@lol 3. I don’t “make it sound” like anything. But by your own admission, Haegu has indeed raised her in a psychologically unhealthy environment. Her intentions are irrelevant. The objective reality is that Mian was kidnapped by the woman who murdered her parent in front of her, then raised in a household where she is constantly subjected to and surrounded by the aftermath of murder, and is in fact actively encouraged to immerse herself in the infliction of violence. To compound this (and I presume no psychiatric intervention whatsoever to deal with the previous), there is no way for her to repair any kind of normal attachment because she’s enmeshed in a forced deception of the outside world, whilst said murderer (and now guardian) also spends the rest of her childhood saying her job is to grow up and take revenge by killing her. There is no earthly reality where this string of events would not be traumatic and formative, even if Haegu had the most angelic intentions (which she didn’t). I assume for now that Haegu making Mian an instrument of her own self-loathing was out of guilt for inflicting the same suffering she experienced as child, but it was a selfish choice in the end, regardless of the reason. She at least could’ve not killed the man in front of her. She could have placed Mian in state care, failing that. She did not take any of the other kids she rescued, mind you. So if her top priority were actually Mian growing up into a functional, adjusted adult, then the story would never have happened.
Comment by Jay on lol
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@Jay "then raised in a household where she is constantly subjected to and surrounded by the aftermath of murder, and is in fact actively encouraged to immerse herself in the infliction of violence" — That's such an exaggeration. In chapter 24, there's a flashback panel in which Haegu gives Mian a knife as a birthday gift and says "Here, your birthday present. If you stab me with this, I'm sure I'll be in a lot of pain". Check that chapter out. Something similiar happens in another flashback in chapter 115. Oh yes, definitely Haegu actively encouraging Mian to immerse herself in the infliction of violence.....
@Jay "I assume for now that Haegu making Mian an instrument of her own self-loathing was out of guilt for inflicting the same suffering she experienced as child, but it was a selfish choice in the end, regardless of the reason".
At first Haegu was going to kill herself right after killing Mian's father. Then she saw Mian and decided to let that girl kill her instead, because she saw herself in her: that way she would allow the girl to get revenge, just as she was given the right to, and at the same time end her miserable life. I don't understand how Haegu is using Mian as an instrument for her own self-loathing. She could just kill herself anytime according to her initial plan. She regretted what she did because it ultimately made someone experience the same thing she did as a kid, and is willing to get punishment for it in hopes of making that someone feel better, that's all.
"She at least could’ve not killed the man in front of her"
She didn't know Mian was there. Do you really think she would've done that if she knew, given her past?
"She could have placed Mian in state care, failing that. She did not take any of the other kids she rescued, mind you. So if her top priority were actually Mian growing up into a functional, adjusted adult, then the story would never have happened."
Haegu's top priority was Mian having a normal life AND getting revenge. If she had placed Mian in state care, she wouldn't get that chance.