Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Idol, Stalker, Management (4)
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An asymmetrical black bob, and clear eyes behind an elegant half-mask etched with a butterfly pattern.
Added to that were the cold, unsmiling corners of her mouth and a jawline sharp enough to cut paper.
Like an awl in a pocket that can't be hidden, these elements, unconcealed even by the mask, naturally revealed her to be an extraordinary beauty.
Furthermore, she wore a halter top that revealed her fair shoulders beneath a loosely worn crimson coat, a short skirt that ended above her knees, and shoes with rather high heels.
She exuded a charismatic aura that made one question if she was truly a young girl who looked to be around ten years old.
*No matter how I look at her... it's Ren, isn't it?*
Ren, an executive of the Invaders operating in the shadows of Nighthaven.
I looked at her, our eyes meeting at the exact same level, and the certainty solidified in my mind.
Even if asymmetrical hairstyles are somewhat common.
How could I not recognize someone wandering the city in such a peculiar outfit with a butterfly-patterned half-mask? It would be strange not to.
However, instantly recognizing her wasn't exactly a good thing.
At this point in time, she was a high-ranking field commander for the Invaders, a group that operated without a trace.
The fact that I could use psychokinesis, that I was hiding a Tesseract, that I knew all their plans...
For me, who knew a multitude of secrets, any one of which would get me killed on the spot if discovered, she was one of the last people I ever wanted to meet.
Seriously, why am I running into her in a dusty old bookstore like this?
Shouldn't she be busy scheming in the shadows right now?
While I was flustered by this completely unexpected encounter, Ren spoke in a low growl, her eyes looking as if she wanted to tear me to pieces.
"If you bump into someone, you should apologize. What are you staring at? You want me to smash your face, mask and all?"
"…!"
*Scary!*
I was startled by her words, her eyes shimmering with a hint of madness.
*Hey, it wasn't just my fault, we both ran into each other...*
*You popped out from around the corner without looking, too!*
I was filled with the urge to say that, if only I could speak.
Still, I decided to be the bigger person and bowed to Ren with about half-sincere apology.
I was too much of an adult to get angry over a simple bump.
*Hah, looks like I'll have to extend the olive branch first.*
But perhaps she wasn't satisfied with me just bowing my head without a word.
She tapped her fingers, subtly showing her displeasure.
In the tense atmosphere, where it felt like a fight could break out at any moment, David gently stepped between me and Ren to mediate.
"Who are you?"
"Pardon me. Yuria here is unable to speak… I hope you can understand. I apologize on her behalf for bumping into you."
"Hmph. A mute who can't even talk? How boring."
Ren crossed her arms and lifted her chin as if it were only natural.
*How can she be so shameless when she was at fault too?*
Her imperious attitude, like that of a noble lady, was enough to make me scoff.
But was this one step back merely a setup for two steps forward?
David adjusted his glasses once, then spoke with an air of someone unwilling to concede.
"However, as we have apologized for our part, we would appreciate an apology from you as well."
"Ha? Why should I?"
"Bumping into each other while turning a corner is a mutual mistake, not the fault of one side alone. And… your threatening words toward her are not something I can easily overlook."
"How absurd. Fine, if you can't overlook it, what are you going to do about it?"
*Crackle!*
An intense, invisible spark flew between Ren and David.
It was a powerful clash of wills, neither willing to yield an inch.
The situation was perilous; if this kept up, a real fight could break out!
I urgently tugged on David's coattails, trying to stop him.
Because a palpable killing intent, far beyond simple irritation, had begun to leak from Ren.
*This is going to turn from a staredown into a real fight.*
*I don't need an apology. Let's not do this here.* That was roughly what I meant.
"…!"
"…Miss Yuria. I understand."
"Hmph, getting scared now? I thought you were going to see this through to the end."
"I had no intention of fighting. It's quite clear, however, that you have no intention of apologizing."
David returned her taunt with a deadpan expression, not even twitching an eyebrow.
It seemed he figured there was no reason to press the issue since I, the person involved, didn't seem to mind much.
Did David's compliance make Ren lose interest?
Acknowledging the gathering stares from onlookers, she let the smirk fade from her lips and looked at me with a bored expression as she spoke.
"Tsk, how dull. This isn't fun anymore. Hey, you, the white... whitey... yeah. Whitey."
"…?"
"If something like this happens again, I'll be sure to give you some *special* attention. Remember that."
"…!"
*Ugh, I really don't want to see you again.*
Utterly repulsed, I subtly retreated behind David as if to hide.
But she paid no mind to my clear rejection, simply striding past David and me and out of the bookstore.
*To just say her piece and leave like that.*
What an incredibly annoying and self-centered person.
*Phew, that's finally over. More importantly, why am I 'Whitey'? If I'm Whitey, does that make her 'Blackie'?*
I grumbled internally at her complete lack of naming sense, brushing off the encounter as nothing more than being bitten by a feral cat.
*Huh? She's with the Invaders, a villain. Is it okay to just let her go?*
*Well, what else can I do? I can't just start a psychokinetic battle in the middle of the city.*
The risk of my identity being exposed is far greater than the reward of eliminating her, so I can't just recklessly pick a fight.
Fighting her here and now would be like burning down my precious apartment—the one I took out a twenty-year loan for—just to catch a tiger that wandered inside. Hmm, is that a weird analogy?
"Whew, what a strange girl."
"…"
*Well... she has her own circumstances. She's not a bad person at heart.*
I thought this silently to myself, nodding in agreement with David's words.
I felt like my mind had been completely frayed by the sudden storm.
***
A disaster may have swept through, but we still had work to do.
Even after our encounter with Ren, we continued to visit the locations and focus on gathering information.
And after visiting all the places where the stalking photos were taken, we had gathered more than enough information on the suspected stalker.
"Whew, based on the common testimonies, he's a red-haired male Metahuman of average build. Hmm, it's not much, but with this, I think we can find the culprit soon."
"…!"
"You've worked hard too, Miss Yuria. We've walked around quite a bit."
*What did I do? I just sipped my drink and tagged along behind him.*
I gave a double thumbs-up and hopped on the spot, as if to praise David for his hard work.
*...To be honest, since I already know who the culprit is, my conscience pricked me a little.*
*But they'll catch him soon enough even if I don't spoil it. I decided not to worry about it and just enjoy the moment. Besides, I'm just a part-timer, not a full member.*
David, likely wanting to pass on the clues he'd gathered, immediately contacted Raven on his terminal.
Suddenly, as he checked the reply, he furrowed his brow with a troubled look.
"Ah, damn."
"…?"
"It seems Mr. Raven needs a bit more time. He said to wander around the area for about an hour..."
"…!"
*Ah, he must be busy reviewing all the CCTV footage.*
*I was right to stick with David instead of Raven.*
I nodded to myself, internally pleased with my correct decision.
It's more fun to walk around outside than to sit blankly in a chair, swinging my legs.
"Shall we take a walk around the area for now?"
"…"
With this awkward bit of free time, we started walking without any clear destination.
As David and I walked side by side, an advertisement suddenly played on a large screen nearby.
The ad was simple. To the tune of some upbeat music, a pretty idol in a cheerleader outfit skipped along a beach, drinking a beverage.
Maybe it was because I'd already seen someone as extraordinary as Aisha this morning, but this idol's conventionally pretty appearance felt somewhat plain...
But she was so pretty that it was still a good ad, one that made me want to buy that drink.
"Lydia."
"…?"
"That's Lydia, the leader of the girl group Tropical Oasis. This is her tenth year since debuting. She's a living legend... the one who revived the concept of idols, like girl bands and boy bands, which had faded after the war."
*Uh, yeah. I know that well. But why so suddenly?*
I was a bit taken aback by David's sudden comment, but I nodded as if to say it was an interesting topic.
*I mean, it's a little awkward, but we can't just walk around for an hour without saying anything. It's a decent topic to pass the time.*
Did he perhaps notice my awkward reaction?
He looked a bit apologetic, as if he realized he'd brought it up out of nowhere.
"I apologize. You probably aren't interested. I shouldn't have brought it up so suddenly."
"…"
"Actually, Tropical Oasis, Lydia's group, is one of my favorites. When I was in college away from home, they were the driving force that helped me endure without giving up. Of course, the main reason was my promise to Reine, but..."
David scratched his cheek, seeming a bit embarrassed by his idol-otaku side, which had been popping up uncontrollably lately.
But it didn't really matter to me. A David who lost his composure over idols was far more entertaining than the always stern, serious, and solemn David.
This is how people get closer, by teasing each other about things like this. It was much better than his old self, who would put up a slight wall to avoid being a bother.
Though his enthusiasm for Aisha, whose new look I still wasn't used to, was a bit of a turn-off...
As I had these thoughts, I patted David on the back to show it was fine. Perhaps grateful for my reaction, he let out a small laugh, bowed his head slightly, and continued.
"So, when I heard that Miss Aisha was suffering from a stalker, I had a lot on my mind. Miss Aisha could also become a star who gives strength to others. The fact that some cowardly, petty person is getting in her way... I just couldn't tolerate it. I am determined to catch the culprit in this case."
"…!"
"You'll help? Thank you."
Did my passionate fighting pose give him strength?
David thanked me, looking much more at ease than before.
*Well, I'll be taking a backseat and observing, so I won't be much help.*
After that, we wandered the streets leisurely for about an hour without any important conversation.
Then, a message came from Raven, saying he'd found a crucial clue about the stalker.
*The time has finally come.*
My heart pounding with excitement, I returned to the talent agency with David.
And there, when everyone from the Fixer Agency had gathered again, Raven, who had called us all together, spoke, reminding me of a certain famous detective.
"The culprit... is in this room. I will now reveal the truth of this stalking case!"
To think I'd get to see this scene with my own two eyes!
It was a moment that made me deeply regret not having any popcorn and a soda.