Chapter 523

One week had passed. People were still talking about the incident with the Inoue family, given that the entire planet had been held hostage, but the buzz was gradually dying down.

After all, it was unlike other incidents where surviving accomplices had to be hunted down. With the perpetrators—aside from the family head—all alive and captured, it was closed quickly. And because of the swiftness of it all, the public’s attention was not on a case dragged on for months but on a few other key points of the incident.

“There’s a spell that lets you achieve ascension without entering the Towers of Heroes? Any chance it’ll be commercialized?”

“So you can use a demon to revive people who were used as material for bioweapons...? This truly is a breakthrough, but... something about it still feels wrong....”

“So that bastard Akasha got away again. If he shows up later, it’s going to be a nightmare for us.”

“We should find a way to protect the planet from incidents like this in the future...”

With the many new technologies that the Inoue family had hidden away all surfacing, it was only natural that the public’s interest would shift away. The threat of another crisis was looming right before them.

However, that, though, was the public—the Heroes Association hadn’t gotten lax. Gregory had gone as far as treating Ryuuma as a full-blown traitor in league with the Demon Force. Trials had gone on for a while, reaching the seventh day. Thankfully, the seventh marked the end of the final trials for everyone involved.

“Hmm...”

Near the International Court—where trials with a high risk of the Demon Force’s interference were conducted here under Ludwig’s protection, physically sealed off from any outsider access—Se-Hoon was seated on a bench nearby, reading through the final report of the trials. Being a close acquaintance of Ludwig, he had naturally passed through the barrier upon arriving at the outskirts of Babel’s city center.

“Quite a few death sentences, huh.”

Since Ryuuma’s takeover, the family had mostly experimented on captured demons and monsters, so the sentencing was relatively light for recent affiliates. However, for those who had collaborated with the previous family leader, there was no mercy. Every single one of them—those who had conducted gruesome experiments that remained undisclosed while simultaneously fulfilling their own interests—had been sentenced to death.

That being said... it’s surprising there aren’t more.

According to the Association’s investigation, most of the researchers involved in the Ascension Project had been recruited

after

Ryuuma took over. In other words, only a tiny minority had been active during the former family head’s tenure. But they were all in insignificant roles and bound by intense restrictions—essentially enslaved.

Maybe Ryuuma used them as examples to erase the previous head’s influence.

If anyone were to get caught conducting unauthorized human experimentation, it would jeopardize the entire project. Perhaps that was why Ryuuma was being extra careful?

Or... he might’ve just despised them.

Se-Hoon shook his head, recalling that Mizuki’s “family”—the Saotomes, a part of Succession—had been wiped out by an unidentified demon decades ago.

No, I shouldn’t start over-analyzing stuff.

Clearing those idle thoughts from his mind, Se-Hoon flipped to the final section of Gregory’s report and skimmed until the part concerning the two people closest to the mastermind: Erika and Ren.

As a witness of the Inoue family’s atrocities, Se-Hoon, too, had given a brief statement to the Association before any trial began. During which, he had made it clear from the start that he would accept whatever verdict so as not to influence the sentences given to those tied to him.

At this point, I’m practically recognized as a Perfect One...

Where once only a few had known, even the public now no longer believed he was just some supporter in the background. Involved in just too many high-profile incidents, Se-Hoon had taken on the image of an extralegal existence—just like the other Perfect Ones.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing... but I shouldn’t lean on it too much.

Once he started crossing the line, it would become easier and easier to cross it again. If one started molding the world according to their will, even if little by little, they would one day lose their sense of balance entirely... regardless of whether they were a Perfect One or a Harbinger of Destruction.

I might be overthinking it, but better safe than sorry.

Resolving himself, Se-Hoon burned the report in his hand.

Fwoosh~

Watching the document vanish into the sky without a trace, Se-Hoon soon sensed movement inside the courthouse right before people began pouring out.

Vroom-

Those who had been convicted boarded the transport bus and departed. Following suit, one by one, other officials and witnesses also did. Eventually, though, the stream of seemingly never-ending people did stop.

“Have you been waiting long?”

The voice came from the seat to his right: Erika had arrived without a sound. Like the day they first met, she still had the same peculiar silent approach, making Se-Hoon let out a chuckle.

“Nah. Not really.”

“Good.”

“I apologize for the delay. The trial ended quickly, but I had a few things to discuss with the Heroes Association President.”

A voice full of respect from his left now. Looking over, Se-Hoon saw Ren dressed neatly as always, sitting politely beside him. Thanks to a week of intensive treatment, most of his injuries had healed aside from some faint traces. In particular, his eyes, once used as mediums for alchemy, had dulled in color as if drained; and as expected, his vision was nearly gone.

“Huh? Ah...”

Catching Se-Hoon’s gaze, Ren adjusted his rimless glasses with a rueful smile.

“My vision’s not in the best state now, but I can still see thanks to the remaining power in my Cursed Eyes. In fact, I could even see some things I couldn’t before.”

Perhaps stepping—albeit incompletely—into the realm of the ascension had helped. Noting Ren’s subtly changed demeanor, Se-Hoon gave him a slight nod and shifted the topic.

“So... what’s with the formal speech all of a sudden?”

“Well, I mean, it’s only proper to address my benefactor—”

“Cut it out. Just speak normally.”

“If that’s more comfortable for you... sure,” Ren said with a shrug, reverting to his usual tone.

“...”

Ren fell silent, making Se-Hoon notice the odd sandwich with him at the center. Pausing at the strangeness, Se-Hoon then addressed Ren directly again. “What was the verdict?”

“Well, guilty, of course.” Ren gazed at the courthouse with a calm expression. “I couldn’t defy my father’s—no, the family head’s—orders, but it wasn’t like I was completely forced, either. I did some of it by choice.”

“...”

“Still, they considered the facts that I never conducted human experimentation, that I helped clean up the incident at the end... and that my synesthetic mindscape was artificially distorted from a childhood curse. In the end, I was given a sentence of one hundred years.”

“One hundred years, huh...”

High-ranking heroes did often live for centuries, so Ren might one day be released, but a full century was still no small sentence despite being relatively lenient considering the charges.

But he doesn’t look like someone who just got sentenced to prison...

Even if escaping Babel was impossible, Gregory wasn’t the type to leave a convict unsupervised.... Se-Hoon looked around, guessing there had been some sort of deal with the Association—and soon smirked upon sensing a familiar presence in the distance.

“A hundred years of labor sounds dull.”

“So you figured it out already.”

“Well, I just so happen to know the one supervising your sentence.”

Meeting Se-Hoon’s gaze, Seon-Woo, who’d been observing from afar, waved awkwardly. Waving back, Se-Hoon turned to Ren again.

“So? What’s your assignment?”

“They’ll probably put me back in charge of some of the family’s old research. Most likely, I’ll focus on the Restoration Project—to release the souls sealed inside bioweapons.”

If Ren and his team succeeded, the souls in the countless bioweapons confiscated by the Heroes Association over the decades could all be returned to the Netherworld, with some perhaps even returning to life through the Blessing of the Eternal.

That’s definitely better than rotting in prison.

It was indeed far more efficient to use an S-rank hero like Ren for the benefit of humanity than lock him away.

“What about her, then?” Se-Hoon asked, looking to his right.

“She’ll be living separately. A convict’s still a convict, after all.”

“...”

“She’s been placed under ten years of probation. Unlike me, she had zero autonomy over her decisions.”

Born and raised solely to become a tool for ritual completion, Erika was a magically engineered lifeform. Given that background, the Association had deemed her nearly innocent.

“That’s why if people see us meeting again, they’ll start raising questions. So... this will be the last time we gather like this.”

Ren stood from the bench as Se-Hoon and Erika watched his back.

“Se-Hoon. You and I still don’t exactly get along. Honestly, I still don’t get why you helped me.”

“...”

“But regardless of the reason, I only have one thing to say.”

Ren turned to face Se-Hoon... then bowed deeply.

“Thanks to the chance you gave me, I was able to set things right... even if only at the end. I truly appreciate it.”

At that moment, for the first time, Se-Hoon felt Ren’s heartfelt sincerity that was free of any pretense.

Looking up at Ren, Se-Hoon silently reached out and gave Ren’s shoulder a light pat.

“You’ve been through a lot too.”

“...”

He could feel a slight tremor under his fingertips. But a moment later, that disappeared as Ren lifted his head like nothing had happened.

Ren looked at Se-Hoon again, with an expression that was a mix of relief and awkwardness—a stark contrast to the practiced smile that he would have put on his face in the past.

He turned to Erika.

“Live happily, Erika.”

A gentle smile was on his face.

[The bond with ‘Inoue Ren’ has grown to Lv. 3.]

[Due to a significant change in the subject’s synesthetic mindscape, your Relationship with ‘Inoue Ren’ can now be redefined as ‘Consolation’.]

[Relationship: Consolation]

[For some, life is a ceaseless path of consolation. Haunted by an unforgivable past, for them, only death promises peace.

However, sometimes, the whimsical act of kindness of another leads to an improbable salvation.

If one day the person you’ve helped extends that kindness to others, then even a life stained with guilt may find a new path.

*A Fatestone is created whenever the subject finds consolation.

*The maturation rate of the Fatestone increases whenever the subject feels more at peace.

*The probability of the subject’s synesthetic mindscape manifesting inside the Fatestone increases when the subject shows kindness to others.]

I guess a Relationship can be completely redefined at level three too.

Normally, the growth of a bond to level three would just deepen the existing Relationship. Ren’s synesthetic mindscape, though, had changed so dramatically that the Relationship itself was redefined.

Having never seen such a thing before, Se-Hoon marveled at the new discovery for a bit before looking up again.

“...He’s gone.”

𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Guy’s shy.

Glancing in the direction where Ren and Seon-Woo’s presence faded into the distance, he then turned to Erika.

“...”

She remained silent, staring at where Ren had stood. Seeing that, Se-Hoon let her be.

“...Does this mean I won’t get to see him anymore?” she asked after a while had passed.

“Well... He’s not likely to come visit.”

Se-Hoon didn’t know Ren that well, but judging from the way he’d said goodbye, it didn’t seem like he’d go back on his word.

“...”

Falling silent for a moment, Erika then asked something else. “What if

I

want to see him?”

“You?”

“Mhm.”

She nodded, her voice carrying many overlapping emotions.

“Because... we’re a family.”

“...I see.”

Realizing the two estranged siblings were slowly becoming a proper family, Se-Hoon smiled slightly.

“Then you’ll have to live so well that no one will question you even if you do meet him.”

“Live well...”

“Yeah. That’s probably why Ren accepted the Association’s offer, too.”

Just as Erika wished to see Ren, Ren almost certainly wished to see Erika. But for that day, when they could meet like any ordinary family, they needed to work for it.

“Okay. I will.”

Seeing Erika nod in understanding, having made up her mind, Se-Hoon stood up.

“Alright. Shall we get going too?”

“Where to?”

“Not sure. But first, food...?”

Swoosh-

Startled, Se-Hoon glanced at Erika, who clung to his right arm.

“Support,” she calmly said.

“But I’m feeling better...”

“No, you aren’t.”

Squeeze-

Feeling Erika clinging even tighter instead of letting go, Se-Hoon paused.

...Well, she’s at the age where it’s normal to act spoiled.

He relented with a wry smile.

Thinking she’d grow out of it eventually, Se-Hoon looked at the girl snug against his arm.

“Just promise me you’ll let go when I tell you to.”

“Okay.”

“Right. Then...” Se-Hoon trailed off, suddenly remembering something. “Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask.”

“What is it?”

“The night before the ritual. You tried to say something but decided not to. What was that about?”

It might’ve been nothing, but remembering the way she’d hesitated, it felt worth asking.

“

Hmm...

It’s really not a big deal. I just realized something back then.”

“Realized?”

“Mhm.”

Erika nodded, hugging his arm tightly. From deep within her chest, a ticklish feeling that radiated ‌warmth made her smile softly.

“I realized... what happiness feels like.”

[Due to a significant change in the subject’s synesthetic mindscape, your Relationship with ‘Inoue Erika’ can now be redefined as ‘Happiness’.]

[Relationship: Happiness]

[To yearn for something is, ultimately, to fill the empty space in one’s heart.

Having felt happiness for the first time thanks to your kindness, the subject wishes to remain by your side and continue experiencing that joy.

No one knows how long this miracle will last, but they won’t regret it as long as they remember.

*A Fatestone is created whenever the subject feels happy.

*The maturation rate of the Fatestone increases whenever the subject’s happiness increases.

*The probability of the subject’s synesthetic mindscape manifesting inside the Fatestone increases as the Relationship deepens.

*Currently created Fatestones: 1]

Although Erika’s bond stayed at level four, the nature of her Relationship had changed.

Looking up from the description, Se-Hoon saw Erika smiling—genuinely, with joy bubbling from her heart, like a freshly blossomed flower, soft and radiant.

Thinking carefully about what to say, Se-Hoon raised his left hand and gently gave her head a light pat.

“Well done.”

That would have annoyed a certain silver-haired girl elsewhere, but Erika didn’t resist. She leaned in closer instead.

“

Mhm...

Thank you.”

And smiled brighter than ever before.