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Chapter 16: The Hero’s Dilemma

“Ugh.”

Rolling around.

“Ughhh!”

Rolling some more~

“Ughhhh!”

“You’re being ridiculous!”

If you want to play, go find somewhere else to do it.

No matter how much Jisehee scolded, Ajin just kept rolling on the floor, unable to comprehend why.

“There are too many heroes! They’re getting cheap! They’re supposed to be rare for their value!”

“Wow, that’s just pathetic.”

Ajin puffed up her cheeks and turned her head sharply at Jisehee’s not-so-subtle compliment.

“Does it even matter if there are a lot of heroes or not? The point is that a hero needs help, sis. Jisehee, over here.”

“Ah, thanks. I mean, even if it’s just some booze from the fridge, it’s disrespectful to ask a minor. I’ll take care of it next time.”

“It’s fine. Hehe.”

As I popped open a can of cold beer chilled by the fridge, I downed it in one go.

The fizzy tingling and the cool, restrained chill enveloped me like a cozy blanket.

“Ahh, this is the stuff. Anyway, let’s get back to it. Ajin, you don’t need to be so restless.”

“Mhm~ I just… Ugh!”

I let out a yelp as Jisehee grabbed my cheeks and stretched them down.

The soft sensation of my cheeks had become a source of torment for Ajin lately.

They should be super squishy. The way they get pulled is just the best, and seeing Ajin completely powerless makes it impossible to stop.

After enjoying the squishiness for a bit, Jisehee released my chubby cheeks and tried to reason with me.

“Talking about heroes being cheap and rare is nonsense. You’re just throwing a tantrum because Sehee might not pay you as much attention. You do realize that might make people dislike you, right? Look, Da-young is sitting quietly.”

“Who doesn’t know that? They say you can curse when there’s no king to hear you, so it’s fine to voice such complaints.”

“Wow, that’s just envy. So ugly.”

“Hey!”

Ajin’s ballooned cheeks caught Yuri’s eye, who’d been silently watching from the side, surprise flashing across her face.

What’s that? A frog?

“Pfff! Ajin looks totally skinny, right? Her cheeks are so puffed up like a frog!”

So cute.

I poked her, but Ajin didn’t fight back, instead puffing air into her cheeks.

I already learned from countless experiences that if I got on the bad side of that oblivious sister, there would be no way to restore my cheeks.

“Hmm, so our boss is troubled by the issue of a new hero?”

“Yeah. Let’s just say if they look as pitiful as Ahn said, it’s hard to consider them a hero… At least, that’s what I hear. It’s my first time seeing something like this, so I’m being cautious about it.”

“That’s interesting. Maybe it’ll resolve quickly.”

What’s there to resolve? It’s more like we’re facing a new problem named Eunha.

Yuri and Ajin looked at her with puzzled expressions, but the one receiving those looks, Jisehee, calmly emptied the rest of her beer can and spoke.

“Ahh, refreshing. Why are you staring at me?”

“I can’t follow the flow of conversation! It’s moving too fast!”

Ah, is that because of what I just said? Jisehee tapped the empty can and began to explain.

“Well, that Demon King said they want to come to this Earth, right? So wouldn’t that mean the Earth might loosen the constraints it has on us?”

Everyone’s eyes widened at Jisehee’s words.

Huh? Thinking back, it does make sense.

“A Demon King wouldn’t be able to stand against the civilization here given the current resources. But with Sehee here, there’s usually no need for them to even come close.”

“Exactly. Normally, that’s the way it is. Even if the Demon King came here to stir up trouble, our boss would wipe them out in one blow. Under normal circumstances, we wouldn’t even need to worry about them coming at all.”

Friede, the hero known as Jisehee here.

They certainly had the capability and potential, strength, and power.

Given they had all already defeated Demon Kings in their respective worlds, we could run simulations assuming the Demon King descended.

No matter what kind of Demon King it was, even if they brought all their minions…

‘Could they survive even ten seconds before her Holy Sword?’

Well, I’ve heard rumors about some frog demon being above the average level of Demon Kings. But the outcome would remain unchanged.

To be honest, even if the remaining heroes gathered their powers in their prime state, they would still be overwhelmingly strong.

So vanquishing the Demon King was a simple task. An already decided outcome, it was fate. That poor thing couldn’t even imagine.

“But….”

Jisehee’s glare narrowed, and a meaningful smile appeared on her lips.

“Whether Sehee intends to obliterate the Demon King right away or has some other plan in the middle will affect our situation.”

“Ah!”

At words from Jisehee, Yuri snapped her palms together.

“That’s right. Sehee is definitely gathering heroes….”

“Exactly. That’s the point.

If Ahn’s words are to be considered, Eunha must be the hero who fell prey to the Demon King and surely would try to rescue her.

A one-second cut development that she desires will never happen.

Of course, she could save Eunha and defeat the Demon King. She has the capability for that.

However, will the process be smooth sailing? To save a hero devoured by the Demon King, it won’t just be a matter of simply taking them down.

A more complicated operation would be necessary; she might have to leave the Demon King alone until she could save Eunha.

Can the stars really tolerate the chaos brought on by the Demon King until that time?

If that time comes,

‘I’ll have to choose.’

To help her, whether to loosen the constraints on the other heroes or to watch as the world suffers scars.

There should be a way to negotiate with the other heroes. If that moment comes…

—Clink!

As Jisehee opened another beer can, she savored the taste.

* * *

“Jisehee is just… too cheeky.”

I’m not even sure if she’s a hero.

Eunha was absolutely obliterated by the Demon King.

This world could be facing a crisis.

An ordinary hero, a righteous hero would probably rise up and argue against Jisehee’s suggestion framing it as an opportunity.

Of course, it’s also effective that Sehee is around, so there’s no urgency felt. But still, anyone with a sense of righteousness would have a hard time glossing over such matters.

Ironically, the fact that both I and Ajin stayed quiet is quite humorous.

Everyone knows it. The sweetness of omnipotence as a hero.

Yuri closed her eyes for a moment, recalling the memories spent in this world.

Recollecting the feelings, sensations, and impressions from that day.

‘The Hero’s Power…’

It was compellingly attractive to the point of being longed for. Yes, exactly.

As Yuri stepped into the house, she turned on the living room light while stretching her body.

“I’m back!”

Blood flowed sharply through my veins, a rush against the walls.

For a brief moment, my head felt hazy, but then warmth enveloped my entire body in a delightful sensation.

“If I could return to being a hero, I wouldn’t have to feel this fatigue.”

Burrowing deeply into the soft cushions of the living room sofa, Yuri switched on her phone to the Sweet Channel.

Her slender white fingers danced over the screen, soon landing on Friede’s broadcast.

[So seriously, I’m fine. Everyone, stop speculating. If you keep it up, I’ll just ban you all.]

Ah, is my sister’s drinking broadcast still going on?

‘That’s bad for her health. Not to mention her looks.’

A sigh of disappointment slipped out.

Judging by the flow of the broadcast, it seemed like she was subtly discussing Eunha’s situation, gathering the audience’s thoughts.

Ah, just from asking those questions, it’s clear my sister is completely full of thoughts about saving that person.

“Poor sister.”

While pretending to belittle her own collection obsession, she’s desperately trying to save the heroes more than anyone else.

Did she really think she could deceive us with such clumsy behavior?

How could such a heavy burden weigh down on those frail shoulders of hers as someone with power?

I felt a twinge of pain in my heart.

It’s no wonder I couldn’t help but be drawn into it.

“I hope things go as Jisehee says.”

Setting aside my deeply personal desire to reclaim the hero’s omnipotence.

For the sake of helping my sister continue her broadcast, I simply could not afford to remain powerless.

“Guess that Eunha person has given us a good opportunity here.”

Don’t think of this thought as a bad thing.

When our powers are unleashed, we’ll use them all for our sister’s sake.

‘You want that too, don’t you?’

From the face of the girl I saw from a distance earlier, I could sense the emotions directed towards my sister.

A shining affection towards her. Definitive proof that she was no different from the other heroes present in this space.

If she had been aware of her status as a hero, she would surely share the same stance on this situation.

Well, whether it’s about the Demon King’s descent or my sister’s broadcast, those are matters for later.

“I need to do my part now.”

That smile she wore, radiating a chilling aura as it flashed through the air.

Rising from my seat, Yuri walked slowly toward the small room inside. The one commonly used for storage.

And then….

—Creeeak!

The sharp metal sound of the hinge pierced my ears as the dark room welcomed Yuri inside.

In there….

“Ughhh!”

A frog, bound by chains of light, flailing with its eyes and mouth covered.

Oh my, what a fierce reaction.

Through the minuscule crack that seemed like it was fully closed, cold eyes radiated forth.

“Hehe, how does it feel? Quite torturous, right?”

“Ughh! Urrgh!”

Even in response to her question, Ahn just twisted helplessly.

“This house is truly something special. Not just breaking the curse, but it lets you use the Hero’s powers, even if weakly. Oh, that also goes for you, but you should be more careful. I was actually shocked when I heard all this.”

I never imagined she would open a dimensional gate and invade my sister’s room.

Let alone that someone besides herself would catch on to it.

As for my sister saving Eunha, that’s fine, but I can never permit variables to crop up in her actions.

But this frog certainly has become a source of those variables.

“Oh dear, looks like you have a lot to say. I told you not to cause trouble. But oh well, you’ve just blown your cover and made it so Sehee can’t help but do something about it.”

That’s why I felt that decisive action was necessary.

“If you’ve done something bad, you need to be punished, right?”

Stepping away from the living room light, Yuri’s face, cloaked in shadow, wore a smile that stretched like a crescent moon, almost reaching her ears.