Episode 51

Episode 51: The Demon King of Pride (2)

‘…I can’t see anything.’

Submerged in the liquid inside the egg, Jeong Ye-rin thought.

No, it was closer to unconsciousness than thought.

Occasionally, only unintelligible languages could be heard, and she couldn’t even grasp what state she was in.

Still, there were things she remembered.

It’s time for punishment, arrogant human.

How long? How many days?

Though she had lost her sense of time, when that black spear appeared, she realized she had been in this state all along.

Come to think of it, that black spear had appeared twice before.

Cursed descendant of Eve.

The first time was after the S-class Gate collapse incident.

Will you kill others with your own hands again this time?

The second time was shortly after Lucifer’s notification appeared.

Those spears appeared in mid-air and quickly disappeared, so at first, she thought they were hallucinations created by worry. But with this incident, she realized it had been real.

‘Cursed descendant of Eve…’

While she wasn’t sure about being Eve’s descendant, she already knew she was a cursed human. After all, she had been called a witch since childhood.

Ostracism? School violence? No, it wasn’t like that.

It was just a natural reaction based on facts.

The first victim of the curse was the woman who had reached out to the young me abandoned on the street.

• • Would you like to come with me?

It was the first time someone had extended such a hand to her. So, with her tiny hand, she nodded and grasped the woman’s hand.

The problem occurred the very next day.

On her way back from an errand the woman had sent her on.

• • Boom!

A gas explosion occurred in an apartment building. Her ears rang, and acrid smoke filled her vision.

She didn’t remember if the tears she shed then were because of the smoke or the sorrow of losing the woman.

And so, she was alone again.

• • Poor child.

But someone else reached out to her again. Ironically, it was the orphanage director who noticed her existence because of the explosion accident.

If she hadn’t taken that hand, would the result have been different?

• • Whoosh!

Two years later, a fire broke out at the orphanage.

There was no explosion sound like before, but sharp screams and hot red light spread throughout the building.

The female teacher beside her grabbed her hand and evacuated outside. That day, there were only two survivors from that place.

• • Ye-rin…

The teacher held her hands and sobbed. She placed her hand on the teacher’s trembling shoulders. She didn’t remember what her expression was like then.

After that day, she came to live with the teacher. It was a peaceful life, more than she deserved.

But as always, disaster struck suddenly.

• • Rumble!

It was a night when lightning struck from the sky, sometime when she was 16.

Now known as the ‘Gate Collapse of 2040’, Korea’s day of calamity. The teacher and she were running from the demons that were attacking.

But there was a significant difference between ordinary people and demons, and the teacher was eventually caught by a demon.

The teacher let go of her hand. Or perhaps she was the one who let go.

What she remembered now was the teacher’s fading expression as she grew distant.

• • Don’t look back.

Strictly speaking, she hadn’t directly affected any of them.

The gas explosion was caused by a cigarette butt, the orphanage fire occurred due to careless handling of flammable liquids, and the teacher’s death was because of the Gate collapse.

But she was there, and it was an undeniable fact that those people had held her hand.

• • Eek! Don’t touch her!

• • It’s the witch’s hand!

Somehow it spread, and when she entered high school, people called her that.

So she wore leather gloves on her hands and avoided contact with others.

She thought it was from then on. That she wanted to become an alchemist who could save someone’s life with these hands.

But even that wasn’t smooth sailing. There was no one to help, and she lacked money to buy materials.

It was when she was feeling overwhelming despair as usual that a beam of light fell from the sky.

• • Jeong Ye-rin, become my alchemist.

Once again, someone extended a helping hand to her.

That hand held a beam of light so bright it was dazzling. That’s why she hesitated even more.

If she took that hand… wouldn’t he meet the same fate as the others?

But it was too alluring to refuse. So she took his hand, and harbored an equal amount of anxiety.

As always, she was anxious that he too might disappear in an instant.

‘Because I’m a cursed human.’

So perhaps it wouldn’t be so bad for her to fall into this darkness forever. If she died, her curse would naturally be broken.

Being selfish was enough until now. Thanks to that, she had achieved her dream of becoming an alchemist and tasted what happiness was.

It was a memory far too sweet for someone like her. So she thought it best to stop here and give his life back to him.

Otherwise, someday he too…

“You sleep so well.”

Then, a familiar and clear voice was heard.

“Wake up now, Jeong Ye-rin.”

With a refreshing sound as if something had burst, the liquid enveloping her body flowed away. Suddenly freed, she slowly raised her body and opened her eyes.

Even in the blurry vision, a noble figure stood out.

“…Mr. Seo-jun?”

“Your body has become dirty.”

As Lee Seo-jun snapped his fingers, the sticky liquid clinging to Jeong Ye-rin’s face and clothes disappeared.

While she was gaping at the incomprehensible sight, Lee Seo-jun looked around and spoke calmly.

“Now get up. The situation doesn’t seem very leisurely.”

I bit my lip hard and lowered my head.

“I can’t.”

“…What?”

“I can’t stay by your side anymore, Mr. Seo-jun. I’m… a cursed human…”

She was afraid that his brilliance might disappear someday. So she thought it would be better if she disappeared instead. He was a valuable human, unlike her.

Lee Seo-jun’s gaze lingered for a moment, then he sighed softly and walked towards her.

“If it were someone else acting like you are now, I would have abandoned them or forcibly taken them. But I won’t do that to you. You’re necessary to me.”

Lee Seo-jun approached, treading on the sticky liquid, knelt on one knee, and looked at Jeong Ye-rin.

Then he took one of her hands and carefully removed the leather glove. A fragile and ominous hand was revealed.

Lee Seo-jun grabbed that wrist and placed it against his heart. It was the first time Jeong Ye-rin felt someone else’s heartbeat. It was a serenity that seemed to erase all distracting thoughts.

But that moment of being lost in the soft pulsation was brief.

“Ah…!”

Realizing that my bare hand was in contact with him, I quickly tried to pull it away. But he gripped my wrist so tightly it hurt, not budging at all.

“Let, let go…!”

Ignoring the rejection, Lee Seo-jun spoke slowly.

“I know what memories are making you act this way. Surely, all those who came into contact with this hand of yours died for some reason.”

“How, how do you know that….”

“But that’s not your fault. Human lives aren’t controlled merely by someone’s thoughts. Do you know what they call a human who falls into such self-loathing?”

“……”

“They call it arrogance. To dare try to kill me with your mere thoughts, Jeong Ye-rin, you truly are arrogant.”

His upright retina accurately reflected her image.

He was looking at her.

“In this world, only I can control the life and death of others. Whether to save someone or kill someone, it’s ultimately in my hands.”

“What, what does that mean….”

“And I will save you. So get up now.”

As Lee Seo-jun’s grip loosened, Jeong Ye-rin’s wrist was freed. She slowly withdrew the hand that had been placed on his heart.

Yes, maybe their deaths were truly just simple coincidences. In reality, the idea of someone dying just from contact was nonsense.

But… what if all of that wasn’t coincidence? What if it was necessity disguised as coincidence?

Such thoughts held her body back, making it difficult to move. Trauma remained like a scar, uneasable.

“What’s this, why is the fruit of knowledge…?”

“Could it be that bug-like creature did this? How did it get in here?”

“Or has a prisoner escaped? Where is Duke Berche who was here?”

Suddenly, as bizarre languages were heard, numerous demons rushed into this place.

Seeing the swarm of demons, Lee Seo-jun furrowed his brow.

“…So these insignificant things have appeared after all.”

“Ah, no….”

Jeong Ye-rin turned to look at Lee Seo-jun with a bewildered gaze.

“Mr. Seo-jun, run away! Because of me…!”

Jeong Ye-rin already knew that Lee Seo-jun was strong. Even though she had never directly witnessed a battle, his accumulated achievements were proof of his prowess.

But there were far too many demons. Surely it would be impossible for him to face all those creatures filling the cave alone.

“…You’re telling me to run away?”

Lee Seo-jun chuckled incredulously as he looked at Jeong Ye-rin showing her bewilderment.

Then, placing his large hand on top of her head, he continued speaking.

“You really don’t know much about me, do you? Do you think I would die to mere creatures like those?”

“But, but there are so many of them…!”

“…Jeong Ye-rin, you’re still arrogant.”

Lee Seo-jun stood up, using her head as support.

“Well, I’ll prove it to you now.”

Lee Seo-jun boldly met the gaze of the pouring demons.

“That my power is far superior to your arrogance.”

===

**

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Boom!

At the explosive sound that seemed to tear through the air, Jeong Ye-rin squeezed her eyes shut and clutched her head.

Though there wasn’t the acrid smoke like during the gas explosion incident stinging her nostrils, she heard a deafening roar even louder than back then.

With trembling hands, she covered both ears.

Whoosh!

As a wave of searing heat swept by, someone’s sharp scream echoed.

The trauma vividly replayed in her mind. But unlike then, no one grabbed her hand to help her escape.

I was still trapped inside that burning building.

Rumble!

Intense thunder reverberated inside the cave. Instead of rain pouring from the sky, tears flowed from her tightly shut eyes.

On a night when blue lightning pierced through the heavy downpour, I was still running away from there.

“Aaargh!!”

At the screams seeping through the gaps between her fingers, she covered her ears even more tightly.

These were all memories she wanted to turn away from. Memories of those who helped her dying, while she alone survived.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

She was afraid of hearing Lee Seo-jun’s scream amidst that noise. She was afraid that even memories of him would become trauma.

She wanted her memories with him to remain only as beautiful recollections.

“……”

The next moment, a silence so eerie it was frightening descended.

Neither the explosive roars, nor the scorching heat that seemed to burn flesh, nor the deafening lightning.

Not a single sound could be heard.

Step— Step—

Only formal footsteps could be heard.

“Jeong Ye-rin.”

A voice too clear to be an auditory hallucination pierced her ears. But she was afraid to open her eyes and face reality.

Afraid that someone might be carried away in the acrid smoke. Afraid that the building might be collapsing amidst the intense flames. Afraid of seeing someone’s fading expression.

“Open your eyes and look up at me.”

The same gentle yet commanding tone as always. Only then did Jeong Ye-rin slowly open her eyes.

She saw her own knees, pitifully slumped on the ground.

She slowly raised her trembling head.

“Ah….”

A cloak fluttering in the cave’s breeze. A uniform still immaculate even after battle.

The same noble appearance as usual, but the blood staining one cheek created a sense of dissonance.

Perhaps, a side of him she had never seen before.

Lee Seo-jun lightly wiped away the demon’s blood with his palm. But it didn’t completely disappear.

Nevertheless.

“Did I truly die?”

Lee Seo-jun still resembled the miracle she had once seen.

(To be continued in the next part)