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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Unsettling Advice
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"Kieek! I am a Reptilian! Stardust, you're nothing to me, graaaah!"
"....Too much talk."
Today, after easily dealing with a villain causing a disturbance in downtown Seoul with a single punch, Shin Haru returned home.
Today was the day she was finally meeting her friend, Lee Seol-ah, after a long time.
Despite being the same age, Seol-ah was usually extremely busy, simultaneously running a company as its CEO and performing hero activities as Icicle.
That's why it was quite rare for her, who mainly operated in Busan, to come up to Seoul like today, so Haru was going to meet her after a long time.
....Though things had been a little uncomfortable since what happened in Busan last time.
"Phew...."
Right. Still, that was my fault.
She had misunderstood and ended up needlessly intimidating Seol-ah, who was diligently working as a hero.
Of course, even now, she wasn't sure if one could really flash such a bright smile at a villain...
When they met today, she'd have to talk more about Egoistic.
And she should apologize first. She hadn't been able to properly convey it since they hadn't met after that day last time.
With those thoughts, Shin Haru headed to their meeting place.
...Carrying a slight awkwardness.
***
"Oh, Haru! Welcome, it's really been a long time!"
Contrary to her worries, Seol-ah greeted her with the same bright smile as before.
Seol-ah's attitude made Haru feel a pang of guilt, and she apologized once again for what happened in Busan last time.
"Hmm? Oh, don't hold onto something like that. It's perfectly understandable. I would have done the same."
Seol-ah just laughed it off, as if she hadn't even given it a second thought.
With the previous incident cleared up, Haru felt a slight sense of relief.
For the first time in a long while, she comfortably ate bingsu with Seol-ah, chatting about this and that.
And the two, after discussing various topics...
Finally began to move onto *that* topic.
"Ah. And, about Egoistic."
When that name came out of Seol-ah's mouth, Haru unconsciously tensed up.
Regardless of Haru's reaction, Seol-ah continued her story.
"Last time, he came down to Busan for the first time, and we fought, remember?"
"Yeah...."
At her words, Haru remembered Egoistic, who had personally gone down to Busan but only sent one subordinate to Seoul where she was, and she unconsciously gripped the teacup she was holding.
Seol-ah, as if not noticing her reaction, continued to speak.
"That time. I exchanged a few words with Egoistic, you know? He said the reason he invaded Busan was because his airship was already in the Busan area, so he just came for fun. Isn't that absurd? That villain acts like terrorism is a game."
"Haha... Is that so?"
Haru, who had been listening to her words, focused on one part of Seol-ah's statement.
....So, the Busan terror attack was just an impromptu act done for fun? Not planned like the ones he did in Seoul before?
As she thought that, the grip she unconsciously had on the teacup loosened.
Seol-ah added another remark.
"And Haru. After meeting him, I don't think there's really any need to pay too much attention to Egoistic, you know?"
"Huh...?"
At the sudden remark, Haru tilted her head.
...No need to pay attention? Isn't Egoistic the most influential among all the villains currently active in Korea?
As Haru looked at Seol-ah with doubt, she replied as if there was a reason for it.
"No. When his terror attack happened in Busan last time, there was really almost no civilian damage. So, is there really a need to bother with him that much?"
"...Still, he's a terrorist."
"Of course, but we're heroes, aren't we? What's the reason we act as heroes? Isn't it all to save people? So, rather than focusing on Egoistic, who causes minimal civilian damage, don't you think it would be better to focus more on other villains?"
"....."
I don't think so...
As Shin Haru was diligently trying to come up with counterarguments in her head, Seol-ah delivered a pointed remark.
"You seem to be too focused on Egoistic lately. Last time too... it was like that. I know that you and Egoistic have a sort of rival relationship, but I think it's not good to pay too much attention to just him."
Haru, stung by Seol-ah's words, didn't really argue and quietly took another spoonful of bingsu. She couldn't really refute it, as her going all the way to Busan was indeed a bit excessive.
As if reading her expression, Seol-ah continued to speak.
Egoistic only carries out terror attacks occasionally anyway, so why not just pay attention when he does and not be particularly vigilant when he doesn't?
It's a waste to pour all your energy into trying to excessively capture a villain who causes no civilian casualties.
Her lengthy conclusion was that Haru shouldn't focus too much on Egoistic. His terror attacks were infrequent, and there were no civilian casualties.
"....."
After listening to Seol-ah's words, Haru honestly couldn't quite agree. Considering Egoistic's actions, did it even make sense not to pay attention to him?
But regardless of that, Haru herself had been paying too much deep attention to Egoistic. Though Seol-ah probably hadn't known that when she said it.
Lately, whenever there was breaking news about a terror attack, her first thought was always, 'Is it Egoistic?'
...Right. Maybe. It might be better to pay a little less attention to Egoistic than she currently was, just as Seol-ah said. Honestly, these days, whenever she thought of a villain, she almost exclusively thought of Egoistic. There were so many other villains.
So Haru replied, saying she understood for now.
"Good. That's a good thought. If you cling too much to one person, you'll just get stressed out."
Lee Seol-ah smiled contentedly as she said that.
And looking at her, Haru felt...
...an inexplicable discomfort.
A certain intuition she'd felt ever since she saw Lee Seol-ah laughing and chatting in front of Egoistic last time.
And in fact, a suspicion that had grown even stronger after meeting today.
A suspicion that Seol-ah was hiding something from her, and an intuition that there might be another reason for her words.
However, since making such suspicions without any basis was merely speculation, Haru denied her own conjectures.
...Right. As a friend, she must have just advised her. It doesn't look good to cling too excessively to Egoistic. What would Seol-ah gain from Haru distancing herself from Egoistic?
Seol-ah was her friend, so she must have just advised her for her own good. There was no way there was another reason.
Having tentatively reached that conclusion, Haru carefully buried her anxiety and doubt deep in her heart and decided to follow Seol-ah's advice. Right. It was time to stop excessively thinking about Egoistic.
Looking at Seol-ah, who was still smiling in front of her, Haru also offered a small smile.
...Still, with a slight lingering sense of unease.
***
After Haru left.
Lee Seol-ah, left alone, leaned back in her chair and offered a small apology to Egoistic inwardly.
...I'm sorry, Da-in. But you only told me to get close to Stardust; you didn't specify *how* to do it, did you?
Smiling faintly, she tilted the remaining teacup.
...In truth, she knew. That Egoistic paid excessive attention to Stardust. And that Shin Haru, too, had recently begun to pay more and more attention to Egoistic.
And what if, as a result, their relationship became too close? What if Haru learned Egoistic's secret and their hostile hero-villain relationship transcended, becoming like her own relationship with him?
...That wouldn't be good at all. It was better for them to remain enemies.
Lee Seol-ah was the kind of person who never let go of something she had set her sights on.
Therefore, she took this opportunity to specifically point out that Haru was paying too much attention to Egoistic, repeating almost like brainwashing for her to abandon her suspicion and obsession with Egoistic. Haru had always listened well to Seol-ah's words.
Seeing that it seemed to have worked to some extent at the end, Seol-ah felt relieved.
...Anyway, since Da-in had said he wouldn't cause any terror attacks this year, it wouldn't be good for Haru to keep waiting for him.
From now on, every time she met Haru, she would have to repeatedly tell her to stop thinking about Egoistic. It was all for Haru's sake, after all.
As Seol-ah thought that, she recalled Da-in's words about not carrying out any more terror attacks this year.
...At that time, his expression when he said that clearly felt less like he was taking a break until then, and more like he was preparing for something.
His face had stiffened slightly, and his voice had dropped a tone.
Seol-ah, having assessed his demeanor with a businesswoman's eye, could only speculate.
...Just what kind of event would unfold next year to make his expression stiffen like that the moment he spoke?
***
"Fellow believers, the Grand Pontiff will now speak."
A dark space.
There, an old man's raspy voice echoed through the auditorium.
"Ahem... My proud Moonlight Cultists. Today, too, we await the descent of the eternal moon."
"The day is finally near when we will reveal our shining moon to the world."
"The day to purify this world, dominated by fallen angels and imps, with moonlight! The day to show our faith! It has finally been set, everyone!"
"Next year, on the day when the night sky will be filled with a massive moon, when the Moon God (月神) arrives and the Yin energy (陰氣) is strongest! The Moon Priestess herself will deliver punishment to those ignorant apostates!"
"Moonlight (月光), be eternal!"
"""""Moonlight! Moonlight! Moonlight! Moonlight!"""""
At the end of the old man's words, the shouts of thousands filled the space.
Only the purple-tinged candles affixed to the walls flickered wildly in the wind.
Somewhere in Seoul, in a place no one knew.
The aura of destruction was approaching moment by moment.
***
"Looks like those bastards are finally starting their ruckus."
"[Hey, Da-in. What's this sudden talk about?]"
"It's just something."
Those cultists who wish for the destruction of not just Korea but the entire world.
They're probably starting to prepare to make their move soon.
"Ha... This world full of despair-inducing triggers. I should just clear it all up quickly and retire."
Why do these guys who turn the world into a despair-filled story in one go keep popping up like weeds, no matter how many times I pull them out...?
It's exhausting.
With that thought, I went into the Stardust fan cafe.
The only way to heal is... this...!!
"[Da-in. Why do you always look up only that woman?]"
I casually ignored Desik's words.
I'd appreciate it if you didn't interfere with my only hobby.