Chapter 72

“Over there. Maker!! Maker!!”

As if a villain would just stand there waiting, right?

I threw smoke bombs everywhere and prepared to leave.

‘Ah, before I leave.’

Whoosh—Pit!

“Ugh! I can’t see because of the smoke…!”

“Phantom Luna.”

“Kyaa!!”

With Polia’s help, I teleported to Phantom Luna.

Hearing my voice, she was startled and fell on her butt.

I slowly approached her and pulled on her collar.

“Unfortunately, pet training will have to wait for another time.”

“W-what?! You’re not letting go?! I’m not some actual animal…!”

As I gently stroked her chin and cheek, she blushed and got angry.

Finding her cute, I lightly chuckled.

“Next time, I’ll really catch you. Maker!”

“You’re not catching me now?”

“You’d just run away if I tried, right?”

“Pfft, you know me well.”

Glancing at Polia, who was tightly holding onto my sleeve, I nodded with a smile.

“I’ll look forward to you catching me next time.”

…Ah,

But now that I think about it, what happens to my assigned hero?

In principle, one hero is assigned to one villain.

Of course, it’s a system tailored to the unpredictable nature of villains, so it’s not strictly enforced.

Still, it’s a bit ambiguous whether a villain can have more than one assigned hero.

‘Hmm… Before Phantom Luna came, Ice Queen was the assigned hero.’

I guess I need to lay some groundwork.

Whether you’re my assigned hero or not, I’m willing to appear before you.

“Phantom Luna.”

“…What now? Do you have more to say?”

“Just thought I should tell you one thing before I leave.”

I pulled on her collar again.

The gentle atmosphere from earlier was gone, replaced by a more forceful tone.

“Once you become my pet, you’re mine now.”

My voice dropped lower, oozing with a strange desire.

Hearing my voice, Phantom Luna’s eyes widened in shock.

“I can’t stand seeing you wag your tail for other villains. Got it?”

“W-w-w-what are you…!!”

I hid my emotions again, smiling slyly as I patted her head.

Phantom Luna, as if stunned, stuttered excessively and trembled.

“W-what does that mean?! Huh?!”

Will you answer?

I pretended not to hear her and stood up.

‘Next time, it’s Ice Queen’s turn.’

Whoosh—Pit!

There was an easier way.

“…Where are you! Damn it! Did you already leave?”

“Ice Queen.”

“Maker!”

As soon as she found me, she frowned.

Unbothered by her expression, I approached her.

“Since you’ve returned, next time I’ll bring a more enjoyable game for us to play.”

“Next time or whatever, can’t you just quietly get caught as a welcome back gift?”

“That’s not possible.”

As I chuckled, Ice Queen gave a ‘figures’ look.

Guess it was just wishful thinking.

“Next time, I’ll prepare a fun game. Ah, how about tentacles? Our Queen seems to like those.”

“…You bastard.”

Her hand, visibly radiating cold, was about to slap my cheek, but I easily dodged with Polia’s teleportation.

“I’ll definitely catch you with my own hands.”

“If you’re that eager for tentacles, be sure to come find me.”

“……”

At this point, she must be itching to catch me, right?

In the distance, where only Ice Queen’s figure was faintly visible, I waved goodbye.

“See you later.”

Whoosh—

With that, Polia and I leisurely left the scene.

“Phew, today was a bit risky. Right, Gayeon?”

“…Oppa.”

“Huh?”

“Oppa is a playboy.”

Gayeon’s slightly cold eyes made my conscience sting a bit.

***

“Then, I’ll escort both of you to the Association.”

Right after Maker left the terror scene, Ice Queen and Phantom Luna left the cleanup to others and followed the Association staff to the Association.

Vroom—

“……”

“……”

‘Ugh, this is awkward…!’

Chise found the silent car ride incredibly awkward.

The reason was none other than Ice Queen sitting next to her.

‘It’s partly because it’s our first meeting…’

But more than that, her face looked so cold.

No offense, but she seemed a bit intimidating.

‘Ugh, it reminds me of my school days…!!’

Like a cool beauty who, amidst lively delinquents, sits alone, bored, playing on her phone…

‘Total white gyaru! She’s a total white gyaru!’

Of course, she’s also a hero, and considering the reactions of other heroes and police before getting in the car, she’s not a bad person…

But I couldn’t help but stiffen up naturally.

“…Hey.”

“Ah, hi!!”

As Phantom Luna nervously glanced to the side, Ice Queen noticed and spoke to her.

“…No need to be so nervous.”

Ice Queen was a bit taken aback by Phantom Luna’s overly tense demeanor.

She extended her hand for a handshake.

“I’m A-rank hero Ice Queen. And you?”

“I’m B+ rank hero Phantom Luna! I came from Japan!”

Phantom Luna, still nervous, shook her hand.

“If you came from Japan…”

“I got an offer during an exchange and became a Korean hero!”

During exchanges, it’s common for heroes to be offered to switch associations.

Though it can strain relations with the hero’s home country.

Many make such offers casually.

‘I got an offer too.’

But I declined.

Still, even casual offers imply the hero is competent.

Ice Queen’s gaze toward Phantom Luna changed slightly.

“Seems like you’re skilled?”

“Hmm… Hehe, maybe?”

In other words, being offered means you’re already a capable hero.

Ice Queen’s eyes shifted slightly.

“Now I see. You’re Maker’s new assigned hero, right?”

Phantom Luna.

She was the one temporarily assigned to Maker while Ice Queen was away for the exchange.

“Ah… yes.”

As if wondering what the problem was, Phantom Luna tilted her head and looked at Ice Queen.

Ice Queen took a deep breath and looked at her.

“Let me be blunt. Give me back Maker’s assigned hero position.”

“Huh?”

Phantom Luna’s eyes widened at those words.

***

“So…”

In Optimus’s room at the Hero Association.

“You want to change Maker’s assigned hero?”

Optimus chuckled incredulously, looking at the two before him.

“Why are you asking me? We’re both heroes, Ice Queen.”

“You’re the one in charge of hero support. Is there a Korean hero who doesn’t know that?”

“Haha! True.”

Optimus nodded.

It was common knowledge that he had connections with higher-ups.

“So, what’s the exact reason? Did you fall for him?”

“…If you keep talking nonsense, I’ll freeze your head.”

“Scary~ I was just making a reasonable assumption. Isn’t it strange? The ‘hero Ice Queen’ obsessing over one villain.”

Ice Queen was widely known as a cold and stoic hero.

She didn’t make friends easily and only got angry at villains for their ideologies or the terror they caused.

She had never been fixated on a specific villain before.

So her chasing Maker…

Was it just a sense of responsibility for not catching him? Or was there a special reason?

“…It’s purely for efficiency as a hero.”

“Efficiency, huh.”

“His ability, ‘Creation,’ is unlike anything I’ve seen before. He uses it to create and wield all sorts of weapons.”

“So, Ice Queen can perfectly counter his weapons?”

“I’ve always been deployed to bomb terror scenes.”

Ice Queen’s freezing ability was quite useful.

She could emit enough cold to disable explosives and, even if they detonated, encase them in ice to safely neutralize the threat.

In short, her ability was a great help in catching Maker, who primarily used firearms.

“Having you handle Maker would minimize damage. You were his original assigned hero, after all.”

Optimus chuckled lightly, then glanced at Phantom Luna.

“What do you think, current assigned hero? Will you switch with Ice Queen?”

At his words, Phantom Luna paused, deep in thought.

Ice Queen believed she would naturally agree.

‘She has no reason to be fixated on Maker.’

Though she almost got caught by those tentacle-like things, she was fortunately saved in time.

Moreover, it was just returning the original assigned role.

In terms of compatibility and rank, Ice Queen had the upper hand.

‘There’s no reason not to switch in this situation.’

So she thought Phantom Luna would hand over the position.

“No. I don’t want to switch.”

…She thought.

Until Phantom Luna refused.

“I want to catch Maker myself.”

Phantom Luna turned her head, slightly nervous.

“……”

Ice Queen and Phantom Luna.

Their eyes met.

“……”

“……”

Neither looked away first.

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