Chapter 261 - Heart Of Silver

"The weather's already getting a bit chilly..."

After the scorching summer had passed, as autumn was gradually setting in.

All of us Ego-stream members were busy working as usual.

Our main activities were ability enhancement training and sparring.

"...Seriously, are we heroes? Why do we have to go through all this trouble to protect the country..."

Of course, there were some complainers like our Seo Ja-young.

Sitting perched on a tree like she was lying on it, floating purple will-o'-wisps in the air while speaking in a languid voice.

"Tsk tsk. Even villains need land to terrorize. It's all part of terrorism, all part of it."

"...Heh. Isn't it because of Stardust?"

"...Huh?"

She smiled with narrowed eyes and suddenly delivered that pointed remark.

Just as I was about to defend myself, feeling confused... no, dumbfounded.

From the other side, Choi Se-hee walked over wiping her sweat.

"What's going on? Is Seo Ja-young whining again?"

"...I wasn't whining, I was raising a reasonable question..."

Before Seo Ja-young could finish, Choi Se-hee grinned and said:

"Still. Hey, wouldn't it be fun if monsters poured onto Earth and we swept them all away? Imagine, creatures getting fried by lightning with just a wave of the hand..."

As she spoke excitedly with one hand raised, yellow electricity crackled in Choi Se-hee's hand without her even realizing it.

"...Actually, that does sound kind of fun."

Only then did she show some interest, lazily stretching.

And then Choi Se-hee, with lightning flashing, climbed up the tree, grabbed her hood and pulled her up.

"So stop being stingy and let's go."

"Uggghhhh..."

"Da-in, I'm taking her back?"

"Yeah. Please take her away quickly..."

And so Seo Ja-young, who had escaped from the training ground, was caught and dragged away by Choi Se-hee.

Now the Moonlight Cult's doomsday scenario wasn't far off.

Just as we had crushed Han Group, Seo-eun's enemy, it was time to crush the Moonlight Cult, Eun-wol's enemy. That's why all our Ego-stream members were preparing thoroughly.

Among them, the most dedicated was Seo-eun, who had already built a weapon of destruction after researching mechanical engineering to the extreme, determined to catch Stardust.

"Seo-eun, what were you doing?"

"Oppa!"

She called out to me as she descended from the control cockpit in the head of a pure white humanoid robot, her white bob hair fluttering.

After landing on the ground, she ran toward me.

"How do I look? Training even on my birthday!"

"Impressive, very impressive."

"Ehehe..."

When I naturally patted her head, she looked up with a smile, then suddenly jumped back with a "Hot-" sound.

"Hmm, hmm. I'll let it slide just this once. With an adult mindset. Since I'm an adult now!"

Our Seo-eun spoke proudly.

Yes. Now that her birthday had passed, Seo-eun had officially become a legal adult.

...When we first met, she was just a kid. Now that little one is already an adult. It felt somewhat moving. I felt proud and had mixed emotions.

...In this world, Seo-eun was the first person I formed a bond with.

"Right. Seo-eun, if you're about done, let's go eat. You're today's main character."

Even though we've been busy lately, it's Seo-eun's first birthday as an adult that she's been looking forward to. Of course we should have a lively dinner celebration. I helped with the cooking alongside Su-bin. Almost everything was Seo-eun's favorite dishes.

"Yes, oppa. Hehe."

Looking at her smiling brightly at me.

...There was no trace of that wounded child who had met me with a cold expression, hostile and guarded, insisting she was a boy.

I'm always grateful that I decided to seek out Seo-eun back then.

So Seo-eun and I walked across the vast, open research factory, just the two of us.

...The distance isn't that far. Should we just teleport together?

As I was thinking that.

"Oppa."

Suddenly, Seo-eun smiled and spoke to me.

"What?"

When I glanced at her, still smiling but not meeting my eyes as we walked, she opened her mouth.

"Just... now that I'm no longer a minor and I'm an adult, I wanted to tell you something when we're alone like this.

"What is it?"

She smiled at me and said:

"Thank you... for raising me all this time."

"...What did I do? You grew up well on your own."

When I chuckled and said that, Seo-eun responded with an unexpectedly firm expression.

"No. Without you... I would probably be very different from who I am now. Definitely."

Seeing her bitter smile as she said that.

For a moment, I was reminded of the original Seo-eun and couldn't find the words to respond.

Then, as if nothing had happened, Seo-eun returned to her smiling face and looked at me as she continued.

"So, oppa. Thank you. For being with me. For holding onto me until the end even when I kept pushing you away. Without you, the current me probably wouldn't exist."

...Now that she's become an adult, she seemed determined to share what she had kept in her heart all this time.

Seeing her express such sincere feelings to me.

My expression wavered for a moment.

"...."

Looking at Seo-eun, who was facing me directly with transparent eyes.

Memories from the past flashed by.

Lost in old memories for a moment.

...I, without realizing it, perhaps for the first time.

Spoke my true feelings to her.

"...I'm grateful too, Seo-eun."

"What?"

"Actually, before I met you, I was struggling a lot."

I said that while looking at one side of the factory wall.

Yes. Back then, it was tough.

Falling into this world. Not knowing anyone. Getting a useless ability. The world setting was a mess. I felt like giving up on everything.

"But... after meeting you and becoming close, it gave me great strength. Trying to become friends with you... talking together. Through that."

For someone like me, trying to do something, anything.

The first thing I did after pulling myself together was to become friends with Seo-eun.

Starting with Seo-eun, whose difficulty level was almost the highest from the beginning, I got rejected many times and had to think hard.

But because I was so focused on that, I was able to adapt to this world gradually, pushing other thoughts aside.

And as we gradually became closer.

As we opened up to each other more and more, though outwardly she was prickly, she secretly cared for me and gradually approached me. I can't express how much comfort that gave me.

...When I killed a villain in this world for the first time. That is, when I killed a person.

When I was unconsciously shocked and slightly depressed, she quietly approached me, genuinely worried, and comforted me while pretending not to. I can't express how much strength that gave me.

And thanks to Seo-eun, who was always by my side supporting me.

That's why I too could stand here like this.

"I was grateful too."

Hearing my words, Seo-eun smiled and said:

"Then we're in a relationship of mutual gratitude, aren't we?"

"I guess so. Haha."

...It feels a bit embarrassing after saying it.

Suddenly feeling that the little kid Seo-eun had become an adult, I might have been too moved by her sincere words.

As I scratched the back of my neck and was about to suggest we go now.

Seo-eun gently grabbed my sleeve as I was about to walk forward.

"Oppa."

"Yes...?"

After holding me back for a moment, she looked up at me with a bright smile.

...Seo-eun had really grown taller than I thought. Almost reaching my chin.

As I was thinking that.

After a moment of contemplation, she grinned and said to me:

"...Never mind. I was going to tell you as soon as I became an adult... but you might be surprised, so I'll tell you later."

"What is it?"

"It's nothing. Anyway, just remember this."

After saying that, she let go of my arm, stepped back, put her hands behind her back, and leaned her upper body toward me, whispering:

"...No matter what, I'll never give up."

"I'll always be by your side, oppa."

As she said that, brushing her white bob hair back and smiling with her eyes.

She looked much more mature than I remembered.

Without realizing it, I was at a loss for words.

"Well! Let's go now! My birthday feast is waiting upstairs, right?"

After saying that, she stuck out her tongue, made a face, and walked ahead with an excited expression.

"....Haha. Right. Let's hurry. We'll be late."

"Yes!"

Looking at Seo-eun's bright expression, I smiled and followed her.

...Always by my side...

'I wonder if I'll be able to stay by Seo-eun's side until the end.'

I swallowed a bitter smile without realizing it and took a step forward.

To protect her.

Sometimes, disappearing from someone's side might be the only way to protect them.

I'll do my best, but I wonder if I can stay by her side until the very end. With that question in mind.

Thinking about that, I walked home with Seo-eun.

***

After Seo-eun's cake cutting ceremony and her coming-of-age birthday celebration ended.

Thanks to her working twice as hard without sleeping, claiming she was an adult now, the preparation for our plan was gradually being completed.

And before that.

"...."

Now, it was time for a terrorist attack to check Stardust's skills one last time before the catastrophe.

We would continue the attacks even after the catastrophe, but for now.

I moved to carry out what would probably be the last attack of the year.

Meeting him.

Turning on the broadcast.

Let's go.

With that, I stepped outside.

To commit terrorism.

****

"Ms. Stardust!"

"Yes. What is it?"

"A, a giant burning red dragon has appeared in the skies over Seoul!"

"...Another dragon?"

After saying that, she suddenly had a thought and jumped up from her seat.

And at the same time.

Static.

The TV hanging on the wall of her office turned on.

And that familiar, nostalgic voice echoed through the room.

[Hello citizens of the Republic of Korea. This is Egostic!]