Although a Villain, My Wish is World Peace

After that day, my relationship with Han Seo-hyeon improved considerably. At the very least, he didn’t grumble like before.

It seemed the guilt he felt towards his brother, while not entirely gone, had been greatly alleviated.

He was diligently keeping up with the training as well.

“We worked the upper body today, so tomorrow is lower body. After a short rest, we’ll have a skeleton lesson…”

“Uwaeek.”

Before I could finish speaking, Han Seo-hyeon buried his head again. He was already struggling this much when we hadn’t even started proper training yet. How lacking must his basic stamina be to end up like this?

—Well, of course. When I was training, that level would have been a light post-meal workout.

‘Didn’t you say you had no memories?’

—Ahem! It just feels that way, is all.

Fabricating statements just to act like a lecturing elder, despite having no memories. Was that praiseworthy or concerning?

—Your gaze seems rather impure.

‘It’s nothing.’

If the physical training was complete, it was time to move on to the next phase.

“Once you’ve caught your breath, try summoning a skeleton.”

“What?”

“Your stamina may be drained, but your mana is still intact, right?”

To conduct proper training, one must not waste time.

Han Seo-hyeon summoned a skeleton with a pale face. Perhaps it was because he had summoned them hundreds or thousands of times over the past week. The summoning time had definitely shortened.

I slowly approached the skeleton and swiftly swung my dagger. The skeleton shifted its center of gravity backward, avoiding my dagger. The second attack followed, flying towards the skeleton’s side.

Clang.

The skeleton’s forearm bone blocked the dagger midway. I stepped forward, aiming for its neck.

Oh-ho, I brightened my eyes at the unexpected movement.

But that was the end of it. The skeleton soon crumbled under my hand.

“That movement just now.”

“Ah.”

“It was similar to mine, wasn’t it?”

At my words, Han Seo-hyeon’s face turned red.

“Is that not allowed?”

“No, it’s fine. I was just a bit surprised.”

Having someone watch and learn from me was not something I was accustomed to.

“Well, you’ve improved quite a bit.”

Although still clumsy, it was a remarkable development compared to before when all he could do was stand awkwardly.

“Then, I’ll see you later, Boss.”

With those words, Han Seo-hyeon fell backward.

Ah, Han Seo-hyeon’s way of addressing me had completely settled on ‘Boss’. When I actually heard it, I thought it was a bit odd to be called ‘Boss’ by a seventeen-year-old kid, so I considered finding a different title, but there was nothing quite suitable.

The most natural title, ‘Hyung,’ had become a special word to Han Seo-hyeon.

Every time he uttered the word ‘Hyung,’ his already dark face would become even darker, to the point where a flashlight would be needed.

I approached the bars and spoke to Kim Jae-ho in a friendly manner.

“Hey, Kim Jae-ho. Aren’t you hungry?”

At my words, Rey intervened.

━When did you say you’d approach him with actions?

“But if I don’t at least talk to him like this, Jae-ho won’t even look at me.”

━Suddenly, what’s with that disgusting remark?

Does he not know this quip? Well, we’re from different dimensions, after all. I fake-coughed inwardly and whispered to Rey as if making an excuse.

“Now that he knows I won’t harm him, it’s time to build some affection.”

Kim Jae-ho can understand my words. He just doesn’t respond in human language. Or perhaps he can’t.

Even now, he wasn’t attentively listening to my words with vigilant eyes… but rather picking dirt from his claws.

━It doesn’t seem like he’s listening at all.

“Still, if I keep talking to him like this, won’t a few words get through?”

━At this rate, when will that happen?

“Someday, I guess.”

And that someday came sooner than expected.

* * *

Having roughly gathered information about skeletons, I naturally shifted my interest to Han Seo-hyeon’s other summons.

“Now summon the mice and that bird.”

Han Seo-hyeon confidently summoned the mice. While he had known almost nothing about the skeleton, he handled the mice and bird reasonably well.

“I’m confident in gathering information.”

Well, he had tracked me down and identified my location using them, after all.

He was far more capable than the Awakener Crimes Team, at least.

While I had expected mice to be disgusting, Han Seo-hyeon’s summons were rather cute, resembling hamsters more than the typical rodent image. Their eyes weren’t completely lifeless either, giving them a bright, lively look – quite adorable for undead mice.

“Do they have names?”

“It’s Rat.”

“…”

At my gaze, Han Seo-hyeon hurriedly added:

“I, I was planning to give them proper names later, once I could summon better ones.”

“Really?”

“Yes, I’ll give them the coolest names in the world!”

I was at a loss for words. As he rambled on, I felt a piercing gaze from somewhere.

Kim Jae-ho had pressed himself against the iron bars, his oppressive stare fixated on us.

“Yeesh, you startled me!”

I let out that exclamation without realizing it. At my shout, Han Seo-hyeon also flinched.

“What are you staring at so intently?”

Following Kim Jae-ho’s gaze, I looked towards Han Seo-hyeon’s palm where the mouse sat.

“Are you curious about the mouse?”

As soon as I addressed Kim Jae-ho like that, Han Seo-hyeon leapt up from where he sat.

“No way.”

Not stopping there, Han Seo-hyeon swiftly hid his mouse behind his back.

“Don’t worry, I won’t give it to him.”

“H-he’s still glaring like that!”

As Han Seo-hyeon said, Kim Jae-ho’s gaze remained locked not on Han Seo-hyeon, but on the hidden mouse. Seeing Kim Jae-ho’s rolling eyes follow Han Seo-hyeon’s every movement, I stepped between them and tried placating Kim Jae-ho:

“Hey now, Jae-ho. This isn’t something to eat. Even if you hurt it, it was already hurt long ago. Hm? You understand, right? If you try eating that, you’ll die. Stay, stay.”

Wait, did he just look at me with utterly pitying eyes? Since when could Kim Jae-ho make such an expression?

I shrugged.

“Jae-ho understands.”

“He clearly doesn’t!”

Han Seo-hyeon, terrified, sent the mouse far away. In response, Kim Jae-ho seemed disappointed, immediately slouching his shoulders.

“I guess he didn’t want to eat it after all. Seo-hyeon-ah, summon the mouse again.”

“Why me?”

“Just do it, but don’t go too close. Summon it again.”

Cautiously, Han Seo-hyeon placed the mouse back on his palm.

As the mouse reappeared, Kim Jae-ho pressed himself against the bars once more, intently watching the mouse. He stared at it so eagerly, his eyes were practically sparkling.

“He doesn’t seem like he’ll attack it.”

Rather, might he actually like it? 

Come to think of it, the future Kim Jae-ho did have an unusual fondness for small, shiny things. He had even collected the discarded candy wrappers I had given him. While Rat wasn’t exactly shiny, it was small and cute.

“Wouldn’t you just be able to revive it even if it died?”

At my words, Han Seo-hyeon exclaimed in alarm:

“Severe damage is problematic. Plus, it’s difficult to revive a corpse that has already died once. It drains a lot of mana.”

“But why not try trusting him this once?”

“F-fine.”

With a sigh, Han Seo-hyeon reluctantly moved the mouse closer to the cage. Kim Jae-ho carefully extended his finger towards the mouse.

“Move it a bit closer.”

Grudgingly, Han Seo-hyeon flicked his finger forward. Following that motion, the mouse climbed onto Kim Jae-ho’s finger.

Kim Jae-ho stared intently at the mouse sitting on his palm, as if marveling at its novelty. Seeing him gently stroke the mouse with his finger, as if caressing something fragile, it wasn’t an unpleasant sight.

“If I had known this would happen, I should have bought him a teddy bear too.”

“I suppose so.”

Watching Kim Jae-ho hide the mouse behind his back, as if afraid it might be snatched away, I couldn’t help but chuckle.

* * *

After that day, Kim Jae-ho doted on the mouse. It was bewildering to see him share his food with the already deceased mouse, but it was still a relief that he had found something to attach himself to.

At that moment, Ray’s boisterous voice resounded in my mind.

—Oh! I’ve got a great idea, a great idea!

“What now?”

—Let’s go somewhere quiet to discuss it.

Unlike before, it seemed Ray intended to share something important with me this time.

Reluctantly, I followed Ray’s instruction to a secluded area.

“If you’ve just summoned me for more pointless lecturing…”

—Why must you sound so aggrieved? It’s all for your own benefit.

“Anyway, what was the reason you called me here?”

—While assisting that other fellow’s training is important, isn’t strengthening yourself the top priority?

I shrugged at Ray’s words.

“I’ve been continuing my training as well. The fundamental issue is not that.”

No matter how hard I push, I can’t progress faster than the predetermined limit on my mana capacity – like a car that can’t exceed its maximum speed no matter how hard you floor the accelerator.

No matter how well I could control it, what use was that when the amount of mana contained within me was so lacking?

—Then you could borrow the power of artifacts, couldn’t you?

“Easier said than done. Items that increase one’s mana capacity are extremely rare, you know. To obtain such a panacea would likely take years.”

As Ray mentioned, methods to enhance one’s innate mana reserves did exist – consumables akin to the elixirs found in martial arts novels that increased mana upon ingestion. But those were items that only appeared in top SS-rank gates or higher. The earliest one I knew of wouldn’t surface for at least two more years.

—I wasn’t referring to that. What about using mana stones instead?

“Mana stones?”

Mana stones couldn’t be used to enhance a person’s mana reserves. Only artifacts could harness the mana contained within mana stones, as they were the only objects capable of inscribing mana circuits to interface with that mana. But engraving mana circuits onto a human body was…

Ah! I immediately realized it.

“You mentioned my body has countless mana circuits engraved upon it.”

Like an artifact, in other words. If I utilized the circuits etched into my body, it might be possible to accept mana from mana stones.

“Could this actually work?”

What I currently lacked most was firepower.

Theoretically, I could wield all attributes of mana, in other words, all attribute-based talents. But despite that, the reason I was so weak was due to my severely lacking mana reserves, my mana capacity.

However, to make use of mana stones, I would first need an artifact to channel that mana into my body.

I immediately called Professor Geum.

“Would it be possible for you to craft artifacts as well?”

[Simple ones, perhaps, but… Is this a hobby of yours?]

“Or if you could introduce me to an artisan…”

I was about to say that when Ray cut me off:

—I think I can handle it. All I need are some basic tools and a workspace.

Changing my words based on Ray’s suggestion, I said:

“No, do you have a workshop I could use? Somewhere away from prying eyes would be preferable.”

[Sure, come to my place.]

“Your place?”

[Yes! I mentioned having hobbies like crafting various things, didn’t I? I set up a basic workshop ages ago. The facilities are decent.]

Well, considering Professor Geum’s wealth, the facilities would likely be good, but… Was it really okay for me to visit his home?

[I happen to be alone right now!]

Just because a man in his thirties said he was alone didn’t make it appealing at all! But I already knew the only response I could give.

“I’ll be right over.”