Chapter 43
“I couldn’t help it. They suddenly said they were taking election poster photos…”
The formal suit he had carefully put on felt awkward. Anschel had been trained to become a soldier since his ability manifested as a child, and he never even considered any other path.
Anschel became a soldier as everyone expected, and at thirty-three, he was still a soldier. For such a person, being told to smile naturally for an election poster photo only made things more awkward.
In the poster, Anschel was staring into space with an extremely awkward expression, his mouth open in a “heh-” pose. There couldn’t be a bigger dork. His 2:8 hairstyle was more outdated than anyone else’s, and his glasses were thick. He looked more like a strict class president than a passionate politician.
If you don’t have recognition, at least you should look good. Being mediocre in both aspects was comedy in its own way.
“Damn it, just laugh.”
Anschel finally said, giving up.
Then, as if her previous laugh wasn’t even a warm-up, Angela began laughing like someone who had lost her mind. Though she followed Anschel like an older brother, this situation was so hilarious that she was about to go crazy.
Harriet, who was sitting quietly in a chair, took a sip of coffee with a small peaceful smile. As always, four spoons of sugar, with crushed ice. Made to be smooth and not too stimulating.
Touching his white hair that was melting in the sunlight, Harriet stared at Angela as if watching a cute animal.
Anschel, who had fainted and woken up, was informed by Harriet that the men who had attacked them had disappeared.
The Colonel must have taken care of it.
There were also three missed calls from the President, but Anschel had turned off his phone and thrown it into the lake. Afterward, there was an incident where Ann, without any tact, came out of the water and handed the phone to Anschel, saying he might have lost it.
When Ender saw Harriet’s wound that day, his body trembled violently. Anschel worried that humanity might be exterminated that day.
Thanks to the bullet that grazed Harriet’s ear, Harriet’s neck was covered in blood. Ender was excited by the red blood flowing on the white skin, but for a while, he couldn’t contain his anger that the wound was caused by someone else.
“Phew… but what are you doing now?”
Angela, who had finally calmed down, asked. Her face was completely flushed, and her abs were visibly trembling, likely from laughing so much that her stomach hurt. Anschel tried his best to avert his gaze from the poster as he spoke.
“These are the presidential candidate poll results. This is the speech I’ll soon have to deliver on broadcast, and I’m gathering evidence about President Dante Maxim’s corruption and the basis for military experiments.”
Of course, most of it was provided by Colonel Ender McGuire, but Anschel boasted that he had organized it himself. Angela flipped through the papers with an interested gaze.
“Lieutenant, you’ve got 28%?”
“Most of them are Colonel Ender’s fans.”
The fact that Ender McGuire was backing Anschel had already spread through the media. People were curious about Anschel, who had been chosen by the hero Ender McGuire.
Curiosity had a significant impact on the polls. Perhaps the President’s obstruction efforts would intensify after this. He might spread strange rumors as a scandal, but Anschel was confident that he was clean in that regard.
He had spent most of his military career aboard ships following Ender, and he had dedicated himself to working for the land. There was nothing in his private life that could be harmful.
“……”
‘But lately, it’s a bit, well… such… um…’
Anschel heaved a deep sigh.
“For now, securing the votes of the local residents is the most reasonable approach. They already have a favorable impression of me compared to Dante Maxim.”
Even so, the population of this rural area was barely over a hundred. Anschel pressed his temples with his fingers as if his head hurt. In reality, there were plenty of people who would still vote for Dante Maxim even in a place like this.
‘Is this really a battle we can win?’
Anschel sighed under the crushing pressure and clutched his head.
* * *
In the dark dawn, a wind suddenly blew in the silence where not even a breath could be heard. No one noticed the wind that swept through the luxurious apartment.
He landed on the railing very quietly. Despite not being the homeowner, the man who confidently stepped onto the balcony threw his fist at the window glass, contradicting his quiet entry.
Crash-
As the glass broke with a sharp sound, the man inserted his hand through the broken glass, unlocked the window, and entered.
There was no trace of people in the silent interior. The intruder, who entered the apartment as if it were his own home, was Ender McGuire, his red pupils flashing as he brushed up his black hair. Ender walked briskly into the living room using his long legs without any hesitation.
“I see he’s run away.”
Ender looked around with cold eyes. When he turned on the lights, a mess was revealed inside. The closet was empty of many clothes, as if someone had packed and fled. The owner seemed to have made up his mind to escape thoroughly, considering that there wasn’t a single piece of gold left despite his love for luxury.
But what Ender needed wasn’t such gold ornaments. Such material wealth was already abundant for him.
Ender first entered the room that was presumably the homeowner’s bedroom. At Ender’s gesture, a strong gust blew into the room where no wind should have been blowing. The already disorderly room became even more chaotic.
The wind gently fluttered Ender’s black hair as it passed, but the wind that actually touched the objects couldn’t have been fiercer.
Crack, thud, thump.
The closet shattered and all the drawers pulled out, swinging back and forth with the wind, making all sorts of noises. Whether he hadn’t found what he wanted there or not, Ender left the room without any lingering attachment.
Passing through the living room and entering a small room, he saw a significant number of wristwatches and shoes. From combat boots to sneakers, and even high heels. The owner hadn’t been able to take everything due to the hurry.
Ender also ransacked this place with his ability. Even after going that far, what Ender wanted didn’t appear.
Could he have taken that too? He didn’t seem to have the brains for it.
Ender thought anxiously while tapping his lips. After searching all the rooms but not finding the object, he came out to the living room, considering its use.
Staring at the TV on top of the drawer, Ender flicked his hand. A remote control that had been rolling on the floor far away landed gently on Ender’s hand. He pressed the buttons on the remote to play a video.
Beep-
As if there was a videotape inside, the TV generated a small noise before turning on. As expected, the video Ender wanted started playing. In the video was Ender McGuire’s life and everything, his heavenly sunbae.
His sunbae was young and, unlike now, had blonde hair and green eyes. It was a face that reminded him of someone, but Ender immediately recognized the child in the TV as Harriet.
Ender watched the playing video without blinking once. He cried endlessly as he looked at the video that Delta Maxim couldn’t bear to watch to the end and vomited.
Why, why are you beautiful even in such moments?
Ender shed tears of admiration. His lower region was already erect to the point of aching. Not because Harriet was suffering, nor was he excited by watching the experiment. It was because, even in the video that was all bloody, Harriet was so beautiful and noble.
Ender couldn’t have prevented that experiment. When Harriet was sold for military experimental research, Ender was still a novice with not even a hint of his ability manifested, just a fool with family expectations.
If he could have prevented it, he would have done so immediately. Harriet’s original ability was too noble and beautiful.
He had no heart to be pessimistic about that fact. Ender, entranced by Harriet’s beautiful appearance, knelt before the TV like a devout believer praying to God.
And he shed tears of admiration. He only cried, overwhelmed with emotion. Ender gasped and murmured. In his red eyes, which had always been cool, there was the awe and emotion of a believer meeting God.
“Ah… beautiful, so beautiful. My very own merman.”
He would not leave alive a single person who had laid eyes on his beauty. The beautiful merman in the TV was his. He was the beautiful requiem that Ender should serve and worship for a lifetime.
“I’ll pluck out their eyes and do exactly the same experiments to them as they did to you, Sunbae. Ah, Sunbae… you’re so beautiful.”
Ender’s love always contained madness. If Anschel had seen Ender now, murmuring as if losing his mind while shedding tears, he would have shuddered and thought:
‘Crazy.’
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
