Ch.131Side Story 1. Political Marriage

The wind blows. Swirling sand penetrates every pore, engulfing the massive pyramid.

Two men stand facing each other in this extreme land where one can barely open their eyes.

Mortal enemies.

A hero and a villain.

“You’ve grown stronger, Number Two of Power. But you shouldn’t have come here.”

“Lord Jade, I have been forsaken by death. I will not let my comrades’ deaths be in vain.”

The hero leaps up and delivers a final kick with his battered body. The villain likewise gathers energy and collides with him.

It’s a pure battle of spirit against spirit—no flashy technique names, no complex gimmick items, no sparkling effects.

A deafening explosion erupts.

The screen flashes, and everything becomes indistinguishable.

“Mister, the TV is broken.”

At the girl’s complaint, Kang Wan, sitting on the sofa, shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s not broken. This is where it ends. The technology back then couldn’t capture the entire battle between the two strongest villains and heroes in history.”

“Dad, what’s a film?”

“Well, it’s like those old CDs we used to have.”

“What’s a CD?”

“Oh, come on.”

Sitting on the sofa with girls on either side watching the video, Kang Wan painfully felt the generation gap.

“Anyway, that’s what villains and heroes were like back then. They’re from when Dad was little, so even I don’t know much about them.”

“There are things you don’t know, Dad?”

“Of course. The Lord knows everything, though.”

“Is that Lord stronger than you, mister?”

“Yeah.”

“Have you fought him?”

“Got my butt kicked.”

The girl looked at Kang Wan with fascination. Since becoming his adopted daughter, she had never seen Kang Wan lose to anyone.

“Then if that old villain Lord Jade fought against the Lord now, who would win?”

At the girl’s question, Kang Wan furrowed his brow in thought.

“The Lord would win. Villain fighting techniques have evolved quite a bit since then.”

Kang Wan turned off the TV and picked up the girls with his large arms.

“Now let’s go to bed, princesses.”

“I’m not sleepy yet.”

“I want to play more too.”

“If you go to sleep, Dad can play with Mom.”

The two girls, still in his arms, patted Kang Wan’s back, but he mercilessly carried them to the bedroom, laid them on the bed, and tucked them in.

***

“I can’t accept this.”

In the Sentai’s private meeting room at the hideout, Lu-a spat out in a low voice with a grim expression.

Lena and Somi remained calm. Only Boksil was obliviously licking her soup bowl clean, unaware of the atmosphere.

“It’s been decided, regardless of whether you accept it or not.”

“Who decided that?”

“Lu-a dear, you’ve never managed a company, so you wouldn’t understand, but when organizations reach the scale of Vengeance and L Corporation, it’s not just about money anymore.”

Lena pushed some documents toward Lu-a. Lu-a read the papers intently but seemed to only recognize that they contained words.

“Ui-seok’s and my decisions affect the finances, lives, relationships, and even the fates of billions of people worldwide. That’s how frightening money is. Or more precisely, the power of those who control its flow. Everything starts from interest rates…”

“Ah, enough. So why did we reach this conclusion? Somi, do you accept this?”

Lu-a expected a supportive answer, but Somi sighed without giving an immediate response.

“I can’t. If we’re being honest, I should have this right first.”

“Right?”

“But according to the report, it’s an urgent matter.”

“Why is that?!”

“Heroes have grown in scale and are challenging us more intelligently. As you know, Vengeance has served as an international organization for a long time. Until now, no one could stand against us because we were the strongest.”

“We still are.”

“We’re no longer in a position where we can simply subdue heroes when they attack us. We need to maintain the balance as Ui-seok intended.”

“What does that have to do with anything?”

“We’ve been self-funding until now. Simply put, we’ve been pursuing profit. But we’re not a corporation—we’re a villain organization. Some emerging hero associations have exploited this loophole and filed international lawsuits.”

“So, Vengeance’s funding will be cut off if we continue like this?”

“Boksil can’t eat?!”

Boksil, who had been treating this as someone else’s problem, finally realized the gravity of the situation and jumped onto the table.

“So this is the solution. L Corporation is a public company, so there’s no issue. We’ll integrate Vengeance, privatize it, and place it above the law. What’s the best way for two massive organizations to establish solid trust?”

Lena calmly explained in one word.

“A strategic marriage between their representatives.”

Lu-a collapsed onto the table, stretching her arms out as if she’d been fatally shot.

“Geo, isn’t there another way?”

She checked Lena’s reaction. As expected, Lena was glaring at me.

Hmm.

Lena had brought this matter to me just yesterday. It was news to me as well.

“It’s a wise solution.”

That was my answer. Somi’s gaze was quite piercing too.

“I have a good idea.”

Lu-a sat up abruptly.

“Since it’s come to this, let’s all four get married together. I might be young compared to Somi and Lena—”

At the mention of age, Somi and Lena lightly pinched Lu-a’s arms.

“I’d marry Geo eventually anyway, right? So I’m fine with it.”

“That won’t work.”

“Why not?!”

Snap—Lena opened her fan.

“Lu-a dear, we’ve indulged your childishness enough. This isn’t about our feelings; it’s about Vengeance and Ui-seok. Would you throw fuel on the imagination of those vulgar people at an event symbolizing the union of Vengeance and L Corporation?”

Lena’s firm tone left Lu-a speechless. Somi calmly spoke up.

“Rationally, I understand. But Lena, let me confirm one thing. This marriage is a contract between Gerogius, the leader of Vengeance, and Yoo Cha-mi, the representative of L Corporation, correct?”

Lena’s pupils trembled slightly as she met Somi’s intense gaze.

“Of course.”

“I was the first to love Ui-seok in this world, and the first to be loved by him.”

“…I know that well.”

There was a brief tension in the air. It didn’t last long. Somi smiled.

“Let’s get married too. But one at a time. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime special experience, so it’s better to have time just for the two of us.”

Somi turned to look at me.

“So, Ui-seok, please treat us sincerely.”

“Of course,” I answered confidently.

***

The preparations for my marriage to Yoo Cha-mi progressed quickly.

The paperwork was completed immediately. The integration of Vengeance and L Corporation, facilitated by Wall Street law firms, also began right away.

The ceremony itself was planned as a grand show to be broadcast worldwide. It was essentially a massive event announcing another transformation of Vengeance.

The wedding was decided to take place in a rented stadium in England. Not needing to find a marital home meant less stress about wedding preparations, which was a good thing.

Still, I was quite nervous.

Marriage, huh.

I knew I would do it someday. I was definitely planning to take responsibility for Somi, Lu-a, and Lena for life. Oh, and I need to raise Boksil too.

Still, the weight of being bound by society’s norms and words feels significantly different, even for me, the Lord of Evil.

But I thought Somi would be first in line.

The time has come. We’ve finished practice and rehearsal. Everything is perfectly set up.

An opening performance more spectacular than any World Cup ceremony unfolds.

I have no time to watch from backstage. Judging by the music and cheers, the response seems good.

My turn arrives. I follow the staff’s guidance to enter. Dazzling lights shine on me, and the audience filling the stadium cheers.

They’re all villains from Vengeance. I see familiar faces.

I walk down the aisle to wait for the bride. The music changes, and she enters, walking slowly like a light feather.

A pure white wedding dress, elegant yet not heavy. Her modest appearance, not emphasizing femininity, embodies pure innocence.

The bride stands before me. Face to face, we exchange our vows.

It’s truly brief.

I look into her eyes.

Eyes I know well.

Eyes I’ve gazed into countless times, eyes I love.

We share the vow-sealing kiss.

Simultaneously, the audience’s cheers nearly deafen me.

The lights brighten, the music swells, and all my senses are numbed by the voices broadcasting our moment.

But even amid all that, I could clearly hear.

Her bud-like lips moved slightly, giving me not an order but a hope:

“Let’s be happy.”

Well, of course, I knew it was Lena from the beginning.

Lena wanted to marry me first as herself, not as Yoo Cha-mi, even if it meant being discovered and resented by Somi or Lu-a.

She wanted to have me exclusively.

How villainous of her to ruthlessly deceive others, use people, and spare no expense or effort for her desires.

That makes her all the more lovable.

We walked out arm in arm.

We plan to leave for our honeymoon right away.

***

The far side of the moon has long been the subject of many urban legends.

The reason is simple: the moon’s rotation period equals its orbital period, making it impossible to observe the far side.

To conclude, there were no monsters or evil organizations hidden on the far side of the moon.

That villain boldly stood on the near side of the moon, merely making everyone believe he had been “vanquished.”

A pyramid rose from the lunar surface. A sealed door opened, and a man walked out confidently.

A helmet with horns, a rugged suit. The typical attire of a villain.

“You’ve always been sloppy with your finishes, Number Two of Power.”

He raised his head and gazed at Earth. “Hooh!” With a battle cry, the villain unleashed energy and immediately headed toward Earth.