This World is too Cruel to Men – Chapter 491

‘It’s something that’s been weighing on my mind…’

What could that possibly be?

As I took in Chae-rim’s subtle, almost instinctive reaction, reminiscent of a splinter lodged under a fingernail, I pondered the situation.

‘Ah, could it be…’

Is she reacting this way because of what I said earlier about being lucky?

It seemed hard to believe that such a trivial remark could evoke such a response, but honestly, there was a solid chance it did.

After all, the Chae-rim I know is nowhere near the type to rely on luck.

She may seem a bit eccentric at a glance, but that’s just her underlying nature.

Well, if Chae-rim were someone who only chased after good fortune, she never would have risen to the Special-Class position in the first place.

Anyway, given her disposition, she might not have liked the fact that she seemed to be benefiting from the efforts of others, individuals with whom she had little in common.

In that sense, if Chae-rim had imparted even a small lesson to those from RK Guard who had recently made a significant contribution, her response might have been a bit different… but judging by her expression, it seemed that was not the case.

That’s likely why she reacted the way she did.

‘Hmm…’

How am I supposed to calm her down?

To be honest, I had no idea.

From my point of view, it was only natural that I felt this way considering this situation was entirely new to me.

Plus, the circumstance was a bit… ambiguous.

Thanks to that, as I hesitated to speak, I wondered if she’d noticed my reaction.

“Oh, by the way, Dogun, about that thing you asked earlier…”

The topic quickly changed.

“Huh? Oh, right.”

The thing I asked must refer to helping Chae-rim with her tasks, right?

The last request I made of her was about a lotion I had run out of, asking if she could bring some from home, so it had to be that.

So, what happened with that?

I was personally curious about the outcome. Although it was just a “what-if” scenario in case things went well, I couldn’t help feeling a bit anxious, wondering if it might allow me to escape from this hospital room like a bird from its cage.

“Well, I asked around a bit, following your advice.”

“Right.”

I thought it was not a bad approach.

I figured that if the Association had an interest, they would naturally accept it, but even if the likelihood of acceptance was high, barging in without consulting others would only cause unnecessary friction.

In contrast, as Chae-rim suggested, checking in with others before bringing up an agenda would minimize noise, even though it might lead to some bitter smiles later on when the truth came to light.

If it were the Chae-rim I knew, she would have taken the plunge at the moment she felt, “This is doable.”

But she chose a more cautious approach, possibly because it involved me.

If that were the case, I couldn’t help but feel grateful.

“Everyone’s reactions weren’t bad.”

“‘Not bad’ means…?”

“Well, it would be nice if we could actually make it happen, but it feels a bit unlikely.”

“Ah…”

I began to understand the sentiment.

And also the reason those people felt that way.

After all, they wouldn’t know about my existence.

To be precise, they didn’t realize that I was a bit different from the other victims of the monsterization phenomenon, which is why they were reacting like that.

‘So, the real question now is…’

What would happen to those people’s responses once they learn that it was real?

I was thinking and speculating about that, trying to come up with some conclusions.

“Uh… Are you really okay with this?”

A voice that sounded cautious, as if probing my intentions, slipped into my ear.

Of course, it was Chae-rim’s voice.

“Are you asking if I’m okay?”

“…You know what I mean.”

Well, I certainly knew.

Nevertheless, I feigned ignorance, as that subject was quite unpleasant for me.

Talking about it was something I wasn’t keen on, to put it lightly.

I suspected Chae-rim knew that as well.

Despite being aware, she must have asked that question to try to get to my true feelings.

“Um…”

Unlike the previous times when my answers had come easily, I found myself contemplating what to say now.

Sure, I could opt for some vague statement to brush it off casually, but… I really didn’t want to make that choice if I could avoid it.

If it were a complete stranger, it might be understandable, but at least regarding those close to me—Chae-rim, the Senior, Yoonseo, and Bora—I wanted to be sincere.

That’s why I was currently wrestling with my thoughts.

‘…Will it be okay?’

To be honest, I wasn’t sure.

Not at all.

After all, the reason I asked Chae-rim for help was that I genuinely wanted to assist her, who was caught up in her work from dawn till dusk.

Of course, part of me wanted to be beside her to see how the exploration of Heogye was going, but that was secondary; the main issue was purely that I wanted to help.

And it was precisely because I was so focused on such things that I hadn’t considered the repercussions or aftershocks of my actions, which is where I currently found myself.

‘I expected there would be aftershocks, but…’

Just how severe would they be? And what impact would they have on me?

I never really thought about it in detail.

From my viewpoint, it was only natural to avoid such considerations, as thinking about them would leave me paralyzed, unable to act.

It’s not beneficial to look at the situation solely optimistically, but worrying about things before even attempting to do something isn’t exactly a great attitude either.

So, I had decided to push that thought aside for later, yet I never expected it to come back around like this.

The result was a wry smile crept onto my face, but ultimately, the answer I could offer was already predetermined from the start.

“Honestly… I’m not sure.”

.

.

.

“Honestly… I’m not sure.”

The moment those words escaped Dogun’s lips, Chae-rim thought.

It was only expected.

After all, Dogun hadn’t experienced anything related to this yet, so how could he possibly know?

What being the center of everyone’s attention truly meant.

In that sense, if Dogun had answered that he felt okay, she wouldn’t have believed him.

Rather than taking his words at face value, she would have assumed he was just trying to pass the situation with some vague reassurance.

Thus, Dogun’s honest answer of uncertainty was credible enough, yet… despite its credibility, her worries still loomed large.

It couldn’t be helped, because as mentioned earlier, Dogun simply didn’t know.

He didn’t comprehend just how dreadful the so-called “fame” could be.

Fame, in essence, is a kind of tax.

Just like how the higher your income, the more taxes you pay, once you become famous, you have to pay the corresponding price.

And that price… is incredibly varied.

It runs the gamut from minor intrusions on privacy to arbitrary slander for no reason at all, and in severe cases could even involve threats or stalking.

That was the toll she had seen paid by those who had gained fame until now, and those who bore such costs, regardless of scale, often left at least one aspect of themselves in ruins.

Even those who became famous for good reasons still had to endure such ordeals, let alone Dogun, who found it hard to be seen as famous for anything good.

The moment the facts about Dogun are made public, people would begin to see him not as ‘Lee Dogun’ but rather as a victim of the monsterization phenomenon, a creature separate from themselves.

And that perception would soon serve as the spark for the attacks directed at him.

He was the type to insist on wearing long-sleeves, arm warmers, and gloves even in the sweltering summer because of his left arm.

But could Dogun, whom people labeled as a monster, endure the pointed fingers directed at him?

To be frank, she wasn’t very confident.

‘While Dogun is fairly calm and mature for his age…’

That kind of indiscriminate personal attack couldn’t be withstood just because he had a mature demeanor.

On another note, that was all the more reason for her conscience to prick at her.

After all, it was Yoonseo who had brought this up first, but Dogun was willing to face potential attacks from others in order to assist them; it felt wrong to deceive someone so earnest.

Sigh…

Wouldn’t it be better to say something right now?

As concerns layered upon concerns, the weight on her shoulders felt heavier.