Ch.132Chapter 5. Do Ji-hwan’s Ambitious Project (9)

When an ability user becomes a demon, whose fault is it?

“That’s why they should have controlled their emotions better!”

When it comes to becoming a demon, many people say this.

Most non-ability users think this way and heavily criticize the person, asking how they could fall to become a demon.

“I mean, they could have at least become a villain instead. At least then there would be hope for rehabilitation.”

Though both commit evil acts, villains and demons are different.

Unlike villains who simply commit crimes and get red marks on their profiles as criminal records, demons don’t just get red marks—their bodies turn red.

Well, if we get specific about colors, they vary widely, but at least no one would call someone human when their skin turns purple or green and they bleed colors other than red.

Even if they look human on the outside, they’re no longer human.

Demons became what they are to fulfill their desires, to break and destroy something.

“Well, this person became a demon because their parents were murdered…”

“What? Becoming a demon because your parents died? Tsk, tsk! In my day…”

“……”

“Anyway, these young ones nowadays with their chuunibyou and going dark and whatnot, always losing control! Who grows up without pain?”

Whatever the reason might be, people consider becoming a demon the result of poor mental management.

Even if not outwardly, isn’t that what everyone thinks deep down?

Ability users are sensitive to what they see and hear in internet communities and anonymous spaces, unlike the sugar-coated words they hear in person.

Demons are trash.

Demons are beings that should be killed.

Without even considering why someone became a demon, people are quick to condemn those who have fallen.

Ymir wanted to help these demons, to return them to being human again.

“The more you reveal your abilities, the more the world will target you.”

Though she knew that revealing her identity could make life difficult, Ymir couldn’t ignore the demon crying out before her.

For this pitiful demon, Ymir decided to give her all.

“Aaaagh!”

The demon screamed and spread its wings.

Green magical energy formed into thorn-like spears and rushed toward Ymir, who swung her fan wide, creating a golden storm around her.

Whoosh!

A golden storm surged up from below, blocking the demon’s attack.

Everyone feared the attacks might ricochet or fly elsewhere causing collateral damage, but the golden storm pulled the thorn spears into its vortex and destroyed them.

[Calm down.]

“How can I calm down! I need to kill that trash! If not me, who will kill that thing!”

Though the demon was raging, she was thinking more deeply and rationally than anyone.

“Do you think the law can judge someone like him?! No! The law is on his side! Now that I’ve become a demon, I’m the bad one!!”

[That man will pay the price. So you…]

“At most he’ll just serve some jail time! No! That, that bastard…! Even though he knew I was pregnant…!”

[……]

Ymir couldn’t bring herself to attack right away.

“You, you’re a woman too, so you should understand! The man I love was cheating with another woman! And I’m carrying his child!!”

Perhaps this was the normal reaction.

Ymir thought about her own situation and felt that such a response might be the right one.

[I understand. You want to kill him. I feel that way sometimes too.]

Yes.

If she truly took that man away, and if his wife were an ability user, might she not become a demon like this?

[That’s normal. You’re not wrong. It’s all that man’s fault.]

Though she couldn’t confirm if the woman was an ability user, if she were to lose control, that possibility was high.

[But.]

This wasn’t about Ymir committing adultery with Do Ji-hwan.

[I can’t stand by and watch you get hurt because of a man like that.]

“The only way I can be saved is by killing that man!”

[If you want to kill him, then kill him.]

Ymir folded her fan.

[But do it as a human, not as a demon.]

“……!!”

Ymir planted her foot firmly and leaped.

In one bound, she jumped to where the demon had spread its wings, approaching to close range.

“Stay…away!!”

[To you.]

The demon swung its claws wrapped in magical energy.

Ymir almost entered the trajectory of the demon’s swinging claws, and those around gasped in shock.

[The sun’s salvation.]

Ymir leaped off the empty air.

As if there were an invisible platform in the air, defying inertia, she jumped sideways in mid-air to avoid the attack.

“What?!”

The demon’s attack sliced through empty air.

It didn’t even graze Ymir’s clothes, and she moved behind the demon’s back, placing her hand on its back.

[Es werde Licht.]

Let there be light.

Ymir radiated golden magical energy toward the demon’s spine.

“Kyaaaah!!”

The demon screamed in mid-air.

A sinister energy spread from the demon’s entire body, but it vanished like embers upon contact with Ymir’s golden magical energy.

“Ah, aah…!”

The demon’s skin gradually began to turn white.

The dark green magical energy forming the demon’s wings melted away like snow, and golden light like the sun enveloped the woman’s entire body.

“No, this can’t be… I need to kill him…”

[You want to kill him. I’m not asking you to forgive him.]

Ymir held the gradually unconscious demon from behind like a princess.

[Let’s just cool your head for a bit, shall we?]

“Ah….”

[Your ability…I’m sorry. This is unavoidable.]

She knows.

Ymir knows others are listening to her words.

[You’ll no longer be an ability user, but let’s think about this as humans.]

If she leaves like this, people will probably think the demon’s ability has vanished.

Though she’s secretly tucked away the ability she extracted from the demon into her sleeve, the long robe covering her arms prevents others from seeing it.

[Losing your ability doesn’t mean the world is ending. Things will be different, but…]

Ymir tightly gripped the sphere of ability she had stolen from the woman, hiding it under her robe as she held the woman and gently landed on the ground.

[Rather than becoming a demon and abandoning your humanity, I hope you’ll find another way. I…]

“You are….”

[Even if the world is filthy and corrupt, there’s still bright hope.]

Ymir placed the woman on the ground.

The blood-stained wedding dress was in tatters, but the demonic energy no longer flowed through the woman.

[Well then.]

Ymir stepped back from the woman.

As she pushed the golden sphere into her sleeve and fixed it with magical energy, just as she was about to extend her hand to draw a circle in the air—

“Ha, haha! Thank you, hero!! That’s what a hero should be!”

[……]

Just as she was about to leave in good spirits.

“Y-yeah! How dare she become a demon and try to kill people!”

The man who had caused the woman to become a demon was still tied up in red energy ropes, but he was thrashing about while laughing maniacally.

“Ha, hahaha! Untie me! I-I’m breaking off the engagement! Thank goodness we didn’t register the marriage yet…!”

[Excuse me. Do I look like a hero to you?]

“Huh…?”

[I came to save the demon, not to save you.]

Ymir turned her steps toward the man instead of leaving.

[Heroes shouldn’t hit civilians, but I’m not officially a hero yet, so…]

“W-wait…! You’re not going to attack me, are you?! You’re not taking her side just because you’re both women, right?!”

[I’m not taking her side just because we’re both women.]

In her hand, golden magical energy formed into a long, wide rod.

The rod had a wide, flat end like an oar, but it was thicker than expected, making it look somewhat like a club.

[Those who sin shall be punished.]

“W-wait…! What are you going to do with that…!”

[What do you think? Beat you like a rug.]

“Huk…! S-someone help me! This woman is a villain!!”

The man desperately shouted toward the bystanders while writhing his body.

Bound by the red aura and moving roughly, he looked like a worm, and not a single person tried to help him.

“Please! This woman, this villain is going to hit me!!”

[If I fail the hero evaluation because of this, so be it. I need to follow my heart right now.]

In the age of ability users.

[No more, no less, just one hit, okay?]

For ability users, acting according to their hearts isn’t always illegal.

[One hit—!]

WHACK!!

The magical flat club hit the red energy ropes, and the man rolled his eyes back and fainted.

[…Phew.]

Ymir threw the club she had used to hit the man onto the ground.

The club quickly turned into a flash of light and disappeared, and she turned her head toward the woman.

“…….”

The woman was staggering but smiling.

Even though she must have sensed her condition, the woman was smiling at Ymir as if in gratitude.

Nod.

Ymir bowed her head once in greeting, then drew a large circle in the air.

“Ah, wait!!”

Perhaps noticing that Ymir was about to leave, people finally started running toward her, but Ymir immediately entered the circle and teleported away.

Whoosh.

She was back.

“Mmm! Mission accomplished…!”

Ymir immediately canceled her transformation and stretched lightly.

And then.

“…Huh?”

When she returned to the open-air bath, there was no one there.

Splash, splash.

Over there.

In the living room where the TV light flickered.

Somewhere, only the sound of water could be heard quietly.