Vol 3 Chapter 18

"But I really don't understand why they came all the way here because of that person. If I remember correctly, he did come to our house a few times asking about you, but when I got angry, he disappeared."

"Is that all? Really?"

"That's right."

At his master's wife's casual response, Kapros felt the tension that had built up until now suddenly dissipate. The nerves that had been stretched to the limit at the mention of someone asking about him relaxed as if cut when he realized it was nothing significant.

What was it, after all? Was it really nothing?

Because of this trivial matter, he had almost suffered unimaginable things after being dragged away while walking down the street. He had been wary of that man since their first meeting, disliking him, but to think he would set people up like this.

Regardless of why the former Yoon Seok-ho had come looking for him, it was clear that even Yoon Seok-ho himself had forgotten about it now, having soon lost interest. If not, he would have mentioned it at least once when they met.

As Kapros let out a chuckle, finding it absurd, his master's wife, who had been continuously wiping his blood, suddenly asked something out of the blue.

"So, you said you fought after telling them you didn't know... Seeing that you made it here safely... You won, didn't you?"

'I was going to mention that later... She's hitting the nail on the head.'

His master's wife's question seemed casual, but it contained a subtle tension that was almost imperceptible. Knowing that Kapros had been struggling to pick up the sword again, she didn't just gloss over that part. His master also tensed up, opening his narrowed eyes wide, glancing at Kapros while pretending not to look. Kapros nodded with a smile.

"Yes. I won."

At that moment, the hidden tension inside them dissipated all at once, as if it had never been there.

"..."

At the same time, undisguisable joy began to show on the faces of his master and his wife, realizing that Kapros had finally taken another step out of the swamp he had been neck-deep in.

"Of course. Who are you to lose to such guys?"

Even as she said this, his master's wife couldn't stop her hands from tending to Kapros's wounds with a sigh of relief. For a moment, Kapros thought he saw something glisten in her eyes, but no one mentioned it. His master turned his head as if nothing had happened and instead offered a reprimand.

"Ahem. To come back with these wounds after fighting such opponents. You've fallen quite far. How could this happen unless you've been slacking off considerably?"

But even that reproachful voice contained a slight tremor.

Kapros opened his mouth, showing them the most sincere smile he could muster at the moment.

"Yes. I'm quite lacking."

As the atmosphere calmed a bit, his master's wife, who had been making choking sounds, suddenly opened her eyes wide.

"Then, Mu-heon. If you took care of them, those bastards should still be there, right?"

'...That's right.'

His master's wife's words reminded Kapros of something he had momentarily forgotten.

Initially, he had planned to go back there right away, but unintentionally, a lot of time had passed while treating his wounds and talking. But judging from the state of those guys when he left after dealing with them, they should still be crumpled up there for at least half a day...

"Yes... Probably..."

As Kapros affirmed quietly, his master's wife sprang up from her seat as if there was nothing more to see.

"Let's go right now! I can't just let those bastards—!"

"Alright! Wait, we should each grab a stick."

Kapros was very surprised when even his master, whom he thought would try to stop her, not only didn't object but even added to it.

"Um... You don't have to..."

"What nonsense. We should catch those guys right away and hand them over to the police. Come on, get up too!"

With just wooden sticks broken off in the yard, those two were on a different level from criminals...

Ignoring Kapros's words that it was fine since he had already beaten them to a pulp, the two urged him to lead the way to that alley. Feeling the ominous killing intent emanating from their attitude, Kapros had no choice but to lean on his cane again and set out.

'I don't know. Surely those guys wouldn't have woken up and run away, would they?'

Kapros thought this while sheepishly scratching the back of his head, but when they arrived, what greeted them was an empty alley, as if that "surely" had come true.

"...What is this?"

The only proof that Kapros had beaten those guys down was the blood splatters here and there. Kapros shook his head at his master's incredulous words.

"I didn't think they would have woken up already... Maybe my strength was weaker than I thought."

The fact that the guys had escaped was baffling to Kapros as well. This meant he wouldn't be able to find out about their backers, which he had intended to ask about later. Well, it didn't matter much since he now knew about a related person with an unlucky email address.

"Tch!"

Unlike his master, who clicked his tongue in displeasure and turned around sharply, his master's wife carefully examined the place for a while before placing her hand on Kapros's shoulder.

"Mu-heon."

"Yes."

"I don't know why such a thing happened, and I hope it won't happen again, but I'm really glad you came back safely."

"...Yes."

As Kapros slightly bowed his head, his master's wife stroked his hair and smiled.

"Really. You should always stay safe and healthy like this."

It was a bit embarrassing, but Kapros ended up responding with another "Yes." His master's wife beamed at that, and even his master, who had turned away, could be seen slightly crinkling the corners of his eyes.

Kapros slowly closed his eyes. The real reason he had been trembling with anger until just now felt like an old memory, no longer affecting him.

...It was good that he hadn't told them about that part. He wanted to repay them by trying harder not to worry them anymore.

At the very moment Kang Mu-heon was making this new resolution, in a dark empty lot far from there, there were five people thrown like corpses and one man. The man's eyes were as cold as could be, with a huge black motorcycle set up behind him like a backdrop.

Unlike when they were beaten by Kang Mu-heon, the man slowly opened his mouth, looking down at them like a war god as they lay completely stiff and pale.