Chapter : The Unexpected Encounter
“Well then, I’ll be off, Bichisehee.”
“Good work.”
As the usual cliché greetings were exchanged, the frail one zoomed into the air like a rocket.
While gazing at the vibrant sky and city view reflected in the hallway window, I often felt the urge to jump freely into that vast expanse.
How refreshing that breeze up there must be! And looking down below, my chest felt like it would burst open. Just thinking about it sent a thrill down my spine.
But such excitement would only remain a mere fantasy in my heart.
I couldn’t escape, and even if I tried, there was no other refuge for my pitiful self.
I came to this Earth as a mascot and partner for Dayoung, but every time I went out, I was stuffed away in a bag.
At first, I was all “Ooh, mysterious Earth life!” and thrilled, but it didn’t take long to realize.
This place was a nerd’s world where supernatural abilities didn’t exist.
On the first night spent on Earth, I was heart-thumping with excitement. Yet over the days, as it turned to a month, I was hit with boredom and frustration.
In the realm of nerds, beings like me simply didn’t exist.
So, I couldn’t casually go outside or socialize with others.
Unlike a world where supernatural abilities blended into daily life with no restrictions, this place felt like a prison without bars.
Even managing a computer turned into a monotonous cycle of dull mouse clicks, and my heart began to parch like a desert, cracking open.
What little freedom I had to roam the house ended when Dayoung’s mother came home from the hospital.
Now I had to hide from my family, and living as a lodger in someone else’s house while constantly being bullied by the glass guy felt like a helpless situation.
Little by little… but surely… my space was shrinking.
Still… not much time left.
I figured out who that villain Bichisehee mentioned was, and what she thought was content likely referred to it.
No, it was common knowledge among all heroes; it’d be foolish not to know.
The name is…
‘National Heroic Outing.’
Of course, a Demon King wouldn’t just descend quietly like finishing a ritual in some rural corner.
What I pinpointed as important was that when the hero’s identity was revealed, my range of movement would expand accordingly.
With a Superhuman Hero and the Demon King as the world’s enemy, even a winged frog would seem like a cute addition.
“Heh, as expected from attention seekers, they’re already biting the bait; things are getting crazy. That lotus guy is making it all breezy.”
I didn’t know where this chaos was coming from, but I could only express my sincere gratitude that wouldn’t be delivered.
It felt like a blessing was bestowed upon me who was about to waste away just playacting as a doll.
Whether I could save the lotus guy was uncertain, but the future of schooling that troublemaker was a sure thing.
The repertoire of defeating the enemy, the Demon King from this world, and saving the world.
Could there be a more tasty material for a hero’s debut?
I looked at my reflection in the window glass.
With the bright sky behind me, my reflection was no longer a distorted frog with the “freedom of thought.”
It looked like the hero from the past, pure-hearted and righteous, shining bright, speaking to me.
‘Ready, Bbae?’
Ah…
“Not much time left, Bbae.”
Both of us cheered each other on as Bbae headed back to the glass guy’s room.
Though I’d probably face some bullying and oppression again.
But thinking of the future where I could enjoy freedom, I could endure it without hesitation…
My wings fluttered steadily, unaffected by the slight tremor of trivial fears.
* * *
With a long yawn and my mind still foggy, A-jin stretched with all her might.
“Here we go!”
Having watched the edited version until the early hours, the late sleep didn’t feel refreshing at all.
She entrusted all her tasks to her clone, but the final confirmation had to be done by A-jin herself.
No matter how identical her clone was, it wasn’t perfect; sometimes errors might arise from somewhere.
If that error popped up as an issue during her sister’s broadcast, there wouldn’t be a more shameful outcome.
A trivial mistake was embarrassing enough; if it escalated into a major problem, it would be something she, as her sister’s editor, couldn’t tolerate.
So, no matter how much she drifted into a life of leisure, this work remained her last stronghold, which she never let anyone take over.
As A-jin grabbed her phone to check the time, her eyes squinted slightly.
There was still some sleep left as she rubbed her dry eyes and looked.
It was just past 2 PM. Next to it was a familiar notification message.
After checking the content, A-jin’s eyes shot wide open.
“Already here?”
It was a home-cooked meal delivery from her mom. Since she was living alone, her mom sent food, telling her to take care of herself.
A message from the delivery person clearly stated it had arrived a few hours ago and was left at the building’s door.
Bouncing out of bed, A-jin hurriedly got ready. She already knew this would arrive as she had contacted them a few days ago.
Usually, before delivery, they’d message, but she must have missed it while engrossed in editing and fell asleep.
Ah, is this the life of a busy working adult, tangled in their routine?
Some inexplicable pride surged as her nose rose high in the air.
As A-jin stepped out of the building, she spotted the box placed where it always gets delivered.
Just as she was about to quickly grab it to take upstairs before the food spoiled, something unusual caught her eye.
She saw a middle-aged man hesitating in front of the hero house.
“Who’s that?”
He was gazing anxiously at this building, clearly looking for something.
Could it be…?
“Is he in urgent need of a bathroom?”
She set the box down and dashed over.
“Hey mister! No peeing here!”
The thoughts that couldn’t come out of her mouth churned in her heart every time she ran.
* * *
“Is this the place?”
Indeed, what a grand house.
Seeing a place like this, it didn’t seem like a risky meeting for something like human trafficking.
No, it was still too early to let my guard down.
To center himself, a neatly dressed man in his mid-forties splashed water on his face.
He kept fiddling with the collar of his shirt, feeling the discomfort of his suit.
As he built his shop and worked his way up to now, had he ever been this tense?
Probably. But at least right now, nothing vivid came to mind.
That’s how excessive tension had his heart pounding furiously at the moment.
He took out his phone with trembling hands.
Opening the messaging app, he revisited the conversation he had with a friend recently.
He didn’t know if the content was true or just a dream, and he had read it over and over again.
*Swallow.*
Holding his breath, he listened carefully while swallowing the saliva pooling in his mouth, the sound echoing loudly like thunder.
He replayed the video sent by his friend on the screen once more.
Women appeared in the video.
Had they come out for outdoor camping?
Chatting and laughing joyfully, they were eating tasty food from a stylish camping car.
All pretty, stylish, or cute girls gathered together.
And among them was that one unforgettable girl for him.
The screen changed to show gameplay footage of the virtual reality game that the current generation was crazy about.
The girl’s figure, with a massive bag on her back, exhibited no sign of struggle.
Instead, she walked lightly, enjoying an adventure alongside her companions.
Dodging monsters, collecting items, returning to the hideout to toast while watching the sunset.
“……”
His teeth clenched involuntarily.
Thank goodness they looked bright and happy.
They seemed safe and healthy without any injuries, which was a huge relief.
But the silence until now was quite frustrating.
If she’d been doing well all this time, couldn’t she have at least called?
All the time I spent in agony, feeling like a part of me was ripped away—what does that make me?
The anguish I repeated countless times echoed loudly in my mind.
Ah, the stress was too much; my mind felt hazy.
Dizziness washed over me as blood rushed to my head, causing me to squeeze my eyes shut and shake my head.
Just then…
“Um…”
A gentle, timid voice broke through my daze.
Barely coming to my senses, I opened my eyes to see a young woman in her twenties with pink hair, an extremely bold look, staring at me, sweating profusely.
I hurried to check if this was some bold guy about to pee outside, noticing her concern as she carefully darted her eyes.
I remembered her as one of the companions from the video I just saw.
“You are one of the people from the video.”
“Y-yeah?”
A-ting taking a step back.
It was already a risky boundary of a protective barrier, and seeing such a terrifying stare from the man made her inch backward.
Toward A-ting, he stepped closer and closer, his fiery gaze locked onto her.
“I… I’m the one who’ll become Glass’s dad.”
“……!”
With that unexpected shocking declaration, A-ting was at a loss for words, and her response was downright embarrassing.
“Y-You’re the… dad?”
