Chapter 20
Chapter 20
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 20
Chapter Title: Red-Haired Squinty-Eyes
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In truth, monsters were still appearing steadily.
They were just getting wiped out before the disaster alerts could even hit the network.
Because right now was the special monster crackdown period.
Did something like that even exist before? Probably not. It started right after I collapsed in the group chat a few days ago.
The veterans flipped out when they heard I'd been ambushed by Ulv.
The Monster Association—which they'd thought was dead and disbanded after the Demon King fell—had dug up a newbie's personal info and come raiding her home? That crossed the line.
Up until now, it had been like WWE. Showing up at my house? That was UFC-level UFC.
And my guess was right: one wrong move, and my head really would've flown.
The veterans, realizing they'd nearly lost a newbie in an instant, went berserk on their own. They declared a special monster crackdown and started drying up the monster population in downtown Seoul.
For some reason, even Aurora—who I barely knew—crawled out after ages and was massacring monsters left and right.
I'd rushed out because a monster popped up nearby. The moment the Backside World opened, the monster vaporized right in front of me. It wasn't until I saw the lightning strike next to me that I nodded, realizing it was Senior Aurora. But I didn't even catch a glimpse of her face.
That was how all I could manage was a private thank-you message. Just what kind of person is she?
Meanwhile, the codex entry for Ulv—the one who'd targeted my life—got an update.
They'd added an extra zero to her bounty.
The veterans were out hunting Ulv with fire in their eyes, but strangely, she hadn't shown so much as a whisker.
She probably saw me as a chick and the other magical girls as mammoths to steer clear of.
Kuuuung!
"Eek!"
"...Another one. Wonder who this time."
By the way, I'd become super safe in the meantime.
These faceless veterans kept sending artifacts to guard my place like clockwork.
Defense barriers, detection barriers, stealth barriers, auto-intercept barriers...
It felt like they were digging out every artifact they'd stashed away in storage, worried I'd get newbie'd (physically). But they were definitely helpful.
The problem? I had no idea who was sending them.
Ask in the group chat, and they'd all go, "Eh~ Just accept what the seniors send!" No, I need to know who to thank.
Thanks to them, my studio apartment was turning into an impregnable fortress.
The downside? They were all ooparts or talismans.
"..."
Does my place even look livable anymore?
Talismans plastered everywhere like some haunted house. If I brought anyone over, they'd think I was nuts.
Worse, this cramped studio was starting to buckle under the dense mana buildup.
"...This won't collapse the building, will it?"
Hey, I'll get crushed in a structural failure before any monster gets me.
Anyway, that's beside the point.
Ulv's surprise visit had given me plenty to chew on, so I couldn't just sit idle.
What good is a fortress home when I spend mornings and afternoons at school?
If a wild Ulv snuck a "gift" while I was in the school bathroom, I'd be toast.
It really drove home how much I needed to grow. Thanks, Ulv.
Though she probably just wanted me strong enough to solo B-ranks.
No thanks? Why would I?
I'll grow enough to solo A-ranks and take that bitch's (for real) head myself. With that fierce resolve, I headed to school today too.
The moment I stepped out, I cranked mana detection to full and geared up with a proactive mindset to scan more codex entries.
A short walk later.
"Ah! Ha-rin! You're here!"
"Hey, Jun."
Seo Jun was bouncing in place in the alley, waiting eagerly for me as always.
"Did you eat breakfast?"
"Yeah."
"Ah! I have bread. Want some?"
I naturally tossed him my bag and snatched the bread he offered.
Sausage bread today. I used to like salt bread, but this sausage stuff is pretty good.
As I stuffed my mouth full and chomped it down, Seo Jun grinned ear to ear, watching me eat.
"How's it taste? Good?"
"Yeah!"
"Hehe. Just say the word! I'll get it tomorrow too!"
Halfway through the bread, he even pulled out some kids' multivitamin, Renren. What flavor even is potato cream?
Basking in Seo Jun's support and my own setup, we entered the classroom.
"Hey, Ha-rin!"
The larks flocked over.
"Hey."
"Came with Jun again! Can I have one bite of the sausage bread?"
"Sure, here."
"Ha-rin! Draw me something, draw!"
"Wait a sec."
Normally, parading around with the class's S-rank heartthrob like a farmhand would've gotten my hair yanked by passersby.
But even at a prestigious private school like Hanwol Elementary, they're just 8-year-old jamminis at the end of the day.
Having popular guy Seo Jun on my arm actually pulled aggro in a positive way.
Plus, being smaller than my peers, the kids treated me like a mascot plush and loved cuddling up.
And with my art skills? Nothing to brag to adults about, but I was confident.
My anime character drawings blew up among the jamminis.
Just a week after transferring, I'd cemented myself as the unofficial power behind 1-3's throne.
I was about to quietly set out Pururu (penguin doll) for another fulfilling jammini day when—
Bam!
"Seol Ha-rin!!!"
'Ugh, she's back.'
But not every bird's a lark.
With red-haired squinty-eyed types inevitably existing, even as 3's big shot, I'd always have challengers.
And lately, one harmful bird kept picking fights daily.
"Why do you keep bullying Jun?!"
"I haven't bullied him..."
The day after I networked with Jang Won-ju, Seo Jun disbanded his 18-member harem party himself.
Of course, 13 didn't even know they were in it, and four were two-timing, but hey, he cleaned house! Good job!
The issue? One girl took his breakup like a thunderbolt and went dark. 1-2's superstar, Ha Sol-a.
Why superstar? Holy crap.
Seol Ha-yoon—never even logged into TikTok—had 490k followers as a name-brand influencer.
Plus, both parents actors, child actor creds, rumors of Frost connections. Total this-block's perfect princess. Wait, half the school are perfect kids. Special?
As I tilted my head, Ha Sol-a marched up with her maids 1 and 2, laying down threats.
"You did bully him! We were dating fine, and you seduced him into dumping me!"
I did seduce him.
"That bread? Jun bought it for you, right?! You made him, didn't you?!"
Spot on.
"I know everything! You don't even like Jun—you approached him just to use him as a lackey!"
Sharp insight.
All facts, no comeback.
But facts aren't violence.
I stood tall.
Silence as I munched bread made Ha Sol-a's eyes well up.
Acting or not didn't matter.
In kids' fights—especially girl vs. girl—tears first wins.
The crier sets the trap; late criers lose.
Ha Sol-a's preemptive tears drew eyes, murmurs erupting inside and out.
Some cheerleaders: "Ha-rin's the bad guy." "Why mess with a guy who has a girlfriend?"
"Sol-a... you okay?"
"Seol Ha-rin! Apologize!"
Her maids wiped tears, stirring the crowd.
Suddenly 2's kids piled on, demanding my apology.
No interest in this childish catfight, I coolly called the man himself for settlement.
"Jun. She's saying that."
"Huh?"
Seo Jun, mid-phone game with the boys, clocked the scene and planted himself between us.
Then:
"Sol-a. Enough."
"Enough what?! You asked me out first, now you dump me?!"
"I was immature then. But now I get it. The one I really like is... Ha-rin only... Ahem."
? Why stop there?
"...only."
"Why not me?! Is it 'cause I'm not popular enough? 'Cause 490k followers isn't enough?!"
"Liking someone has nothing to do with popularity!"
"Liar! Liar! Liar!"
...And they started filming their morning soap opera. I barely held back from yelling "Beat it!"
~No way~ 1st graders acting like this~ At least Seol Ha-yoon's age...
Oh right. Seol Ha-yoon never dealt with this crap. Jealous.
Ha Sol-a's 5th Sol-a Incident—meant to reclaim Seo Jun but rejected outright—ended in tragic reverse charge.
"Fine!! Seol Ha-rin!! You're done for!!"
Catch you later.
Already made two jamminis cry. What a sinful woman I am.
Then Seo Jun wagged his tail at me.
"Ha-rin. Did I do good?"
"Yeah. Thanks for having my back."
"Hehe..."
I tapped his forehead, and he beamed like it was the best thing ever. Good boy.
"Still... don't hate Sol-a too much. She's actually nice. It's all my fault."
I know. Your fault.
Truth is.
Already stressed from wild newbie-shredder puppy, no desire to wade into jammini love wars.
But ditching Seo Jun means no more Jang Won-ju "ahem!"s. Too bad.
Jamminis' volatile emotions—dump 'em wrong, they fuse and turn on me. Better keep him.
His fleeting crush'll fizzle soon enough.
Ding-dong-dang!
Class bell and homeroom teacher arrived, quelling the chaos.
Half-listening to stuff I already knew, I shaded an eyepatch over the textbook's poison toad chef illustration.
Me? Murasaki.
After school.
"H-hey, Sol-a... isn't this too dangerous?"
"Y-yeah. Let's just go back and get tteokbokki! Okay?"
"No!"
Ha Sol-a snorted steam and marched proudly. Where? The red-light district.
Who is Ha Sol-a?
A girl never outside infant prodigy rankings' top 10 since birth.
Influenced by actor parents, she hit TikTok young.
One wriggly video got algorithm-picked: 18.7 million views. Jackpot.
At 5, she went pro TikToker.
While peers built social skills on cartoons, she devoured shorts—maturing fast.
Three years dominating trends made her a kids' TikTok name.
That clout nabbed her 1-2 class rep on day one, plus top alpha male Seo Jun's seat.
"Dating" was just recess hellos, playground stuff.
Doesn't matter. "Seo Jun's girlfriend" title's what counts.
Ha Sol-a's dictionary: no failure, no rejection.
Until about a week ago. Before sly vixen Seol Ha-rin transferred to 3.
At first, just lucky kid.
Cool beauty mystery concept on transfer day? TikTok cliché.
But snatching Seo Jun and casting herself as tragic heroine? No accident.
Influencer instincts screamed: Seol Ha-rin, cunning fox in 8-year-old skin.
How else stay chill munching bread before 490k-follower Ha Sol-a?
Making innocent Jun spew "Popularity doesn't matter!" heresy.
In Korea, popularity is power, money. No relation? Jun's brainwashed hard by that fox.
To deprogram? Prove her own clout superior.
Ha Sol-a chose extremes.
'One way only!'
50k followers imminent.
But recent vids stalled in mannerism rut—numbers yo-yoing sideways.
Needed a big hit.
Trendsetter Ha Sol-a knew the jammini buzz: challenges. Red-light district tour challenge was cheat code.
Content: Jamminis sneak through pleasure district, snapping proof pics like dojo stamps.
Younger the kid, riskier the spot, sweeter the views.
Comments'd bitch "Kids these days smh," but views/follows unstoppable.
'Hit 50k, Jun'll see me again?'
No chance, but dopamine-soaked brain twisted "Fame claps even your shit" wrong.
Thus, armed with grand 50k ambition, she charged the district.
"S-sorry! Mom said never come here!"
"M-me too! See ya tomorrow, Sol-a!"
Law-abiding maids bailed mid-way, of course.
'Doesn't matter.'
They're normies. Only TikToker here's her.
In the district, she whipped out her smartphone, strutting boldly.
Early evening neon flashes, drunk yells, weird stares at a kid.
All stimuli exploded dopamine in her unripe brain.
Filming signs one by one, she unwittingly delved deeper into darkening alleys.
"......"
Unaware Seol Ha-rin trailed, sensing something off.