Chapter 39 - Come Back Before Dinner

─Please!!

─Are you scared??

─I'm scared!! I'm scared so stop!!

─Are you scared?

The woman smiled watching the echoing voices. She was beautiful. To the point where many words weren't needed.

Just beautiful. One word would explain all her beauty. Looks on a different level from those around her, as if she alone wasn't human.

Such a woman was letting out laughs watching this scene of madness.

She's probably the only one laughing here. Though laughter can be heard from the opposite side, the nearby atmosphere was solemn.

─That thing is a hero candidate..?

─Strong for rank 1028 but his personality...

─Persistent. So persistent. Is this normal?

─Personality is the No. 1 evaluation criteria. No matter how strong, someone with such personality....

And so on. The atmosphere was extremely cold. Well, he's playing with his opponent without even making them retire.

When they seem about to faint, weak attacks, when they seem to endure a bit, increase attack intensity.

And while doing that, saying only one thing.

─Are you scared?

"Khuhuhu..."

It's funny. Too funny. Though the woman tried desperately to hold it in, she couldn't help but laugh.

How can someone like that exist? Rather than the impact of beating someone over 500 ranks higher just by toying with them, he left a stronger impression of having trash personality.

It would be impossible even if done intentionally.

She wanted to hold her stomach and cackle. But since that would be too undignified, covering her mouth while laughing was the most she could do.

"What's so funny?"

"Don't you... hic... find that funny..?"

"Hmm. It's disgusting. I like that he uses rune magic. It's favorable that he doesn't use trash like incantation magic."

"Your problem is always being so serious."

"We came here to work. Separate public and private matters."

"Yes yes~"

She answered while wiping tears that had somehow formed in her eyes. Perhaps not liking that, the man in black suit who was speaking beside her frowned.

"Just in case, don't approach him. The 'Anti-Magic' won't be touched until after completing the mission so until then─"

Crackle. Crackle.

Before the man's words finished, sound came from the arena's speakers.

[Ahem. Ahem. Rank 1028 Lee Seonghoon. After internal discussion. Due to questionable qualities as a hero candidate, disqualification loss─]

"Puhaha!!!!"

She couldn't hold this in. The woman held her stomach and cackled.

─What? WHAT?! How can there be such a thing!!! You piece of sh...

The voice she heard encouraged her laughter more. Like turning on a hose, she couldn't stop laughing.

"Ah. This is fun."

To the point of wanting to have him. Her blood-red eyes stared intently at the black-haired man.

***

"This can't be."

"Puhehe... hic... huhu... khehe.. hic.. huhu..."

"This can't be happening."

"hic hic... huhu... kuhu... huhu.. hic.."

How can this happen. This is a lie. A dream.

Right. This is a dream. The difficulty breathing sounds from beside me are heard because it's a dream too? There's no way such sounds would be heard in reality?!

"You look like you're trying to escape reality... but this is reality so get it together. You just got disqualified and got a penalty for cursing at the referee."

"Lies. That can't be. Don't lie. The runes I made squeezing Raphael dry to use over a week!! Using them all in one day!! And then disqualification and penalty? Don't lie. This is a lie. No? It has to be a lie."

"Hahaha!! Seonghoon. S-Seonghoon... hic... but that person's expression at the end was exquisite. Be satisfied... HAHA!!! with that... hic.. HAHA!!"

True. That was good. A face like seeing a demon. I'm satisfied. No wait. What satisfaction? This is a dream right? I shouldn't be satisfied with something that'll disappear when I wake up.

[Get it together meow.]

Pak!

"....shit."

Hit by a meow-meow punch, I finally came to my senses. Why did I do that.

I got too angry in the moment and cursed at the referee, getting a penalty of confiscated challenge rights until tomorrow. After using up all my stored runes to beat rank 500, I get disqualified, cold reactions from everyone, and somehow I've become trash.

Especially the audience's reaction was cold. Looking at me with eyes like 'what's wrong with him?'─

"Do you know the word karma?"

Why am I receiving that? I just paid back the guy who asked if I was scared in kind?

Isn't it karma that the guy who provoked me got punished? I practiced good triumphing over evil. Aren't I talent befitting a hero?

"Whatever you're thinking, no."

I guess so. Ah. Damn.

"Should we go home. Can only watch now anyway."

"Call Ishia and ask for help making runes."

"Then you're helping too."

At my words, Sophia avoided my gaze. Seems she doesn't like that. But what can I do. I'm not interested in your will.

Sorry to Raphael and Lachesis, but later one more time of hard work─

"Where did they go?"

"They snuck away when rune talk came up?"

"Ah."

I did work them too hard today, but was it enough to run away? Unable to answer myself immediately, I closed my mouth.

"...They'll come back when it's time to eat right?"

"Waiting for your runaway son?"

I guess so.

***

"Am I some magic tank or rune-making machine? To try to work me more after working me like that!!"

[That's right meow. We need to rebel once in a while for them to know our worth meow.]

"Exactly!!"

Raphael is currently walking around the streets holding cat-form Lachesis in her arms. People here. People there.

The downtown area was so packed with people it was hard to even take proper steps. Nevertheless, Raphael walked around with a bright face.

It's a characteristic of those who lived long in the celestial realm. When they come down to the mortal realm, they find just looking at people fascinating.

Though Raphael has been down for quite a while, it was always home, school, home, school so this many people packed together is almost a first.

The department store was similar, but this kind of packed pushing and shoving is a first so it was quite a fresh experience.

Though her face still showed anger at Seonghoon, only her eyebrows were curved like bows, her face was sparkling while looking around.

"But where should we go? Should we wait until dinner so we can't be worked?"

[Don't know meow. Probably should go back around bedtime meow.]

Hmm. What to do. Raphael put her index finger to her lips and just walked. Though she wanted to go somewhere, she had no money.

Calculations were always done by Seonghoon, and even when Ishia bought things it was on Seonghoon's orders.

From the start, Raphael has no concept of mortal realm money. Until now Seonghoon handled everything.

"This makes it seem like we can't do anything without Seonghoon, doesn't it?"

[Not me meow.]

"So just me?!"

She pouted at Lachesis who turned her head away. Muttering things like no way I'm totally capable, then looking around and talking.

When Lachesis answered she smiled brightly. While walking slowly like that, she felt gazes.

Not just one. Two, or three. No more than that.

There was no killing intent. Gazes like looking at something interesting.

Everyone passing by looked Raphael up and down as they passed. When it's one or two people she could brush it off thinking 'Well I'm pretty~' but when everyone passing stares intently, it felt a bit strange.

This feeling was a first. This never happened before.

"Hmm. This is strange. I feel a bit sick?"

This never happened when with Seonghoon. Not at the department store, walking downtown, in the classroom, never once─

Though of course the current crowd where Raphael is is indescribably large, it's weird that this happens right after separating from Seonghoon.

'Was Seonghoon blocking their view?'

Would that guy do that? Probably happened without him knowing?

Following Lachesis's guidance, Raphael walked to and sat on a wooden bench with fewer people.

Sitting down, her churning stomach felt better, and it seemed like there were fewer staring gazes so she felt like she could live.

"Should have gotten Ishia's number."

Could have called her to explain the situation and eaten something delicious, tsk. Smacking her lips, she opens the phone book just in case.

[Cool Guy Seonghoon]

Only Seonghoon's number that he arbitrarily saved saying to call just in case. Even asking Lachesis out of disappointment only got a don't know response.

"Hmm. Don't you want something sweet? Would be nice if we happened to meet someone."

While imagining impossible miracles and kicking her legs, Raphael finally frowned and opened her mouth.

"Should we go back? If we go back and ask him to buy us food he probably will?"

[Going back means rune hell meow.]

Don't want that─!! While puffing her lips and shaking her arms and legs throwing a tantrum, something appeared in her line of sight.

Among heads of brilliant colors, a particularly eye-catching hair color.

Black hair.

"Gasp?!"

How did Seonghoon?! Here without Lachesis?! While thinking such thoughts and hiding her body behind the bench, what appeared was someone else.

From the start it wasn't just black. While faintly glowing blue, unlike Seonghoon, it was a sculpturally handsome man.

"Ah!!"

Someone I know!! Raphael finally found hope.

***

"What is it."

At a cafe terrace packed with people. Kim Taehyun glared at the existence before him while tilting his coffee cup. A blonde holding a black cat.

Suddenly approaching saying 'Hello!' brightly.

Following all the way to the cafe and drooling while looking at food like it looks delicious.

That's how this happened.

"You don't have to buy me anything!!"

Is that sincere? Kim Taehyun frowned while glaring at the blonde. Having eaten her sense of awareness with rice, she says thank you for the meal~ and eats cheesecake regardless of being glared at.

While doing that her mouth never stops.

"But you get around well? Seonghoon said rank 1 has no time all day doing defense battles."

"Break time. They give break time even between continuous challenges."

I see. The blonde answered while continuing to stuff cake in her mouth. The cat beside her is stealing bits too but is that okay?

Since the owner wasn't particularly stopping it, Kim Taehyun stayed quiet too.

"More importantly, wasn't there someone you always go around with? Lee Seonghoon? Why not ask him to buy you food?"

"Ah. Don't even mention that person."

Is that so. Kim Taehyun closed his mouth and drank coffee. Though Kim Taehyun usually can't remember faces of people he's not interested in, Raphael and Lee Seonghoon were remembered unwillingly due to the recent wraith incident.

That's why he asked, but well. What can you do if she doesn't want to talk about it.

"No. You close your mouth right when I say don't ask?! Shouldn't you normally ask 'why?' at that point?!"

So annoying. Kim Taehyun frowned.

"Why are you glaring! You're no fun. Really~"

"...Why."

"Heh. Why bounce when you were going to ask~"

Should I leave? When Kim Taehyun tried to get up, the blonde jumped up to block him.

"J-just stay here for an hour? I have circumstances!!"

"No. I'm leaving."

"Don't leave me alone in such a crowded place~~"

What's wrong with it being crowded? Looking around, everyone was looking this way. Seems like I know why now. Sighing, he sat down.

After that. Emitting a bit of killing intent made them unable to look this way. Only when the gazes finally disappeared did the blonde explain her circumstances.

That person works her too hard. She ran away. Just needs to stay until dinner.

'Dating violence?'

Though he had such thoughts, there were no wounds on her body. From the start that man is weaker than this woman.

If it was something like dating violence he'd want to help, but can't move without understanding their relationship. When he reached that conclusion, the blonde before him pouted.

"So I ran away but it's boring. I thought just walking around outside sightseeing would be fun but it wasn't. Meeting someone I know isn't fun either. That person does funny things all day. Maybe he's naturally a clown?"

Then she started saying what she wanted to say. That person is naturally a clown. Only chooses to do crazy things. There's no dull moment when with him. But his personality has flaws. Etc. Looking at her expression while laying out words that couldn't be distinguished between criticism or praise, Kim Taehyun put down his coffee.

"When you finish eating that, go back. He'll be worried."

"What? He won't? Right now he's probably saying something like 'The damn blonde disappeared, how peaceful~'"

The cat beside her nodded. Does that thing understand words?

"Still go back before dinner."

"Do you think I'm a runaway teenager?!"

You are.

Meanwhile.

Splash splash─

Water sounds kept coming from Lee Seonghoon's dormitory.

"Raphael!! Why aren't you coming back!!!"

A bathtub full of holy water. Seonghoon was continuously kneading three items in it.

"When are you coming!!"

Contrary to Raphael's expectations, he is desperately searching for her.