Chapter 163

“Yes, how about I cook something before I go? Now that I’m back, there’s no need for me to stay elsewhere, so I’ll prepare food for us until tomorrow morning.”

As Erica listened to the voice that had softened again, she closed and then reopened her eyes. The momentary flash of wisdom in her eyes had faded, returning to their usual state.

Erica isn’t entirely ruled by her wisdom. Neither has she completely freed herself from mental stress.

The brief respite Erica experienced was all too short, and her ability to reach insightful conclusions within the domain of wisdom was equally fleeting.

The girl who stepped down from that realm could no longer demonstrate such extraordinary confidence or the ability to remain unaffected by others or situations—thus:

“Hmm, I don’t think it’s a good idea to sleep at a friend’s house from now on.”

Wary of inciting Inna’s wrath, Erica hesitated and glanced around nervously as she spoke. It was an image far removed from the confident person who had verbally pressured Inna earlier, yet oddly familiar to Inna.

Inna was accustomed to both the Erica who had confronted her just moments ago and the current Erica, who hesitated and checked her every move.

“Yu In-na, what exactly are you doing right now?”

Erica still remembered the chilling gaze of the girl who had rushed to her side in full protective mode, even though Erica hadn’t taken any damage.

“I’ll pretend this never happened. Because you’re my friend. But after today, you won’t get another chance. From now on, you’re no longer my friend.”

Even though Erica had been by her side from the start, Inna had grown closer to others. Erica remembered the sight of another woman, taller in stature, being easily carried out of the classroom by Inna.

“I guess I had no choice since you weren’t around back then, so I decided to stay elsewhere.”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

“So, how long have you been staying elsewhere? And who lives there that you’ve been living with?”

Inna’s voice, which had initially seemed so accommodating, quickly turned menacing. Upon further thought, her first statement wasn’t as casual as it seemed either.

It essentially meant that because Inna hadn’t been around, Erica sought lodging elsewhere, but now that Inna was back, Erica shouldn’t stay away anymore. Erica, unfamiliar with women’s coded language and pitted against Inna, who was a master of it, had no chance of winning.

“It’s a secret.”

There was no point in revealing anything; silence remained the best option. Inna’s gaze momentarily darkened, but she refrained from saying anything, as if recalling something recent.

“Alright, if it’s a secret, then fine. It would’ve worked if it wasn’t for Lee Seo-ra.”

“Yes, that part is definitely not true.”

Even though Erica had distanced herself from Inna, her social skills weren’t sufficient for her to immediately go over to the student council president’s house.

Not for lack of awareness, but social competence. After all, Erica had met the student council president just yesterday.

Inna’s inquiry concerned where and whose house Erica had been residing in; thus, the only falsehood Erica avoided was outright fabrication.

“Then how about we go out for dinner together? Are you free to eat?”

“Wait, let me check with someone.”

Erica wasn’t so cold-hearted as to outright reject a truce meal. Taking out her phone, Erica sent and waited for a text, while Inna quietly sat and waited.

[Me: I think I’ve somewhat made peace with Inna. Can I have dinner and come back later?]

[Reply: Hmm? It doesn’t matter, but… did you go meet her immediately after that? Or did Kim Ha-neul send you over?]

Deliberately sent to Inna’s location…

Erica did consider this but didn’t believe the likelihood was high, as Kim Ha-neul had reasons to pursue Inna.

Just one oddity: in these kinds of romantic visual novels, the protagonist usually knows where the heroines are located.

Otherwise, holidays would simply amount to wasted time without actually meeting any heroines.

Did Kim Ha-neul genuinely lack such a system and simply sent me back home? Or did she send me back even knowing Inna was here?

‘If I could think clearly again like earlier, I might be able to figure it out.’

Her head throbbed. The peculiarly assured speculation from before no longer surfaced.

Though possible to speculate, it remained just that—a guess. Without more information, it would only be a waste of time.

[Me: I have no idea. I didn’t actively seek her out, but I found Inna at my place after Kim Ha-neul sent me home.]

[Reply: That is quite awkward… Yes, I understand you’ll be back late. Still, we must go to school tomorrow, so don’t return too late.]

Upon receiving Han Ye-seul’s permission, Erica slipped her phone back into her pocket. She had anticipated approval.

This woman didn’t obsessively cling to Erica but considered her a friend.

Though a drawback was that by frequently staying apart, she couldn’t complete the tasks entrusted by the other woman, it appeared as though she also didn’t expect this issue to be resolved quickly. Thus, there wasn’t much of a problem.

“Did you ask for how long you’ll stay there before returning to this house?”

Only relevant to others.

As Erica clutched her ears theatrically, she and Inna headed out for dinner. Naturally, their goal was a meat shop where Erica’s acquaintance worked part-time.

The woman could be Erica’s natural rival, but she wasn’t Inna’s due to her ability to handle various situations skillfully.

By reconciling here, Erica aimed to confirm an important fact: Ilia, a highly threatening figure seemingly connected to Erica’s past.

Inna, who had known Erica for a long time, might have insight into this mystery.

*

As Inna entered the meat shop with Erica, upon spotting someone, her expression immediately hardened. The blue-haired part-time worker who caught Inna’s gaze responded with a cheerful smile.

“Long time no see. I never expected you to come with her. Are you skilled at gaslighting, or does she just forgive people too easily?”

“…Why are you here? Come on, let’s leave.”

Grabbing Erica’s hand, Inna turned and walked away. Despite being quite hungry, Erica didn’t voice her discontent and followed without resistance.

While the worker had pretended not to recognize her when with the student council president, Inna immediately acknowledged her familiar presence.

This implied that both Erica and Inna had encountered Ilia before the student council president’s involvement—likely under unfavorable circumstances, judging by Inna’s reaction.

By simply stepping aside, Erica would have the opportunity to ask Inna about Ilia’s past actions outside the shop. But…

“Excuse me, I’m stepping out for a bit! Please keep an eye on the store?”

But as if the role of part-time worker was irrelevant from the beginning, the blue-haired woman swiftly shed her apron and followed Erica and Inna outside.

For a supernatural ability user like her, it was no trouble at all. Even if Inna tried to put distance between them because Erica was famished from using so much energy, there was no escaping her.

“Is it a bit too much to run away from someone you just met?”

“…We aren’t on good terms, so I have no intention of conversing amicably.”

As Inna, who had been so courteous just moments before, now bristled at the sight of her opponent, Erica simply observed.

Based on Inna’s reaction, they seemed adversarial, yet the other party acted surprisingly amicable.

Could there be something more significant than just a grudge? System messages weren’t always reliable. Erica then intervened, standing between them and spoke.

“Previously, you said you knew me. I have no interest in knowing how we’re acquainted, so if you don’t want to cut ties, go back and focus on your work.”

“Hmm~. From before until now, it seems you haven’t come here to see me?”

“That’s right. Moreover, if this side clearly dislikes you, I wouldn’t have intended to meet you at all. Go back. Unless you don’t want me to see you return there.”

Erica’s tense body posture signaled readiness for conflict, so the part-time worker raised both hands in jest and chuckled.

“Alright, alright. Your arrival with familiar faces made me a little overexcited. I’ll go now.”

As the woman seemed to turn and head back into the shop, she glanced back toward them and threw out one last question:

“But, do you know what that person did to you?”

“I have a rough idea.”

“Ah, you already knew that, huh? Well, see you next time then.”

Waving goodbye to those behind her, the woman reentered the store. Watching her retreat, Inna immediately turned to Erica.

“So, you’ve been meeting up with her?”

“We’ve met. Sort of. Just dropped by a few times because the place is tasty.”

“If you ask me to grill meat, I’ll do it for you. But don’t come back here again.”

Seeing the earnest grip from the woman, Erica, who had originally intended to ask her a question, simply nodded instead.

Would refraining from visiting this meat shop ensure she wouldn’t meet that woman again? It was questionable.

However, given the newly-restored peace with Inna, throwing conflict her way by refusing this request would seem counterproductive, so Erica reluctantly complied.

For now.