Hero’s Child C23

Chapter 23

After their embrace, Uichan rose, throat dry. He went to the kitchen and downed a glass of cold water to wake himself up. Hyde chuckled from behind him.

“Been tired lately? You were sleeping so soundly, anyone could’ve carried you off. Can’t even remember the last time I saw you asleep.”

“Must be the season changing. I just close my eyes these days and I’m out. I cleaned the house earlier, and when I woke up—it was already night.”

Uichan brushed it off casually and began getting ready for the meeting. He smoothed down his messy hair, put on his horn-rimmed glasses, and threw on a coat. Just as he turned to go, his stomach gave an empty twist. Right—he’d skipped dinner.

“Hyde, wait a sec. Let me grab something to eat first.”

“Oh? What’re you eating? Rice?”

“No, yogurt.”

Hyde watched him curiously as he rummaged through the fridge—like it was the strangest thing he’d ever seen. He sat back at the dining table, chin propped on his palm, while Uichan pulled out a few things like a small squirrel hoarding treats: plums, soy milk, and a cup of yogurt.

Since there wasn’t much time left, Uichan grabbed a spoon and started eating quickly—scooping yogurt, biting into a plum, and sipping the soy milk, a black-bean blend supposedly good for babies.

“Didn’t think you even ate stuff like that. You’re always walking around with bread hanging out of your mouth.”

“It’s good to take care of your health. Better than skipping meals.”

“You’re too young to be worrying about your health.”

As if health had an age. But since Uichan was the youngest among them, talk like that only earned him teasing smiles.

So he didn’t bother replying—just bit into another plum. Hyde laughed quietly, opened another yogurt, and held it out. Uichan gave it a side glance but took it anyway, eating diligently.

Then, noticing the faint constellation of the Big Dipper still glimmering in Hyde’s eyes, Uichan suddenly asked,

“Now that I think of it—you said before that the Big Dipper in your eyes can’t be erased.”

“I did.”

“Is that really true? You can’t erase it?”

“Curious, are you?”

“Yes.”

“Then come here and sit. I’ll tell you—just for you.”

“Oh, forget it.”

Uichan frowned. Whenever Hyde said things like that, it was always a trick. He never told the truth when he invited someone closer. So that was just his way of saying, I’m not answering that question.

He ignored him and finished his food, brushed his teeth, and checked the time. Perfect timing, he thought. He turned back to Hyde, who was still lounging there, chin in hand, smiling faintly.

“I can’t erase it,” Hyde said suddenly, “but there’s a workaround. I didn’t like that people could always recognize me as Hyde no matter whose skin I wore. So I experimented a bit.”

“…And?”

“There was one that worked. Only one. No one recognized me in that face. So I made that my real one. Still works, since no one’s figured it out.”

“So that face—no one knows it?”

“Not exactly. Quite a few people do—friends, acquaintances, colleagues, others. It’s fun, though. Sometimes I go around like that just to see what happens.”

Uichan wanted to ask more, but In the Hell’s rules forbade them from prying into one another’s private lives. He nodded lightly and slipped on his shoes.

“Let’s go, Hyde.”

“Right. The others must be waiting.”

At exactly seven o’clock, Hyde snapped his fingers. A pitch-black door rose before them. Uichan stepped through first, with Hyde following behind.

But what Uichan didn’t see—was how Hyde lingered for a moment, his eyes flicking toward the ivory-colored table, his gaze resting there for far longer than it should have.

This time, In the Hell’s meeting place was a small cabin perched on a cliff. From the outside, it looked rugged and worn, but inside, it was clean and surprisingly cozy. A round stone table sat in the center, and the members sat in a circle on chairs lined with wild bear hide.

One seat, however, remained empty. Just as Uichan was about to ask, the door creaked open behind him. Cutting through the drizzle, a man in a tuxedo entered—the Phantom Thief Kill.

—“Oh no, I’m late! I’m late! I told you we should’ve moved faster! Everyone’s glaring daggers! At this rate, they’ll lop off my head!”

On his shoulder sat his doll, Kkomi, shaking its tiny head and fussing dramatically. Kill, taking the initiative, spoke before anyone else could scold him—though judging by the others’ faces, most were already unimpressed.

“Ahaha, Kkomi’s right. No excuses. I’ll take the blame and repent accordingly. Though, truly, my joints creak like old hinges when it rains…”

With a snap of his fingers, the table bloomed with red roses.

Jekyll Jack’s expression darkened immediately. He swept his arm across the table, scattering the petals.

“Always with the same damn excuse. Think flowers will get you out of everything?”

Kill chuckled and slyly pulled a bottle of liquor from his coat, sliding it toward Jack. Instantly, the man’s face softened, a grin curling at his lips as he hugged the bottle like a lover. Kill brushed raindrops from his hat, removed it, and sat down.

Mother Ship, from the moment she arrived, already looked irritated.

“Why is it so damp in here? Smells like rotting fish.”

“The cabin’s owner,” Hyde said lazily, “used to climb down the cliff every month to cure his festering flesh—by killing women and smearing their blood on himself. Unlucky for him, I ran into him right before his next hunt. So the house was… conveniently vacant. Nice atmosphere, isn’t it?”

“Hyde, you always pick the strangest people to kill. I told you to at least save the liver next time. Our little Podo’s reaching breeding age, you know.”

Mother Ship sighed wistfully, smacking her lips, while Hyde smiled and promised to save it next time.

With everyone seated, the brothers began sharing their recent stories.

“I heard from Jack and Mother,” Hyde began. “Goblins appeared at Seonghwa Hero University?”

At his words, Mother shot a sharp glare at Jack, who was busily entertaining Podo on her lap.

“That’s right. And of all places, our youngest was there. I told Jack to hold off the goblins, but he couldn’t last even a moment. Useless, honestly. It’s embarrassing to even work with him.”

“Fuck off, old hag! Why don’t you try it, then—with all your damn demands!”

“So it was Noatis who seized the item?”

The stolen item Noatis had taken was apparently the reason the goblins had attacked the university—to retrieve it. And by sheer bad luck, Uichan had been there at the time. Since Mother Ship’s dolls were spread throughout the city, finding his location hadn’t been difficult.

“Well, alright. I get the situation. The goblins caused a ruckus because they wanted that item. So, what exactly is it?”

Before anyone could answer, a baby’s wail broke out from Mother’s arms. She sighed, cradled the child briefly, then loosened the swaddle. A toddler, about three years old, crawled out, toddling around the room before running straight into Uichan’s arms.

Kyarruk, kyarruk—

Hyde’s gaze turned sharp. The little one climbed onto Uichan’s lap, blinking curiously, then tilted his head, staring at Uichan’s belly.

And suddenly—he scrunched his nose, stuck out his tongue, and wagged his head playfully.

Everyone frowned in confusion. Why was the kid looking at Uichan’s belly like that?

“What’s gotten into him again? Ugh, Podo, come here.”

At Mother’s call, Podo pouted and shook his head, clinging tighter to Uichan’s chest like a cicada stuck to a tree.

“Seems he doesn’t want to. I’ll just hold him for now.”

Kyarruk! Kyarrr!

The child pressed his ear against Uichan’s stomach, eyes shut tight, then giggled and gave the belly a few light pats. Uichan flinched, startled, but before he could react, Hyde—who’d been watching with his chin propped on his hand—reached out.

“Uichan just ate. You’ll make him sick if you do that, little one.”

Hyde was usually kind to Podo, but the boy feared him like a natural predator. The moment Hyde’s fingers brushed near, Podo jerked away and curled defensively in Uichan’s arms.

As Uichan patted the child’s back gently, a large hand ruffled his hair. When Uichan looked up, Hyde was already glancing away—his gaze fixed on the others.

“Right… where were we? The item, wasn’t it? Mother Ship, any idea what it is?”

“Hard to say. Don’t get your hopes up—it’s probably nothing good. Some rumors say it’s a body part. Some say it’s part of Aengak itself. Others claim it’s a component for creating a Dongti.”

A Dongti—a curse-born entity.

At that word, Uichan clenched his fists. Dongti could form naturally, but sometimes they were artificially born from proximity to specific, highly compatible materials. And when that happened, disaster almost always followed.

“The lost item was moved to the Cheongsa building—under heavy security,” Mother continued. “I thought about breaking in, but decided against it. Too messy. I did good, right?”

Phantom Thief Kill stroked his chin thoughtfully.

“If it’s that dangerous, then Mother shouldn’t go alone. As for Cheongsa… I’ve heard a rumor. Aengak supposedly promised to grant any wish to whoever retrieves the item. That alone proves how important it must be.”