I Picked Up the Greatest Villain in the Story

68.

If Sehun had used Kim Soochul to obtain this house and the artifact, he would have had to brainwash him much earlier. Jian was kidnapped the day after Sehun awakened as a hunter.

It was too rushed to think that Sehun had brainwashed Kim Soochul and prepared all this in just one day.

He realized that he had been living under the illusion that he knew everything about Sehun. Despite living so close to him, he only now learned about Sehun’s brainwashing ability.

He hadn’t noticed even the slightest hint that Sehun had been using Kim Soochul like a puppet. Then he reached a conclusion.

If it was an ability he had used before awakening as a hunter…

Jian gently stroked Sehun’s head. He still vividly remembered the image of the child writhing in fear when he first touched his head.

Thinking about it, Sehun had escaped from the research facility at just ten years old. Was it also Sehun who activated the self-destruct program?

It pained him to think about how much suffering Sehun must have endured to gain this ability.

“Really… aren’t you afraid of me?”

“I’ve never used my ability on you. And I never will. Right?”

It could be seen as an unreasonable belief. Even if Sehun had brainwashed him, he wouldn’t be able to tell, but he was certain that Sehun wouldn’t do that.

“…Yeah.”

Jian gritted his teeth and took a deep breath at Sehun’s choked voice.

Seeing Sehun, who had suffered alone with this secret for so long, made his eyes burn. He also felt regretful, wondering if he hadn’t given Sehun enough trust.

“I lied to you, but why aren’t you angry?”

Indeed. Jian thought that perhaps he might never be truly angry at Sehun for the rest of his life.

But what could he do? Sehun had already become the most precious existence in the world to him. Perhaps even to the point where he could give his life for him.

Jian smiled while gently touching his slightly reddened eyes. Although the color of Sehun’s wavering eyes had changed, they were still beautiful.

“I know it must have been hard to talk about. Thank you for being honest with me now.”

He was a child who had endured horrific experiments from a very young age. Thinking about it now, it was a miracle that he had readily grasped Jian’s outstretched hand.

He must have been used and hurt by so many adults, how fortunate that he trusted Jian.

Although he hadn’t grown up to be the kind and moral person Jian had hoped for, this might be better.

In this world, being only kind often led to being used and discarded. However, one thing still bothered him.

The ability that used blood.

Sehun had told him about the brainwashing ability, but he was still tight-lipped about that ability.

“Is there nothing else you want to tell me?”

He asked, just in case. Sehun gave him a look of unfathomable depth, then grabbed Jian’s wrist and pressed his lips to his palm. A ticklish sensation brushed against his skin.

“I have a few more awakened abilities, but I’ll tell you about them gradually. I don’t want to surprise you too much.”

Ah, that’s a relief. If Sehun had said there was nothing else, it would have been another shock. Although he hadn’t told everything, this was satisfactory for now.

But the hidden abilities weren’t just one. Or was brainwashing an original ability, not included as a skill?

Curiosity welled up at the mention of at least one more ability besides the blood-using one, but he held back.

This clarified what goal they had in carrying out such inhumane acts. It was clear that they had experimented to give children the abilities of high-ranking hunters.

As far as Jian knew, Kim Soochul was a B-rank hunter, and the fact that Sehun could brainwash him meant that Sehun’s brainwashing ability was at least A-rank.

Could it be that those experiments also influenced Sehun’s awakening as an S-rank hunter? It was a question without an answer, but he had a feeling that if this fact became known, they would make a move in some way.

“Okay.”

Pushing aside his complicated feelings, Jian embraced Sehun. He wrapped his arms around the neck of the child who docilely nestled into his embrace and took a deep breath.

No matter what unrevealed truths there might be, his task was clear. To prevent Sehun from becoming a murderer like in the original novel. And to protect Sehun even if it cost him his life force.

Unfortunately, because he had been transmigrated into a novel he hadn’t finished reading, he didn’t know why so many people died every time Sehun used his abilities.

It was probably related to his skills, but he would have to wait until Sehun told him.

If the blood-using ability was the problem, they just had to make sure not to use that skill. Telekinesis and brainwashing alone made Sehun’s abilities sufficiently threatening.

“Sehun.”

“Yes?”

“Don’t try to do everything alone. You have me, remember?”

The hand that was pulling up the blanket to keep him warm paused. He had hoped for Sehun to grow slowly, but Sehun had already become an adult.

The child who had worries, made plans, and looked to the future that Jian didn’t know about felt a little distant.

Unlike in the original work, the child who confessed his love to Jian still smelled like he did when he was young. A sweet yet cool fragrance filled his lungs.

Memories from the past 10 years floated in his mind like colorful balloons.

“I’ll protect you. Always, like before.”

Instead of the blanket, warm body heat enveloped his back. A small vibration resonated from the chest pressed against him.

A sharp nose bridge brushed against his nape, and a soft touch met the tender skin below his ear.

“…Okay.”

A gentle smile formed at the docile response. Yes. This was enough for now. Even though many things had changed, his affection for Sehun remained unchanged.

Although it was outrageous that the child only thought about having sex with his hyung as soon as he became an adult, what could he do? He had already fallen so deeply for this child that he would give him his liver and gall.

He was the child who had filled a hole in his heart that he didn’t even know existed. Watching the child smile more and more each day, Jian was able to heal the wounds from the abuse he suffered from his aunt and uncle in his childhood.

The moment he felt pity for the child who begged for his love while restraining and confining him, this game was over.

If you can’t win, you should gladly lose. He should give enough trust so that restraints are no longer necessary.

Since the child said that living alone together was the happiest, until the tower appears, until the hidden enemies reveal themselves, he should adapt to this life.

If you can’t avoid it, enjoying it could be one answer.

* * *

“Accepted to Korea University’s Guild Management Department?”

“Yes.”

Just as he had quickly adapted to the realization that he had been transmigrated into a novel character, Jian enjoyed the peaceful confinement life until Sehun brought news of his acceptance.

It was possible because Sehun hadn’t progressed beyond kissing his cheek since their first time having sex.

Fluttering the hem of the shirt he had been allowed to wear with Sehun’s permission a week ago, Jian tightly hugged Sehun, who was much taller than him.

“You really did well. Though I knew you would make it.”

Somehow, Jian seemed more excited than Sehun himself. Jian lifted his head from Sehun’s broad chest, even standing on his tiptoes to ruffle Sehun’s hair wildly.

Although static electricity made his neat hair stick out in all directions, Sehun bent down for Jian’s sake.

“I wonder if Hyunsu got accepted too?”

“It would be difficult.”

Korea University itself was the school that every Korean student wished to enter as their first choice.

Moreover, although the Guild Management Department was newly established, it was a popular department that broke the highest competition rate every year.

“We should have a celebration party!”

Jian exclaimed, stamping his feet. Unlike when he first woke up here, many things in the room had changed.

First, the windows that had been covered with plywood were restored to their original state, and various sizes of potted plants had found their places around the large pot that had been isolated before.

The blanket had been replaced with a much softer material. There were no electronic devices, but instead, books that had been on the bestseller shelves in bookstores were scattered on the bedside table and on the table.

It took only about a month for the space that had been as bleak as a doll’s house to transform into a livable space.

“Should I buy a cake later?”

Sehun also smiled gently at Jian’s delight. He had gone through the unexpected ordeal of being a student just to see this face.

He had long known that Jian was living vicariously through him. He couldn’t count how many times he had wanted to kiss those lips that boasted about him.

“Yes. How about a cream cake with strawberries on top?”

“Sounds good.”

But now, there was no need to be considerate. Sehun wrapped his arm around Jian’s waist and lowered his head. He looked at the wavering eyes that showed surprise, then closed his own.

A trembling breath crossed their touching lips. Even though it wasn’t the first time, he persistently explored Jian’s lips, entwining with the shy tongue he found.