Chapter 22

– Anyway, this is a brief explanation of suture treatment. If you have any questions, feel free to come and find me.

“Ha.”

What does she mean by finding something?

Erica sighed as she walked down the street.

The sun was setting, and night was approaching. The enchanting scene painted the street in shades of crimson for a few seconds.

Orly seemed to show interest in the investigation of a criminal organization, but ever since she came down as the governor of Gyeonggi Province, she had become busier to the point where she hadn’t even organized a team for the investigation. Thus, there was hardly any information she could pass on to Orly.

After conveying the current situation, she seemed to think for a moment, then left with only the words that she would come see me again tomorrow.

Just like then, and last week.

She had vanished after throwing out meaningless smiles and teasing remarks that left me tangled up in thoughts.

It was hard not to care about her.

Of course, it was only natural to be wary and keep an eye on a wanted top-ranker, but Erica felt an emotion toward Orly that was different from mere caution.

It was only natural.

Despite the fact that they had fought with the intention of killing a person with the notorious name of an evildoer, she seemed to enjoy the back-and-forth, effortlessly bringing me down.

After all, she had saved me multiple times through treatment.

I couldn’t understand it.

Why.

What on earth for.

If she truly wanted to, she could have killed me or left me in a state of near-death, then negotiated with the association.

Yet, during the bizarrely persistent encounters, she simply smiled lightly at the insults and curses I hurled at her every day.

Maybe it was better to think in other directions.

Is that her preference?

Then what was with that smile?

Upon reflection, the smile she wore along with her inscrutable gaze reminded me of someone who seemed to accept being treated that way.

“Ha.”

What on earth was this?

I grabbed my throbbing head and halted my thoughts.

Just like that, one step.

As complete darkness began to color the street, illuminating a gloomy atmosphere, a streetlamp emitted a dim light, greeting her as it adorned one side of the road.

What began to cast shadows on the street I was walking was not only the streetlamp and darkness—

Erica thought that immediately.

The hazy crimson hues settled on her silvery-white hair, exuding a dreamlike quality.

Eyes as deep as an abyss glimmered with an unfathomable light.

Is it because the blood doesn’t circulate? Along with that thought, Erica gazed at her pale skin, her eyes drawn again to the smile at the edge of her vision, and she frowned.

“Hello.”

An oddly beautiful tone.

Still,

she was an unknown girl.

#

Indeed, this path was the right one.

With high magic power within her, searching became easier.

It was truly comfortable.

“·····Orly.”

Ah, so beautiful.

That gaze directed solely at me,

those eyes that ensnared me like moonlight, which filled the air with the essence of life.

It compelled me to speak.

I was going to say something anyway.

“It’s been a while.”

Actually, it’s been… well, a day.

“Is it okay if I take some time?”

I thought I asked in a somewhat polite manner, yet all I received was a cold expression while she tightly gripped the crossbody bag hanging from one shoulder.

“No.”

Her answer was likewise.

“Actually, you don’t have the right to refuse.”

“·····.”

“That bag is pretty.”

“·····What are you trying to say?”

“Shall we go out?”

I glanced at the magic circle bound to her arm. It seemed to have shrunk considerably, entering the middle stage.

“I really want to drink coffee.”

“·····Why should I.”

“If you refuse, you’ll get to see me debating which knife to use tonight.”

“·····You trash.”

The way she glared at me while biting her lips was truly beautiful.

“Shall we go?”

“·····.”

“Do you need another princess hug?”

“Shut your mouth.”

Even while saying that, I felt grateful once again that our relationship was that of rivals as she meekly followed along.

Always, until now, when walking through the night streets, I often found myself alone. There were many people around, but among them, I was the only one alive.

Therefore, the sound of footsteps resonating on this street felt sufficiently uplifting for some inexplicable reason.

“How’s your arm?”

“·····It’s fine.”

“Since your regeneration stats are high, it seems the aftereffects are minimal.”

I thought she wasn’t mistaken, but I noticed her nodding slightly.

“·····Where are we going?”

“To a café!”

I got a bewildered response.

“No, it’s coffee. Not a café, where are we going?”

It’s hard for me to go somewhere else. A crowded and bustling place could expose my identity.

“Surprisingly, a normal place, huh?”

“What were you expecting?”

“Like a secluded alley or something····.”

That too was true. Such places would suit my character better.

As I walked, I could see the entrance to the bustling street that I always frequented.

I didn’t want to wear a hat.

“Wait a minute.”

I grabbed Erica, who was about to walk off, and pushed down the wide piece of fabric attached to her collar.

Her hair was pressed down and concealed. The large coat covered my mouth and nose.

Now, the coat had become a part of my life.

“What is it?”

“Uh?”

Even in my answer, a sense of suffocation seeped through over the collar.

“I can’t go out like this.”

An expressionless gaze returned, along with a sense of thoughtfulness. Is she seriously going this far? Or is she pretending to consider the people around her?

Well, I guess it could be that.

But for me, it was only natural. I disliked chaos and didn’t want to experience disorder. Now that Erica was next to me, that feeling intensified.

Moreover, I had longed for an ordinary life too. I wouldn’t let myself go without enjoying a proper cup of coffee.

“Let’s go. Hurry.”

I stepped forward, almost dragging her along, as we crossed the alley and reached the café.

I blinked momentarily at the coffee floating with ice.

Americano.

I actually didn’t know why it was Americano again. Did I unconsciously choose something familiar?

Next to me, was that café···· was it café mocha? That’s what it seemed.

Only one kind was known.

She must like sweet things.

“Can I take a look at your arm?”

I waved my hand in the air, looking at Erica sitting next to me. A small blue ring filled with magic formed and began to expand and contract.

She seemed to think it was part of the treatment, as she silently extended her arm.

I placed my hand near the sutured area. I felt the soft skin and almost did something mischievous without thinking.

The flow of energy began to enter, and countless blue rings infiltrated into a magic circle that had perfectly adhered to her arm.

“·····Ugh.”

“What’s wrong, do you feel it?”

“·····Don’t say anything nonsensical.”

Her occasional flinching gestures, along with her flushed cheeks, were an extra.

Well, I understood her feelings.

It was literally dissection suturing. A technique to reattach severed body parts.

It felt like an unnatural object was forced into her body, so it must be quite an intense sensation.

I turned my gaze to the sutured area. It seemed there was about half left.

I initiated a conversation to help awaken her spirit a little.

“How is the investigation progressing?”

“·····The investigation team finishes preliminary work based on reported information. We send hunters matched to the search stats for each unit of the criminal organization.”

Perhaps it was because Erica realized my determination to obtain what I wanted, or maybe it was due to the promise we made to proceed together in the investigation, but contrary to the anticipated refusal, she grimaced and began to explain a few things.

“After confirming the existence of a group and whether it’s relocated, along with the number of Awakened Ones residing there·····, we send the field team. Just today, we started the preliminary work phase.”

“Is there a lot of manpower?”

“·····There aren’t too many personnel we can allocate to a team. It could end up being just you and me.”

“Oh, that sounds good too.”

Thinking about it, just because there were few personnel, it didn’t mean we needed to do that.

“It’d be better to go together rather than adding you to my team. I can handle group extermination by myself.”

In short, this is the vibe.

The moment I, an irregular, join the team, the safety of the field team decreases and it’s likely to amplify their anxiety.

But sending me alone is a problem. They’d have just kindly given me the information about the wanted Awakened Ones comprised of groups.

What would they think I would do?

Thus, a duo operation with Erica, who leads the department, would be a sufficiently logical decision.

“·····.”

I understood my position all too well. Because of that, I gradually came to understand the association’s stance.

“Ah, it’s done.”

The color of the purple magic circle weakened and glowed.

Erica blinked as she stroked her arm. Indeed, it seemed to be integrating with her skin, as the shape of the magic circle had long since faded.

“Even if you don’t like this, there’s no choice. We’ll have to do it again tomorrow.”

“·····I really don’t like this.”

And our eyes met.

Neither weary nor angry.

It was a gaze that conveyed an intensity that surpassed the enthusiasm of wanting to catch me once this wound healed.

Good. Perfect. It would be just like this moving forward.

There were no exceptions in the plan. And for that, many things tailored only to Erica were being carefully prepared in my mind.

So that she would endlessly loathe me, and in the end, thoroughly trample me down.

Thus, all I had to do was let things flow as they were.

Just like this.

I smiled faintly.