* * *

After the medical staff left, Anis skillfully inserted another IV line into Kang Yigeon’s arm.

Then, she took out a healing potion and poured it into his parched lips.

Cho Wookwon also extended his palm, using a skill.

A white light enveloped Kang Yigeon’s body.

Cho Wookwon was a healer, and Anis was an alchemist.

Both were S-grade in their fields.

“Damn. Still not waking up… This is starting to make me nervous, sis.”

“Don’t worry too much. Oppa is a responsible person. He’ll wake up before ‘D-Day.’”

D-Day?

“In my opinion, we should try playing Seohwa Hunter’s synthesized voice for him to hear—wait, huh?”

Cho Wookwon stopped mid-sentence, staring intently at the exact spot Seohwa was watching through Kobami’s eyes.

“What is it? Something feels… off here.”

“Huh?”

“Sis, look at this spot. Doesn’t it seem like something’s shimmering?”

• Squeak.

Kobami, thrilled at being noticed, extended its neck and flicked its tongue.

The two squinted, focusing intently, until they finally spotted the small, adorable snake.

“You… Kobami…!”

“Seohwa Hunter’s—!”

At that exclamation, Seohwa immediately unsummoned Kobami.

---

Three months after Seohwa returned to the past, the first meeting of the initial members of the 6th-grade dungeon expedition was scheduled.

Three months after Seohwa returned to the past, the first assembly date for the 6th-tier dungeon expedition’s initial team members was set.

During that time, Seohwa revised the roster countless times—far more than he could count on two hands.

Even though he had resolved to become a villain, placing people he had once watched die before his very eyes back on the list was something he could hardly bring himself to do.

‘What if they die because of me again?’

‘Should I replace them with someone else?’

‘Even though they won’t remember, wasn’t it already hard enough for them?’

‘This person died in terrible agony in the last timeline. That one never even got to hold their newborn child before they died.’

Despite agonizing over these thoughts, he ultimately included them.

He couldn’t afford to exclude talented individuals vital for clearing the dungeon.

Among the names on the list were Seong Anis and Cho Wookwon.

From the very first draft, their names had never been omitted.

“Are you seriously telling me these kids will become S-rank hunters?”

“Yes. Right now, they’re just B-rank and C-rank, but in three years, they’ll reach A-rank. In previous timelines, they entered the 6th-tier dungeon as A-ranks and leveled up to S-rank inside. This time, I plan to have them reach S-rank before they even enter the dungeon.”

“…Do you even know how old they are? Anis is seventeen, and Wookwon is sixteen. They’re a high school freshman and a middle school senior!”

There was a sharp chill in Simjin’s tone.

Seohwa, unfazed as if it were routine, continued swiping through his tablet.

“The dungeon opens three years from now. By then, they’ll be adults. In the future, both of them more than proved their worth as hunters.”

“So you’re planning to tell those kids, ‘You’ve died multiple times to save me, and I’m taking you back to the place where you died’? That’s what you’re saying?”

“…”

Seohwa finally lifted his head. Simjin’s eyes were filled with contempt and disgust.

If someone could kill with a glare of pure disdain, Seohwa would’ve died over 300 times by now.

“I understand your concerns, Guild Master. However, these two are absolutely necessary for clearing the dungeon. S-rank Anis will create revival potions, and Wookwon—Cho Wookwon—will acquire a wide-range healing skill. They’ll be the most crucial healers in the expedition team.”

“So you’re blinded by hidden rewards and don’t care how much these kids will be scarred in the process?”

“Well, regardless, they’re essential for the mission. What can I do? I’ll take them no matter what, so why don’t you, our kind and considerate Guild Master, go and reassure them?”

“You absolute piece of trash…!”

Simjin shot to his feet, his hands already halfway transformed into monstrous claws.

His elongated nails scraped across the tabletop, producing a grating sound before the table split cleanly in two.

His arm swung furiously, as if intending to cleave Seohwa’s pale face in half.

Clang!

The one who intercepted Simjin’s monstrous attack was none other than Kang Yigeon.

“You’re losing control. Calm yourself.”

Simjin staggered back from the impact with Kang Yigeon’s flaming sword.

“How am I supposed to calm down here, Igeon? You know Anis and Wookwon too! They’re just kids whose biggest worry in life is picking a restaurant that serves cucumber cold soup instead of seaweed soup with their spicy chicken stir-fry!”

Seohwa fought back the urge to laugh at the absurdity of the argument.

“They’ve moved past cucumber cold soup. As long as it’s not braised eggplant, they’ll eat anything.”

Seohwa glanced at Kang Yigeon, whose serious expression made him wonder if this was some elaborate prank.

“Exactly! Their biggest worry now is how to legally ban eggplant salad and lotus root stew from cafeteria menus!”

Seohwa realized he was starting to feel hungry.

Come to think of it, his last meal had been a convenience store rice ball yesterday morning.

“Alright then.”

Raising both hands in mock surrender, Seohwa took a step back.

“I’ll leave now. Go ahead and talk it out. Let me know the conclusion after I’ve had some fresh air.”

He exited the office, leaving behind the tense atmosphere.

The agents outside flinched and glared at him, their eyes brimming with hostility, likely having overheard the argument inside.

This place was the secluded rural residence provided by the Awakener Safety Bureau for Seohwa.

The spacious yard, entirely barren of landscaping, was intentionally left desolate to serve as a future training ground for the expedition team.

The house wasn’t much of a home—it was more of a base camp for the upcoming expedition.

Some of the confirmed expedition members were already here, observing Seohwa with guarded suspicion.

“…”

Seohwa greeted each hunter he passed with a polite smile and a nod.

The hunters responded by scowling deeply.

“Guild Master, legally speaking, Anis and Wookwon are of age to enter the dungeon. They’re not just helpless kids.”

“How much of that thing’s words do you believe, Deputy Guild Master?”

The house lacked soundproofing, allowing the conversation from the office to echo clearly.

Seohwa quickened his pace, aiming to leave the building entirely.

“Remember what happened last time? Mind Reading interpreted his words as partially false.”

Kang Yigeon had used Mind Reading on Seohwa’s recorded speech from his first public appearance.

The result was this:

‘Mind Reading interprets the subject’s statement:’

‘Truth, but also a lie.’

Kang Yigeon had immediately reported the result to the 6th-tier dungeon preparation committee.

That was also when it became public knowledge that Kang Yigeon possessed not only the Flame Sword trait but also the Mentalist trait.

“That bastard deliberately sacrificed hunters in previous timelines. Using the excuse of ‘Flight of Time’, he made them die willingly to monopolize hidden rewards. Then, when something went wrong, he failed the dungeon repeatedly. I’m not even sure if the penalty for failure is truly world annihilation!”

“…”

“He lured innocent young hunters like Anis and Wookwon to their deaths with sweet words about justice, only to shamelessly repeat the same atrocity in this timeline. He’s a garbage murderer we can’t trust!”

Simjin’s opinion wasn’t unique.

Many others had come to the same conclusion.

“I know. As long as we’re aware of the truth, we can ensure he doesn’t get away with it.”

Kang Yigeon was among the majority who shared this sentiment.

However, unlike others, he didn’t hurl direct accusations or resort to violence.

Instead, he protected Seohwa, as he had just done against Simjin’s attack.

Because of this, some believed Kang Yigeon had fallen for Seohwa’s schemes. But the reality was quite the opposite.

No one distrusted Seohwa more than Kang Yigeon—perhaps not even Simjin.

Kang Yigeon merely saw value in Seohwa’s utility.

“He has information we can use. From hidden missions to future awakeners, we’ll take what we need and discard the rest. So long as we remind everyone, including Anis and Wookwon, that he’s ultimately our enemy, there’s no need to worry.”

‘You know I can hear all of this, right?’

Seohwa thought bitterly.

He finally understood why Kang Yigeon had earned his infamous nickname in the previous timeline.

‘The Merciful Tyrant?’

‘Yes, Mr. Kang Yigeon’s new nickname.’

Simjin’s aide had shown Seohwa a video the day before with a mischievous grin.

In the clip, Seohwa and Kang Yigeon were at an eco-friendly event.

While Seohwa smiled, made eye contact with the cameras, and even formed finger hearts, Kang Yigeon stood beside him like a wooden statue.

After a nudge from Seohwa, Kang Yigeon let out a short sigh before reluctantly forming a finger heart with him.

Even on a rewatch, the scene was so endearing that Seohwa chuckled.

“Send this to my email. But why does such a kind image have the word ‘tyrant’ in it?”

“They say his cold demeanor is terrifying, but his complete obedience to his ‘spouse’ is reminiscent of tyrant emperors from romance novels.”

* * *