(EP-6.1) Flower Aira #6
006 – Evil Flower Aira #6
If I had to describe the protagonist of ‘Villain Hunter' in one phrase, it would be a dark hero.
The psychopathic protagonist destroyed the world's overflowing villains as a greater evil. In the process, they made allies, defeated bad guys, and reaped numerous benefits.
The cool development, which could be said to be the pinnacle of the evil protagonist, was very popular. Hence, I was able to stumble onto it.
Once, as the story was in the middle of serialization, there was a comment like this.
「Why not also kill ‘him' when killing the others?」
It was about a villain character. This villain character, Tae-oh, alway increased the number of comments every time he appeared.
There was even someone who fervently asked for the execution of Tae-oh, regardless of whether he appeared in the chapter or not.
It was me…
「Tear that bastard to shreds!」
… Fuck.
Perhaps the phrase, "One day, Tae-oh was executed according to his karma," was added to the novel because of me…
Maybe it really was karma.
Was I being punished?
No, what was I being punished for? What did I do wrong?
I just lived and worked hard. Was it wrong to read and comment on some novels in my spare time?
Now, the past seemed to be a dream-like life.
With that thought in mind, I laid down on the bed.
Of course, before going to sleep, I didn't forget to check whether the windows and barrier stones installed at the entrance of the house were working properly.
I wouldn't be surprised if I suddenly died somewhere, someday.
Heck, there might even be an assassin hiding under my bed right now.
“…….”
…Wasn't that a possibility?
Buseurok, buseurok-
Listening closely, I could definitely hear something creeping under the bed.
After crossing many lines ever since my body became like this, I was confident that my sensitivity was comparable to that of a thirsty deer drinking in crocodile-infested water.
There was really something hiding there!
I pulled out a dagger that was placed under the pillow, from the side of the bed.
━When taking down people, it is best to aim for the neck or eyes. Don't hesitate.
While recalling how Elga once taught me how to kill, my feet slowly reached for the floor.
Seuk-
But when my bare feet touched the warm carpet, nothing happened. Did the assassin want me to sleep first?
For a while, I was nervous at that thought.
━Keongkeong.
"Ah-"
That sound coming from the floor calmed my tensed body, like that of a rubber band relaxing after a tight pull.
"What? You're not an assassin."
Yeah, there was no way an assassin could have gotten inside the house when it was protected by a barrier. I must have been extra sensitive because I had a lot of work today.
When I lowered my head under the bed, I saw a pair of black eyes lurking underneath.
“When did you get here?”
━Keongkeong!
As I reached out, something small appeared. The identity of the creature that barked (짖다) was the same as one might expect, a squirrel.
Yes, a squirrel.
In this world, squirrels chirped and cried. I didn't know why, but it was common sense.
Then again, how did squirrels originally cry? Was it a chirp or a squeak?
…Didn’t matter.
"Come here."
As I spread my palms out, a squirrel slightly smaller than my palm scrambled onto my hand.
━Keongkeong.
This little guy with a scar on his left eye was a striped squirrel that lived in a tree from the nearby street, often appearing in my room like now.
“Did you follow me in when I opened and closed the door?”
━Keongkeong.
It was pretty smart, so I fed it sometimes. Now, though, it was friendly enough to get in touch with people like this. Thus, I often handled it.
"Wait a sec…"
I took an almond from the wooden table next to the bed and gave it to the squirrel. The little guy took and munched on it, before moving its front paws as if asking for more.
━Keongkeong!
“I don’t have any more almonds. Would you like to try this too? It's mint flavored.”
━Keureureung!!!
"Okay, little guy. You ain't very picky."
Seeing the cute squirrel with its two cheeks bulging, I felt all the complicated problems that had been floating around my mind disappeared.
As expected, animals were good.
These guys didn't conspire nor bore any malice.
They just ate, slept, played in the fields or climbed trees. They instinctively lived a peaceful life. Hence, I felt comfortable dealing with them.
When I was with animals, I could just be an ordinary person, not the villain Tae-oh.
“You are the only one on my side, aren't you?"
I raised my index finger and stroked the squirrel's head.
━Keureureung!
Then, as if to make me eat my words, after it had gotten food from me, it ran away and disappeared somewhere…
Ungrateful punk.
Were you treating me as a vending machine for food?
But I was glad that it wasn't an assassin underneath the bed. Now that the tension was gone, tiredness came crashing down onto me like a wave.
I should go to sleep now, I had a lot of work to do tomorrow.
Who knew if the hero would appear soon.
I told Aira that I would like to take a day off tomorrow. I had to get up early and go to the market right away.
* * *
Monarch City, where the Angmar's Court was located, was as big as Seoul in the modern times.
It had a large population, and it was just about the same size.
If I remember correctly, it was described as ‘a city surrounded by high mountains with a large flowing river', so it really felt like Seoul.
But if I tried to use my insufficient knowledge to add a little more description…
Wouldn't it be closer to Hanyang before the end of the Old Korea Empire instead of the modern Seoul?
Except for the neat central area where the high-ranking people lived, there weren't many clean roads.
It was because Monarch City was a place where poverty, robbers, as well as all sorts of crooks and pseudo-religious tyrannies ran rampant.
On my annual leave, I often walked around the city like this. From the clean central street to the messy outskirts.
There were a lot of things to learn while getting some fresh air. There was also nothing better than walking around the market in person to understand public sentiment and various situations.
━Look at that, there! It's a Champion passing by!
━Hey, is that a Holy Weapon on his back? It looks interesting.
A Champion?
As I was walking down the muddy road with my hood on, I reflexively turned my head.
There I saw a man, who stood out amidst the busy people.
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