Chapter 365

〈 Chapter 365 〉 Part 1, Chapter 15, Section 23

August 16th.

The day after Demado began to drift away.

I was enjoying some rare rest in my room in Seoul.

[Cheongnyeon. Please answer your phone. How can you ignore us after spilling the secrets of human birth?]

[Vacation mode on.]

Ignore.

[Customer? Is there a problem with the strawberry buffet? Not enough strawberries or something?]

[Quit the business.]

Advice.

[Sex.]

“What is this?”

I hung up without looking. While anonymity is guaranteed in the Black Market, occasionally creeps like this pop up.

“Still peaceful today.”

Though the world isn’t calm and remains tense as ever, I felt as refreshed as having an aching tooth finally pulled after eliminating Nuclearian.

“So what now?”

After yesterday’s strawberry shock, I haven’t been able to eat properly. Spirits don’t necessarily need food, but I could still enjoy flavors. Now it feels like I need to cleanse my palate of strawberries.

“Hmph…still tastes like strawberries…”

Even after purging my mouth and stomach with Blazing Phoenix flames, the strawberry scent lingers throughout my body. I need something else to wash it off.

“Should I have some coffee?”

I need something to cleanse my palate. There’s a coffee maker that Yuhwa bought for me in the room, but Cheon Gaeul uses it the most besides me.

“Got tired of drinking too much coffee in the original story.”

“Still, should I go out for a palate cleanser?”

I called my regular café using Magical Gear. Though it’s not yet business hours, the owner knows my number well. If he’s not too busy, he usually answers-

[Owner here! Busy busy~!]

Click. Click. Click.

“…?”

I stared blankly at the Magical Gear, trying to recall where I’d heard that voice and tone before.

“What the hell?”

BANG!

I leaped out of my room. Despite the reinforced glass, I jumped down at full strength and sprinted all the way to the café, landing right in front of its door.

“…”

A green-haired cat-eared maid was switching the sign to “Open.” Seeing her made my heart sink and anger boil simultaneously.

“Who are you?”

“…My name is Kim Penril!”

Penril perked her ears and flashed a V-sign with her fingers.

“I’m working part-time here~!”

“This is insane.”

Who would’ve thought to find you here? I kicked Penril into the café with a sweep of my foot.

CRASH!

The doorframe shattered as Penril spun through the air, landing perfectly on a table with cat-like agility. The commotion brought Huan, the owner, rushing out from the kitchen in alarm.

“W-What is it?!”

“Meow~! A customer is harassing the staff! Please call the police~!”

“Customer?”

I pointed at myself with my finger.

“This is my building.”

“…”

Penril shrunk back, curling her tail.

“…Best owner ever, worst landlord ever~.”

“Hey.”

I didn’t bother sealing her with a Barrier – she wasn’t trying to escape anyway.

“Can I see this employee’s contract for a moment?”

“Well, that might be problematic…”

While demanding an employee’s private information from the landlord constitutes business interference, since I don’t collect any rent, Huan couldn’t help but side with me.

“Is that okay…?”

However, Huan also glanced nervously at Penril, who seemed completely unfazed.

“Sure, go ahead~!”

Penril didn’t seem to care at all. Huan sent over the contract file, which I reviewed through the Magical Gear.

And…

As expected.

“Hey, Penril.”

“What is it~?”

“Do you really think it makes sense to only work until three days before the end of the world?”

Penril’s contract period ended on December 22nd, 2025 – the day Seongju promised to definitely return to Earth. The so-called End of the World Day. Penril planned to slack off and enjoy herself until three days before then.

“Hehe, isn’t three days enough to destroy the world~? So…”

Penril grinned while holding up three fingers.

“Until then, I can totally relax and have fun~!”

“Damn it.”

I had anticipated issues, but not to this extent. My vision blurred momentarily.

***

The discussion about the protagonist’s attributes became a major global topic.

What kind of heroine is Blazing Phoenix?

I’ve completed my personal route once and understand her character well, given that I’m currently borrowing her body. But before entering the Phoenix route, I had no idea either.

So whenever there were company customer service events or promotional activities, people always asked: Could you tell us about Blazing Phoenix’s personality?

“If the executives were doing group projects, it would feel like this.”

At one event, a GM started explaining with this analogy.

“Imagine Seongju as the professor assigning world domination as a group project, and the executives as the students receiving the assignment. Not sure if this analogy works, but ahaha.”

Naturally, people got annoyed. Knowing how Seongju brainwashed the spirits, gamers were furious at the GM’s dark humor in calling world domination a “group project.”

But even this information was appreciated. We were curious about how the company viewed the spirits’ images, and I wanted to know more about Blazing Phoenix too, so I tuned into the live stream.

“First, Seok Harang… As an executive, he’s the type who goes all out. He faithfully performs his assigned role and understands others’ parts to some extent. So if anything is missed, Rusalka will fill in the gaps. She doesn’t like presenting but gathers tons of materials.”

That seemed accurate. Seok Harang works hard on his position while caring for others when he has spare time.

“Next is Penril. Penril is the type who does everything at the last minute. Like someone who finishes all their summer homework in one go. She follows her own standards and enjoys life up to the last possible moment. Then pulls all-nighters to finish assignments at the deadline.”

“Then Hydra. Hydra strictly handles only her assigned part. Just like in the original story, she says ‘You guys figure out the rest!’ Focuses only on her one part, refuses to be team leader, and aims for average performance.”

“Karna is incredibly talented but forgets about the group project because she’s out playing around. So unless someone finds her directly, Karna often ends up freeloading. However, if caught slacking off and motivated properly, Karna will perform three to four times better than others.”

“Azidahaka is the queen bee. She gets others to do the work by asking older students or flattery, while not putting in much effort herself.”

“Huan ignores the lectures entirely.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. Everyone knew the six spirits’ personalities as executives, and now they were curious about the mysterious Blazing Phoenix’s style.

The GM shouted to the audience:

“So our new DLC features the ‘Campus Look’ skins based on the theme: What if these water spirits were college students? Purchase each spirit’s package to obtain all four seasonal looks…”

Everyone angrily protested. And as each look was revealed…

Mmm…

Everyone opened their wallets wide.

Damn.

Calling it “campus look” while designing sexy college girlfriend outfits was rather underhanded.

“After purchasing the full package within one month of release, you’ll receive a 22% discount along with a free university look for Blazing Phoenix!”

Damn bastards.

***

Thus…

I conducted a “reinterview” with my part-time worker on a table with Mint Chocolate cake and Strawberry Cream Cake.

“Until three days before the end of the world.”

Her statement essentially meant Penril believed she could conquer Earth within three days and present it to Seongju.

Even though I, Blazing Phoenix, betrayed her…

“Are you confident?”

“Of course~.”

Despite being a wind attribute, Penril remained relaxed. I couldn’t determine the source of her confidence.

Watching her leisurely eat the Mint Chocolate cake with a fork made me uncertain whether her calmness was genuine or just bravado.

“I can defeat you at full strength.”

I have the advantage in elemental affinity and superior technical skills. In personal combat, Penril specializes in assassination, while I excel in both 1v1 and 1vmany battles.

This was confirmed when she was trapped in triple barriers at the Caspian Sea. Penril is weaker than me.

But…

“Why didn’t I know?”

No matter how skilled Penril is at hiding her presence, she shouldn’t be able to evade my wide-area scans. As an executive, she should have been even easier for me to detect.

“Give me your hand.”

“No way~ That’s sexual harassment~.”

“Don’t say nonsense.”

“You’re the one talking nonsense. You’d just try to plant flames inside me if we touched, wouldn’t you~.”

“Tch.”

She appears carefree and lazy but has sharp instincts. Her sharp senses might make her optimally suited for slacking off. Knowing Seongju won’t arrive on Earth until the end date, she quickly figured it out and started slacking immediately.

For the past 20 years, using ridiculous aliases like the British Royal Tomb or whatever.

“What brings you to Seoul? Not just for part-time work, right?”

“Other executives sent me to destroy Seoul~.”

“Wow, you’re really reckless. Do you have this much confidence with me right here?”

“Want to test it out right now~?”

Penril used her fork, already licked clean once, to stab into my strawberry cream cake. An obvious provocation.

“Hmm. Sorry, I’ll pass.”

I deflected her fork with mine.

“This is my building. If you cause trouble, Seoul collapsing is guaranteed.”

Penril will definitely transform into her true form. Then I’d have to use my full power, destroying Seoul even worse than Pyongyang during the Nuclearian raid.

“For now, let her play around undisturbed.”

We’re safe until December 22nd, 2025. Penril perked her ears and swung her fork again.

KA-ANG!

Our magic-enhanced forks clashed. Penril tried to steal the strawberry atop my cream cake, and I defended it by deflecting her fork.

KAANG, KAANG–!!

A battle of pride unfolded on the table. With each rapid strike from Penril, my strawberry cream cake gradually diminished.

“Hmph, no matter how fast you are, you can’t match me~.”

“Then how about this?”

I forcefully swung my fork horizontally, knocking hers away. Both our forks left the table simultaneously, and we reached for the cake at the same time.

“Too slow~!”

As Penril claimed, her fork reached faster than mine. She cut off about a third of my strawberry cream cake.

“Hmph, my victory-”

“My victory.”

Holding the fork in reverse, I stabbed straight down through the center of the cake. Penril’s expression froze as I lifted a piece of mint chocolate cake and opened my mouth wide.

Gulp.

“Wha….”

Penril stared at me in disbelief, her tail perking up despite her glare. Clearly, she hadn’t expected me to eat mint chocolate cake.

“Weren’t you supposed to dislike mint chocolate~?”

“I don’t dislike it.”

I don’t dislike it. It’s just that due to someone, I’ve had too much and got tired of it.

“But why did you set it on fire~?”

“Oh, that? To find you.”

“……Ah-ha!”

Penril vigorously nodded.

“That method is indeed the best way to annoy me. Even now.”

“Isn’t it?”

“And I’m certain. You’re not Na.”

Penril pointed the strawberry on her fork at me.

“If you were, you would’ve died to protect your strawberry instead of giving up your own share to tease me~.”

“You know me well.”

“So who exactly are you~?”

“Me?”

I licked the remaining mint chocolate cake off my fork, then pointed the cleaned fork at Penril.

“The spirit landlord of this café building.”

“…”

Part-time worker Kim Penril curled her tail.