Chapter 189
A delicate frown lightly formed.
As if a flawless masterpiece had been scratched, or as if a perfect sculpture had cracked.
If someone had seen it, they would have unknowingly sighed at the sight, but the woman’s appearance wasn’t diminished by just that.
Instead, the slight flaw on her perfect face made her otherworldly appearance feel more human.
Whether that was a good thing, considering her identity, was uncertain.
“It’s too quiet.”
Edel murmured.
On Earth, in a country called Korea, there’s a saying that “no news is good news,” but Edel didn’t believe it.
Based on Edel’s experience, no news was never good news.
Could it be good news if cockroaches were digging burrows to eat away at your home without your knowledge?
To Edel, Dimensional Creatures were like cockroaches.
Putting aside their repulsiveness, they were pests that needed to be chased out quickly to avoid harm.
The difference, if any, was that they were more ferocious, more destructive, and more voracious, making them all the more dangerous.
“It’s suspiciously quiet.”
They were creatures that endlessly pushed forward, trying to devour Edel’s world, but their momentum had drastically subsided at some point.
At first, Edel thought the plan devised with the Administrator had worked well.
However, as days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years, a creeping unease began to rise.
Even if the plan worked, wasn’t it too suspicious for the creatures that had relentlessly pounded on doors and walls to suddenly grow this quiet?
If they were the kind to give up just because the walls were reinforced and the house was concealed, they would have already fallen during their fight with Edel.
And Edel wasn’t alone in thinking this way.
Earth’s Administrator also shared Edel’s concerns, leading to an increasing frequency of discussions about the matter.
However, their opinions didn’t align completely.
Edel argued that the creatures’ silence was suspicious and insisted on scouting the outside.
It wasn’t like Dimensional Creatures would declare, “We’re invading now!” before attacking—they were more likely to launch a sudden assault.
No matter how strong the defenses were, losing the initiative would inevitably lead to a disadvantageous battle.
Moreover, the truth that attackers had an advantage over defenders in terms of security was unchanging.
In that case, it was better to take the risk and scout outside, according to Edel.
The Administrator, on the other hand, was skeptical of Edel’s opinion.
They understood the importance of information, of course.
But there was no guarantee that taking risks would yield valuable information, nor that the information gained would be worthwhile.
The effort and risks involved were massive, while the outcome remained uncertain, making the adventure a poor choice.
There was also the possibility that doing so could expose their own information.
Therefore, the Administrator’s stance was that it was better to fortify defenses during that time.
To the extent that even a sudden assault wouldn’t shake them.
Both had valid points, and though they understood each other, neither could easily yield their position.
Yet Edel was always the first to back down.
Even if they seemed equal at first glance, Edel was the one in a more desperate position, the one comparatively subordinate.
“Sigh…”
And so, Edel soothed her stifled emotions with a sigh once again.
The reason why their differences of opinion stood out so starkly this time, compared to their usual amicable compromises and agreements—
Edel had a vague idea of what it was.
“The difference between having experienced it and not having experienced it.”
The Administrator had heard Edel’s accounts and witnessed the horrors Silia endured, but they hadn’t observed everything from beginning to end.
Thus, their sense of urgency couldn’t match Edel’s.
That said, it couldn’t be called complacency, as the Administrator was sufficiently cautious for someone who hadn’t experienced it firsthand.
“For now, let’s hope it’s nothing.”
Edel didn’t expect the creatures to give up just because they couldn’t break through.
She could only hope to minimize the damage when they eventually attacked.
“And we need time as much as they do.”
The silence of the Dimensional Creatures wasn’t entirely a bad thing.
Edel’s blade wasn’t yet sharp enough to pierce their hides and strike their hearts.
It needed to grow sharper, stronger…
And when it finally reached divine heights—
“Then…”
She could finally reclaim what had been lost.
***
“We’ve arrived in Jeju Island…”
Thud!
“…at last!”
At the airport’s exit doors.
As soon as she stepped outside, Da-eun skipped forward and exclaimed brightly.
Her voice, louder than expected, drew plenty of attention from those around her.
But it was fine.
“Let’s pretend we don’t know her.”
“Okay.”
Yuki and I had already anticipated this and kept a good distance away.
Nodding at Yuki’s words, I turned away.
“Wait!”
Just as we were about to search for another exit, Da-eun hurriedly ran over and blocked our path.
“Isn’t it too much to ignore me…!”
“You’re the one being too much.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Nods.
“I don’t want to look like I’m part of a group with someone yelling in front of the airport, so keep your distance.”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Nods.
“…Since when did you two get along so well?”
As I kept nodding in agreement with Yuki, Da-eun puffed out her cheeks.
“No way! Kana is my little sister…! I’ll never give her up!”
“Kana is my little sister too, though?”
“I’m not talking about age! Kana and I are bound by an indescribable, deep connection, not just something as trivial as numbers!”
“…Is that so?”
This was news to me.
“Kana looks like she doesn’t know about it.”
“It’s fine if she doesn’t know. The red thread of destiny connecting Kana and me won’t break just because she’s unaware of it.”
Da-eun said as she raised her pinky finger.
I inadvertently followed her motion, shifting my gaze to her pinky finger, and couldn’t suppress my bewilderment.
“When did you even prepare that?”
“Ha, preparation is my middle name! Shin Da-eun, at your service!”
Da-eun smirked.
When she wiggled her pinky, the thin red thread tied to her finger swayed along.
Was this a result of her anticipating this conversation, leading it to this point, or simply taking the opportunity to reveal it?
Either way, it was impressive in multiple ways.
“Have you done this kind of reaction in every place we’ve traveled to?”
“No? Why would I?”
“?”
Maybe Da-eun’s real job wasn’t being a streamer but a hook collector.
If you tallied all the hooks Da-eun had gathered, it would easily exceed tens of thousands.
And what would she do with all those hooks?
Hmm…
“Maybe trade them for candy?”
“She’d probably sell them at a scrapyard before that. Kana, how do you even know about trading scrap for candy? That’s such an old story.”
“I read it in a textbook.”
“A textbook…?”
Since I gained knowledge from it, in a broad sense, the internet could also be considered a textbook, couldn’t it?
Or not.
“Hearing about candy makes me want some now. Come to think of it, Kana, you’ve never had it before, right? It’s a totally different taste from chocolate. Store-bought candy is one thing, but freshly made candy is really delicious…”
Da-eun started rambling.
Normally, I’d let it go in one ear and out the other.
Unfortunately, the attention drawn by Da-eun’s earlier antics hadn’t fully dissipated.
“…”
“…”
Nods.
Yuki and I looked at each other and simultaneously nodded as if we had rehearsed it.
We quietly walked away, leaving Da-eun in her own world.
We didn’t exchange a single word, but our actions were perfectly synchronized as if pre-arranged.
“…Why do you keep running away?! I didn’t even do anything embarrassing this time!”
“So you’re aware you’ve done embarrassing things before.”
“Isn’t it worse that you did something embarrassing despite being aware of it?”
“Hmm…”
Fair point.
Yuki, despite being a bit off-kilter in a different way than Da-eun, occasionally showed surprising common sense.
Sometimes, she even seemed more reasonable than Da-eun.
“And it wasn’t even embarrassing! Back in the day, travel show hosts used to do this all the time!”
“But you’re not a host, and we’re not filming a travel show, are we?”
“…That’s true! But still, there’s something nostalgic about it…”
“I don’t really get it.”
“Me neither.”
Nostalgia only works when it’s relatable.
“Kana not understanding is one thing, but even Yuki doesn’t get it?”
When Da-eun asked Yuki, she quietly shook her head.
Still unable to believe it, Da-eun kept asking, her expression eventually turning blank in despair.
“Is this the loneliness time travelers feel…? Ah, so lonely.”
“Maybe you’re just into niche things?”
“No way! It was a super popular show! Well, okay, maybe it was a bit outdated by our time…”
“We’re the same age, right?”
“-So.”
Sensing that they might start bickering if left alone, I intervened between the two.
“What’s the plan now?”
I had initiated the trip, but Da-eun was the one who bought the tickets and arranged the itinerary.
So I asked her about the plan, but—
“I have no idea.”
Da-eun shrugged as she answered.
“…Huh?”
I blinked, completely unprepared for her response.
A gust of wind swept between us.
It was truly a smooth start to the trip.
—
Read More at – GENZNOVEL.COM!!
PLEASE JOIN OUR DISCORD AND SUBSCRIBE THE ROLE TO RECEIVE LATEST NOTIFICATIONS!!
Click here -> https://discord.gg/S8c2kGVr2g
Comment