“Ah, Seol-hwa, you’ve come?”
In the living room, just as I was greeted, Yoon Seong-ho welcomes her the same way.
However, the response from Yoon Seong-ho, who had treated her warmly, was…
“Get lost, and don’t show me that disgusting face.”
It was quite a cold reply from her.
With a voice low enough to be frightening, she ignored Yoon Seong-ho and turned her head as if searching for something. Behind her was a young woman, who seemed to be a healing-type hero, holding a staff as she followed.
“Are you looking for Se-ah?”
“If you know, tell me quickly. Before I freeze your mouth shut.”
“Tsk, what a shame.”
With a loud crack…
Instantly in front of her, Seol-hwa’s body emitted a chill that began to gradually freeze the floor of the house.
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
<Info>
<Name: Seol-hwa>
<Age: 22>
<Tendency: Good>
<Skill List>
<Ice Spike (S)>
<The most potent freezing ability.>
<Magical Power Amplification (S)>
<Greatly enhances magical attacks.>
<Stats>
<Strength: A+>
<Defense: B>
<Magical Power: S>
<Health: A>
<Agility: A->
<Luck: B+>
<> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <> <>
‘Incredible, as expected from a top-tier A-class hero.’
Even later, Seol-hwa will reach S-rank, so it comes as no surprise that her powers are immense.
‘Nevertheless… is she here looking for me?’
“Tell me right now, where’s Se-ah gone?”
“…Turn around.”
‘Yoon Seong-ho? What’s this guy’s deal?’
I had stepped out into the corridor for a moment to check the situation, but he went ahead and snitched on me.
“Se-ah!”
Yet, as if that kind of thing didn’t matter, in an instant, Seol-hwa flew towards me.
‘A, I can’t be dragged out here.’
Besides roughly dismissing her with some words, I didn’t have much of a plan. Because if I used the Eye of Hypnosis here, Yoon Seong-ho might notice.
“Why have you come?”
“What are you talking about? I’ve come to take you…”
“…I refuse. This is my home.”
“…”
Looking at me as if asking ‘Why am I here?’, Seol-hwa instinctively glanced at Yoon Seong-ho.
-BOOM!
“Release the hypnosis.”
“Ahem… I haven’t done anything at all?”
She stands still, believing I’m under some form of hypnosis from Yoon Seong-ho. Without hesitation, Seol-hwa sends an icicle whizzing past Yoon Seong-ho, so close that it grazes his cheek, causing a trickle of blood to appear. The room started to grow colder, with visible breath forming around Yoon Seong-ho’s lips.
‘Perfect.’
“Se-ah, snap out of it. You’re being deceived by this man.”
‘Still… this is bothersome.’
That annoying feeling grew stronger as Se-ah kept shaking my shoulder, telling me to come to my senses.
-Tap tap tap!
“Seol-hwa! What is the meaning of this sudden behavior?”
Meanwhile, the healer accompanying her seemed to recognize that this situation was wrong, panting as she tried to stop Seol-hwa.
‘Naturally, from her perspective, it’s strange. She probably thinks someone broke into this house and now wants to have a purification spell cast on a perfectly fine individual.’
“Hurry up and cast the purification spell on this child!”
“You know that’s not possible! The purification spell is still in its experimental phase. We need the subject’s consent. If that’s impossible, we need the guardian’s permission…”
“I’m the guardian, so hurry it up…”
“Wait a second, isn’t that wrong? Seol-hwa.”
In an instant, Yoon Seong-ho and his bodyguards flew forward, blocking the way of Seol-hwa, who tried to cast the purification spell on me without hesitation.
If I were alone, I could probably escape from here in a flash, but with me here, it’s impossible to overcome the numeric disadvantage.
‘Even if Yoon Seong-ho is only in the upper tier of C-rank, most of the bodyguards are B-rank or above.’
It wouldn’t be easy to break through. And ensuring I don’t get hurt while escaping is entirely out of the question.
“Se-ah, I’m fine, so please…”
As approximately five bodyguards firmly restrained Seol-hwa, she looked at me with a desperate expression, pleading for me to accept the purification spell.
‘…I should avoid that.’
Seol-hwa is a hero, a character who will significantly help the protagonist’s group later on.
And such characters mustn’t be tainted.
Who would think to include a murderer as a companion to the protagonist’s group?
‘Should I just let her leave? Is there a way out?’
After slowly pondering, a good idea struck me.
“…While saying that, you poured boiling water on my head.”
“………..!!”
That was precisely my strategy—digging up memories of the abuse stored in my memory to trigger Seol-hwa’s trauma.
‘Please let this push you away.’
“What right do you have to call yourself my guardian?”
Her body began to tremble with each word I spoke.
“You claimed food waste suited someone like me, which you threw on my face, and I endured it. I clenched my teeth during the so-called training that was merely an excuse for beating me. Do you know why?”
“……………Se..”
“I assumed you would take on the role of the Guildmaster for the new Yuseong Guild that Yuseong Group was planning to create. So, I endured it, seeing how much my father trusted you. If I, with my mediocre abilities, complained about how hard it was, father would have just told me to shut up.”
“…”
“From the moment you changed your surname, packed your things, and ran away…you lost any right to say anything to me.”
“That…that’s…”
“Why? Now that I’ve awakened my powers and am set to inherit Yuseong, are you jealous?”
As if that last statement was decisive, Seol-hwa’s eyes started to waver significantly.
“Seol-hwa…what’s this all about…”
‘As expected, the person behind didn’t know anything.’
Good, it’s time for the final blow.
‘Being entangled with a hero like Seol-hwa would be troublesome…’
“Leave. Never let me see that disgusting face of yours again.”
Saying that, I moved towards the railing. Just one small move, and I’d be in a precarious position.
“Miss! That side is dangerous…”
Just then, I even used the chauffeur I’d previously hypnotized to intensify the atmosphere of this situation.
“Se-ah! What are you doing there..!”
“Long time no see, sister. Don’t you remember how you pushed me off from this very spot to check my natural healing abilities?”
Yoon Se-ah’s memory of Yoon Seol-hwa was of a profoundly twisted individual.
She exerted herself to gain recognition from her one and only father, but every night, she’d take someone other than Yoon Se-ah to some basement.
Whenever Yoon Seong-ho was asked what they were doing down there, the only excuse was “Se-ah’s training.” Hence, Seol-hwa grew envious.
It must have been repulsive for someone so inferior to receive her father’s attention.
‘There’s probably also an influence from Yoon Seong-ho’s hypnosis.’
Anyhow, it seemed Yoon Seol-hwa treated Yoon Se-ah even more harshly as a result.
They say favoritism breeds resentment, but Yoon Se-ah couldn’t endure even the smallest amount of preferential treatment because of her insatiable desire for her parents’ attention, trust, and love.
Because she was accustomed to isolating and subjugating her competitors to gain her parents’ favor. Conveniently, Yoon Seol-hwa was strong, and Yoon Se-ah was exceedingly weak and vulnerable.
Pricked by forks, incessant beatings without rest, and being drenched in food waste…
Among all these forms of torment, what Yoon Se-ah suffered the most from… was being pushed from railings.
‘My body must’ve twitched pleasingly while it was recuperating from the broken neck in that instance, according to her memory.’
It was like that in the memory.
Leaning my back against the railing, a strange sensation of floating began.
“No… it’s not possible..!”
“Leave. This place isn’t where outsiders should be. If you’re the same person who pushed me off here before and have returned to Yuseong…I won’t meddle with your stay here, but if that’s not the case… Leave. And don’t look at me fall if you care.”
…
…
…
Fortunately, I didn’t fall.
“Ugh…haa, haa, uh…”
“Seol-hwa, you’re hyperventilating! Look at me and take deep, slow breaths…”
Before that, Seol-hwa experienced a seizure-like bout of hyperventilation and collapsed.
After that, I’m not entirely sure what happened to Seol-hwa. Using my psychokinesis, I levitated slightly and flew over to Yoon Seong-ho.
“Father, I apologize for showing such unbecoming behavior.”
“Not at all, thanks to you, we got rid of a troublesome visitor.”
That was the conversation I had with Yoon Seong-ho during dinner. According to the bodyguard I’d secretly hypnotized, she immediately fainted and was carried away by the healer who came with her, but I heard that until the moment she stepped out the door, she kept mumbling my name.
‘…After tormenting her so much, did you really think she’d accept a peace offering now?’
While gamers or I may consider Seol-hwa just an attractive A-rank hero, how must Yoon Se-ah have felt?
When the sister who tortured her like she was trying to kill her fled to become a successful hero and left her to live as a test subject…
No matter the extenuating circumstances, the things she did that Yoon Se-ah can barely utter won’t vanish.
‘If only it was something done to me.’
There’s no way to get forgiveness from the Yoon Se-ah who’s already gone. But what right do I have to accept Seol-hwa’s apology on behalf of Yoon Se-ah after all the suffering she endured?
‘Therefore, assisting the protagonist’s growth is probably the best course of action.’
The path I’m walking isn’t one suited for her kind.
…
