Chapter 39
Chapter 39
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: Come Back Before Dinner
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─Please!!
─Scared??
─Scared!! I'm scared, so stop!!
─Are you scared?
Please!!! The woman smirked as she watched the voice echo through the arena. She was beautiful. The kind of beauty that needed no further explanation.
Just beautiful. A single word captured her entire allure. Her looks were on a different level from everyone around her, as if she weren't even human.
And that woman was laughing amid the scene of madness.
She was probably the only one laughing here. There was booming laughter from the opposite side, but the atmosphere nearby was solemn.
─That guy's a hero candidate...?
─He's strong for rank 1028, but his personality...
─Obsessive. Way too obsessive. Who does that to someone normally?
─Personality is the top evaluation criterion. No matter how strong you are, if your personality's like that...
And so on. The mood was ice-cold. After all, he wasn't just knocking his opponent out—he was toying with him.
A light attack when the guy seemed about to pass out, ramping up the intensity if he held on a bit longer.
And all the while, he kept saying one thing.
─Scared?
"Kuh-huh-huh..."
This is fun. So much fun. The woman desperately tried to hold it in, but the laughter bubbled out anyway.
How could anyone be like that? Beating someone over 500 ranks higher just by messing with them left less of an impression than the fact that his personality was utter trash.
It was something impossible even if you tried.
She wanted to clutch her stomach and cackle. But that was too undignified, so she settled for covering her mouth as she laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Doesn't that... hah... make you laugh...?"
"Hm. It's repulsive. I like that he uses rune magic. Not using garbage like incantation spells earns him some points."
"That's your problem—always so serious."
"We're here on business. Keep work and play separate."
"Sure, sure~"
She wiped the tears from her eyes and replied. The man in the black suit who had spoken frowned, clearly displeased.
"Just to be safe—don't approach him. The 'half-demon' won't be touched until the mission's complete, so until then—"
Static. Static.
Before the man could finish, a voice crackled from the arena speakers.
"Pfft!!!!!"
This was too much to hold in. The woman clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.
─What? What?! No way!!! Hey, you son of a—
The echoing voice only fueled her laughter more. It was like turning on a hose—she couldn't stop.
"Ah. This is fun."
Fun enough to want him for herself. Her blood-red eyes pierced straight through the black-haired man.
"No way."
"Puh-huh... hah... heh-hah... kuh-hah... ha... hoo-hah..."
"No way."
"Hah-ha... ha-ha... hah... kuh-hah... hoo-hah... ha..."
How does this even make sense? This has to be a lie. A dream.
Yeah. It's a dream. That's why I can hear the gasping next to me, right? No way that'd happen in reality!
"You look like you're escaping reality... Snap out of it. This is real. You just got disqualified, and you cussed out the ref, so you got penalized too."
"Liar. No way. Don't lie. Those runes—I squeezed Raphael dry for a whole week to make them!! Used them all up in one day!! And now disqualification plus penalty? Don't lie. This has to be a lie. Right?"
"Hahaha!! Seong-hoon, Seong... hah... hoon... At least that guy's face at the end was priceless. Be satisfied... heh-hak!!! ...with that... hah-hak!!"
True. That part was good. Face like he'd seen a demon. Satisfying. Wait, satisfying what? This is a dream, right? No point getting satisfied over something that'll vanish when I wake up.
[Snap out of it, nyang.]
Paw!
"...Fuck."
I finally came to after the kitty punch. Why'd I do that?
I got so pissed for a second that I cussed at the ref and lost my challenge rights until tomorrow as penalty. Used up all my stockpiled runes to beat a top 500, got disqualified, crowd hates me, and somehow I'm the trash now.
The audience reaction was especially cold. Staring like What's wrong with that guy?—
"Ever heard of karma?"
Why am I the one getting it? All I did was pay back the guy who asked if I was scared!
Isn't punishing the provocateur karma? Rewarding good and punishing evil. Doesn't that make me hero material?
"Whatever you're thinking, no."
Yeah, figured. Ah, damn it.
"Wanna head home? Nothing left to do but watch."
"Call Isia to help make runes."
"Then you're helping too."
Sophia averted her eyes at my words. Guess she doesn't want to. But what can I do? Don't care about your opinion.
Sorry Raphael, Lachesis, but gonna have to work you overtime later—
"Where'd they go?"
"Slipped away when you mentioned runes?"
"Ah."
I overworked them today, but run away? Couldn't answer that myself, so I shut up.
"...They'll come back for dinner, right?"
"Waiting for your runaway kids?"
Yeah.
"What am I, a mana tank and rune-making machine? He uses me up and now wants more!!"
[Right, nyang. Gotta rebel sometimes so they know we're precious, nyang.]
"Exactly!!"
Raphael was strolling down the street, cradling Lachesis in her cat form. People everywhere—here, there, all around.
The bustling district was packed; hard to even take a step. Still, Raphael wandered with a bright face.
A trait of those who'd lived long in the Heaven Realm. Coming down to the mortal world made just watching people fascinating.
Raphael had been down a while, but always house-school-house-school. This teeming crowd was mostly new.
Malls were similar, but this crush of bodies was fresh.
She was still mad at Lee Seong-hoon—eyebrows arched like a bow—but her face sparkled as she looked around.
"Where we headed? Can't use us till dinner anyway, right?"
[Dunno, nyang. Probably back by bedtime, nyang.]
Hm. What to do. Raphael tapped her lips with a finger and kept walking. No money to go anywhere.
Lee Seong-hoon always handled bills; even Isia's buys were on his orders.
Raphael had no grasp of mortal money anyway. He'd covered it all so far.
"See? Without Seong-hoon, I can't do anything."
[Not me, nyang.]
"So just me?!"
She pouted at Lachesis, who turned away. I'm totally capable! she muttered, then scanned around and chatted more.
Grinning at Lachesis's replies, she walked slowly—then felt eyes on her.
Not one. Two, three. More.
No malice. Just curious stares.
Passersby all glanced at Raphael. One or two? I'm pretty, what can ya do~ But everyone staring intently felt weird.
First time feeling this. Never happened before.
"Hm. Weird. Kinda nauseous."
Never with Seong-hoon. Not at the mall, streets, classroom—
The crowd here was indescribable, but the instant she split from him, this? Curious.
'Was Seong-hoon blocking the views?'
Would that guy? Probably subconscious.
Following Lachesis's lead, she sat on a quieter bench under trees.
Sitting eased her stomach, fewer stares—could breathe.
"Should've got Isia's number."
Could call, explain, get treats. She smacked her lips and checked her contacts just in case.
[Stylish Seong-hoon]
Only his number, saved by him for emergencies. Lachesis didn't know others either.
"Don't you want something sweet? Nice if we ran into someone."
Imagining an impossible miracle, tapping her feet, she finally frowned.
"Head back? Beg for food, he'll buy."
[Back means rune hell, nyang.]
No way—!! Puffing cheeks, flailing limbs in a tantrum, she spotted something at the edge of her vision.
Amid riotous hair colors, one stood out.
Black hair.
"Gasp?!"
Seong-hoon?! How?! No Lachesis, but here?! She ducked behind the bench, but it was someone else.
Not purely black—subtle blue sheen, and chiseled handsome unlike Seong-hoon.
"Ah!!"
I know him!! Raphael finally found hope.
"What."
Terrace of a packed cafe. Kim Tae-hyun tilted his coffee cup, glaring at the blonde cradling a black cat.
She'd approached out of nowhere: Hello! Bright greeting.
Followed him to the cafe, drooling at the food.
Thus this.
"You don't have to buy!!"
Really? Kim Tae-hyun frowned, glaring. No sense of decorum—she just said I'll eat well anyway~ and dug into cheesecake.
Still chattering.
"You get around a lot? Seong-hoon said rank 1's stuck in defenses all day."
"Breaks. They give rest time even in streaks."
Whatever. The blonde stuffed more cake. The cat snuck bites—okay?
Owner didn't mind, so neither did he.
"Don't you have that guy always with you? Lee Seong-hoon? Ask him."
"Ah. Don't mention him."
Got it. Kim Tae-hyun sipped coffee silently. He didn't memorize faces well unless relevant, but Raphael and Seong-hoon stuck from the wraith incident.
Asked anyway. Won't talk? Fine.
"Whoa, you shut up just 'cause I said don't ask?! Normally you'd go Why? right?!"
Annoying. He frowned.
"Why glare! No fun. Seriously~"
"...Why."
"Hmph. Ask now, why'd you dodge~"
Leave? As he rose, she jumped up to block.
"J-just one hour here? I got reasons!!"
"Got 'em. I'm leaving."
"Don't leave me alone in a crowd~~"
What's wrong with crowds? He looked—everyone staring. Got it. Sigh, sat back.
Then leaked some killing intent to ward eyes. As stares faded, she explained.
That guy overworks her. She ran. Stay till dinner.
'Domestic abuse?'
No wounds. And he's weaker than her.
If abuse, he'd help—but without knowing their deal, can't act. Conclusion reached, she pouted.
"Ran out, but boring. Thought wandering and sightseeing'd be fun, nope. Even meeting someone I know sucks. That guy's a clown all day. Born entertainer?"
She rambled: He's a natural clown. Picks the craziest stunts. Never dull with him. But flawed personality. Hard to tell trash-talk or praise from her expression. Kim Tae-hyun set down his cup.
"Finish and go. He's worried."
"Huh? Nah. Probably thinking 'Finally rid of that damn blonde, world's at peace~' right now."
Cat nodded. Understands speech?
"Still, back before dinner."
"You think I'm a runaway teen?!"
Exactly.
Meanwhile.
Splash splash—
In Lee Seong-hoon's dorm, water sounds kept going.
"Raphael!! Why aren't you back yet!!!"
Holy water-filled tub. Lee Seong-hoon kneaded three items inside relentlessly.
"Come on!!!"
Contrary to her guess, he desperately wanted her back.