Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

I explained the whole long story to Taika.

Kim Jae-ho meeting Edward, and the communication with Edward failing. Everything honestly.

[I’m sorry. It’s all my fault for not properly managing my organization member.]

[Haha, what does Shen have to be sorry about? Things just got messily tangled.]

Is this the dignity of the world’s strongest? Honestly, it wouldn’t be strange if he got angry at me in this situation. To forgive me so coolly even after getting stabbed because of me!

[You say it wasn’t intentional. I understand. I was just thinking it was strange too. His face looked like he was about to cry, I couldn’t believe he was the one who attacked me first…]

At those words, I tightly closed my eyes. Now it’s time to talk about the main point.

[Actually we’re fine, but there’s one more innocent victim in this incident. About that friend, would it be difficult to show leniency somehow?]

Edward Sihelis. When I brought up that guy’s name, Taika added as if apologetic to me:

[Still, it will be difficult to persuade Mr. Oh. He’s already spoken to the media like that, and the photos of that friend pouncing on me are so clear. You know. One photo is more powerful than a hundred words.]

Though the misunderstanding was cleared up, Taika says there’s nothing he can do.

[Mr. Oh chooses Mr. Oh’s strategy. I leave all media play to him so there’s nothing I can do. Besides, now that the situation has become like this, it’s awkward to say anything.]

There’s only one way to resolve all of this. Persuading Oh Seung-woo.

‘I can’t do that.’

I cleanly gave up.

Though he looks gentle on the outside, as can be seen from how he rose to the top position in this difficult industry, Oh Seung-woo was absolutely not a gentle person.

‘You can tell just from how he threw Edward to the media right away.’

He’s someone who can so mercilessly trample the life of a person he had a relationship with in the past.

No matter what words are used to persuade him, Oh Seung-woo won’t change his strategy.

I glanced at Edward sleeping pitifully curled up on the sofa.

“Haah…”

I hoped, but the answer was as expected.

Han Seo-hyeon asked me after I hung up the phone:

“So what are you thinking of doing with that person?”

At Han Seo-hyeon’s question, I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well, the only thing that’s clear is we can’t leave him like that.”

Though we disguised him as Kim Jae-ho by putting on a mask, we can’t keep going like this. We can’t keep hiding Kim Jae-ho in the shadows forever either. Well, he seems very comfortable though.

Plus our schedule is a problem too.

‘We’ve already dragged out time too much.’

Originally according to my plan, we were supposed to wrap up the Gate incident within two weeks at the latest and leave for Las Vegas.

Do one job overseas under the name ‘Weltschmerz’ to lure Xie Haozhu in Korea, then go back to Korea and deal with the backlog of work.

This beautiful plan all went awry because of one unexpected Gate.

We found out there were problems with our organization in many ways, so even trying to think positively, it was a problem that we seemed to be taking on some burden.

Kim Jae-ho slightly revealed himself from between shadows. Kim Jae-ho was completely deflated. Because he realized he had done wrong from the conversation passing between us.

“I did wrong.”

“What.”

“I don’t know, but still…”

“Jae-ho.”

I called Kim Jae-ho and met his eyes.

“The only thing you did wrong this time is that you acted even though you didn’t know, even though you weren’t certain.”

“But that guy clearly…”

“Was it certain?”

At my question, Kim Jae-ho rolled his eyes. He won’t be able to answer that it was certain. Now that he knows what he did wrong.

“It wasn’t certain.”

I nodded watching Kim Jae-ho answer like that.

“It’s enough that you know that. You learned that one thing this time. Just keep learning like this. I’ll teach you everything you didn’t know this time. So you never make this mistake again. That’s all.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes.”

Kim Jae-ho nodded.

“Then when will my mask…”

“Let’s lend it to that friend a bit longer.”

“He’s not my friend.”

“…It’s because he can’t even walk around outside with his own face because of Jae-ho.”

At my explanation, Kim Jae-ho nodded with a dissatisfied face. As if he would endure it just this once.

Han Seo-hyeon, who had been watching our conversation, said:

“So what are you thinking of doing with that guy?”

“First we need to hear his thoughts.”

I woke up Edward.

[Wake up.]

He seemed to be sleeping deeply so I felt bad waking him, but I had to hear his thoughts clearly to make plans on my side, so it couldn’t be helped.

[Nngh.]

Edward’s eyes, which had just gotten up from his seat, were bloodshot in that short time.

[I was sleeping, why are you waking me up already.]

[I succeeded in clearing up the misunderstanding with Taika but…]

At my words, Edward sat up straight. Edward rubbed his eyes and asked me:

[Are they going to publish a correction article?]

At that polite tone, I swallowed hard and continued speaking:

[That’s going to be difficult. Originally, since incorrect information has already spread everywhere, it’s difficult to correct. How about we get you a new identity, and you find a new life somewhere else?]

[Somewhere else? Where are you telling me to go?]

[Anywhere as long as it’s not America…]

[Ha, you’re saying I should abandon my life’s foundation because of you? In the end aren’t you just telling me to become a fugitive?]

Edward who said that rubbed his face with both hands.

[I thought I would become a more successful mercenary than Taika Cooper, and make him regret throwing me away.]

—Even if this incident hadn’t happened, it seems impossible for him to become a more successful hunter than that guy.

‘Ssup, is this the time to say such things?’

By the way, if what Edward wants is to become a cooler hunter than Taika Cooper…

That seems difficult no matter what.

—You’re thinking the same thing as me!

‘Of course! The comparison target is that Taika Cooper!’

Is that a reasonable goal! Even if it wasn’t us, that was impossible from the beginning! But as the one who committed the crime, I can’t say such things.

[Umm.]

Still, how can I say this well… Seeing me just groaning, Edward laughed and said:

[I know, you think achieving that dream is impossible too, right? Yeah, everyone will think that. But that was still my dream. At least I could try for that dream. Until you guys ruined my life.]

I couldn’t say anything to those words.

Edward was right. Even if it was a dream with very slim chances of achievement, dreaming that dream was Edward’s choice. And we trampled that dream.

[Haah…]

[Are you just going to keep sighing like that? Do you know who really wants to sigh?]

Edward’s tone had returned to being flippant again. Perhaps because he realized there was nothing to gain by being polite.

I looked at Edward and thought.

Yeah, let’s just say it.

There’s no use pondering a hundred times. I can’t decide how that person will live. So let’s just tell him our schedule for now.

[I don’t know what you’ll do, but we plan to leave here.]

[Wait, are you saying you’ll leave me here alone? After ruining my life like this?]

I calmed down Edward who was trembling with excitement and said:

[So let me ask one thing.]

There was only one question I needed to hear the answer to from the beginning.

[Will you follow us? Or will you stay here?]

Before Edward could open his mouth, I quickly added:

[If you stay here, I’ll find the best way to help you. Whether that’s financial support or whatever. First, let’s hand over the mask you’re wearing now. As long as you have that, you won’t be arrested as ‘Edward Sihelis’. I failed to persuade Oh Seung-woo right away, but I’ll find a way to clear the stigma attached to you.]

[If I follow you?]

Edward quickly continued speaking:

[If I go with you, what’s different? Can I become an amazing mercenary like Taika Cooper?]

Without giving me time to answer, Edward shouted with an excited face:

[Yeah, knowing Taika Cooper like that! Conquering an S-grade Gate like that. Tell me honestly. Are you some special Eastern mercenary group hiding your identity?]

[Ah, that. The correct answer is more like a villain group hiding our identity.]

[Whaaaat?]

At those words, Edward stiffened.

[A, a villain group?]

I snickered at Edward’s reaction.

[Sorry, the answer is completely different from what you expected.]

At that moment, Han Seo-hyeon cut into our conversation:

“Wait, I think I just heard something about villains. Don’t tell me you spilled our identity to that guy?”

Tsk! As expected, he catches the word villain. I said to Han Seo-hyeon:

“I told you. He’s a victim.”

“That doesn’t mean you had to reveal our identity.”

“We had to. I’ll tell you when the conversation is over.”

I put Han Seo-hyeon back and said to Edward:

[Yes, we’re a criminal group. So if you’re going to follow us, keep this in mind. Don’t think about interfering with whatever we do. If it’s because of some hero complex to try to do something to us, give it up cleanly. Our friend made a mistake so we’re looking after you, but if you become our enemy, we’ll deal with you mercilessly.]

I said while glaring at Edward’s eyes. And the response to my words was…

[…That’s cool.]

[What?]

At that silly answer, I unconsciously frowned. What did he just say?

[I said it’s cool! Yeah! Just because I failed to become famous as a hunter doesn’t mean I have to give up everything! There was still the opposite path left. Yeah, infamy is fame too.]

[Ah, no. Wait! I said you could follow us, not that we’d accept you into our organization, you know?]

[Why!]

[Th-that’s!]

I quickly thought up an excuse.

[Our organization looks at personality.]

[What?]

—…A criminal organization saying they look at personality?

‘Yes! We look at personality! Look at Cha Song-jin! How much he struggled in the beginning with that delicate nature. So we need to see if they have a personality suitable for being a villain.’

—Ah, that side.

Yeah, now that I say it, it’s a good method for selecting organization members. It would be good to thoroughly test since there might be people who take a long time to adapt like Cha Song-jin, or who can’t adapt.

Should we make a test too? Give questions and have them answer.

—How?

‘Have you ever killed someone? Do you think it’s okay to kill someone who deserves to die? Well, asking things like that should work, right?’

—Unless you want to bring in psychopathic murderers, it’s better not to ask those questions.

Hmm, I see. Well, this was going too far. Anyway, we do need to look at personality.

Edward, who had frozen at my personality comment, shouted as if wronged:

[What villain organization cares about personality!]

[We do!]

[I’ll match it!]

[It’s not something you can just match! Innate personality is more important than anything!]

[What’s wrong with me!]

Edward who had shouted like that said while breathing heavily:

[Fine! Okay. I’ll follow you. But don’t misunderstand. I’m following to join your organization! I’ll absolutely join your organization!]

‘Somehow it feels like I ignited things in a bad direction.’

I sighed and said:

[I don’t know what you’re imagining, but we’re not some cool villain organization like that…]

[If I can’t succeed as a hunter, yeah, I’ll succeed as the world’s greatest villain. Anything, as long as I become an amazing person, right?]

[You’re not listening at all!]

My whole body felt like it was about to break out in goosebumps.

[You’re just a temporary…]

I shouldn’t say temporary organization member either. That’s Cha Song-jin’s role. I don’t like that removing ‘temporary’ makes him an organization member either.

After pondering, I decided Edward’s role.

[For now, you’ll join as our team’s temporary native English teacher.]

[What’s that, it’s not cool at all!]

[That’s why I’m saying you’re not becoming our organization member!]

I pressed my throbbing head.

After passing the Deceiver’s trial, Jae-ho disappeared. When we found Jae-ho, we ended up taking on some hopeless guy.

It was truly trial after trial after trial.