Villain Hides His True Colors

I once read an article in a newspaper that said the following,

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According to a study by a university from the UK, on average, people with higher IQ were more likely to develop depression.

 

If that article is true, I might have been a genius that far surpassed even Einstein when I was a child.

 

At least that’s how I see it…

 

Back then, I was a very miserable and depressed child.
A person who, every day, thought of ways for a quick death.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

(TN: * means a scene change)

 

My mother was a very beautiful person.

 

White and soft skin like freshly baked bread, long and coveted hair as if melted by the sun, and mysterious purple eyes that shone like jewels. 

 

If she had lived in an ordinary city and not the slums, perhaps she might have been a world-class model or actor by now.

 

As such, she had an appearance that everyone would envy.
Unfortunately, she didn’t have the power to protect that beauty.

 

And…

 

As history had proven, a shining treasure out of reach of the unworthy always brought tragedy.

 

“Heuk, mister, please don’t kill me…I-if you let me go now, I won’t tell anyone.”

 

“Fuck! When did I say I was going to kill you? Why are you being so annoying? Do you really want me to kill you?”

 

“N-no! That’s not it! P-please spare me this once.
Please…”

 

“You’re making a fuss because I look like shit, right? You want to shoot me?”

 

“I would never have such thoughts!”

 

“Look how you’re lying.
What do you mean no? It’s written all over your face.
Well, don’t think it’s too unfair.”

 

“H-huh? What do you mean…?”

 

“The law of the world…There’s a set of rules for the strong where if they tell you to strip, then you strip huhu.”

 

“Ah, no! Please stop.
Let go of me! Release me you bastard! Aahh!”

 

As a result, my father had committed a sin against my mother, and soon I was born into this world.

 

Was it because of that? My mother acted as if I didn’t exist.

 

When it was mealtime, my rice bowl was nowhere to be found on the table.

 

Even when I begged or pulled at the hem of my mother’s skirt out of desperation, my father would just chuck cigarette butts at me with no care.

 

At least it could be said that the only time I had a conversation with my father was when he was drunk and cursed me.

 

And then, one day.

 

After my mother had gone out somewhere and returned, she suddenly came to me and took the initiative to speak to me.

 

“Noah.
Do you enjoy living?”

 

“H-huh?”

 

How should I answer this?

 

I was confused by the sudden situation.
I stuttered and answered like a child who had just learned how to speak for the first time.

 

“Well, I don’t know…”

 

My mother took out a well-packed box from a paper bag and handed it to me.

 

“You can’t say that.
Life is meant to be enjoyed.”

 

I couldn’t understand what she had said.
Every day was so painful, so what in the world was there to enjoy?

 

“You have to enjoy your life from now on.”

 

My mother said with a broad smile.
As far as I could remember, it was the first time I had seen such a smile.

 

To be honest, I didn’t know what she had meant, but I nodded without realizing it when I looked at her bright expression.

 

“I bought this for you, so open it.”

 

I was a bit hesitant when presented with a gift.

 

But when I tore off the package with awkward hand movements, a box with a cute little boy wielding a sword on it appeared.

 

I stammered as I read the words on the box.

 

“A Warrior’s…Adventure? Wh-What’s this?”

 

“A game.
When I asked people what kids like these days, they said this was the best.”

 

“Game?”

 

I didn’t know what a game was, so I could only stare blankly at her face.
My mother smiled and then spoke.

 

“Pfft.
You’ll know once you try it.
I’ll show you what to do first, so watch carefully.”

 

She took the game console out of the box and turned it on.

 

Cute music resonated in the gutter-like house and a beautiful world of various colors unfolded inside the game console.

 

My eyes became glued to the small screen.

 

“Hmm, is this how you do it? It’s been awhile since I’ve done this, so it’s really awkward.
I used to play it a lot in the past…”

 

The appearance of my mother playing the game made me feel as if she had become a different person.

 

In the past, even when my eyes sparkled like a child, she would suddenly frown as if she was angry.
And sometimes, she would even laugh while hitting my back.

 

I had learned for the first time that day that my mother had such various facial expressions.

 

“Now, look.
If a bandit appears here, you can press this key to attack.
Simple, right?”

 

“Yes! But…Wouldn’t that person get hurt if I stabbed him with the sword?”

 

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“It’s okay.
That’s how games are played, so don’t worry about it and kill him.”

 

For a long time, my mother taught me how to play the game.

 

And when I got used to the controls to some extent, my mother crept up from her seat.

 

“Play by yourself for now.
I’m going to go somewhere for a bit.”

 

“Wh-where are you going?”

 

Suddenly, I had an ominous feeling that my mother would disappear like this.
So I grabbed her skirt.

 

My mother gently removed my hand and patted me on the head.

 

“Me too…I’m going to enjoy my life from now on.”

 

Was she going to play a different game?

 

It was a pity that I couldn’t play with my mother a little longer, but I could understand it because there was only one game console.

 

“Then, when will you be back?”

 

“…I’ll be back before you finish the game.”

 

“Okay!”

 

And just before leaving the front door, my mother called out my name one more time.

 

“Noah.”

 

“What?”

 

“…Don’t die.”

 

She stared at me with a heavy, sinking expression.
Did she think I wouldn’t be good at the game on my own?

 

I wanted to reassure my mother, so I replied in a brave voice.

 

“Yes! Don’t worry.
Now that I know how to play, I can do well by myself!”

 

“Yeah…I’m sure you’ll do well.”

 

My mother looked at me for a moment before turning her back and leaving the house.

 

While I sat in the empty house, immersed in the game alone.
I wanted to surprise her when she returned.

 

How long has it been? The street lights outside the window shone and it was dark before I knew it.

 

Squeak—

 

I heard the door opening, so I quickly ran to the front door with the game console in my hand.

 

I wanted to show my mother my newfound skills and the monster I had caught.

 

“H-how was your…”

 

But standing there was my father, not my mother.

 

“…”

 

He looked around the house without saying a word.
Soon, he pushed me aside and began to rummage through the house.

 

By the time the house had turned into a mess, my father approached me with a terrifying expression.

 

“…Where?”

 

“What?”

 

“Where are all the money and goods in the safe?”

 

Pak–!

 

“…Keuk!”

 

My father slapped me on the cheek with his thick palm.
The pain felt as if a piece of flesh had been ripped off.

 

I couldn’t see well with tears in my eyes, but I could see my father raising his hand again beyond the blurry view.

 

Pak–!

 

“…Keuk!”

 

“Fuck! Where did she go? Hurry up and tell me where she went!”

 

Pak–!

 

I, who had fallen to the floor, was kicked by my father indiscriminately.

 

All I could do was roll to my side like a shrimp and pray that this time it would end quickly.

 

After a while, my father left the house with a snort.

 

As I laid on the floor, I had a thought.

 

Mother…was she not coming back?

 

Even though I was young, I could tell that much intuitively.
That my mother would never return to this house again.

 

But still, I turned on the game console with bruises all over my body.

 

No, she said she would be back by the time I finish this game.

 

So it was my fault.
She wasn’t back because I wasn’t done with the game yet.

 

I denied reality with that thought.

 

It had been more than two days and my father still hadn’t returned.
During that time, I skipped meals and didn’t let go of the game console.

 

While playing the game, different thoughts continued to collide in my head.

 

I wanted my mother to be happy just like before, and I wanted my father to bring her back and then we can be together again.

 

But I didn’t like that side of me.
However, the more I had such thoughts, the more I fell into the game.

 

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And finally,

 

[GAME CLEAR]

 

“Finished!”

 

The moment when a spectacular celebration exploded on the screen and the ending credit went up, the front door opened.

 

“Y-you’re back…”

 

Standing in front of the door was my father staring at me.

 

“…You cook the rice from now on.”

 

From that day on, I was on my own.

 

* * * * * * * * * *

 

I had to fill my mother’s vacancy after she was gone.

 

From preparing breakfast every day, cleaning, laundry, and even walking the dog of my father’s girlfriend.

 

Fortunately, I was good at housework, so thanks to that I was able to live by mimicking my mother.

 

However, in her vacancy, sometimes there was housework that felt too big for me alone…

 

“Fuck! Do you think I’m shit now too? Huh?”

 

Pak–!

 

It was dealing with my drunk father.

 

My father began to hit me in place of my mother. 

 

And unlike my mother, I wasn’t very talented at this kind of thing.

 

“Hey, what’s with that look on your face? Are you going to stab me in my sleep?”

 

“…But I’ve never had such thoughts.”

 

“My, my.
This won’t do.
I’ll play the role of your father today and teach you the truth of life.”

 

“Yes.”

 

***

Reaper Scans

[ Translator – Yasi ]

[ Proofreader – Karane ]

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