Chapter 194
Chapter 194
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 194
Chapter Title: Fixer, Phantom Thief, and Just Yuria - Interlude
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The phantom thief, Silver Cat.
She was a famous influencer who ran a social media account and a video platform channel.
7 million subscribers on her video platform, and a staggering 20 million followers on her social media account!
Perhaps it was thanks to her unique persona—stealing from the wicked and helping the unfortunate.
Her popularity on the internet was comparable to that of a mid-tier, double-number Fixer.
Silver Cat’s main activity was to announce her crimes on social media, then edit the process into a vivid, movie-like video for upload.
Perhaps because her brilliant exploits and the tense atmosphere of the scene were captured so vividly.
These edited videos boasted such immense popularity that they easily topped the trending charts every time they were posted.
Not only that, but her identity remained a complete mystery.
And perhaps it was because she had proven she possessed skills on par with an active Fixer.
Silver Cat’s popularity skyrocketed, showing no signs of slowing down.
She had become an icon, especially to the younger generation.
But there was one thing no one should ever mistake.
Though the world knew Silver Cat as a charismatic phantom thief who worked alone, the truth was she had a partner, known to no one but a certain white-haired girl…!
“Ugh, ughh…”
“M-Marco! Are you okay? Snap out of it!”
Marco, Silver Cat’s partner and the hacker who supported her from the shadows, unknown to all.
He, who had been enveloped in an alluring scent and a soft touch, struggled to open his eyes.
A voice called out right in front of him, his vision still blurry.
Only then did Marco realize he was being held in someone’s arms.
“C-Claire…?”
“Yeah, it’s me! Are you okay? I came back and found you collapsed on the floor, I was so surprised! No wonder you weren’t answering my calls…”
Collapsed on the floor?
His mind still foggy from having just regained consciousness, he furrowed his brow in confusion.
His memories were fragmented, refusing to connect, making it impossible to grasp the situation.
Then, suddenly, the scene from before he passed out flashed through his mind.
A half-naked Silver Cat pouncing on him, a white-haired girl suddenly barging in, and then Silver Cat transforming into a strange man.
The memory was so bizarre it felt like a dream.
Marco looked up at Silver Cat, who was still holding him, with a look of confusion.
“Are… are you… the real Claire?”
“Huh? What are you… Oh, don’t tell me…!”
Silver Cat tilted her head as if he were speaking nonsense.
The real Claire? The way he phrased it sounded as if he had met a fake version of her.
But as she mulled it over, her eyes widened in realization.
It was only a few dozen minutes ago that she had encountered something that mimicked people.
“D-Don’t tell me… you met the one who transformed into me? Th-Thank goodness… I saw that thing earlier, too! It seemed incredibly dangerous. I’m so glad you weren’t hurt!”
“Uh, huh? Hurt? No, it wasn’t exactly like that, but…”
Marco nodded, looking slightly bewildered as he glanced at Silver Cat.
Her demeanor felt a little different from what he was used to.
He had been assaulted by the fake Silver Cat in a different sense; his life had never been in danger.
But Silver Cat looked relieved that he was still alive.
He had only been knocked out because he was unfortunately caught in the fake, male Silver Cat’s attack.
He couldn't quite share her sentiment as she sighed in relief, as if it were a miracle.
But Marco’s ordeal, still sweating nervously, wasn't over.
Silver Cat’s next words made his mind spin with complexity.
“Well… I heard that the fake one has memories and ways of thinking similar to mine. There’s no way I’d ever hurt you, Marco! Right! Absolutely, definitely not!”
“…Similar memories and ways of thinking?”
“Yeah. That’s what the old man told me… Is something wrong?”
Marco squeezed his eyes shut at Silver Cat’s innocent reply.
Did that mean the fake Silver Cat’s strange behavior… originated from her own self?
How was he supposed to take this?
First, Marco broke free from her embrace and staggered to his feet, looking at Silver Cat.
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if in deep thought.
Then, quite cautiously, he spoke to her.
“Claire, you…”
“What?”
“Do you… like me?”
“…Heh?”
Blink, blink.
As if she couldn't comprehend what she had just heard, Silver Cat just blinked for a full three seconds.
Finally, the words seemed to register.
Her eyes shot open, and her face, including her ears, turned bright red in an instant as she let out a feeble sound.
It was, by all accounts, the face of a girl who had fallen head over heels in love.
It was a reaction so obvious that even Marco, who was usually dense when it came to relationships, could recognize it immediately.
***
While a heart-pounding romantic comedy was unfolding elsewhere in Nighthaven.
An old man in a patient’s gown was strolling leisurely through a beautiful garden.
He was the most famous of the few dragons who had crossed over to Earth.
He was Tempest, who had set aside all his duties to focus on healing an injury to his heart.
Something was trailing him like a fairy, and a closer look revealed it to be a sort of mechanical terminal.
But strangely, no sound came from the terminal floating in mid-air.
No matter how small, a drone would have at least a minimal engine hum, so why was this one silent?
The reason lay not in science, but in magic.
The terminal’s weight had been magically reduced, allowing it to float on the gentlest of breezes.
This was a prototype of magitech, finally given form through the magic of the fairies they had successfully protected.
It was a level of technology that would startle a certain white-haired girl, who would think it far too premature.
“Hmm…”
Tempest was on a call through the terminal that followed him without being touched.
It seemed to be a very serious conversation. His face was graver than ever.
What could they be discussing to make the usually relaxed man look so grim?
His next words were more than enough to answer that question.
“Traces of the Invader. I trust this is a confirmed fact.”
[ “Yes. They’ve appeared for the first time in ten years… It’s them.”]
Rumble…!
Tempest’s brow furrowed as if he had heard something deeply unpleasant.
Though his heart was injured and his magic compromised, the very air around him seemed to tremble in response to his emotions.
But perhaps it was too much for his still-unhealed body.
As he slightly narrowed his eyes, the aura naturally subsided.
Tempest took a small, deep breath, as if taming his near-furious emotions.
Then, with a much calmer demeanor, he spoke to the terminal.
“Explain in more detail.”
[ “…Yes.” ]
The man on the other end of the terminal, sounding somewhat tense, explained everything he knew.
A monster that could perfectly mimic people had suddenly appeared in Nighthaven, and it was a phenomenon of neither magic nor science.
Indeed, it was a bizarre occurrence that could only be thought of as a psychic power.
The report concluded that they would investigate the monster in detail later.
As Tempest listened quietly, he raised an eyebrow slightly and spoke.
“Hmm, that… Was that information from the one called Raven?”
[ “Ah, yes. That’s correct.” ]
“Hmph, still an arrogant fellow. Then the ‘related party’ you mentioned must be that little white-haired kid.”
He muttered to himself, picturing a certain girl in his mind.
The one with such an impressive soul color… perhaps the only psychic friendly to humanity.
Having fought numerous psychics in another world, Tempest knew better than anyone the immense influence a psychic who could properly wield their power could have.
Thus, Yuria’s existence was a talent so rare he wanted to cherish it.
If her potential could be fully realized, then maybe, just maybe, they could protect their home this time.
The thought was so compelling that he had no desire to use her up recklessly.
‘But is it fate that she’s drawn to these incidents… No, perhaps she’s the one who draws the incidents to her.’
But Tempest, who had been consistently monitoring Yuria’s movements, had naturally noticed.
She might possess a special destiny that attracted incidents even when left alone.
In other words, unless she was placed somewhere beyond anyone’s reach, her clash with the Invader was a kind of pre-established harmony.
If that was truly the case, it might be better to think about it from the opposite perspective.
“Hmm, an unavoidable destiny, is it.”
[ “Sir? What do you mean…” ]
“I need to speak with that child. Arrange a meeting.”
[ “…Yes. As you command.” ]
Tempest lightly clenched his fist, contemplating the remnants of magic left in his body.
If there is something I can do even in this state, I will see it through to the end.
In what could very well be his final moments, his resolve was firmer than ever.