Chapter 45

RICHARD

The blue sky bodes to wane. Its bright color is tinged with the gray hue in the gloaming. Albeit fine, the ground makes a rough sound as the sole of my shoes grazes against it. From afar, a rectangular building is remarkable, and hence, I pace further.

Many vehicles are left attended. I pass them all. Promptly, a warm light flickers from the lantern, and after a beat, all of the neighboring lanterns start to be in the same situation until the entire row illuminates the area. This is a wonderful sight. Just what I needed after a dreadful week of apprehension.

"Good afternoon, sir," the guard by the entrance pays a greeting.

I bob.

Words tickle my ears but I choose to advance toward the building. I shouldn't trust a stranger after all.

The lobby isn't occupied by the masses; however, there are two ladies conversing behind the desk. They haven't heed of my arrival yet since they're talking continuously.

"Are you sure?" the lady with short hair says.

The other lady with a beauty mark flicks her hair. "Of course. My radar is strong!"

"How are they able to do that? I thought they have a bunch of guards watching around."

"Heh."

"And Richard's living there, right?"

Richard?

"He should've at least been able to track down those assassins."

Ah...

I think I might have an idea of their chat. It all happened after the encounter at Choseungdal.

The ceiling was cast upon me. Towering as it might seem, but my line of sight was bleary.

"M-master!"

The voice was unmistakably Pon.

I prodded both of my hands on the mattress and ascended. That's what I'm expecting at the very least, but then, a sharp pain appeared in the pits of my abdomen.

"Nngh!" I stopped. I forgot about the wound.

"Hey, don't force yourself."

By that, a force lifted me.

"Although I've used my ability on you, the pain won't be gone that easily. Don't move much," Pon, with a bothered expression, said.

"What time is it?"

"Noon. Today is Saturday."

"Where's my phone?"

He gave it to me.

Due to my bleary vision, I drew the phone to my face. I entered the passcode. Thereafter, a message crossed my vision, from Jules?

Dad asked me to tell you. There are men who tried to break into the house last night. But don't worry because they didn't succeed.

Upon understanding the situation, only one conclusion came to mind. This must be the work of last night's assailant.

The rooftop of Choseungdal Tower had been full of men in dark suits. Others had charged to me, and a few had kept on doing so. Ahead, there'd been a man whose build had been shorter than the rest. Something on his chest had sparkled.

"Stop moping around. Don't let those people bother you." Joshua had spoken when we met during primary school.

Son of a bitch.

"M-master? What's wrong? You're wincing!" Pon exclaimed.

A trembling sensation overcame my jaw as my teeth were colliding. My vision had narrowed. With my thoughts, the words of the person beside me vanished, faded into the air.

The ladies continue their conversation. On the other hand, I approach their station.

"Well, their family deserves that," the lady with a beauty mark says. "Considering how much of a leech that old man. They deserve to fall."

We deserve to fall, you say?

"Karma is only charging them a price."

Even I am nescient of the origin of this problem. These bovine pigeons... must learn not to circulate the gossip.

I clear my throat. They turn their heads to me.

Their eyes are of vacancy.

I stare at them, and theirs become wide gazes.

"S-sir!" the lady with the short hair has averted.

The lady with the beauty mark gazes straight into my eye.

Within my range, a wave enters my mind, and I gain knowledge of her ability.

Telepathy? I see.

The lady with the short hair smiles. "Good evening, sir. What can I help you with?"

"You," I lift my finger in her direction, "you're a Class II Sken, right? A Psychic Sken to be exact."

The lady with short hair arches her eyebrows. "S-sir?"

"You should, at the very least, be able to read my thoughts to know what I need."

She bites her lips.

"Missus, don't think I hadn't remarked you." I've turned to her co-worker. "Somehow, I find it strange you hadn't perceived me at all when your ability is Enhanced Hearing."

The other lady with a beauty mark flinches.

The energy shudders in my left hand, and in a moment, we are all enclosed inside a purple field.

"Sir?"

"Please, wait..."

I direct my hand ahead. "Forget about that gossip."

My hand feels the warmth I'm expecting. Then, a purple light swarms forward toward them.

Their bodies fly across the empty space.

*Thud!*

The impact creates a loud sound. Unfortunately, nobody will hear it.

I head to the hallway on the right. The walls are somewhat blue in color while the floors are of white tiles. It's a middling pathway for four.

I encounter a few staff. I ignore them with my very best. From a distance, the signage that I'm looking for is set - Room Three - so, I walk to the door.

"Inform him that I won't be able to meet them."

Turning my head to the voice, I notice a curvaceous figure of a woman in a conspicuous wee dress. Isn't that the teacher at the registrar? Even here, she's still as provocative as she was back at school. I wouldn't be surprised if she managed to captivate Jules.

Tch. Let him be what he dreams to be, I have greater things to tend. I turn the knob.

The room isn't overly furnished. It's silent. On the other end resides a counter where a young man sits.

He rises from his chair. "Ah, you must be Richard."

"Good evening." I keep my tone straight.

"Alright. Please take the booth over there."

There are three booths in where he's gestured. Each of them has a machine enclosed in a neon partition.

"I understand," I answer, going to the booth in the middle.

"Wait!"

"What is it?"

"Do you-"

"Yes. I know how to use it properly. If you're offering your help, I have to decline; no, thank you."

"Eh?"

His voice drowns in the background as I have already dedicated my entire attention to voting.

The machine in the booth resembles a television screen that's turned to face upwards, and it is supported by a stand. I swipe above. It lights up. An information page for the voter is now presented.

Name:

Age:

Ability:

Classification Division:

District:

I satiate the required information.

Name: Richard Lee

Age: 16

Ability: Psionics

Classification Division: IV

District: 2a

I tap the icon below for submission. It displays a buffering page, and it directs me to the voting section

Only two candidates are displayed, which both are for the presidency. Oh Gungkin is the son of my grandfather's friend. The following name, on the contrary, is Choi Si-woo.

"Considering how much of a leech that old man."

The words echo in my head, strident and intelligible.

"Well, their family deserves that."

"Karma's only charging them a price."

"Considering how much of a leech that old man. They deserve to fall."

Everyone is wrong. He might be a parasite, but I'm not one. I tap the second option.

The directory changes to another page where a different set of names are showcased. Omitting the process, I pass the form. Then, a message appears on the screen.

Thank you for voting! Rest assured that your participation in the election is a significant number for change.

Change?

I hope so.

The man earlier is now at his workspace, doing his busy at the table. I drift from the voting room toward the exit.

The information desk remains unattended. Even the employees passing the area are acting so casually. It seems like I don't have to worry.

"Thank you for coming," the guard says.

I swing my hand in the air and pass him by. "Be aware of your surroundings."

A light flickers. In front of me, vehicles are still halted at the vicinage. I pass all one after another.

In the corner of my eye, I remark of a vending machine. My throat gains prickly, shivering an odd sensation. I choose to have a drink.

Several beverages are shown for public sight namely; soda, juice, tea, coffee, milk, and water. However, my vision is firm on my dislike of any carbonated drinks.

The coin I throw eases to the slot.

*Clink*

The bottle moves.

*Thud*

Resembling the image of my family, it falls.

*Boom!*

Averting my gaze, the bushes are the first ones that cross my field of vision. What's that? I close the distance between.

"Please, don't- ugh!!"

It appears as if someone is being battered.

"Please?"

A stentorian sound pierces my ear. Huh? Is that...

"Do you think that your please can really stop me?"

Is that Junyang? Is he instigating another fight again?

My chest aches a dull sensation. Down below, my hands are trembling a violent quiver all due to that egotist, Junyang.

My palm pulsates. "You must learn to use your ability properly!"

A purple light bores a hole through the bush.

*Swoosh*

The bush isn't damaged but smoke arises from it. Meanwhile, the back of my head is cold. I... I am not supposed to meddle with strangers...

Tsk.

Forget it. I've done much meddling to retreat. I cast my field around me and tread the way.

Lying cold on the ground is Junyang's body. A skid mark imprints below his feet. It trails to another body, a body of a boy probably around my age.

He's sitting on the ground. I gaze at him, and his eyes widen but he doesn't avert. Instead, they grow narrow.

"You're going to hurt me, aren't you? Go on. I'm just your punching bag."

I stop in my tracks. I turn my head to the body lying on the floor. Classification IVs like him are tarnishing our reputation, my reputation even, although I'm not like them. The likes...

I wear a smile and offer my hand to the boy. "Please, take it."

He clobbers it. "I can do that on my own."

What?

"You strong Skens only take advantage of lower ranks just because you can."

"No, that's wrong."

"You're helping me just to gain people's attention? Bullshit."

What's the world done to you? "Please listen to-"

"I don't know who you are but you strong people are just all the same. You're all bound to fall."

To fall?

A smile has crossed his features. "I'm glad that Richard Sken's family is falling apart. People like him deserve it."

A heat stabs my nape with a raging fire. Promptly, my vision turns tainted.

"Ungrateful motherfucker."

My hand is throbbing. Crossing the skies is a purple light.