Chapter 73
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Monster Tale Specialist Office: The Invisible Person (8)
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It was a moonlit night with few stars. From the rooftop of an unnamed building, Woli stretched.
Unseen by anyone, she kept watch over the distance.
Woli had been secretly observing Boyoung. Not for any malicious reason.
She just thought it could be disastrous if the invisible man targeted Boyoung.
"Ah, it's a relief nothing happened... but man, this is pretty tiring."
Constantly keeping her body tense wore not just on her physically, but mentally too.
If it were her or Seuli being targeted, that'd be fine. She could handle it.
But if it was Boyoung? She could never cope.
"Fighting someone you can't even see is way trickier than I thought."
She hadn't dwelled on it before, but treating it like a real enemy made it feel burdensome.
Against a visible opponent, a straight fight could solve more than half the problem. But you couldn't fight what you couldn't see.
It was no small burden to stay on edge, bracing for ambushes from someone whose location you didn't even know.
Fortunately, nothing happened while Woli kept vigil. Meaning the invisible man hadn't shown up, and her efforts had been in vain.
She hadn't wanted him to appear, but it still stung a bit that it had all been pointless. Swallowing that odd feeling, Woli leaned against the railing.
"If he hasn't shown by now, he's probably not going to...."
Unless he somehow knew she was shadowing her protectively—which he couldn't—this was surveillance no one would notice.
To anyone else, Boyoung had looked completely alone, wandering freely. If someone planned to attack, they'd had plenty of chances.
No reaction by this point, whether he couldn't or just didn't? It was safe to assume the invisible man wasn't coming.
Woli had planned to watch until Boyoung got home.
But Boyoung showed no sign of heading back even at this late hour. So Woli said, almost pleading,
"This has gotta be the last one, right? She won't keep wandering forever?"
Luckily, it seemed her wish came true. Boyoung entered one final house and didn't come out. That must be her place.
Finally, Woli collapsed right there.
"Wow, she finally goes home? What is with that girl?"
While Woli watched, Boyoung had been all over the place.
She'd stopped at shops, helped people out. Sometimes handed things over, sometimes received them.
It looked like simple volunteer work, but somehow that didn't seem to be all of it.
"Like a private investigator... something like that?"
Woli couldn't know for sure, but that's how it appeared. This was the first time she'd tailed Boyoung after school.
"I figured she wasn't ordinary, but she's even more impressive than I thought...."
There was a reason she'd dashed around like that, practically rolling down stairs. No time wasted, like her feet had motors attached. Aside from dinner after school, she'd been constantly on the move.
"I didn't expect it'd take this long."
Woli checked the time on her phone. It was well past eleven. From after school until now, Boyoung had been out and about nonstop.
-*Riiiing*
Just as Woli went to pocket her phone, it rang suddenly. She answered without thinking.
"You scared me."
She grumbled in complaint.
[Doing great.]
The Director replied in his usual sly tone.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?"
Of course the Director would time it perfectly to startle her.
[Obviously. I called right when you were wrapping up.]
Woli had no comeback to his honesty and just pouted.
"Hmm... So, what's up? Got something for me to do?"
No point dwelling, so she cut to the chase.
"Isn't this the first time you've called me directly?"
That's why she asked, a bit tense. She'd always gotten her assignments from Taeju or Sia, never the Director.
[Yeah, first time. On your way back, there's this grandma selling stuff near the school gate. Grab some hotdogs from her.]
Hotdogs? The hotdogs I know? Woli blinked, not following.
"...Why hotdogs of all things? That's it?"
She was flustered, wondering if he'd really called just for that. But the Director just chuckled.
[Yep, that's it. Hers are delicious. I know you've got five thousand won in your pocket. It'll be exactly enough.]
Woli checked her pocket. Sure enough, five thousand won.
"That's really all?"
[Yeah, really. Say hi to the grandma for me.]
The Director hung up abruptly. His style never got easier to deal with.
"Why hotdogs all of a sudden?"
Woli muttered blankly.
But it wasn't bad, just random.
Better than some sudden tough assignment. Grabbing a few hotdogs sounded fine.
One small problem, though.
"Where's this grandma even selling?"
* * *
Woli leaped from rooftop to rooftop until she neared the school. If the Director said she was there, she would be. Woli scanned the streets carefully.
She quickly spotted the street cart.
Woli dropped discreetly to the ground where no one could see. Landing silently had been tricky at first, but a few tries made it easier than expected.
A bit of dust kicked up. She brushed off her clothes and walked to the cart like nothing happened.
"Welcome, young lady."
The owner grandma looked a bit elderly. Woli glanced at the hotdogs. Exactly five left. Just as the Director said, perfect for the group.
"Hotdogs?"
The grandma asked, seeing Woli pondering them.
"Yes! All five, please."
"Sure. Normally fifteen hundred each, but thanks to you, I can close up clean. Just five thousand."
"Oh, thank you...!"
So it wasn't usually five for five thousand. Woli was a little thrown.
"Plus, you're my last customer. Want a little extra service? Got time?"
Woli nodded.
"Frying them once more makes 'em even tastier."
The grandma thinly rebattered them and dropped them back in the oil.
"By the way, were you at school this late? They don't do late-night study sessions till now, do they?"
Bored while waiting, the grandma chatted her up.
"Or not a student? But you're in uniform...."
"Oh, no, I am.... Just had some business nearby. But Grandma, you sell this late?"
They'd both coincidentally met late at night.
"Yeah, not like I should be surprised at a kid out late."
The grandma chuckled sheepishly.
"Still, be careful. This old lady dying's no big deal, but a young one getting hurt? Breaks my heart."
"Oh, come on...."
Woli flustered a bit. Come to think of it, the Director said to give her his regards. But what to say to a stranger? Woli tossed out a casual question.
"You really sell this late, huh? I don't see many carts open at this hour."
"That's 'cause you're young."
The grandma laughed, leaving Woli flustered.
"Habit from my booze-cart days. Those run till the wee hours."
"Oh... Makes sense. But aren't there barely any customers?"
"Not many. But every now and then, like you...."
She pulled the hotdogs out, crispy and golden.
"Speaking of, those ties—color-coded by grade?"
"Huh?"
Woli looked down at her chest. A yellowish tie.
"Yeah?"
"Yep, thought so. Mind helping find a student for me? It's about money."
"Someone ditch without paying?"
If a schoolkid ran off without paying, she could spread the word.
"Nah, not that. He left without taking his change."
Woli was caught off guard by the unexpected story.
"Huh?"
"Not many buy hotdogs this late, but it just hit me."
The grandma kept working as she talked.
"Some kid from your school gave me a fifty-thousand-won bill for one hotdog. Said no change needed, he'd get the rest next time."
"And?"
"I was short on change myself. Big bill and all. While I figured it out, he said he'd collect the change later. Been waiting, but no show."
Sweet story. The kid planning to come back, the grandma wanting to return it. Both pure intentions.
"You know his name by chance?"
Woli asked offhand. Maybe she could track him down.
"Nope. Just that he's a boy from your school. You know my name?"
"Nope."
Woli's flustered reply made the grandma cackle. Her idea of a joke.
"But I remember one thing. Same yellow tie as you."
"Oh, really?"
Same tie color meant same grade. Yellow, blue, red for years here. Woli figured it'd be easy to find him.
"I know someone who might help."
"Who?"
"A schoolmate with crazy connections. He might know the guy."
"Connections, huh?"
The grandma didn't seem to expect much but nodded.
"Bring him by sometime, then."
"Sure, tomorrow."
Woli took the hotdog bag. They were indeed amazing.
The minor issue that some people absentmindedly ate two each—leaving none for Taeju and the Director—was truly minor.