Chapter 57

After leaving the café, Erica, with her tail labeled as “Chowon,” headed towards a crosswalk. It was also the place where Erica had almost been involved in a traffic accident and where she had first met Iska.

By the side of the white-haired girl stood people dressed in black, waiting for the signal to change. However, unlike the others, the girl wasn’t waiting for the signal but for a certain woman to arrive at this place, even though she hadn’t been given her proper destination.

Still.

‘She’ll probably figure it out.’

They had bought and eaten ice cream together, and they had even been kidnapped together. Therefore, suggesting to meet “there” would naturally bring to mind the place where they first met.

However, even if the other party tried to come to this location, Erica — who had nothing else to do — could only gaze at the spot where she had nearly been involved in an accident.

The system, an irresistible force that had almost pushed her forward. Or at least, Erica wasn’t certain whether that was accurate.

Had it truly been an irresistible force, or had she simply not resisted?

The resemblance between her current favorability system and her situation was uncanny.

Just as she couldn’t tell whether her liking someone had caused her favorability to go up, or if it was the other way around.

Likewise, she wouldn’t know whether the force that almost pushed her forward was something she had been unable to resist, or simply didn’t resist.

Even to an onlooker unaware of the situation, Erica’s continued staring at a place where cars passed by without incident appeared unsettling.

It seemed so insubstantial, as if a mirage, making one feel that reaching out a hand might cause it to vanish.

People at the crosswalk had changed several times, yet she remained here without crossing, which made her appear even more unsettling.

When Inna could no longer endure her unease and was about to step forward, a woman from behind tightly embraced Erica, as if preventing her from running into the road.

“Same look in your eyes as that time.”

“You can’t see my eyes from that angle.”

Though Erica realized that the person she was waiting for had finally arrived, her expression remained unchanged. Whatever matter she had wanted to convey to Iska, the joy of her arrival was quickly overlooked.

She had originally believed that the other would definitely come. After all, she had stayed by Kim Ha-neul’s side for two weeks, so if she were summoned, coming would be natural.

“That’s just words. Words… Why did you have Kim Ha-neul call me? You and Kim Ha-neul aren’t that close, right? If it was important enough for you to call me through her, then it must be significant, no?”

Though it was because she disliked Kim Ha-neul meddlesome interference with the people around her, the girl, recognizing this shouldn’t be addressed with Kim Ha-neul’s family, chose not to offer an apology on that point.

“It’s somewhat important, but first, let’s make a quick escape. The people following me are here.”

Instead, the purpose she verbalized was related to their immediate task. She didn’t want others to hear what she would say. Additionally, this was a good opportunity to distance herself from Iska’s embrace.

But Iska didn’t release her. As the signal changed back to green, allowing people to walk, and as Inna’s group approached behind them,

Iska casually dropped a line.

“You were curious about my ability, right?”

Thud.

Erica perceived a sound, as if a droplet fell, or rain began to pour. However, the next sound indicated that her initial impression had been incorrect.

Thump.

A sound akin to the movement of a clock’s hands or a slight tap. Despite its subtlety, it drowned out the roar of car engines.

“On this occasion, letting you in on it won’t be such a bad idea. My ability is simple: the ability to return to a memorized location.”

—LOAD.

The moment the name of the ability Iska had never shown even to the school’s queen escaped her lips, the two vanished from the vision of everyone present, as if they had never been there in the first place.

“…Did she go with a teleporter? Oh, never seen a teleporter before.”

Kim Ha-neul’s childhood friend interpreted the ability of the person beside Erica as teleportation, whereas Inna, who was favored by the world, felt something different about their movement.

It was as if, for a moment, time had flowed backward for them, a flow entirely alien to the world’s natural rhythm. Was it that the discomfort she felt when the former queen had transferred as a new student here resurfaced briefly, then vanished?

Inna briefly looked at that former queen, who had returned as a transfer student, then turned away.

After all, the reason she had followed Erica was to ensure she didn’t hate others, even while keeping tabs on her activities.

“Why is she suddenly like that?”

In other words, with Erica’s disappearance, there was no longer a reason to continue tagging along. Only Kim Da-seul spoke out loud, bewildered, as everyone quickly turned their backs and left without a word.

As for Laoha, busy with her phone, and Inna glancing back at the new student one last time, each dispersed to their respective destinations — there was no longer any reason to continue following.

“What? Where is everyone going?”

The girl whose aim was to interview everyone was bewildered when everyone scattered in different directions. Ultimately, deciding it was best to go home instead of following anyone, she headed off — after all, she still had school the next day.

Just as their meeting had been abrupt, so was their parting unilaterally decided. The boy named Kim Ha-neul, watching from atop a building, only disappeared after everyone had truly gone.

*

The park where her ice cream was stolen was memorable. It was also the place where she hadn’t anticipated being kidnapped but was.

Thus, upon seeing an ice cream truck where someone had been overcharged, Erica instantly knew where she had been transported.

“Space manipulation type?”

Despite bearing no apparent connection to the chain techniques used previously, if the ability somehow transported her to a destination, it explained why the queen’s ankle had been wrapped in a chain without visible motion.

While Erica contemplated the events of yesterday, the woman smirked awkwardly.

“Depends on how you look at it… I suppose. It’s about recalling the spatial records I’ve saved and moving to that location.”

It’s a slightly complex ability but allows instantaneous relocation to a designated saved location?

While Erica couldn’t fully grasp the ambiguous explanation, she nodded in affirmation, as it wasn’t necessary to pry into the mechanism, given they weren’t adversaries and she wouldn’t win in a fight.

Even if she did ask, there was no guarantee the woman would tell the truth. However, the woman’s curiosity was piqued.

“Are you not curious? There are things I haven’t told you, parts deliberately left out, and you’re okay with that?”

“Because on my side, I have a favor to ask, and it’s not right to pry into what others choose to withhold.”

“You…?”

What exactly did you hear from Kim Ha-neul to make you say that?

In a moment of anger towards that boy who was not here but seemed to have said terrible things about her, Erica suppressed it as she was in the presence of his sister.

Though sometimes she acted boldly and brazenly.

“Are you busy next week?”

“Why next week all of a sudden?”

She had her own request.

Puzzled by Erica’s inquiries, the woman tried to peer into her face, realizing there was nothing to be read there.

Given Erica’s incredible poker face, and understanding that any show of intense emotion wouldn’t reveal what she intended to discuss, what was sure was that there was something important coming.

As the woman’s tone turned a little serious, Erica finally revealed the reason she had sought this encounter through Kim Ha-neul.

“Can you come along with us on our school trip next week? If you do, I can fully cover the costs.”

She had intended to preserve the money originally saved by her, yet having this woman join might ensure safety in case of unforeseen events.

“Is there some kind of threat comparable to an old queen you think might emerge during the school trip? That’s why you’re insisting on bringing me, despite the offer of money?”

“Exactly.”

Erica happily nodded at the woman’s precise summary.

Initially oblivious, the realization that this space manipulation ability could simplify resolving any incidents that might arise made her even more content. After all, she could simply transport the police.

“Even if it’s in Busan, considering the school isn’t contributing financially, and you’re offering to cover all the costs, can you actually afford it?”

“It’s… manageable.”

Before Erica could assure the woman of her savings, she shook her head.

“Never mind. Considering how you’ve amassed your money, I can’t take it from you.”

“You ate ice cream using my money.”

“Should I pay you back?”

“No.”

After a brief exchange of meaningless chatter, the woman, whom Erica considered Kim Ha-neul’s sister, bent down to meet her eye level and said,

“I don’t know how you know there’ll be trouble during this trip, but be careful. What you’ll face isn’t something a normal student can handle.”

As if implying she herself wasn’t an ordinary student, Iska remarked.

At her words, Erica thought of an older sister.

“Are you affiliated with the association?”

The association that controls ability users.

Were she to be working for them, it could either just be common knowledge Erica had regarding potential threats or information procured via some supernatural user.

“Perhaps once, but who knows now~.”

The association had been on Erica’s mind because her own sister was a member. However, the woman offered a vague response.

“Anyway, whatever appears next week will be dangerous, so better safe than sorry.”

Since she was inviting her for her own safety, what additional precautions were necessary?

Spotting Erica’s doubt, the woman added,

“If attackers show up, others will handle their side. But you should avoid direct encounters.”

Protection.

Erica trusted its efficacy, and thus was surprised to hear this subtle insinuation from Iska about its limitations, yet the woman did not clarify despite recognizing Erica’s puzzled expression.

“This time, it’s on me.”

Instead, she pointed to the ice cream seller from last time.

She had jokingly claimed it was an injustice, yet after being saved by Kang Yu-ri, she owed a debt, not the other way around. Still, refusing the gesture might disappoint her…

“Next time, it’s on me.”

Though it felt like a tit-for-tat favor, this was the best Erica could think of in that moment.

“That’s right.”

Though there was clearly not much age difference, Iska playfully ruffled Erica’s hair, finding it cute.

[I do not like my hair being petted. Favorability has decreased by 1 point. Current favorability with Iska cannot be displayed.]