Chapter 14: There is no place.

Chapter 13 – Favor Without Compensation.

I had suddenly started crying, so they might have been curious about the reason, but perhaps out of consideration for me, they didn’t press the issue.

They were talking about various things beside me as usual, but for some reason, they seemed to be watching me and hiding something.

“…So, Eun-wol, is hospital life perhaps uncomfortable for you?”

“No, it’s not uncomfortable. On the contrary, this is the first time I’ve been in such a spacious and comfortable place.”

In my previous life, when I was young, I hid in a narrow warehouse to naturally avoid drawing attention due to my parents’ abuse.

And even when I escaped from home and lived alone, ‘home’ was just a place to sleep or play games, so I lived in small, cheap rented rooms.

But this place now was quite spacious for just me, and it was so well-furnished, from the bed to the furniture, that it was hard to call it just a hospital room.

However, for some reason, her expression darkened at my words.

“Really? Th-that’s a relief. But you’ve been in the hospital until now, and you might be leaving soon.”

“I see.”

“So, I was thinking, how about this proposal?”

“A proposal?”

“Would you like to come live with me?”

“…Huh?”

I hadn’t expected her proposal at all, so when I asked back, slightly surprised, Ms. Ha-yeon explained with a wry smile.

“Normally, when you’re discharged, you’d go to a facility.”

“A facility?”

“Of course, it’s not that facilities are bad! There are kind people and good friends there.”

“…”

I didn’t know why Ms. Ha-yeon was making such a proposal to me, but honestly, it wasn’t a bad offer for me.

While talking with her, I learned that she was a Hunter from the Association, which was said to be the most important organization in the Hunter world.

Moreover, as the granddaughter of the Association Head, she had been renting this hospital room for me for over a month, so she could be called born with a silver spoon.

What could be her reason for making such an offer to me?

No, without even needing to ponder the reason, I had already figured it out.

I knew very well that others wouldn’t extend favors without any compensation.

“I see, I understand.”

“You understand?”

“Don’t worry. I’m well aware that I’ve received a favor. If you want my abilities, please use them as much as you wish.”

“…Huh?”

I don’t know the details, but I know that the newbies I helped before… was it the Crow Guild? They gained a significant advantage thanks to my abilities.

In other words, my abilities are quite useful in this world.

Of course, I myself had great pride in my abilities, so if she wanted to use me, I was willing to help.

This isn’t a game.

If you get hurt, it hurts, and you can’t move properly.

But with my abilities, I can discard such penalties, so my abilities hold significant value in this world, making it natural for the Association to want to bring me under their wing.

‘And she’s a silver spoon with a lot of money?’

It might be a bit materialistic, but in this world, money is an essential factor for living comfortably and happily.

“Just give the command, Master. I will protect you even if it means using all my HP.”

A tank is originally meant to be the first among teammates to die.

A wound on the back… no, a teammate’s wound is a tank’s disgrace.

I spoke to Ms. Ha-yeon as if boasting how strong my resolve was, but her expression only grew darker.

“…?”

As I hesitated, wondering if I had made some mistake in my words, Ms. Ha-yeon spoke seriously.

“Eun-wol. I’m not your master.”

“…”

‘I said “Master,” but I didn’t mean I’d truly serve her as my master; it was just a figure of speech, wasn’t it?’

“I have no intention of using you as a s*ave or tormenting you. Even if your abilities disappear, I won’t change my offer.”

“…Huh?”

“I just want to be with you.”

“…”

I knew Ms. Ha-yeon was a kind person, but her words about offering a favor without compensation were completely untrustworthy.

Her words and actions truly felt warm, but precisely because of that, I couldn’t believe them even more.

Because everyone who had spoken words seemingly for my benefit had turned out to be lying.

Of course, her words didn’t seem like lies, but ultimately, she was from the Association.

There’s no way an organization connected to the government wouldn’t use my abilities.

In the end, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that demanding compensation was a predetermined fate.

So, I wished she wouldn’t tempt me with talk of favors without compensation from the start, so I wouldn’t harbor strange expectations.

“I know there’s no such thing as a favor without compensation in this world.”

“…!”

“So, if you just tell me from the beginning, I’ll quietly comply.”

“…”

“Because that’s how it should be.”

Seeing Ms. Ha-yeon unable to respond to my words, I thought she couldn’t refute me, but then I suddenly looked at her expression and saw that she was merely looking at me with pity.

“You know, Eun-wol, I don’t really know what kind of life you’ve lived or what experiences you’ve had.”

“…”

“But could you please trust me just this once?”

“Trust you?”

“Of course, it’s natural not to trust me when we’ve only just met. You might even think it’s hypocrisy.”

“…”

“Actually, I made a huge mistake a long time ago.”

“A mistake?”

“Because of my selfish choices and judgments, and most of all, my blind sense of justice, I caused my parents’ deaths.”

“…!”

“It was truly foolish. I was so caught up in the yearning to be like the heroes I’d seen in old comics that I couldn’t even protect my family, let alone uphold justice.”

“You yearned for a hero?”

“Yes, I was immature. I acted thinking it was justice, but looking back now, it was just selfish self-satisfaction.”

“…”

“After that, I resolved never to repeat the same mistake. But… I failed again. I couldn’t save you quickly with my judgment.”

“Me?”

“I watched those Crow Guild guys use you to clear the gate. If I have to make an excuse, at the time, I was watching because I thought you were an artifact. If I had saved you quickly then, you wouldn’t have suffered…”

“No, that was my role. It wasn’t painful, and it was natural…”

“It’s not natural!! It’s absolutely not natural! No, it shouldn’t be natural!”

“!!!”

“Your ‘natural’ is wrong, Eun-wol.”

“…”

“I’m sorry, for suddenly raising my voice, I…”

*Grind—*

As I listened quietly, I unconsciously gritted my teeth.

Ms. Ha-yeon had been repeatedly saying it wasn’t natural, and it felt like my entire life was being denied.

My life had always been natural.

If only I endured…

If only I suffered…

If only I bore the pain…

Everything seemed to fall into place, like gears turning.

Whether at home or at work, everywhere.

But it’s not natural?

Then what does that make me, who has lived naturally until now?

“It’s not natural?”

“Yes, it’s not natural…”

“It can’t be like that. It can’t be unnatural.”

“…What?”

“If it’s unnatural, then my entire life is denied. I can’t accept it. No, I mustn’t accept it. Everyone said it was right. They said it was natural. But if you say it’s not natural now, then what becomes of all my effort, time, and the blood and sweat I shed walking through that hell until now?”

“Eun…wol…”

“Ms. Ha-yeon, you are kind. The kindest person I’ve met so far. But you don’t know my life. So, I’m truly sorry, but please don’t deny it. You have no right to deny it.”

“…”

At my words, Ms. Ha-yeon looked into my eyes, clenched her fist, and spoke.

“You mean it’s natural?”

“Yes, that’s right. Because that’s how it has to be.”

“There’s no such thing as a favor without compensation, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then why…”

“…?”

“Why is your sacrifice and suffering without compensation? Why is your favor without compensation natural? Didn’t you say there’s no such thing as a favor without compensation?”

“…Huh?”

“If saving a child who was about to have an accident is natural, then expecting compensation is also natural, isn’t it? But you didn’t do that.”

“…”

“Something is contradictory, isn’t it?”

At those words, I felt as if something had hit me hard in the head.

I tried to deny it, but no grounds for denial came to mind, so I could only gape.

“I… I…”

“Eun-wol, I want to show you a normal everyday life. I want to see your smile as you feel small joys.”

“…”

“It might be pity, but just as you saved that child…”

Ms. Ha-yeon gently embraced me and continued speaking.

“Because that’s a natural thing to do. I’m just acting naturally too.”

*That’s not true.*

The words ‘That’s not true’ rose to my throat, but the moment I was held in her embrace, I forgot what I was supposed to say.

I could have definitely denied it.

Her words were unbelievable.

But…

This warmth embracing me had, at some point, planted a seed called ‘trust’ in my heart.

“What exactly is… a normal life…”

“…”

“How does one obtain… small joys?”

“I’m sorry to say this irresponsibly, but I don’t really know either. However… I feel like we could find it together.”

“…”

“So, just this once… for my sake, won’t you give me a chance?”

Throughout my life until now, I had realized countless things.

Although most of them were being denied by the woman embracing me now, one thing was certain.

People… are truly underhanded.

Because they make it impossible to refuse like this.

****

At the same time.

A man examined the Association’s official signed document and spoke,

“Hmm, so the Association destroyed that artifact?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“Ha! As if that crafty Association would do that. It’s clearly a ploy to monopolize the artifact!”

“I also believe that’s highly probable. However, this time, they’re hiding the information quite meticulously.”

“It smells even more suspicious.”

The man pressed the cigarette he was holding between his lips onto a photo of the Association Head, Choi Tae-seok, and spoke.

“Find that artifact.”

“Understood.”