Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Symbol of Peace (7)

“What...?”

I barely managed to suppress the curse that rose to my throat. More than anger, I felt bewilderment, and more than bewilderment, I felt perplexed. Where on earth did she see something to arrive at such a conclusion?

I tried to rack my brain as much as possible, but no answer came. Was it because of a lack of oxygen to my brain, or was it due to the clues that were even more scarce than oxygen?

“What do you mean by...”

“There have been ominous rumors circulating in this city recently.”

Orange Altair continued speaking while calmly pressing on my neck.

The force pressing on the neck was quite professional, applying just enough pressure to suppress breathing and make the body languid, but not enough to lead to death.

[I recommend transformation.]

‘...Shut up.’

This time, I only muttered inwardly so as not to arouse suspicion. Transforming in this situation would be like affirming that you’re right. It’s not possible now. It’s still just at the stage of suspicion.

“Rumors... You say?”

“Rumors that non-humans are living mixed among humans... That’s what I mean. And that they’ve recently entered this city.”

Orange Altair’s hands trembled like aspen leaves. The guilt of attacking a citizen and fear coexisted, causing vibrations in her touch. It was like ripples created by throwing a stone into a lake.

“...They say those beings are one of the main culprits in this recent commotion. More precisely, the perpetrators of the recent incidents, starting from the disappearances.”

She pointed not to the invading Libra, but to another group. She must mean Argo Family, the root cause of Libra coming to this city and the culprits behind the recent disappearances.

As expected. She wasn’t talking about the Watcher. Han Jae-jung thought it was truly fortunate.

“I think it’s you.”

“There’s no evidence...”

“No! There’s plenty!”

Orange Altair suddenly raised her voice as if filled with confidence.

“Because you’re the most suspicious person in this city right now!”

“No, that’s...”

Han Jae-jung tried to argue but stopped. He had nothing particular to say. Seeing him give up on defending himself, Orange Altair seemed to grow even more confident.

“See! You don’t have much to say, do you? That’s because it’s true! The time you entered this city coincides with when disappearances became frequent. On top of that, you were strangely unscathed in today’s attack. Vega and Davi were injured in the bombing, but not you. Of course, there’s Ah-yoon... I mean, Deneb too, but let’s set that aside for now.”

Her grip tightened even more. In her other hand, light gathered and extended like a long thorn.

“You suddenly appeared when Deneb was retiring and opened a cafe with her in this city of all places? Isn’t that too suspicious? Moreover, you have no prior career or records. Wouldn’t it be strange not to be suspicious?”

She thoroughly investigated despite treating me like an invisible person and not even glancing at me inside the cafe. Han Jae-jung smiled bitterly.

‘Should I call her a good kid worrying about her friend or an eccentric worrying unnecessarily....’

Well, it wasn’t unexpected. Considering her interest in Joo Ah-yoon, there was a high possibility she would investigate within legal bounds.

“You deceived Ah-yoon, didn’t you?!”

But he never imagined she would come up with such an absurd theory and take such violent action.

“No, suddenly this is too illogical...”

“Weren’t you a non-human even before meeting Ah-yoon? You approached her disguised as someone she knew, then led her to open a store in this city. Hah, it gives me goosebumps.”

“What benefit would I get from doing such a thing?”

“I don’t know that either. But the fact that you’re deceiving Ah-yoon is certain.”

A bizarre situation where the reasoning process was completely wrong, but the conclusion was close to the truth.

“If not, that sharp girl wouldn’t have done something as stupid as opening a store in a place like this!”

That store is Ah-yoon’s destiny. Han Jae-jung barely suppressed the words that rose to his throat. There’s nothing good about provoking her unnecessarily.

“What’s your purpose? Money? Or the credibility of being acquainted with a magical girl? Whatever it is, it hasn’t worked out properly, has it? If Ah-yoon is put in danger because of you...”

Orange Altair’s current psychological state is not normal. If she were in her right mind, she wouldn’t corner a civilian like this based on mere suspicion.

She brought the arrow she was holding in her other hand close to Han Jae-jung’s eyes as if to stab them.

“Next time, it won’t be such an easy interrogation as this.”V/\IssịT n0(v)eL/b(i)(n).co/m for the b/est novel reading experi/en/ce

With those words, Orange Altair put Han Jae-jung down. The arrow also disappeared, turning into light.

“Ugh, cough... Hack....”

“I apologize for the violent behavior.”

“Ah, yes... Well... I think these things can happen.”

Knowing that all magical girls were mentally ill, Han Jae-jung made allowances for her. It’s perfectly natural for someone who isn’t in their right mind to do things that aren’t sensible.

Han Jae-jung studied her eyes. In her sparkling pupils, sharp and distorted emotions glimmered like shards of broken glass. Rather than feeling anger towards her, Han Jae-jung felt pity.

Yet she was confident.

Despite being a bridge that bows its head to connect Gyeonwu and Jiknyeo, she was truly confident.

Orange Altair did not like that. From her qualities as a magical girl to her human aspects, everything.

Human Ara could not like human Joo Ah-yoon that much.

Despite having nothing better than me, she’s not intimidated and remains confident.

Her unique attitude, way of speaking, and even her abilities could never contribute to creating a good image for the profession of magical girl, yet she’s unnecessarily brazen.

The one being grouped together doesn’t think about this side at all. She’s nothing but a nuisance.

Orange Altair could never accept that.

But...

“You’re going to retire and have nothing to do with magical girls anymore?”

This is absolutely unacceptable.

“Jjakjjak. Anything special?”

[No, guardian. I don’t see any unusual movements.]

Is it because of her magic specialized in sniping? Unlike other magical girls, she can send her mascot far away.

Using this, she was now monitoring Han Jae-jung from afar. Given that the mascot can only be seen by its contractor, he probably doesn’t even know he’s being watched right now.

No, since she warned him she would be watching, he’s probably on guard in his own way. But he can never see the watcher.

Like a panopticon.

The relationship between a guard who can always watch the prisoners and prisoners who must fear being watched anytime, anywhere.

Orange Altair, Ara, smiled wickedly as she gulped down some water.

‘Pink Deneb. You can’t become an ordinary person.’

Forcibly pushing to the back of her mind the huge power gap she felt when seeing the villain today, she emptied a bottle of water refreshingly.

‘You should be grateful to me. You, who don’t understand at all how many dangers are around you, won’t understand me.’

Retired magical girls often become targets of revenge for villains. Joo Ah-yoon cannot escape that danger either.

‘Let’s compare later who’s laughing, you or me.’

Your happy start-up has crumbled. What’s around you isn’t people, but surely villains. Because after all...

‘That guy is from Dark Matter.’

Dark Matter, where no ordinary human can survive. A human who survived from there. What does this mean? It’s evidence that he’s not an ordinary human.

‘Joo Ah-yoon. That guy probably isn’t the brother you knew.’

-That man in that store is my friend. Could you persuade him for me?

A disguised villain who carefully approached her while she was going to a cafe. Not knowing she was a magical girl, it naturally imitated a human. It was a stupid judgment. The dissonance of the disguise is clearly felt by magical girls.

It was fortunate for her. She found out the identity of Joo Ah-yoon’s suspicious man.

‘How amusing would that bitch’s distorted face be.’

Ara spent the night with such pleasant imaginings.

***

Ippotranslation

***

Orange Altair trembled with a heavily distorted expression.

“Altair. What are you trying to do?”

“No. That, no. Um....”

Orange Altair lowered her head, consumed by fear.

How did it come to this?

Today was supposed to be a good day. It was supposed to be a day to uncover Han Jae-jung’s identity, elevate her status, and gain recognition, but...

“Should I take this as a tantrum towards me? Or...”

It feels like being in a sub-zero freezer. The longer that gaze pierces her body, the stronger the flesh-biting cold becomes.

“Should I take it as a challenge towards me? You choose directly, Altair.”

Blue Sirius’s heavy gaze weighed down on her.

“Want to pass it off as nonsense? Or, do you want to fight me?”

/ippostranslations