Ch.170170. Before Epilogue – Being Cast

*Screech-!*

Thud.

“Haa… haa… haa… haa…”

“Phew. That was satisfying today too. Shall we see each other again tomorrow?”

“Fuck…”

Fortunately, my muttering didn’t seem to have been heard.

It’s normal for ordinary humans without magical power not to hear such a small sound.

It’s Blanc who’s strange for being able to hear it.

Ugh.

My abdomen where I was hit earlier might be bruised.

I feel a bit sick.

Plus, having water forcibly poured into me to my limit, then throwing it all up.

And I’m hungry too.

…Because I’m a monster. I can still survive.

I mean, I can manage to stay alive.

…

Haa.

Karma.

Yes, it’s karma.

Making me exercise barefoot and naked in this cold outside.

Forcing me to walk on ground where the stones aren’t properly arranged.

Tying me to a rack and whipping me to death under the pretense of a physical examination.

Shoving me underwater for so-called swimming lessons.

Saying I show no signs of remorse, then water torture.

Because I’m a monster.

Because I have a monster’s body. That’s why I can endure these things.

If I had just an ordinary human body.

If I had that original male body.

I think I would have died from excessive torture at this level.

Electric torture, branding with hot irons.

Really.

The tortures that pop up here and there are at a level that makes me wonder if they’re studying historical documents.

With a human body, I would have truly died.

It’s because I’m me that I can recover like this.

And into a clean, pure white original body at that.

That’s probably why they torment me more.

From what I heard, that person.

Didn’t they say they had invested heavily in the building I destroyed?

That they had put most of their salary into it?

Ah, they said they had invested in the stocks of the company I destroyed.

Those stocks became worthless pieces of paper.

But it was a company I’d never even heard of before.

Other guards did tell me it was a stock that was about to fail anyway, but they said that person was taking their anger out on me.

Ah.

Right.

I heard that guard was already famous for being crazy.

So excessively coercive and oppressive that they’d received countless disciplinary actions from the Ministry of Justice.

Well.

What sane person would beat and torture someone,

And do it with a smile—torture that brings no benefit, torture with the sole purpose of inflicting pain.

Even I wouldn’t do such things…

Sigh.

It hurts.

To beat and cause pain at a level that even a monster finds painful.

That’s quite a skill, really.

No blanket either.

Even my clothes were taken away.

Should I be grateful they didn’t tear out the window?

Sigh.

It’s cold.

The Boss.

How much colder a place must he be in?

Ellie.

Did she escape safely?

I hope I can hear news of Ellie.

* * *

“You’re being released.”

“…So quickly?”

“You should be grateful it’s happening on that woman’s day off. Get out of here fast. If it were her…”

“…I probably wouldn’t be able to walk out. I guess.”

“That’s right. Sigh… Take care, villain.”

“…Why that expression? Have you grown fond of me?”

“That woman’s actions would make anyone pity you. Wow… when you first came in, I never thought I’d feel this much sympathy for you.”

“…Pity is a luxury. I’m just a failed loser.”

“Whatever. Just don’t do that kind of thing again. You know you’re exempt from going to Marina on the condition that you wear that collar. Don’t do anything stupid.”

“…Yes.”

“I won’t pity you anymore. Just one last thing.”

“…What is it?”

“Society’s disregard, contempt, and all kinds of hatred will be directed at you. Endure it. All of it.”

“…Yes. That’s still just pity.”

“Because I can’t take that hatred in your place.”

“Well. You were at least better than most.”

“Acting proud till the end. Even though I was on duty when you were sleeping.”

“That’s enough… Sigh. By the way, where is this prison located?”

“…Cheongju, why?”

“…Cheongju. I see… I understand for now.”

The guard placed some money in my hand.

Saying it was for the fare to get home, something they normally give.

He said there were criminals who cause trouble as soon as they get out, so use it for transportation fare.

As if 100,000 won is just fare money.

Even in this high-cost era.

Well…

This air is so cold.

A pure white slip dress.

Clothes not designed to be worn outside.

So I set out on the road wearing this extremely thin garment.

I can’t exactly stride down the street in a uniform.

Was it a detention center?

They did provide these clothes from somewhere.

Really, plain and…

Cheap-looking.

That kind of dress.

They got it for me saying my damaged uniform looked too awful.

Where should I go?

Do I have a place to go?

Do I have anything to do?

I’ve been literally thrown into this society.

Even with a monster’s body, with this small frame.

And these distinctive purple eyes.

There’s no way anyone would accept me anywhere.

So, where should I go?

For now, let’s go to Seoul.

I’ll head to Seoul.

There…

I’ll have to live as if I’m dead.

There’s nothing else I can do.

Ah.

I need to pay back my debt.

There’s still a lot of compensation to pay.

How much money do I owe by now?

Would there be late payment interest?

Yes.

First, let’s go to Seoul.

There might be jobs there.

* * *

How many times has this been now?

Well…

Is this some form of communication?

To be turned away from every convenience store and shop in this area.

Of course, trying this in an area where Eden used to operate is practically suicidal.

But I only know my way around these places.

Well…

But doing this to someone who’s just trying to buy something…

Ah.

I don’t have money anyway.

Even though my monster body somehow maintains cleanliness, the specific feeling doesn’t change.

There are some stores that let me in if I pull a hat down low over my head.

In such places…

A small triangle kimbap.

…

I just took it and ran.

…

I shouldn’t do this.

Even knowing I shouldn’t, I do it because I know I’ll die otherwise.

I need to look for a job again today.

* * *

…

I found a place.

A place to lay my body.

…

Now, I’ve collected my belongings from a coin locker at the subway station.

My uniform.

I found a usable suitcase in the garbage dump.

I picked it up when I found this hoodie.

Well…

Since it looks like it’s falling apart, I’ll have to throw it away eventually.

Ah.

When I go into that house…

I might need to use it.

A place no one knows.

It’s a shantytown, but they still charge money.

Of course.

This kind of place is the only one that will accept me.

Other places are not only more expensive,

But the landlords wouldn’t be too happy to let me in.

…

There’s no way to hide these eyes.

And this sealing device I wear around my neck.

I’m obviously a villain to anyone who sees me.

Still, I’m really grateful to have even such a shack.

Even with a monster’s body, even with something to cover myself with.

To sleep rough in this young girl’s body…

It was in some park bench.

I was trying to sleep there.

Whether it was a drunk man.

Or someone who recognized me.

Someone came at me.

I was asleep.

I had no choice but to take the first attack.

Was an adult man’s strength always this strong?

Getting hit in the stomach without magical protection.

It hurt more than when that crazy guard hit my stomach.

I couldn’t breathe for a moment.

I just hunched over and continued to take the beating.

There was nothing I could do.

If word got to the police that I was fighting someone…

…

I might have to meet that guard again.

That absolutely cannot happen.

I refuse to meet that crazy woman again.

Sigh.

At least I haven’t been beaten while sleeping since then.

Though I’ve been hit while looking for a place to sleep.

Or had stones thrown at me by strangers while walking down the street.

Or been hit with objects.

Or had water dumped on me.

…

That’s what happens when I don’t wear my hood.

The moment people see these eyes, that’s what happens.

Especially in that neighborhood.

In the neighborhood where I used to operate.

Because many people know my face.

…

The weather was decent, so I was walking around as I was,

Why didn’t I think to cover myself?

…

Black hoodie, short pants.

The hoodie is barely there, it’s a zip-up.

With a white T-shirt underneath.

Wearing such clothes with a tattered white T-shirt underneath.

Only then did the treatment improve slightly.

People who weren’t interested would let me in.

They would frown, but at least they wouldn’t chase me out.

…

For the first few months, they said they’d let me stay on credit.

So I need to go out and find work quickly.

* * *

…

As if.

As if that would work.

As if anyone would hire a villain like me.

Well, who would want to hire a villain like this?

It’s natural if they value their business.

They don’t know what dangers this villain might bring.

So, it’s only natural.

That’s why the only place I could go was.

A labor office.

And even then.

After going around and around many times.

I barely found a dilapidated labor office.

A labor office that looked like it would accept any criminal.

A labor office that seemed connected to some underworld organization.

Well.

I’m not afraid.

Of that underworld.

It’s insignificant.

Compared to Eden, that is.

I don’t think the tools they use would work on me either.

The only thing I fear now is.

Not being able to get a job, perhaps?

When I asked the director to recommend work,

He suggested I sell my body.

Said he could arrange that.

Instead, I said I’d do physical labor.

At first, it was construction sites.

I went to construction sites and did some work.

Carrying cement, moving it upwards.

Literally a job that uses strength.

Because I’m a monster.

From the perspective of people who don’t know anything… I probably looked fine.

I worked really hard.

Because the stories that Mr. Kim there told were interesting.