Ch.115Chapter 5. Battlefield of Proof, Ulleung (1) ☆

There’s nothing more tasteless than repeatedly asking a hero about their resolve after they’ve already made up their mind.

It’s not like prodding them whenever they waver—asking every single day is just idiotic.

[I understand your resolve. You’ve defeated the demon, so what will you do now?]

“What do you mean? Obviously, I’ll continue as a hero—”

[I meant how are you going to spend tonight.]

“…Huh?”

I had already concluded our discussion as hero and villain, but Ymir stood there with her mouth open, looking completely caught off guard.

“What did you just say?”

[I said villains have their circumstances too. I’m busy right now. It’s a bit awkward to reveal my personal affairs, but I’m just one step away from spending the night with an incredibly beautiful blonde.]

“……Are you crazy? Right in front of her!”

[What are you talking about?]

I shrugged my shoulders lightly.

[I have no idea what you’re talking about.]

“Hey!”

[Hey? That’s harsh. You’ve made your resolve, but the mood was broken, so I thought I’d try to recreate it. Perhaps today isn’t the day?]

“T-that’s. No, um….”

Ymir’s earlier confidence seemed to have vanished as she fidgeted with her fingers while watching my reaction.

“No, until we were having tea earlier, there was something there, but now after defeating the demon, the mood feels different….”

[You said you were resolved as a woman, but are you planning to disappoint that man?]

“No…! Why do you keep doing this?”

[How disappointing, Platinum Sun. You talk about stealing a man who’s already taken, but your actions are just like those of a virgin—]

Swish!

A red whip grazed my head.

I quickly ducked to the side, then moved forward to close the distance in one swift motion.

[Look at that. Your immediate reaction gives you away. Are you single?]

“S-shut up!”

[I knew it. You’re not denying that you’re single.]

“H-how could I date anyone with this kind of ability!”

Ymir shouted and reached out toward me.

“Do you know how much I’ve struggled…huh?”

[What?]

“Oh, um. Weren’t you going to dodge? Why did I catch you…?”

[Just because.]

She seemed like she was going to grab my collar, so I let her catch me.

[Since you closed the distance, this is now possible.]

I quickly pressed my body against Ymir and brought my face close to hers.

[The distance between you and me is now just one mask apart. Platinum Sun, you’ve made one critical misunderstanding.]

“W-what is it…?”

Ymir looked me up and down and gulped.

Her face gradually turned red, and she tilted her head back slightly, but she didn’t completely run away from me.

[That relationships aren’t just formed between non-powered individuals and hero aspirants, but can also develop between villains and heroes.]

“……!”

I reached my hand behind Ymir.

[Among the ways a villain can corrupt a hero, there’s one method that’s both classic and certain. When the villain and hero are of opposite genders.]

“…….”

[What about you, Platinum Sun? Which first time is more precious? Your first time as the hero Platinum Sun? Or your first time as a woman?]

“W-what’s the difference…?”

[A lot changes depending on whether your partner is a non-powered person or someone with abilities. For example.]

I placed Ymir’s hand on my chest.

[A non-powered person can only use physical strength, but someone with abilities can use magical power too.]

“W-what exactly are you trying to do?”

[You can experience that firsthand right now. What do you say? Would you like to experience it as a hero? About how a Goblin corrupts a female hero.]

“…….”

Ymir’s eyes began to waver greatly.

Her worry and anguish deepened, and fear slowly began to flow out from her eyes.

[It seems you’re not ready. That’s typical of heroes. You boldly declare your resolve, but when it comes to actually taking action, you hesitate.]

“…That’s not true.”

[Then shall we test it right now?]

I pulled Ymir to the bench and sat her down.

[Proof can be provided anywhere. Even here.]

“H-here?!”

[Do you think it’s impossible?]

I placed one hand on Ymir’s shoulder and moved the other to my waist.

“Eek…!”

Since my pants were made of magical power, there was no need to unbuckle a belt, but just the action of putting my hand on my waist was enough.

“A-are you really going to do it here…?”

Ymir is a quick-witted woman.

There’s no way she couldn’t sense my true intentions.

“Are you really doing this now?”

[Of course. Why do you think it wouldn’t work?]

“N-no. I, I was resolved to do it but… I never thought I’d be doing it with the Goblin….”

[It might actually be easier.]

“…What if we get caught?”

[The actions of a villain never assume getting caught.]

“……Wait.”

Ymir pushed me away and then stretched her hand toward the sky.

Whoosh!

A golden circle spread out around Ymir, then quickly disappeared.

[A barrier?]

“Haa. Originally, it’s a barrier I created to imprison the Goblin…. Now, other people won’t be able to see us here. At least, not unless they have more magical power than me.”

More magical power than Ymir, who has EX-grade magic?

In other words, there’s no one in the world who can see what’s happening inside this barrier.

“I, I never thought it would come to this….”

Ymir pulled her hood and mask back on, and as Platinum Sun, she looked up at me quietly.

“…If I get a preventive shot from the Goblin, will the Goblin become my vaccine? A vaccine that prevents other villains from approaching me?”

[That’s exactly right.]

I placed my hand on my mask and adjusted it.

[I am someone who’s trying to bring you into our Syndicate. And.]

Whoosh.

“…If there’s anyone who dares to reach for Platinum Sun, whom I’ve claimed, I’ll naturally have to eliminate them before they can even hand over their business card.”

With my hood pulled up over my clothes like Ymir’s, I kept my mask up to the bridge of my nose, revealing only my eyes.

“…I can only see your eyes. They’re hidden by your hood and bangs. Why show your eyes?”

“It’s manners.”

I couldn’t face Ymir showing her resolve while keeping my mask on.

“Well then.”

I slowly reached out toward Ymir.

“Prove your resolve to the Goblin. Just once.”

* * *

* * *

“An S-grade demon appeared on Sejong Island, and an S-grade ability user who subdued the demon in one go appeared?”

[That’s what I’m telling you. It’s chaos here right now.]

Baek Seol-hee, who had just finished showering at her home in Busan, collapsed onto the sofa.

“What happened to the demon?”

[Zenros. He lost his ability. It’s the same situation as Ermina Sternfeld.]

“…An ability that removes abilities. Wasn’t it concluded in the last meeting that the Goblin was responsible for that?”

[Yes. But think about it. Has the Goblin ever taken away an ability user’s… a villain’s or demon’s abilities before? He’s only killed them outright.]

“No, he hasn’t.”

Baek Seol-hee, who had clashed with the Goblin more than anyone else, knew this well.

The Goblin doesn’t have the ability to take away others’ powers.

If he had been hiding it, he would have used it during the past half year.

“So what’s your opinion?”

[I think this ‘Gold Talisman Master’ might have the ability to take away powers, not the Goblin. And….]

“And?”

[This is still in the realm of my speculation, but I think they might have formed a partnership. The Gold Talisman Master extracts the ability, and the Goblin destroys it. Remember how he crushed something in front of white-haired Ermina? That was actually her ability.]

“What nonsense….”

[That’s the most meaningless phrase in this world. ‘That’s nonsense.’ How about thinking this way instead? ‘Of course it makes sense!’]

“…….”

Baek Seol-hee covered her face with her hands.

[What? I think there’s a good possibility. The Goblin and the Gold Talisman Master might actually have that kind of relationship, a male-female partnership….]

“If you’re going to talk nonsense, I’m hanging up.”

[I’m not talking nonsense; I’m being serious! Beyond being a hero and villain, they might be a man and woman together.]

“We don’t even know if they’re a hero yet. So far, all we know is that they captured a demon, removed its ability, and made it powerless. That’s it.”

[At least they didn’t kill anyone.]

“…….”

Baek Seol-hee frowned deeply.

“A hero who joins hands with a villain. That’s not so much a hero as….”

[They could be a hero hiding their identity. Of course, the candidate would be a woman on Sejong Island, and among them, someone who appears quite mature. If she’s in that kind of relationship with the Goblin, the target would naturally narrow down to adult women. What do you think of my deduction?]

“Yes, yes. I understand. Chairman, please continue with your deductions.”

[What? Are you upset because I linked the Goblin with the Gold Talisman Master—]

Click.

Baek Seol-hee covered her Taeguk Watch with her hand, ending the call.

“…Why would I care about the Goblin.”

Baek Seol-hee quietly recalled something in her mind and covered her mouth with her hand.

“Haah, Ji-hwan….”

She just wanted to meet him on Ulleungdo soon.