Chapter 3

Going back in time a bit, it was just when I had entered Night Haven.

Thanks to running around all over the city with smelly cloth covering me and my soles feeling like they were on fire.

I could tell that this was definitely the early part of the original story.

Clearly, the shady corporation or gang that gets thoroughly crushed in the beginning was still alive and kicking.

And I couldn’t find any trace of the idol who gained immense popularity thanks to the protagonist’s group.

But saying this is way before the events of the original would be wrong too, considering the newly appointed Dragon Mayor was proudly appearing on TV.

In other words, it was clear that the current timeline had indeed started in the original story.

But it was still very early, only a few episodes in.

“Hmm, guess pretending to have lost my memory and sneaking into the restaurant below the protagonist’s office as an employee is off the table. If it were the later parts, it would’ve been the safest place ever. What a bummer.”

This plan had the best risk-to-reward ratio out of all my ideas.

But due to the timeline mismatch, it vanished into thin air. Truly regrettable.

Guess there’s no helping it now. No matter what I do, the risks are bound to increase.

Right now, it’s a chaotic era where every faction is mercilessly scheming and betraying each other to rise above in Night Haven.

To survive in this city, I’ll inevitably have to take some risks.

“Hmm… For now, it’d be best to stay in the underworld. I currently have no identity or anything. Plus, I’m a stunningly beautiful young girl. If I go outside, getting into trouble is almost guaranteed.”

Of course, I haven’t really checked if I have any proper identification.

No matter how I think about it, someone who was trapped in an unknown space probably doesn’t have a valid identity.

If I clumsily try to verify my identity and end up getting caught.

Being handed over to the police for various procedures is practically inevitable.

And being caught by the not-yet-fully-corrupted police right now.

What if my appearance catches the eye of some perverted rich guy?

“It’d be a one-way ticket to a bad ending. And if my powers get discovered… the risk is even greater.”

Along with my appearance, the existence of my telekinetic ability called “telekinesis” was also problematic.

The world of Pixie is Earth as we know it, mixed with fantasy races and magic from another world.

Thus, the superpowers in this world are neither scientific nor magical but a separate force.

And that separate force usually refers to the power of invaders who destroyed the world where those alien races lived.

Of course, thinking about the might of the interdimensional invaders active in the original work.

My abilities are just child’s play compared to them…

But since it’s clearly not magic invoked by chanting mantras or drawing runes.

My telekinesis will always be considered a superpower.

“Come to think of it. This is dangerous if discovered. If caught, I’ll definitely be treated as an experimental subject and dissected.”

Of course, having some ability is better than having none at all.

What if I were just an ordinary person with only a pretty face?

I’d have no choice but to rely on others, putting myself in a precarious situation.

Thinking about it, it’s both troubling and somewhat fortunate.

Alright, then my plan moving forward was simple.

Until the protagonist’s group fixes the chaotic Night Haven, I’ll hide in the underworld and somehow endure!

Whether it takes months or years, I don’t know.

But thinking about living in a peaceful future after all the events are over.

I can endure patiently. At least, that’s what I thought.

*

A month has passed since I entered the underworld with my resolve.

During this time, which felt long yet short,

I came to realize one fact.

It was that life in the underworld was surprisingly manageable.

“Kukuk, another newbie? Hey, how long do you think that one will last?”

“I give it a week. By then… probably just an empty shell left behind, rolling around somewhere on the streets.”

“Kihiih! That soft white fur peeking through those rags… Makes my mouth water!”

This was something I overheard shortly after entering the underworld.

It was a conversation between eccentric characters like a muscular Mohawk and a cyberpunk psycho.

Well, maybe it was to be expected.

My appearance, wrapped tightly in old cloth, probably looked like some goblin-like small fry.

And my attitude of curiously looking around must have seemed naive.

In a place where the weak get robbed, showing weakness despite having more strength than I let on.

Perhaps exposing so many openings was akin to begging to be killed.

“Aaaah! My, my arm!”

“Pa… my arm is twisting by itself! M, magic! Th, this brat is a mage!”

“No incantation! Silent casting! A monster!”

Though, that was the case assuming I didn’t have telekinesis.

My telekinesis was strong enough to rip apart and forcibly twist open metal doors.

So naturally, it was simple to cutely twist the arm of the man who picked a fight with me.

Of course, I didn’t rip his arm off or twist it in directions it shouldn’t go. That’d be gross.

I’m squeamish about gore.

I just made him cry tears and snot, giving him pain equivalent to when he threatened me with a knife.

“Guh, guh… I, I’ll remember this!”

That should be enough.

Just as I thought that and released my grip lightly, the man who had his arm caught scrambled to his feet.

He quickly fled beyond the back alleys.

His speed was incredible.

It reminded me of cockroaches scurrying away.

Well, there wasn’t much reason to chase him anyway.

While the man was writhing in pain, I used telekinesis to pickpocket his wallet.

“Money just rolls in. Maybe I’m cut out for the underworld?”

Most members of Night Haven’s outskirts, commonly called the underworld, were third-rate punks pushed out of the downtown competition.

They weren’t equipped with state-of-the-art gear representing the pinnacle of science.

Nor were they enhanced humans through special drugs and training.

They weren’t alien races with extraordinary bloodlines and talents.

And they certainly couldn’t use magic.

At best, they had cheap augmented parts or drugs slowly eating away at their lifespans for some mediocre strength.

Or they were clumsy alien races like goblins or kobolds, barely above regular humans.

For most, there was no need to max out my telekinesis.

Just applying light pressure was enough to make them surrender and run away.

Yet, they still picked fights based solely on appearances.

Which allowed me to teach them a lesson, steal their wallets, and make a decent profit.

Likewise, this time, judging by the wallet’s thickness.

It seemed like a good haul.

“Oh… It’s empty. Can’t even buy a cheap sandwich with this.”

But contrary to expectations, the wallet I snatched this time had pitiful contents.

Who would’ve thought the wallet itself was just made of thick material.

Disappointed, I tossed the emptied wallet onto the ground.

Maybe it was often handled with greasy hands.

The slippery surface felt unpleasant.

There was nothing to be done.

Normally, I’d just beat up the punk who picked a fight and take their wallet.

But today, it seemed I’d have to hunt separately.

“No eyes watching… Good, let’s go.”

After confirming there were no prying eyes,

I used telekinesis to leap lightly onto a nearby rooftop.

Suddenly moving from down below to up above and vice versa,

The cloth covering my body fluttered, trying to slip off.

But now, with telekinesis as familiar as using my hands and feet, I gently held it in place.

The cloth remained fixed to my body, maintaining its wrapped form.

“Alright, let’s see. Where’s today’s naughty one~”

I quietly moved between buildings, carefully observing alleys and corners.

The back alleys of Night Haven’s outskirts were disgustingly vast.

At this sluggish pace, it would take half a day to check all the back alleys…

But there was no need to check all the back alleys.

In the underworld, where dozens of fights break out daily,

Surely, somewhere, a tiresome fight was happening.

“Kyaaaaa!”

“Found it.”

As soon as the thought ended, a sharp scream from a woman rang out.

I slid towards the direction of the scream.

Fortunately, it wasn’t far, so I didn’t need to push my telekinesis too hard.

I arrived at the scene without much effort.

“Don’t come! Don’t come near me!”

“Huh? That’s strange. Weren’t we having fun just a moment ago? Why are you like this~”

“You, you crazy bastard! Psycho! Is anyone there!”

In the dark alleyway, there were a man and a woman.

The fairly handsome man with thick lips wore a uniform resembling a host.

The half-naked woman trembled, threatening him with her shoe.

What on earth was going on?

To understand the situation, I leaned against the rooftop railing and carefully listened.

The man tilted his head, puzzled by the woman’s behavior.

“Come on… Didn’t you say you’d do anything I wanted? Then isn’t it okay to pull out a finger? Why so fussy, whore?”

“Huuk, kkuup.”

Ah, I see.

Seeing the woman unable to answer properly due to her tears,

I vaguely understood the situation.

The woman was a prostitute selling herself in the back alley.

The man was her customer.

But when the man suddenly suggested pulling out a finger, she ran away.

And the man chased her into a dead-end alley.

“This guy is pure trash.”

By my standards, it was glaringly obvious who the bad guy was.

Even if the woman sold her body, pulling out a finger was too much.

If she refused, he could’ve just gotten a refund and left.

Did he really have to corner her like this?

“Alright, confirmed bad guy. Let’s snatch that guy’s wallet today.”

I didn’t particularly want to become some justice-serving hero from a manga.

Stealing money from a bad guy didn’t bother my conscience.

I just preferred doing things that felt right.

I placed one hand on the railing and jumped off without hesitation.

I landed silently between the psycho man and the woman.

“What the…?”

“Hu, huung?”

Was the development too sudden?

I could feel their startled gazes through the cloth covering my body.

A cool line here would’ve been perfect.

Once again, I regretted not being able to speak.