Chapter 132

Although the urban legends about the Black Cape were famous, Ju-hyeon had little interest in them.

‘And there was no information I could access.’

The information and traces of the ‘Black Cape,’ a humanoid monster that had suddenly appeared recently, were managed by high-ranking researchers.

There was no information that Ju-hyeon, who was still just an Assistant Manager, could access.

However, he was well aware that it was a type of portrait.

“…….”

“Why, have you lost your words after seeing something so beautiful?”

“…Ah…. You’re… brimming with confidence?”

“For someone like me, shouldn't confidence be overflowing.”

“That….”

The conversation was so natural that it was bewildering.

“…Are you the Black Cape?”

He was so different from the image he knew.

“They said the Black Cape spoke in a much stiffer tone.”

“Then it wouldn't be any fun. I know how to change according to my opponent, that is my talent.”

“I’m not quite sure what this situation is.”

“Surprisingly, you’re not dreaming, so I’d appreciate it if you didn’t treat me like a hallucination.”

“…It doesn’t… seem like… a hallucination.”

His mind was still a bit dazed, but seeing his heart pound in surprise, that is.

“Why… why are you here?”

“It felt like someone was calling me.”

“At least I have never called you….”

“I’m sure you haven’t.”

The portrait, wearing its hood so low that its face was not visible, pointed below the frame.

“You give the impression that you’d be better at drawing than this.”

“…Ah.”

Where he pointed, there was a crudely drawn picture of the Black Cape in black crayon.

“…….”

For some reason, the drawing flickered unstably.

“…Did you come out of this drawing?”

“If I had, I would have come out of that paper, you foolish gentleman.”

“But that drawing did call you, didn’t it?”

“That’s how I was able to find this location, and thanks to that, I met you.”

“Your way of speaking is really… erratic.”

“It’s hard for me to stay still for even a moment.”

“The image is so different from the Black Cape I’ve heard about….”

“Hmm.”

Although his face was hidden in the shadow of the hood, for some reason, he seemed displeased.

“This kind of conversation is no fun.”

“…….”

Only then did Ju-hyeon suddenly feel a sense of crisis.

“…I’m sorry.”

Whatever the other’s identity was, there was nothing to be gained by earning his enmity.

He didn't even remember that just moments ago, he had been debating whether or not to make a wish to the evil god Sankalut.

It was because he was faced with such an absurd situation that his mind wasn't working properly.

Ju-hyeon apologized first.

“If you were perhaps displeased… uh….”

“Are you going to offer me a sacrifice or something?”

“I don’t even know who you are, so offering a sacrifice right away is a bit…?”

“Excellent. Prudence is a good virtue for a human to have in life.”

“But really, why are you here?”

“I’m pretty sure I already told you a moment ago?”

“Nobody called you.”

“Nobody called me, you say.”

A brief silence fell, and the portrait gently waved its hand.

“You called me, did you not?”

“…….”

Unlike before, it was a gentle and low voice.

“That is why I came.”

“…….”

“Because you were calling an evil god.”

And once more, he became as blunt as a corpse.

“I am looking for a friend to help with my adaptation.”

“…A friend….”

Was that ‘adaptation’ perhaps referring to human society?

Among the gods, evil gods were particularly interested in humans.

It was a completely unexpected aspect, but if the ‘Black Cape’ was a type of such an evil god, he could somewhat understand the situation of it suddenly appearing and striking up a conversation.

‘No, I don’t.’

Do evil gods normally appear so randomly like this?

“…I, I was… trying to call… another evil god… sir?”

“Whatever being you were trying to call, there would be no better choice than me.”

“Uh….”

It was an incredibly arrogant statement, but rather than feeling repulsed by it, he felt fear and anxiety.

‘Its presence is growing stronger.’

He understood that the opponent’s way of speaking was erratic.

Most great mysteries of that status couldn't fit into human standards, so many parts of them appeared strange.

‘He’s probably in the middle of adapting, just like he said earlier.’

But the fact that the pressure he hadn’t felt at first was gradually growing was a dangerous sign.

‘Does the status become more exposed the more he returns to that blunt tone?’

When he first spoke with a tone that felt somehow cruelly interesting, it was just bewildering, but the status was felt more clearly when the voice became reverently heavy, and even more so with the current mechanical tone.

“…….”

“You seem to be confused.”

“…I am, a little.”

“How may I help you?”

“Your tone… if you could speak a little more, lightly…?”

“Aha.”

The tone instantly became higher.

“So you prefer something less formal?”

“…Yes, this is more comfortable.”

At the same time, the pressure also eased.

‘…Is his personality changing?’

For a moment, the thought that he should report this new information about the ‘Black Cape’ came to mind, but it soon subsided.

He found it laughable that he, who was holding the mark of an evil god, couldn't escape his usual habits.

The portrait, watching Ju-hyeon’s reaction, asked.

“Why did you call the evil god?”

“…That’s unexpected, I thought a god would know without being told….”

“That’s an invasion of privacy.”

“…….”

“And right now, I am human.”

“…Ah, yes.”

It wasn't very convincing coming from a being that had popped out of a frame, but he could tell that it was, at any rate, doing its best to conform to human standards.

The proof was that despite being a being that claimed to be an evil god, there had been no witnesses who had died from their brains exploding just by seeing the Black Cape so far.

If he hadn't been considerate, numerous victims would have been produced just by seeing him.

A god could be a disaster just by being seen.

“You asked why I was trying to call an evil god.”

Ju-hyeon, who had been mumbling, soon closed his mouth.

“…….”

Well.

“…I’m not sure.”

“You have no talent for revenge.”

“You really do know all about my situation, don’t you?”

“I simply came, having smelled the scent of anger.”

“I’m sure you did, you must have….”

There was no way a being called an evil god wouldn't know the circumstances of a mere human, so his playful remark about an invasion of privacy seemed to be a kind of disguise or consideration.

‘No, an evil god wouldn't show consideration.’

Then could it be a human imitation to appear as friendly as possible?

Most evil gods were skilled and subtle at digging into the human heart, so such an imitation would have been no problem for them.

He actually felt more at ease.

“I believed in people.”

“What kind of people?”

“I believed in everyone.”

Ju-hyeon had been about to summon Sankalut without a wish anyway.

He had wanted to resolve his unknown impulse, even through such a foolish method.

So, it wouldn't be a big problem to play along with another evil god now.

If anything, the Black Cape his family used to talk about felt more familiar, so Ju-hyeon continued to speak.

“I believed in my family, I believed in my friends, and I believed in my colleagues.”

“Are you the trusting type?”

“I thought I was being suspicious in my own way… it’s embarrassing that it ended up like this.”

“What ended up like this?”

“Some of my people died because of my foolishness, some of them betrayed me, and the rest of them abandoned me.”

“That’s a very sad thing.”

“I was so angry. I was so angry I wanted to ruin everything, but I don’t even know how to ruin it.”

“So you called an evil god?”

“I thought if I just called one blindly, something might get better. I thought I might be able to ruin something, so I tried my hand at it. And I made it quite well.”

No matter how easy evil gods were to summon, considering that, to have made it this quickly, he must have had a talent for it.

Ju-hyeon sneered at his situation and his talent, and also marveled at it.

“I wanted to do good things.”

He didn't need honor.

“Just… something….”

“Yes.”

“I wanted to create a better world.”

“What a kind heart.”

“…That would have been enough….”

It was a path he walked knowing it would be hard, but it was harder than he had imagined.

“Isn’t this too much?”

It was a complaint he could make because he was facing an evil god.

“I know that just because I have good intentions doesn't mean I'll only get good results. I knew I couldn't do it alone with just my desperate struggle, so I made a lot of family, friends, and colleagues… but they all died, betrayed me, and left.”

“…….”

“Look at this, it's a mark that can summon Sankalut. Holding this allows the evil god to gaze upon me more easily. I'm using the knowledge I learned at the Association's research institute like this. I even made it so well. And then I was about to summon an evil god without even a wish to make.”

Really.

“It’s the worst.”

Both the situation surrounding him, and himself.

“It can’t get any worse than this….”

“Do you feel better now that you’ve said it?”

“…Black Cape, are you an evil god?”

“Quite a lot of people used to call me that. Not anymore.”

“I know that you were sighted in Korea quite recently.”

“That was before I was here.”

“I see, that can happen.”

“So can your situation.”

“…….”

“What do you want?”

It was similar to the whisper of a demon demanding a wicked price.

Whether the Black Cape was truly an evil god, or something similar.

Whether it was a god in the first place, or a monster. It was a situation where he truly knew nothing, but….

There was no reason not to answer.

“…In hell… like a village where people die without value, where you lose precious people for no reason, where you helplessly collapse in the face of continuing disasters, where you must live in fear….”

The terrible karma created by humans, monsters, and nature, which indiscriminately breaks everyone without distinguishing between their good and evil.

Making it so that no one can be happy, no one can be at peace.

“I would like for such tragedies not to be repeated.”

“Why?”

“Because I no longer have the confidence to watch such a sight.”

“Hmm.”

“I don't want to see it.”

I really tried so hard.

The cruelty of humans and monsters mixed together, and the world continues to create atrocities that are hard to look at.

“Can you grant my wish?”

To that, the Black Cape answered.

“? No?”

“…….”

Ju-hyeon silently raised his head and looked at the Black Cape.

“…Wasn’t this the timing to suggest a deal, saying you would grant my wish?”

“I’m sorry, but I do not carelessly interact with the mentally unsound. A deal? What a terrible thing to say.”

“Isn’t it usually more profitable to make a deal with a mentally unsound person? In the first place, is it okay for an evil god to say such a thing?”

“Above all, gods are more trivial and incompetent than you think.”

The Black Cape asked, as if it were pathetic.

“You weren’t thinking of wishing for something like world peace, were you?”

“…I did think it probably wouldn’t work, but still, aren’t you being too honest.”

“Hey, gentleman. I simply came here to find a friend to exchange letters with. I’m sorry, but you’d better follow your dream of world peace.”

“I mean, I wasn't wishing for world peace, but just to contribute in some way….”

“Isn’t that the same thing in the end?”

“…I can’t say it’s not.”

Wait a minute.

“…A friend to exchange letters with? You mean, a pen pal friend?”

“Will you do it? I can send them in the prettiest handwriting possible.”

“I don’t even know why you need such a thing, but… if I do it, what’s in it for me, and what’s bad about it?”

“The fact that you won’t have to go hungry from now on, and the point that you might become a pig by mistake?”

“They sound so much like the same thing that I can't tell which is the advantage and which is the disadvantage.”

“You’re prickly. Why, you seem to have the personality to have many friends, why not let me in too.”

“There are things you should and shouldn't let in….”

More importantly.

“…Was what you asked earlier about being hungry for real?”

“I said it because you had a face that looked like you were about to set off a nuclear bomb in this tiny country called Korea.”

“You know about nuclear bombs too? No, but why did you ask if I was hungry? That doesn't explain it.”

“Usually, guys who are about to cause trouble without thinking are hungry.”

“That doesn't seem very usual?”

“You could call it a human malfunction that occurs when the stomach isn't full.”

“I think you’ve learned about humans wrongly. What does causing trouble have to do with having a full stomach….”

“So I’m asking.”

He could feel the portrait smiling from within the shadow of its cape.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“…….”

Since it kept asking about his hunger status, it was an evil god that was persistent in a strange area.

‘…What’s its intention? As an evil god, it can’t be seen as the mercy of a traditional god. There must be something it wants….’

Ju-hyeon tried to think calmly.

“…….”

He tried, but it was difficult to expect his usual rationality from him, who had not eaten or slept for some time.

Half with a feeling of being swept away, and half bewitched by the sweet voice. Ju-hyeon did not resist and affirmed.

“…I think I might be.”

A thought suddenly occurred to him. ‘What would happen if I wished for world peace from an evil god.’

In a state of unreality indistinguishable from a dream, Ju-hyeon for a moment had such a delusion, which had no meaning or value.

***

The Black Cape extended its hand.

And Ju-hyeon was invited to the cabin.

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