Chapter 307 - Just The Two Of Us Tonight

After I was imprisoned.

Time passed incredibly quickly.

Initially, I thought time would drag in this confined prison... well, it's not exactly small and is actually quite spacious, but still, being in an enclosed space should make time crawl. Yet somehow, it was slipping away mercilessly fast.

And the reason for that...

"Hm? What's wrong?"

...Obviously, it was thanks to her by my side.

I found myself smiling unconsciously while watching Stardust sitting beside me, rustling as she worked.

It had already been several days since we ended up in this prison together.

...And during that time, I suddenly realized that the distance between us had narrowed considerably.

Sitting on the sofa with a slight smile, I looked at her typing on her laptop next to me and said:

"...Working next to a villain. Aren't you being too careless, Ms. Stardust?"

I spoke while glancing at her laptop screen.

...Even while here with me, she was diligently working as a hero.

After going out last night to catch a villain following news of a terrorist attack, she was now writing a report about that villain.

In response to my comment,

Stardust chuckled and looked at me with a smile before answering:

"What does it matter? It's not like there's any dangerous information for you to see."

"And besides."

Then, turning her head back to the laptop screen,

She smiled gently and said:

"...With you, I don't mind if you see."

As I watched her return to her work after saying that,

I muttered to myself, "Is that so..." and stared blankly ahead, lost in thought.

...What did she mean by saying it was okay if it was me?

Was I a safe villain who wouldn't do anything dangerous with her secrets? Or was it just meaningless talk to sway my heart? Or perhaps...

"....."

Right, what's the point of thinking about it now?

I shook off my thoughts and absently listened to the sound of her typing beside me.

Click-clack, click-clack.

...In this way,

As we spent nearly a week together doing various things, time passed quickly.

"How is it?"

"...It's delicious. Ms. Stardust, are you good at cooking too?"

"...Flattery won't get you released, you know."

"Haha. You caught me? Still, I'm not lying about it being delicious."

".....Want some more?"

We tried food she cooked.

"...Hey, Egostic. Fans sent this, want to try it since we're bored?"

"Jenga? Wait, where did you even get this?"

"If you don't want to..."

"No, it looks fun. Let's play."

We played board games she somehow acquired from somewhere.

"...Egostic."

"Yes, Ms. Stardust?"

"...From now on, when we're alone, don't call me Stardust. Call me by my real name, Shin Ha-ru. It's weird to use my hero name when it's just the two of us."

"...Um, okay, Ms. Shin Ha-ru. But is it really okay to tell me your real name? Your identity..."

"...You already knew anyway."

"...Haha."

"And now, tell me your name too."

"I'm... Wait, that was a very smooth attempt. ...Haha, just call me Egostic, please."

"Tch..."

We formally introduced ourselves to each other.

Actually, even if I wanted to tell her my name, I couldn't since I had already sold it once at the beach before, even though there's no personal information about me in government records...

"...It's a bit stuffy in here."

"So you don't want to go?"

"No, this is nothing. Let's go."

...And on the condition that we wear handcuffs restricting our abilities, we even went for walks outside this Carceris.

It was then that I realized

This island in the middle of a stormy sea actually had quite a nice view during the day.

There was even a park in the center. It seemed designed for inmates to come out during lunch hours, but since ability users were never allowed out of their cells, there was no one there except us.

So with one end of the handcuffs on my left hand and the other on her right hand, we walked through that park.

Amid the gentle sea breeze, only our voices echoed in the middle of that place.

At some point, I noticed her glancing repeatedly at our handcuffed hands like they were bracelets, so I asked:

"...What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Isn't it a bit cold...?"

Watching her fidget as she spoke,

I answered:

"You're right. My hands are getting numb."

As I said that,

I reached toward her fingers that had been occasionally brushing against mine as we walked.

I took her hand in mine, covering it completely.

"...Warmer now, right?"

"....Yes."

As I watched her nod with a slightly reddened face,

I too turned my head toward the forest, feeling heat rise to my face.

...I think I've figured out her behavior pattern now.

It seems Stardust is using seduction tactics. She appears determined to simply seduce me. I guess her plan is to make me fall for her so I'll surrender and reveal all my secrets.

'But the thing is.'

From the beginning, I already liked her. Everything I've done was for Stardust.

So her strategy had absolutely no effect on me.

...That must be it.

"...This is nice. The scenery."

"...It is."

And so.

I endured the cold sea breeze by holding her warm, soft hand. With that warmth, we quietly walked through the park together.

In this way, we enjoyed our escape within the prison.

...To be honest, it was fun.

After all, who am I? I'm her biggest fan in this world, someone who loves Stardust more than anyone else. How could I not enjoy spending time with her like this?

Of course, there were times when Stardust wasn't around.

"Egostic. There's been a terrorist attack in Seoul, so I need to go."

"Okay. Take care."

Just like now, when a terrorist attack occurred.

Being a hero, she would fly off immediately. Her flying speed is fast enough to reach Seoul from here in an instant anyway.

"...Don't try to escape while I'm gone, okay?"

"I won't run away, so don't worry and go."

Only after I reassured her, as she looked back at me with somewhat anxious eyes, did she finally leave.

Left alone, I wondered what to do when suddenly something dawned on me.

"..."

...Wait, why did I come here in the first place?

The Primordial Anomaly. I came to kill the wish-granter sleeping in the deepest part of this prison. I had almost forgotten while having fun with Stardust.

...Only then did I realize that tomorrow would mark a full week already.

It was time to capture the wish-granter.

"..."

I checked the enchanted recording device hidden in my coat hanging in the closet and sighed.

...It was time to tell Stardust and execute the plan tomorrow.

And.

That also meant the moment to part ways with her was approaching.

***

At that same time.

"...Yes, Ha-ru? What is it?"

"Well... I've been staying in the same room with Egostic, monitoring him. But we're not getting as close as I thought we would..."

In the president's office of Yu-seong Group, Lee Seol-ah was listening to Stardust, who was speaking with a flushed face while fidgeting with her fingers and looking down.

'...I envy you, Ha-ru.'

I'm dying trying to save this mess of a country, while you only need to focus on your love life...

Exhausted from trying to calm nationwide protests that had erupted following Egostic's imprisonment, Lee Seol-ah was listening to Stardust, who had come to consult with her after leaving the prison to suppress a terrorist attack, while consuming caffeine.

Actually, it was also shocking that Ha-ru hadn't made any progress with Egostic yet. How could that be? Well, considering it's Egostic, maybe it's possible.

Anyway, facing her frustrated friend,

Lee Seol-ah, with her tired mind barely functioning, gave her sincere advice:

"Then Ha-ru, try drinking together."

"...Alcohol?"

"Yeah. When alcohol is involved, people's walls come down and they get closer."

"I see..."

As she said this, Lee Seol-ah quietly thought to herself:

'I don't know. If a man and woman drink together alone in a room, something will happen one way or another.'

"Wait a minute, Ha-ru, I'll give you a bottle..."

Lee Seol-ah staggered to the cabinet and pulled out a bottle of wine from deep inside.

"Here. Take this and drink it together. You'll find your answer."

"...Really? Thanks, Seol-ah."

The alcohol that Lee Seol-ah handed to Ha-ru was

A special wine that goes down smoothly and tastes sweet when drinking, but is actually extremely potent, making one drunk instantly.

Watching Shin Ha-ru leave with the wine bottle, Lee Seol-ah quietly thought:

'...Yes.'

If those two make some progress, Da-in's psychological hurdle would be lowered that much too.

...Lee Seol-ah had a plan.

*

And that night.

"Egostic. Want to drink together?"

"What?"

Stardust returned to the prison holding a bottle of wine.

Seeing this, I thought for a moment.

'...Right. I need to tell her about tomorrow's plan anyway.'

I can persuade her while drinking.

Wine doesn't make you that drunk anyway.

"...Sure, why not. I'll prepare glasses and snacks."

That was my answer.

***

After we both showered and started drinking, quite some time had passed.

"Come on, Egostic! Cheers, cheers!"

"...Yes."

...With a reddened face, I quietly clinked my glass against Stardust's as she handed me her wine glass with a silly grin.

In the dark room,

Illuminated only by a small light, I held my dizzy head and thought for a moment.

...Is this wine stronger than I expected?

Shin Ha-ru, who was already weak with alcohol, had been completely drunk for a while. The fact that she kept giggling unlike her usual self showed she wasn't normal. She clearly wouldn't remember anything tomorrow.

...And truthfully, I was quite dizzy myself.

"Hmm. Hmm. Hmm..."

Of course, Stardust with her reddened face, holding a wine glass and smiling brightly, was really cute. ...Really, truly cute.

But since I had something to say, I chewed on some snacks to clear my head and spoke:

"Ms. Shin Ha-ru. I have something to tell you."

"Hmm? What is it? A confession?"

"...No. How could that be."

I almost choked at her sudden comment as she smiled brightly, but I managed to hold back.

After a moment of silence, I opened my mouth:

"Ms. Shin Ha-ru. I'm finally going to tell you why I came to this Carceris."

...And so.

I explained my plan to her.

Somewhere in this prison, an ancient anomaly called Infless is sealed.

If left alone, it would surely harm this world, so I planned to eliminate it now.

So, I would appreciate her help.

That's what I asked of her.

"...That's it."

"..."

After listening to me with a serious face, as if she had never been laughing,

When I finished speaking, she remained silent for a moment, thinking.

Then she smiled brightly and spoke:

"Okay. I'll help you."

"...Phew. Thank you."

...I sighed in relief at her words.

Just as I thought, she agreed right away since it was for the sake of people...

As I was thinking that,

"Egostic, I'll help because you asked."

She said with a smile, resting her chin on her hand while looking at me.

As if there were no other reasons.

...As if she was doing it solely because of that.

Faced with her sincere gaze,

I was momentarily speechless.

And while I was like that,

After a brief silence, Stardust took another sip of her drink and said to me with a bright smile:

"...Egostic. Thank you."

"Huh? For what?"

"Just... everything."

"Haha. A hero thanking a villain. If anyone else heard that, they'd tease you forever."

"Haha... Yeah. Maybe they would."

As she said this while swirling her glass,

She yawned and then said to me:

"Shall we go to sleep soon? You said you wanted to start right away tomorrow."

"...Yes, let's do that."

"...Okay. Wait, yawn, how about watching a movie before falling asleep? There's a TV in front of the bed..."

"Let's do that."

"Okay..."

With those words, Stardust stood up.

Seeing her stagger, I quickly got up too and stood beside her to support her.

Her soft arm fit perfectly in my embrace.

"..."

Suppressing strange thoughts, I arrived at the bed with Stardust, and together we turned on the TV with the remote and looked for a movie to watch.

"...That one. Yes, let's watch this."

...With her face now flushed, Stardust, who was practically arm-in-arm with me in the same position as when I was supporting her earlier, chose a movie.

I said okay and turned on the movie.

...Why a romance movie of all things?

And so.

In the dark night.

With only the TV light illuminating the room, we watched the movie sitting close together.

The plot of the movie was simple.

A love story between a man and woman from different social classes who couldn't be together.

...There were quite sad scenes in the middle, and Stardust sniffled beside me. She's quite sensitive after all.

Even while watching the movie,

I was alone with my thoughts, my mind not working well due to the alcohol.

...Is this right?

Is it okay for her and me to be together like this? What does she, a hero, think about me, a villain? Is it just a strategy, or is there another reason?

I don't know. My head hurts and I can't think clearly.

But one thing is certain.

My feelings, both then and now, remain unchanged.

So I quietly watched the movie, feeling her warm presence against one of my arms.

And finally, at the scene where the love between the two in the movie is realized.

"...Egostic."

Stardust quietly called my name.

...And as I met her blue eyes looking up at me with moisture in them.

I gave up thinking anymore.

And so.

On the dark bed.

"..."

"....."

With our eyes locked, I quietly moved my face closer to hers.

...

After that, I don't remember clearly.