Part 1, Chapter 9, 22

8:08 PM, New Seoul Western Plains.

Preparations were complete. As Lee Seung-hyung, serving in a humble capacity, boarded the airship, all the heroes got on board.

“Are you really sure about this?”

Prime Minister Baek Se-jun fidgeted restlessly as he asked the Praetor. The black-haired, short-haired girl twitched her lips slightly, as if she was getting annoyed, and nodded.

“The personnel are fine, and the route is fine. We’ve received flight clearance, so all we need to do is a short drive.”

“Still, what if we encounter that unidentified flock midway…?”

“…We’re taking over a hundred heroes, why are you worrying so much?”

The Praetor relaxed her expression and let go of her tension. Unlike the stiff tone used in official relations, this conversation was a comfortable one between a maternal grandfather and his granddaughter. Even if the content wasn’t.

“Grandfather. You should prepare to take power in the next administration. I’m stepping forward so that you can gain some power, Grandfather.”

“Y-yes.”

Prime Minister Baek nodded reluctantly. Though she was less than a third of his age, her intelligence and decisiveness surpassed that of most great men. She was a precious granddaughter, but the Praetor, his granddaughter, was a woman of many talents in many ways, to the point where he wondered what it would have been like if she had been born a man.

“I don’t know when the early presidential election will be, but until then, solidify your power base. And cut ties with those sycophants who used to grovel under Seonui Cheol.”

“But those friends, they were comrades who ate from the same pot as me…”

“Grandfather, you’ll get into trouble like that. While I’m in China, you absolutely must not associate with strange people. Understood?”

“……Understood.”

Who was worrying about whom? Prime Minister Baek sighed and shook his head. The black-haired, short-haired girl put on the white beret hanging beside her and donned her uniform.

“Then, Prime Minister-nim. We will depart.”

“Alright. Travel safely, Praetor. …Heea-ya, be careful. Okay?”

“I told you not to worry.”

The Praetor, Baek Heea, saluted Prime Minister Baek and then boarded the Baeknaro Ho. In a place directly opposite to where the heroes, led by Lee Seung-hyung, were drawing attention and boarding, she secretly boarded ‘her own ship,’ avoiding people’s gaze.

“Captain-nim. You’ve arrived?”

Unsa Park Raon, who was waiting, greeted her. The Praetor sighed as she watched those standing at their seats and saluting.

“What’s with this, it’s not even the military.”

“They’re doing it to ask for a safe journey.”

“Aren’t they all just messing with me?”

“Oh, come on, how could that be? *chuckle*.”

The Praetor twisted her lips as she looked around at the heroes. Adjusting her beret, she walked down the central aisle and found her own seat, sitting down. In the middle of the bridge, in the red chair overlooking the operators-the captain’s seat.

“All preparations for departure are complete.”

At the report from the heroes who had taken their places as operators, the Praetor picked up the metal rod hanging from her necklace. Right in front of her seat was a small slot for the rod, and the Praetor inserted the ‘key’ into the slot, infusing it with mana.

“Alright. Code change. From now on, Praetor will be Captain and will be responsible for your trip to China. Everyone, please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts. If you don’t fasten your seatbelts, I’ll throw you into the middle of the Yellow Sea on the way.”

The Captain made a rather frightening threat and pushed all the keys in. The Captain’s eyes began to glow black, and soon her vision expanded to encompass the entire ship.

“…Tempest Lady. This isn’t a pleasure trip. Dump the wine in your canteen right now.”

“Ugh.”

“The same goes for Pungbaek-nim. Get rid of the makgeolli in your potion bottle and fasten your seatbelt.”

“How finicky. *Ugh*.”

The heroes marveled at the Captain’s ability to uncannily spot problems. Having only heard rumors and this being their first deployment, the mischievous heroes tried to test the Captain’s abilities, but the Captain easily foiled their pranks.

“Let me tell you again, my ability is ‘Synchronization (同期化)’. This ship is now one with me. So please don’t do anything strange.”

The Captain crossed her legs in her seat and ignited the engines. The cores in the engine room began to release mana with piston-like movements, and soon the airship began to slowly ascend into the sky.

“Then, Baeknaro Ho, departing. The route passes through Beijing to Qinghai. Estimated arrival time is…”

The Captain displayed the route and estimated arrival time on the heroes’ front displays.

“10:30 PM. It will take about two hours, so please rest comfortably. Don’t get up from your seats. If anyone needs to use the restroom midway, please say so in advance. For in-flight meals, just press the display and X-roids will bring them to you, so use that. Uh, also…”

One by one, the heroes began to put on their earphones and cover their ears.

“In case the airship explodes, there are life vests under your seats, so please wear those, and if you are attacked by flying monsters, do not panic and initiate interception according to the Captain’s instructions…”

The Praetor, who had newly taken over leading the heroes after the previous Praetor, was a girl who worried even more than the former Praetor.

– She’s not even my mom…

To put it negatively, she was a nagging woman.

“You definitely shouldn’t go into the engine room, and also…”

About 30 minutes after departure.

Even as they passed through the middle of the Yellow Sea for 30 minutes, the Captain’s mouth did not rest.

* * *

9:33 PM, Skies over Beijing

“Why are you out here causing a fuss again?”

[I came to meet you.]

“I appreciate you coming to meet me, but do you have to be in that state?”

I, covering my monstrous human form with a shabby black robe, came out to meet Seok Harang, who was spreading ice wings in the sky. Seok Harang kicked the air but didn’t let me in.

[Because I have to hide my identity.]

“You usually show yourself just fine.”

[That’s only possible when the sun is shining brightly. Right now, there are many restrictions.]

“…? So you get weaker at night?”

[There are many restrictions in non-combat aspects.]

For example, it became impossible to hide in sunlight, so she had to wrap herself in rags like this to conceal her appearance.

“You look like a complete beggar, don’t you?”

[As if anyone’s pigsty is worse.]

“I don’t know why, but hearing that from you kinda pisses me off.”

[A 21-year-old who hasn’t even dried behind the ears talks so much.]

“How old are you to be talking like that? You’re a total old fogey. How old are you? Show me your ID. Not Cheonghwa’s, your real age.”

[…….]

Seok Harang subtly tried to pry into my personal information. I couldn’t tell if I should mention the original protagonist’s age or my real age. If I said the former, I’d be the same age as Seok Harang, but I didn’t want Seok Harang to look down on me for no reason.

[Twenty-five…?]

“If it’s five, it’s five, why are you so uncertain?”

[Because my memory is vague.]

She probably thought it was around that age. Seok Harang mumbled, counting on her fingers.

“Then you and I are four years apart… Huh.”

[I said it’s uncertain.]

“Isn’t that the four-year age gap that they say doesn’t even need a compatibility check? Heehee.”

[It’s certainly a conflicting match, though.]

I quickly checked the analog wristwatch I had procured. It was 9:35 PM. It was about time for the airship in question to pass over Beijing.

“You’re really strange. A girl four years younger than you keeps talking informally, and it doesn’t piss you off?”

[I’m used to your informal speech… No, never mind. I didn’t expect you to use polite language with me anyway.]

“Then should I call you this? *Ahem*.”

Seok Harang cleared her throat.

“Oppa-ya?”

[Crazy bitch.]

“Is this crazy? Why are you cursing right away?”

[Don’t say cringey things. Honestly, I’m speechless. I’m going. They’re coming now.]

I kicked Seok Harang’s butt, pushing her towards the airship. Seok Harang scowled and growled at me, but didn’t launch any attacks.

[……Your temper has really mellowed.]

“Hmph, shouldn’t the strong person be magnanimous? Huh? You have to be considerate of someone who’s strong during the day and endlessly weak at night. Ah. Speaking of which, you’re totally that right now, that thing.”

Seok Harang spread her wings and glided closer to me. It was so ridiculous that she had to whisper into my ear words that could have been said from a distance, so I let her be.

“Day strong, night weak. *Eheheh!*”

[……*Sigh*.]

How should I deal with that wild girl?

[I came all the way to meet you, and you have no filter.]

“It’s true! If you don’t like it, then let’s fight at night sometime! Heheheh, I guess we’ll only meet at night now~ I’m going! Be careful on your way home! Got it?!”

[You be careful. Don’t get into an accident by letting your guard down.]

Seok Harang stuck out her tongue and flew east. As an SS-rank, she could fly at Mach speed, so it seemed she intended to rendezvous with the airship by docking with it in mid-air. I watched Seok Harang for a long time until she became a mere dot.

[Is it because I inherited Snowy Night’s power?]

Perhaps because it was night, she launched quite powerful attacks. I thumped my chest with my fist to suppress the surging mana.

[Day strong, night weak….]

It was absurd for a virgin who had never won on the bed to utter such words. At that moment, I felt the presence of an aircraft roaring from the southeast.

[They’re here.]

There were two reasons I came out to the sky instead of staying in the infirmary. One was to meet Seok Harang, but I also wanted to see Deathdinath-currently named ‘Baeknaro Ho’-with my own eyes, so I even donned rags and flew all the way here.

[Still the same.]

The airship, flying from several kilometers away, came into view. First, I felt the mana reactions of the many espers on board, and then I clearly sensed the dark-attribute mana that had synchronized and become one with the airship.

[Their initiative is truly fast.]

Baek Heea.

In the very late stages of the original story, she was the captain and helmsman who steered the Deathdinath Ho, the protagonist’s party’s aerial base, until she handed over the captaincy to the protagonist. Whenever they traveled abroad, they always received a lot of help from her.

[Though I don’t know why she’s out already.]

It was something I could find out later. For now, I decided to just help them fly and then return to the infirmary.

*Kiiieek!!*

Flying monstrous birds followed behind the Baeknaro Ho. They were all B-rank giant monstrous birds, but monsters that pursued in the air, where one couldn’t stand on two feet, were quite a nuisance.

[Oh.]

Our eyes met. Baek Heea’s eyes, staring directly at me from the captain’s seat on the bridge, were filled with shock. I had minimized my mana to hide, so how did she see me? It was a moment that made me curious in many ways.

[Come to think of it, Seohaemugi went to Seoul.]

If so, the mission to ‘clean up’ Yeongjongdo must have been completed. I decided to gift the entire Yeongjongdo to Baek Heea as a private runway. Except for the final battle, it would be better to use Yeongjongdo’s old runway for most overseas trips.

[Then, don’t get hurt and have a safe trip.]

I waved my hand at Baek Heea. Baek Heea, wearing her beret, seemed flustered and instinctively raised her hand, waving it left and right. Baek Heea’s ability was reliable, but the name of the ship she was synchronizing with, ‘Baeknaro,’ was incredibly annoying.

[With an airship name like that, how can I not be bothered? Seriously.]

*Kieek!!*

The monstrous birds noticed the mana I had slightly leaked and began to circle towards me. I cut off my mana, luring the monstrous birds by falling to the ground. There were no longer any monstrous birds chasing the airship.

[I’ll have to visit New Seoul soon.]

I kicked up the head of the first monstrous bird that opened its beak and descended.

Indeed, lying still in the infirmary didn’t suit my temperament.

I descended to the ground, ripping off the necks of the monstrous birds.

* * *

“Captain. What’s wrong?”

“Ah, it’s nothing.”

Baek Heea instinctively knew that what she had just seen was not a hallucination. The SS-rank Villain, Phoenix, who had easily won against Seok Harang in Gwanak and was presumed to have killed Gwanggeom. He had waved his hand as if greeting her, and Baek Heea had unconsciously waved back.

Would she have been blown up in mid-air if she hadn’t waved back? Baek Heea’s mouth went dry.

“Captain. The monstrous birds have turned their heads towards the ground. They’re not chasing us anymore.”

On the radar, the monstrous birds seemed to be slowing down and turning back.

“Why?”

“Huh?”

“Why is he helping us?”

“What are you talking about?”

A Villain helping heroes?

Why?

Baek Heea couldn’t help but ponder Phoenix’s intentions until Seok Harang folded her wings and boarded the ship.

“Could it be that he’s going to hijack it on the way back and kill everyone…?”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

Baek Heea tore at her beret.

“Was he just being complacent? Did he spare us once? Then do we need to change our return route? Ugh, why did he suddenly appear there?!”

“D-doctor! Someone calm the Captain down!”

Without ever imagining in her wildest dreams that Phoenix was simply waiting because he wanted to see the airship once, Baek Heea had to ponder and ponder again about Phoenix’s true intentions until they arrived in Qinghai.