———
Park Hyun didn't remember dying. He only remembered: the cold, the dirt, and the voice.
—You are too kind, and that disrupts the world's balance—
That voice was the last thing Hyun heard before his consciousness fully faded, surrendering to the biting cold and pain. Then, the first sensation he felt when he was 'reconnected' was... overwhelming warmth. Softness.
He opened his eyes reluctantly. Bright light immediately assaulted his retina, forcing him to blink several times. It wasn't the scorching sun, nor the faint glow of streetlights, but a glare reflecting off expensive surfaces.
Hyun tried to move. The mattress beneath him felt like a cloud. It wasn't a hard spring mattress or a thin old mat. The pillow supported his head with an unfamiliar luxury.
He was lying on silk sheets. They felt cold and smooth, a stark contrast to the rough work clothes he was used to.
Where am I?
Hyun tried to take a breath. The air he inhaled… was strange. It smelled of pine, but processed, like overly expensive incense, stinging the nose of a labourer accustomed to cement dust, truck exhaust, and the harsh scent of sweat. There was no pollution. Only a manufactured purity.
He got up, sitting on the edge of the bed. His feet immediately sank into the thick velvet carpet—the kind of carpet that could swallow his entire week's wages. His gaze swept the room. It was an excessively large chamber, with an intricately carved ceiling adorned with gold leaf. Tall windows with silver frames reflected an eerie neon blue light—a light that felt cold even though the room was warm.
"Where... where am I?" he whispered. His voice sounded alien, cleaner, clearer. As if his vocal cords had been scrubbed.
Suddenly, footsteps halted outside the double doors made of dark wood.
The door swung open. A young servant in a neat uniform, carrying a tray holding a porcelain teapot and glittering silver cups, stepped in. He froze completely. He saw Hyun sitting up on the bed.
The servant's face instantly paled. His eyes widened in sheer terror, as if Hyun wasn't just a sick young master, but a demon from hell risen to demand vengeance.
Clang!
The porcelain tray slipped from the servant's hand; hot tea spilled onto the luxurious velvet carpet. The servant didn't care about the tea or the broken crockery. He dropped down swiftly, his forehead hitting the marble floor, cowering as if protecting himself.
"Y-Y-Young M-Master is awake! F-Forgive me! D-Don't be angry for making noise!" the servant cried, his voice choked with fear. "I-I will clean it immediately! Please, don't kill me with your terrifying gaze!"
Kill? Terrifying gaze? I just woke up, Hyun thought, confused. He hadn't even scratched his head yet.
The commotion immediately drew attention. Moments later, a noble couple—dressed in shimmering silk and bearing overly anxious expressions—rushed in.
The woman immediately hugged Hyun tightly, tears wetting his shoulder. "Son! My child, Hyun! You are awake! Thank heavens you are alright, Darling!"
The man, who had a well-groomed beard and sharp eyes, approached. "You were unconscious for nearly a week, Hyun. How do you feel?"
Hyun felt the physical contact was strange. He looked at them both, then at the room, then at the servant still cowering on the floor.
"Wait," Hyun said, gently pulling himself away. "Excuse me. Could you please explain... where am I? And, forgive me, who are the two of you?"
They exchanged looks. They were shocked, but quickly morphed their expression into an look of concern that felt painfully cliché.
"W-We are your parents kid," said the mother, her voice filled with affection, which strangely sounded a bit too loud. "We are Lord and Lady Park. You are our son, Park Hyun!"
The Father nodded firmly. "You have amnesia because you are too kind, son. This must be a reaction from the sheer purity of your benevolence!"
Hyun's mother dabbed her tears. "You even insisted on feeding every beggar in the city until our treasury was almost depleted! That was such a noble act, Hyun! It must be what made you sick."
Hyun fell silent, ignoring the strange logic. His mind was dragged back to his old life.
Shouldn't I be dead?
Flashes of memory stabbed him: The labourer. The naive kindness that led to constant exploitation. The freezing cold. Starving. Sprawled in a dirty alleyway. No one helped. The world had taken everything.
I died nameless, without a grave, without memories. But at least, there was peace.
That moment of peace was instantly shattered.
Amidst the worried stares of his new parents, a transparent object suddenly appeared and floated in the air, right in front of Hyun's eyes.
The window emitted a faint neon blue glow. A voice, sounding like an exhausted female AI, boomed right in his ear.
[DING!]
[Welcome, First User: World Balance System.]
[Error Diagnosis: Selected User (Park Hyun) is Fundamentally Too Naive and Kind. Please be patient; we are adjusting the Mission.]
[Mission: Reclaim all the misfortune you have ever absorbed.]
[Easiest Method: Commit Evil.]
Hyun blinked. The accumulated frustration of the constantly exploited labourer, combined with the sheer exhaustion, had reached its peak. He just wanted to sleep.
[Critical Warning: Mission Failure will result in: Absolute Death and Annihilation within 9 years, 3 months, 12 days. Failure to meet the 'Evil Points' threshold will trigger karmic self-destruct.]
The system window flashed bright red for a split second, a serious hum sounding.
Hyun stiffened instantly. 9 years? Absolute Death?
Hyun glared intently at the intrusive window. His eyes narrowed in exhaustion.
"What the heck is this app?" Hyun hissed quietly, complaining as if to a noisy pop-up notification. "Can't I get a second of peace? And why 'Mission: Commit Evil'? I don't even know how to steal a candy without feeling guilty! I want to sleep!"
Right after his very human complaint, the System responded, reverting to the tired AI mode.
[System: UGH. Seriously. I told you, Author! This user is too naive! He's protesting an absolute death threat like he's complaining about a phone app update! This is against protocol! I resign!]
[System Message: Main Mission Activated. Now, welcome to villainy, Lord Park Hyun. Proceed with your first evil act.]
Hyun sighed tiredly. "Whatever. I just want to turn off this pop-up. But 9 years..."