179 - Chapter 175: Episode 173 - Liberation
Bianca stared at Seon-ah, begging for mercy.
Her expression was so pathetic, so full of sorrow, that it was hard to believe she was the same woman who had been violating him only moments ago.
"Please... spare me... Seon-ah... no, Seon-ah-nim, please, I'll do anything you want..."
"Father, what should I do?"
"..."
Seon-ah felt flustered by the sudden turn of events.
He had never imagined that the revenge he'd wanted to exact with his own hands would be achieved so hollowly by his daughter, Yena.
Even so, the rage he felt toward Bianca hadn't faded.
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"You shouldn't just kill her... I want her to suffer exactly as much as I did..."
He considered various methods for a fitting punishment.
It felt only right to make her experience the same violation he had endured.
'Exactly... exactly as I did... Since I was violated by that bitch, if I violate her the same way... she'd probably like it, right? Then, what if she were violated by a woman instead...'
Given the social views on chastity in this reversed world, it would be a profound disgrace for a woman to be violated by another woman.
Having settled on a method, Seon-ah glared at Bianca and leaned in to whisper into Yena's ear.
Yena nodded solemnly, then fixed a cold, hard stare on Bianca.
Bianca's face went deathly pale as she realized her fate had been sealed.
'What are you planning... please, just kill me cleanly...'
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Bianca, bound and helpless, trembled with anxiety, terrified of the punishment that awaited her.
In contrast, the atmosphere between Yena and Seon-ah was harmonious.
Seon-ah had finally learned everything that had transpired between Yena and Sophia.
Hearing that Sophia had nearly died in Min-ah's body and had been forced to take refuge in Yena's, he couldn't help but shudder at the thought of such suffering.
And when he learned that they had entered a contract to share the body for half a day each, he realized how completely he had misunderstood the situation.
Now, only feelings of apology and gratitude filled his heart.
"Um... Father? I'm ready to take Bianca to the Demon World."
"Is that so? Then I'll leave it to you. Once you're done and back, come straight to where I live. And... Sophia? You're listening, right? I'm sorry I didn't believe you... I sincerely apologize. Whatever choice you make... I will accept it willingly."
Seon-ah apologized to Sophia with genuine remorse.
He felt that even if she were disappointed in him for his past doubts, it was entirely justified.
As he recalled the time he had mistaken his mother for Sophia, his guilt only deepened.
"Father? Mother says she's fine... She says it's enough that you're safe. And she's asking if your eyes are okay?"
"Sophia... are you forgiving me? I'm always only indebted to you. Thank you... My eyes are fine now, thanks to you."
Seon-ah was overwhelmed with relief that Sophia had forgiven him.
Knowing that Yena and Sophia were heading to the Demon World to carry out his revenge in his stead, he felt a profound sense of gratitude.
"Then Father, I'll be going. Please tell Min-ah-eomeoni about us in the meantime!"
"I understand... I'll head home now, too..."
Yena channeled her magic, and blue waves surged around her hands, quickly engulfing her and Bianca.
Within seconds, they vanished into the blue light.
Seon-ah turned toward the entrance to leave the villa.
"Seon-ah... I'm really sorry for everything..."
A voice called out from behind him.
"Miel..."
Seon-ah turned to see her.
He couldn't help but think of how desperately she had tried to earn his forgiveness.
Miel, who had dragged him to the Demon World.
There were many bitter memories associated with her, but just as many moments of kindness.
When she had brainwashed him and separated him from Yu-rin, he had harbored deep resentment.
Moreover, remembering how she had distorted his parents' memories hundreds of times brought back that old anger.
Yet, she was also the one who had cared for him when he was regressed to infancy, the one who had tried to protect him when he was imprisoned and violated by Bianca, and the one who had thrown herself into a gate to Earth in a demon's body just to save him.
He couldn't bring himself to hate her.
But it was just as hard to simply brush the past aside.
Seon-ah's expression hardened as he addressed her.
"Miel... honestly, I don't want to forgive you."
"I'm really sorry... other than those words... I have nothing to say..."
Miel apologized, tears streaming down her face.
Seon-ah cut her off, his expression softening into a relieved smile.
It was a smile Miel hadn't seen in a very long time.
"My thoughts have changed... Let's just... make everything like it never happened. Everything you did to me, let's just pretend it never happened..."
Miel was shocked.
The idea that their shared history would simply vanish made her feel as though all her devotion to him had been in vain.
Seon-ah corrected himself, realizing she had misunderstood.
"I can't be your lover... but I think I can be your friend, Miel."
He hadn't said it to hurt her.
He said it with sincere consideration for their relationship.
Miel sobbed, overwhelmed.
Her heart was a chaotic mix of relief that she could still be by his side and a sense of futility that her deepest yearnings had come to nothing.
It was a feeling even she couldn't fully comprehend.
Seeing her cry made Seon-ah's heart ache.
Even if those feelings were now in the past, he had once loved her, and her tears felt like his own.
He wanted to embrace her, but fearing she might misunderstand, he simply reached out and stroked her hair.
As he stroked her hair gently—the same way she used to comfort him when he was a child—Miel finally stopped crying.
"Miel... come play at my house later. Since we're friends now..."
The bright expression on Seon-ah's face was one she hadn't seen in so long.
She knew she would never forget that smile.
Miel stood frozen, watching him walk away until his back grew distant.
She simply whispered the words in her heart.
'Thank you, Seon-ah... Let's meet again.'
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Seon-ah finally returned home.
It had been a long journey from the villa on the East Coast back to Seoul.
As he traveled, he took in the sights of everything around him, savoring every detail.
Liberated from the despair of eternal darkness and from Bianca's clutches, his entire mindset had shifted.
Seeing the colors he had only imagined, and witnessing the world he had known his whole life, felt like being born anew.
Standing before his front door, Seon-ah slowly opened it.
'Mother must be worried sick...'
"I'm home!"
He called out with a lively voice, greeting his family.
He heard the sound of footsteps rushing from the living room.
His mother, Min-ah, his cousin Lee Ji-ah, and his aunt Lee Shin-ah appeared.
"Seon-ah! My son..."
"Lee Seon-ah, are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? What happened to Hyun-ah..."
"Seon-ah-oppa... sob..."
They all spoke at once, their voices thick with worry.
Min-ah hugged him, holding him tightly as if she would never let him go again.
His face was buried in her chest, and though he could barely breathe, he finally realized that he was truly free from all that pain.
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The three women and Seon-ah had so much to catch up on.
Lee Shin-ah was desperate for news of her daughter, Hyun-ah, while still fretting over him.
All three of them seemed stunned to see his eyes, which had been closed for so long, now wide open.
Seon-ah began to explain what had happened.
Naturally, he chose to omit the parts that would only cause them more pain.
He couldn't bear to tell them about the violation by Bianca, so he hid it entirely.
He also left out the story of Sophia entering Yena's body.
He needed to tell his mother that she didn't have to keep up the charade of being Sophia anymore.
Seon-ah spoke carefully, recounting his kidnapping.
He told them about being taken with Hyun-ah to the villa on the East Coast.
He mentioned that he hadn't seen Hyun-ah at the villa, that Yu-rin had been among the kidnappers, and that Yena had healed his eyes. When he finished, the three women sat in stunned silence, clearly processing the weight of his words.
"I see... that is truly incredible..."
Lee Shin-ah finally spoke, her voice filled with awe.
After he finished, they told him about their frantic efforts to find him.
He realized just how much they had suffered.
When he heard that they had mobilized most of the Han-il Guild's power just to find him, he was dumbfounded by the sheer scale of their search.
Once they were done, Lee Shin-ah made a request.
"Can you tell me where that villa is? You might hate Hyun-ah... but she's my daughter... Seon-ah, you have a daughter too, you understand, don't you? Please, I beg you."
Seon-ah didn't hesitate to answer.
"Aunt, of course I was going to tell you. I don't have fond memories of Hyun-ah, but I don't want to see you suffer."
They exchanged many more stories.
When he mentioned that he and his mother had secured a house to live in together, he felt a surge of gratitude toward Lee Shin-ah.
"Thank you, Aunt."
"No, Seon-ah... I'm the one who's thankful. Honestly, I thought you might refuse to tell me about Hyun-ah... considering what she did to you... you would have been justified."
"..."
Seon-ah's heart ached at her quiet acceptance.
'If my daughter Yena... were to do such a thing... how would I treat her?'
No matter how much he pondered it, he had no answer.
"You must be exhausted... go to your room and rest. We can finish the rest later."
"Let's do that, Seon-ah-oppa."
Seeing him lost in thought, Shin-ah and Ji-ah urged him to get some rest.
Seon-ah looked at Min-ah and swallowed hard.
The time had finally come to uncover his mother's lies... and to confess his own faults.
With a trembling heart, he took his mother's hand and led her into the room.