No Dark Secrets In This Book

Episode 77

‘Is it that the level of trash is higher for the mastermind of world destruction than third-rate villains of the Demon Realm?’

The Demon Realm, it’s not a term that refers to Incheon itself. It got that name because of the smugglers and lawbreakers hiding deep in the underground passages beneath Incheon.

However, the underground passages of the Demon Realm built by the lawbreakers were a holy ground for building code violations. If you wrongly touch it trying to sweep away the Demon Realm, sinkholes could swallow up Incheon.

Moreover, smugglers are like flies that reappear from somewhere even if you try to uproot them, so the higher-ups concluded it’s better to herd them into the Demon Realm and leave them alone.

‘In short, it’s a fucking responsibility avoidance.’

“What are you hoping for by coming here?”

[The destination I want is Russia. Give me Trans-Siberian Railway tickets and a suitable identity.]

“You’re Chinese, right?”

[Does that matter?]

When I suddenly changed the language I was using and answered in French with an Eastern European accent, the old woman’s expression changed as if she was dumbfounded.

“So they can’t track you. Is that face also false?”

[What is that?]

When I acted cute as if I knew nothing, the old woman glared at me as if looking at a brat.

“If you had killed our people, you wouldn’t even be able to see my face. I’m treating you as a guest because you didn’t cruelly swing your hands when dealing with the kids.”

[Hmm. Let me return those exact words, sickly old woman. I was able to let your people live because they didn’t resist clumsily.]

The old woman’s expression turned sour, but I was too classy a villain to mind that.

[You and I both know well. The antics of the bottom-feeders. If you don’t want to die, it’s best to stop such impudent tricks.]

***

“You… with what guts?”

“Huh? What do you mean by that?”

I smiled as if I knew nothing and waved the tickets. As if boasting the accomplishment of safely getting out of the Demon Realm.

However, Ryuseong was sighing as if my infinitely light attitude was regrettable.

“You need to know how scary the world is.”

“I’m Cassice Demillang, what’s there to be scared of?”

“Your confidence is sky-high…”

“You weren’t scared either, so what are you saying? Anyway, with the two of us, we’re at the level to be able to smoothly escape, right?”

“Don’t underestimate the Demon Realm too much. That place…”

Seeing the young Ryuseong in the original work easily underestimating the Demon Realm say different things, it newly made me feel that his regression was certain, and it made me feel strange. I thought I was the adult with a wealth of experience, but there was someone in front of me who had lived a history in a different sense.

“Old man.”

“What?”

Ignoring the lengthy nagging, I stuck out my tongue and laughed, and Ryuseong got a strangely blank expression. Did he go crazy because I teased him too much? When I waved my palm in front of his eyes, he seemed to come to his senses and abruptly grabbed my wrist and interlocked our fingers like a madman. Yeah, I should tease him moderately from now on.

I thought that and easily shook off the tail sent by the Demon Realm and dashed away.

Actually, for Awakeners who have reached the peak of lightness skills, it’s faster to just run than taking the subway. However, I thought it would be too much for us to run across Siberia, so I got the railway tickets. Fortunately, the tickets the old woman got us were for a train departing tomorrow evening. If we run at this pace, we won’t be late. But the crazy Ryuseong seemed to have no intention of leaving me alone.

“Shall we see who arrives faster from now on?”

“Are you joking? It’s only natural that I would be faster.”

“Yeah? Wanna try it?”

…Why was I born as a person with a strong competitive spirit? So we spent all day using lightness skills and had a race. I won. But at the same time, I also lost.

I arrived at the train station one step ahead of Ryuseong, but I had squeezed out all my energy and strength, so I half-fainted before even getting a nearby inn. Ryuseong looked down at me, who was sprawled out and just panting, as if it was absurd, but I was in no state to get up at all. Breathing alone felt like my lungs would tear apart, let alone speaking.

“Is this considered winning?”

“…”

“I never told you to speed up to this extent.”

I got annoyed at his tone, which I couldn’t tell if he was at a loss or mocking, and tried to get up, but I twisted my arm. Hoping my nose wouldn’t break, I collapsed, but Ryuseong pulled me into his arms. And a deep sigh followed. Somehow it made me laugh, and as I was smiling feebly, he muttered that it was my fault, picked me up, and started walking somewhere. I liked being in his arms, so I closed my eyes.

And just when I thought it would be perfect to sleep a little more, Ryuseong shook my shoulder and woke me up. Looking out the window, it still seems to be evening… Why did he wake me up already?

“Get up, come on. You at least need to wash up.”

“Ugh… What time is it?”

“Five minutes to eight in the evening.”

“I won’t eat dinner… Let me sleep a little more…”

“What dinner? Do you want to miss the train?”

“…What did you say?”

It turned out I had slept all day. I blinked my eyes in disbelief, but Ryuseong didn’t care and wiped my face with a wet towel, put bread in my mouth, then picked me up and walked to the train station. When I struggled in bewilderment, he told me to just eat the bread, so I chewed it for now. I was dying of injustice, but it was absurd how people around us were giving us looks as if it was nice to see or as if it was unsightly. As soon as I thought I should chew quickly and make a sharp remark, I choked. As I coughed uncontrollably, Ryuseong sighed and opened a bottle of water and handed it to me. Even after drinking a sip, I kept coughing, and he patted my back, but somehow this whole flow felt so natural that I was dumbfounded.

“You, you, why are you doing this to me…”

“You should know I’m tired too from having a lover who needs a lot of care.”

“What, I didn’t even want…!”

“The train is coming.”

At that moment, the train appeared somewhere on the horizon, emitting rattling noises. In the end, I missed the chance to ask why he was treating me like a child and could only glare at Ryuseong, and Ryuseong looked down at me with an equally displeased expression.

“Where did you put the tickets?”

“In my back pocket. Take them out.”

“…”

I don’t know why the concentration of displeasure on Ryuseong’s face squared at my words. But soon Ryuseong managed his expression and fumbled my butt to take out the tickets from my back pocket. As I quietly looked up, it seemed like he whispered something, but I couldn’t hear anything because of the train horn. So what did you say?

“Don’t act like this to others.”

Is that what he said?

I felt a little dazed. Who are you to tell me what to do with my actions? But I wasn’t sure if Ryuseong really said that to ask. I kindly let it slide, and Ryuseong soon showed the tickets to the station staff.

“Ooh, are you newlyweds?”

“…”

“I hope you have a joyful honeymoon!”

We hear this everywhere we go. Ryuseong turned red to his ears and stopped for a moment, and I poked him with my toes to make him walk again, then smiled brightly at the flustered station staff.

“Thank you, I hope you have a happy day too.”

They will probably have a happy day throughout the trip. Because I’m on this train.

***

We got tickets for the high-class cabin among the passenger compartments. Not only are the seats separated from others, but it’s a space that can be called a private room. Ryuseong even blinked at the sight of a separate bathroom attached.

He didn’t grow up like a young master, so he thought this luxurious extravagance was a waste of money. It seems to feel different for Cassice Demillang though.

“They said it’s a high-class cabin, but the quality is lacking… What are you looking at?”

“No, I was just thinking how different our living environments could be.”

When I spoke indifferently, Cassice Demillang smiled like a cat.

“Well, of course it’s different.”

There was a subtle nuance in those words. Ryuseong pondered for a moment whether he was trying to mock him by bringing up his past.

‘The past where you had to survive by tearing apart corpses.’

Ryuseong and Cassice Demillang had an extremely bad relationship until Ryuseong regressed. Therefore, it was as natural as the sun rising in the east for Cassice Demillang to bring up Ryuseong’s past back then. The Cassice Demillang whose first meeting changed somehow was showing a completely different appearance, but…

Ryuseong wasn’t someone who would crumble now from receiving such contempt. Ryuseong had gone through numerous things until before the regression, and those experiences contributed to making Ryuseong firm. However, it was difficult to assert that he wouldn’t be hurt. After all, it’s because Ryuseong is also human.

Therefore, Ryuseong watched Cassice’s lips open, determined to brush off whatever he said. But…

“How could someone with good eyes like me live the same life as a dull fellow like you?”

“…”