“…….”

“Well, if you told someone else, they might say ‘I’m full’ or something like that. Unless you’re the one experiencing it, you can’t understand that feeling.”

“……Yes.”

It was strange. He spoke as if he knew me well, even though I hadn’t said much in detail. At the same time, some buried emotion welled up, churning inside me.

It seems what I had tried to ignore hadn’t disappeared after all.

Seeing me tightly shut my mouth, An Un smiled again.

“Still, don’t hate him too much.”

“Who?”

“Jeokcheon, Cheon Shin Woo.”

After comforting me so much, I wondered what she meant by this, but then An Un grinned and said:

“It’s natural for people to fear Jeokcheon. His personality is no joke… and he’s done some things, right?”

“That’s true.”

“But he hasn’t only done bad things. Hmm, should I put it differently? His actions weren’t purely evil.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Do you know why people are so passionate about Cheon Shin Woo?”

It was quite an abrupt question. Isn’t it just because he’s an object of admiration? He’s ranked first, he’s cool, he’s talented.

I summarized it in one word.

“Because he’s handsome?”

“Well, that’s true too.”

Seems my answer wasn’t entirely correct. An Un burst out laughing for a while.

“For a while after the apocalypse, awakened ones were treated terribly. My elder sister I mentioned earlier was a hunter too. Back then, there were no hunter certification exams or anything, but anyway, she was first generation.”

Was that so? I don’t know much about the time before I returned. Not many people told me about that period in the first place.

“Everyone took it for granted. Hunters saving them, awakened ones dedicating themselves to people. If they acted even a little selfishly, they’d be cursed at, have stones thrown at them. You know? Hunters being treated like human weapons.”

“I know that much…”

“Everyone took it for granted. Even those directly involved.”

At those words, a certain scene flashed by. The image of people demanding sacrifice from Baek Yi Hyun as if it were natural. Perhaps I already know what story she wants to tell.

“It’s strange, isn’t it? People with such strong powers could have acted as they pleased, but why did they consider sacrifice so natural? Hunters can kill people just as easily as monsters, so why did weak civilians treat them so harshly?”

“…….”

“That’s how it was until seven years ago.”

Seven years ago. Something came to mind.

“…The dog collar incident.”

“That’s right, that one.”

An Un clapped her hands and laughed.

“Until then, the Special Laws for Awakened Ones and Hunters were laws that restricted awakened ones and hunters. They’ve changed in various ways now, but hunters are still treated as weapons, and other awakened ones as public property. Anyway, even back then, Cheon Shin Woo was famous for doing only what he wanted to do.”

She added with a laugh that she found him quite annoying at that time.

“Have you heard his famous quote? ‘You should have known your limits when I was quietly wearing the dog collar.’ He killed everyone involved in that trial back then. It was a literal massacre.”

On the day he was put on trial for an absurd charge, Cheon Shin Woo killed everyone present.

Ordinary people who couldn’t even resist, in a horrific manner.

After killing all those involved, he reportedly said:

‘You should have known your limits when I was quietly wearing the dog collar.’

An Un closed her eyes for a moment.

Cheon Shin Woo was not punished for the massacre that day.

To be more precise, it would be correct to say that they couldn’t punish him.

Who in this country would dare to confront him? Many people pointed fingers and criticized him, but Cheon Shin Woo was not detained in the name of the law.

It was wrong to put someone on trial for such a ridiculous charge in the first place, he had reason to do it, it was still too much, that’s not a hero but just a murderer, and so on.

There were many debates, but in the end, Cheon Shin Woo was acquitted.

Simply because the people he killed were labeled as ‘villains’ by the system.

What are the criteria for the system to determine villains, and why isn’t murder applied when killing a villain?

Again, many discussions took place, but…

“You know, something changed a little after that day.”

The result was clear.

“And thinking back, Cheon Shin Woo’s actions until then had always been somewhat justifiable. They were choices that anyone could make as a person with emotions, but he was viewed negatively because he was an awakened one, a hunter.”

“Yes…”

“After that, the true face of the Association that claimed to protect awakened ones was revealed, factions split, new laws were enacted. It was quite a chaotic time, but looking back, things that were taken for granted before were no longer so.”

I remember. So many Association employees died back then.

“I’m not defending him saying everything he does has a reason. Just understand that there are such circumstances on this side.”

There’s a term called necessary evil in the world. Evil that exists because it’s necessary, despite being evil. It’s truly absurd, but Cheon Shin Woo was, well, you could say a necessary evil.

But… even if it couldn’t be helped.

“…Still, I’m not sure if that was right.”

Why do villains become villains? Why does evil become evil? How can something be forgiven just because the system defined it as a villain? No, can we really know what is right?

An Un just smiled at my powerless response.

“It wasn’t a good action. There could have been many other ways, but he cleared everything out just because it was a bit annoying. And if such a person is family… it’s understandable to be scared.”

“…….”

“The anxiety of not knowing when I might be cleared out too if I become annoying?”

“…….”

No matter how well that person treats me, the anxiety of not knowing when things might disappear if they’re not achievements I’ve made on my own.

I smiled at An Un.

“Do you perhaps have divine powers?”

“Haha, do I look like I do?”

“I heard there are some shamans who became awakened…”

“Unfortunately, that’s not the case for me.”

We continued with small talk after that. To the point where I forgot the original purpose of coming to this department store. I just laughed emptily when An Un said, ‘Try to have a heart-to-heart talk with your elder brother sometime.’ If that were possible, I wouldn’t be worrying like this now.

After some time passed, when someone called for An Un.

“Oh my, look at me. I should get going now. Let’s keep in touch later. Those students from back then want to say hello too.”

She left a business card before leaving.

I was left alone, touching the business card and thinking.

There was more to the incident commonly known as the dog collar incident.

The cause of Cheon Shin Woo being put on trial was related to the death of someone I knew.

Was such a massacre really necessary? Couldn’t there have been a better way? While thinking such thoughts, I can’t help but also remember elder sister Se Jin who died tragically.

Although I don’t know the exact details.

I have never lived through turbulent times, and I don’t know how it feels to be treated as both a hero and a weapon.

I don’t know why they would push an innocent person to their death and frame someone else for their own benefit and power.

I don’t know how it feels to suffer unjustly because of that.

So in the end, my thoughts are probably just the hypocrisy and comfortable thinking of a fool.

“…I don’t know.”

Since I don’t know the life Cheon Shin Woo has lived, how can I judge him carelessly?

As I was sighing, enveloped by an indescribable uneasiness, I felt a sharp pain in my head.

“Ow!”

“I’ve been looking for you for ages!”

I got hit on the head!

When I looked up, I saw an angry Min Yu Shin and Cheon Shin Woo, whose expression I couldn’t tell if it had changed.

“Wandering around as you please, huh? Looks like you’ve forgotten what happened just a few days ago, right?”

Min Yu Shin pinched my cheek.

“W-well, it’s inside the department store so it should be safe! I just said hello to someone I know for a moment!”

“Oh, safe my foot! And if you got lost, you should have called right away!”

“Ow. I got it, so let go of me, it hurts!”

Min Yu Shin finally let go. I guarantee my cheeks are bright red right now.

I rubbed my cheeks and glanced at Cheon Shin Woo. Although Min Yu Shin was angry too, it was still that person who scared me more.

Fortunately, Cheon Shin Woo just threw something at me without saying much.

“…It seems Am Young has done all the scolding for me… Still, don’t disappear without saying anything.”

I examined the object he threw carefully. It was a rod with a crafted jewel attached. Maybe a little longer than a forearm.

As I was looking at it with a ‘What’s this?’ expression.

“A proper one would need to be custom-made, but this should be fine for temporary use.”

He said.

It was clearly a long staff called a ‘staff’. I quickly opened the item description window. The plain-looking staff without any decorations was of decent A-grade quality.

“I’m not sure what your exact job is, Shin A, but it’s a weapon commonly used in magic-related classes. It’s sturdy enough to be used as a blunt weapon too.”

Min Yu Shin added an explanation. Can be used as a blunt weapon too. I swung the staff around to get a feel for its impact before stopping.

“Why this all of a sudden?”

“…….”

As expected, there was no answer. How could I have a heart-to-heart conversation with such a person? I roughly put the staff in my inventory.

“…You can transform it into a ring, so wear it as a ring usually.”

“What?”

“It’s best if there’s no need to use it, but just in case.”

“…….”

I see… I thought I’d have to check the ring transformation function when I get home, so I just shrugged my shoulders. Min Yu Shin looked back and forth between me and Cheon Shin Woo, smiling.

“Even though he looks like that, he’s really worried. Now, we just need to buy a few more consumables, so don’t get lost this time, okay?”

“Yes…”

Is that the attitude of someone who’s worried? Instead of protesting, I just kept my mouth shut after that. What’s the use of asking for my opinion? They’re going to buy everything anyway.

After finishing the shopping spree where money was spent like water, we got back in the car.

Somehow, silence fell. It might be because of my somewhat uncooperative and cold attitude… I fixed my gaze out the window and remained silent.

Perhaps this shopping trip was meant to cheer me up. Though I’m not sure if they really understand how I feel.