Chapter Prologue

The Criminal who became a God

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“Ohh, Your Majesty Seo Tae Hyuk . I’m sorry to bring you to this shabby place . ”

Tae Hyuk narrowly opened his eyes and scowled at the other party .

That bastard, he always calls him that .

That was a jargon used in the prison to call the prisoners .

Those who have less than 3 years of term are ‘Plebeian’, ‘Noble’ for more than 10 years and ‘King’ those who have received life sentences .

Of course, there’s no meaning of respect in it at all .

A very insulting nickname with contempt and derision .

“I see . ”

Seo Tae Hyuk sank on the chair in the middle of the room .

He was one of the very few prisoners who don’t shrink in front of jailors .

“There’s nothing to offer to His Majesty . Would you like to drink the coffee that I didn’t finish?”

Tae Hyuk drank it at once like it was nothing .

“Thank you . ”

“Kuh . Your Majesty . You are composed like always . It’s already been 10 years, right? To think that I won’t get to see you anymore, tears are covering my eyes . ”

“⋯⋯ . ”

“Yes yes . That day has come . It’s in one week . ”

Tae Hyuk’s eye pupil shaked violently .

A groan came from his firmly closed mouth . Although he thought all sentiments disappeared over the past 10 years .

“Plea of innocence denied, the lawyer fled, and then⋯⋯ . ”

“It’s become like this . ”

The jailer gave a few sheets of paper .

“What are these?”

“Write the menu you would like to have for your last night . And if there’s someone you want to visit you, write it down as well . ”

What you would call the last supper and the last visit .

Tae Hyuk didn’t move for a minute . But a lot of thoughts went through his head more than he would in his entire life .

And then he slowly filled the sheets .

“Oho . a Kimchi Jjigae? You could have chosen fancier dishes though . ”

“It’s my little brother’s favorite dish . ”

“And to not add pork? This is quite an abnormal order . Perhaps you mean you were poor or something like that? ⋯⋯Oh, was I right?”

“⋯⋯ . ”

“Haha . Yes I see . You’ll be busy for the remaining time . It’s the first death penalty in 30 years after its reintroduction so everybody’s inexperienced so please forgive them kindly . ”

Tae Hyuk couldn’t stand up from his sit for a while .

It was unfair .

It was unfair enough to come in prison after a false charge but to say he was going to die without having achieved anything…

“Ah, right . I had a thought, you know . A criminal who received life sentence is a king of crime, isn’t it? Then how should we call a criminal who is executed? Perhaps a god! Haha! In one week, Your Majesty Seo Tae Hyuk is going to become the god of crime!”

Tae Hyuk roared a while in the room when the jailer left .

.

One week went in an instant .

It seems his name was shown more on TV than celebrities .

It was because the whole country’s attention gathered since it was the death penalty that was revived after 30 years .

In front of the prison, human rights groups have set demonstrations everyday but nothing changed .

Tae Hyuk sank in thought on the visitation room’s chair .

He felt more serene when he accepted death . He requested his older sister and younger brother to come visit him . It’s already been about a year since he last met them .

What kind of talk to have? He wanted to say thank you to his younger brother who believed in his innocence until the end .

Is big sister who took the role of the mother instead of the dead parents, really living well and happily?

Tae Hyuk looked at the clock on the wall . The Kimchi Jjigae on the table was already cold .

*creak*

At the sound of the door opening, Tae Hyuk changed his face expression to look indifferent as possible .

“⋯⋯ . ”

Tae Hyuk lost his word when he saw who entered .

“Oh my, Your Majesty . I’m so sorry I’m not the person you were waiting for . ”

It was the familiar face: the jailer .

The jailer sank on the chair in the middle of the visiting room .

“You don’t look to be so happy to see that it’s me . ”

Tae Hyuk didn’t particularly deny it .

“Your family members . Was it Mr . Seo Tae Min and Ms . Seo Ha Ran? In other word, the two couldn’t come . ”

“Is that so . ”

Was it because they decided to give up?

It was fine even if he knew that he won’t to be able to see his family for his last moments .

Thanks for considering the incapable him who didn’t even had the ability to clear oneself’s false charge, as a family . He just wanted to say that one thing .

Right .

It was fine with this .

Please consider that the man called Seo Tae Hyuk hadn’t even existed .

Then let’s pray for my family to live happily . He decided to be content with this .

The jailer moved a bit of his of mouth .

“Last month, Ms . Seo Ha Ran, Your Majesty’s older sister, has committed suicide . ”

“Sorry?”

“It’s really sudden, right? I mean, you know . A murder among the family . The mass com is speaking everyday about it . Journalists coming for being a family . And it seems the censoring place was unfortunately bad . So she got discovered by her company . Oh my, oh my . Then she got fired . And she had quite a lot of debt . And she lost the tiny little left to her in a pyramid scheme . So in the end…”

Cough cough!

The jailer imitated to strangle himself .

“Th-that’s impossible! How could my older sister . . !”

“Then what became of the remaining little brother . Was it Mr . Seo Tae Min? He was someone very brilliant . Unlike someone . He came out of the S university’s faculty of law to save his older brother, right? And he was running after some major company or a politician I don’t know clues to find . He’s been missing not long ago . He may have thought he became a detective or whatever . He should have known his place . ”

“⋯⋯ . ”

“Well, I guess he was put in an oil drum with concrete and is rolling at the bottom of the Yellow Sea by now . He should be getting well with his new neighbors . Well, his exact location is only known by the Sea King I guess?”

Boom!

Tae Hyuk slammed the table with his fist .

The Kimchi Jjigae splashed and the whole room was in a mess .

“Don’t you lie to me, you bastard! Are you fucking insane? What? My older sister suicided after being involved in a pyramid scheme? And Tae Min went missing trying to save me? Don’t fuck with me! I’ll kill you!”

The jailer was in stitches .

“Hahaha! Your Majesty Seo Tae Hyuk . You said you were going to kill me? You who has never killed before, not even a single ant?”

It was right .

At the very moment, Tae Hyuk realized something strange .

He thought the guy was just the jailer he’s been seeing for 10 years . But it was not . Such a jailer wasn’t in this prison . To begin with, there’s no way a jailer would know this much . Then why did he think it was the jailer?

“⋯⋯you . You are not the jailer . ”

“Then . Indeed, what am I?”

The jailer smiled .

Tae Hyuk screamed at the man’s face .

“Uwaaaaaah!”

The place where the eyeball should have been was an empty hole .

And the mouth was ripped to the ear and each time he was laughing, something red dripped down .

The Thing smiled and said,

“I’ve got this one very appetizing proposal . First, how about hearing it?”