CH 17

{ Chapter 17 – Deal }

-Slick Slick

“Trauma?”

Absolute Commander, who was wary because of the sudden actions of Trauma, opened her mouth with a confused expression.

“What are you doing there now?”

An A-class villain who neutralized the second-ranked hero in less than a week after his debut, an uncontrollable figure who killed 2/3 of the sidekick in her office just now-

-Slick Slick Slick

-such a terrifying being was slicing green onions in the kitchen with high familiarity.

“I’m cooking.”

“No, but why?”

Absolute Commander, who managed to catch her mind from being confused by the cheerful sound of knife cutting and the sound of boiling water, grabbed her forehead and threw a question.

“From now on, we will share each other's joys and sorrows for a long time, so shouldn't we treat ourselves to lunch today?”

“What is that…”

“Just think of it as a celebration. Isn’t it lunchtime anyway?”

After that, Trauma started to focus on cooking again.

As he said, it was indeed lunchtime.

She also liked the smell wafting from the kitchen.

But considering that she was a person who didn’t usually know what Trauma would do the next second, the motive behind the cooking itself wasn’t as incomprehensible.

‘But eating in this state?’

However, the office was now lined with sidekicks whose necks were beside their bodies on the floor.

In such a situation, Trauma was absorbed in cooking with blood on his clothes.

“…….”

Apparently, he was more insane than she had initially thought.

“It’s done. Let’s eat before it gets cold.”

“Before that, I have a question.”

After thinking about it for a long time, Absolute Commander posed a question to Trauma, who brought a steaming kimchi stew in front of her.

“The stew is getting cold…”

“Why do you want to infiltrate the Academy and the Hero Union?”

At first, to kill Kang Ha-neul, she thought that she had to cooperate with Trauma unconditionally.

However, seeing the unpredictable behavior of Trauma and what he did a few minutes after entering the office, she thought she should know the reason and his motives.

“If you really think of me as a partner, you can tell me that much.”

“Didn't I tell you before?”

Trauma answered Absolute Commander with sharp eyes and a quiet smile.

“There is a student in the academy that must be protected.”

“Is that really all there is?”

But Absolute Commander began to question him fiercely.

“Because if that's just the case... Then there would be no need to infiltrate the Hero Alliance.”

“Oh, there's another reason.”

“What is that?”

“I want to turn the world upside down.”

Trauma’s eyes brightened as he said that and he began to explain.

“I will soon prove to the world that monsters exist.”

“……..!”

“The preparations are already almost finished. No matter how much the people in power try to hide information, it will be difficult this time.”

“Is it because of Pandora’s existence?”

“Hmm, that's right, Absolute.”

Absolute Commander knew; Over the past few years, strangely, any information related to the ‘monsters’ was usually concealed.

However, with Pandora, an executive who recently joined the Villain League, it would no longer be possible to completely conceal information.

As Lumia, who gave her the information about the existence of monsters a few days ago, said, the existence of monsters will be revealed to the world sooner or later.

“Well, actually, Pandora’s existence isn’t the end of the plan.”

“Is there another weapon to prove the existence of the monster?”

“Well, you’ll see for yourself later.”

Having said that, Trauma smiled and continued the story.

“Anyway, the important thing is after the existence of the monster is known to the world.”

“After that…”

“Heroes can’t kill a villain without a special reason, right?”

“…right.”

Heroes dominate... Prison Karma was restraint and enforcement.

That was the rule of the present day.

“But, what if I killed a hero who is actually a monster?”

However, Trauma was denying that common sense head-on.

“For example, the current director of the Inspection Bureau who is rumored to be taking bribes... Secret intelligence agents who are assassinating heroes in hiding, but no one can find the evidence against them, and 'Monsters' in the costumes of top-ranking heroes.”

“……..”

“If I killed such people, and it turned out that they were monsters, wouldn't I be innocent?”

In a fairly bizarre way-

“No matter what position or status you hold, no matter what wealth or social prestige you have, it will be of no use to you in the future when people know that you are a monster.”

“……..”

“After all, monsters aren’t people.”

-Trauma whispered in a low voice to the speechless Absolute Commander.

“And when such a new era arrives, what if the only person who can accurately identify monsters debuts as a hero?”

“Ah…”

“Maybe that hero will be a game changer.”

It was as Trauma said.

If such a hero really appeared... and if that hero had such a power that he was too strong for anyone to control, he will become an existence that no other forces would even dare to resist.

No, rather, most people in the world will support that person.

“This is why I want to debut as a hero.”

And there was such a person in front of her who would become that person in the not-too-distant future. A person who met all those conditions.

“Do you understand now?”

And that person, while wearing an apron, was giving her a steaming kimchi stew.

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“Then, are you doing all these things to become that 'person'?”

Absolute Commander, who had not been able to speak for a long time, finally made up her mind and opened her mouth.

“Ultimately not.”

“Then…”

“To stably hand over the position to the person who deserves to hold it, we are laying the groundwork in advance.”

After hearing those words, Absolute Commander tilted her head and asked a question.

“Is that person… the student in the academy that you have to protect?”

“Now, eat slowly. The stew will cool down.”

But Trauma only smiled softly as he said that.

“Then…”

Hearing the detailed plan of Trauma, Absolute Commander, who had relaxed to some extent, pondered for a moment and then raised her spoon.

‘I just have to pretend to eat in moderation.’

Of course, there was no way she could have an appetite at the scene where her former sidekicks - currently in the form of half-monsters - were scattered on the floor with broken necks, so she was just pretending to eat in moderation.

“…uh?”

However, even though she was thinking like that for a moment, Absolute Commander’s eyes widened as she scooped out the soup and swallowed it.

“How is it? Delicious?”

“…….”

As Trauma said, the stew was really delicious.

If the situation hadn’t been like this, she would have devoured everything, even risking her face.

“What…”

However, the important thing was that the kimchi stew had a familiar taste for some reason.

‘Is it because of the mood?’

Because of this, she tilted her head for a while but soon thought it was her mood and ignored the sudden doubt.

It was because she had only eaten Kimchi stew a few times in the past, so there was a clear lack of comparison.

“Hey, this stew…”

After swallowing stew a few more times with her spoon, Absolute Commander moved her gaze forward to say that she couldn’t eat anymore because of her face-

“……!”

-But, for a moment, she trembled.

“Why?”

Trauma was taking off the fedora hat that he had been wearing.

She didn’t know if it was a joke of fate, but his face was quite similar to that of Kang Ha-neul.

“………”

Of course, the detailed features were different. His eyes were of different colors, his right eye didn’t look weak either, and he had an older face than Kang Ha-neul.

If Kang Ha-neul had a secretive atmosphere, and if he was about 10 years older, would he not have looked like this?

“…No, no.”

After thinking about that for a while, Absolute Commander shook her head with a wry smile.

“Nothing.”

According to the genetic test results, Trauma was not related to her.

In other words, there was no possibility that he was Kang Ha-neul.

It was rude to even compare Trauma, who was a little unpredictable but was sure of his goal, and Kang Ha-neul, who deceived and murdered Justia.

“…Hmm.”

While organizing her thoughts like that, Absolute Commander, who unknowingly scooped another spoonful, lifted her head at the sound of laughter that came from in front of her.

“……?”

Trauma was smiling, looking at her.

“Why are you making that face?”

When Absolute Commander asked a question with bewildered eyes, Trauma stared at her for a moment and then lowered his head.

“It makes me happy to see you enjoying your meal.”

“But it looks like your expression is pretty complicated, to say the least.”

Trauma sighed quietly hearing her doubt.

“It’s just that I remember the old days.”

“……?”

“Oh, by the way, you have to accept my one more condition.”

Then, suddenly, Trauma crossed his hands and said.

“…Now, is that necessary?”

“If you think about it, aren’t you on the same side as that white-haired man in the hero society?”

“I am, but…”

“No matter how much you think about it, it doesn’t make sense. So, I have to ask you one more thing.”

At first, Absolute Commander had a displeased expression on her face, then she closed her eyes and sighed quietly.

“Tell me first. Let’s hear it.”

Anyway, now she was not in a strong position to negotiate.

It was because Trauma had enough momentum to proceed with his plans even without her help.

She'd just play the role that'd add more momentum.

Also, as the person who proposed the deal in the first place, no matter how one-sided the request was, she had no choice but to listen to it.

“I thought quite a bit.”

“…….”

“What should I ask of you? What bad conditions should I attach to make it more troublesome?”

Absolute Commander, who had closed her eyes, swallowed her saliva when she heard Trauma’s mischievous voice.

“…It’s a joke.”

Then, she quietly opened her eyes in surprise at his next words.

“Every time we meet in the future, let's have a meal together.”

“…Is that all?”

“Yes, that’s all.”

Trauma whispered as he quietly looked at Absolute Commander with a worried expression.

“All I want from you is that.”

Upon hearing that, Absolute Commander began to look at Trauma with strange eyes, feeling confused.

She didn't notice... but there were dozens of missed calls from Lee Se-ah on her smartphone.

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Meanwhile, at that moment...

Himari stood before the residence of the world's leading conglomerate, the president of the Shinwa Group. She had come to see the president who had woken up from life support after a few months, but she received a phone call in front of the door with an expression of incomprehension.

"What do you mean, Senior Se-ah? Lumia-san is a woman? What the hell are you talking about?"

Himari was perplexed and couldn't understand the phone call. But she had to leave it behind as the secretary waiting in front of the door called out to her.

"My lady, the president is waiting for you."

Himari nodded quietly and moved on.

“… I'll call you back later, senior.”

After leaving those words behind and hanging up Sae-ah’s phone, which she couldn’t understand at all, she took a deep breath and entered the door.

“Hello, President.”

Then, a voice filled with joy echoed through the room.

“Ah, Himari.”

The person responsible for turning the Shinwa Group into one of the world’s leading conglomerates was none other than Suwan-ga, a cold-blooded businessman whose blood was so cold that it wouldn't even flow when pricked with a needle. Despite being tried by many, he managed to retain his power within the group for a decade in this condition.

However, to his granddaughter, he was just a regular grandpa. 

"By the way, didn't I ask you to call me Grandpa?" he teased, chuckling. 

“…grandfather.”

“Heh heh heh! Yeah, that’s better.”

"..."

“So, did you laugh a little bit these days?”

“…yes.”

“That’s good. Hahaha…”

In fact, he was not just a regular grandpa; the president’s favoritism for his granddaughter was quite famous even within the group.

The fact that she emerged as a potential successor candidate and was able to use the group’s name outside was all possible thanks to the strong support of the president.

“Then, I’ll give you a delayed report.”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Himari was well aware of that, so she started to look through the documents while smiling, which she didn’t normally do.

For the president, who fell into hibernation for a certain period to maintain his short lifespan, it was essential to get the report about what had happened in his absence.

And this report would be a new turning point for Himari.

A series of events occurred after Justia’s death.

As a result, by reporting Kang Ha-neul’s downfall and Lumia’s efforts, the moment had come to completely change her Grandfather’s heart.

Even though she had left Kang Ha-neul, for some reason her grandfather supported him.

Himari hated it.

Because now she had Lumia, not Kang Ha-neul.

Of course, she couldn’t say it out loud, but it would be a different story if she reported the Justia incident.

It was clear that her grandfather would completely turn his heart to Kang Ha-neul and acknowledge Lumia.

“… this was a brief report on Justia’s death.”

With that thought in mind, she quickly finished the report.

“And what I would like to add about this incident is…”

Eventually, Himari looked at her Grandfather and tried to put her thoughts into action.

“… Himari.”

“Yes?”

Without finishing her words, she froze on the spot.

“What are you guys doing?”

Her grandfather, who always looked at Himari with a warm and kind expression-

“What the hell have you done?”

-for the first time, he was glaring at her with cold eyes.

“…grandfather?”

Feeling that something was wrong, Himari started to break out in a cold sweat as she called out to her grandfather in a crawling voice.