Chapter 121: The Angel Meets the Assassin (6)

Episode 121: The Angel Meets the Assassin (6)

“Boy, you want to go to the Old Citadel?”

“Yeah!”

“The Old Citadel. It’s my hometown, but it’s a bit of a dangerous place…”

Leffrey nodded. The pink tail swayed as she watched him.

The pink-haired girl crouched down, stretched her back, then looked at the gold-haired boy again.

“Why do you want to go there?”

“A student from the Assassination Department was kidnapped there.”

“Ah, so that happened.”

Hongwol’s ears twitched.

She was unconsciously scanning her surroundings.

“The Assassination Department is infamous for their otherworldly being hate. Those fucking racists… I don’t know what kind of shit that kid from the Assassination Department pulled, but he probably deserved to be kidnapped. Serves him right.”

The girl smiled cruelly.

Her appearance was no different from that of a mature woman, and that smile lacked the innocence of youth. It was closer to the wild instinct of an animal.

“Do you even know how many of my friends… suffered because of those human supremacists like the Assassination Department? Some even died. Or suffered fates worse than death.”

The girl continued,

“And recently, I was almost killed by those racists. Well, thanks to that, I did meet someone precious, but…”

Her cat eyes gleamed brightly under the shade of the trees.

Leffrey could tell.

That there was a sadness hidden within those eyes.

“So you’re asking me to help them? No way. Even if you’re asking, I’m not going to.”

Hongwol said that,

Then carefully watched Leffrey’s reaction.

“Well, it’s true that the Assassination Department discriminates against otherworldly beings. That’s true, but…”

The boy trailed off.

Just what could he say to persuade Wol?

No, could he even persuade her?

The black archangel’s image flickered in his mind. The fact that hate breeds hate, the truth that resentment gives birth to more resentment.

‘My little angel, this isn’t my fault.’

The demon king whispered from within his heart.

‘This is just how humans are. It’s how this world works…’

He was smiling.

‘My precious angel… It’s time you realize… who is truly corrupting karma…’

The demon king continued to whisper.

Was it truly arrogant of him? To think he could dispel the hatred of Professor Merrill, who was much stronger than him, to think he could ignore the history of hatred between humans and otherworldly beings.

Could an angel, wingless and devoid of faith, truly save the world?

But Leffrey couldn’t stop.

“But I still want to save that person.”

“Are you serious? You want to save someone who discriminated against us?”

Hongwol’s gaze sharpened. It was as if she were about to pounce on him.

“I’m not saving him for those discriminators. Wol, I’m saving him for *you*.”

“Just what are you…”

“Ultimately, you entered our academy because you wanted to live alongside humans. And that means you’ll keep encountering the Assassination Department…”

Leffrey reached out his hand to the lonely cat.

“Let’s use this opportunity to gain their favor. If they have any conscience, they won’t try to bother you anymore.”

“…They won’t bother me anymore.”

“Would they hate someone who saved them? Maybe they’ll even apologize for what they did and ask to reconcile.”

“Reconcile…”

Such an unfamiliar word to her. Reconciliation. Hongwol, with a troubled expression, contemplated Leffrey’s words.

“Haah, even if I don’t go, the boy will just go to the Old Citadel by himself. To that dangerous place, alone…”

Hongwol shook her head.

What would happen if a pretty boy like Leffrey were to go to the Old Citadel alone? The countless criminal organizations that rule the Old Citadel, brothels, and human traffickers…

They would all target Leffrey.

For such a beautiful boy to be wandering around alone? It was clear they would do anything to have him.

And the ones to be wary of the most…

…were the rulers of the Old Citadel, the ones who loved pretty boys, her own kind, the Mooncat Tribe. If the Mooncat Tribe were to see Leffrey wandering around…

“Absolutely not.”

Hongwol muttered to herself.

“Boy, I’ll never… I’ll never let you go there alone.”

“Then will you come with me?”

Leffrey smiled. Hongwol, with a resigned expression, nodded as if she had no choice.

“…Yes.”

* * *

There’s a place that was once called the DMZ. It’s now called the Gate Special Zone. Why? Because the world’s largest gate floats in the sky above it.

Originally an uninhabited area, it was now a metropolis with almost ten million people. Half from the other world, half from Earth. And among them, half were foreigners.

In the heart of this city,

There was an area called the Old Citadel.

It was the most important area, home to various dungeons producing rare items and the ancient dwarven workshops, it boasted an overwhelmingly high population density even within the already crowded special zone.

2,500,000 people/km²… the worst density humanity had ever seen. And the unbelievable wealth that allowed this density to be maintained.

And wealth always attracts corruption.

“So, this is the Old Citadel…”

Buildings that seemed to reach the sky. Every building was decorated with dazzling neon signs and holograms, creating an artificial sky, as if replacing the real one.

And tucked between those buildings were houses and shops, shady peddlers, even shadier groups,

And countless people going about their daily lives, as if this were normal.

“That’s right, this is the Old Citadel.”

Hongwol, her feline eyes gleaming, scanned her surroundings. Seeing Leffrey who’s obviously an outsider, looking around curiously, a group of thugs approached to pick a fight.

“Just leave.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

But the thugs all recognized Hongwol. And the moment they did, they bowed deeply, more than a hundred and twenty degrees, then ran away.

But the brothel owners, the human traffickers who turn people into animals… they saw his beautiful appearance and couldn’t easily give up on Leffrey.

‘If I could just sell that kid, I could finally retire from this business, ain’t that right?’

‘Are you crazy? He’s with the next head of the Mooncat Tribe.’

‘So what? She’s still just a kid.’

No matter how powerful Hongwol was as the next chieftain of the Mooncat Tribe, she was still just a kid. Surely they could create an opportunity. That was their delusion.

“You…”

Of course, such a delusion wouldn’t be forgiven so easily.

“Just die.”

Hongwol, honed by Park Jin-ho’s teachings and awakened as a hero, was a powerful being, even among superhumans. She had naturally surpassed the assistant teacher level and was at the level of a guild master. No, even stronger.

In the den of evil that was the Old Citadel, excluding her mother, there was no one who could defeat her.

‘Someone’s tailing us…’

Hongwol’s ears twitched. Her sixth sense is able to detect even high-level concealment that was normally impossible to detect.

It was one of her abilities as a hero.

‘Quite a skilled individual. Their concealment skills, just considering that, they’re even better than my mother.’

Concealment skills superior to Jeokwol, the master of the Old Citadel. Hongwol’s hair began to stood on end.

Just what kind of powerful being is targeting her Leffrey? Hongwol, growing irritated, grabbed Leffrey’s hand.

“Boy, are you just here to play?”

“Ah, no, I’m not.”

“Then stop acting like an idiot and focus.”

Squeeze- Hongwol gripped Leffrey’s small hand tightly. It was an unconscious action.

“Ow, that hurts.”

The pink-haired girl focused all her senses on Leffrey, quickly making her way to the home of the Mooncat Tribe.

Thus, the boy and girl arrived at a massive building. The tallest building in the Old Citadel, what people sarcastically called as The Cat Tower.

To the Cat’s Perch.

Hongwol, without a word, headed for the main entrance, and the guards immediately recognizing her, instantly bowed.

“Miss! Welcome back!”

But Hongwol didn’t acknowledge their greeting. She didn’t even nod, just headed inside.

“Miss, the boy next to you needs to undergo an inspection…”

“Hey, just let them through. That boy is a benefactor of our tribe.”

“The tribe’s benefactor?”

“Yes.”

Fortunately, the guards didn’t stop them.

“Wol, what’s wrong?”

Meanwhile, Leffrey who had been dragged along and is oblivious to what was going on… felt Hongwol’s anxiety.

Ding—A high-speed elevator descended with a ding. The boy and girl immediately boarded the elevator.

The elevator soared to the top floor of the Cat’s Perch. Hongwol, finally relaxing a little bit.

She started swaying her tail again. Her mood seemed to have improved.

“Do you like high places?”

Leffrey asked. Hongwol nodded silently.

“As expected, cats love high places, huh.”

“…No, even humans like high places. It’s not just cats.”

Hongwol, her face slightly reddened, muttered,

“And actually, I don’t really like high places.”

And yet she always occupied high places like trees, ceilings, and pillars… Leffrey, keeping that thought to himself, looked at Hongwol.

“Will we be able to rescue him right away?”

Hongwol shook her head.

“Probably not. Even if you’re our tribe’s benefactor, you can’t just make such a demand to my mother, the chieftain.”

“Then what should we do?”

Hongwol’s cat eyes gleamed again.

“We’ll ask to check on his condition, then just take him.”

“No, that’s cheating! That’s lying!”

Leffrey, becoming the Preacher Angel, was about to start his lecture about how lying was bad, but…

‘Wait, this solution sounds so familiar? This devilish, no, angelic solution, it’s just like…’

There were just too many things he had done that made him unable to even begin his lecture, he had to reflect on himself first.

Ding—The elevator door opened. From beyond the doors, The sounds of nyaa-naa- were heard.

“The next chieftain brought a male.”

“What a cute boy.”

“I want him.”

Meeeooow—Words that were getting on Hongwol’s nerves.

“Wait, isn’t that the boy who drew the holy sword?”

“The tribe’s benefactor.”

There were even those who recognized Leffrey. And then came someone who silenced them all.

“Hongwol.”

A woman holding a long smoking pipe walked towards them. She looked like she was Hongwol’s sister. Just with a different hair color and was a bit older… but she was no different from Hongwol.

“Mother.”

But she wasn’t Hongwol’s sister. It was Jeokwol, Hongwol’s mother and the master(ruler) of the Old Citadel.

“What brings you here?”

“About that Assassination Department student who was caught causing trouble in the Old Citadel. I want you to release him.”

“…That’s unexpected.”

Phew- Jeokwol took a long drag from her long smoking pipe.

“Do you know what that Central Academy student did?”

“He probably did something that’s typical of the Assassination Department. Like a true speciesist.” (TL Note: IT’S A WORD NOW OKAY??)

“Knowing that, you’re still asking me to release that student?”

“Yes.”

Hongwol and Jeokwol stared at each other. A sharp fighting spirit, something unbecoming of a mother and daughter, is clashing.

‘This won’t do.’

Leffrey opened his mouth,

“It’s been a while, Chieftain Jeokwol.”

“Yes, it has, benefactor of our tribe.”

“Actually, because of the Assassination Department student, you must be having quite a headache, right?”

Leffrey said, looking around, as if talking to himself,

“Professor Merrill from the Assassination Department is constantly harassing you because of that student, and Hanshin, a large guild, will probably try to pressure the Old Citadel. The other professors will be no different, but…”

And the boy looked at Jeokwol again.

“I understand why you can’t easily release him. There’s a matter of pride, and then there’s the grudge and the need for revenge.”

Jeokwol nodded.

“Unlike my foolish daughter, you understand how the world works.”

Leffrey said once again,

“Then how about using me as an excuse?”

“What do you mean?”

“You can say that it’s because you couldn’t refuse a request from the boy who saved the tribe, and by releasing the child, you’re repaying the debt you owe me.”

Leffrey cautiously asked,

“Wouldn’t that work?”

“…”

Jeokwol took another long drag from her smoking pipe. A few of the Mooncat Tribe members muttered, “Don’t fall for his words, Chieftain,” and, “Even if he’s a benefactor…”, trying to change her mind.

“So, Boy, you’re asking for that child’s release as a reward for saving the tribe.”

“Yes.”

“If you asked for another reward, I could even give you something unimaginably greater.”

Leffrey shook his head.

“I like this reward.”

“Then I can’t refuse.”

As Jeokwol nodded, a few of the Mooncat Tribe members who were hiding in the shadows brought a girl to them. Her mouth was gagged, and her hands were tightly bound by a gray rope…

…But she was clearly wearing the Central Academy uniform.

“Take her.”

“Chieftain!”

“I’m just repaying a debt. It’s not because we’re weak that we’re releasing this assassin.”

“Chieftain, you can’t do this! What would those human supremacists think of us?!”

“And if we refuse a benefactor’s request… what would the world think of us? Let them go.”

So, is this case closed? Leffrey thought ‘This was too easy’ as he received the student.

But the Assassination Department girl didn’t relax. She was still terrified.

“Don’t worry, I’ll untie you as soon as we’re out of here.”

Why was the girl so terrified? Just what had she done to these beast folk?

Leffrey would never know, but the girl had carried out her family’s orders, and during the process, there were several children who were severely injured.

And the mothers of those children, unsure of their children’s fate, were living in this space.

This was hatred.

It was the song sung by the demon king through his trumpets, and the truth that humanity had been chanting for eternity.

This wasn’t something one angel could fix. For it is not an angel who can truly change the world.

But Leffrey didn’t know this.

As Leffrey tried to reassure the Assassination Department girl, a few Mooncat Tribe members leaped. They immediately targeted the girl’s throat…

And Leffrey couldn’t react in time.

It happened in a single moment. Blood splattered, the glass shattered.

A truly gruesome sight.

A girl, severely injured, barely stood on her two feet.

But the Assassination Department girl they had targeted was unharmed. The only one who wasn’t unharmed was…

“Wol? Wol!”

“Haha… I… I fell for your words… about reconciliation…”

The young hero, Hongwol.