Ch.188IF. Saint Eric (4)

“What is Gwon Heejin doing right now?”

This question was casually thrown out by Professor Weaver with a blank expression during our journey back to the Imperial Capital with the Beast King’s right arm.

Of all times, bringing up Gwon Heejin in the middle of a meal. Professor Weaver seemed to realize his slip of the tongue belatedly and started looking around nervously… Fortunately, the uncomfortable silence didn’t last long, thanks to the oldest priest Edin who graciously picked up the conversation.

“His prosecutor father must be taking care of him.”

That father Gwon Heejin had been desperately searching for while being tortured in the Papal State. Suwon Chief Prosecutor Gwon Jungman.

Right. There’s no one else but that man. I forced a bitter smile while agreeing halfheartedly.

*

Let’s put this garbage’s ruined life back on a normal track.

This had been the singular thought dominating Attorney Gwon Jungman’s mind for the past few months. The “garbage” here was obviously his second child, Gwon Heejin. The first one was just a pitiful kid.

Though he now wore the clothes of an attorney, Gwon Jungman was once a prosecutor representing special investigation units. Central Investigation Unit, Prosecution Bureau of the Ministry of Justice, Special Investigation Division of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office. Even when he was occasionally sent to provincial areas, he kept his affiliation there while actually working in Seoul.

During the period when he was suspected of helping his son flee overseas, his brilliant career had rolled around in the gutter, but that was now in the past.

After Gwon Heejin returned as a cripple, his life, which had hit rock bottom, finally began to rebound. And quite dramatically at that.

“Prosecutor, when you retired, I was in the Inspection Division. There are people saying I advocated for investigating you thoroughly, but you don’t believe that, do you…? How could I do such a thing when I’ve always respected you so much? Haha.”

“Look, Attorney Gwon Jungman. Yes, I was on the review board when your attorney registration was rejected, initially. …Yes, yes. I did vote against you. But we’ve known each other since undergraduate days—can’t we just put it behind us and face each other with smiles?”

“Ah! I really thought your son had fled overseas back then!? I admit I was wrong, so let’s just move past this, please! I’ll do anything!”

There were many people anxiously worried about incurring Gwon Jungman’s displeasure.

It was because the story of Gwon Heejin—who was thought to have fled overseas but was suddenly found crippled in an empty apartment one day—had received enormous attention. Thanks to coverage on programs like “Curious Stories,” it was still maintaining its topicality.

As a result, Gwon Jungman had become both a tragic protagonist and a victim of witch-hunting.

Gwon Jungman himself actively utilized this image for his comeback. He even shed tears on television.

Now he had a title befitting his career.

Senior advisor to a major law firm. Not just lending his name, but actively helping to bring in revenue. If an ordinary former official had done this, there would have been criticism like “That senior is exploiting his position too much.” But Gwon Jungman’s unique position spared him from such criticism.

The memory of having to put his apartment up for urgent sale due to lack of living expenses and being denied attorney registration had already faded.

He planned to earn as much as possible for another year or so, and then aim for an outside director position at a major corporation. That would be enough to ensure he wouldn’t have to worry about money for the rest of his life.

‘In a way, it might be thanks to this guy.’

Gwon Jungman muttered while looking at Gwon Heejin sitting in a wheelchair.

Gwon Heejin was currently in a private room at a rehabilitation hospital in Gangnam District.

A room that cost 200,000 won per day in hospitalization fees alone. Including rehabilitation therapy costs, it consumed nearly 10 million won a month. Not a significant burden for the current Gwon Jungman, though.

He hadn’t put his son here because he loved him too much. He just chose it because he needed to manage him specially. The hospital director was his high school senior, so he had connections, and it was close to home.

“Um… Father.”

His son, cautiously checking his father’s mood before speaking. Somehow, just hearing his voice made irritation well up.

“What?”

“Well…”

“Just say it. Don’t stammer.”

“I need a smartphone.”

Gwon Heejin’s request, delivered in a shrinking voice.

Gwon Jungman clicked his tongue in displeasure, but Gwon Heejin seemed determined not to back down this time, his eyes wide open.

It must be unbearable to be physically disabled and without a smartphone. Honestly, it was questionable whether he could properly use a smartphone even if given one. Having lost his right hand, he only had his left, and even that was missing a thumb.

Getting him a smartphone wouldn’t be a big deal. But Gwon Jungman had no intention of granting his son’s desperate request.

“No. Rather get a gaming console and a tablet… no, not a tablet either. Just stack up some comic books and read those. No smartphone.”

“Why, why not?”

Gwon Heejin stared at him in disbelief, looking so hideous that it was hard to believe he was his own son.

At first, when he had just returned, there were times when he felt sorry for him… but even that feeling was gradually fading. It was because the boy had been causing trouble even in the hospital.

“Let me ask you something instead, Heejin. If I give you a smartphone, what do you plan to do with it?”

“What do you mean? Just live like a human being.”

“Are you trying to reconnect with those scumbags you committed futures fraud with? Or maybe you want to contact that ‘friend’ you planned cryptojacking with? I’m sorry, but I can’t stand to see that.”

He meant he couldn’t trust him not to commit fraud again, even in his disabled state. Gwon Heejin mumbled something in disbelief, but Gwon Jungman just repeated his refusal.

Because he didn’t want to give his son even false hope.

“F-Father, I…”

“If you’re thinking of asking if I don’t feel sorry for you, just keep it to yourself. We’ve come too far for that. And if you’re planning to spout that strange nonsense again… that Hero garbage, please stop. That’s not why I came here.”

“…”

“Anything else?”

At this, Gwon Heejin muttered that it wasn’t garbage, then finally just sighed. He even reddened around the eyes.

He probably wanted to evoke sympathy even like that. It was a pitiful sight to behold.

“If you have nothing more to say, I’ll be going.”

Attorney Gwon Jungman rose, feeling that staying longer would only mean seeing more unpleasant sights.

Gwon Heejin muttered like a lament, “Then how am I supposed to live now…?” but he decided not to answer. Not just because he didn’t want to see his face, but because his son was already a person who couldn’t envision a future.

In a miserable state where he couldn’t even eat properly by himself,

He couldn’t even walk. His legs weren’t amputated, but having lost his toes in chunks, he had a walking disability. His cervical condition was also extremely poor, to the point where a bad fall could be the end of him.

It would be difficult to torture someone like this unless they were a criminal who had ruined an entire country. It wasn’t for nothing that various speculations circulated about Gwon Heejin.

‘It’s a waste of time to dwell on this.’

Gwon Jungman deliberately erased thoughts of Heejin. He could hear the guy sobbing behind him, but he didn’t bother to look back.

*

After subduing the Beast King, we returned to the Imperial Capital.

The Imperial Palace naturally prepared a victory ceremony for us. It was an essential measure to maintain the authority of the Imperial family.

But on this joyous day, a troublemaker barged in.

“Why can’t I make money-!! You fucking bastard!!”

There was a madman who appeared before me, raging like this.

“My, Count Burko. Control yourself!”

“I! Huh? I’m just trying to make money and rebuild myself, why do you keep stopping me…! The Beast King isn’t what’s important right now…!”

A middle-aged man wailing miserably and shaking his body violently.

He might seem like a pathetic lunatic, but he was actually a nobleman.

John Burko. A count who once ruled a fairly prosperous territory and commanded several vassals.

But after Cordana, he continued to misbehave and was eventually purged through cooperation between myself and the First Prince’s Palace, losing his territory.

Since he was a magician of considerable skill, we had merely confined him to the magic tower, but he didn’t appreciate our leniency and even disrupted the victory ceremony. If I had known this would happen, I would have just killed him with my mace.

“Wellesley, you son of a bitch! I’m asking why I can’t make money…”

Thanks to John Burko’s persistence, even casting buffs on himself to hold out, the atmosphere of the event was completely ruined.

After he was dragged away, everyone awkwardly cheered and began praising Hero Hannah, but it didn’t seem like sincere enthusiasm. It’s probably because after Gwon Heejin, being excited about the existence of a Hero itself had become somewhat awkward.

‘Sigh. If I had known this would happen, I should have requested to skip the victory ceremony.’

Hero Hannah, who was riding her horse slowly beside me with shoulders aligned, also had a stiff expression.

She was already worn out from battle.

More than the fatigue of combat itself, it was largely due to having personally killed hundreds of beastmen. They might be like enemies to us, but Hannah’s position was different.

Moreover, she had no combat experience back on Earth except for working two part-time jobs. And now she had to witness John Burko’s outburst, which deepened her gloom.

How should I comfort this pitiful Hero?

After pondering briefly, I spoke to her, trying not to show too much concern.

“Hannah. You said you wanted to settle in this world. Is that still true?”

“Huh? Oh… yes.”

“Then I hope you’ll take your time thinking about how to build your life here. Don’t be bound by your identity as the Hero; find a way for you, Hannah, to live happily day by day. I’ll help as much as I can.”

“With the Demon Lord still around, how can I…”

“I told you. As long as the Demon Lord’s main force remains quiet, I have no intention of provoking them. Of course, we need to be prepared, but there’s no need to waste time just honing your swordsmanship. And you don’t need to hide your presence out of concern about nobles’ checks and balances.”

At this advice, Hannah stared at me intently.

In terms of pure power, she was superior to me, but in reality, she was vulnerable. Moreover, she was a protagonist whose reputation had been tarnished through no fault of her own because of her ferocious predecessor.

In the end, only I could protect such a Hero without ulterior motives.

Fortunately, the Hero seemed to trust me as her mentor and guide.

“It’s really trivial, but… could I possibly get some good distilled spirits and carbonated water? Nothing fancy, just for drinking. Oh, and I’d like to visit the market once.”

“Yes. I’ll go with you.”

So the Hero likes alcohol. It’s curious that with my abilities to grant almost anything, all she wants is alcohol and a market visit, but I’m glad she has something she desires. It wouldn’t be bad to have a drink together with Ember too.

“Thank you, Saintess.”

The Hero expressed her gratitude with a noticeably lighter expression.