Chapter 146

The conversation with Ju-hyeon made Jio reflect.

"I think I was only thinking about what suited me."

Even if a deal seemed mutually beneficial, people had the freedom not to accept it.

He could not ignore the opinions of people who would not agree to making Jio into the Demon King.

"I want to build my own battlefield more than anything, but that is my selfishness, and sacrificing other people for that selfishness would leave a bad taste in my mouth."

"That is not the kind of war I want."

Most of all, Ju-hyeon had said this.

"My precious Demon King project..."

"..."

"Is something that hurts both people and me at the same time."

Every word of it was right.

"..."

"..."

The attic was silent.

Jio held Honey in his hand and enjoyed its soft, squishy texture.

The way it stuck snugly to his palm was an absolute treat to touch.

After enjoying that rippling yet chewy sensation for a long while, Jio finally nodded.

"I admit it."

He opened his mouth.

"I do tend to be a little thoughtless."

"Gurgle?"

"Should I say my brain is especially clear?"

But not everyone in the world could be like Jio.

"Until I was about twenty-one, I really did think everyone lived as thoughtlessly as I did."

Seo Jio, whose life satisfaction and self-esteem were infinitely high, rarely cared what others thought of him.

That was why he only learned that his mental structure was quite different from other people's a year after becoming an adult.

"No wonder characters in movies and dramas were always tormented by anguish."

Jio had thought that was an exaggerated expression unique to creative works.

But it was not.

Amazingly, people in the world tended to live carrying what were called worries and anxieties.

"They regret the past and feel anxious about the future."

"Hm?"

"I know, right? I don't know why they do it either."

"Why would they abuse their own brain cells?"

They were different in many ways from Jio, who lived only looking at the present, and even when he sometimes recalled the past or future, only had beautiful memories.

He simply could not understand why people lived with such difficulty.

They clung to things that had already passed and were frightened of situations that had not yet come.

They could not see a situation as just a situation, but kept assigning meaning to it and suffered through that.

"They cannot let their emotions flow past, and instead tangle them up with reality to keep creating problems."

"Hmm..."

"If I am being honest, I wonder why they torment themselves."

"Does that not count as self-harm?"

"Gurgle."

"That does not mean I do not understand at all."

Jio did know that, "Ah, not everyone is like me."

Though he had not known even that much while he was still receiving compulsory education, it was simply because he enjoyed life so thoughtlessly, not because he lacked empathy.

"So..."

Jio muttered, unusually hesitant.

"There must have been times when Mr. Arjio had it hard too."

"..."

"There were, right?"

"Times like that?"

It was hard to be certain because there was the example of "Giovanni," who had enjoyed his life well without a single regret and died.

Honestly, from Seo Jio's perspective, they were situations that made him think, "Wow, how did he live like that?" yet he had been perfectly fine.

But Jio also acknowledged that, objectively, "Arjio" had been in a difficult situation as well.

"He really seemed completely unaffected, so I thought, 'Ah, he was fine,' but yes."

"If you actually think about it, it was not exactly a comfortable and peaceful life."

"It was a life steeped in hardship and adversity."

He had been beloved by his family as a multi-talented prodigy, then treated like a beast just because one ability manifested at a young age.

And after being thoroughly mistreated, the place he was driven out to was some den of demons where sunlight did not even reach and dangerous creatures gathered.

"..."

"Gurgle?"

"... But honestly, that place was more fun..."

"Hm, hm, hm."

"You are right, Honey."

"It is not something I should decide when I have not even fully synchronized yet."

"Hmph."

"But it really was much more fun than that damn household."

In any case, as a portrait with 61.9 percent Arjio content, it was not something he should assert.

Until he reached 100 percent purity, he should not be certain.

Jio did his best to grasp "Arjio's" unfortunate life objectively.

"Anyway, it is true that he was angry."

Had he not vowed that he would surely slit the throats of those household pig bastards who dared fail to recognize his worth?

Perhaps "Arjio" had also been hurt in his own way, and that was why he had been angry.

"Even if he was not aware of it himself, it could have been a wound."

"Grrr..."

"Just because I am simple does not mean Mr. Arjio must be too."

So Jio decided to reflect.

"My wounds are something I must take care of myself."

"Hm?"

"I vow to cherish myself, not treat myself carelessly, and live honestly and with manners."

"Hm, hm, hm..."

"In that sense, I will have to think over the Demon King project again."

As Ju-hyeon had advised him, he would try making a project where everyone could be happy without anyone being unfairly sacrificed.

Jio resolved that and recalled his conversation with Ju-hyeon.

More precisely, he recalled those brown eyes that had held warmth.

"He definitely seemed to be worried about me."

"Gurgle."

"I feel bad toward Mr. An Juhyeon."

Jio had somehow ended up saddled with all sorts of outrageous modifiers, like portrait, evil god, and ageless immortal, but he was only a single human with a tender heart.

Such a person had been deeply moved by Ju-hyeon's concern.

"He really is a good person."

How very grateful.

An untimely warmth filled the attic.

No matter how extraordinary Jio appeared, had Ju-hyeon not strongly insisted, "Even so, it is not right for an innocent person to be criticized"?

He had even paid close attention to the word "wound" that Jio had said.

"I also feel awkward, like I whined for no reason."

"Gurgle?"

"Well, the one Mr. Ju-hyeon comforted was probably 'Arjio.'"

"Hm, gurgle."

"... Yes, let us sleep for now."

After his brief reflection ended, his whole body grew pleasantly languid.

As always after a meal, drowsiness came over him.

The chair he leaned back in was comfortable.

In the spring breeze softly blowing through the attic window, Jio enjoyed a short nap with Honey.

And then he woke from a dream.

"..."

"...?"

Jio, his hair turned red, muttered.

"Was I really unhappy?"

Because "Arjio" in the dream had seemed far too unbothered, Jio became a little dumbfounded.

That beastly bastard had enjoyed his life at 120 percent and then checked out on his own terms exactly how he wanted.

Jio's golden eyes trembled faintly.

"No, if this is the case... then I..."

"Gurgle?"

"Will be embarrassed to face Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"Hm?"

"Doesn't it make me seem like... such a whiner?"

He had gone and been worried over for no reason.

All of a sudden, Jio had become a pathetic loser who whined at the ripe age of twenty-four.

Around the time Jio was feeling a regret that was not quite regret, Bi Sabeol laughed.

He burst out laughing.

"Ahah, ahahahahahahaha!!"

"..."

"Kh, khh... hehehe...!"

Bi Sabeol asked, gasping for breath.

"The Demon King?"

"Yes, the Demon King."

"Ha, truly the vitamin of my life."

"He never gives me a moment to be bored."

"Guild Master, you being a little bored would help world peace."

"I have never been the first to threaten the peace of humanity, have I?"

"The problem is that you openly enjoy other people's misfortune."

"In any case, it was not my fault."

He inhaled.

After steadying his breath, Bi Sabeol spoke.

"The Demon King and the hero."

"It would be hard to find a more fitting comparison."

"It is not exactly a joking matter, though."

"But if we release a new Demon King now, Earth's life expectancy will be in danger."

Bi Sabeol mostly lived a life driven by interest, but that did not mean he did not know what was right and wrong.

If one had to say, he was closer to the side that prayed for the peace of humanity and Earth's longevity.

In other words, it meant the world was so precarious that it would be dangerous if even a hedonist like Bi Sabeol did not worry.

So even Bi Sabeol could not simply pursue only what he wanted to see.

"Personally, I truly would like to keep the Demon King on Earth and appreciate him up close."

"Please restrain yourself."

"I am not exaggerating, Earth will truly be destroyed."

"I know that too, so this is truly troublesome."

"When have I ever felt this regretful..."

He was sincerely regretful.

"Since he is a work that has come into my arms, I would like an event to be held in my homeland."

A work he had paid a vast sum to buy, and one he especially liked at that, was saying it would put on a little show for him.

He wanted that little show to be performed in front of him if possible, but since there was no suitable stage, it seemed it would be a difficult wish.

"I understand why you requested a meeting."

"It is certainly a dangerous request."

"And since it is nothing else but the Demon King, the impression the phrase gives is not very good either."

Yu Seongun let out a sigh.

"What he wants is a bloody battle with everything on the line."

He wanted a sincere duel with his own fate on the line, his life on the line, and everything from trivial things to the convictions that made him who he was on the line.

From Arjio, who had shown greed, there had been a thick smell of blood.

"So I considered finding him another battlefield, but it seems he has no interest unless it is his own war."

"He must want all eyes and emotions focused on Arjio himself."

"It seems he wants a stage where he is the main character."

"So he wanted to become the Demon King, where heroes would crawl in on their own even if he stayed still."

"That would also be the order most familiar to Arjio."

Yu Seongun had heard Arjio's story.

A great mystery slandered as a beast, made the target of subjugation, who at last obtained the wicked divinity of an evil god and was even sealed.

He was the evil god of wrath and greed.

"It seems Jio wants to enjoy the pleasure of that time again."

"Did he say that was not painful for Arjio?"

"I did not... sense any sign of that."

It was astonishing.

"Considering that evil gods who came about through a path like his were all steeped in hatred and contempt, it is truly rare and unusual."

"Jio even pitied and loved the ones who sealed him."

Arjio had described the heroes who sealed him as pitiful and admirable.

"So even if Jio really does become the Demon King, I think he will envision it in a way that causes as little harm as possible."

"I do not know about the Arjio side exactly, but..."

"To begin with, since 'Jio's Portrait' likes what is good and polite, he himself also tries to take that sort of attitude."

"No matter how that will is actually expressed, in the end, that is the case, is it not?"

"You are right, Guild Master."

"Jio enjoys combat itself, but he does not greatly desire the influence or wealth that branches off from it."

"Those seem to be only additional income."

"Though he welcomes wealth and fame, he does not covet them."

"I understand."

"He likely considered that wealth and fame a kind of trophy as well."

"It would be hard to see it as greed for those things themselves."

"Yes, apart from showing a considerable preference for them, his desire for them is not great."

"As you said, Guild Master, they are probably only a means to prove that he won in battle."

Yu Seongun had already reported Arjio's appearance on the first day he encountered him.

The gold, silver, and jewels adorning his entire body, the dark red hair braided long, and the hide of a beast.

He certainly preferred flashy things.

That applied from his appearance to his attitude toward life.

But if Arjio had been obsessed with wealth and fame themselves, "Jio's Portrait" itself would have become flashy.

He also would not have forgiven Yu Seongun for daring to treat him familiarly.

"What Arjio truly wants is only combat."

"It sounds as if he wants to act exactly like a beast."

Without caring about face or position, he wanted a battle where he either cast aside everything that made him who he was or put everything on the line.

It was clear he wanted a battlefield where he could be wholly absorbed in fighting.

"Then first..."

Bi Sabeol organized the order.

"We should show 'Mr. Seo Jio' to the world."

"... All of a sudden?"

"What do you mean, all of a sudden?"

"It was something we were preparing in the first place, was it not?"

"That is true, but."

"Everything has an order."

Bi Sabeol's long, slit pupils dilated slightly.

His gaze was not on Yu Seongun before him but in the air, yet it moved constantly as if he were looking at something.

His lips moved slightly.

"... Yes, if Hunter Seo Jio comes out into the world first..."

"..."

"His place will be made."

"A small opportunity will appear... Mm, yes."

"..."

"The mermaids... right, there is still a story that has not been finished..."

Soon, Bi Sabeol nodded.

"... After we reveal Mr. Seo Jio as a Hunter of Collector, let us have him take on the attack of a suitable dungeon."

"And we must also confirm what he shows in a spar that is not the battle he wants."

"I will look into a good dungeon."

"I think we can make the battlefield our Hunter Seo Jio wants."

"But for that to happen, we must first see how far he goes with his hands, and speak with him directly to prepare an appropriate place."

Yu Seongun, who had been staring at his superior, soon asked.

"Shall I ask Jio to have a conversation with you, Guild Master?"

"There is no need to go that far."

Bi Sabeol curved his eyes deeply.

"It is impolite to rush a guest who will come visiting."

"..."

Yu Seongun said with a fed-up face.

"... How about you change your skill name to 'precognition' soon?"

"I keep telling you, my skill is only appraisal, not seeing the future."

"There are times when I do not want to talk to you."

"As if you ever want to talk to your boss."

"That is a virtue of modern people."

"This is why I like you, Mr. Yu Seongun."

He smiled happily at the cheeky antics of his collectible.

Although that only made Yu Seongun's expression grow even more fed up, Bi Sabeol simply returned to the original topic on his own.

"Then I think we should first assign a secretary for our 'Mr. Seo Jio.'"

"Ah... I did make a list for that first, but..."

"You said the name of the person recuperating inside the portrait right now was Ju-hyeon, correct?"

"Oh, for crying out loud."

Yu Seongun shoved the documents he had been fumbling out back into his bag.

The fragile papers were crumpled without the slightest care.

"I knew this would happen."

"If you knew, why did you go out of your way to suffer?"

"Because going out of my way to suffer to show sincerity is a virtue of an office worker."

"Our employees really are all so diligent."

"Come to think of it, Jio talked about that person Ju-hyeon quite a lot too."

"He must be happy to have made a friend."

"He says that is not the case yet, but..."

"That is only a matter of time."

Bi Sabeol wore a rare, crooked smile.

"A hero cannot dislike Jio."

"... A hero?"

"Oh dear, I praised him too much."

He was openly sarcastic.

"I mean an idiot steeped in reckless courage."

"..."

Yu Seongun wiped his face with both hands.

"... Please do not say that in front of him."

"I do preserve my dignity."

"When I looked into him, he really worked hard at life, so why are you like this?"

"I know he is a diligent person."

It was just, simply.

"I dislike him."

Bi Sabeol did not get along well with the breed known as heroes.

"How nice would it be if everyone in the world were like you, Mr. Yu Seongun?"

"That sounds like its own kind of disaster."

"Well, in any case, Jio and Mr. Ju-hyeon will become friends soon."

"You are completely certain."

"Because great mysteries are fond of heroes."

In other words, they liked suckers.

"And Jio is the most humanlike mystery among mysteries, so there will be no great difficulty for that person Ju-hyeon to accept him either."

"But could Mr. Ju-hyeon not feel repulsed because of his overwhelmingly vast presence?"

"For that, there are the tastes 'Jio's Portrait' has proven until now."

"He is a divinity that will precisely please a hero's heart."

As always, Bi Sabeol smiled lightly.

"They will become good friends."

In those eyes of Bi Sabeol's, for some reason, Yu Seongun was trapped.

"Yes."

"..."

"This will be fun."

His eyes curved even more narrowly.