Ch.160Episode 33. The Evil Sky Begins to Move (5)

“Would you like some warm walnut pastries?”

I deliberately asked as we entered the rest stop. I know she likes walnut pastries, so how could I skip the rest stop?

“…Yes, I would.”

She had been acting sulky the entire way to Taean, but at the mention of walnut pastries, her lips twitched. I guess even she can’t resist her favorite food.

I park the car and get out.

While I’m stretching, Yeon Mu-hee gets out of the car and heads toward the rest stop. She must have been really craving those walnut pastries because she was walking unusually fast.

I mindlessly followed behind her, watching her back, when I belatedly realized she wasn’t heading to the walnut pastry stand.

She was going to the “restroom” instead. Must have been quite urgent.

I quickly turned away before she could notice and pretended to look at my phone. I almost created a misunderstanding.

Shortly after, Mu-hee came out of the restroom.

Something else must be bothering her because she glared at me as I leaned against the wall, looking at my phone.

“Why are you waiting in front of the restroom?”

“Is that not allowed?”

“It’s creepy.”

“Calling me creepy when I was just waiting for you seems a bit harsh.”

“…Hmph.”

Mu-hee snorted and strode away. I followed her leisurely.

I quietly observed her from two steps behind as she stopped right in front of the walnut pastry shop.

Mu-hee held out cash while clenching her other hand into a fist and enthusiastically said:

“FULL! Please.”

Her voice was overflowing with excitement.

I chuckled softly while gazing at her swaying ponytail.

I just noticed that the ribbon hair tie I gave her was quite worn out, as if she’d been wearing only that one since I gave it to her. I should buy her another one as a gift later.

But isn’t wearing only that hair tie basically like openly admitting she has feelings for me?

While I was thinking about this, Mu-hee approached me and held out a bag of walnut pastries.

“Here.”

“Huh?”

“Since I’m… using your car… I’m s-specially buying this for you.”

“Thanks. It’ll taste better because you bought it for me.”

“Walnut pastries taste the same no matter what…”

She says this while kicking at the innocent pavement. Though she’s trying to sound indifferent, her glances at me are much more obvious than usual. She must be in a better mood.

“Let’s go eat in the car. They’ll get cold quickly if we eat them here.”

“Okay.”

Mu-hee and I returned to the car.

The warmth from the heater still lingered inside, making it feel like our chilled bodies were thawing out even though we’d only been gone for a short while.

“It’s warm…”

Mu-hee said as she plopped down on the seat.

She rustled the bag full of walnut pastries and took one out, looking at it.

“This looks delicious…!”

“Be careful, they’re hot.”

“I’m used to this kind of thing, so I’m fine. You’re the one who should be careful.”

“Listen to that cheeky tone.”

“…Ah, okay.”

When I chided her, she opened and closed her mouth a few times as if flustered. I tilted my head at her strange reaction.

“What do you mean ‘okay’?”

“Nothing… Was that bad?”

She asked while fidgeting with the walnut pastry bag, crumpling the opening.

“You think I’m bad?”

“No, that’s not it… I meant, did I upset you?”

“I’m not upset?”

“R-really?”

She seems somewhat relieved by my answer. Could she actually be worried about upsetting me?

“I just have this thing…”

“What thing?”

“Well… I tend to talk too much around people I find difficult to deal with…”

“Difficult people? We’ve been living together for almost a year, and you still find me difficult?”

“That’s not what I meant…”

Ah, in other words, she’s saying this is her first time liking someone, so she doesn’t know how to act?

If that’s the case, I should be understanding. Hmm.

“Ah, I get it. In short, you’re embarrassed because you like me?”

“No, I’m not!”

She quickly objects but still glances at me nervously.

Mu-hee has really changed a lot. I wonder what happened to that self-centered personality of hers.

“…Still, I do think it would be nice if you spoke more kindly to me. Ah, I’m not forcing you though. I actually find your way of speaking charming.”

“Really…?”

I don’t want her to be too sweet either.

“Then… I’ll try.”

She says she’ll try.

It’s troublesome when she shows her affection so openly.

I couldn’t help but smile at her prim response. Has she ever said she’d try something other than swordsmanship before?

That must mean she’s interested in me.

In response, I pointed to her red hair tie.

“And that hair tie.”

“Hm?”

“It’s quite worn out. I’ll buy you another one when we get back.”

“…I can buy it myself.”

“I want to do it for you. Accept it gracefully.”

If she had simply agreed, she would have been displeased.

By subtly hinting at refusal but still accepting my offer, she must have felt more affection for me. Women are so difficult to understand.

“Okay.”

And as if confirming my thoughts, Mu-hee smiled contentedly.

* * *

“It’s been a while, Elder.”

I bowed to Mu-hee’s grandmother, who was dressed rather modestly.

“…What brings you here today?”

“Mu-hee missed you so much that she begged me to bring her.”

“W-what?! Wait—”

“Is that so?”

“As you know, Elder, Mu-hee has trouble being honest.”

“Yes, I know that.”

“She tries not to show it, but I think she misses her family’s embrace. That’s why we came to visit— oof!”

“Sh-shut up—!”

Mu-hee desperately lunged at me and covered my mouth. I smirked and raised both hands to show I had no intention of resisting.

Only then did she remove her hand.

“Mu-hee, what kind of way is that to speak to your instructor?”

“But… Yujin…!”

Mu-hee tried to object by bringing me into it, but the Elder was on my side.

“Well? Are you going to close your mouth?”

“…”

Mu-hee glared at me fiercely, but I only responded with a smile. Having already learned that even the mighty Yeon Mu-hee couldn’t stand up to her family, I planned to use this knowledge quite effectively.

“Ah, and this is citron tea. They say it’s good for colds and health if you mix it with water.”

“Oh my. Why do you keep bringing such things? It makes me feel burdened.”

“It would be impolite to come empty-handed.”

“Alright, come on in then. It’s cold out here.”

“Thank you.”

I patted the back of the girl who was biting her lower lip and glaring at me until I finished my conversation with the Elder.

“Just wait until we’re on our way back…”

Mu-hee warned me through gritted teeth.

This feels like a wife annoyed with her tactless husband who talks too much.

But the problem is, I’m not scared at all.

If anything, I only wanted to tease her more using her irritation.

I stepped into the house, looking at the now-familiar rural scenery.

I hope I can meet her mother today.

* @ *

BOOM—!

An explosive sound echoed through the church, and chaos ensued in an instant.

The church platform soared high into the air before crashing down on the stunned people below. The impact shattered windows, and screams erupted continuously.

“ARGH!!”

“KYAAA!!”

At the center of it all, “monsters” with grotesquely swollen bodies were spewing screams and killing people around them.

“How could this…”

Kim Sang-man could only stare blankly at the scene, drooling.

Having mixed eX potion into the drinks he served to the followers, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck as he watched his transformed congregation.

“Those garbage bastards…!”

He felt more anger at being used by Pagoon than guilt for causing this disaster. To the cult leader, these people were expendable anyway.

“Damn it…!”

Realizing his own life was in danger, he immediately turned and headed to the leader’s office. He picked up his phone to contact Starlight.

Shortly after dialing, the call connected, and a deep voice came through.

[What is it?]

“Mr. Cha Yu-sung! What is this all about?! You never said anything about this kind of drink!”

[…Don’t raise your voice at me. It makes me want to kill everyone for no reason.]

Cha Yu-sung.

It was Starlight’s alias. His real name was “Yu Sung-hwi.”

“What are you saying…”

Even though it was just over the phone, Kim Sang-man felt such killing intent that he couldn’t continue speaking. He just stood frozen, trembling.

[Still, thanks for doing me this favor.]

This is why cult leaders obsessed with money are so easy to use.

Thinking this, Starlight couldn’t hide the smile spreading across his face.

“I-I thought you were a friend of Mr. Moon Jung-soo since I knew him well…!”

[We are friends. We work together. Or rather, we did.]

“What does that…”

[Moon Jung-soo isn’t a sponsor of your cult. He’s a villain who was trying to use you.]

“A villain…?”

Kim Sang-man couldn’t believe Starlight’s words.

Who would believe that someone who had visited and supported them for years was actually a villain?

[You’ve done well, so just try to escape from there. If you stay, you’ll die.]

“…The money? Shouldn’t you pay me?”

Having no choice but to abandon the now-ruined church, he instinctively asked about the money. Starlight snorted in response.

[You believed that? What value do cult leaders like you have that I’d give you 300 million? You already got 10 million, so take that and run. Otherwise, you might be killed by those transformed monsters.]

With those final words, Starlight ended the call.

“Damn it…!”

Just as Kim Sang-man threw his phone and was about to gather his things to leave—

CRASH!

A man with half-melted skin broke down the office door and entered.

“Leader… It hurts… Leader… it hurts so much.”

“S-stay away…!”

“It h-hurts so much I think I’m going to die…!”

“Stay away!! Damn it!”

“I told you it hurts!!”

BOOM!

The man, having lost his sanity, charged at the cult leader like a bulldozer, pushing aside everything in his way, and threw a punch.

“Stop—”

THUD!

With the sound of something bursting, the leader’s words were cut off. With his head completely crushed, he couldn’t even utter a final scream before his body went limp and he died.

“It huuurts…!”

Watching this scene from the roof of the dormitory building inside the compound, Starlight let out a small snort.

“Starlight sir, I did as you instructed, but what now? Can you really control them?”

Pagoon, standing beside him, asked while flicking electricity across his palm. He was staying alert, ready to fight at any moment.

“It doesn’t matter if I can’t. Using them to deal a blow to those hero bastards is more important.”

“I see.”

“Anyway, let’s go in. We need to check if those creatures still have any sanity left.”

With those final words, Starlight lightly jumped down from the roof.

‘Hah, what is this all about…’

Pagoon inwardly sighed as he followed, jumping down from the roof.