Chapter 50
Chapter 50
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 50
Chapter Title: Purple One
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The next day.
It was supposed to be the third day of the ranking matches, but today had turned into a holiday. Justitia had given everyone the day off to clean up yesterday's mess.
I'd been inside the fog, so I hadn't noticed much, but apparently all hell had broken loose.
I had no clue what the problem was exactly, but incidents I hadn't even planted were popping up left and right.
Actually, I knew the truth. It was all because of me and Raphael. That's why I'd tried so hard to fix things. But wasn't this going too far?
"True Ancestors I didn't even insert are crawling out of the woodwork, that guy's apostles are running around attacking people. They even tried to kidnap me. It's way too dangerous."
"Butterfly effect, ever heard of it? Your own damn fault."
"Half of it's your doing."
"Me? Why me?"
If she didn't even know that, it was a problem. You're the one who dragged in something grim reaper-esque. Hell, because of this girl, I'd impulsively sparked more incidents than I could count.
"Even a sheet of paper feels lighter when shared."
"Sins don't work that way."
It was her sin from the start. I shook my head with a sigh and scanned the surroundings. The shattered remnants everywhere painted a vivid picture of yesterday's chaos.
"This is gonna drive me insane."
"Why?"
"At this rate, I won't have a body left. Midterms haven't even started. Haven't properly messed with Kim Tae-hyun a single time."
The only real sabotages were keeping him from meeting Isia and nipping the Sophia incident in the bud.
Wow. Zilch. What the hell had I even been doing? All Raphael's fault. She'd stirred up so many off-schedule disasters that I'd been too busy playing cleanup crew.
Whether she sensed my frustration or not, Raphael beamed innocently, peering around the wrecked bustling street.
"But staying in the fog start to finish yesterday was a real stroke of luck, right? Outside looked like full-on apocalypse."
Tell me about it. All external tourists had to clear out by end of day anyway, so I'd planned to hit up Isia's dad.
Didn't have his number, though. Texting Isia just got me a [Busy.] What was so busy? Her? Or Isiu? Ambiguous much? Didn't take long to figure it was Isiu.
[Ah! Dad!]
That text pinged in. Sigh. Don't make it confusing by batch-sending like that. More importantly, if she went, she'd turn into a thief.
[Hand over the mask.]
Marked as read. No reply. Hooked on the mask's specs? Sorry, but ownership's mine.
[You thief. They say the haves steal more. Pawing the owner's stuff?]
[N-No!! I'll give it back later!!]
[Later my ass? Bring it now. It's valuable.]
[Eh? Ah. Blocks vampire mana eyes, yeah, gotta be rare.]
She knew her stuff. Then bring it. I was typing an urge when a reply zipped in faster.
[Heading to hospital now. Later, okay?]
Hospital? What hospital? Hurt bad yesterday? I cocked my head and asked Raphael beside me.
"Isia get hurt bad yesterday?"
"Huh? Probably? Just some cuts and bruises? Nothing major."
Weird. Infirmary heals that with magic or skills easy. Why a hospital?
I fired off a casual check-in text and powered off my phone. If Isiu was swamped, raiding the treasure vault today was off the table.
Looked like he was wrapping up yesterday's crap, so I'd grab it later. Not urgent.
"Sit here! Here! Best sun spot!"
"Shut it. Sun my ass. Peels the skin right off. Shade over there."
"Ah!! Playing coy, huh?"
Shut up. I shot down Raphael firmly and plopped onto a shaded bench.
She followed with puffed cheeks and a glare before sitting. Dissatisfied? Tough, foot the bill yourself.
Meanwhile, the black cat who'd been yawning lazily on my shoulder hopped naturally onto the table and sprawled out.
Poised to snatch Raphael's food, naturally.
"This place got wrecked pretty bad too, but open for business. Wild."
Raphael had ordered food, perked up, and asked. Her casual tone at such an obvious point was baffling.
"Don't sleep on small business owners."
"Heeng. No clue about that stuff."
Figures. Ignoring Raphael grinning cheek-on-hands, dreaming of incoming grub, I flicked my phone back on.
Why we were here?
One reason only. Plotting the heist.
Meaning, scout students around 700th I could take. Called in the expert for that. Still not here, so mid-contact.
[Thanks. But why contact my dad─]
Marked read, ignored. Texted someone else.
[Where.]
[En route.]
"Well, well."
"What?"
"She's coming."
What─!! Raphael whined, glued to my side. Damn blonde. I thumbed a reply anyway.
Sophia usually gave thoughtful texts.
Emojis, minimum ten chars, special symbols always. Now? Curt as hell.
[Pouting?]
[No.]
No emoji, bare two letters. Felt it hit.
"Yeah, she's pissed."
You think so too?
[En route.]
[Almost there.]
[10 min or so.]
"Huh."
Three in a row dazed me. How bad was the pout?
"Pouting but shows when called. Maid perks?"
True on second thought. Kinda proud. Hurry-up emoji tossed, phone down.
More texts? Short-reply spam. Better chit-chat with Raphael.
As if mocking me, she grabbed Lachesis' paw and started playing.
"Hey."
"Yeah?"
"Nix that."
Awkward to beg for talk, so chin-rest, scenery-watch. Ten minutes flies.
Cloud-gazing, voices drifted over.
—Saw that black-haired guy yesterday? Flying everywhere.
—Totally. Saved tons of people.
—Thug buddy with him was hot too.
—I know, right!!
—Eh? Black hair? That dude?
Flinch.
I startled, played it cool. But the follow-up stabbed deep.
—Nah, no. Way handsomer. That guy's... eh. Pass.
"Pfft!!"
"..."
Kill flash crossed mind, but I'd lose the fight. Glar ed instead. Shoulder-shaking, breath-holding damn blonde—something behind her.
Trembling girl. Purple locks dancing with quaking shoulders.
Tea spilling from elegant cup, fan-hand clamped over mouth.
"...What the hell's that."
Radar pinged. Fun ahead. Bolted up, blew past Raphael's 'Where you going?!'.
"Huhu... sniff... huff... ha..."
Laughing so hard she missed my approach, still wheezing. Damn Purple One. Plopped down across; finally noticed.
"Eh, wha? Ah, h-hi... sniff... Seong-hoon!! Kaha... huff..."
Noble? Heir to honorable magic house embarrassing herself?
Glare loaded meaning, but she laughed ages, calmed. Wiped tears, snapped fan open.
"Too late for elegant act. Zero effect."
"Not acting. Naturally elegant."
Thick-skinned. Grinned at Lucy's fanned elegant smile. I grinned back.
"What brings you?"
"Eh. Spotted you."
Mutual grins. Bystanders see lunatics, but mind-war raging. Peek her fan: mouth's no smile.
Probably sneer. Mine too. Robotic rictus.
"Wow. Peekaboo, total waste."
Shut up. Raphael hugging Lachesis, done-face ignored—but Lucy piped up.
"Oh my. Stunner. Know him?"
"World knows I'm gorgeous, no need state. Him? One word: nemesis. Chew each other insufficient."
O! Ally! Lucy patted adjacent seat, waved Raphael over. Extended hand: shake?
Raphael head-tilt. Shake-averse? Grabbed Lachesis' paw, offered.
"Pfft!!"
"...What're you doing?"
"Handshake."
Frozen Lucy cracked me up. Eat it, Purple One.
Raphael's face gold. Pure innocence. Head-tilt at Lucy's stiffen.
Unassailable. Speechless at naivete, Purple One fierce-glared me.
Do what?
"Don't wanna shake our Lachesis? Seong-hoon, you?"
"Sure. Pleasure, Lachesis."
Got the vibe? Lachesis meow─!! boomed. Lucy's scowl sharpened.
"Spit it. Out."
Sly casual switch. Beamed, got to business.
"Crunch numbers, doesn't balance."
"What numbers?"
"Think. You crawling my crotch equals freeing Isia from maid duty? In your head?"
Lucy pondered deep, shook no.
"Mine's huge loss. Next family head─ what? Face?"
Ah crap. Cliché auto-earpick.
Anyway, old world or here, rich brats spout identical crap.
Group training? 'Say it like this~'?
"No crawl needed. This instead."
One finger up. Lucy tilt-curious.
"Your house vault. Purple elixir inside."
"How'd you...? Isia spill?"
"Key? Oh, bonus. Lose to Isia, call you Purple One?"
"Pur─ what?!"
"Purple One. Ignoramus, dubbing from now."
Snapped? Whistled, eye-averted bulging Lucy. Purple overload, sue me.
"Purple One... 100 yields, maybe. Vault? No."
Duh. Vault giveaway? Nah~
"Nope? Isiu promised Isia win = vault open. Violets match stakes?"
"Eh? Chairman's vault?!"
Lucy fan-masked shock. Half-bluff vault-open, but facts.
Pawnshop haggling 101. Absurd demand first, real want next: 'better than that' illusion.
"Deal. Isia can't win anyway. Train her all day, I got counters."
Heh. Sorry posh-smiling Lucy—Isia learned Chant Disruption yesterday. Tough luck.
Quietly prayed for future Lucy's soul, eyed vault loot from both houses.
"Tea here's decent. Regular spot shuttered."
"Tea all tastes same."
"Cake good's enough!"
Quiet, you.
"Hehe. Cake crucial. Shops mostly closed today—know why?"
"You missed yesterday's mess?"
Lucy shrugged natural.
"Analyzed Isia's match, prepped counters. Homebound all day."
Crazy. Home marathoning that, oblivious to chaos? Then why laugh earlier? Pure shade?
"Yep!"
Lucy beamed mind-read style. Forehead vein pulsed; asked.
"Just wanna crawl my crotch? Huh? That it?!"