Epilogue Chapter 35 - Interlude - In Your Place

“Umm... Kang-Woo, are you sure it was okay to leave it to Yeon-Joo?”

“I told you, it’s fine. This never would’ve happened if she taught Kang-Hyun correctly in the first place, right? This is a punishment.”

Oh Kang-Woo took his other wives out after pushing the responsibility of education onto Cha Yeon-Joo. Kim Si-Hun also joined them because they were supposed to discuss the information he had gathered about the

demon

after a late lunch.

“Since it’s come to this, why don’t we just eat out?”

Besides, they couldn’t eat at home because their table and chairs were destroyed.

“I’m fine with that, but... didn’t Seol-Ah say she made too much food for lunch?” Si-Hun asked.

“It’s okay. We can have it for dinner,” Seol-Ah reassured.

It wouldn’t be as good as when it was just made but they couldn’t return home yet. Seol-Ah couldn’t bring herself to watch those embarrassing visual documentaries with her children.

Si-Hun suggested, “In that case, I know a place. We can talk in peace there after lunch.”

“Come to think of it, you had something to discuss with Kang-Woo, right?”

“Ah, yes. That’s the main reason I visited today.”

Kang-Woo and Si-Hun had completely forgotten about it due to the slight misunderstanding but they had important matters to discuss.

“Hmm. What is it about?” asked Lilith with great interest as she approached.

“Well...”

Si-Hun glanced at Kang-Woo as if asking for permission. Kang-Woo shrugged and nodded.

“I mean, it’s nothing worth hiding,” he remarked.

“Understood.”

Si-Hun told Seol-Ah and Lilith about the demon who had been growing in popularity as of late among Player criminals.

“T-To think they would even lay their hands on children... how could they...?”

Seol-Ah expressed displeasure as she heard about how elementary school Players rampaged in school after making contact with the

demon

in the USA, resulting in dozens of casualties.

“Oh, so it was about that,” Lilith said.

“You knew, Lilith?” Si-Hun asked.

“Just rumors. I manage an intelligence organization, after all.”

She was more focused lately on helping Balrog by analyzing movements in the Ninth Hell. Her information-gathering capacity on Earth had been reduced because of that but as one would expect from her organization which was on par with Guardians in terms of intelligence, she had heard some rumors about the

demon

as well.

“I asked to see hyung-nim today because I acquired new information about that

demon

. Also... there was an incident.”

“Incident? What incident?”

“Well...” Si-Hun slurred as he looked around. The afternoon streets of Seoul were bustling with people. “I don’t think it’s something to bring up here.”

“Then let’s continue the discussion after lunch.”

Kang-Woo was starving due to mental fatigue after the fuss with Kang-Hyun.

“Haha. Yes, let us do that.”

“Oh, since you destroyed our furniture, lunch is on you. Got it?”

“Urgh. I-I understand.”

Si-Hun smiled awkwardly after remembering how he had lost all sense of reason earlier and headed toward the restaurant.

***

They followed Si-Hun to a restaurant designed like a traditional hanok[1]. It looked so antique that one would think it had come straight from the past, owned by a nobleman of the Joseon dynasty. The only thing that indicated it was a restaurant was the sign above the gate; there wasn’t even the commonly seen menu signboard in front of the restaurant.

“Holy... this place looks expensive as fuck.”

“It is quite expensive.”

“Man, I said lunch was on you but you didn’t have to take us someplace like this.”

Si-Hun was also astronomically wealthy as one would expect from the leader of Guardians eating in such a luxurious place was uncomfortable.

“Let’s just go get some kimchi stew. It’s not as good as the one Darling makes but it’s not bad.”

“Haha. It’s alright. I’ve been here many times.”

“You have? Really?”

‘Si-Hun’s not the kind of person to frequent places like this.’

“The leader of Guardians is obligated to interact with world leaders, after all.”

“Ohh.”

Since Si-Hun’s job was to chase and arrest Player criminals across national borders, it was important for him to maintain amicable relationships with world leaders.

“Anyway, this place is known for the taste of their food but is even more well-known for its impeccable security,” Si-Hun remarked.

“Is this the kind of place where chaebols and congressmen secretly exchange bribes in dramas?” Kang-Woo asked.

“Hahaha. Exactly.”

“Whoa.”

Kang-Woo surged with excitement. Despite being astronomically wealthy himself, he had gotten used to Seol-Ah’s homemade food and the cheap neighborhood bars he would go to with Kang Tae-Soo. He was not the only one who was excited.

“Wh-What should I do, honey?” Seol-Ah stuttered.

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“I should’ve worn something else if I knew we were coming to a place like this!”

“Nah, what you’re wearing now is tidy enough. Why?”

“But aren’t you supposed to wear stuff like... made-to-order suits or party dresses when coming to these places?”

‘Oh, Darling. You’ve been watching way too many dramas.’

“This won’t do. Let me go buy someth—”

“It’ll be dinner instead of lunch by then. Let’s just go inside.”

“B-But—!”

Kang-Woo pulled the anxious Seol-Ah by her hand into the restaurant. The restaurant was reservation-only but they were guided to the VIP room on the second floor thanks to Si-Hun. Kang-Woo looked around the restaurant with great interest.

“Soundproof barriers are installed in each room. No security cameras either.”

“Yes. Even the next course arrives only when we ring a bell.”

“I can see why higher-ups like this restaurant.”

There was no place better than this for shady dealings.

“Well, then... shall we eat before we get on with the discussion?” Si-Hun suggested.

“Sounds good.”

The food was served as a course. There was no menu— it was an omakase made by the chef with fresh ingredients from that day.

“Wow... I-It’s so good!” Seol-Ah expressed amazement after eating a dish made by a certain chef working in a seven-star hotel[2].

Unlike Seol-Ah with sparkling eyes, Kang-Woo ate with a lukewarm expression.

“Really? I think your meals are better.”

“Oh, honey~ You won’t get anything from me with such blatant flattery, you know?”

‘The corners of your lips are almost to your ears, Darling.’

“It’s not flattery. I’m telling the truth.”

“Oh, you. That’s enough.”

“Your kimchi stew is far better than food like this.”

“H-Honey...”

Seol-Ah placed her hand on Kang-Woo’s thigh as she blushed and slowly rubbed it.

“Are they... usually like this?” asked Si-Hun to Lilith.

Their lines were straight out of a 2000s cringe-inducing web novel.

Lilith replied, “Hmm... usually when they’re alone.”

“I guess their marital relationship is a little too good.”

“Fufu. Is it different for you, Si-Hun?”

“I don’t say cringy lines like that, at least.”

Si-Hun shook his head and frowned but did not stop the couple from flirting. The cringy meal ended soon after.

“Right, then...”

“Here is the information regarding the

demon

.”

The lovey-dovey atmosphere from earlier vanished and an air of seriousness filled the room. Kang-Woo scoffed as he took the document Si-Hun handed him.

“Come on, man. Who uses paper documents these days?”

“Haha. Doesn’t analog have a nice feel to it?”

“We’re not in Japan.”

Kang-Woo shook his head, unable to understand. It was far easier to store it in a tablet or a storage orb.

“Electronic information is often at higher risk of being leaked.”

“Who’s crazy enough to leak Guardians classified information?”

“Someone was,” Si-Hun answered bitterly.

Kang-Woo frowned and asked, “What? It was for real leaked?”

“I’m ashamed to say... yes.”

“And that’s the incident you were talking about?”

“Yes.” Si-Hun nodded with a serious expression. “Personal data of Guardians members had been leaked not long ago.”

‘Holy shit. A data leak in Guardians of all organizations?’

“Does that mean...” Kang-Woo slurred.

“Oh, your information wasn’t leaked.”

“Figures.”

Kang-Woo had erased all information about himself before leaving Guardians.

“Did you find the leak?” he asked.

“Yes. We found and arrested him, but...”

“What? Was there a problem?”

“He died as he vomited maggots.”

“Maggots...?”

Kang-Woo frowned just from imagining it.

‘Died as he vomited maggots, huh...?’

There was only one possibility he could think of.

“There must be someone who was pulling his strings.”

“Yes. We tried to find them, but... we have yet to find the true culprit.”

Si-Hun sighed as he averted his gaze from Kang-Woo in shame. Kang-Woo patted his shoulder to tell him not to take it too hard.

“Well, it couldn’t have been helped. I’m sure they planned it with the possibility that you would try to find the person responsible.”

“Huuu. Although... I have an inkling about who’s behind it.”

“Who?”

Si-Hun pointed at the document he handed Kang-Woo.

“The mysterious

demon

who grants Players’ wishes... I suspect he is the true culprit of this incident. No, I’m certain of it.”

“Based on what...?”

“All Players who made contact with this

demon

had a unique mark on their left chest and so did the leak who died.”

“Mark? What mark?”

Kang-Woo flipped through the document Si-Hun gave him. Pictures of the mark Si-Hun referred to were spread throughout the document. It looked rather familiar.

“A... constellation?”

“Yes. The Players who made contact with the demon called it a stigmata.”

Kang-Woo scoffed. “Do they think they’re apostles of a god or something?”

“They seem to treat the demon like a god.”

“Revering a self-proclaimed

demon

as a god?”

It did not seem like a demon from the Nine Hells but it was hard to believe that a lunatic who proclaimed himself as a demon was revered like a god.

“Oh, the Players who made contact with the demon call them by a different title.”

“What title?”

“Celestial.” Si-Hun continued in a deep voice, “The Players who received stigmata from the demon call them

Celestial

.”

“Celestial...” Kang-Woo scoffed at the title. He turned to Lilith and asked, “Have you heard of terms like Celestial or stigmata in the Nine Hells?”

“No.” Lilith shook his head. “I’m sure you expect it as well, but... I believe the culprit has nothing to do with the Nine Hells.”

“Hmm.”

‘Then it means they crawled out of a Rift. But where?’

Kang-Woo did not mean to brag but he had not missed a single large-scale Rift in the past decade. However, he left the small Rifts to Players since he couldn’t dispose of all of them alone.

‘But from what the bastard is doing, I doubt they came out of a small Rift.’

Some people mocked Guardians as Si-Hun’s pawns but it did not change the fact that only the best Players could enter the organization.

‘But such an organization was played like a fiddle, meaning this Celestial guy isn’t to be taken lightly.’

“Should I help out or something?” Kang-Woo asked.

Si-Hun firmly shook his head. “No, this is a matter for Guardians to handle.”

Kang-Woo smirked and shrugged. “Didn’t you say I’m still a member of Guardians last time?”

“Th-That’s true, but...” Si-Hun smiled awkwardly. “You have sacrificed yourself enough to protect this world.”

Si-Hun still vividly remembered Kang-Woo walking into the Demonic Sea to protect the world.

“I would like you to continue living a normal life with your loved ones.”

‘Just like he sacrificed himself for the world...’

“I will protect the world in your place this time,” Si-Hun declared.

“Hah, you’re so damn stubborn.” Kang-Woo chuckled and nodded. “Well, alright. In exchange, make sure to let me know if you need help. Got it? I’ll help you.”

“Okay, hyung-nim.”

With that, Kang-Woo’s peaceful days went on... for now.

1. Hanok (한옥) is a traditional Korean house of the Joseon dynasty. ☜

2. This is a reference to Chef Edward Young-min Kwon, a South Korean celebrity chef. ☜