Chapter 26

Seo-un placed the empty pack on the dining table and reached for Matador. The handle made of snake skin was cool to the touch. With a swish, Matador slid out of the scabbard, its blade gleaming as if excited by the rare outing. Seo-un gripped the sword with both hands and concentrated to release the Cosmos. But the feeling from back then, as if she had lost her memory, wouldn't come to mind.

Seo-un glanced around the living room. She knew there was no one else, but she was cautious.

Ahem, she cleared her throat and gripped the handle more firmly.

"My... sword, sing, Violet Rain."

Perhaps because she had shouted it at twice her usual speed?

Matador remained silent. With no messenger appearing, she had to open her tightly pressed lips again, this time a bit louder and more clearly.

"My sword, sing, Violet Rain!"

<70 decibels. Does not meet activation conditions.>

The unnecessarily polite tone of the message made her blood boil.

"My! Sword! Sing! Violet Rain!"

Seo-un emphasized each word, her veins bulging. Honestly, when she had named it Violet Rain, she thought it sounded cool, but with the strange modifier in front, it felt embarrassing.

"I must have gone well over 80 decibels, why is this happening!"

Seo-un swung Matador up and down as if hitting a broken TV. As she swung, she pleaded, "Please, just listen."

Zing! A purple energy, like flames from a flamethrower, enveloped Matador. The Cosmos, released by the swing, produced a fierce explosion. It shattered the living room window and left a deep gouge in the floor.

"..."

Her Cosmos usually had even greater destructive power, but this was enough for now. The problem was the cold wind coming through the broken window. With no glass left, covering it with newspaper was out of the question.

<Violet Rain, daily usage limit reached.>

This was real.

Seo-un sheathed Matador, feeling defeated. Only one use per day, and she had wasted it. Still, she had to test it, and it worked, so she found some meaning in that.

"Seo-un, what's going on!"

"Seo-un-ssi!"

Abdulraziz and Yuchan, who had run from the second and fourth floors, burst through the door. Seo-un, holding the sword, turned around with an embarrassed look.

"Seo-un, are you dreaming?!"

"Is it a mutant?!"

They didn't know she had lost her ability. If Gangsan came over, she would tell him about her awakening as an elephant shrew, but she thought she should let it slip beforehand.

"It's nothing, I just couldn't control Matador because it's been a while."

She was already tired of making up ridiculous excuses. If she left it to Gangsan, he would explain it well, so Seo-un avoided responsibility.

"Seo-un-ssi, how are you going to fix that?"

Yuchan's bleached hair was sprouting black roots.

"You can stay in the bedroom."

The bedroom was entirely pink, from the lace bedding to the walls. Maybe she would get used to it over time. Compared to the shack, any color was a relief.

Seo-un, embarrassed by the mess, tried to cover the gouged floor with a blanket.

"What are you doing?"

Cha-haya stood in the doorway, his sword at his side, looking puzzled. He must have been surprised, knowing she had lost her ability.

"Ah, well..."

Seo-un glanced at Yuchan and Abdulraziz.

"Come to the roof."

Cha-haya turned and walked out the door.

But why is he giving orders like that... Seo-un flared up but then turned to the confused duo.

"Seo-un-ssi, were you sleeping? I'm sorry for waking you. Yuchan, finish brushing your teeth."

Abdulraziz had bedhead, and Yuchan's mouth had hardened toothpaste. Seo-un forced a smile and followed Cha-haya.

Skipping two steps at a time, they reached the open roof door. Cha-haya continued to look down at the railing, not even turning when he heard them approach. Seo-un stood beside him, looking in the same direction.

A sigh escaped Seo-un's lips. The window of 'Luminous Piano' on the opposite building was shattered, and the concrete was cracked.

Cha-haya, did you sleep at my place?

She wanted to ask him right away, but the timing was bad, and Cha-haya's mood was icy.

It seemed like he was disappointed, as if she had lied to him again. Cha-haya doesn't easily get disappointed by others. Even when she had distanced herself from him, he hadn't. But now, she felt she needed to be honest. Otherwise, he might be more than disappointed.

"Don't look at me like that."

But the sharp tone came out before she could think. After all, it was her original ability, so there was no need for Cha-haya to get angry.

"Wasn't it you?"

"It was me."

With Yuchan and Abdulraziz there, she could have blamed it on them, but she didn't.

"I saw it too. Cha Seo-un's purple went wild."

Cha-haya must have seen her Cosmos while coming to the hideout. The timing was perfect.

"That's why I said it was me."

"If you had denied it, I would have sucked up to you, but it's a shame."

Seo-un pursed her lips and then let them go.

"I haven't fully regained my ability. I can only use it once a day, like a special move..."

If she could talk about the messenger, it would be a relief.

<If I do, my special move will disappear. Can the 'powerless Cha Seo-un' survive?>

"Believe me."

"Huh?"

Seo-un's eyes widened. Cha-haya lowered his mask and said he believed her. Seeing him trust her in the morning light, he looked even more handsome.

"If I was going to lie, would I have caused such a commotion?"

"But why did you get angry as soon as you came in?"

"Cha Seo-un."

Cha-haya, with the sun at his back, cast a shadow.

"In the light."

"..."

Seo-un held her breath as Cha-haya looked at her. She tried to act indifferent, but her face was tense.

"Really, gain some weight. Your lips are so thin I can't even hold them."

"Like I'll let you hold them for life? Get lost."

Seo-un hit Cha-haya's arm and let her fist drop to the ground.

"I said I'd stay for three days, why am I being kicked out so quickly?"

"I thought you left because you didn't want to move in."

"Is that even possible? You were only staying for two days?"

"No, I came early to see Cha Seo-un's Cosmos, without even realizing it."

"You talk too much."

Seo-un recalled the 15th clause of the Gate Information.

[15. If you wish to return to Narakga from Earth before consuming all the U-gems, use the gate at Seongsang High School's playground.]

Seongsang High was their alma mater.

"Did you use the gate at our school?"

"It's abandoned."

"Understandable."

The gate doesn't affect ordinary people, but with mutants around, it made sense.

"Did you get a shock when I suddenly disappeared?"

Seo-un asked casually.

"First time entering an empty house, it was refreshing."

"Sleep?"

Cha-haya's purple eyes flickered, and he smiled inwardly.

"I slept at your place."

"In my bed? There's a guest room, you know?"

"The wine cellar without wine and the piano that's never played were the highlights."

"Let it go, it's my taste."

Seo-un continued to observe Cha-haya's expression but saw no unusual signs.

Luckily, he didn't hear it.

Even if he had, the probability of him understanding was low, but it still felt uneasy.

"Where are Gangsan and Handon-hee?"

Cha-haya shrugged, indifferent. They would come when the time was right. With the guild's size shrinking, freedom had increased. Seo-un didn't intend to play the role of a deputy leader and enforce discipline now.

"Cha Seo-un, let's be honest about the rest?"

"About what?"

Seo-un's eyes wavered like a wind-blown violet.

"You said it was a big deal."

'I know it's a big deal.'

It was the day they met again. Recalling that memory, Seo-un suddenly smiled confidently.

"You're lucky. This is really big information?"

Her lips curved into a smile, and her cheeks flushed with excitement.

At that moment, Cha-haya's mood plummeted.

He remembered a video made by some pervert. The illegal site guys had deepfaked Seo-un's face onto gay videos. In the video, Cha Seo-un smiled just like that. He had done well to shut down that disgusting homo site.

"Smile differently."

"What?"

"From now on, don't smile like that. Smile in a different way."

"Are you really crazy?"

Seo-un's expression turned serious, and her lips drooped. Her neutral face revealed a sharp edge.