WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Newbie Civil Servant Hunts Villains Before Going Home ◈
Chapter 36: Festival
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“...Hyeonyul.”
Jeongmin called to Hyeonyul, and he looked up.
“Yes.”
“Could I... do the grilling?”
Jeongmin gazed mournfully at the meat that was already burning.
“I’m doing this because I’m grateful. So I should be the one grilling.”
“I know how you feel, but the meat has done nothing wrong.”
Jeongmin held out his hand.
Hyeonyul was more stubborn than he looked.
At times like this, it was best to coax him gently.
Hyeonyul narrowed his eyes.
“I’m clearly grilling it properly. Why isn’t it working?”
“I’d like to know too. You’re good with your hands, after all.”
“Doctor, I think this is a side effect too.”
Jeongmin was dumbfounded by Hyeonyul’s shamelessness, yet touched at the same time.
When Jeongmin’s gaze deepened, Hyeonyul handed over the tongs.
Jeongmin was clearly about to say something.
“You should’ve done that sooner.”
Only then did Jeongmin happily grill the meat.
The beautifully marbled meat sizzled as its surface browned.
“Hyeonyul. How does this job compare to what you used to do?”
“It isn’t difficult.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“I said, really?”
When Jeongmin asked again, Hyeonyul let out a short breath.
Why didn’t he realize those words came from worry?
After all the years they had spent together, Hyeonyul could easily guess what Jeongmin was about to say.
“To be honest, Doctor, I thought you’d like it.”
The reason he had not killed anyone but Villains after entering the company run by Villains was because of Jeongmin.
That was when Hyeonyul first learned that even fully grown adults could cry.
“...I know I can’t stop you from getting revenge. I know that. But you can’t do this, Hyeonyul. You... at least you can’t become like them.”
Jeongmin had even fallen to his knees and begged him not to become a monster.
So, for Jeongmin and for himself, Hyeonyul had promised not to become one.
Jeongmin did not try to stop him further when he became a Villain to pay his hospital bills.
“It’s good. It really is, but it still looks dangerous.”
Jeongmin had always worried about Hyeonyul.
He wanted him to live an ordinary life.
“This is a good place. I got off work today and am eating with you, Doctor. That would’ve been impossible there.”
“That’s true. Still, you didn’t do anything dangerous today, did you?”
“Yes...?”
Hyeonyul reacted as though he had no idea what Jeongmin meant.
“You backed away as soon as you saw me. Remember?”
Jeongmin’s eyes sharpened.
‘That is true, but...’
Hyeonyul hesitated.
He had backed away because he was concerned about the poison released by the new weapon he had detonated several times on the mountain earlier.
He had erased the poison, but who knew whether it might affect Jeongmin?
Was that brief action really worth noticing?
Hyeonyul did not answer.
“What did you go and do?”
When Jeongmin pressed him, Hyeonyul drank some water for no reason.
He might be able to lie to others, but he could not bring himself to lie in front of Jeongmin.
“I don’t know what you’ve been doing on your own, but never do anything dangerous.”
“I won’t.”
The poison contained in the new weapon had no effect on him whatsoever.
He had merely played with a toy.
No matter how he thought about it, it was not dangerous.
“I’m on your side. No matter what you tell me, I have no intention of mentioning it to anyone outside.”
“Then, Doctor.”
“There it is! There it is!”
At last, Jeongmin pointed with his chopsticks when Hyeonyul began confessing.
He was exactly the same as when he was little. He hid the dangerous parts, then spoke up the moment he thought he might be forgiven.
“How should I turn in a new weapon that I happened to find?”
“...”
“Please tell me.”
“...Hyeonyul.”
“Yes.”
“What on earth have you been doing?”
Jeongmin raised his voice, but Hyeonyul remained calm.
“I merely looked into it.”
At those words, Jeongmin slapped a hand over the back of his neck.
Why did he have to investigate things like that himself?
He always said he wanted to live a long life, yet his words and actions never matched.
“Doctor, you should eat.”
Unaware that Jeongmin was worrying himself sick, Hyeonyul smiled and offered him meat.
Ever since Hyeonyul had learned how easily Jeongmin gave in to his smile, he smiled whenever he found himself at a disadvantage.
But what could Jeongmin do?
Hyeonyul was the child he had taken in.
“...Fine.”
Jeongmin put the meat in his mouth.
He did not know who had paid for it, but it was excellent.
* * *
“...Team Leader, are the sample results back?”
Jihwan looked at Haeryeon as he asked.
“They are.”
“How are they?”
“They match the traces from the new weapon.”
Jihwan’s expression stiffened at Haeryeon’s answer, while Nayun considered it carefully.
“Jihwan. You said you found these traces on the mountain?”
“...Yes. I was on patrol.”
Jihwan bit his lip.
The mountain was far too close to the city.
What would have happened if a new weapon had exploded in the city?
He had heard that they still could not make an antidote because so many poisons had been mixed together.
“Was there anything near it?”
Jihwan shook his head at Nayun’s question.
“There was nothing, noona.”
“That’s strange... It’s different from last time.”
Nayun rubbed at her lips.
Last time, the Villain could have used a new weapon to keep their documents from being taken. But that location had been in mountains far from the city.
This time, it had been on a mountain right beside the city.
If they had intended to use it in the first place, they would have tested it somewhere crowded. This was different from the way Villains usually operated.
“What... do you think their purpose was?”
Nayun looked at Haeryeon.
“My guess is that they used the new weapon to keep nearby Villains in check.”
According to what Hyeonyul had said, competition among Villains occurred more often than they knew.
“Don’t even consider Villains joining forces. Unless it’s time for all of them to go down together, it’ll never happen.”
“So they’re dragging us into their own affairs? Telling us to keep each other in check for them?”
Sinu, who had silently listened to the discussion, spoke up.
Haeryeon agreed.
“That’s only what we think. We can’t be certain, so let’s not state it as fact.”
“I won’t.”
Sinu nodded.
“Anyway, Jihwan.”
At Haeryeon’s call, Jihwan snapped out of his daze and looked at her.
“No one was hurt. Don’t worry.”
“...Team Leader, I’m worried because there were no traces. It wasn’t magic. Nor was it any type of supernatural ability.”
Jihwan spoke hesitantly.
He had been free, so he had flown there as soon as the assignment came in.
It only took two or three minutes to fly over on an eagle.
How could someone erase every trace in that time?
“They said they couldn’t even determine the drone’s location.”
“It isn’t a good sign, but it isn’t something to worry about so much either.”
Haeryeon soothed Jihwan.
Nothing had happened yet.
They could not move rashly, nor was it something to bring up in a meeting.
“I agree with the Team Leader.”
Nayun grinned at Jihwan as well.
“Team Leader. Noona...”
Jihwan looked between Haeryeon and Nayun before nodding.
Sinu patted Jihwan on the back and chuckled.
“You worry too much.”
“It was... close to the city.”
“When has anything not been close to the city?”
“It was different.”
Jihwan clenched his fist.
This was no ordinary Villain.
He had felt it the moment he saw it.
“Sure, sure.”
Sinu held back from teasing Jihwan further and looked at the empty seat.
“Oh, right. Where is Hyeonyul?”
“He took vacation today.”
“Hyung, is he sick?”
Jihwan asked in alarm.
“No. It’s the last day of the festival.”
Haeryeon smiled to herself.
She had been waiting for this day too.
The moment she noticed that Hyeonyul liked the festival, she had planned to give him time off.
She had chosen the final day, when there would be fireworks.
“Then, Team Leader, can I take the day off too?”
When Sinu asked boldly, Nayun stared at him in disbelief.
“Where do you think you’re going? If anyone gets to go, it should be me. I’ve used less leave than you.”
“Wow. That’s how you’re going to be?”
“Hyung. Noona. Then shouldn’t I be the one taking the day off?”
Jihwan smiled brightly.
As a mage, he was called in for all sorts of things.
Not only dealing with Villains, but searches, rescues, and support work as well.
“Right?”
Jihwan smiled, resting his chin on his clasped hands.
“Sorry, everyone. No one gets time off today.”
Haeryeon looked around, then brought over fatigue-recovery medicine and set one down for each of them.
From what she could tell, they might be incredibly busy.
“So today, let’s work hard.”
Everyone’s expressions stiffened.
Giving them fatigue-recovery medicine meant there might be a flood of assignments until they got off work.
They all sighed at once.
* * *
“...Mister!”
Serin waved and ran toward Hyeonyul.
“Serin! You’ll get hurt if you run!”
Perhaps the teacher had been accompanying Serin, because they hurried after the child.
“It’s okay. If I get hurt, I can put on a bandage. Right?”
Serin tightly hugged Hyeonyul’s leg, then looked up with a grin.
“Yes. If you get hurt, you treat it.”
Despite his flat words and gaze, Serin smiled even more brightly.
“Mister.”
“Yes.”
“Guess how much Serin missed you?”
“I don’t know.”
“A whole lot!”
“...Is that so?”
Hyeonyul answered several seconds late.
“You’re supposed to say that you missed Serin too.”
Jeongmin smacked Hyeonyul on the back, then crouched before Serin.
“Would you like to... go to the festival together?”
He did not know how much he had cried that day at Hyeonyul’s invitation.
‘He made a promise, then brought me because he felt awkward. What a brat. What a brat.’
Jeongmin almost felt his tears from that day had been wasted.
Still, it was something.
Hyeonyul could now make plans with other people, invite them, and come with them.
“Hello, Serin.”
Jeongmin greeted Serin.
“...How do you know Serin’s name?”
“I’ve been saying it the whole time.”
When Hyeonyul pointed that out, Serin gasped and covered their mouth.
“It’s a pretty name.”
When Jeongmin praised them, Serin lowered their hand, approached him, and bowed at the waist.
“I’m Lee Serin.”
“I’m Lee Jeongmin. We have the same last name.”
“Are you my dad?”
“Is that so?”
When Hyeonyul added that, Jeongmin recoiled in alarm.
“No, no! Mister isn’t even married yet!”
The teacher behind them barely held back a laugh.
“Then is Mister Jeongmin Mister Hyeonyul’s dad?”
‘Mister Hyeonyul...?’
Jeongmin burst out laughing.
Well, the smartwatch had changed Hyeonyul’s appearance, making him look considerably older than usual.
Still.
“...Hyeonyul. Why does Serin call you mister?”
Jeongmin teased Hyeonyul despite knowing the answer.
He could not stop laughing.
“It doesn’t matter.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It isn’t as though there’s no age difference between us.”
After answering, Hyeonyul looked at Serin.
Serin looked between him and Jeongmin.
It seemed Serin was waiting for an answer.
Hyeonyul glanced at Jeongmin once before speaking.
“He isn’t really my father.”
“He isn’t?”
“No. But I think of him that way.”
It had been fourteen years.
After spending that much time together, was it not all right to think of him that way?
“Then Serin likes that too!”
Serin ran over and clung to Jeongmin.
“...”
Jeongmin froze and looked at Hyeonyul.
Really?
Really?
Seeing the countless questions in his eyes, Hyeonyul nodded and approached the teacher.
“I’ll look after the child until the festival ends. I’ll make absolutely sure Serin doesn’t get hurt.”
His voice was weighty and cold.
The teacher looked at Hyeonyul.
Though he was not wearing a uniform, the teacher knew that the man before them was from Black Eagle.
This was also an order from Black Eagle.
“You may get off work now.”
“...Pardon?”
“I’ll take Serin back to kindergarten. You may leave work now.”
It looked as though the teacher had been unable to leave because of Serin.
Serin had come to the festival partly because of him, so it was only right to let the teacher go home.
“You don’t have to do that.”
“It’s fine.”
Hyeonyul knew perfectly well that those words did not come from the teacher’s heart.
Who would want to delay getting off work?
“Then please take care.”
Hyeonyul politely bowed, then turned away.
“Could I... have your name?”
“Ah, I’m Seo Hyeonyul. If there’s a problem later, you may mention my name.”
During Theory Training, he had been told not to mention his name outside whenever possible.
But today was different.
“...Thank you.”
The teacher bowed to Hyeonyul.
It felt strange.
Black Eagle had visited the kindergarten several times, yet they still seemed like distant figures.
To think they would show such consideration.
“Is the child doing well?”
As Hyeonyul was about to walk away again, a question rose within him, and he looked at the teacher.
“Serin?”
“Yes. Last time I saw you, it seemed you didn’t even know a child had disappeared from the kindergarten.”
It sounded like a warning.
No, perhaps it was one.
The teacher could hear their heart pounding.
“Serin couldn’t control their power well, so... we separated them for a little while. I’m sorry. It was my failing.”
“They’re a smart child. They’ll learn well.”
Hyeonyul bowed once more, then turned away.
Serin’s power over fire was strong enough that Villains would always covet it.
Serin had to be taught well so they would never become a Villain, and that role belonged to the teacher.
Hyeonyul walked toward Jeongmin and Serin.
Jeongmin’s eyes were wet.
He really was someone who shed many tears.
“...Do you know that the highlight of a festival is the food?”
At Jeongmin’s question, Hyeonyul nodded.
“I read it in a book.”
“Try it for yourself. Eat it and feel it.”
“I...”
“Do you think I can’t buy food for a son like you?”
Jeongmin was stubborn.
Once he wore the expression that said he would never yield, he was difficult to stop.
“No. I’ll eat well.”
Hyeonyul smiled faintly.
At his smile, Serin beamed.
“Mister.”
Serin held out a hand to Hyeonyul.
After hesitating, Hyeonyul held out his own.
It was small and warm.
“Mister’s dad too.”
Serin looked at Jeongmin.
Jeongmin could not refuse Serin’s clear, shining eyes.
Holding Hyeonyul’s and Jeongmin’s hands, Serin walked ahead while humming.
It was a festival.
A festival.
‘This must be unfamiliar to Serin, but they’re so friendly.’
Jeongmin chuckled as he followed Serin.
Whatever happened, there could not be a better day than this.
It felt as though he had brought along a son and granddaughter.
‘I haven’t married, but this isn’t bad.’
Jeongmin glanced at Hyeonyul.
His face had changed, but Jeongmin could read the happiness beneath his expressionless face.
‘It really isn’t bad.’
The festival, too.
This situation, too.
Jeongmin swung his arm a few times as he followed Serin, naturally heading toward the food stalls with the crowd.
* * *
「Many people come to enjoy the festival.」
There had been a passage like that in the book Hyeonyul had read, but this was beyond anything he had imagined.
There were too many people.
No matter where he looked, there were people.
Feeling countless gazes converge on him, Hyeonyul lowered his eyes slightly.
As always, it felt unpleasant.
“Hyeonyul.”
“...Yes.”
“You’re not okay, are you?”
“I can endure it.”
“Is Mister hurt somewhere?”
Serin looked at Hyeonyul in alarm at their conversation.
“No. I simply don’t like attention very much.”
“Then close your eyes tight. Serin will lead you!”
At Serin’s words, Hyeonyul considered actually closing his eyes.
“Don’t actually consider it. It’s dangerous.”
Jeongmin cut him off firmly, and Hyeonyul nodded.
“I brought something for this very reason.”
As Jeongmin searched his pockets, Hyeonyul’s eyes narrowed.
‘...The smell of blood.’
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