Kate fell silent beside him, gazing at the man standing next to her. "How have you been, Kate?" he asked, looking at her face.
"You're asking rhetorical questions just for formality, right? Let's get straight to the point. I really didn't expect you to choose him as the main character in this world," she protested, arms folded across her chest.
"Haha, it seems you haven't changed at all, even though it's been a long time since I last saw you. But why do you say that? Do you find it difficult to help him?"
"Not really; it's just that, in my opinion, with Theo as he is now, he'll struggle to develop quickly."
"Why?"
"He's too weak, foolish, and naïve. To be able to grow, he needs a trigger that can make him shed all those feelings. Only then can he become stronger and achieve his goals."
The man smiled in response to her words. His attention then shifted to the serene lake in front of them. "Do you think so?"
"Yes. That's the only way I believe he'll succeed in developing."
"In that case, I was right to ask you to meet him."
"What?" Kate immediately shifted her attention upon hearing the man's words next to her.
"You knew from the beginning that I sent you here with the purpose of being a pacemaker for him, right? You're the one who has to help him grow. That's my goal in sending you. With your abilities and experience, it would be very useful to help him develop until all the plans I've laid out can be achieved."
"But why me? Why don't you ask Zane or someone else to help him? I'm not the only one you can ask for help." Kate looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Do you mind if I ask for your help? Besides, aren't you more suitable for this task? Theo is involved with the mafia, not criminal cases. If he gets caught up in a criminal case, maybe I could ask for help from Zane, Taylor, or Dariel. But as you know, they are police, and I can't ask for their help to assist him in growing."
"What about Sky and Erick?"
"DSIA is indeed an agency that helps victims seek revenge. But the problem would become complicated if they had to get involved with an organization like the Bloodhound Cartel."
"Great! You always find a way to dodge."
"Why do you complain so much? Shouldn't you be happy that I'm giving you a chance to return? Especially after helping Madison secure the presidency in Neotopia, you haven't fought like this again, right? Your last fight was during the Renaissance Purge, wasn't it? When will the tradition of The Purge take place before the election campaign? And that was a long time ago. Or perhaps you complain like this because you can't meet him anymore?"
"With whom do you mean?" Kate raised an eyebrow.
"Jason."
"S-shut up. Don't talk nonsense!" Kate stuttered. Her face blushed as if the man's guess was correct. Kate immediately turned her face away. The man could only chuckle in response to Kate's reaction to the name he just mentioned.
"You might be able to deceive yourself and others, but not me. I'm the one who knows everything about you, Kate. So, you don't need to hide it from me."
"Damn author!" Kate cursed, with the same flushed face.
"I know you miss him, but please hold back your longing until your mission is complete. Besides, it won't be long."
"N-no, that's not the issue. What I mean is, aren't you worried that if I help him develop, he might become a main character with an antihero soul like mine? Aren't you concerned about that?"
"Why should I? Just so you know, I'm the person who loves characters with an antihero soul the most. But as for the outcome of the changes, I leave it all to Theo. He has the freedom to choose his own path. If, in the end, he wants to become an antihero, I have no right to stop him. Likewise, if he wants to be a main character with a hero soul free from killing, I can't stop him either."
"What kind of nonsense is that?"
"Even though I'm the marionettist and you're the marionette in this world, I don't want my marionettes to feel restricted. I always try to let them choose their own path freely."
"Then don't regret your words if I turn him into an antihero who never hesitates to kill enemies!" Kate stared at him sharply with a smirk on her face. The man could only stay silent, responding to her words with a thin smile. "So, what's your next plan?" Kate asked.
"None. I'll just let the plot continue. By the way, be prepared for tomorrow, because Dante won't just stay quiet. He'll seek revenge on you once he finds out you've killed one of his henchmen."
"They mean nothing to me. Oh! Speaking of them, I also want to ask you. Why did you make them Theo's opponents? Aren't they too pathetic to be opponents? They act so ridiculously. They come, then flee when they start feeling like they can't control the situation. Truly pathetic!" Kate sighed. She felt no challenge at all in fighting the Bloodhound Cartel.
"The problem isn't with the Bloodhound Cartel but with their leader. Actually, the Bloodhound Cartel wouldn't be like that at all if Dante had never been recruited as the leader. But because that man killed the previous leader to get his position, their group became chaotic."
"This world is more messed up than I imagined. But, never mind. I want to go home and rest. I'm tired."
"Alright, then see you! Remember to do your task well. I'm counting on you, Kate!"
"Yes, see you..., Binbin." Kate left him alone there. After her departure, the man remained silent, gazing at the sky filled with stars. "I wonder about the expressions of those of you who are currently reading through your phone screens..."
*
"I told you, the plan sounds ridiculous! A mafia member like us has to do such low-level terror?"
"Throwing stones with terror messages? Does he think this is terror for high schoolers?"
"Our boss is indeed lacking creativity. The idea is absurd and makes no sense."
"Because of him, we lost one of our valuable comrades."
"I wonder why the big boss even thought of making him our leader. Isn't he incomparable to our previous boss?"
"I agree! He's worse than our previous boss."
Some members of the Bloodhound Cartel whispered. They had just conducted a simple funeral, attended only by a few members. After placing their comrade's body in the coffin and cremating it, they decided to calm themselves down. They still felt a great loss due to the death of one of their members. Unfortunately, only they felt that way, as Dante and the rest of their members didn't even feel the same.
"Even so, we can't do anything. Although Dante is worse than our previous boss, he's still our boss. And we can't just stay silent. Whether we like it or not, we have to help him seek revenge for the death of our comrade!"
"You're right. We have to avenge our fallen comrade. But after that, I have another agenda."
"What do you mean?"
"It's time to overthrow his rule and choose a new leader!"
*
Foolish, naïve, and weak. Those three words felt like a stab in his heart. Theo could never forget his conversation with Kate that night. Since their one-on-one talk, he couldn't shake off Kate's words, labeling him as foolish, naïve, and weak. He was angry, yet somehow he also felt that Kate's words about him were true.
"If you want to achieve your goals, then you have to change."
That sentence echoed in his mind. Theo even felt like he could hear Kate's voice directly in his ears. Theo sighed deeply.
"Do you have a problem? You look completely unenthusiastic," Berta commented. Her words immediately drew Theo's attention to the source of the voice. There, he saw the woman returning after serving one of the customers.
"I just have a lot on my mind," Theo replied, then shifted his focus to something else. All of this is because of Kate's words. I look so pathetic now.
"It seems like you need a break. Why don't you take a short break to calm yourself?" Berta suggested, once again capturing his attention.
"Berta, may I ask you something?"
"About what?"
"Do you think I'm foolish, naïve, and weak?"
"Why are you suddenly talking like this?"
"Just answer my question. I want to know your opinion of me."
"You're pretty cool, handsome, and hardworking. You're also quick to learn new things, and you're kind. Maybe that's what makes you seem weak."
"Is that so?"
"Someone's judgment can vary depending on the perspective from which they see it. But it shouldn't be a burden for you. Because fundamentally, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses."
"You're right." Theo nodded. He truly agreed with what Berta had just said. "Okay, thanks for comforting me a bit. I'll go out to get some fresh air for a moment."
"Okay."
Theo walked away, leaving Berta silent behind. He stepped out, exiting the club through the back door. Theo intended to find some fresh air to clear his mind while trying to forget Kate's words from yesterday. As he stepped outside, Theo was suddenly startled by the appearance of the woman there.
Theo immediately stopped in his tracks, looking at Kate, now standing in front of the door. She was busy lighting a cigarette she intended to smoke. "Kate? What are you doing here?"
Kate turned toward the man who had just appeared and startled her. With a lit cigarette, she looked at Theo. "I just met someone and was about to leave. What about you? Why are you outside? Shouldn't you be working, helping Berta and the other staff? I heard Jim didn't come in today. Shouldn't you be busy?"
"Berta is handling everything well, so there's nothing to worry about. But I don't understand. Why are you here? Did you just have a secret meeting here?"
"Not your business."
"Where are the other Infero Ravens members?"
"They didn't come. I came alone."
"No wonder you didn't come in," mumbled Theo. They suddenly fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere. Kate busied herself with her cigarette, while Theo was lost in thought. Meeting Kate like this only made him more troubled by her words yesterday.
"Aren't you busy right now?" Kate asked, breaking the silence between them. Theo looked at her with a puzzled expression. "If you're not busy, accompany me for a short walk."
"But—"
"Just nearby." Kate walked ahead without waiting for Theo's response. Somehow, Kate's request sounded more like a command to Theo, and he reluctantly had to accompany her. The man walked with her out of the back alley of the club.
Kate led Theo to a place farther away from the crowd. She guided him to the location where she had killed one of the Bloodhound Cartel members yesterday. Exactly when they arrived there, Theo realized they were at the scene of yesterday's incident. "What are we doing here?"
Theo stopped Kate. He gripped her wrist, and his face started to show signs of unease.
"Why? Are you afraid because we're back at this place?"
"I-it..."
The system detects a potential threat!> ***