episode_0081
by fnovelpiaMasked Hero, Masquerade.
Real name unknown.
Age unknown.
Gender unknown.
Residence unknown.
Family relationships unknown.
The only one in the Hero List handled by the Hero Nation whose information fields are all blank.
He has been a member of Si-eun’s agency for several years, and has been a man of action who punishes the world’s evil in the name of justice.
The ability of such a masked hero is the Holy Light.
As the name Starlight suggests, it was a physical enhancement ability that boasted incredibly fast movements.
Although his endurance was far lacking compared to other speed-related abilities, his instantaneous speed was unrivaled.
How fast is that speed?
He was the only one who could fight without ever being touched by Ruina, who had physical strength comparable to that of a normal body-enhancing ability user.
That’s why the nickname that stuck was Ruina’s stalker.
It is also the only one that can stand up to a SSS-class destructive villain.
It was a nickname that was naturally given to him because whenever Ruina appeared out of nowhere, he would drop everything he was doing and go and deal with her.
A hero who resembles Ruina in many ways, and is obsessed with her to the point that Ruina shows a twisted sense of intimacy.
That’s what he just told me.
“Can you help me?”
, once again.
“I understand even if you don’t tell me twice… … .”
I was gripped by even greater doubts than before.
You absolutely have to catch Ruina?
That’s only natural for a hero. The Ruina known to the world is an extremely vicious supervillain.
But why?
Why are you telling me that so seriously?
To a half-baked amateur hero with many flaws that are completely useless in real combat?
Why, is it because of the strong question?
Even in the chilly winter wind, a trickle of sweat ran down my forehead.
“Uh, why are you asking me for help?”
I swallowed hard and asked the obvious question.
“I absolutely need your nullification ability to catch Ruina. As you know, Ruina’s ability is a terrifying ability that destroys everything it touches.”
“So you want me to block that ability? Tell me… … ?”
“Hero Handler. If you help me, I will devote my life to supporting you without sparing any effort.”
A shocking word suddenly came out from Masquerade.
I’ve heard something similar before.
The black suits promised me unparalleled support in many ways if I participated in the operation.
And I was hearing similar words from the hero who was ranked 2nd in the unofficial rankings.
Considering that the current number 1, Cheonri’s Commandments, is in first place with a red face, it is said that it is for Hero, who is actually number 1 in military power.
“Will you help me? Will you help me? Hero Handler.”
A, being forced.
The glaring eyes of the mask helmet were driving me further and further into a state of shock.
“Okay, just a moment… … . Just a moment… … . That, that’s why it was so sudden… … . I don’t have time to think… … .”
He stretched out his palm and covered the Masquerade, who was giving him a burdensome look.
Masquerade folded his arms tightly again.
“Hmm! I feel bad for suddenly asking you!”
The serious tone of speech from just a moment ago had disappeared, and once again the original boisterous, loud, and noisy voice was heard.
“Oh my… … .”
I feel relieved for now.
Because Masquerade took a step back on its own.
“The problem is that it’s too risky to ask them to deal with an SSS-class villain, right?”
Of course, there was something like that.
Who would immediately agree to fight a villain who would destroy them on contact?
No matter how righteous a hero may be, his own life was precious.
But there was a more important issue.
The SSS-class villain that Masquerade is constantly targeting, Ruina of Destruction.
The thing is, she’s living with me now and rolling around in my house.
I want to give my lovely girlfriend to the hero with my own hands.
There was no way I could do it, and I didn’t want to.
“As expected, I… … .”
It was a time when I was trying to indirectly express my intention to refuse.
Before I knew it, Masquerade had grabbed both of my hands with lightning speed and shoved his inorganic iron mask right up to me.
“This ability!!”
“Yes, yep!?”
I was overly surprised by the loud shouting of the Masquerade.
“I absolutely need your nullification ability. It doesn’t have to be right away, but I want you to do me a favor. Of course, I will definitely guarantee your safety.”
“Ha, but… … . No matter how much you say that… … .”
“I walked out of the hell where everything was destroyed, having lost even myself. But there was one thing. Ruina’s destructive powers are strangely stimulating me. I must know the cause. In order to do that, I must catch Ruina.”
“Masquerade… ….”
“This is my secret that I have not told anyone. The only one who tells it to anyone else is Hero Handler. You will be the first and last.”
I could feel the strength of Masquerade’s grip on my hands.
“Please help me get back. Hero Handler.”
* * *
The alleyway leading back home.
“Haaa… … .”
One side is moving with slow steps.
He let out a heavy sigh onto the asphalt.
In addition to the burdensome request, he ended up hearing the hero’s secret that others didn’t know.
Even after hearing such words, there was no way I could easily say NO to his face.
Eventually I was able to free myself by receiving Masquerade’s personal contact information.
The contact information wasn’t a phone number, but an address.
[I don’t use phones or anything! Sorry, but I’d like you to come find me there!]
If you feel like granting my request, please come and see me.
Masquerade left after saying those words.
It was truly a heroic exit with extreme soloing caution, just as Si-eun said.
“Ahhh. Why am I suddenly hearing that… … .”
I messed up my hair haphazardly.
My thinking center was so tangled with so many thoughts that it gave me a headache.
Please help me find the self I don’t even know I have.
What on earth does self-discovery have to do with Ruina that made her say such a meaningful thing?
“Does Ruina know… … .”
Of course, I have no choice but to talk to the person involved, the villain of destruction, directly about this matter.
Before I knew it, I had arrived in front of a four-story villa.
After Team Leader Jang Se-hee moved next door to us.
Unlike before, the eyes of the black-suited men hiding around the villa were not felt at all.
According to Team Leader Jang Se-hee, he can handle most situations on his own, and in case of an emergency where he needs help, he keeps them on standby where they can arrive within 3 minutes if called.
Yeah, whatever.
We have a dedicated maid right next door, so there’s no need to waste manpower for 24 hours.
Because of this waste of manpower, there was a backlash against Inspector Lee Tae-seok within the National Intelligence Service.
“Ah, I guess I should ask Team Leader Jang Se-hee about that too.”
Even if Ruina doesn’t know, the NIS might know.
About the Masquerade information.
I skillfully typed in the password and walked up to my house.
“Hehe.”
By the time I got up to the third and a half floors.
A familiar, cute laughter came from the top of the stairs.
“Did you come out to meet me?”
When I raised my head and asked, Inyoung jumped down the stairs.
Wide-legged boxy hoodie with sleek, bare legs.
Ruina, dressed in standard homewear, smiled broadly with her arms spread wide.
“Welcome. Honey♡ I thought my neck was going to fall off while waiting.”
Ruina dove into my arms with her arms spread wide.
As I stroked her head, she finally closed her arms and hugged me tightly.
Her body was so warm, soft, fluffy, and pleasant no matter when I hugged her.
“Nothing happened?”
“Yeah. Nothing special.”
I walked up to room 402 with Ruina and reported the results of the investigation.
Beep!
In the meantime, I naturally entered the front door password and opened the door.
As soon as I opened the door, I heard the loud, whirring sound of the vacuum cleaner motor.
“Welcome back, Handler.”
As I entered the living room, Team Leader Jang Se-hee, who had been sweeping the floor with a cordless vacuum cleaner for a while, bowed politely and greeted me.
Before she was a secret agent, she was our exclusive maid, so she seemed to be faithful to her new duty.
“Did anything happen?”
“Yeah, what the. The heroes just talk about business and stuff.”
“If it was such a trivial place, would I have gone there too?”
Ruina muttered, burying her face in my chest.
“Uh… … . Hmm… … .”
If I had gone, I probably wouldn’t have been able to breathe because of the awkward atmosphere with Si-eun…
And then there was the problem with the masked hero that came later.
This would have been a much bigger issue for Ruina.
“Ah. Okay, okay. Stop cleaning for a second.”
“Yes?”
At my command, Team Leader Jang Se-hee tilted her head and turned off the vacuum cleaner.
Soon, I sat down on the sofa and opened my mouth while stroking Ruina’s head, who was resting her upper body on my thighs like a cat.
“Do you know about Masquerade?”
I immediately brought up the question I had been thinking about asking the whole time when I got home.
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