Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Chapter 18 –

People Consumed by the Past

It was a faint suspicion.

Just that the disguise appearance of that villain and Han Jae-jung’s clothes seen at the hospital were the same.

The silhouette was too similar to Han Jae-jung’s physique seen today.

Not enough to be certain, but enough evidence to be suspicious.

Combined with what was said at the hospital, it made quite sense.

Memory loss.

When he saw Pink Deneb, he was flustered mentioning the magical girl’s name first.

As if he really did not meet her for the first time, as if he shouldn’t meet her.

When he saw Blue Sirius, he did call out the name first but immediately acted indifferently and said he didn’t know her.

It sounded like too obvious a lie, but if that was really the truth.

The conclusion could be reached that Han Jae-jung had become a villain .

That transformed appearance being the villain of the Big Dipper.

“Eh, no way... There’s no such nonsense...” Deneb muttered. It couldn’t be. He’s someone who should live happily. He can’t have become a villain now.

It’s a terrible imagination, a persecutory delusion.

An exaggerated suspicion arising from seeing his pitiful appearance today.

But....

“Damn it.”

“Sister...? Sister, where are you going?”

Deneb got up from her seat and headed outside.

Making quite irritable footsteps pounding the floor, holding a mascot doll in her hand that resembled a parrot puffball.

[Hey you bitch... cough... cough... watch your mouth...!]

“It can’t be...”

[You bitch! Get a grip!]

Slap!

The mascot that slipped out of her grip slapped her cheek. It didn’t hurt. But it was unpleasant.

“...Shit.”

[Don’t just curse, do shit!]

“You’re doing it too.”

[Ugh, ahem. Never mind that. Guardian, stay calm. You must stay calm especially at times like this. No matter how much Han Jae-jung was the brother you believed in and your first love....]

“Sh, shut up! It wasn’t to that extent, you jerk!”

She strongly denied it being true.

She could certainly assert that while she had affection for him, it wasn’t in a romantic sense.

“Anyway... Yeah. I need to stay calm.”

[Are you going to transform right now?]

That was originally her intention.

She jumped out of her seat with the thought of immediately finding that villain and interrogating it.

Without any restraint, wanting to escape from this unpleasant delusion.

But as the mascot said, she needed to be a bit calm now.

She was not in a state where her thoughts were functioning properly, easily jumping to conclusions from small clues.

Her head was even dizzy from the alcohol.

One must be level-headed when having suspicions. It’s not just any other matter, but one involving a villain.

In other words, the moment one becomes a villain, it’s no different from being issued a legal death sentence. To turn such a suspicion into certainty, one cannot rely on mere delusions.

Evidence convincing to everyone is needed.

In other words, if there is no evidence to that extent, then Han Jae-jung is not a villain .

Taking a few deep breaths to calm her rapidly beating heart, she cooled her head with oxygen.

“Not now. I should see my senior first.”

She decided to go where she originally intended.

She would probably meet someone who is similarly or more troubled than herself, and sort out her feelings.

***

Ippotranslation

***

“Woah, the smell of alcohol!”

Pink Deneb had also drank some beer earlier. But compared to this intensely strong scent of alcohol, that was nothing. The entire room was filled with a thick alcoholic odor. Deneb frowned at the dizzying sensation that made her feel intoxicated just from her sense of smell alone.

“Eh...? You’re here...?”

“Senior, did you chug another whiskey bottle again?”

“Hehe... Tasty...”

“Oh my, your tongue is loose and you’re totally wasted.”

Next to Blue Sirius, who was half-leaning on the bed and slumped sitting on the floor, a whiskey bottle was rolling around. She had apparently used an expensive bottle as floor disinfectant, what a waste.

Deneb headed to the fridge familiarly and brought out cold water.

“Cold water... I can make it even colder with my magic hehehe...”

“Senior, please shut your mouth and just drink the water.”

“Back then when Jae-jung worked out, I used to cool down water like this with magic for him...”

It was a story about her dating days that Deneb had heard many times before. It was pitiful that she was still chewing on those times, but it was also annoying to have to listen to her reminisce about that era for years on end.

Especially after becoming a legal adult when drinking was permitted, this tendency became more pronounced.

“Stop the rambling and just drink the damn water.”

Of course, most magical girls were like that.

But she never gave up that mindset even after losing her powers.

She’s an admirable person, a true hero.

That’s why I can’t reveal it.

It’s a matter of human decency.

I can’t even be certain myself, so dragging her into this uncertain recognition and causing her heartache would be a grave discourtesy.

The one she has affection for is Han Jae-jung, not me.

As an outsider, a lost soul, leaning on this mistaken identity to make her sad would be a violation of my moral duty as a person.

I may have Han Jae-jung’s body, but his proper spirit does not reside within. How much grief would this disconnect cause for others? Can Deneb even handle the fact that the person she knew as a villain is her past connection?

If I reveal myself here, she’ll definitely think of me as the villainous Han Jae-jung.

No matter what excuse I make, she will firmly believe it.

For her, it will create two paths, to treat me as a villain would a magical girl, or to be tormented by the past connection. She will be plagued by anguish she’s never experienced before.

“What grounds do you have to say that?”

“You didn’t even bother asking what this Han Jae-jung name is about? You bastard...”

“It’s a familiar name, I just don’t see the need to ask about it.”

“No, I guess there’s no need.”

Deneb put her hands on her hips and asked again, in a defiant posture.

“So, is it true?”

Her short stature made her look quite cute. The hand on her hip was trembling, belying her bravado. I smiled and responded.

“Even if I tell you, you won’t believe me. But remember this one thing.”

I can’t reveal it now.

The potential costs outweigh the benefits. I’m not even certain she would become an ally.

She might even try to kill me alone, out of sympathy and the affection she’s built up over the years.

When I’ve fully regained my memories one day, then we can approach this as people.

For now, the relationship between a magical girl and villain is more ideal.

To cling to that faint hope and dream of being on the same wavelength would only cause us both suffering.

Her, tormented by glimpsing Han Jae-jung in me and my past, and me, unable to live up to her expectations because I can’t access that past.

We’d both be agonizing over it to the point of death.

The suspicion that has already taken root cannot be erased. She will likely doubt me for the rest of her life.

And I cannot completely deny that suspicion either.

But I can maintain an appropriate level of tension so that the suspicion doesn’t solidify into absolute certainty.

That should be enough.

“Han Jae-jung is not here right now.”

Not yet.

I grabbed her by the neck and lifted her into the sky.

[SET. Reversion.]

“Wha-what? Fuck! You bastard!”

“And don’t chase me. It’s a distraction.”

Continuing the pursuit would just be annoying. I gently laid her down.

Crash!

[Reversion successful. Reproduction rate 30%.]

The intentionally low reproduction rate attack was perfect for just knocking her out and leaving.

***

Ippotranslation

***

As the brilliance of the stars that had so vividly lit up the night began to fade, and the faint purple clouds of dawn started to peek out.

“What are you doing here...?”

Pink Deneb found Han Jae-jung lying asleep on the side of the road. What a sight for someone who had hoped for happiness. It felt as if her heart was being torn apart.

After waking from his unconsciousness, she immediately sent out Ribbon to search for the villain again. She couldn’t take the advice to not chase him.

“Did you end up sleeping out here instead of going home... Did you drink like my senior too? But I don’t smell any alcohol... You’re not really homeless, right? Don’t do that... If she finds out, my senior will really die....”

But the villain of the Big Dipper was nowhere to be seen, and all she could find was a lone homeless man, dressed similarly to the villain when his transformation had worn off. Sleeping on a bed of newspaper, a still youthful-looking man.

“The villain earlier seemed pretty good at lying... So maybe you’re not him? Ugh, I really don’t know. Actually, I’m not even sure if that was a lie.”

Deneb carefully covered him with a blanket, making sure not to wake him.

“But one thing... I understand that you’re avoiding me. Was what you said at the hospital true? Did you really forget me? And senior too?”

Trait of villainous – memory loss.

But the way he looked at Blue Sirius at the hospital, there was definitely a longing glimmering in his eyes. He was clearly trying to pretend not to know. That very human behavior was too much for simply dismissing him as a villain.

And the words of that villain earlier too. There were too many unanswered parts.

However, there is one thing certain.

There is undoubtedly some kind of connection between the villain of the Big Dipper and Han Jae-jung.

“So I’ll leave this not-so-friendly kindness here. Don’t thank me. If you did, I’d just end up feeling guilty.”

If he were truly a villain, he wouldn’t be able to impersonate a human body so perfectly.

But if he’s a villain with that kind of ability...

“If my senior really is a villain... Would I be able to kill him?”

That villain probably wouldn’t kill him. Judging from the times he had the chance but only subdued him, that much is clear.

“...I don’t know. Anyway, I’ll take my leave for now. And we’ll see each other again... for sure.”

With those words, Pink Deneb vanished from before him.

/ippostranslations