The Villain’s Recipe - Chapter 25.1
Exchanging parting greetings, his throat choked up.
“Thank you.”
Min-ha rubbed his reddening eye rims and made his final stop at Mr. Jang ‘s house. He happened to be at home.
“Min-ha?”
Mr. Jang came running over without even putting on his shoes and grabbed Min-ha.
“Are you alright? Are you alright?”
“I’m alright. I’m alright, so please don’t worry.”
“That damn bastard!”
All sorts of curses regarding Lee In-su spilled out of Mr. Jang’s mouth. Accursed bastard, killer, madman, and so forth. He heard several times more curses at once than he had ever listened to throughout his entire life.
“Still, I’m glad.”
Saying that, Mr. Jang pulled out something small like a button from his bosom with trembling hands.
“Grandfather?”
Before Min-ha could even ask what that was, Mr. Jang pressed it. No sound came out, but somehow an ominous premonition struck him.
“Grandfather, what is that?”
Even so, Min-ha tried to remain calm as he asked.
“This…This was given by the Management Bureau! They told me to press it if you came back or if any other abnormality occurred.”
At Mr. Jang’s confession, Min-ha’s face turned completely pale. He could prove his innocence even if he met people from the Management Bureau right away. Because he had simply been kidnapped and sold off as a guide.
But what about Baek Seok-gyol? He was a notorious villain. By hearsay, high-ranked espers and people from the Management Bureau knew Baek Seok-gyol’s face for the most part. That was why he had planned to wear a mask whenever they moved regions.
Min-ha turned back to look at Baek Seok-gyol with an anxious expression. Looking at the device Mr. Jang had pressed, Baek Seok-gyol shifted his gaze over to Min-ha. The mood that had been lifted while dealing with the village elders sank coldly.
Baek Seok-gyol twisted the corners of his lips into a smile. Right, being treated like a villain was how it should be. The warmth he had tasted for a moment was just an illusion. If he had known from the very beginning that Baek Seok-gyol was a villain, he wouldn’t have shown an attitude like that. The heart that had been tingling melted away and vanished smoothly. Once his emotions disappeared, he could become much more rational.
The Management Bureau did not possess a proper long-distance teleporter. Since they wouldn’t be able to come all the way here at once from the Management Bureau located by the Han River, they must have planted someone in this vicinity. When Baek Seok-gyol thought that, Min-ha caught hold of his hem with a troubled face.
Min-ha was growing anxious. And guessing the root of that anxiety wasn’t difficult. He was worried that Baek Seok-gyol, who was called a villain in society, might harm the elder right in front of him. But there was no particular need to do so. Since it was a life already fading away anyway, on top of being someone Mincher cherished, he had no intention of laying a hand on him.
“It’s alright.”
Baek Seok-gyol carefully stroked Min-ha’s head. Seemingly reassured at last, Min-ha smiled, however clumsily. Smiling back at Min-ha, Baek Seok-gyol naturally turned his body around. The person he had to deal with had arrived.
The man whose collar was a mess as if he had run in a hurry had a face Baek Seok-gyol recognized well. Even though he lacked interest in other people, he at least knew about South Korea’s S-rank esper. That was because Ma Jin-cheol had crammed the information into him in case he had to face him later.
“A bothersome bug has latched on.”
As if reacting to Baek Seok-gyol’s words, Kang Sa-hyeok’s brow furrowed.
“Baek Seok-gyol!”
Before he knew it, the flames blooming from Kang Sa-hyeok began to spread toward the surroundings. With a bewildered expression, Min-ha looked at the flames, then grabbed Baek Seok-gyol and stepped back a step.
Perhaps because of that action, Kang Sa-hyeok spotted Min-ha as well.
“Lee Min-ha! Min-ha!”
Only after his name was called did Min-ha seem to recognize Kang Sa-hyeok. He blinked his eyes as if he couldn’t believe it, then rolled his eyes. It looked like he briefly checked his wrist. That trivial action felt so unpleasant that strength unconsciously went into Baek Seok-gyol’s hand.
“Don’t pull away.”
When Baek Seok-gyol spoke coldly like an order, Min-ha stood right up close against him. Even while doing so, he gestured toward Mr. Jang, who was trembling without understanding the situation.
‘Grandfather, run away!’
Every word Min-ha whispered reached Baek Seok-gyol completely. However, instead of running away, the elder threw a question toward Kang Sa-hyeok.
