Chapter 150

When he first woke in this cabin and saw the dawn sky just as the sun was rising.

"I felt here the peace I had only ever imagined."

It was a beautiful sky.

Unlike the concrete forest, where he could not see even a little beyond it, his field of view was vast. The pure Milky Way seemed as if it would sparkle endlessly even when enough light gathered. The cool yet warm wind carried the sweetness of nature.

An unknowable nostalgia made his dry eyes sting, and his heart thudded heavily. He was so overwhelmed he could not even think.

"Unlike reality."

There was no noise at all here.

"Mr. Seo Jio."

"So you finally call me that."

"You are a powerful being, aren't you?"

"Yes, I seem to have become one without realizing it."

"And at the same time, you are an evil god."

"I still do not quite understand the role of an evil god, but yes."

"... Do I not seem rude to you?"

At that, Black Cloak asked back as if puzzled.

"Do you want me to think you are rude?"

"Not that, but to be honest, it is true that I find it hard to understand."

"What part do you not understand?"

"How can you exist in such a form?"

It made no sense.

"When you possess every kind of strength."

In every respect, "Jio's Portrait" was powerful.

"In every single way, you are an overwhelmingly powerful being."

"That is far too much praise."

"It may sound that way, but at least from what I have seen... yes."

It would be foolish to speak of force to a vast mystery called an evil god, but when he was red, he seemed skilled in combat as well. His overwhelming presence made one bow despite his excellent mimicry.

To Ju-hyeon, he was a god; to the people of the world, a terrifying humanoid monster; and his dungeons were working devotedly for their master. Ju-hyeon sensed that overwhelming strength in the mystery and divinity he held.

"Mm, it may be rude to say this, but your appearance too."

"I am often told that I am handsome."

"I think so too. That seems only natural."

He was an ideal handsome man, and though the cloak hid him well, his body did not seem conspicuously thick or thin. He was tall, nearly 190 centimeters, and his bearing resembled a noble from a venerable house or a noble priest. The hands he always clasped behind his back were large.

Ju-hyeon was confident in his powers of observation. Black Cloak's appearance alone could become a powerful weapon. That was only natural, because humans vulnerable to sight were everywhere.

"Mr. Seo Jio can never become the weak one."

In any situation or relationship, he held the upper hand.

"That is why there are times I understand you even less."

"I am listening, so please continue. What do you not understand?"

"You act as if..."

Ju-hyeon hesitated, then let the words out like a sigh.

"As if you understand the weak."

It made no sense. Those born strong could not understand the countless weak.

Just as gods looked upon humans, they might memorize their actions and methods, but they could not show consideration. Because they were strong, they could not comprehend weakness. Just as a blind person could not understand the color red.

"So, what I want to say is..."

He felt as if his words were getting tangled.

"Mr. Seo Jio, even though you are an extremely powerful person, you understand the weak. And you show consideration. You respect them too. How can a being powerful enough to inspire unfathomable fear do that?"

"Because I am simply human. I am not the ideal powerful person you imagine, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"That is what I mean too. Mr. Seo Jio, you really do feel human. You sleep, eat, cook. You want friends, sometimes go out, play pranks, laugh and cry..."

"I believe I have probably never cried."

"I saw you acting spoiled with Father. I also saw you whining to your children. Every one of those moments felt natural. That makes you seem truly human."

A question suddenly arose.

"Did you intend even this flow of my thoughts?"

"I intend nothing."

"Is that not a lie you never even thought to consider a lie?"

"Of course not. I am a much sloppier person than you imagine, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"Even if those words are sincere, humans would be greatly affected."

That was what humans were.

They staked their lives on a glance or gesture from a god and were tossed about by it completely. Even a conversation from a great destiny or nature itself became a great disaster, and they sometimes went mad over a single drop of those beings' tiny affection.

That was a human, and that was a god. Ju-hyeon knew it too.

"I know that too, but..."

He squeezed his eyes shut.

"..."

"..."

And then once again, he took Black Cloak into his eyes.

Two eyes. One nose, one mouth. Two ears as well. His skin was a little pale, and his hair curved in shallow waves.

He waited for Ju-hyeon's words. No matter how Ju-hyeon tried to look into his essence, all he saw was a human shape.

"... I cannot stop myself from seeing you as a person."

It was the face of a young man.

"How old are you?"

"I am twenty-nine."

"Where are you from?"

"Gangwon Province."

"What did you do?"

"At a school."

A faint smile settled over his pale face.

"I taught students."

"... You were a teacher."

"Yes, I worked at a high school."

"I see."

Ju-hyeon felt hollow.

"So that is it."

Look at that affectionate smile.

If this was not human, then what on earth was it?

"..."

"Do I finally seem like a person to you?"

"... Perhaps..."

He thought that might be possible.

Ju-hyeon smiled awkwardly.

"I keep asking similar things, but why do you give gifts to good people?"

"Because anyone would want to praise an admirable person when they see one."

"I heard you speak to people when you see them."

"Conversation is an enjoyable thing. I feel sorry to those who are frightened of me."

"Why do you keep taking bad people away?"

"It is something my children do for my sake, but it was not what I intended."

"There really is not a single grand reason for any of it."

"I do not tend to think deeply."

"I understand."

If all of this was true, and even if it was not sincere, if he continued to maintain this direction... Ju-hyeon would not even dare think of denying this being.

Would it be too rude a thought to feel greedy? He could not bring himself to hate him, this being made of ideal peace.

"..."

He had tried to stay on guard because the being introduced himself as an evil god, and because he was too vast a being to feel safe around, Ju-hyeon wanted to keep his distance, and yet he found himself wanting to give him his heart.

"... You have not used some ability like that, have you...?"

"I would appreciate it if you could tell me specifically what ability you mean."

"One that... helplessly... reassures people... and toys with them..."

"...? I do not quite understand. Is that perhaps a compliment?"

"It could be... or it might not be..."

"..."

"Um..."

Ju-hyeon blamed his own stupidity.

'What exactly was I hoping for when I asked that?'

In a situation where the form before him was very likely not the true body, it had been wrong from the start to want an equal exchange with him. For a god, the standards of human truth and lies were different.

Whether he actually had such an ability or not, whether he knew of that ability's existence or not... until Ju-hyeon realized it himself, the words spoken by the divinity before him could be truth or lies.

"I am sorry. That was a strange thing to say."

"I do not properly understand, but..."

The man asked.

"Do you not want to become friends with me?"

"... Pardon?"

"So that is why you praised me."

"What? Ah, no..."

"As a result, it seems you have taken a liking to me."

"That is... uh..."

"Do you still not know what you want to do? Are you wary of coming to trust me?"

"... I..."

"Mr. Ju-hyeon, you regard relying on someone other than yourself as a sin. I affirm the value of that foolish belief of yours."

"..."

"Because it must be the way you live your life."

When Ju-hyeon hesitated to answer, he continued.

"You do not have to think so complicatedly. I wanted to become friends with you, Mr. Ju-hyeon, and now you seem to want the same. And you are not the type to settle in one place."

"... Is that also a compliment?"

"You may see it that way. But what I want to say is that there is no problem with us becoming friends. Are you also someone who cannot see the present because you regret the past and worry about the future?"

"I do not think I am."

"Then there is even less of a problem. Mr. Ju-hyeon, you are someone with the grand ambition of world peace, and I will be a friend quite suited to that. So I would like you to become this portrait's second friend."

His expression was still blunt and calm.

"Take your time. Mr. Ju-hyeon, you are sincere and polite, so whether quickly or slowly, you will find the right path that suits you."

"I may make a mistake that cannot be undone."

"There is no such thing in this world as an irreversible mistake. How can such a sentence even exist? In the end, people must live in the present and move forward, yet instead they think of a past they cannot regain."

"Because humans are foolish beings like that."

"I admit that I have an unusually simple and light way of thinking. But reflecting and developing through the past is the privilege of living beings. And that is the only choice available."

"I know that too, but..."

"Mr. Ju-hyeon."

The man spoke as if he had become the Buddha himself.

"Are you afraid of a new attempt because of a mistake that has not yet come?"

"Who knows who else will be sacrificed because of my mistake? I committed a sin."

"Mr. Ju-hyeon, the people of the world are not lambs you must save."

"..."

"Trying to take responsibility for all of them is also a kind of arrogance."

That may have been a little shocking.

"They are each living their own lives, and the fact that those people were caught up in your mistake is also one life that deserves to be respected. Do not mistake the lives those people chose and cultivated as something that belonged solely to you, Mr. Ju-hyeon."

"... But..."

"It is good to reflect, but if you become afraid, the only paths you will see are running away and hiding. And I know you are not that kind of person, Mr. Ju-hyeon. You will eventually find your path, and I am only reducing that hesitation."

"..."

"An individual cannot become an existence all that grand. Even if they exert an enormous influence, in the end, they are only one current passing by. Even if that person looks like a giant, that is merely one of their traits. No being can become a perfect guidepost."

With the same expressionless face, he continued.

"To me, Mr. Ju-hyeon, you seem like a good and polite person with heroic aspects. That is your trait, not the entirety of you as a person. There is no need to be buried in it."

"... Ah..."

"Do not let the goal you seek to achieve because you desire it consume you, Mr. Ju-hyeon. You simply wanted the world to become peaceful, and that is why you are trying to act. That must not ruin you."

"That is..."

"Your caution and wariness, Mr. Ju-hyeon, are great strengths and virtues. But if you must worry over everything before believing, not much will remain by your side. So for now..."

"..."

"Will you become my friend?"

He grinned broadly.

"I have always had a fantasy about having a pen pal."

"... That is a nice fantasy."

Would that smile blunt me? Would it make me settle down? And yet I found myself enchanted by that sense of stability.

He wondered what kind of "Jio" that smile belonged to, but soon concluded that it had no meaning. If what he said was true, even distinguishing between "Jios" was, in effect, worthless.

At this point, even hesitating felt embarrassing.

"... Let us do it, then. Friends."

"Oh."

"This is difficult."

Ju-hyeon gave a subtle smile.

"There may be problems."

"We can think about that gradually."

"I was about to say that too."

"Opportunities always appear."

"Or we can make them ourselves."

"You understood well."

"... So..."

After hesitating several times, he forced the words out.

"I look forward to being in your care."

At that, Seo Jio smiled.

It looked quite like a person.