53 – Growth (3)
“I apologize. I should have delayed Tanaka Haru a bit more,
or tried to dissuade Lord Taehyuk from disembarking.”
“It’s okay. Who could have known things would turn out like this.”
Leaning against the worn-out sofa, feeling the pressure bandage wrapping his injured arm, he waited for the pain to fade.
…Or maybe he had developed tolerance to painkillers.
“It seems the medication isn’t working.”
“Pills take about 30 minutes to an hour to take effect after ingestion.”
“34 minutes have passed.”
“I’m asking you to wait a little longer.”
“If you wish, we can determine if the medication is currently in effect through saliva analysis.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he grabbed the guy’s chin.
For a moment, the warmth lingered on their parted lips.
Along with a slightly racing heart.
What used to be nothing to Tanaka Haru now thumped.
To Da-yeon, it may have been slightly more impactful,
but compared to Iria, who was smiling in front of him now, it meant nothing at all.
“Thank you. The current painkiller dosage… is minimal.
If you wait a little longer, the pain is expected to gradually subside.
Re-measuring after an hour should provide more accurate results.”
“Got it.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he stood up from his seat and headed towards the bedroom. The guy who brought several pillows with him supported them under my wrist.
…It was a good thing to have someone by my side to help.
“The time when you weren’t here suddenly comes to mind.”
“During that time, did you treat your injuries alone?”
“I did everything, even the gunshot wounds.
…Really, when I think about how I couldn’t even afford to live back then, I suddenly feel so depressed.”
In an empty house, they lined up medical tools on the desk, and
The monotonous surface tainted with crimson blood, turning time into a chaotic mess.
If one wasn’t accustomed to gunshot wounds, several would have likely already rusted and shattered.
“I am here now.”
“Yeah, now that you’re here.
Want to sit next to me?”
I leaned against the guy who gently sat to my left, opening his arms to me.
Idylia, who stroked my dazed head, lips pressed against my forehead, firmly held my right arm.
“If I had been more actively defensive, Taehyuk wouldn’t have been injured.”
“If you had, you would have been badly hurt,
From Noble mtl dot com
maybe dead for a day.
You handled it well.”
“Taehyuk, do you plan to keep dealing with Manticores?”
“…No.”
It might be a bit harder to gather money, but after taking on requests here until the end of the year –
depending on how Tanaka Haru performs, he thought of discarding him without hesitation.
Anyway, his recognition had now increased,
and with Ilia’s assistance, he could easily manage his work.
“It seems like I won’t stay here much longer if I think about what Haru did.”
“…Is it because of Haru?”
“It’s because of Haru, not because you did something wrong.”
“You did well. Because you did well.”
It would have been troublesome if you had become depressed and gone back.
While Illya is to blame to some extent for messing up the relationship with Dayeon,
this time, it was solely due to the dreadful personality of the doomed Chiwa.
“My companion is you. What about you?”
“I am the same. Taehyuk is my lover and companion. That fact remains unchanged.”
“Yeah… Just like how I shook in pretense at first, fearing dirt and dust,
if I’m angry now because you got hurt… well, that’s natural.”
If I did wrong, use the whip. But if I did well, reward with a carrot and love.
“If you weren’t there, it wouldn’t have ended with just a wrist. So, thank you.”
Covering what’s in my hand with his right shoulder,
Illya raised his head gently, meeting my eyes with his, holding some thoughts behind a quietly concealed smile.
“I possess the ability to prevent Tanaka Haru from approaching Lord Taehyuk again.
Currently, I can transmit the recorded behavior directly to the Manticore representative,
and retaliatory measures can be enforced with force.”
…Ah, it was revenge.
Well, considering what I’ve endured so far, today’s events were unjust to the point of madness…
“A promise is a promise.
No going back on that.”
Tilting the body a bit more towards Illya extinguished that emotion.
As I accepted the sweet warmth, I felt the resentment fading away.
It was just fine as long as Illya was by my side.
Even if the other two loved me, whatever –
The one who captured my heart was the comrade who held onto the necklace and told me he loved me.
“I don’t particularly want to take on additional risks.
My body is exhausted beyond doing anything more.
Mentally too.
…Women are scary.
How did she figure it out like a ghost?
Even if we assume you provoked her first, Dayeon…
Did she catch a whiff or something?”
“The possibility is low,
From before, Tanaka Haru had been extremely cautious of me.
Therefore, it can be assumed that personal resentment manifested itself in the form of expressing dissatisfaction to Mr. Taehyuk.”
Although it was a joke thrown to brush off the matter,
Ilydia’s serious demeanor was – rigid.
“Mr. Taehyuk, unlike Goda Yeon, Tanaka Haru posed a serious threat.
I oppose continuing any interaction beyond this point.”
“Qui—”
“No.
I am loved by Mr. Taehyuk.
This fact remains unchanged.
This is a matter of safety, different from concerns about losing Mr. Taehyuk’s love.
Above all, Mr. Taehyuk has already given me enough trust.”
Holding the necklace gently, her expression as she looked at it was clearly filled with joy.
Indeed, I must have chosen well for a gift.
If I had known she would like it this much, I might have given it to her sooner.
“I understand why Mr. Taehyuk seeks financial stability.
I, too, will sincerely assist in achieving that goal.
However, considering Tanaka Haru’s social status and influence,
further contact could potentially continue to disadvantage Mr. Taehyuk.”
“I’m well aware of that.
So – a year.
I’ll just keep it until the end of this year.
… And probably, if I work hard until the end of this year, at least half the money will be gathered –
I think I can spend time leisurely with you after that.”
Already, he was thirty-five.
In a little while, he would be close to forty, and he didn’t want to earn money by reshaping his body until then.
He spent his 20s and 30s on the battlefield.
Hopefully, at forty, he could spend his retirement leisurely with Ilia at home.
He didn’t want to spend another day in the fear of killing someone and possibly being killed.
“I think maybe you would want to quit this job as much as I do.
We’ve been on the battlefield for too long.
Although I gave you a gun as a gift –
Even pulling the trigger has become tiresome now.
Of course, there’s no one living without fighting in Incheon…
But I’ve finished at least one thing now.
That’s you, Ilia.
Just having you by my side, I’ve fulfilled half of my dream.”
With the strength that held me, I also pulled him with my own hand.
Spear 04.
Among the training unit members, only Ilia and I survived.
He earnestly wished for that meaning to be understood by the fellow.
“So, please continue to stay by my side.
I will do the same.”
“You don’t need to worry about that point.”
Now, instead of the shoulders, the fellow firmly grasped and pressed my head,
changing the posture to place the head on the knees.
They say if you look at the face from below, it looks strangely ordinary.
Was this what they call a button nose?
“I will forever guard your side, Taehyuk-nim.
I will prioritize only the safety and relationship with Taehyuk-nim.
I will strive not to hurt Taehyuk-nim.
I will never use the freedom you granted me in vain.
I will make you happy.
I will repay more than what Taehyuk-nim sacrificed for me.
You, Taehyuk-nim, have shaped who I am now.
So,
everything of mine belongs to Taehyuk-nim.”
And it seemed like the fellow was firmly attached to me too.
We were horribly in love with each other.
“Do you mind a thirty-five-year-old man, Ilia?”
“I love Taehyuk, regardless of appearance and age.
I remember everything you’ve done for me.
Isn’t this necklace and gun the evidence of dedication and affection?”
“I appreciate you saying that, but honestly…
I don’t know. I’m not sure about the others.
Why do Tanaka Haru and Godayeon treat me like this?”
Even though there’s not a single wrinkle on his body due to ‘work,’
A face covered in scars with dark circles.
A retired soldier and independent mercenary who poured everything into the ‘machine’ and couldn’t spend much money.
Even considering everything, he might not become an attractive man.
Even knowing that Ilia and him already have a certain relationship –
Why won’t they let me go?
“At least I love Taehyuk.
I hope you focus on that fact.
I believe our relationship is special.”
“Special or not. Special or not…”
He didn’t push away the approaching face.
The warmth felt stifling inside his body.
It seemed that the painkillers were gradually taking effect.
***
[Il Lee Ah’s Business Handling Log]
– Evaluation on Tanaka Haru
ㄴ Extreme aggression towards Mr. Taehyuk, unlike Godayeon
ㄴ Confirmed potential for adopting even antisocial methods
ㄴ Removal necessary within the near future.
– ‘Blackmail’ plan for Tanaka Haru
ㄴ Need to secure Manticore employment contract
ㄴ Analysis of Tanaka Haru’s spending patterns required
ㄴ Accurate verification of Tanaka Haru’s social status needed
ㄴ Verification of Tanaka Haru’s acquaintances and family relationships needed
ㄴ Video compression and organization completed.
– ‘Elimination’ plan for Tanaka Haru
ㄴ Verification of Tanaka Haru’s acquaintances and family relationships needed
ㄴ Necessity of Tanaka Haru’s social status loss
ㄴ Verification of Tanaka Haru’s return route or residence needed
ㄴ Confirmation of grudge relationship with Tanaka Haru.
Conclusion:
Confirmed that Tanaka Haru is an individual capable of directly harming Mr. Taehyuk.
Utilizing the autonomy granted by Taehyuk, bypassing the command not to confront.
Basis: For the continued safety and relationship with Taehyuk.
Continuously convincing Taehyuk to eliminate the intimacy he holds for Tanaka Haru while simultaneously demonstrating the feasibility of replacement with ‘Ilia.’
Subsequently, eliminate Tanaka Haru.
– Confirming Taehyuk’s signs of anxiety
ㄴ Attempting to address through oral contact.
ㄴ Success.