Kay would certainly forgive Boss. He was that kind of foolish person. Almost too precious for Boss.
But despite Alex’s confident words, Boss couldn’t regain his spirits.
“Even if he forgives me, if Kay doesn’t wake up…”
Gone was his earlier cold-blooded demeanor as he gently lowered his eyes. They were filled with undisguisable anxiety.
Alex was momentarily speechless at behavior that would make other members faint in shock. It was almost as if this was someone else disguised as Boss.
He had expected Boss to be greatly shocked by Kay’s death, but to the point that even his personality changed?
“You’ve become really soft. I’d think you’re someone else. Weren’t you the type who thought worrying was useless?”
Alex spoke in a humming manner at the sight of Boss like he’d never seen before. His bright blue eyes clearly showed his intention, but Boss’s spirits remained low.
“I was…”
What was his past self thinking? The more time passed, the more he found it hard to believe what he had done.
Even though he had been brainwashed, it had been gradually wearing off recently. So he should have been capable of normal thinking lately, but hearing Alex’s words, he realized that thought was completely wrong.
What did Kay see in him to like him? No matter how he thought about it, he was not someone who could be liked.
Seeing his unstable state, Alex spoke to reassure him.
“Even during the medical examination, there were no abnormalities, right? It’s probably because of his ability.”
“But it’s been over a week.”
Even that didn’t get through. How should one deal with a changed Boss?
Boss’s current reaction was a natural attitude for a human, but the problem was that the previous Boss hadn’t seemed human.
The worry was understandable. He himself was equally worried about Kay. But reviving a person itself was realistically impossible, wasn’t it? For Kay, who had survived through such an impossibility, waiting a week didn’t seem that long.
The previous Boss would have thought like him and maintained composure. Now, it seems he couldn’t even make such judgments. Since Alex couldn’t leave him like this, he offered more words of comfort.
“We just have to wait. He’ll wake up. He’s a strong kid.”
Kay had persevered well so far. So he would surely wake up safely. Alex wasn’t without anxiety either, but right now, he had no choice but to believe. If they kept worrying, they wouldn’t be able to do anything.
“Yeah… That’s right.”
Boss slowly nodded, agreeing with Alex’s words. Certainly, there was nothing they could do at the moment, so it was right to think positively.
But no matter what, the anxiety instantly engulfed him. He was afraid and scared that Kay might never wake up. This anxiety couldn’t be shaken off no matter what he did. It would surely cling to him continuously until Kay woke up.
