episode_0013

Unexpected Encounter

(Bang! Bang! Bang!)

Arthur moved to the side and pulled the trigger towards Snow Flower.

(Ting! Ting! Ting!)

“It’s quite an honor. A top-tier hero searching the whole neighborhood just for me.”

I wonder if I wouldn’t have been caught if I hadn’t worn this outfit as a costume?

(Swish)

Frost began to form around Snow Flower.

“Ouch!”

(Thud, whoosh)

Seeing that, Arthur flipped a thick table and hid behind it.

(Creak! Creak! Creak!)

“You didn’t really search the whole neighborhood, did you? How did you find me?”

“Should I tell you?”

“It’s obvious. You heard about the Monkey Spanner organization, right?”

“…”

“You probably heard that information and went around searching their hideouts and businesses. Oh, if that’s the case, then we need to clean up all those businesses. It looks like I’ll have to start from the beginning.”

“You…”

“?”

“What’s your purpose?!”

(Creak! Creak! Creak! Thud!)

“What are you talking about?!”

(Bang! Bang! Bang!)

Concerned that the table would break from the frost, Arthur stood up, cocked his gun, and moved to the adjacent table to avoid it.

(Twit, twit, twit)

As Arthur moved to the adjacent table, Snow Flower took out a mobile phone from her pocket and sent a text message.

“You said it yourself. People’s intentions are important. What is your intention?”

“I need to know, even if I have to capture you.”

“It won’t be easy!”

(Bang! Bang! Bang!)

Arthur stood up again and shot at Snow Flower with his gun while moving.

(Thud, whoosh!)

Then he threw a grenade.

“!!”

(Boom!)

Seeing the grenade, Snow Flower froze it.

“Hmm, this is unexpected.”

So, she could prevent the grenade from exploding like that. But now, this is the last magazine. Damn, if that’s the case, I should have carried more magazines with me.

(Ring!)

“…”

(Snickering)

After receiving a message and checking it, Arthur smiled faintly.

“It’s quite unfortunate, but due to personal circumstances, the party ends here today.”

“Who decides that?”

“Of course, the host decides.”

(Thud!!!)

The wall closest to where Snow Flower was standing collapsed.

“The host of the party is me, Mad Hatter.”

(Thud!)

The existence that appeared as the wall collapsed caused the snow flower to fly and hit the wall.

(Thud!)

The figure who punched the snow flower, a woman in a tight red suit, struck a pose.

“Red Queen!! My lovely friend.”

“If I’m lovely, will you marry me?”

“Haha, not to that extent.”

“Tsk.”

“Well then, I’ll take my leave. I have to party elsewhere.”

“Stop!”

“I’m your opponent.”

(Swish!!)

As she tried to send the snow flower flying towards Arse, Seohyun, or rather Red Queen, flew towards it.

(Clang!!)

She broke the ice barrier protecting her and approached closer.

“Tch!”

However, she was an A-class hero, trained for close combat with ability users like him.

She dodged Red Queen’s punch and managed to throw an ice shard at Arse.

(Swish!)

“…Ugh”

The sharp ice shard swiftly passed by Arse’s side.

“Then I’ll be off.”

(Thud!)

(Screaming!!)

As Arse flicked his finger, black smoke rose around him.

“Bind!”

Snow flower, having dodged Seohyun’s punch, leaped straight toward where Arse was.

(Screaming!!)

And using his ability, he dispersed the black smoke around them.

…”

In the space cleared of smoke, there was no one except himself and Red Queen.

“Where are you!”

(Swish!!)

Seohyun jumped up to strike Snow Flower coming to find Arse.

(Thwack!!)

But this time, he blocked her punch with an ice guard on his arm.

“Not bad, huh?”

“You too!”

(Crackle!!)

As Snow Flower struck the ground with force, ice spread around.

“Ugh!”

(Bang!!)

The ice pushed Seohyun back, breaking through the wall and flying outside the building.

“Okay, that’s enough.”

“I can win this.”

In response to Arse’s voice through the earpiece, Seohyun replied.

“It’s better not to go into the building.”

“Why?”

“You’ll see when you get there.”

“Should I press it?”

Approaching Arse, Hushimoto asked.

“Press it.”

(Click!)

At Arse’s command, Hushimoto pressed the button.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

And then, the important pillars of the building exploded.

Kugugugung!!

The building quickly collapsed in a chain of explosions.

Tadak!

Seohyun quickly ascended to the top of the building and approached Aseo.

“I could have won, you know?”

“Of course, the little kid playing hero would beat the veteran who has been through thick and thin.”

“…Alright, I get it.”

“Let’s go.”

“Hey, wait! You’re bleeding!”

Seohyun turned around, grabbed Aseo, and said, “You’re an A-class fighter. How can you be so accurate while fighting?”

“Are you okay?”

“I don’t know, let’s just go home for now.”

“Okay.”

Tak!

“Hmm?”

Seohyun, feeling uneasy, placed her hand on Aseo’s shoulder.

Kwaaak!

“Hold on tight.”

And she held Aseo tightly.

Ckang!!

“Ahhhhhhh!!”

After that, as they quickly leaped from building to building like stepping stones, Aseo’s expression changed rapidly.

Swoosh, swoosh.

Arriving at an alley near the house, Aseo took off the costume.

“Are you okay?”

“Uh… I’m fine?”

“What? Look!”

Ziik!!

Upon hearing Seohyun say she was fine, she boldly tore my clothes to confirm the truth.

Ah, this is expensive.

“…It’s real.”

I could see the wound on Aseo’s side, which was starting to heal. No, it was more than a wound; it was a scar that would serve as a reminder of the injury.

“…But hey, this is awkward.”

The current situation involved a man taking off his shirt and a woman in a red leather suit touching the man’s bare upper body, revealing her figure.

“Why? Are you feeling strange?”

“I don’t know.”

“Really? I’m ready though.”

“Oh, thanks for snapping me out of it. Let’s go home.”

“Ugh.”

Seohyun sighed with regret and took off the costume.

…

As Aseo took off the costume, he closed his eyes tightly.

“?”

“Hey, why are you undressing in front of someone?”

“…Ehehehe~~~”

Seeing Aseo close his eyes, Seohyun made a mischievous sound.

“Hehehe, what should I do now?”

“Call 911?”

“Do you want to finish quickly? It’s a shame, but alright.”

“Has this kid lost his mind? Huh? Huh?!”

Seohyun’s hand could be felt soothing the wound.

“Miss Seo Seohyun, are you taking this joke too far?”

“Mr. Madness, are you kidding?”

“……”

At Seohyun’s words, Arthur hardened his expression and looked at her.

“? Why?”

“Arthur Riddle.”

“?”

“That’s your name, Arthur Riddle. Not Madness.”

“Oh, okay.”

In response to Arthur’s words, Seohyun bowed her head and replied.

“……”

(Ah!!)

And she was able to check her current condition.

“Close your eyes!!”

(Thud!!)

Seohyun threw a necklace at Arthur with a red face, shouting.

“Snap!!”

With a thud, Arthur fell to the ground as Seohyun’s necklace hit him.

“…Arthur?”

Shaking the fainted Arthur, Seohyun asked.

(Beep! Beep! Beep! Click)

As Arthur’s house door opened with the password, “Hector! Hector!”

“Hmm?”

Hector, sitting on the sofa watching TV and eating snacks, turned his head to the front door at Seohyun’s shout.

“?

At the front door, Seohyun was holding up Arthur.

“…So you really threw a sincere necklace at the guy who shed blood?”

“It’s not entirely sincere, it’s reflexive…”

“You’re the type that the sergeant hates the most.”

“Huh? How did you know?”

“You just look like it.”

“Oppa?”

(Squeak)

Alice opened Arthur’s room and peeked in.

“Your brother fainted.”

“Huh?”

“Because his girlfriend hit him.”

“Girlfriend?”

“Huh? Girlfriend? Me? Pfft! Hehehe, hehehe”

Seeing Seohyun’s strange reaction, Alice looked at her.

“Brother’s girlfriend?”

“Well, yeah, hehe, cough! Um… right, but it’s a secret from Arthur, okay?”

“?

At Seohyun’s strange response, Alice smirked.

“Oh, is it dinner time? I’ll cook tonight!”

Seohyun took Alice down to the kitchen.

“…Could she cook something other than emergency rations?”

‘Well, if it fails, Alice will handle it,’ so Hector was relieved.

“But she’s not a pro-human.”

Hector used the term “pro-human” instead of “talented.”

“Did she awaken in the meantime?”

“Gasp!”

Arthur, coming to his senses, opened his eyes with a contemplative look.

“…Am I alive?”

“Oh, but did you awaken while I wasn’t looking?”

“I don’t know?”

“Are you in the recovery category?”

“I don’t know either, but for now, it seems like it.”

Am I a recovery-type ability user? Then, what about hypnosis? Were you really good at hypnosis?

“If you’ve come to your senses, hurry to the kitchen. Seohyun cooked something.”

“……!!”

Arthur, who was still not completely in his right mind, jumped at Hector’s last words.

(Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep!)

And before Arthur could even worry, the fire alarm went off.

“Hey! There’s a fire!!”

“You crazy woman!”

(Clatter!!)

.

.

.

.

(Thunk)

“Why did I have to bring this to myself…”

As he opened the door, the heavily charred kitchen lay before the headhunter, who had brought convenience food from the mart.

“…Should I get more?”

Looking at the number of convenience foods, the headhunter said.

“Oh! Hardy! Our savior!!”

Hector ran up to the headhunter holding a paper pack.

“Call me Jim.”

“Haha, okay. Jim, thank you so much.”

Hector took the convenience food from the headhunter and said, “Jim! Thank you so much.”

“Thanks, Uncle.”

Hector went to the table with Arthur and Alice, carrying the convenience food.

“You come here too.”

“……”

Looking at Seohyun, who seemed upset as she sat in a corner after setting the kitchen on fire, Arthur said, “Oh, this is sushi.”

“What?! That’s mine!”

(Clatter!)

At the mention of sushi, Seohyun rushed over and grabbed it.

“…”

“Jim, what are you doing? Come and eat with us.”

“…”

(Sigh)

“Okay.”

The headhunter, James Hardy, chuckled and sat down at the table.

(Swish)

Then he took out the separately prepared beef rice bowl.

“Wow, look at you preparing your own meal separately.”

“It’s my own money.”

“I’m satisfied with the pork cutlet set.”

“Me too. I’ll have the convenience set.”

“…Am I the only one having egg fried rice?”

Hector felt unjust that he was the only one with a cheap convenience meal.

“The most expensive one was caught by Seohyun.”

“Yeah, the one who set the kitchen on fire caught it.”

(Pause!)

Seohyun, who was about to dip her sushi in soy sauce, paused.

(Tap)

Due to her pause, the sushi fell onto the table, separating the fish and rice.

“…Sorry.”

She couldn’t argue back because she knew she was in the wrong.

“I’m fine. It’s all about learning through failure.”

“Alice.”

Seohyun looked at Alice, who stood up for her, feeling touched.

“Of course, I’ve never tried it before, but I bravely started a fire in the kitchen. Everyone has a first time, right? Even if I eat the nutritionally deficient instant food that my brother always talks about, I’m fine.”

“…”

“Cooking on an induction stove is also a skill, isn’t it? Isn’t it?”

“……”

“It’s your sister, right?”

In response to Alice’s mental attack, Hector chuckled and said to Arthur,

“Oh, she’s definitely my sister.”

Arthur was smiling at Alice with a look of admiration.