That’s How They Became Villains

#36. Proximity to Ink Makes One Black

A light shines down and I rub my eyes and look around.

White tiles, white ceiling, people in white clothes.

Naturally, my consciousness begins to merge into the frame.

From the dark unconsciousness, I now found myself in the studio apartment where I had taken Sawol’s body. There was no resistance. It was just like recalling a memory.

Sawol never settled in one place. She moved her residence every few weeks or months. That’s why she had no acquaintances around.

Why did she do that?

Whenever I think about Sawol’s existence, the same thought lingers. Why did she do that?

I sat on the chair that Sawol would have used. It seemed like traces of her loneliness could be seen everywhere.

According to Nazha, Sawol was a person who was very prone to loneliness and often acted spoiled. The reason why such a person extremely avoided interaction with people was clearly because she didn’t want to leave any trace of herself anywhere.

I picked up a bottle of alcohol rolling on the floor. It had rolled out from the tiny refrigerator.

Through the window, I could see a bustling downtown. Sawol always looked at the downtown through the window.

A place where there is light. A place that’s big, flashy, and bright in contrast to the dark outskirts of the city.

At this moment, I became Sawol.

The power of enhanced humans manifests through the desire held in their hearts at their final moment as humans.

The research facility that fed and sheltered me is gone now. The nameless children who loved me like family are also gone. The entire city is desperate to find me. They’re frantic to take something from inside my body.

I don’t even know how much time has passed since I started living in hiding alone. There’s no one around to have even a casual conversation with. I don’t feel hungry even if I don’t eat. I don’t feel sleepy even if I don’t sleep.

Someone in my memory once said that you should eat even if you’re not hungry, and sleep even if you’re not sleepy. Otherwise, something terrible will happen.

I don’t know. The only things I learned while wandering the city alone were the weight of the green bottle rolling on the floor and the power given to my hands.

So, what should I do in this situation?

I looked outside and I could see the dazzlingly bright city.

I looked at where I was and it was dark.

I wanted to steal that light. I wanted to reclaim my happy past.

Only then did I understand a little bit of the malice in my heart.

It was a completely black space.

With nothing to use as a reference, it was vague where the center was, and I lost my sense of direction.

As I kept walking, there was a window. From there, I could see the outside scenery.

The image of Chae Yu-ha sleeping. Since when did I naturally start thinking of that as me?

“Hello.”

A voice came from behind me.

I didn’t see the appearance, but I felt like I could tell who it was just by the voice.

“Can you hear me?”

“…”

“It’s okay, you don’t have to speak. I can feel it.”

The sound of laughter, “Heehee.”

It resembles Chae Yu-ha’s laughter that I used to force out to hide my true feelings.

If there was a difference, perhaps it was that its laughter sounded as natural as if that’s how it always laughed.

“I’m curious about something. Can I ask?”

“…”

“On the airship, why didn’t you set it up so that no matter which remote control was pressed, the hostage’s necklace would activate?”

That was obvious.

I’ve been covering up my existence with new lies all the time, and if I got involved in a massacre, it seemed like there would be no turning back.

“Heehee, there’s no need to kill them…Just, only at that moment, it would have been enough if Last had the illusion that he ‘killed’ them, right? By adjusting the current or something you could have earned greater hostility from Last.”

That’s…

“You’re hesitating, aren’t you?”

With a thud, the window opened.

A beam of light shone down into the pitch-black space.

Through it, the form of what had been continuously talking to me was fully revealed.

“You’re hesitating because you’re afraid that the growing malice inside you might devour you, right?”

“…”

“You don’t have to worry about that for now. Just as you tried to understand me, I’m trying to understand you too.”

“…”

I asked it for its name.

Then it, as if looking into a mirror, smiled gently and said.

“My name is Sawol. I’m always here.”

I broke the frame and my consciousness was thrown outside.

I opened my eyes to the sound of someone calling me.

“Chae Yu-ha!”

It was now the name that symbolized me. Though given arbitrarily, it wasn’t fake.

In front of me were the four colleagues whom I had decided to trust in this world, Nazha, Agio, Kim Seok-ho and Kim Seolhwa.

I always felt sorry for Nazha.

She treated me warmly thinking I was Sawol, but I couldn’t be the Sawol she thought I was.

I placed my hand near my heart. But now, Sawol was in there.

Actually, I had been aware of it for quite some time.

Even when I stole food from convenience stores, damaged cameras installed in public institutions, or used others for my purposes, I felt no resistance, as if I had been doing it for quite a long time.

It was the same when I killed someone for the first time. That’s why I was even more afraid. Not because the existence called “me” was slowly changing into something else, but because it seemed like the existence called “me” had already disappeared somewhere.

But on this occasion, I realized that I was me.

I was merely coexisting with the being called Sawol but I was still here.

At this moment, I finally became Chae Yu-ha.

I felt relieved because I no longer needed to feel unnecessary guilt.

I thought I was born after devouring Sawol’s existence, but she’s inside me.

Oh, isn’t this sweet?

After writing a 5700-character hate comment on my favorite hero comic and becoming possessed, the final boss became my sponsor!?

I raised my head and let out a “Heehee,” a laugh that had now firmly stuck to my lips.

As I thought that, the blue screen that had been hovering over my head and constantly tormenting me sent me a message.

[‘Inner Malice’ admires your way of thinking]

Hmm, yeah.

Since you’re a part of me now, I won’t ignore you anymore.

How frustrating it must have been trying to watch how I use your body, but repeatedly having your only window closed.

But I don’t need things like a store anymore.

It’s not like an all-powerful status window from some overpowered character novels, it’s just another kind of ability.

This is all I need.

[Current Evil Points: 6.700/100.000] [Risk Level: B]

It was enough to show me how well I was doing my job.

“…You’re doing it again? Staring into space and pressing…”

“…There’s no choice. This time, I have to hit your head hard.”

At that moment, through the blue, translucent window, I saw Nazha and Seolhwa with clubs.

No, wait.

“I’m sorry, unnie!!”

Bang!!

I was hit on the head and lost consciousness again.

[‘Inner Malice’ sneers at you]

“I’m sorry, unnie…”

Nazha sobbed as she stroked the large bump that had risen on my head.

On the bed table, there was a piece of sandwich made by Kim Seok-ho.

Freshly baked bread with distinct grill marks. Fresh vegetables and ham sandwiched between them.

According to Nazha, it was Sawol’s favorite food during her time at the research facility.

I devoured the sandwich in an instant to fill my hungry stomach.

As they say, hunger is the best spice; I don’t know why the sandwich, which I hardly ate in my previous life, tasted so delicious.

Is it the influence of the body? Come to think of it, I’ve never paid attention to such things until now.

I glanced up at Seok-ho with a look that suggested something was missing.

Seok-ho, seemingly sensing my wish, sighed as if annoyed and was about to go outside.

I stopped him and asked him to cook ramen instead of a sandwich.

Then Seok-ho looked down at me with disapproving eyes and mumbled, “Ramen is just…” as he went to the kitchen.

Is it just me, or is he being unusually kind to the point of excess? It must be my imagination?

“Here, ramen.”

Once again, a freshly cooked, steaming ramen was placed on the table.

On top of the beautifully gathered noodles, there was a garnish of thinly sliced green onion, which made me feel good as it seemed to show that it was cooked with care.

“Can you move?”

“Should unnie feed you?”

“No, I’ll just accept the thought.”

“Ugh… you’re being self-conscious…”

…These people seemed overly kind today. I wonder if something happened while I was lying down.

I gratefully ignored their kindness and picked up the ramen with chopsticks.

Ramen was my favorite food in my previous life.

While it’s hard for ramen to taste bad, food often carries nostalgia and memories of home.

Some say memories are the best seasoning.

With the slurping sound of noodles being sucked up, the taste of the ramen that finally filled my mouth was truly ecstatic. I ate so mindlessly that I didn’t even realize when I emptied the bowl.

“Thank you.”

Seok-ho, who received my thanks, turned his head as if unfamiliar with it.

Indeed, I am me. I’ve confirmed everything I needed to confirm.

It was time to go and clean up the mess I had created.