EVS Chapter 133

Kieek! Kkuk kkuk!

The massive griffin tried its hardest to squeeze through the narrow window, shrinking its body then twisting it this way and that. Some things work with effort while others don’t, but it was certainly trying hard.

Sa-yoon watched with disdain as the obviously oversized griffin tried to somehow cram itself through.

Is this one a bit lacking in intelligence?

Watching it try various methods before failing and lifting its head to wail, it definitely seemed dumber than other summoned beasts.

“The window’s three times smaller than your body, how are you trying to get in?”

As Sa-yoon pushed away the griffin’s head as it struggled to enter, it flapped its wings and threw a tantrum.

Kweeeek!

Look at that cry. He couldn’t tell if this was a griffin or a pig.

“Give up.”

When he flicked its forehead to discourage the reckless attempt, the griffin turned to Jae-hee and wailed. After briefly watching his summoned beast’s standoff with Sa-yoon, the man grabbed the windowsill and lowered his body. Teok, his feet caught the window frame. Only then did Jae-hee shift his weight from the griffin to the window and pat the hovering beast’s head.

“Good work.”

Hwak!

With a flash of light, the griffin vanished. Sa-yoon rubbed his chin while watching the man who’d casually entered his room through the window after dismissing his summon.

Those weren’t the moves of someone who’d only climbed through windows once or twice.

People rarely had occasions to climb through windows in their lives. At most, it would be sneaking out to avoid teachers during school days or breaking into houses.

Despite his proper appearance, seems he lived quite the delinquent life. Clicking his tongue and thinking he was indeed suitable for Night Rats Guild—what a shame it didn’t work out—Sa-yoon sat on the bed.

“Are you in your right mind?”

Jae-hee’s first words were the expected reproach.

“Hmm.”

Feeling similar to when Jong-sik nagged him, Sa-yoon hummed and avoided eye contact. Both Jong-sik and Jae-hee were unnecessarily meddlesome.

“I heard from Gyeongjin that you somehow knew I’d entered the Gate. You weren’t there then, how did you know?”

When he shamelessly changed the subject, the man glanced at Sa-yoon before settling into the chair in front of the bed and brushing back his disheveled hair. His tone was gentle and he was almost smiling, but seeing his serious expression now, Jae-hee had surprisingly cold features.

Should he say he looked heartless?

As Sa-yoon calmly observed this, the man sighed and gave his delayed answer.

“A summoner can see what their summon sees. With Rai sharing his memories, I’d be stupid not to know.”

“Oh.”

Hearing this, he recalled that summoners shared everything with their summons except physical sensations. Since summoners were so rare that he hardly ever met them, he’d let the information go in one ear and out the other, but if he’d known this would happen, he should have paid more attention then.

Then he could have avoided this annoying lecture.

“So, what were you thinking jumping into that Gate? You’re not inexperienced enough to not know that Gates begin resetting after saturation ends.”

“It was the only way to stop the Unknown right then.”

“Even you must feel that’s a weak excuse.”

“I actually find it surprisingly sufficient.”

“……”

Jae-hee shot him an incredulous look at the blatant lie delivered without even trying to sound convincing. Sa-yoon shrugged his shoulders and played it cool.

“I came back fine, didn’t I? So it worked out.”

Jae-hee let out a bitter laugh.

“Worked out, you say.”

“…?”

“You don’t seem to think so yourself.”

It was a surprisingly cynical response. Surprised by the colder reaction than expected, Sa-yoon studied Jae-hee’s expression. He looked somewhat displeased.

Unlike concern. If the Night Rats executives’ expressions showed worry, Jae-hee’s expression was colder and more irritated.

Like someone whose plans had been disrupted.

“Don’t think your lies will work on me. You know, don’t you?”

About my ability, his direct gaze seemed to add. Sa-yoon listened while leaning forward on the bed. When he tilted his chin as if saying continue, the man ran his hand through his brown hair and spoke.

“You were trying to die, weren’t you?”

“Well…”

Seeing that excuses wouldn’t work, he gave an ambiguous response instead of answering directly. However, his opponent wasn’t such an easy man. Clicking his tongue as if saying shallow tricks wouldn’t work, Jae-hee knelt on one knee and settled on the floor.

He bit his finger to draw blood and began drawing a summoning circle. Wondering why he was suddenly drawing one in the middle of their conversation, Sa-yoon watched as Jae-hee spoke.

“Did you think you could die if caught in a Gate Reset?”

“……”

“Sa-yoon-ssi. You need to think properly. Whether you truly want to die, or just don’t want to live like this.”

At these words, Sa-yoon burst out laughing despite himself.

Think properly?

What a ridiculous thing to say. Wasn’t he talking as if Sa-yoon had impulsively decided to die?

True, the plan to get caught in the Gate Reset was impulsive at the time. But underlying that decision was a desperate wish harbored over an unbearably long time.

Did his judgment seem rash?

If so, then he, not Sa-yoon, was being rash. Just because he could pierce the heavenly secrets didn’t mean he had watched Sa-yoon’s entire life.

That meant he didn’t know everything—his childhood with his parents, the time spent in the shelter with the next-door man, the 10 years lived as a villain after the System appeared.

In other words, his understanding of Sa-yoon was ridiculously shallow.

So much so that he dared not even call it understanding him.

Nothing was more ridiculous than judging and measuring someone with such limited understanding. Especially if that someone was himself.

Had he lived such an ordinary life?

“Jae-hee. Teach those who need teaching.”

A cold voice flowed from Sa-yoon’s lips. As Sa-yoon changed his usually smooth manner of speaking, the atmosphere instantly turned frigid.

“What. Do I look like I was trying to die as a joke to you?”

“I never said that. I’m just saying aim your arrow in the right direction before drawing the bowstring.”

“What do you mean?”

“Do you truly want to die?”

“……”

This bastard just doesn’t get it.

Sa-yoon raised an eyebrow at the man who maintained the exact same attitude despite his own sneering response. Jae-hee seemed thoroughly fixated on something. Sa-yoon crossed his arms and stayed still, as if to hear what he really wanted to say, while the man finished the summoning circle and stood up.

“I meant decide clearly whether you want to die, or just don’t want to live like this. Didn’t I tell you I could help you break free from the System?”

“……”

“I’ll help you. So stop acting recklessly.”

“Ha…”

This time it was Sa-yoon who let out a deflated laugh, just as Jae-hee had done earlier. Now he understood.

Why the man was upset.

He was someone who wanted to strike a blow against the gods playing around above through Sa-yoon’s insight into the world. He was someone with the conviction to restore this ruined world, and for that, he needed Sa-yoon.

If he was the joker to change this game, then Sa-yoon was the signpost indicating which direction to change it. If someone like himself died, naturally Jae-hee’s plans would fall apart too. That’s what he didn’t want.

Because it would ruin the picture he was painting.

Sa-yoon felt subtly unpleasant. Frowning at the unsettling feeling, he lay back on the bed and drew a breath.

“You’re not in your right mind either.”

“Am I worse than someone who throws themselves into a Gate Reset to die? You did it during battle too. Take better care of your body. It’s not just your life alone that depends on that body, is it?”

It was an unbearably correct statement. Sa-yoon covered his ears, not wanting to hear the truth.

Jae-hee was right. It wasn’t just his life alone that depended on him. The safety of Night Rats Guild members depended on his survival, as did the security of high-ranking figures connected to Night Rats.

According to Gyeongjin, his was a body that needed to be handled with care.

But so what?

When his life wasn’t beautiful at all.

He’d said to decide whether he wanted to die or just didn’t want to live like this?

Sa-yoon contemplated his life while mulling over Jae-hee’s words. This rare moment of life reflection didn’t last long.

From the moment he looked back on his past, everything was already concluded.

He had to die.

The System wasn’t his only reason for death. His reasons for needing to die included how he had lived.

Hadn’t he killed too many?

The lives of people committing all sorts of corruption behind the scenes weren’t his concern. However, too many innocent people had died.

Especially those who had been kind to him.

Was he worth living?

At this question, Sa-yoon smiled faintly and threw a pillow.

How could he be?

Indeed, he wanted to die.

Just as he reached this conclusion.

Kang!

Just as he heard a dog’s bark from somewhere, suddenly a white Fenrir appeared and lunged at Sa-yoon.

“Ugh!”

Sa-yoon clutched his abdomen, compressed by the Fenrir as it pushed off the ground and landed on top of him with its huge bulk. A cough burst out from the surprise. As he frowned and hacked, the culprit who’d summoned the Fenrir approached.

“Rai, be careful.”

Jae-hee gently stroked the white fur before turning to Sa-yoon’s dumbfounded face.

“Keep Rai with you for a while.”

“Could you not make it sound like an order?”

Sa-yoon frowned while petting Rai, who was licking his cheek. Whether naturally overly affectionate or not, the white Fenrir was already showing attachment to Sa-yoon as if it had grown fond of him.

Seems his disappearance into the Gate had been quite shocking.

“I’m lending him to you, so don’t throw him around carelessly. It affects me too.”

When a summoned beast is injured and forcibly recalled, the summoner takes that much damage. As the man pointed out this fact, Sa-yoon, who had been considering when to force a recall, gave in to Rai’s affection and gently tickled under his chin.

The reason for Jae-hee suddenly lending Rai was obvious.

It was for both protection and surveillance. With Rai by his side, he wouldn’t be able to do anything reckless.

He was darker inside than he looked. Sa-yoon clicked his tongue at his formidable opponent while stroking the Fenrir.

“Know that I’m letting it slide just this once, Jae-hee.”

“It’s refreshing to be treated this way even after lending my summon, that’s a first.”

“Oh? So you’ve lent your summon to others before?”

“Hmm.”

There was no answer. Sa-yoon smiled slightly while rubbing the belly of Rai, who had laid down beside him.

Lending a summoned beast was something rarely done without considerable trust. Just maintaining a summon for long periods was quite burdensome.

Of course, while Jae-hee hadn’t lent him out of trust alone, the strain of maintaining a summon remained the same. Considering that dedication, Sa-yoon decided to accept it and gave Jae-hee a room downstairs when he asked where to stay.

“You’ve got it rough too, stuck with a crazy person.”

Hek hek.

When he spoke sympathetically, Rai panted with his tongue out. Sa-yoon wondered whether the “crazy person” he mentioned referred to himself or Jae-hee, then gave up pondering and closed his eyes.

Perhaps thanks to the Fenrir’s soft fur, that night was a peacefully deep sleep after a long while.