Chapter 41

Posted by Kuze, ? Views, Released on January 24, 2025

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“Shall we get going then?”

“Stop right there…!! Ugh!”

At the moment Phantom Luna tried to grab me, the ground had already bound her legs.

“I tied her up so she can’t move.”

Polia confidently puffed out her chest. She had already made her move.

“Well done.”

“Ahem.”

I patted her head and then looked at Phantom Luna.

“It seems you won’t be able to catch me this time.”

“Tch…!”

She gritted her teeth and glared at me. She reached out to grab me, but…

“Nope.”

The ground stretched like elastic, binding her arms.

“Ugh…! Maker…!!”

“I hope you catch me next time.”

Well then, I’ll be off.

I have things to do.

I took Polia’s hand.

“Let’s go now.”

“Okay. Sister, hold my hand too.”

“Ah, alright…”

At Polia’s words, the Training Officer also took her hand, and Polia activated her ability.

‘Another successful day.’

“Hey, stop right there!!”

Just before teleporting away, I smiled brightly and waved at Phantom Luna.

***

“Oppa, we’re here.”

Polia, the Training Officer, and I returned to Eclipse in an instant from the hotel where Ido-geop had thrown a party.

‘Yeri, can you deliver this to Astra?’

‘Huh? To her…? Why don’t you go yourself, Maker?’

‘I have things to do.’

After entrusting the item to the Training Officer, Gayeon and I headed to a certain place.

“We’ve arrived at the right place.”

It was Ido-geop’s private villa. There was something else to obtain here.

“What are we looking for here?”

“Just find the hidden secret space. It’s likely inside Ido-geop’s office.”

“Got it.”

Gayeon and I began searching every corner of the house. After a while…

*Click*

‘Finally found it.’

After about 30 minutes of searching, we finally found the secret space in the office. Inside was a large safe.

“Should I break it?”

“No. That doesn’t seem like a good idea.”

It might be a safe designed to destroy its contents if tampered with. It’s better not to mess with it carelessly.

“Then what should we do?”

“There’s a good way.”

I turned my head and saw a man cowering in fear.

“Self-proclaimed butler? Do you happen to know how to open this secret safe?”

“Uh, well…”

His face was red, and his eyes were darting around nervously.

He had called himself the butler and had tried to stop me with guards earlier, only to be defeated and led us to the office.

“I do know, but…”

He seemed reluctant to tell us, keeping his mouth shut. I smiled and patted his shoulder.

‘Let’s keep it simple, okay?’

“I-I really can’t…”

“……”

“Sigh…”

Finally unable to withstand the pressure, he tearfully entered the safe’s code.

*Beep* *Creak*

Inside the safe were various items.

‘Huh.’

I picked up one of the documents and waved it in front of his face.

“So this is why you tried to stop us, Butler.”

“Th-that’s…”

The documents turned out to be ledgers detailing Ido-geop’s illegal activities.

‘Gambling, loansharking, bribes… He’s been busy, huh?’

Among them were documents related to the man in front of us.

“Good job, Butler. You can go now.”

“Y-yes… B-but the ledger in your hand, could you…”

*Click*

“…Thank you very much!!!!”

*Thud thud thud!*

As I pulled out a gun, the butler quickly bowed and ran away.

“What a boring guy.”

“Indeed.”

Forget about him for now, let’s check the loot. Among the countless items, I pulled out a glass vial.

A test tube-shaped vial, the kind a researcher would use. This was what I had been looking for.

“What’s that?”

“A weapon.”

“A weapon?”

A very, very dangerous bioweapon.

‘The contents of this vial are one of the key triggers for a major arc in the original story.’

Ido-geop pretended to be a good guy on the surface, but he was rotten inside.

A greedy, violent trash. He used his illegally obtained money to fund illegal research groups.

Honestly, I couldn’t remember the exact reason. It wasn’t really important anyway.

‘What’s important is that he stole this item while visiting the lab he funded.’

A biochemical weapon created in the lab.

The liquid inside grants strong physical enhancement and extreme aggression to all non-human creatures, and it’s highly contagious, making it uncontrollable once spread.

‘In the original story, it was taken back by the lab guys in a rather anticlimactic way.’

The lab guys ended up spreading it across the entire city.

“Anyway, we just need to confiscate this.”

“Is that so?”

I plan to keep it and use it at the right time. As long as it’s in my hands, it’ll be easy to ensure it doesn’t harm me.

“What about those jewels?”

“Do you want them?”

At my words, Gayeon looked at me for a moment, then nodded slightly.

“If you want them, you can take them… But can you teleport them?”

Gayeon’s teleportation puts more strain on her the heavier the items are.

That’s why she can’t move buildings or heavy furniture…

“It’s fine. I can do it.”

Gayeon looked at me with a confident expression.

“Alright.”

‘If you’re okay with it, then it’s fine by me.’

I nodded and took her hand. Then Gayeon activated her ability.

***

*Whoosh* *Pop*

“Chicken coop, here we are.”

“We’re back, Astra.”

“Pfft!!”

In an instant, we arrived at Astra’s office. Gayeon and I, as if used to it, appeared behind her and started unpacking.

Astra looked at us incredulously.

“…Can’t you come in normally for once?”

“This is the fastest way.”

“Ugh. Fine… Anyway, welcome back. Let’s talk about work tomorrow, for now, rest…”

She sighed as if to say, “Enough already.” Gayeon tilted her head and looked at Astra.

“Chicken coop, what’s wrong?”

“It’s because of you… And I told you not to call me a chicken coop.”

*Squish squish*

“Ugh… Ughhh…!”

Astra frowned and stretched Gayeon’s cheeks.

“Then what should I call you instead?”

“There’s a pretty word like ‘sister’~?”

Astra smiled brightly, uncharacteristically, and struck a pose.

Gayeon pondered for a moment.

‘Please just call her sister…’

I glanced at her, waiting for her answer. Honestly, I hoped Gayeon would start calling the higher-ups ‘sister’…

“…Your face doesn’t look like a sister.”

“……”

‘As expected.’

I sighed, looking at Gayeon’s serious expression.

***

Leaving Astra’s office, Gayeon and I walked out.

“Ouch.”

Gayeon rubbed the large bump on her head.

“Well, who told you to teleport into the higher-up’s room like that?”

“This is the most convenient spot.”

‘Sigh.’

I gently rubbed her head and blew on it.

“Heehee…”

“Are you okay?”

*Rubbing*

Perhaps feeling wronged by Astra’s hit, tears welled up in her eyes.

‘She shouldn’t have scratched so hard.’

I knew there was no malice, so…

I knelt on one knee and wiped her tears.

*Hug*

Then Gayeon hugged me tightly. I patted her back, waiting for her to calm down.

“Are you calm now?”

“Mm…”

When Gayeon had calmed down a bit, I explained what she had done wrong.

“…Do you understand what you did wrong now?”

“Yeah.”

She nodded. Had she finally realized her mistake?

“Defamation.”

“……”

I was at a loss for words.

“That’s not it?”

“Hmm…”

It’s not entirely wrong, but still…

After a moment of thought, I decided to put it aside.

‘I guess I need to work on Gayeon’s character education step by step.’

She doesn’t seem to have any ill intentions, but she just can’t grasp the point of her mistakes.

‘Let’s stop here for today.’

We’ve used our abilities multiple times today, and we even moved heavy items at the end.

*Nod nod*

As I looked down, Gayeon, looking tired, was swaying her head.

“Shall we rest now?”

“Mm…”

I picked her up in a princess carry and slowly moved her to her room.

***

“Sigh…”

Silence filled the Hero Association.

The Association President muted his constantly ringing phone and lit a cigarette.

“That damn Maker! Maker!! Ugh!!”

The Association President was about to lose his mind because of that guy.

“Why did that guy have to show up during my term as president?!”

Ever since he appeared, distrust towards the Hero Association had been growing day by day.

“Even the stupid citizens are starting to side with that villain! And now he ruined Councilman Ido-geop’s party too!”

*Crash*

The Association President angrily grabbed his nameplate from the desk and threw it. Finally calming down a bit, he sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

“Useless heroes… What are they even doing?”

The Association President thought he was being criticized because of the incompetent heroes.

‘The atmosphere is too bad.’

At this rate, he might have to resign from his position.

“Damn it, how did I even get this position?”

But giving up this position? No way.

‘Manipulate information, stir up public opinion, or beg that damn Han Ji-hyuk.’

The Association President decided he had to catch that slippery guy no matter what.

As the Association President was catching his breath…

“P-President!!”

His secretary burst in with a panicked expression. Seeing her, he felt annoyed but also a sense of dread.

“What is it?!”