Chapter 369

〈 Chapter 369 〉 Part 1, Chapter 16, 3

After bursting out of the hotel where Seok Harang was staying, I returned to our hideout for breakfast. The officers remaining in Seoul were all busy moving around, and the rooms were already empty. So I headed down to the dining hall.

“Ho, there’s one person.”

“……?”

Gaeul put down the bread she was about to eat. On the table in front of her were some simple bread and soup, indicating she had just started eating breakfast.

“Are you full with just that?”

“Just this? I’m eating a ton right now.”

“Two slices of bread and a bowl of soup?”

“When I was studying hard, I didn’t even touch soup or bread. All I ate was grass and chicken breast while managing my body like this. You know?”

Gaeul straightened her back. Underneath her short-sleeved white dress shirt, her black bra was clearly visible. It was an obvious see-through outfit, and Cheon Gaeul wasn’t embarrassed by it at all.

“Why don’t you change your clothes since it’s summer? Are you going to keep wearing that priest uniform forever?”

“This is standard wear year-round.”

“It bothers me. When I transform into you, I have to wear that priest uniform every day.”

“That’s true.”

No matter how much of a Special Ability user someone might be, insisting on wearing baggy priest robes or white coats in summer is quite the sight. Even if the individual can regulate their body temperature, non-ability users observing them would surely feel a sense of relative deprivation.

“But why are you alone?”

“Everyone’s busy. I just came back from an operation in Cheongnyeon last night.”

Gaeul wiped her mouth with a tissue. She hadn’t applied makeup yet, so her lips looked dry.

“Do you plan to stay in the room all day?”

“No. I have a personal schedule today…”

“What is it?”

Gaeul didn’t answer but eyed me carefully. Her gaze seemed both exploratory and as if she was about to make a difficult request.

“…Hey.”

Gaeul slowly spoke.

“Have I been working really hard until now?”

“Yes.”

“Then wouldn’t it be possible for you to grant me this favor?”

“Let’s hear it first.”

I’d welcome anything reasonable except for something ridiculous. And what came out of Gaeul’s hesitant mouth exceeded all my expectations.

“…Can we really bring my parents to Seoul?”

* * *

Cheon Gaeul.

Age 28.

She went missing after the Dimensional Gate incident in Seoul and later, Yi Seung-hyeong personally served as the head mourner for her funeral. During the Seoul Restoration Operation, news reached her parents that she was alive. Recently, it was discovered that the couple had been participating daily in protests advocating for increased bus routes between Seoul and New Seoul.

Gaeul had accidentally encountered her parents during a visit to New Seoul and had been waiting for the right moment ever since. This happened just a few days ago, and she kept delaying telling me due to the Nuclearian Raid.

“Do your parents know you’re alive?”

“They probably don’t. But they seem to still believe it. I called them before.”

It had been almost four months since Gaeul was declared dead. Despite the funeral, the couple hadn’t let go of Gaeul.

“Alright. It’s fine.”

“…”

Gaeul looked at me suspiciously. I hid my face behind a strawberry latte taken from the breakfast corner.

“Why are you allowing this now?”

“I never exactly disallowed it.”

“You were reluctant to reveal that I’m alive, weren’t you?”

“Well, yes…”

I didn’t want Cheon Gaeul’s existence to be exposed. Keeping her as a wildcard available anytime would undoubtedly be helpful in future situations.

‘But now…’

“…Would you outright say ‘Phantom is Cheon Gaeul!’?”

“Of course not.”

“Are your parents discreet people?”

“They are. Well, not entirely—my mom is discreet, but my dad sometimes slips up when he gets excited. Still, it’ll be fine.”

“Hmm…”

I’ve never met Cheon Gaeul’s parents. In fact, the only time I encountered them was when I paid respects at their graves.

“Alright. Let’s bring them over. Will you tell everyone?”

“…So, that’s why I wanted to ask you for a favor.”

Gaeul blushed and drew a square with her hand, mimicking a business card.

“Can you make me a secret agent-style ID?”

“…Being a spy sounds way better than being a monster, doesn’t it? What’s your plan?”

“So…”

Gaeul’s detailed scenario flowed out, and I became the key executor of the plan.

* * *

New Seoul.

Unbeknownst to others, I infiltrated New Seoul and found the couple near the central bus terminal, still protesting for more Seoul-bound bus routes. Like covert agents making contact, the couple was skeptical of my identity, but I coaxed them into a secluded café.

Swish.

Only after setting up a Barrier so the couple wouldn’t notice did I undo my disguise. They were shocked to see my face.

“You’re…”

“Yes. My name is Cheongnyeon. Nice to meet you.”

I bowed deeply to Gaeul’s parents. Given the circumstances, I felt immense guilt, especially since the father was in a wheelchair.

“Oh my, how can we possibly…”

“No, please don’t worry about it.”

I handed the elderly couple a document. As they nervously took the neatly folded envelope, Gaeul’s father, trembling, accepted it.

“T-this is…?”

“Yes. Regarding your daughter, Cheon Gaeul—”

“…I always thought a day like this would come.”

“Huh?”

The calm couple suddenly burst into tears. Instead of sobbing loudly, they silently cried, leaving me flustered. Ignoring my confusion, they began speaking.

“We, these old folks, investigated from all angles… Why did Gaeul have to die in Seoul?”

“Why did the child who called us during the chaos in Seoul suddenly lose contact? Hwakwon himself searched thoroughly through Seoul but couldn’t find her…”

“Seon Icheol, that bastard, must have killed our Gaeul, who was among the refugees under his protection.”

“Excuse me, excuse me.”

That’s correct. Seon Icheol’s henchmen, Chilpyo and Gongsung, killed Cheon Gaeul, whom I was protecting. The couple suddenly grabbed my hands.

“Thank you. You’re Cheongnyeon, right? The person who saved Gaeul. The one who said it was too dangerous to immediately send her to New Seoul.”

“Yes, that’s me.”

“…We blamed you at one point. Why didn’t you send her to New Seoul sooner? But Seoul was in such turmoil, and we didn’t realize how ruthless Seon Icheol was. We apologize.”

“Hold on.”

Snap! I clapped my hands to interrupt the couple, who were lost in their misunderstanding. After clearing my throat, I recited the “planned script” to them.

First, the conclusion.

“Cheon Gaeul is alive. Right now, in Seoul.”

“Huh…?”

The couple stiffened. I tore open the envelope and pulled out the documents inside. There was a simple profile of Cheon Gaeul with a red stamp. With trembling hands, the couple picked up Gaeul’s profile.

“What is this?”

“It’s exactly what you see. Cheon Gaeul was a special agent for the Association investigating corruption within Seon Icheol’s government. She was undercover as an actress without your knowledge.”

“No, wait a minute…”

The couple was confused. Taking advantage of their confusion, I continued my explanation.

“The Association was uncovering various wrongdoings by Seon Icheol’s administration. Gaeul, having awakened as a Special Ability user while acting, was investigating the influence of Seon Icheol’s government in the entertainment industry.”

“Gaeul? She didn’t have time to study scripts every day…”

“Her constant ‘script reading’ was actually decoding cipher messages disguised as scripts.”

“That makes sense…”

Fortunately, the couple gradually fell for my story—the scenario crafted by Gaeul. Her self-critical confession helped build trust in my words.

“Afterward, she met Yi Seung-hyeong, Seon Icheol’s nephew. Gaeul tried to uncover the truth about Seon Icheol through him, and Yi Seung-hyeong helped her. However, Seon Icheol noticed and attempted to kill Gaeul. Then, suddenly, the gate appeared.”

I shook my head.

“Although Gaeul survived, revealing it too soon could have caused trouble for your family. You know how cruel Seon Icheol is, right? Something terrible might have happened to you if you knew she was alive.”

“…I understand that part. Then, why did you hide the fact that she was alive until now?”

“There are remnants of Seon Icheol’s forces in New Seoul. They were busy with covert operations and couldn’t act openly. Now that there’s finally time because…”

I delivered the climax of the scenario. The reason why Cheon Gaeul had to hide her identity and even her survival in Seoul.

“Seon Icheol colluded with defectors from the old North Korea, and Gaeul couldn’t contact you until she dealt with all of them.”

“Was Seon Icheol a communist? I always suspected that guy. Damn bastard….”

“…Now that Pyongyang has completely collapsed and the remnants have been eliminated, we’re informing you. Gaeul…”

I stood up.

“Gaeul wants to bring you two to Seoul. Is that alright?”

“Ah… So if we go to Seoul…?”

“Yes. She’s waiting for you there.”

“…”

The couple hugged each other, silently shedding tears without any complaints or lamentations.

“Damn Seon Icheol… Waaah…”

“…”

I nodded in agreement.

A little later.

The couple calmed down, filled with excitement and longing to see their daughter.

“But how do we get to Seoul? There are no buses now, so we can’t travel there.”

“That’s why I came down here. I also have a question. Why were you looking for Seoul-bound buses?”

The couple fell silent. I wondered why they participated in protests despite using a wheelchair.

“Did you think Gaeul might still be alive?”

“…Honestly, we didn’t expect that. Just… maybe…”

“To retrieve any belongings, perhaps.”

“…”

My conscience, which was already fading, pricked me again. I bowed deeply to apologize.

“I’m sorry. I should have introduced you earlier.”

“No, no. It’s already a great honor that someone as busy as you came down here.”

“…Then, I’ll take you to Seoul now. I brought my own vehicle.”

“Our own vehicle?”

Snap.

I clapped my hands and summoned my private vehicle (Dragon) hidden in the sky.

“Shall we go now?”

“…”

A little later.

The sudden appearance of the Black Flame Dragon in the New Seoul airspace carried me and the elderly couple northward to Seoul.

Flight clearance? Chaos caused by the Black Flame Dragon’s appearance?

“Who cares?”

Baek Hee-a will handle everything.

* * *

Yongsan.

With heavy steps, the couple arrived in front of the apartment building. Cheon Gaeul, who had saved up money as a child actor, bought this Seoul apartment for her parents when she turned twenty.

After hastily selling it due to the Pyongyang incident and purchasing a home in New Seoul, they thought they’d never see this apartment again. Yet, it remained exactly as it was.

Whirr.

The wheelchair smoothly ascended in the elevator. The reason they specifically chose this expensive apartment was its accessibility for wheelchairs.

“Dear.”

“…Yes.”

Nothing forgotten. Not the building number, not the apartment number. Amidst the quiet streets, they stood in front of the only door with lights on.

“…”

Inside, a very familiar yet strangely awkward woman was preparing dinner in an apron.

“…Uh, well.”

The woman scratched her gray hair with gray eyes and ambiguously smiled while placing the pot she held onto the dining table.

“…Mom wanted doenjang stew, but I couldn’t hold back and made it myself. Is it… okay? Have you eaten?”

“…”

The couple couldn’t speak. Hearing a voice they thought they’d never hear again, they were speechless.

“Not yet…”

“…Alright, let’s eat.”

In Cheon Gaeul’s house, only the soft clinking of utensils echoed quietly.