Chapter 425 - Epilogue

"...in."

"Da-in... wake up."

"Mmm..."

On a soft bed.

Hearing someone calling me, I let out a small groan as I woke from my sleep, then rubbed my bleary eyes and opened them.

Then I saw her before my eyes, smiling with blue eyes.

Feeling her flowing blonde hair tickling my face, I mumbled to her in a voice still heavy with sleep.

"...Ha-ru. Are you awake?"

"Yes. Get up quickly."

With those words, Ha-ru smiled and gave me a quick kiss.

Feeling her lips on mine, I smiled slightly, then got up and stretched.

"Ugggh... Okay. Let's get up."

Another day begins.

After sleeping together in the same bed, we washed up quickly, kissed once more, and left the room.

Going down the stairs toward the living room, I saw:

"Oh! Oppa, are you up?"

"Yes, Seo-eun. Did you sleep well?"

It was Seo-eun, sitting on the sofa flipping through channels with the remote, greeting me with a bright voice when she saw me.

With those words, she got up from her seat, came toward the stairs, and threw herself into my arms.

"Hehe... Oppa."

"Yes, yes."

As Seo-eun nuzzled her face against my chest, being unusually affectionate today, I stroked her head with a small smile.

...And behind me, Ha-ru was watching us with a slight smile by my side.

"Hihi. Did you sleep well too, Ha-ru unni?"

"Yes, I slept well."

After that, as Ha-ru and Seo-eun headed to the living room chatting, I stayed behind for a moment and looked toward the living room.

...Next to it, in the kitchen area, I could see three people gathered together wearing aprons, doing something.

"No, Celeste. That's not how you cut it. Here, look."

"Hmm... this is difficult. Can't I just use my ability?"

"Of course not. You need to learn how to do it by hand to put your heart into it. Look, Halo is doing well. Try to do it like her."

"...I'm embarrassed by the praise."

Su-bin, Celeste, and Halo.

The three women gathered closely, seemingly cooking together.

While I was watching them.

...Perhaps sensing my gaze, Su-bin paused from cutting vegetables, turned her head to look at me, and greeted me with a bright smile.

"Ah, Da-in! You're up?"

At her greeting, the others also turned their heads and smiled at me in greeting.

"Oh. Egostic, you're awake?"

"...Master, you're up."

"Haha, yes. Did everyone sleep well?"

After I greeted them and asked what they were doing.

Su-bin smiled warmly, holding a kitchen knife, and said:

"We're just teaching Celeste how to cook since she wanted to learn. Halo and I are teaching her."

"Hmph. That's right. Egostic, look forward to it. I'll prepare breakfast for you today."

"...Haha. I'm looking forward to it. Is there anything I can help with?"

"No. There are already enough people in the kitchen, so please rest over there."

"Understood."

Smiling at her words, I headed toward the sofa where Seo-eun and Ha-ru were sitting.

As I went there, Seo-eun patted the spot next to her on the sofa, pointing at the TV on the wall.

"Oppa! Look at this. They're talking about you right now."

At her words, I plopped down on the sofa.

Leaning back, I looked at the news playing on the TV screen.

[Next news. It's been several weeks since Egostic, the leader of Ego-stream and world-renowned hero, was resurrected in the middle of Seoul...]

With those words, the screen showed footage of my resurrection from that time.

[BOOOOOOM-]

In the middle of downtown Seoul.

A bright yellow pillar of light appeared there, along with a tremendous sound as something fell from the sky.

...That was how I was resurrected in this world.

Like when the Sun God sent down Halo, I descended gloriously by Stardust's side.

Naturally, since I returned causing such a commotion, it was inevitable that the scene was captured on camera and spread worldwide.

...As a result.

For a while after my return, broadcasts covered nothing but the news of Egostic's resurrection.

Especially in Korea, where people reportedly broke down crying with joy. It was both touching and bewildering...

Anyway, after my resurrection, I announced that I would be staying at this mansion for rest and stability, and I've been living in this large mansion where I always stayed.

...And of course, my companions were with me.

Everyone cried so much the day I returned. So much that I felt terrible.

...If there was any good news, it was that they had all become close while I was gone.

"...!!"

Anyway, while I was watching Ha-ru, who was focused on my appearance on TV with a pleased smile, I found myself smiling too.

BOOM- CRASH-

Hearing the sudden loud noises coming from outside under the blue sky, I naturally asked Seo-eun:

"Seo-eun. Are they still at it?"

"Yes. Don't even mention it. They're making such a fuss about getting the most out of their abilities before they completely disappear..."

Shaking her head as she spoke, I chuckled at Seo-eun's words and thought.

After the Sun God fell.

...As shown in the original story, the supernatural abilities of powered individuals began to gradually fade. Given enough time, even the strongest ability users would all become powerless.

And as a result.

...Determined to enjoy these abilities to the fullest before they completely disappeared, Choi Se-hee and Seo Ja-young went out every morning to fight each other.

Ha-yul and Ariel, who got dragged along with them every time, were just extras.

"...Anyway, Eun-wol went to tell them to come back for breakfast, so they should be back soon."

At Seo-eun's words that followed.

I stuck my head out the window to see if they were coming back.

...Indeed, since there hadn't been any more loud noises after the earlier boom, were they about to return?

Well, I couldn't see anything except the clear blue sky, so they must be coming back soon.

Oh, of course, I could see people in front of the mansion's garden.

"Hmm...."

Lying on a sun bed in front of the garden, reading a book in the strange combination of white clothes and sunglasses was Ms. Shin-ryeong.

[Ho ho hum~ Haha! I've missed this.]

Uncle Desik, humming while tending to the garden with large scissors.

...By the way, when I heard from Stardust that she had seen Uncle Desik with his wife in the afterlife, I immediately summoned Uncle Desik again and asked if he was okay...

[Haha! Of course. Originally, when I'm inside the ring, I'm in the afterlife. And seeing each other occasionally makes it more affectionate! Hahaha!]

...was his answer.

What a consistent old man.

While I was thinking about that.

On the TV, peaceful everyday stories were passing by my ears.

[Breaking news. The National Assembly has passed the 'Limited Polygamy Permission Law for National Merit Recipients,' the first of its kind in Korea. This law, also known as the polygamy law...]

...Wait a minute. I think I heard something strange.

Raising my head in disbelief, I was dumbfounded to see Lee Seol-ah smiling triumphantly inside the National Assembly on the TV screen.

What? Why are you there...?

Just as I was about to look at the news again.

Right then, there was a commotion from the entrance, and soon the people who had gone out came into the living room with towels around their necks.

"Phew... all cleaned up. Oh, Da-in's up?"

"What's this so early in the morning... yawn. Oh. Hi, Da-in."

"Da-in oppa, you're awake?"

Choi Se-hee and Seo Ja-young, who seemed to have washed up, along with Eun-wol and Ha-yul who came with them.

Just as I was greeting them, Su-bin's loud voice came from the living room.

"Everyone come here for breakfast now~."

"Okay~"

"Got it, unni."

As they all headed to the kitchen in small groups.

I sat on the sofa watching them with a pleased expression, then turned my head again to look outside the window.

It took a long time.

Finally, the original story ended, and the world moved beyond it.

Although many cities were destroyed and people were lost... unlike before, I finally succeeded in saving the world.

Of course, problems still remained.

Although the abilities of powered individuals were weakening, the remaining powers, the anxiety about potential terrorist attacks by remaining villains, the reorganization of society after supernatural abilities completely disappear, and how long the alliance between heroes and villains could last... there were many concerns left.

Strangely though, I wasn't too worried about them.

Why was that?

"Da-in."

As I was thinking about this.

I suddenly turned my head at the voice calling me from beside me.

"...Let's go."

There.

Standing up, with her golden hair shimmering in the sunlight, Ha-ru was smiling at me and reaching out her hand.

And looking at her.

"Alright."

With a small smile, I took her hand and stood up.

Where was I?

...Right. Somehow, I wasn't too worried about the future anymore.

Partly because the major problems were all over.

Perhaps it's because I know that as long as we're all together, this happiness can continue.

"Let's go, Ha-ru."

I said to her with a smile.

As I walked toward where everyone was gathered, I quietly thought.

Somehow.

I had a feeling that this peace would continue from now on.

-I Became the Villain Obsessed Over by the Hero. The End.