Ch.11Chapter 1. To Become Stronger (3)

This is awkward. I just wanted to come to the movie theater and watch a movie normally, but Snow White—Baek Seol-hee—appeared in the seat next to me.

Her hair is black.

Obviously it’s a wig for disguise, and the hat and mask she’s wearing are also for disguise, but I can see through it.

I know who this woman is.

‘The author really did a good job with the illustrations.’

The author created illustrations for the three main heroines.

It’s a shame that he discontinued the series, probably due to indifference and declining views that are scarier than hate comments, which makes me feel both disappointed and somewhat resentful. But thanks to that, I immediately recognized that this woman is Snow White.

I know her well because the illustration is my smartphone background.

“Excuse me, are you the one who lent me the bike in Seoul…?”

“Ah, yes. That’s right. What a coincidence… meeting you here.”

And Snow White also recognized who I am.

Since I didn’t use a voice modulator and showed my face directly, there’s no way an S-rank ability user wouldn’t notice.

“I’m sorry about the bike. It’s not that I didn’t want to contact you…”

“I roughly understand what happened. Um, ahem.”

Even with just a fake cough, Snow White would understand.

“Well, damage during a battle with villains can’t be helped.”

She knows what I’m guessing and what I’m being careful about.

“I was planning to get a new bike anyway, and it was so heavily modified that I was going to give it to an acquaintance. Think of it as serving the country. Haha.”

“But it looked really expensive.”

“That’s fine. It’s not like I’m struggling financially or anything. Hahaha…”

It’s like showing off in front of a novice, but all of this is just an act to ease Snow White’s burden.

“I’ll compensate you later. Could I have your contact information?”

“No, you really don’t need to.”

“No, I insist. I broke it, so I should pay for it. Don’t worry too much. If I file a claim with the Hero Association, it won’t be a big burden for me either.”

She says this, but she’s the type of woman who will pay the full amount herself.

A kind-hearted woman who often donates her earnings to those struggling from villain incidents.

She appears cold and aloof on the outside, but inside she’s warmer and more affectionate than anyone.

And someone who has a taste for B-movies like this.

“Alright. Well, this is something. I never expected to meet you in a place like this. What a coincidence.”

“I think it’s fate. I can now meet and compensate the person I inconvenienced. I’ve been worried about it. I knew you lived in Banpo Jai, but I couldn’t find you anywhere.”

“You were looking for me?”

“I asked someone I know. To compensate you for the bike.”

“…I see.”

A chill ran down my spine for a moment.

My heart sank at the thought that she had investigated me without my knowledge—not the villain Goblin, but the person Do Ji-hwan.

The Goblin can just disappear if needed.

But while Do Ji-hwan’s body can disappear, his bank accounts would be frozen.

“You should contact whoever was looking for me. I went down to Busan right after that incident.”

“Busan?”

“Yes. I came to Busan for a job interview to prepare for reemployment. I’m waiting for an acceptance message now.”

“Did you get accepted?”

“Something like an informal appointment. In less favorable terms, it’s a parachute appointment, but I’m quite capable in that field.”

“That field…?”

“Yes. Ah. You said you were changing jobs to become an instructor, right? We might end up working at the same place. I’m a librarian.”

“…A librarian?”

“Yes. A librarian. I like books. Stories.”

“…Then did you come knowing this movie is based on a novel?”

“Pardon?”

That’s not the case.

Her expression changed, and I thought she was trying to uncover my identity, but—

“I guess not…”

She seems disappointed.

What’s going on?

Is this woman perhaps a novel otaku?

I’m not sure if “otaku” is the right term, but I decided to keep my mouth shut since going deeper might lead to an overflow of TMI.

“…….”

The advertisements are playing.

Snow White and I are just one seat apart.

It seems we both reserved seats in the best viewing position, which is why we ended up next to each other.

The theater is almost empty.

Even for an early morning show, there might be one or two people, but hardly anyone comes to watch B-movies like this.

Except for me, to whom all content is new.

“Excuse me, what should I call you?”

“…Well, it’s a bit strange, but shall we pretend I’m an office worker?”

“Understood. …Then, Deputy Manager. Coming to see this movie at this hour…”

“It’s my personal hobby. I was curious about how dinosaurs would stop a meteor falling from the sky.”

“I see.”

I understand the feeling.

It must feel like coming to study.

Like me, visual content greatly helps stimulate imagination.

And this imagination becomes the power to freely manipulate mana.

A world where fantasy becomes realism.

In this world, I’m absorbing all kinds of content to fill my imagination.

To use the Goblin’s club effectively.

“And why did you come to see this, Department Head?”

“They don’t show this in Seoul. This equipment is only available in Busan.”

“Ah.”

It’s truly regrettable, but now if you want to watch spectacular and grand movies, you have to come to Sasang, not Yongsan.

‘What a coincidence.’

I came to watch an action movie to pass time and organize my thoughts, but coincidentally met Snow White.

Snow White who seems to have genuinely come to watch a movie as a personal hobby.

And.

“…Huh?”

No one else is coming in.

Really, no one is coming in.

Just to be sure, I opened the smartphone app to make a reservation, but it only shows “Reservation Unavailable” with “124/126” displayed.

No way.

Are Snow White and I the only ones in the theater right now?

“…Looks like it’s just the two of us, doesn’t it?”

“It does.”

“Then—”

“Should I move to another seat?”

“…….”

Snow White stared at me for a moment, and I pointed to the row below.

“…I don’t think that’s necessary. I watch movies very quietly.”

“Ah, yes. I understand. I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, it’s fine. Um, Department Head?”

Snow White pointed to the empty seat next to her and picked up the popcorn beside her.

“…Would you like to share some popcorn? It’s a bit too much for me to eat alone.”

“…….”

I don’t really like eating while watching movies.

What’s going on?

Why is she trying to approach me?

‘Could she have figured out my identity?’

Is that why she’s approaching me now?

Is she planning to subdue me by saying “Don’t move, Goblin” while I’m watching the movie?

If.

If that’s the case, I’ll have no choice but to escape with all my might.

* * *

During her vacation, she met someone she felt indebted to.

The man seemed very uncomfortable around her yet treated her casually.

While others would either put her on a pedestal saying “Ooh, S-rank” or be jealous, this man showed no such signs and reacted as if thinking “Of all people, why did I have to sit next to her?”

It was refreshing.

Since awakening as an S-rank at a young age.

This was the first time someone had looked at her this way.

So she became interested.

She didn’t mind if it was dismissed as the curiosity children have when they get a new toy.

She was intrigued by this man who seemed to be trying to keep his distance out of consideration for her.

She was curious, amused, and also felt indebted.

She had noticed while riding it that the bike was clearly cherished, and she had damaged it, yet he didn’t seem to care much about it.

Either he was truly wealthy.

Or he was patriotic.

Or he had something to hide.

Either way, she couldn’t help but be interested.

A person who comes to watch this kind of movie.

A commercial film with no real story, just robot dinosaurs revived from fossils fighting each other and then working together to stop a meteor falling from space.

It’s definitely not the kind of movie one would watch during the first early morning showing on a weekday, but Baek Seol-hee had chosen this movie as if entranced.

Perhaps the movie she chose to relieve stress was destined.

Destined to meet this man.

This man.

Somehow.

‘He reminds me a lot of the Goblin.’

That’s what was fascinating.

The way he looked at her was so similar to those golden eyes gleaming behind that mask that it made her both wary and curious.

If.

If the Goblin were a person.

Wouldn’t he be just like this man?

‘That’s impossible.’

If he were the Goblin, she should be able to sense even a tiny bit of magical power.

But she couldn’t sense any magical power from this man.

If this man were the Goblin, it would mean he was hiding his magical power through some special method.

‘That’s too far-fetched.’

The Goblin’s villain rank is S-class, but his magical power level has already been roughly determined.

Well below her own.

No matter how well disguised, no matter how well he hides his magical power, it couldn’t be maintained for long periods.

‘It can’t be.’

It’s just an absurd assumption.

The man who borrowed the bike in Seoul.

The man who coincidentally came to watch an early morning movie in the same row in Busan.

The Goblin?

‘I’d sooner believe this world would end from a meteor falling from the sky like in that movie.’

Baek Seol-hee casually reached for the popcorn.

Crunch.

With the sound of swallowing, the movie began.

With the bloody battle between the righteous Tyrannosaurus revived from ancient times and the arch-enemy Mecha-Tyrannosaurus modeled after it.