Chapter 468: Gap (10)

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His heart was caught once, but Kim Shinrok was no longer shaken.

He took a deep breath, clearing his voice to continue speaking.

“I became a torture master for the Tiger Clan. I do not intend to torture my fellow tigers for my own personal reasons.”

“...Even if those tigers permit you to do so?”

“Yes. There’s no reason to torture the both of you.”

Kim Shinrok clearly drew the line, saying that he had no intention of torturing anyone for personal reasons — and even the justification that the couple tried to push on him was not a reason in itself.

Despite the couple’s provocation, no anger or hatred was laced in Kim Shinrok’s words and attitude.

He spoke again, his voice more stable this time.

“My childhood wasn’t unhappy either. Because I had great teachers.”

Kim Shinrok’s teachers — Baekho-gun and Cheongho.

He learned wushu from Baekho-gun, and reversal techniques from Cheongho.

“I’d be lying if I said I don’t have any regretful or painful memories. Because of me, Jeokho-nim had to go through a harder path. However, I cannot blame that on anyone but myself.”

The more Kim Shinrok spoke, the steadier he became.

His cracking voice returned to normal, and his pale face began to glow again.

It was impressive, to say the least, to see him regain stability by shouldering the blame that the couple tried to take for their own.

He reminded me of my playable characters who became his students.

‘So he’s the kind of teacher Sung Gukeon and Ahn Dain respect.’

Although I often meet Kim Shinrok at the mansion, I didn’t have many opportunities to hear his thoughts.

He doesn’t often speak about himself.

It could be because of Jeokho, but it was obvious that he was trying to hide something else.

Perhaps that’s why Yong Jegun bothers him whenever he has the chance.

‘I knew Kim Shinrok was a good teacher from the beginning.’

When I first came to this world, Kim Shinrok was the supervisor who appeared in a state of confusion.

Instead of using all his remaining strength to run away, he shouted to us, kids who he had never met, telling us to run away.

It might be an instinct that teachers have for their students, but there aren’t so many people who would do that when their own life is on the line.

‘...Isn’t this enough?’

Kim Shinrok made it clear that he wouldn’t change his mind even if the couple pushed him further.

They stared at Kim Shinrok, listening to him in silence.

“...You call your father Jeokho-nim.”

“...”

“I don’t think it’s because you don’t recognize him as your father.”

Perhaps it is not Jeokho that he can’t forgive, but himself.

That’s why Kim Shinrok doesn’t call him “father” but “Jeokho-nim”.

‘When I used the Replay function on him, he called for Jeokho every time. Except he almost called him father.’

I’m sure Jeokho is not happy with it, but what a shame.

Even if he brags about his son a lot, I don’t think he’d personally ask Kim Shinrok to address him as “father”.

“We met when you were young. Do you remember that?”

When he was young...

Does that mean when Kim Shinrok was still small and immature?

But Kim Shinrok acted as if they had never met before.

Perhaps they met when Kim Shinrok was very young, or perhaps the couple saw Kim Shinrok but he didn’t see them.

Looking at the couple’s demeanor though, I don’t think that was the case.

“...I’m sorry, I don’t remember very well.”

Kim Shinrok bowed his head in shame, but the couple only nodded as if they knew it.

— ...

Kim Shinrok asked the couple innocently.

The young Kim Shinrok really seemed to know nothing.

The couple felt angry at the thoughtless words caused by the child’s ignorance, but they couldn’t say anything when they heard the innocent voice of Kim Shinrok who was excited to have someone to play with.

In the first place, Kim Shinrok might’ve come to their place because he had no one else to play with.

— You cannot meet our child because we did something wrong.

— Can you forgive a parent for doing something very wrong?

The couple asked a mischievous question, recalling Jeokho and Ungnyeo.

Kim Shinrok, disappointed to hear that he couldn’t meet their child, thought for a while.

— I don’t know. I don’t have parents. They say royal lineages are born without parents though. They say those with parents are rarely royal lineages.

A royal lineage — someone born from myths, legends, and natural phenomena.

Kim Shinrok’s knowledge was not wrong, but he was a descendant, not a royal lineage.

He did not even know that his parents were Jeokho and Ungnyeo, and he seemed to think of himself as a royal lineage.

The couple gradually felt sorry for him.

When the thought of hurting Kim Shinrok completely disappeared, the young child spoke again.

— But if it were me, I’d want to see my parent’s faces. So you two should show your face to your child.

Kim Shinrok’s face showed deep loneliness and concern for the couple.

And so, the couple reportedly sent him back quietly.

Kim Shinrok did not make any noise about the trouble he made, so Hwang Jiho did not know of this encounter.

“...I’m sorry I did not recognize you right away. I’m sorry for coming there without permission.”

Kim Shinrok apologized immediately without making excuses considering that he could have a lot to make.

It was already a long time ago, and no one explained to him who the couple was, and the couple’s faces were covered at that time.

The couple waved, stopping Kim Shinrok from apologizing further.

“We are sorry for testing you. I remember you as a good child, but we needed to confirm.”

“We remember very well how the bears changed their attitude... but you seem to have grown up very well.”

The couple reached out their hands and patted Kim Shinrok’s head.

It seemed unreal considering that they were provoking him to torture them just a few minutes ago.

Kim Shinrok accepted the gesture blankly.

“We will leave that bear to this child, Hwangho-nim.”

“Alright. I understand.”

Hwang Jiho, who had been watching all along, immediately confirmed.

He looked very bright, perhaps because his anxiety was relieved.

And maybe he was feeling too good, the old man added some useless words.

“Does your choice have anything to do with Jo Euishin?”

Kim Shinrok, who had his head lowered a little, looked at me.

I don’t know why this old man said such a thing in front of Kim Shinrok.

“The favor from the benefactor triggered it. But all that we said and did afterward was out of our own will.”

“A favor...”

The masked couple looked at me, seemingly asking for permission if they can speak about the favor.

I nodded, thinking that I cannot hide it anyway.

“The benefactor contacted us yesterday. He said he wanted to see us and talk in person.”

“It was a request difficult to accept, but it was from the benefactor. And then...”

The tigers’ attention turned toward me.

“How can we refuse a child who has eyes similar to us?”

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