Chapter 10: Education

“Are you going to kill him?”

An awkward silence fell at the eerie voice.

Though Korea’s public safety had deteriorated since the Gate incident compared to the past, murder was still rare.

An Awakened assaulting a civilian alone would cause an uproar, and if a murder was discovered, they’d be hunted by all guilds, so people restrained themselves.

Such things did happen secretly, but…

A child openly asking “Are you going to kill him?” was a different matter.

The middle-aged man’s face turned pale as he realized his fate from the child’s words.

Monk Jamyeong swallowed a sigh as he guessed at the girl’s unfortunate past.

Only the Chungseong Guild Master showed interest in this unexpected situation.

“Why do you think I’d kill that man?”

His usual blunt question, even when dealing with a girl less than half his size.

Though other children might have cried in fear at such behavior, the girl answered calmly.

“Huh? Aren’t people like that usually killed and disposed of?”

No.

This went beyond calmness.

She seemed to truly believe killing was the natural course of action.

Seeing this clearly abnormal thinking, the Guild Master continued the conversation to confirm something.

“Murder isn’t easy. Killing someone and cleaning up afterwards is more troublesome than you’d think.”

The girl tilted her head.

Her round eyes shone innocently like other children her age.

Her refreshing hair, hard to believe it was dyed, flowed gently.

“Since he’s going to hell anyway, can’t you just melt him and flush him away? It’s not like an angel becomes a demon for killing a demon.”

But her answer was the opposite of her angelic appearance.

I see.

The Guild Master was now certain.

This was madness.

True madness that couldn’t distinguish right from wrong.

Black and white mixed so haphazardly they couldn’t even become gray, like oil and water.

She wasn’t someone who could be persuaded.

As the middle-aged man was about to faint, the Guild Master turned to Monk Jamyeong.

-“Monk, was the child always like this?”

-“Sadly, I don’t know much either. She’s a child I rescued from the mountains a few days ago.”

He used telepathy to avoid suspecting the monk for the same reason.

‘This kind of madness isn’t born without reason.’

Even great serial killers can’t be born without a first kill, and it’s impossible to realistically implement a first murder from mere imagination.

So the Guild Master easily guessed that the girl had actually experienced such situations.

Suspicious people who kill and melt others to dispose of them…

A small hint of pity was added to his emotionless gaze as he looked at the girl.

Fortunately for the middle-aged man, this grim conversation didn’t continue.

“Haha, little one. Have you been playing too many games?”

Just as the Guild Master was about to ask another question, a stout man in a suit approached.

He didn’t seem ordinary either, even bringing a secretary with him.

“Huh? What’s a… game?”

“What? Kid, are you messing with me right now?”

The Guild Master frowned slightly at the girl’s laughable response.

He knew the man had been watching from afar, but now he was pretending to appear naturally.

The district head ignored the confused child and busied himself trying to act friendly with the Guild Master.

“It’s been so long since we’ve all met! I’m deeply sorry about this unfortunate incident at such a long-awaited lecture. But surely our Chungseong Guild Master, known for his fairness, wouldn’t do such a thing? Right. Murder, how absurd.”

“Tsk.”

You’re really flapping your gums, aren’t you?

The Guild Master clicked his tongue softly.

He had been fully prepared to throw the middle-aged man beyond the Gate.

The man had caused trouble for Monk Jamyeong, who was like a teacher to him.

Moreover, showing his dirty intentions when guests had come for a rare lecture…

If those present hadn’t known Monk Jamyeong, he would have obviously twisted the situation into “Awakened violence against civilians” to suit his taste.

Such incidents wouldn’t end with just one.

Killing him would be the easiest solution to prevent future problems.

If the girl hadn’t hit the nail on the head, that is.

“I’m ready to help with all my might so you can handle this matter, Guild Master.”

“Yes. I was thinking of dealing with it under military law anyway.”

The military law, or summary punishment rights, held by the guild masters of the three major guilds.

The penalty for false accusations had become quite severe, given cases like this middle-aged man deliberately provoking Awakened to drag them to court.

“About… 175,200 hours of community service as a Gate porter should be enough.”

175,200 hours?

The district head, who had been blankly wondering how many days that was, quietly turned to look at his secretary.

The secretary, who had been tapping on his smartphone, whispered softly.

“Oh, it’s 30 years at 16 hours a day.”

“…Is that legally possible?”

“The maximum alternative service is 30 years based on 24-hour days, and the prison sentence is 8 years.”

In other words, the Guild Master had imposed the maximum sentence for false accusations without a trial.

Though it would need to be reviewed by the court and receive an official order later.

Given the reputation of the insulted party and the power of the Chungseong Guild Master, it was only natural.

The district head, having quickly assessed the situation, put on an act of being good-natured.

“Right. That much is needed to prevent such reckless behavior in the future. As expected of the Guild Master.”

Of course, this was a futile attempt at the Chungseong Guild Master, who had built one of the three major guilds from scratch.

“Of course, we can’t let a civilian get hurt… I’ll assign an A-class member for fair supervision.”

…Huh? What?

No fucking way, do they have so many A-class guild members to waste on this shit?

The district head covered his mouth with both hands to stop the curse that almost slipped out.

A-class hunters were essentially strategic assets managed at the national level.

Their individual value exceeded billions of won.

Using such a strategic asset to monitor a mere civilian?

This was a warning.

“Is, is it really necessary to go that far…”

“It’s better to respond excessively than to have an unfortunate incident.”

A warning that he would intervene again if they tried to bury the Residents’ Committee chairman carelessly or drag out this incident.

Seeing the Guild Master’s blunt side, the district head stepped back, sweating.

“Oh my. I just came to pay my respects, but look at the time. Don’t I have an appointment in an hour?”

Then he turned his gaze away and asked his secretary.

He bulged his eyes at the secretary, pressuring him to ‘Say yes!’ out of the Guild Master’s sight.

“Yes, if you leave now, you’ll arrive just in time.”

“So, regrettably, I’ll take my leave first.”

As soon as the secretary answered, he hurriedly moved his feet as if he’d been waiting.

“Tsk. I guess I can’t leave him alone after all.”

The Guild Master immediately took out his smartphone and contacted someone.

“Yes, it’s me. Start monitoring the Eunpyeong District Head from now on. Report everything from his financial flows to how many sheets of toilet paper he uses in the bathroom.

Use the guild’s power if necessary. It’s better if the District Head knows we’re watching him.”

An icy voice.

And equally chilling content.

The girl, who had been eavesdropping on the Guild Master’s call with her ears perked up, exclaimed urgently.

“…Ah!”

“What, should I go catch him now? I still have that much power.”

She shook her head at Monk Jamyeong’s question.

The girl’s gaze was fixed on the Chungseong Guild Master.

“I know that! That, that… It’s called voyeurism! Is voyeurism your fetish, mister??”

“……”

The Guild Master’s actions froze at the girl’s words.

The Guild Master and Monk Jamyeong turned their heads to look at the girl like broken machines.

“Hehe, you helped the monk, so I can help you too!”

The girl had once given a miserable guest in the basement the ability to see through things.

Didn’t he say he had a disease that only calmed down when he saw inside people’s underwear in the bathroom?

This time, she was eager to use a wish to help the Guild Master.

Of course, limited to easily regenerated sacrifices like fingernails, toenails, or hair.

The Guild Master, sweating at the girl’s behavior that could socially bury a grown man, thought:

‘…She definitely needs proper education.’

Just as the girl was about to open her mouth again.

Worried that some unimaginable strange story might come out,

The Guild Master hurriedly spoke to the girl.

“Hmm, would you like to try studying?”

It was the kind of question Monk Jamyeong had been hoping for all along.

—