Chapter 112: A Quiet Threat

Behind Oh Taejin, who was desperately clasping his hands together, Roy moved quietly.

Startled by the sudden presence behind him, Oh Taejin whipped around.

“Eek…!”

After experiencing the overwhelming force of Heis, his hands trembled and dropped, and his mind wavered dangerously.

To make matters worse, Roy, who looked strong at a glance, appeared as well, causing Oh Taejin to lose all will to fight.

From the start, he was the kind of person who would bow submissively before the strong and flaunt his power only in front of the weak.

‘Earth. Can you erase their memories for me? It would be troublesome if they remembered my face.’

Whether Oh Taejin panicked or not, Roy was busy cleaning up the aftermath.

Not only Oh Taejin, but several large, menacing-looking men were hiding among the bushes everywhere.

They had sneaked in like rats to a battle between strong opponents far beyond their reach.

“Wait a moment! How many people are there? Let’s see… one, two, three, four, five…”

At Roy’s request, Earth began counting the number of people.

Erasing memories was a strain even on Earth.

Because it involved directly meddling with the causality of the world.

These people were not from the Continent of As—they were natives born and raised in this world, making it all the more dangerous.

“It should be possible. However, I likely won’t be able to use my full strength for a while…”

‘Then I’ll leave it to you.’

Roy was an official.

Fortunately, none of the people here seemed interested in Hunter Idol. They hadn’t recognized Roy’s true identity.

Roy had intentionally pulled his baseball cap low to disguise himself, but to anyone observant, it was a flimsy disguise that would be easily seen through.

“OO…”

“Ah, my head…”

“Ughhh!”

Oh Taejin and the others rolled on the ground clutching their heads.

***

Meanwhile, Heis, who had been facing off against Ris until then, whipped his head toward the direction of the noise.

“What’s with these guys all of a sudden?”

“Heis, calm down first. Put your sword away.”

The conversation between Roy and Earth wasn’t audible to the others.

Heis barely knew Earth’s existence and only vaguely through Roy.

“Charles has recovered from his injuries. Tone it down.”

No sooner had Roy spoken than Charles appeared, walking in relatively unharmed.

Although his entire body was stained with blood, his previously pale face had returned to normal.

“Are you saying we can’t kill people here? Even if they touch my comrades?”

Finally, Heis sheathed his sword.

Though still affected by his anger, his well-trained chest rose and fell in a threatening rhythm.

“Yes. If we did that, we’d be fugitives again. No violence allowed. If you really want to hit someone…”

Roy stepped closer to Heis and tilted his head.

His soft, light voice whispered into Heis’s ear.

“Make sure no witnesses remain. Kill quietly and without a trace, or don’t do it at all.”

Heis rubbed his ear, where the tingling sensation lingered, and spoke gruffly on purpose.

“Why come so close to say that? Those guys can’t hear us anyway.”

While Oh Taejin and the others rolled on the ground, Heis and Charles were puzzled by the sudden situation, but Roy remained calm.

***

After seeing Roy’s expression, Heis realized he was involved in this matter.

Even if Roy spoke loudly, the only person nearby who could hear him properly was Charles.

“Just listen.”

“Ah, stop hitting my head! You’re killing my brain cells!”

Roy’s reaction was an unconscious action born out of wanting to say something secretly.

Heis pointed it out, and Roy awkwardly flicked Heis’s head.

Not really painful, Heis exaggerated his shout.

“Sometimes, you seem even younger than Hajun.”

“That’s an insult, right?”

Roy knew perfectly well it was an insult. He shook his head and sighed deeply when suddenly—

“Sir!”

“Where are you? Are you okay?”

Sob… “Sir…”

Children’s cries echoed unexpectedly through the forest.

Roy and Heis locked eyes.

They realized the person the children were searching for was Charles.

The two hesitated, caught between whether to reveal themselves or hide.

“Boss, this is the person who saved me.”

Charles pointed toward a woman leading the children.

She was desperately searching for Charles, sweat beading on her forehead, and at last, she spotted him.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere…?”

Though still some distance away, as they drew closer, the woman’s eyes trembled violently.

“Sir, sir…”

A young boy who had visited Charles’s room and given him a snack could no longer continue.

…Damn.

Only then did Charles realize his body was covered in blood.

The wounds were healed, but to others, he looked severely injured.

Charles quickly scanned the surroundings.

Roy had the Spirit Kings with him.

He searched for the elegant woman with flowing water-colored hair but saw only a winged turtle.

“Aqua couldn’t come along.”

When Roy said this, Charles moved to hide behind the largest nearby tree.

“…Do you really believe that tree will hide your huge frame?”

Heis chuckled in disbelief. It was like a child believing that if he covered his own eyes, no one else could see him either.

“Sir… sob Where did you go…?”

Heis blinked rapidly.

Children who were not even waist-high were searching for Charles, who had been right beside them moments ago.

“Does Charles really think like a kid?”

‘Could they not see those log-like arms sticking out from behind the tree?’

It was as if hiding his head made him invisible—how mysterious the children’s gaze was.

“Charles, want to wear this?”

“What’s this?”

“It’s an invisibility cloak.”

Roy rifled through his inventory, not wanting the children to keep crying over Charles’s bloodied appearance.

Meanwhile, Heis was dragging the unconscious men—whose memories Earth had erased—one by one to a distant spot.

Especially Oh Taejin, whom he pulled by the hair rather than the ankle, giving his nose a good smash.

“Wouldn’t this scare the kids even more?”

Charles tilted his head, looking down at the floating blood-stained body.

“Maybe.”

Roy also tilted his head in the same direction.

Charles slipped out from behind the tree, covering his bloody body with the invisibility cloak.

“Ugh! Sir…!”

“Director, sir’s body… sob…”

At that moment, the children who caught sight of the grotesque Charles burst into tears.

Even those trying to hold back broke down, their faces drenched in tears.

Charles hurriedly took off the cloak.

{Hero…}

‘…You don’t have to say it, I know.’

Earth’s voice echoed in Roy’s mind, filled with clear reproach.

Even Ris appeared before Roy, shaking her head.

The area became chaotic with the sound of the children’s sobbing.

“It’s okay. Stop now.”

Charles awkwardly smiled and patted the children’s heads one by one.

But the scent of blood that reminded them of nosebleeds lingered, and the children showed no sign of stopping their tears.

“Sob…”

“Waaah…”

Charles’s face stiffened with embarrassment, and the director, unsure what to do, tried to soothe the kids.

“Here, here!”

Roy hurriedly pulled something from his pocket—small candies filled his palm.

Recently, even Roy, who had great stamina, was weighed down by fatigue after practice—not physical, but mental.

‘Take one each.’

Junyoung had handed over a bag containing hundreds of candies, saying sugar was an instant cure for fatigue.

Junyoung loved sweets.

He hadn’t given these only to Roy, but also to other members—so many sweets and chocolates that even someone who disliked sweets could last a year.

‘Thank you, Junyoung.’

Roy silently thanked Junyoung, who was not here now, as the candies worked wonders.

The children, each holding a candy, suddenly stopped crying.

Their large, still-moist eyes couldn’t look away from the crackling wrappers.

“Di-director…”

A girl with braided pigtails looked up at the director, clutching her skirt tightly.

“Only one each, okay? And brush your teeth before bed.”

“Yes!”

Candy was a rare treat at the orphanage and something the children rarely got to eat.

Sniffling, they clustered around Roy.

“Here, take one each.”

Roy heard that the director allowed the children only one candy apiece.

“Thank you.”

“Candy!”

The children bowed to Roy in thanks and took the candies one by one.

***

“Shall we return to the orphanage building together for now?”

“Ah, well…”

With the situation seemingly settled, the director smiled kindly and spoke to Roy’s group.

“Earth, how much time do we have left?”

{No matter what, we have to leave within twenty minutes.}

It might take twenty minutes just to bring dozens of children to the orphanage building.

“I have urgent business and need to leave first. This friend will explain the situation.”

“Me? I don’t know anything.”

Roy reluctantly pointed to Heis, who was walking toward them.

Heis had not been here long.

Though he had seen videos of Earth through Earth’s help, he hadn’t fully adapted to this otherworldly life yet.

“I’ll finish my schedule and come right back. So please take care of things.”

“If the boss is going, it’s my turn to step up.”

Heis shrugged when Roy asked for his help.

If only Charles slipped away alone, the children who had just stopped crying would break into loud sobs again.

They also hadn’t figured out who the attackers were.

“Thanks, boss.”

Charles nodded firmly in gratitude, knowing this decision was made with him in mind.

“Listen, I’m saying again: no killing people. I’ll handle the rest. Until then, protect the kids.”

Roy whispered so only Charles could hear, and Charles nodded resolutely.