Ch.121Chapter 5. Battlefield of Proof, Ulleung (7)

The issue that was causing a stir throughout South Korea was undoubtedly the appearance of the Magical Girl Gold Inspector.

The commotion was no exception on Ulleungdo, and naturally, public attention was focused on the Gold Inspector.

“The one who purifies demons.”

That’s the epithet given to the Gold Inspector by the news.

The Hero Association will probably attach some fancy English name to her, but at least the claim that she purifies demons is certainly accurate on the surface.

Until now, demons either died, lived in hiding somewhere in this world, or mastered the method of transforming into humans to secretly live in human society.

Now that such demons were appearing with their bodies intact but stripped of their abilities, the world was understandably shocked.

‘I wish I knew the location soon.’

I came to Ulleungdo partly to recover my magical power, but also because there was “downtime” until the event would unfold.

As the Goblin of the Syndicate and an executioner of villains, all I’m waiting for now is to take demon Haftod somewhere for research.

‘Demon researchers will definitely study Haftod. Even if Ermina was difficult to capture as a specimen because she was Sternfeld’s person, Haftod is a pure specimen in himself.’

He’s truly the perfect subject for research.

A being who lost his abilities.

How did he lose his abilities? Did his abilities truly disappear completely? Is there no mana left in his body? Can he not use any other abilities?

‘At the very least, they’ll discover through Haftod that there’s nothing to gain from someone who’s been Zenros-ed.’

Although they won’t be able to extract the demon’s seed, they’ll conduct all sorts of human experiments even if the demon’s seed isn’t their objective.

I plan to raid the location where these human experiments will take place.

It’s just that right now, Haftod is receiving so much public attention that he hasn’t been transferred to any research facility, whether it’s Pandemonium or demon worshippers.

‘Is that fortunate?’

I stretched my left hand forward.

I’ve removed the half-cast.

But wanting to emphasize that I’m still in pain, I wrapped my left hand in white bandages, which reminded me of the Dark Demon Dragon residing in my left hand, making me smile a little.

The strong smell of medicated patches permeates beneath the bandages, but I’ll remove them soon.

‘I did everything I needed to do even with a broken hand anyway.’

Like riding a motorcycle with Ymir on it.

Or eating meals with Ymir.

Or asking Ymir about her resolve.

When history is being made even in hospitals where people more injured than me are admitted, a broken left hand can’t stop the Goblin’s activities.

Treatment complete.

These bandages are actually just to tell Baek Seol-hee “I’m injured,” and I’ve wrapped them in preparation for any potential situations.

Potential situations.

Like Baek Seol-hee or Ymir coming here.

‘Well, I’ve already caught one.’

Through internet communities, I could roughly keep track of their situations, if not in real-time.

-Hey! I heard Maple skipped class?

-Why would she skip? Next week is local training, did she go shopping for clothes?

-Who knows! Maybe she went to buy a killer outfit to impress the guy who’s going to be her training partner!

Through Sejong University’s anonymous board, I gathered information about Ymir.

I thought it was pathetic how people with nothing better to do were digging into others’ personal lives, but I had already figured out where Ymir would be heading.

-Address.

That was the only text Ymir sent me.

I replied telling her to “call when you arrive,” and asked the pension owner to pick up Ymir.

That’s right.

Ymir is on her way here.

* * *

Swoosh.

On the deck of the ferry to Ulleungdo.

A blonde woman in a business-like suit was enjoying the breeze on the ship’s deck.

“Excuse me?”

A blonde foreign couple cautiously approached the woman.

“Speak Korean. I don’t know English.”

“What? Uh, um, hello?”

“Yes.”

The blonde woman, Ymir, responded to the couple’s greeting with a somewhat stiff voice.

“Are you here alone?”

“…Yes.”

“Oh, I see. Then, if you don’t mind, may I make a suggestion?”

“What is it?”

“Would you like to join us?”

“……”

Ymir looked the couple up and down.

They seemed like ordinary people with no magical power.

The fact that they boarded a ferry to Ulleungdo, especially one departing from Sejong Island, suggested they might be diplomatic officials.

“Are you diplomatic officials by any chance?”

“Oh, no. We are this kind of people.”

The man tapped his Taegeuk Watch and flicked it toward Ymir, who caught the floating blue light and placed it on the Taegeuk Watch.

“…Uwaki TV?”

“Yes. Actually, we run a V-tube channel with 5 million subscribers, and we’re currently filming a video on a particular topic.”

“When showing patriotism on Ulleungdo, if another person is with you—”

“Not interested.”

Ymir flicked away the business card placed on the Taegeuk Watch.

“I came alone, but someone is coming to pick me up.”

“But…”

Screech.

The ferry slowly docked at the port.

People began preparing to disembark, coming out to the deck, and Ymir also got off the ship, blending with the crowd.

“Oh, please wait! Lady, we need you!”

“I really don’t want to. What strange things are you saying?”

“We need to prove our hypothesis! The Trinity Theory that states we become complete only when three are together!”

“Stop saying weird things. This isn’t some cult. Realistically, who comes to Ulleungdo alone? Don’t bother me. I’m going to my man.”

“Lady!”

She tried to avoid the persistent couple, but they seemed determined to follow her all the way to the taxi.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Do.”

An elderly gentleman in a black suit stepped between Ymir and the couple.

“Um…who…”

“Your husband sent me. Excuse me, but are these people with you? I was informed they weren’t.”

“No, well, we…”

“Then please step aside. Interfering with patriotism is more than a minor offense on Ulleungdo.”

Beep.

“Please get in. Your husband is waiting.”

“Thank you.”

A long-range sedan responded to the elderly man’s car key, and Ymir headed toward the car with a somewhat relieved feeling.

“But…”

“You are Mr. Do Ji-hwan’s wife, correct?”

Ymir thought for a moment before nodding to the elderly man who was opening the back door.

“Yes.”

Simply.

She just wanted to get rid of those strange people following her.

That’s all.

* * *

-I’m in the car. I’ll be there soon.

She had finally taken action to meet me in Ulleungdo no matter what.

Now there’s no turning back.

I have no choice but to wait for Ymir to arrive, and she will definitely come here.

Otherwise, she would have no reason to come to Ulleungdo.

People come to Ulleungdo for various reasons, but the reason Ymir is fuming her way here is because there’s someone she wants to meet.

Me.

‘Surely Ymir wouldn’t be so angry that she’d expose me as the Goblin.’

Surely she wouldn’t do that.

She couldn’t send such content via text, and since we’ve been talking playfully, we never seriously decided “what to do.”

I’ll just have to tell her to act discreetly when she arrives.

‘Surely she wouldn’t speak carelessly when we both have each other by the throat.’

Do Ji-hwan is the Goblin.

Ymir is the Platinum Sun.

In a situation where each has their finger on the trigger of the bomb necklace around the other’s neck, I believe Ymir wouldn’t be foolish enough to pull the trigger first.

Especially not in front of Baek Seol-hee.

“…This is really awkward.”

It’s fine if Ymir’s arrival on Ulleungdo is discovered.

But not Baek Seol-hee.

-Snow White called in sick today!!

-She seemed fine during yesterday’s event? Was she just pretending to be okay?

-Hey. Calculate the dates. Has it been a month?

-If the last one was official, it’s been more than a month and a half now?

-Then today’s the day lol

The humans in this world are really something.

It might be because I have my eyes on the abyss, but the number of those in that abyss is greater than one might think.

Ordinary people who envy ability users, who have excessive interest in them.

They take interest in every action of ability users, discovering and sharing even the most trivial personal details.

-We have a duty to identify and inform about the dates when female ability users can show patriotism!!

They say things like that and analyze rest days, days with bad expressions, days when underwear lines are visible, and come up with almost accurate assessments. It’s no wonder life becomes exhausting.

…What if it becomes known that Baek Seol-hee is meeting me?

Do Ji-hwan would be dead.

Still.

“I do want to see her.”

“Really?”

“……”

I turned my head toward the voice behind me.

“No, I mean.”

“I’m here.”

“……”

I checked my watch.

It’s only 10 o’clock.

I had an patriotic brunch around 9 with black raspberry wine as a side drink, and just as I was thinking about lying down and relaxing with a cup of tea, she appeared.

“Seol-hee?”

“Yes. I’m here.”

Baek Seol-hee appeared before me wearing a thick white coat despite it being April.

“I thought you were going to Sejong Island today…?”

“As soon as I arrived at dawn, I threw my luggage in the room, took off my Taegeuk Watch, locked all the doors, and snuck out. I left an old movie channel on, and no one suspects anything.”

“Huh…”

They say practice makes perfect, and it seems Baek Seol-hee is becoming quite adept at crossing the sea to Ulleungdo while evading people’s eyes.

“How did you get into the room?”

“Do you think an S-class can’t open a balcony lock?”

“No, did you cut it then?”

“I didn’t cut it. I just inserted an ice ring through the window gap and pulled the latch.”

Baek Seol-hee’s voice is quite sharp.

Given what I had said to her before, I adjusted my posture and gestured to the seat in front of me.

“Would you like to sit down first?”

“Ymir.”

Starting with a full attack, I see.

“What’s going on?”

“Well, Seol-hee. It’s simple.”

I threw out the excuse I had been preparing before meeting Baek Seol-hee.

“Just as I counsel you, I’m also providing psychological counseling to that student.”

“It doesn’t seem like you’re just counseling with words?”

“Yes. Originally I was going to just talk, but my wife said.”

Two-timing.

Playing the field.

“Rather than meeting separately.”

The ultimate move that can overcome all of that.

“Just be cool and meet as three for patriotism.”

Checkmate.

Traitor.