No wonder he seemed so indifferent to talk of revenge.
If he’d already done something and served a long sentence for it, then maybe he’d transcended all that by now. He’d had plenty of time—time to reflect, again and again, on his life. Even the current Moon Tae-young, who hadn’t done a damn thing, seemed lukewarm at best about vengeance.
So something really did happen after all, huh.
He didn’t know how things had gone down exactly, but considering the world had already ended around that time… that must be how he ended up back here. But why? The Moon Tae-young in his memories had never wanted revenge.
Thunk.
Cha Eui-sung pressed his head back against the man’s chest. All of this was nothing more than a rough patchwork of assumptions stitched together in his head, but he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling settling deep in his gut.
Had there really been multiple regressions he simply couldn’t remember? Or had he just lost the memory of one specific moment?
He didn’t know. It felt utterly bizarre—learning that the person the Demon King had so deeply, desperately loved in his treasured memories was him.
Putting aside how surreal that was… The very idea that he could have regrets about a past he wasn’t even aware of—that was a hard pill to swallow.
Well, whatever the case… I guess all that complaining about being broke wasn’t just an act, huh.
Cha Eui-sung deliberately shifted his focus back to the System and took a deep breath, grounding himself in the familiar air. Thinking back to the plea that bastard had thrown at him right after regression, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say the System had emptied out the last of its power just to send him back.
King: Using the remaining ░░ rate, I turn back time one final time.
King: Please… save this world, save Earth, from the [Demon King].
He’d always wondered how that bastard randomly picked someone he had no connection with and named him a Hero. It wasn’t until he’d filled the Savior Gauge up to 80% that the truth started to come into focus.
Damn it.
Cha Eui-sung let out a long sigh, troubled. His fingers, laced together with the other man’s, instinctively tightened a bit. The gentle stroke of those fingers against his hand made his stomach flutter for some reason.
“So, is that it?”
“…Huh?”
“Was it a dream? Is that why you weren’t feeling well?”
Was it just him, or… did this guy not quite believe it was just a dream?
Cha Eui-sung slowly adjusted his expression and raised his head slightly. Blatant lies never worked on this guy. You had to mix in at least a spoonful of truth if you wanted to get a decent reaction out of him.
“…Yeah, something like that. Woke me right up. Was it around 3 AM? Or maybe 4?”
In the end, he half-confessed. Everything was true—except the part about it just being a dream. Honestly, the whole situation still kind of felt like one. Even waking up to find Oh Se-dan next to him didn’t feel real.
The fact that this man had shown him kindness from the very beginning— That, too, felt like a dream.
“Did you bring the medicine?”
“I don’t need it. Just got startled, that’s all.”
“Then… how about some food—”
“In a bit. Just want to stay like this a little longer.”
Cha Eui-sung kneaded the hand holding his, a soft, content look on his face. If he had to be honest, the most surreal part of it all was this—him, curled up in someone’s arms like this.
It was a weak thought, he knew… but since the whole thing already felt like a dream, he figured he might as well enjoy it a little longer.
With a faint, wistful longing in his chest, he burrowed deeper beneath the blanket.
***
Whether there was a past that had been erased or not, the goal remained the same. What mattered wasn’t the time already passed, but the happy future that lay ahead. If the world—and the life tied to it—wasn’t going to be wiped out completely, then just as he’d decided from the start, he had to help the Demon King with his revenge.
“Oh, and Kim Jeong-baek.”
“……”
“I’m going to be a bit busy for a while. If you need anything, leave a message—call or email.”
The screen of the tablet, packed with all sorts of instructions, flicked off. As Cha Eui-sung grabbed it and stood up, the half-dazed Kim Jeong-baek scrambled to rise with him.
“This… doesn’t sit right.”
“What doesn’t?”
“They say even if a tiger’s got its teeth on you, you’ll survive as long as you keep your wits about you… but still, there’s no need to willingly walk into a tiger’s den, is there?”
“If you want to catch a tiger, you have to go into its den. Haven’t you heard that before?”
“You planning to catch a tiger?”
“No.”
“Then what the hell…”
Kim Jeong-baek muttered, baffled. Well, who wouldn’t be alarmed hearing that he’d decided to team up with Oh Se-dan, the very man who had stressed just how dangerous the whole thing was?
Still, the fact that he wasn’t begging him to back out meant that he’d probably used his survival-honed instincts to figure out the kind of deal that had been made behind closed doors.
“As I promised, there won’t be any trouble coming your way, Mr. Kim.”
Maybe it was that single line that made him realize his involvement had already been discovered—his face went pale, and from that point on, he didn’t really try to stop him.
“…Still gives me the creeps.”
He only voiced his discomfort indirectly— which made sense. His motives were nothing more than money and Seo-ryong. If he’d suddenly started showing concern beyond that, it would’ve only gotten in the way of Cha Eui-sung’s plans.
Cha Eui-sung gestured for him to stay inside and stepped out of the house. A chill gust touched the tip of his nose.
Haa…
He exhaled, checking the air with his breath, then clenched his phone in his pocket. As if perfectly timed, it buzzed in his hand.
[Did you leave yet?]
Moon Tae-young’s message immediately softened something inside him. Cha Eui-sung quickly shot back a few replies, hinting at an early return.
[Yeah. Just left now.]
[Was it supposed to be a week?]
[That’s the plan, but it might be sooner.]
For some reason, with every tap of his fingers on the screen, he felt a soft little vibration, like a pulse. Maybe he was losing it. Cha Eui-sung thought for a moment about reverting the setting—whatever was causing it felt oddly like Moon Tae-young’s voice—but in the end, he left it. He remembered the man’s face, subtly disappointed when he said he’d be heading out for a bit because of work.
[Take care out there.]
[You too, Mr. Moon. Stay safe while you wait.]
He sent back the goodbye exactly as it was given and couldn’t help but let out a soft chuckle. Putting the phone back in his pocket, he picked up his car keys. With a flash, the car up ahead responded, gleaming as it waited for its owner.
Back to Seoul again. He went up there regularly anyway, but this time, there was an extra mission attached. Ever since Oh Se-dan dropped by, that so-called “collaboration” had kicked off in earnest.
—So, how much cooperation can I expect from you?
“Well, that depends on how far you’re planning to take things.”
Even just hearing that line over the phone, Cha Eui-sung could tell—this wasn’t going to be an easy ride. From experience, he knew that whenever Oh Se-dan used that kind of tone, it never meant anything simple was coming his way.
—There are some people getting in the way of our shared mission.
“Shared…”
—Shared and mutual, really. It’ll benefit both you and me, but there’s a greater cause behind it, too.
Oh, please. Recalling the conversation, Cha Eui-sung let out a dry laugh. That was just like him—he used to trot out talk of “greater causes” every time he was up to something shady back in the second round. Even though they both knew each other’s temperaments and greed all too well, he still felt the need to dress it all up like that.
Looking back now, it felt more like a signature move—just classic political spin from someone who thrived in that kind of game. In any case, Cha Eui-sung had to put aside a brief moment of peace and head to the capital.
Even if he had a slight disadvantage, they were in a partnership now. And in this partnership, both of them held a hand strong enough that neither could just steamroll the other. There was no need to worry about being played for a fool and left out to dry… but still, it felt a little awkward.
Gotta get everything done fast and come back.
That single thought—that he wanted to see Moon Tae-young again—was enough to make him hurry. God. He’d barely left Cheongseri and was already thinking about coming back. Even that felt absurdly out of character.
The entire ride up the expressway, Cha Eui-sung kept glancing toward the inside pocket of his coat. He couldn’t stop thinking about the Silent Blade he’d brought with him for the first time in a while, just in case.
Now that he’d caught Oh Se-dan’s attention, there was no way he could just leave the thing lying around somewhere. But the idea of carrying a bladed weapon around all week—meeting Go Yeong-won, sitting through counseling sessions—it made him feel like a damn threat to public safety.
Still, at least it’s not a longsword.
Thankfully, it fit just well enough inside his coat. If he’d strapped it across his back, someone would’ve definitely reported him.
Maybe if I painted the scabbard pink and slapped some flowers on it, people would just think I was a clout-chasing weirdo and let it slide.
With that useless train of thought drifting through his mind, he crossed the toll gate and headed into the Hunter-packed heart of Seoul.
Bzzzt.
His phone buzzed, and a moment later, a message came in with an address.
Dae San Ok…
He recognized the name instantly. A stupidly expensive Korean fine dining place. He’d been there a few times during the second life when following Oh Se-dan around, and after that, he occasionally used it to host big-name guests himself.
Cha Eui-sung bit his lip quietly. Strange. He wasn’t even that hungry, yet the moment he pictured the place, it was like he could already taste the clean, delicate flavors on his tongue.
Moon Tae-young would probably like that place, huh.
He couldn’t help but laugh at himself—what a ridiculous first thought to have.
As long as I don’t show him the prices, it could make for a pretty decent date.
After all, the man was S-rank. Despite always making unassuming dishes, he likely had a sharp sense of taste. So once everything was over—once they were both free—he could take the guy on a food tour, make up for all those years of joyless meals.
If everything goes well. If, for once, the world doesn’t just keep screwing me over.
—Rerouting.
—Go straight for 500 meters.
—Rerouting.
—Turn right in one kilometer.
Cha Eui-sung ignored the navigation blaring directions to a different destination and turned the wheel. He already knew the route like the back of his hand.
As familiar streets came into view, a strange sensation wrapped around him. Meeting Oh Se-dan again here—where he’d once personally seen him off—felt both surreal and unsettling.
“This feels like some kind of tasting course.”
“Glad it’s to your liking. I think you might be fit to handle a new assignment, Mr. Cha.”
Ridiculous. He found himself chewing on those few, pathetic fragments of memory.
—Rerout…
Beep.
With a twinge of irritation, he shut off the GPS, as if lashing out at its repeated misdirections. The way it tried to force him down a specific path— It reminded him, somehow, of the System.
Bzzt.
A faint electrical sound drew his eyes downward. The screen was glitching under the shape of his fingers.
Furrowing his brow, Cha Eui-sung gripped the gearstick. Off in the distance, the roof of his destination finally came into view.
