– You head to the underground labyrinth
– And look for Ha Saetbyul
– The effect of the paradise’s light should have dissipated by now.
– Take her outside.
– And look after her as well as you can. Provide her with a house to live in, with things to do and a life.
– So that she can live just like others.
– While you’re helping out, I will cut off the communication.
– Contact me with your watch when everything is done.
Following his lord’s command, Clone 2 stood at the underground labyrinth, and faced Ha Saetbyul.
“…”
In front of the door of the inner room where the Light of Paradise could not reach, she sat there with messy and unkempt hair, as well as a face dirtied from the dusty underground labyrinth despite her efforts to keep it clean.
Beneath that face of hers was a well-trained body with a beautiful ratio of muscles. Due to her short height, she still had a small overall body but it was evident that she had been working out zealously.
“…”
Now, her mind was no longer polluted and even the Light of Paradise had left her body but Ha Saetbyul nonetheless was vacantly sitting down in front of the entrance, gazing up at Clone 2.
The two of them gazed at each other for a long time in silence.
Soon, Clone 2 gave a bow.
“Nice to meet you, Miss Ha Saetbyul. I am your guide.”
“…”
“Let’s step outside together. I will look for a house for you to live in, and will help you look for a job as well.”
“…”
Ha Saetbyul was silent. At a glance she looked as if she was out of her mind. Her energyless gaze was out of focus and her body was like a stringless marionette powerlessly lying on the ground.
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
“…”
“I would love to wait for you but there is no time to waste. I have quite a few things to do, you see. Please tell me if you would like a bit more time.”
“…”
“Guess not… Then I shall take you outside on my own accord.”
Clone 2 walked towards her as Ha Saetbyul’s hazy gaze headed towards the approaching body of the clone. Her eyes were still out of focus.
When Clone 2 reached his arms out, Ha Saetbyul instinctively retracted her body. But even that was slow and powerless.
“Why. I’m not here to hurt you.”
“…”
“Please do not be nervous. I won’t do anything bad to you. My only job is to help so that you can go outside and live fine.”
Since words didn’t seem to be getting across, Clone 2 had no choice but to carry the retracted Ha Saetbyul. Carrying her, Clone 2 started moving forward. The underground labyrinth was quite literally a labyrinth – it was a curly maze with walls on the sides so it took a lot of time for them to reach the exit.
Throughout the way, Ha Saetbyul blankly gazed at the black ceiling of the labyrinth, which was so dark that it appeared as if it had been devoured by the darkness.
“Where…”
That was when she finally opened her mouth.
“Are we going…?”
It was such a fragile and high-pitched tone that stirred up the protective instincts of people, but her current voice was powerless and lethargic. Clone 2 pondered before replying to her question.
“We will be going to Korea.”
“Korea…?”
“Yes. Isn’t it the place you’re the most familiar with, at least?”
She was silent so he continued walking.
At last, she slowly reopened her mouth.
“Do you know who I am…?”
He didn’t.
Yu Jitae didn’t tell Clone 2 the details including who she was, and the reason she was confined inside the underground labyrinth. Naturally, Clone 2 didn’t ask him either because there must be a reason why his lord didn’t tell him the details.
“Who are you?”
“A homeless woman…”
“I have told you before but I will be looking for your house very soon.”
“Jobless on top of that…”
“How is that a concern? It’s the same for your job. Since you have awakened as a superhuman, looking for a new job won’t be difficult.”
“No acquaintance either…”
“Please stop with the needless concerns.”
“Needless…?”
“Am I not your first acquaintance already? You have relationships now. Besides, if you find a house and a job, won’t you continue forming relationships?”
His prompt words made Ha Saetbyul’s eyebrows curve into a 八 shape.
“You are making it sound easy…”
“I see that you are very timid.”
“But it really is concerning though…”
“If it was me, it wouldn’t have been concerning at all. What do you gain by worrying about things?”
“You mean I’m the problem…?”
“I think so.”
“…”
Ha Saetbyul’s hazy eyes slowly closed.
‘So annoying. This kid…’ She then grumbled with a very soft voice but the clone still heard it.
Clone 2 immediately stopped walking and placed her down on the ground – if not for his lord’s command to ‘look after her as well as he could’, he would have thrown her on the ground. After being suddenly made to sit on the ground, she blankly gazed up at him.
Soon, Clone 2 opened his mouth.
“We haven’t even gone outside yet so what’s with all these concerns?”
“…”
“Let’s make it straight. Please no constant whining. As someone trying to help you, it does not feel good to hear it. Do you understand?”
“Yes…”
“You have to promise me.”
“Promise on what…”
“That you won’t continue whining.”
“Okay…”
“I’m serious. We will have to be together for the next 2 weeks or so at the very least. If you keep doing that, you will constantly be doing yourself a disservice on top of wasting my time.”
“Okayy…”
“Vow to me, that you won’t whimper.”
“How…”
Right, how should she make the vow? Clone 2 contemplated.
“Do I do a pinky promise…?”
“That’s good. Let’s go with that.”
Clone 2 and Ha Saetbyul locked their pinky fingers together. Seemingly displeased, she quickly pulled her hand back but that didn’t matter to the clone. He simply hoped that she wouldn’t whine again after doing all this.
Clone 2 carried her once again, and headed towards the long deep road of darkness. At last, they found the bright exit and they thus left the labyrinth.
It was the beginning of Ha Saetbyul’s new life.
.
.
.
“Where is your hometown.”
“Gangwon Province Jungsun…”
“Jungsun? Let me see.”
In the middle of his search, Clone 2’s hands came to a stop. Jungsun of Gangwon Province had been wiped off the map from the aftermaths of the East-Asian Great War and had yet to fully recover to its past state.
“…Let’s head to the city instead of here.”
“I like the countryside.”
“Why?”
“Because I hate people…”
“There are also people in the countryside though.”
Ha Saetbyul irritatedly glared at him.
“Hah, alright. Then let’s head to Wonju.”
“That’s also a city.”
“How is Wonju a city?”
“Because when I was young, I went to Wonju to play with my friends.”
“How much of a countryside person are you?”
“…”
“Ahh, I get it. I get it. How about Goseong. Goseong Province.”
“Okay.”
“Hah my goodness, seriously…”
What a countryside bumpkin. Clone 2 thought.
“What. I’m not a bumpkin,” said Ha Saetbyul.
“Did I say anything?”
.
.
.
“Like I said, it’s okay to get a better house!”
“But I don’t need one.”
“Fine, you might not need a house, but what about a 3-room officetel, hmm? A 3-room officetel sounds good right.”
“I’m fine. A one-room is more than enough.”
“Like, why are you trying to voluntarily go into a tiny one-room house? It’s fine to buy a good house though?”
“Why are you constantly trying to get me a big house then?”
Why? It was because that was the command of his lord.
“Because a big house is a good house!”
“To me, a small house is a good house.”
Clone 2 ran his fingers through his hair.
“Damn it.”
Seeing the two of them, the real estate staff scratched his head with a smile.
“You seem very close.”
“No we don’t.” “No we’re not.”
When the two of them said that with a straight face, the staff had to wipe the cold beads of sweat dripping down his balding forehead and apologise.
.
.
.
“Aigo so small.”
“It’s big for a one-room. Perfect to live alone.”
“How is it perfect? You get up from your bed and it’s the kitchen. You turn your head and it’s the bathroom. One somersault and you will break the wall.”
“Why would you somersault in your house?”
“It’s just a figure of speech.”
“It still has everything that I need. It has a washing machine and a fridge…”
“Of course. Because we picked the biggest one-room with all the furniture included.”
So who was the one that picked it hmm? Clone 2 had a boastful look on his expression while Ha Saetbyul frowned as if discontent.
The two of them went shopping together. They bought frying pans, a rice cooker, a computer, hangers, a table, a chair as well as electric blankets.
Finally, the last thing to enter the room was a power rack. It was the result of Ha Saetbyul’s stubbornness of not wanting to quit working out. The one-room house was already tiny and it looked exceptionally jam-packed after the addition of the power rack.
This wasn’t a part of his plan to ‘look after her as well as he could’.
The clone heaved a deep sigh.
“…♫”
But on the other hand, Ha Saetbyul was humming. She appeared delightful staring at the power rack, dumbbells and kettlebells.
.
.
.
“You’re saying you don’t want to be a soldier?”
“Yes.”
“And why is that? Operator-type superhumans are always treated well no matter where you are. It is a waste of your talent.”
“Because I don’t want to.”
“Then why don’t you become a personal trainer for superhumans. It seems that you are really into working out.”
Ha Saetbyul looked at him and shook her head.
“I am not a talented teacher.”
“So this is the only thing you want to do, is it?”
[Goseong Province Orphanage]
The two of them were standing in front of an orphanage.
An underdeveloped region with less population than other cities received less budget and orphanages in such towns were therefore always lacking in funds. The shabby signboard at the main entrance was crooked to the side by 15 degrees, while only half the structures inside the premises were actual buildings, with the remaining half being container blocks. There would probably be kids sleeping in those container blocks.
“Miss Ha Saetbyul.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know much about you but I do know that you used to be an orphanage teacher in the past.”
“Yes, I was.”
Ha Saetbyul was a teacher at an orphanage. She liked young kids but had lost those children during the war.
“I heard you had a dream. Didn’t you want to do something that saved more people?”
“That’s also right.”
“With your current abilities, you would be able to save a lot more people at a place bigger than this.”
Clone 2 said that after sincerely contemplating her career path. Her Korean age was 28 – it was by no means late for her to start something fresh.
“I hope you free yourself from the past.”
“…”
“You might think it’s rude, but it’s for your own future.”
“…It is rude.”
“…”
Soon, Ha Saetbyul added more words.
“I want to change the world. But do you think I can possibly change a world this big?”
“What says you can’t?”
“I worked as a soldier for a few years when my mind was hazy. I know how the governments work.”
“It’s true there is no longer any virtue but…”
“I am not being tied up by the past. Realistically speaking, only this much is the size of the world that I can change with my own hands. That’s all there is to it.”
Ha Saetbyul said while pointing at the orphanage.
“This is my world.”
.
.
.
She then didn’t make it through the interview.
“Kukuk.”
“Stop laughing…”
“Kukuk, kukukuk.”
“Stop.”
“Ah, my bad. But why didn’t you make it?”
“They need a teacher but apparently they don’t have enough funds to pay for one.”
“Oh no. Well, the pay is an important topic.”
“I guess I’m unemployed for now then…”
Seemingly remembering something, Clone 2 giggled again before asking.
“So how does it feel to be expelled from your world…”
That was when his neck was grabbed by Ha Saetbyul. He was soon made to realise that her muscles were the result of excruciating isolated exercises.
“Ahhkkk–!”
.
.
.
That night.
Someone anonymous signed a monthly donation of 5,000 dollars to Goseong Province Orphanage.
.
.
.
The next day, Ha Saetbyul widened her eyes into circles.
“Nn?”
“What is wrong?”
“Uhh…”
She fidgeted with her watch before turning to Clone 2 with a surprised look on her face.
“They told me to come to work starting tomorrow…?”
“Ohh. That’s good news. It seems something good must have happened at the orphanage.”
“I think so.”
With a bright smile, Ha Saetbyul pushed her hand out.
Albeit awkwardly, Clone 2 gave her a high-five.
.
.
.
“So that would mean you have both a house and a job now.”
“Ah, yes.”
“Thanks for your hard work during the last 2 weeks.”
“Yes…”
In front of the door of the one-room officetel, Ha Saetbyul and Clone 2 quietly looked into each other’s eyes.
Like the first time they saw each other, the two of them simply looked at each other without saying a word.
“Thanks for helping me,” said Ha Saetbyul.
“It’s nothing. That was what my job was.”
“I think I was quite stubborn; thank you for listening to me.”
“It was actually quite hard to listen to all your complaints.”
Clone 2 said that before cautiously stealing a glance. It was because his honesty had earned quite a few hits till now. But right now, Ha Saetbyul was standing still without saying anything in particular.
It was now time to bid farewell.
“Well then, I will be on my way now.”
“Please be careful on your way back…”
When Clone 2 took a step back, Ha Saetbyul slowly closed the door.
Just like that, the door was locked shut.
“…”
With this, his mission was over.
2 weeks – depending on one’s perspective, it could be seen as either a short or a long period of time. But in any case, it was true that he had done it all by himself without even contacting his lord once.
Clone 2 prided in himself, thinking that he had now become a fairly decent shadow of an archduke.
Should I go back now…
However, his feet stayed glued to the ground.
Every morning, he came here for his work while sleeping at a hotel every night, so that he could help her find a new job while also helping her with anything she might need help with…
Now that it was finally time to leave, it made him feel weird. Perhaps the two weeks of time he had spent had already become a habit of some sort.
Therefore, Clone 2 slapped his own cheeks, trying to wake himself up.
He started forcing his feet forward, and turned his watch on so that he could send a message to his lord.
“Umm…”
It was then.
Ha Saetbyul opened the door a tiny bit and poked her head out through the gap.
“Yes.”
“You are still there…?”
“I was just about to leave.”
“It’s been a long time since I closed the door though…”
“…”
Clone 2 scratched his head.
“How old are you? You are not underage with that height right?” she asked.
He was made based on the 15 year old body, but age had no meaning to the clone because he was not a human.
“I am young though.”
“Can you drink alcohol…?”
“Sorry?”
Those completely unexpected words made the clone widen his eyes.
“Do you want to, have a farewell drink…?”
.
.
.
They were close to each other. It’s because the house was small.
The two of them drank alcohol and shared stories about their lives.
She talked about the strange people she met at the underground labyrinth, while he shared a story about the tall and frightening witch he met in the past.
Stop lying, she said. But he wasn’t lying.
Smiles bloomed once they got drunk.
Their eyes were locked.
There must have been a mysterious magnetic force at work.
You are drunk. He said.
No I’m not drunk. I can prove it, said Ha Saetbyul as she raised a kettlebell.
But she dropped it in the middle and it landed on his foot.
He screamed in pain.
Shocked, she hurriedly closed the distance and in her attempt to gaze at the wound, her hands touched his. When he suddenly smiled while saying, tadah it actually didn’t hurt at all, he was put under a vicious head lock.
—- It’s because they were drunk. Their touching skins were warm.
The scent of alcohol was mixed into their breath – not their breath, but the other person’s breath.
That was the problem.
“…”
They were too close.