Chapter 86: The Beginning of Ruin (4)

Heosang, the magical girl of illusions, was more than just a friend or a disciple to Ianna.

They had even lived together externally for a short period.

The meaning Heosang held for Ianna was immense.

“Heee…”

Ianna clutched a photo of Heosang and became lost in thought.

Ianna’s brain, having absorbed too much information in a short period, was beginning to overload.

Ianna thought her own infantile regression had stopped.

But that was only a story from an unconfirmed future.

Rather, at this point, Ianna’s brain was no different from that of a child.

She was barely maintaining her sanity thanks to her superhuman mental strength, will, and one ‘variable.’

The adjutant looked at Ianna with concern but did not interfere much.

It was because of an order from Hojoon.

In this situation, there was nothing to be gained by provoking Ianna.

“…Hey.”

“Yes?”

Ianna gently grasped the adjutant’s lapel with her small, white hand.

“D-Do you… have… a family…?”

It was the first time.

That Ianna had asked about her.

“…”

The adjutant couldn’t readily open her mouth.

She did have a younger sister, but it didn’t seem like telling Ianna would do any good.

The adjutant’s younger sister was currently in a coma, diagnosed with an ‘incurable disease.’

And.

Hojoon was using her younger sister as a hostage, manipulating her as he pleased.

For instance, her role as Ianna’s adjutant.

‘Should I tell her this?’

‘Wouldn’t the soft-hearted Ianna perhaps bear an even greater burden?’

The adjutant was somewhat worried.

“My parents have passed away, and I have one younger sister.”

“…I see.”

“She’s a child who resembles you, Director.”

“Umm….”

Ianna tilted her head slightly at the remark that the adjutant’s younger sister resembled her.

A faint fear was taking root deep within Ianna’s heart.

A fear that someday, all of this might lead to ruin.

A fear that she herself might lead everyone to ruin.

Therefore.

Ianna wanted to keep some distance from the people around her.

Even if it was just a midsummer night’s fleeting dream, she had clearly experienced the future Aeweon had shown her.

She didn’t want the people around her to get caught up in it.

Because only she could solve everything.

It was a time when the sense of responsibility Ianna had always carried became even heavier.

“Don’t you… want to see her?”

“I do want to see her.”

The adjutant was always by her side.

Ianna thought so and tried to comfort the adjutant.

“Sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing, Director? I’m fine.”

Ianna, uncharacteristically, even patted the adjutant’s shoulder, showing a somewhat ‘mature’ side.

The adjutant was deeply moved by Ianna’s appearance.

‘The Director is also gradually getting better.’

Though, in reality, it wasn’t so.

Ianna was slowly crumbling.

From within.

“……Will Harsa come?”

“She’ll definitely come.”

For some reason, her feelings for Harsa were growing stronger.

The more she lost places to rely on.

The more her heart crumbled.

Her obsession with Harsa, whom ‘she had raised,’ was gradually intensifying.

Ianna first met Harsa while carrying out a mission in Israel.

At that time, Harsa was so emaciated it wouldn’t have been strange if she died the next day.

Ianna couldn’t help but inadvertently recall her past self.

Therefore, she extended a hand to Harsa.

During the short time they spent together, she lived the ideal life she had wished for with Harsa.

Without even dreaming that Harsa had the potential to be a magical girl.

Ianna secretly thought.

‘If Harsa didn’t have potential, if only Harsa could live as an ordinary human.’

Had she just been enduring by brainwashing herself?

Was it only because it was Ianna that she could endure?

If it were other girls.

If it were other children.

Most would surely lose their sense of self and break down.

And in reality, it was so.

Good deeds born of goodwill gave birth to attachment.

Ianna did everything she could and then left Harsa’s side.

Without ever dreaming that child would grow up to be a magical girl.

Ianna replayed the memory of being struck in the stomach several times.

If she could, she felt like gouging out her brain, memory and all.

Because she could never believe that her family had done such a thing to her.

Ianna just wanted to get close again.

Though it all came to ruin.

‘…Cheonching.’

Was Cheonching the variable?

Or had even Harsa been seized by the magical girl’s madness?

Ianna couldn’t know for sure.

‘…It’s my fault.’

Because she thought it was her own fault.

It was natural for other children to ignore, ridicule, and bully her.

Because she was driving them to their deaths.

Even if she was a puppet, ultimately, she was the one responsible.

Because Hojoon was making it so.

Consumed by guilt, she couldn’t properly look at the other children’s faces.

Byeolmu-ri, she now looks down on her with an outright contemptuous face.

None of the other children interact with her.

She desperately craved love.

But no one loved her.

Except for the adjutant.

It was only thanks to the immense mission she carried and the adjutant that she barely held onto the thread of reason.

Anna.

This is agonizingly painful.

She had forgotten how agonizing it was to be tormented by family.

It felt as if memories she had hidden long ago were surfacing one by one.

Ianna unknowingly clutched her throat.

‘If only then…….’

When her own mother’s hands were strangling her.

‘If I had closed my eyes then, I wouldn’t have to go through such painful things.’

Thinking so, Ianna closed her eyes.

“Director…?”

“Oh, today… that’s enough… C-Could you leave…………?”

“…Yes.”

The adjutant left without a word.

Because she thought it was the best thing to do.

She never dreamed it was the worst possible choice.

Screeeech-

Ianna’s room, after the adjutant disappeared.

At this time, when dozens of camera sensors were operating ceaselessly.

Tears were streaming down, but she didn’t notice.

Looking back, Ianna herself had had plenty of opportunities to die.

The problem was that she had survived as tenaciously as a weed.

Now, she had become a body that could no longer die.

Because she carried too much.

Because if she gave up, everything would spiral into the abyss.

She wanted to overcome any difficulty with dignity.

Though Ianna’s spirit had already reached its limit.

Just one thing.

There was someone she wanted to see.

Someone who would look at her without prejudice.

…But.

Though the face was clearly remembered.

The name, she couldn’t recall at all.

Ianna despaired once more.

And then, she became terrified.

Because she had realized.

From now on.

She would forget precious things one by one.

Ianna unknowingly shivered.

‘…There’s no time.’

There was still quite some time before the unidentified entities began their activities.

In the meantime, she had to stop Hojoon and unite the Bureau.

She had to clear up all misunderstandings about herself.

She needed allies.

If things continued like this, everything would surely spiral into the worst.

In the end, she would surely die without even being able to properly convey her words to Harsa.

Just one more step before becoming a puppet doll that had lost all emotion, self, thought, everything.

Ianna sobbed heavily.

The love she hadn’t received.

Even though she had given it to everyone.

For only ruin to return.

“Uuu…….”

Ianna, who had been sobbing pitifully under the covers, cried herself to sleep.

And.

Screeeech-

Someone came to Ianna’s room.