Chapter 446 – Part 2 – Side Story 3. Trial

The place where everyone goes when they die, the underworld.

A man was looking around that place filled with gray clouds with curious eyes.

“Oh, so this is where you go when you die? It’s pretty cool, isn’t it?”

Though it was a place without any particular scenery, it couldn’t help but be fascinating to the man seeing it for the first time.

The same went for his body that had become a soul.

“So this is what it feels like to become a soul? I can’t feel anything. It’s damn amazing.”

The man looked down at his heart with curious eyes.

His clothes were the same as what he wore before dying, but the wound where he had stabbed himself with a knife had completely disappeared.

“This feels like becoming immortal, right? Am I going to live in the afterlife as a soul like this?”

At the fact that something he’d only seen in movies had become reality, the man was simply delighted.

“Damn, if I’d known this would happen, I should have died sooner. Why did I live so desperately?”

He giggled, but only briefly.

[Mr. Choi Hyeon-deuk?]

When a blonde woman appeared from who knows where, Choi Hyeon-deuk’s smile disappeared.

[Hello? I’m Friella, a guide of the underworld. I’ve come to take Mr. Choi Hyeon-deuk.]

“Me?”

Choi Hyeon-deuk’s gaze, who had been puzzled, moved up and down.

He looked over Friella’s smooth figure and smiled lecherously.

“What did you say your name was?”

[Friella.]

“How old are you?”

[Excuse me?]

“You look younger than me. Where are you from? America? England?”

[I don’t take personal questions.]

“Why are you being so standoffish? Don’t you get lonely living in a place like this? I’ve never met a Westerner before, but I’ll treat you well.”

[Sigh…]

Perhaps her sighing scratched his pride, as Choi Hyeon-deuk’s eyebrows curved like a bow.

“What? Are you ignoring me right now? Because I’m a small Asian?”

[I never said such things… Since you don’t seem like you’ll follow obediently, I’ll use force.]

Swoosh-

A black rope appeared from Friella’s hand and wrapped around Choi Hyeon-deuk.

“Damn, what is this? Won’t you untie it?”

[Follow me. We’re going to the courthouse.]

“Courthouse?”

As if it wasn’t worth answering, Friella moved, and Choi Hyeon-deuk, tied with the rope, was dragged along like a balloon.

“Let this go! Won’t you let go? Damn it! Where are we going? To the courthouse? What do you do there!”

Though Choi Hyeon-deuk shouted as if having a fit, Friella silently pushed through the clouds and moved at high speed.

Friella’s voice was only heard after she stopped moving.

[We’ve arrived. This is the courthouse.]

Choi Hyeon-deuk could see a huge gray building.

Its design and grandeur were extraordinary, but what caught his eye more was the dozens of souls lined up in front of the building.

“What? There were other people besides me?”

Seeing fellow Asians in a place like this felt somehow welcoming.

Choi Hyeon-deuk tried to move to greet them, but.

Snap-

He couldn’t move any further because of the rope tied around his waist.

“Damn it, won’t you untie this?”

[You have no dignity. This is a sacred courthouse ahead. Please watch your words and actions.]

“So what is this courthouse?”

[It’s a place where sins from life are judged.]

“Sins?”

Hearing it was a place where sins were judged, Choi Hyeon-deuk’s face hardened.

Indeed, it was because he remembered what happened just before he died.

“Damn, what trial even after death… What, do you go to prison if you do bad things? What’s the sentence?”

[You’ll find out the details when you go inside.]

“I didn’t do anything wrong. I lived so kindly. You’ve got the wrong person. So untie this…”

[No one can be excluded from trial. And the judgment of right and wrong will be made by the judge. If you’re truly innocent, you don’t need to worry.]

“……”

But Choi Hyeon-deuk couldn’t help but worry.

Because he had a guilty conscience.

While waiting in line at the back.

“Huh?”

Choi Hyeon-deuk looked at the young woman standing in front and showed a surprised expression.

It was a familiar face.

“So you were here?”

“Ah…”

“Kekeke, we all meet here? Nice to see you.”

Choi Hyeon-deuk extended his hand as if truly glad to see her, but the woman trembled while turning pale.

“Hey, won’t you shake hands? Are you ignoring me now?”

“Ugh…”

Choi Hyeon-deuk, who had become serious, tried to grab the woman’s shoulder, but.

Smack-!

Choi Hyeon-deuk was pushed away by the intervention of the male guide who was beside the woman.

[What are you doing? Get away.]

“What did I do wrong?”

[Can’t you see Kim Na-yeon is scared? Back off right now!]

[Mr. Choi Hyeon-deuk? Come back here.]

Friella also pulled the rope, separating Choi Hyeon-deuk from Kim Na-yeon.

Friella politely bowed her head to Kim Na-yeon and the guide.

[I apologize. Ms. Kim Na-yeon, Mr. Elbrando. I apologize on his behalf.]

[Friella? Is that soul’s name Choi Hyeon-deuk?]

[Yes, Mr. Elbrando.]

Elbrando’s expression twisted.

Because he knew the relationship between the two.

On the other hand, Choi Hyeon-deuk had an incredulous attitude.

“Damn, I was just trying to greet someone I was happy to see, why is everyone acting like this?”

[Hey. Didn’t you stab Ms. Kim Na-yeon? And now you talk about greetings? Even shamelessness has limits.]

“What? You already knew?”

A chuckle flowed from Choi Hyeon-deuk’s mouth.

Looking now, Kim Na-yeon’s family was also in line ahead of her.

“Well, the whole family I stabbed to death is all gathered here? Hello everyone?”

“……”

“Why do you all look like that? Aren’t you happy to see me? I find this situation really interesting.”

“Th-that murderer bastard…!”

“Still, you should be grateful. Thanks to me killing you all together nicely, you could all meet on the same day. Right? Kekekekeke.”

Since the crowd was quiet, only Choi Hyeon-deuk’s laughter could be heard.

The victims Kim Na-yeon and her family wanted to cover their ears, but they couldn’t in their soul state.

They could only try to ignore Choi Hyeon-deuk and shake off the painful memories.

[Next soul, please come in.]

After waiting, their turn came and Kim Na-yeon’s group went inside.

The guide Elbrando also went in, but came out shortly after and called Friella.

[The judge says to bring Mr. Choi Hyeon-deuk in too. It seems he’ll proceed with them together.]

[Ah, really? I understand.]

She pulled the rope and Choi Hyeon-deuk became displeased.

“Stop pulling. I’ll go by myself.”

Eventually, Choi Hyeon-deuk entered the courthouse and could see the person called the judge in a courtroom-like atmosphere.

‘What? He’s Asian?’

Since all the guides were Westerners, he thought the judge would be too, but he wasn’t.

‘He looks like he’s in his early twenties at most, and he’s a judge?’

The judge in the high seat spoke in a deliberately solemn voice.

[Choi Hyeon-deuk. Though you were lovers with Kim Na-yeon, when she said she wanted to break up, you became enraged and stabbed her and her family to death with a knife, then committed suicide. Hmm… What is this, trash not worth judging has come in.]

“Calling me trash. Isn’t that going too far?”

Though Choi Hyeon-deuk got angry, the judge lightly ignored him and looked at Kim Na-yeon’s group.

[On the other hand, Kim Na-yeon and her family were doing volunteer work even on weekends and regularly supporting disabled children with good deeds. To kill such a good family just because you didn’t like them…]

The judge looked at Choi Hyeon-deuk with contemptuous eyes.

[There really is no other trash like this.]

“Look here. I have human rights too, you know? I feel bad when you keep treating me like trash.”

[I merely called trash trash, yet instead of acknowledging your sins, you feel bad? Your mental state is completely messed up.]

“Look here…”

[No need to see more. I sentence Choi Hyeon-deuk to limb dismemberment annihilation, and allow Kim Na-yeon’s family residence in Paradise. Guides, carry it out immediately.]

[We will do as ordered, Your Honor.]

Friella, who bowed politely, pulled the rope.

Choi Hyeon-deuk flailed his arms and screamed to avoid being dragged away.

“What is it? Why are you doing this? Limb dismemberment annihilation? What kind of punishment is that? Huh? What is thaaaat!”

Choi Hyeon-deuk’s voice, dragged behind the judge, echoed and faded away.

[Elbrando. You take them along too.]

[Your Honor. Before that, there’s something I’d like to suggest.]

[What is it?]

[If possible, I’d like victims and perpetrators not to encounter each other before trial. Just now, the victim had to wait in line trembling with fear.]

[Hmm… Such a thing happened. Certainly there would be trauma remaining, so there’s need to separate them in advance.]

The judge nodded and said.

[I’ll discuss this issue with Father and resolve it as soon as possible. Thank you for the suggestion, Elbrando.]

[Not at all. Then I’ll be going.]

After Elbrando bowed, he gestured to Kim Na-yeon and her family.

[Let’s go, everyone. I’ll guide you to Paradise.]

“Excuse me… but what is Paradise?”

[Ah, I must not have explained to you.]

Elbrando smiled gently and explained.

[Paradise is a resting place in the underworld decorated similarly to the living world. It’s a place where you can spend eternity without any worries or concerns, and ordinary souls can’t enter – only high-grade souls can enter. Usually, we give that qualification to souls who did good deeds in the living world. Of course, not me but the judge over there.]

“Ah…”

When Kim Na-yeon’s family turned to look, the judge smiled warmly.

[You’ll definitely be satisfied when you go to Paradise. My Father put his heart and soul into making that place. Moreover, according to preference surveys of residents who moved in first, everyone is satisfied with 100 out of 100 points.]

“Ah… I see.”

[I raised your grade just now, so you can enter right away.]

“Th-thank you.”

The family who greeted the judge followed Elbrando, then suddenly asked out of curiosity.

“Guide. Then what happened to the murderer who killed us? You said something about annihilation…”

[It’s called limb dismemberment annihilation, an execution method where limbs are gradually shaved off in 1mm increments while being annihilated. It’s the maximum sentence among annihilation punishments, where you’re annihilated while feeling extreme pain.]

“Ah…”

Kim Na-yeon’s family made relieved sounds as if that was good and moved away from the courthouse.

Eventually, when only the judge remained with silence.

[Sigh.]

A sigh flowed from the judge’s mouth as he lowered his head.

That’s when it happened.

[Are you tired?]

At the woman’s voice heard out of nowhere, the judge quickly raised his head.

[M-Mother?]

It was Cha Ye-rin, the judge’s mother.

[When did you come?]

[I came a little while ago. Were you surprised I came so quietly?]

[Haha, no.]

Judge Min Su-ho scratched the back of his head and laughed.

Unlike his solemn appearance from earlier, his smile was kind.

[Take it easy. Aren’t you working too hard?]

[No. It’s not hard at all.]

[You’re sighing and pretending it’s not?]

[That’s because I was frustrated. I sigh when I see evil people who don’t know how to repent.]

[Oh my, you’re having such a hard time.]

[Hard time? What do you mean. It’s work I do because I like it.]

When Min Su-ho smiled brightly, Cha Ye-rin smiled along.

[By the way, what brings you here without notice? Is something wrong?]

[What could be wrong. I just came to see my son’s face because I was bored.]

[What about Father?]

[Your father?]

Cha Ye-rin thought of Min Do-jun and made a sullen expression.

[He went on a date with Seo-yeon.]