Ch.148Epilogue 9. There’s No Way I Could Raise a Hero’s Daughter (8)

“Come in, come in. Sit wherever you’re comfortable.”

Jung Ra-hee’s vision had already changed. Ejected from the black hole, she found herself with a blonde woman in a spacious place resembling a villa.

“Comfortable place?”

Jung Ra-hee frowned. The wooden building had nice facilities, but the interior was so cluttered with clothes, water bottles, and all kinds of household trash in bags that there was hardly any place to step.

“Hey, are you the hero Sulphur?”

Being someone who couldn’t stand messiness by nature, Jung Ra-hee immediately started cleaning up with a bag while asking.

“That’s right, that’s right. My real name is Kang Yerin. Call me Yerin unnie, Miss Jung Ra-hee, third daughter of Gerogius.”

Kang Yerin spoke in a frivolous tone as she sank into a large sofa. She unzipped her suit to cool off from the sweat and carelessly tossed aside her gloves and shoes.

“A hero with a house in this state… You’re just as abnormal as Dad’s acquaintance.”

“Haha, we’re closer than acquaintances. You saw earlier, right? We go way back. Even before your mothers.”

“While being a hero? You look young.”

“I’m grateful you think I look young. You know? Your dad used to be a hero too.”

Jung Ra-hee slowly nodded.

“…But Dad said he wasn’t a bad hero. He said there were bad villains back then too.”

“It’s the same now. There are good guys and bad guys everywhere. I’m a good hero. A guardian of justice! Always have been.”

“You’re confident.”

“That’s because I’m strong.”

Kang Yerin grinned at Jung Ra-hee.

Jung Ra-hee didn’t deny it. When it came to Sulphur, the leader of S-Sentai, she was the most famous figure among heroes. Almost everyone in the world knew her.

“How did you get so strong?”

“Why, do you want to become strong?”

Jung Ra-hee nodded.

“What for? Want to become a villain?”

“…I’m not sure.”

“You dislike both your mom and dad, don’t you? But you want to follow in their footsteps?”

Jung Ra-hee wanted to refute Kang Yerin’s words, but she discovered a strange feeling of stubbornness rising within herself.

She didn’t know what she wanted to do or why this irritation persisted.

Digging deeper, it was the result of a conflict between her desire for recognition and her pride that prevented her from achieving it. But this principle was a bit difficult for the young Jung Ra-hee to recognize.

“I didn’t just become strong either. I was weak. I got beaten up badly, rolled around, and took hits! So what do you think I did?”

“What did you do?”

“I worked hard, endlessly, continuously. Hmm, specifically for about 182 years.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Jung Ra-hee slightly regretted following this person. Kang Yerin seemed a little, no, very mentally unstable.

Maybe that’s why she was a hero.

“Hey, little sister. Stop cleaning up after me and come sit down. I feel bad for making you do chores. Want some milk? Ah, it’s cheese now.”

Kang Yerin patted the spot next to her bed, calling Jung Ra-hee over. Jung Ra-hee was amazed at how skillfully friendly she was being.

“Do you act like this with Dad too?”

“No, I get scolded.”

“Someone as strong as you gets scolded?”

“I can’t beat your dad. And he’s clear about his boundaries—he doesn’t love anyone who isn’t his family.”

“Then I guess I’m not family.”

Jung Ra-hee pushed the trash bags into a corner and plopped down next to Kang Yerin.

“He always takes care of Soli oppa and Stella unnie, but I’m an afterthought.”

“Really?”

“Yes. It’s been like that since forever. He doesn’t understand a word I say. And he never tells Mom anything.”

“Haha, he is stubborn.”

“I said I wanted to go to a normal academy, but he insisted on sending me to a prestigious one with connections. And now what? Secretly following me to the academy? That’s ridiculous, it makes no sense.”

Jung Ra-hee hit the bed angrily.

Kang Yerin chuckled and put her arm around Jung Ra-hee’s shoulder.

“Wow, I like you. It’s been a while since I’ve seen someone who hates Gerogius as much as I do.”

“I hate him, seriously.”

Kang Yerin burst into laughter at Jung Ra-hee’s attitude, clutching her stomach.

“It’s a shame you’re too young to drink with me! Instead, let’s watch some old dramas together with snacks. How about it?”

Kang Yerin pulled out a cold beer can from a small black hole and popped it open. Foam rose with a pleasant sound.

“Why not? Give me some too.”

“Haha, I’m a model hero, you know? A minor drinking? Hmm, absolutely not.”

“That’s ridiculous. Coming from someone who lives outside the law.”

“Heroes weren’t like that before you were born. Here, look.”

Kang Yerin snapped her fingers, and the wall in front of them became a screen playing a video.

Twenty years ago, Dragon King Sentai Draodger was shown brilliantly defeating villains.

“That’s S-Sentai.”

“Look carefully. Who do you think they all are?”

“I don’t know. All heroes look similar.”

“That hurts. I put a lot of thought into each concept.”

After defeating the villains, Draodger removed their helmets. Those faces caught Jung Ra-hee’s attention.

“There’s Dad and unnie. …Are those the ladies who were selling Switches?”

“They’d faint if they heard you call them ladies. They’re different people who look similar.”

“Hmm. Dad and unnie look exactly alike. It’s kind of creepy.”

“But unnie is pretty, right?”

“Yes.”

Jung Ra-hee answered without looking back at Kang Yerin. She couldn’t take her eyes off the Draodger on the screen.

Colorful warriors navigating between Seoul’s skyscrapers. Preventing major accidents and rescuing people.

Jung Ra-hee felt puzzled by this sight.

“Is this what heroes are?”

“Hero didn’t used to mean powered individuals who commit crimes like now. And fighting villains wasn’t even the main purpose.”

After quickly downing her beer can and crumpling it carelessly, Kang Yerin grinned proudly.

“Originally, heroes were people who saved others without expecting anything in return. That’s what made me want to become a hero.”

“Then why is it like this now?”

“Your dad changed everything. He chose to become the lord of evil.”

“Is Dad that special?”

“He is. Both to the world and to me.”

Jung Ra-hee rested her chin on her hand, deep in thought.

“…Why was I born as the child of such a special person?”

“Haha, you don’t like it?”

“…I’m ordinary.”

“You know what?”

Kang Yerin waved her palm in the air. Images of past S-Sentai teams flashed across the screen.

“All the S-Sentai teams I’ve led so far. How many special kids do you think were among them?”

“All of them?”

“Four. The rest were as common as people you’d bump into on the street. That’s why I haven’t been able to defeat Gerogius yet.”

Kang Yerin chuckled with amusement.

“Whether heroes or villains, it’s ordinary people who do it. Want to know why?”

“Why?”

“Because the world is full of ordinary people.”

“I wish I could have been a special woman like your mother,” Kang Yerin muttered to herself as she flopped down on the bed.

Who else could be called special if not you?

Jung Ra-hee thought she was an interesting person.

She had no way of knowing that Kang Yerin was the result of an ordinary person desperately struggling without knowing her limits to become special, and ultimately breaking in the process.

Somehow, Jung Ra-hee felt like she wanted to get back at her dad and mom, those supposedly special beings.

“Unnie, what’s the next S-Sentai going to be?”

“Still planning, why?”

“You’ve been fighting villains a lot until now. What about an S-Sentai that doesn’t fight at all and just helps citizens?”

“Sounds a bit boring. Vengeance would interfere right away, and it wouldn’t work properly.”

“Include me as a member. Then Vengeance can’t touch us. They can’t engage in combat activities.”

“You’re a genius.”

Kang Yerin smiled so widely her teeth showed. Jung Ra-hee excitedly continued to share ideas.

“Let’s go with a strategy to tease Dad. What about naming it Dragon King Sentai?”

“Pfft! Your grudge has really festered. That’s such a stupid idea. Let’s do it right away.”

Kang Yerin cackled and immediately started making phone calls.

“Hey, Se-hwa? Is Yukyong with you? It’s nothing much…”

***

“Well, I must say the food in this neighborhood is excellent. Usually, food in other worlds is terrible, but this deserves praise.”

The masked hero, Masked Carrot Man, was enthusiastically stuffing his fifth shawarma that I had bought into his mouth.

We sat side by side on a cliff, waiting for Lu-a whom I had called, watching the sunset.

The parallel world he lived in was one where heroes prevailed, having eradicated all villains. However, the cost was severe, with regions outside Korea almost completely devastated.

Yet he consistently claims that his ability isn’t a hero’s power but rather the power of another world.

In other words, he’s either a possessor like me or has had such an experience, but I’m more inclined to believe he’s just insane.

Either way, sending him back quietly to prevent further problems would be best.

Regardless of his history, he seemed to be struggling with parenting as well.

“Kids think I’m some great adult because I’m their dad. That’s the problem. I’m just a kid in a grown-up body, what do I know? They always expect too much.”

Hmm. I can relate to that.

“And the kids’ mother too. If I take time off to change dirty diapers, shouldn’t I get some mercy? Why does she keep nagging me when the kid acts up?”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. Seems like you’re in charge of childcare too.”

“Just one. But that one’s mother is stronger than me. Every time she hits my back, I see the afterlife. It drives me crazy.”

A female hero stronger than this guy. I really hope she doesn’t cross over here.

“I also need to go back and report my daughter’s running away to my wife. She’s the second strongest woman in the world. I’m extremely worried.”

“How did you end up marrying such a woman? Isn’t she a villain?”

“You’re one to talk.”

“That’s true. We both have it rough.”

A moment of silence fell between us.

“Sigh…”

“Hmm…”

Our sighs overlapped.