Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Unchanging Love-3
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The situation wrapped up in an instant.
Korean Hero Association heroes and Humanity's Shield staff swarmed in together.
They killed the monsters that were too minor for Lee Ha-seon to bother with. They pulled civilians out from the collapsed buildings.
I climbed into one of their vehicles and headed back to headquarters. I didn't even have a chance to thank Black Warden.
Lee Ha-seon scanned the surroundings with a terrifying expression I'd never seen before. But she had a packed schedule too, so after exchanging a few words with me, she flew off somewhere else.
I returned to my room.
Nothing had changed. The snacks I'd piled up to munch on while gaming were still there. So were the ones I'd tossed on the bed after deciding they didn't suit me as I was heading out.
It felt like nothing had happened at all.
Maybe it really hadn't—at least not to me.
These large-scale attacks weren't everyday occurrences. Plenty of civilians had died, buildings had crumbled, a famous hero like Black Warden had taken a serious injury, and Lee Ha-seon herself had shown up.
Tomorrow's front-page headlines might cover the incident. Plenty of people would praise heroes' sense of duty again, shiver at Lee Ha-seon's power, and condemn the villains' brutality.
That was it. Nothing more than that.
It wasn't the first time a villain's horrific terror made the front page. It happened now and then. I'd grown numb to it.
I'd just seen it as someone else's story. Something I'd never experienced myself.
Sure, I'd gotten safety alerts inside a building before—like "Villains and heroes are clashing nearby; please evacuate to a safe location." But I'd never witnessed monsters rampaging, people dying, and heroes getting hurt right in front of my eyes.
'...'
The world I knew was far more brutal than I'd imagined.
Time passed.
I sat on the bed in a daze. I'd figured things would sort themselves out once Nafre woke up.
Even if she scolded or reprimanded me, I couldn't complain.
I knew I was a very dangerous and important person. I'd heard plenty about it. Still, I'd made a risky choice just because I wanted to meet Black Warden.
'What a shame.'
It wasn't like I'd sought him out just because he was a famous hero and I wanted to see him.
I was curious. What kind of worries did a perfect hero like Black Warden have? And could I even solve them?
My thoughts kept racing. Then the doorbell rang.
"Do you have a moment?"
She'd come, right on cue. Nafre.
"Yes..."
I opened the door. Her eyes were filled with exhaustion.
"Shouldn't you be resting?"
I'd planned to apologize the moment I saw her, but I couldn't hold back those words.
She looked so worn out it was a wonder she could even walk. It worried me.
"I'll rest once I wrap this up. Truth is, I can't sleep much when I'm prophesying... and then this blew up right after."
"I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize. If anything, I should be the one saying sorry."
"Pardon?"
"Your protection detail fell through. As for Han Ji-yeon... I'll handle her separately."
"What are you talking about? Ji-yeon just honored my wishes."
"Going out itself wasn't the issue."
Nafre let out a deep sigh.
"Pardon?"
"Her judgment was sound in a short-notice outing where she thought she could handle protection solo. Prioritizing your wishes above all was the right call too."
"Really?"
"Yes. It was just unfortunate bad luck. Seemed more like a terror hit aimed at Black Warden than you."
Come to think of it, I'd wondered if my existence could really be exposed that quickly. Almost no one knew about my ability.
"The real problem was fighting the monster instead of evacuating you immediately when the battle broke out. That's dereliction of duty."
"She had no choice."
It wasn't just me on that street.
Dozens of civilians were screaming and fleeing. If Magical Girl Han Ji-yeon hadn't stood against that massive monster, more people would've died.
"She should've prioritized evacuating you... but you're lucky. You don't seem upset about that."
"How could I be mad about that?"
Nafre gave a faint smile.
"Then let's leave it at that. Looks like you didn't get to talk properly with Black Warden. I'll have him come here tomorrow. Chat as you like."
"...Is that okay?"
"I'd love to talk you out of it. But I'm not here to stop you—I'm here to help."
My heart warmed a little.
"Just make one promise."
"What kind?"
"If it's unpleasant—if you feel even a little reluctance—never do it."
"...Okay."
"And if something makes you uncomfortable but you feel you have no choice, tell us first. Humanity's Shield can solve some things."
"Right... yeah."
My ability could roughly be called a "stat booster." It was useful and unique, sure, but getting stronger didn't require dumping points into traits.
Black Warden didn't seem like the type to just want raw power, but whatever his issue was, I didn't have to handle it alone.
"Then I'll head back and rest."
"Okay, good night!"
I waved with a smile.
Nafre smiled faintly too.
Nafre didn't go straight to sleep. She still had work to do.
She went to find Han Ji-yeon.
"Coming in."
"Hey, knowing the passcode doesn't mean you can just barge—"
Nafre entered without hesitation.
"We need to talk."
"Look, I said sorry for hesitating and not bolting on time."
"Before that."
Nafre forced her eyes wide with effort.
"You could've stopped Seong-ha."
"Unconditional obedience? Honor any demand? Now you wanna control him?"
"Not control—persuade. You could've. I know exactly what you two talked about, so no excuses."
"Ha..."
Han Ji-yeon knew it too.
Lee Seong-ha had no intention of abusing his power.
If she'd refused his request even once at the last second, nothing would've happened. He wouldn't resent her or Humanity's Shield.
"I twisted your arm. Why?"
"Yeah?"
"Baek Se-ra, you hooked her up with Seong-ha directly and blocked everyone else. Straight up—you're playing favorites, right?"
Nafre didn't deny it.
"Black Warden's damn competent, but replaceable. Baek Se-ra's an irreplaceable hunter in Korea. This one's no, that one's yes. That's it, isn't it?"
"So?"
"..."
Han Ji-yeon put a cigarette—more precisely, a mana cigarette shaped like one—to her lips. A flame flickered at her fingertip, lighting the end.
"Y'know, fuck... I'm popular? Kids love me."
Her bold trash-talk to adults, superhuman strength from a kid-sized body no different from any other child.
Countless kids adored Han Ji-yeon. She was a staple in hero-villain roleplay.
"I know. Your transformation dress, hologram magic circle toys, merch from that anime character based on you. You're raking it in."
"Yeah. So logically, I should be a role model... but I'm not that kinda person. Lack self-control. Badly."
Han Ji-yeon stared blankly out the window.
"Heard kids are picking up smokes 'cause of me. Normally, you'd quit... but fuck, I can't."
The mana cigarette she fiddled with was far harsher than tobacco—a hardcore drug. She had to count it lucky if that's all the kids copied.
"Excuses. 'Had to cuss out those frustrating incompetents,' 'Villain fights stress me out so I need this.' Lived like that forever."
"I know."
"But Black Warden's different."
Han Ji-yeon bit her lip hard.
"Never seen that bastard make excuses since he started hero work. 'Too tired, had no choice,' 'Stressed so had to smash.' None of that shit."
Black Warden's self-discipline was ironclad.
"Righteous, justice-driven guy never slips up. Always the model. Newbie heroes ask, 'Can you really live like that?' I could counter, 'Black Warden does.'"
No scandals. No looking down on others or lashing out. He just did his job.
He never executed neutralized villains without trial in rage. Never covered for colleagues' crimes from personal feelings. He just did his duty. Advanced for what he believed right.
"I respect him. So I hate seeing someone like that... live so unhappily."
"Seong-ha might not be able to help. He might not want to."
"Who cares? I wanna do my best. Not like you, picking and choosing who gets in."
Nafre staggered for a moment.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Sorry. Just a sec."
"Huh?"
Nafre collapsed flat. Han Ji-yeon chuckled.
"Fuck, guess you're wiped... Sleep. C'mon. My bed's big 'cause I'm small. Shit..."
She stubbed out the mana cigarette and laid Nafre on the bed.
"Sorry for making you the bad guy."
Han Ji-yeon gazed at the fallen Nafre and lit a fresh mana cigarette.
Smoke rose.