Fake Guardian – 3

After a satisfying meal, the two spent time in their respective spaces.

Kang In-ho remained in the kitchen to do the dishes, while Kim Sung-ah stayed at the table, watching YouTube.

“There’s a sofa in the living room, you know.”

Kang In-ho said, scrubbing a dish with a detergent-soaked sponge.

“Why turn on the light in the living room? What a waste of money.”

The darkened living room. It was always dark, except for the first day they came to this house.

“Saving is good.”

He agreed casually, shifting his gaze to the sink.

The dishwashing was just beginning.

“……..”

Kim Sung-ah alternated between looking at his back and the screen of her phone.

The sight of him wearing an apron in the kitchen didn’t feel out of place at all.

A massive door opens, and a woman in a seductive outfit walks in.

The clicking sound of her high heels, which seemed impossible to stand in, echoed.

Wavy gray hair that reached her waist, bangs covering one eye.

A latex outfit that clung to her body.

Her voluptuous breasts, slender waist, and large buttocks swayed with each step.

“I am Lilith of the Four Heavenly Kings, here to see the Witch.”

Standing below the throne, she bowed deeply.

“You sent the bat and the centaur, I hear?”

Her voice fell from a distant height, impossible to look up to.

“Yes, I did.”

“Surely you didn’t send them with the intention of invasion.”

In other words, she would be disappointed if they were sent for the purpose of invasion.

Lilith of the Four Heavenly Kings swallowed hard.

“It was primarily to assess the Magical Girl’s strength.”

“You must have gained something from Persona.”

“In the fight with Persona, the Magical Girl displayed a magical power output exceeding our expectations. Therefore, we sought to re-examine the information regarding her combat capabilities.”

Lilith explained, sweating profusely.

“Did you obtain satisfactory information?”

Hearing the slightly softened voice, Lilith breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

“Yes, we have confirmed that she has indeed grown since the fight with Persona.”

“I see. Anything else?”

It was a question implying, “Is that all?”

Lilith quickly moved her lips.

“Also, we obtained something through the centaur’s eye.”

Lilith took out an eye from her bosom and crushed it with her fist.

Blood rose like steam, creating a picture.

“Hoh…”

The Witch showed interest in the picture.

“We do not know his exact identity, but we discovered a human who accompanies the Magical Girl. He was also present during the bat’s attack, so it is highly likely that he knows her identity.”

Lilith quickly added an explanation.

“But the Star’s Power should erase people’s memories.”

“I am sorry, but we have not yet clarified that part. However, judging by the fact that he is by her side like that, we judged that there is a high probability that he is involved with the Magical Girl in some way.”

“I see. You have done well. You may leave.”

“Yes!”

Lilith carefully stood up and slowly backed away from the throne.

After closing the door, she let out a breath she had been holding in. It was a sigh of relief.

“……..”

She looked again at the scene the centaur’s eye had seen.

The figure of an ordinary human next to the red-haired Magical Girl.

“I feel like I’ve seen him somewhere before.”

Humans all look alike, don’t they?

She imprinted the vaguely familiar face of the human in her mind once more and moved towards her residence.

2 AM.

As Kim Sung-ah, exhausted from her activities of the day, rubbed her eyes and went upstairs, Kang In-ho went out to the veranda and sat cross-legged.

It wasn’t that he was particularly bothered if he was caught, but there was no need to show it.

Continuing his meditation, he slowly sank his consciousness inward.

His consciousness sank into the vast sea of his mind.

It felt like he heard a splash.

He felt like he was standing alone in a vast universe. He felt a mass beneath his feet.

He tried to pull it down.

Unlike last time, when it didn’t budge, it twitched ever so slightly.

‘Not enough.’

It was good that his power moved according to his will, but it would be meaningless if he couldn’t pull it out.

After trying to draw out his power for several minutes, he slowly opened his eyes, failing to achieve the desired result.

Cold sweat streamed down his forehead.

“……..”

The wind blowing from outside cooled his body.

He slowly got up and returned to the living room.

The living room, with the lights off, seemed a little bigger somehow. He sat on the sofa and looked at the TV, which looked old.

The TV, which was not powered on, was just a black rectangle.

The light from outside, coming in from the veranda, dimly illuminated the living room.

He made eye contact with himself reflected in the TV.

He couldn’t use the power dormant inside him with the methods of the martial arts world.

Then, he should be able to use it with the methods of this world.

[It’s a kind of self-hypnosis, so it’s a necessary process to draw out your full power.]

Kim Sung-ah’s words naturally came to mind.

“Self-hypnosis, huh…”

He stood blankly in the center of the empty living room and took a deep breath.

“A mask, was it?”

He took a deep breath and shouted, bringing his right hand to his face.

“With the power of the Four Heavenly Kings!! Transform!!!”

…….

…….

But nothing happened.

“Haa… Mister, what on earth are you doing?”

Kim Sung-ah, who had been watching the whole process, asked from the stair landing.

Her face was still drowsy from sleep, but her voice clearly contained a sense of disgust.