Chapter 428 - Side Story: Lily Of The Valley (2)

After sending Seo-eun to school, I let out a deep sigh.

"Phew..."

I sat at a table by the window where sunlight was streaming in and took a sip of tea.

Outside the window, a yard covered with green grass stretched out, with butterflies fluttering beyond it.

"How peaceful..."

It was undeniably a calm, peaceful atmosphere of a warm afternoon.

So peaceful that one could forget this world was originally destined for destruction in a dystopian future.

"...Well. A lot has happened anyway."

I muttered as I set down my teacup.

The Supernatural Ability Loss Incident.

After that event where everyone's powers disappeared, the world rapidly became peaceful.

Although people didn't know that the reason for this mass power loss was due to the Sun God's death... nevertheless, people adapted surprisingly quickly to this sudden change.

And I...

Suddenly lost my purpose in life.

'Well... it's not like I hate it completely.'

I don't hate it, at least. It's certainly better to live comfortably like this than struggling day to day in a dystopian world, right? Thanks to my foreknowledge, I'd earned more money than I could have ever imagined in my original world.

Still, I couldn't help feeling a bit cheated that everything I had planned until now had gone up in smoke...

'Sigh... after the cruise ship terror attack, I had train and airplane attacks all planned out...'

And that wasn't all. The "Ego-squad" plan to recruit various villains, the "Kathedal" plan to join the global villain alliance as a spy, and even the Stardust development plan. I had mapped out nearly ten years' worth of plans. I had decided to live for Stardust, but now it all seemed pointless. Stardust no longer needed someone like me...

Of course, I was just joking about the above.

After all the villains lost their powers, the biggest question that came to my mind was this:

Why was I reincarnated into this world in the first place?

I really couldn't find an answer to this.

If the world was going to normalize in this way even without my presence, why did I have to leave behind my parents, my friends, everyone, to come to this world alone?

Only the Star God would know the reason... but there's no point in resenting our god who dropped me here and vanished alone.

As I was thinking about this, my gaze happened to fall on a picture frame sitting on the desk.

In the photo, Seo-eun stood next to me in her school uniform on high school entrance ceremony day, wearing a sullen expression.

That's right. At least.

"...At least I'm not alone anymore."

I smiled slightly, unconsciously recalling what happened that day.

***

That day. The shocking day when all heroes and villains lost their powers.

Beep beep beep beep

".....Ha."

After watching the news all day with a chaotic mind.

Time had passed, and night had fallen.

In a small room.

"..."

I sat alone by the bed, having given up on everything, contemplating with a hardened face why I had come to this world.

And then, with a knock, the door opened and someone approached me cautiously.

"Um... o-oppa."

"...Ah, Seo-eun. Yes, what is it?"

"Well... um... I..."

Seo-eun approached me as I sat with a serious expression, fidgeting nervously.

Already troubled by various things, I just looked at her with a questioning face.

Finally.

After taking a deep breath, Seo-eun seemed to make up her mind and asked me:

"Um... what's going to happen to us now?"

"...What do you mean?"

To her question, I just responded blankly.

I had too much on my mind to seriously consider what Seo-eun was saying.

At my response, she flinched slightly.

Then she opened her mouth again and carefully said:

"I mean... you told me before. That you'd help me deal with Stardust, and in return, I'd help you take down the Han Group... but now that things have turned out this way, what happens to us..."

As I listened to Seo-eun rambling nervously.

I finally came to my senses and could properly look at her.

And then, I could finally see it.

Seo-eun standing before me with her head bowed, clutching the sleeves of her hoodie with an anxious expression.

Glancing at me nervously with trembling eyes, afraid of being abandoned again.

That's right. I had told her when we first met.

To her, who was bristling like a young hedgehog, I proposed a contract. That we would cooperate—I would help her, and she would help me.

After years of investment, I had finally managed to enter Seo-eun's heart.

She, who was wary of everyone, had opened her heart only to me.

That's why Seo-eun was anxious now.

Now that all villains had lost their powers... she feared I might just leave her because I no longer needed her.

After opening her heart, she was afraid of being abandoned again.

And.

At that moment, I realized.

Yes.

Even though the world had changed strangely, and I didn't know what to do anymore.

I still had a life I was responsible for.

So I.

"...Right. I don't know about anything else."

I reached out to pat her head, and with a slight smile, I said:

"For now, if you're okay with it, I'd like to keep living together. Is that alright?"

"Really? Do you mean it?"

"Yes."

At my words, Seo-eun's face lit up with undisguised delight.

As I stroked her head, I continued:

"Although most villains have lost their powers... there are still those using singularity technology."

"And, aren't we kind of like family now? Or was that just me?"

I said that partly as a joke to lighten the mood.

I expected Seo-eun to blush and say something like, 'N-no! What are you saying, really...'

As I waited for her reaction with such expectations.

But contrary to my expectations, Seo-eun.

Just bowed her head, with reddened ears.

"Yes..."

She simply answered softly.

"..."

That's right.

There's still a child who needs my protection.

Someone who needs me.

Someone I'm responsible for.

So, this life where I've lost my purpose.

Let's try living it for this child.

Therefore, the conclusion I reached was this:

"Seo-eun. Let's go to school."

"What did you say..?"

***

Back to the present.

"...Time has passed so quickly."

After briefly gazing outside lost in thought, I put down my teacup and got up from my seat.

It's almost time for Seo-eun to return from high school. I should prepare something.

Today she'll be finishing late and will probably be hungry...

"Alright. Let's make a simple omurice."

I thought as I stood in the kitchen.

Omurice is simple enough. Just stir-fry some vegetables with eggs and it's done.

As I was finishing preparations and cooking, that's when it happened.

Click.

"Oppa, I'm home~"

With those words.

Seo-eun, with her silver bob haircut and white school uniform, finally returned home.

"Oh, Seo-eun. You're back?"

And with those words.

Seo-eun walked briskly toward me.

"Oh oppa? Looks like it's omurice today?"

As she cutely grabbed my arm with both hands and spoke to me, I nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. You could tell right away?"

"Hmm. Of course. How many times have I eaten your cooking? But it's been a while, hasn't it? Wait, I'll wash up and help you!"

After saying that, she ran to the bathroom.

I smiled slightly as I watched her retreating figure.

'When I first met her, she was such a little kid...'

She's all grown up now.

It seems like just yesterday she was so small, but now she's only a head shorter than me...

Time really flies.

I thought as I turned on the gas stove.

And a little while later.

We sat across from each other at the table, picking up our utensils.

"Thank you for the meal~"

With those words, we began eating.

And as Seo-eun started eating the omurice, she smiled as she always did.

Seeing her like that, I smiled slightly and said:

"Is it good?"

"Heh. Have I ever said your food wasn't delicious? Hmph."

Despite her prim words, she didn't hide her smile or her quick spoonfuls.

One thing I learned living with Seo-eun:

Despite appearing prickly, she actually ate almost anything well. More precisely, she loved whatever food I made for her.

Every day she claimed with her own mouth that she preferred "normal" teenage food like chicken or tteokbokki from outside, but when I actually suggested eating those instead of home-cooked meals, she would become a bit sulky.

Because of that, I found cooking more enjoyable and became more enthusiastic about it. Over the past three years, with not much else to do, I practiced cooking and could proudly say I'd become quite skilled. Of course, with a lot of help from Seo-eun too.

"That was delicious. Oppa, I'll clean up."

"Okay. And change out of your uniform."

"Yes~"

With those words, Seo-eun hummed as she cleared the dishes.

I watched her and smiled.

She's become so bright. Compared to before.

Sending her to high school was the right decision after all.

'...Originally, since Seo-eun didn't particularly want to go, I wouldn't have forced her to attend school.'

But now that the world had become peaceful, I decided to send Seo-eun to school.

She needed to fix that distrust of people and experience various people to grow. How could she develop just staying at home with me, hacking all day?

'No, oppa! I hate to say this myself, but I'm a genius, okay? Why do I need to go somewhere to study Korean, English, and math when I already know it all?'

'Seo-eun. I'm sending you there to develop your social skills.'

'What.'

Although Seo-eun initially threw a fit about attending high school...

Now as a third-year, she had made friends and was doing well. Honestly, I was worried she wouldn't adapt, but thankfully she did.

Right. And being a third-year.

"Seo-eun. You're halfway through your senior year now. Are you studying for the college entrance exam?"

"Huh? Oppa, have you forgotten who I am? I can get perfect scores without studying at all. I got all perfect scores on the last practice test too."

"...Right."

Well, what am I worried about when it comes to our genius girl?

I chuckled as I watched Seo-eun standing with her hands on her hips, smiling confidently.

"Oppa. Actually, aren't you going to stream anymore? People in your fan cafe are clamoring about when you'll be back."

"...You're still running that?"

"Of course."

Saying that with a grin, Seo-eun showed me her smartphone screen.

There, a list of numerous posts:

*

[Where did the only hero of our time, Egostic, go?]

[I'm going crazy I'm going crazy I'm going crazy]

[I wait again today... for the day he returns... I count the days...]

[!!!This cafe is so nice because Egostic's broadcasts don't come up!!!]

[The fact is that Mangostick's fan cafe is getting healthier ㅇㅇ]

[Long post) Egostic needs to realize his position as a hope even overseas now...txt]

[Shocking/Horrifying/Bizarre: There are people refreshing YouTube every day?]

*

After reading just a few of them, I felt dizzy and looked away.

...There's a reason those people have become like that. Although the broadcast direction changed considerably from the originally planned terror broadcasts, anyway...

Looking at those people, I chuckled and said:

"Actually, I'm planning to start again soon."

I may have given up being a villain, but I never said I quit broadcasting.

That's right.

It's about time to start streaming again.

As I said that, I casually lifted a cup into the air with a flick of my hand.

Yes. Why hide it anymore?

In a world where all heroes and villains have lost their powers.

"Wow... It used to be nothing special, but nowadays it's amazing to see your psychokinesis, oppa."

"Right? Now I'm the only one who can use it."

In this world.

I alone became the only person who could use powers.

"No... there's Stardust besides you, oppa."

...Ah, including Stardust and a few others.