NOVEL NEXT Chapter 46
“Haaam… Nyaa. That took a while.”
I stretched out my body across the table, completely relaxing my upper half.
The clock had already pointed to 6 o’clock.
It felt like it was just 1 when I arrived, but it took way longer than I expected.
In between, I ordered some bread using Lapiz and Ageha’s money, so I wasn’t hungry, but I was still pretty tired.
I couldn’t tell if it was because of studying, or the attention of those unknown people, or if I was just drained from socializing.
My eyes kept getting heavy. I thought maybe I could just close my eyes here and take a nap.
…Should I actually sleep? I’m a cat spirit, so what’s wrong with flopping down and sleeping anywhere?
I had the stereotype that cats sleep a lot, and considering how drowsy I felt, my desire to comfortably sleep was creeping up.
But since I couldn’t possibly sleep out here, I synthesized a tiny, tiny amount of caffeine to fend off sleep.
“Good job, Miss Blanca. Hmm, I really thought it was perfect, but I guess I’m still inexperienced…”
Ageha received the corrected notes and smiled wryly.
“But to be fair, with what you’ve done, you shouldn’t feel too down. It’s not like this is a study requiring abilities, so you must have worked hard for this, right?”
“I worked hard, but I still don’t match up to Miss Blanca.”
“Oh come now, don’t feel down. At your level, you’d definitely be in the top tier. Honestly, I envy you. You don’t have to memorize complex chemical formulas that would make your head explode every day.”
As Ageha tried to deflect the conversation, she quickly baited Blanca by asking if she had such hardships.
“Of course. Having production facilities but no blueprints means you can’t make anything. Just like how you can’t create these clothes without designs.”
“I see. So even if my ‘magic’ and that are different, they somewhat relate?”
“Something like that… right? Anyway, let’s start wrapping this up. The sun will set soon, and I’m getting sleepy… Haaamnya.”
After stretching widely again, Yeonhwa and Lapiz nodded along, saying it seemed like time to part ways.
“Well, we have been here for a while. It’s time for both us and you guys to be worried about our parents… So let’s stop here for today.”
The kids were laughing happily, but when parental concerns came up, their expressions stiffened as they looked at me.
Except for Ageha and Seolhwa, who had no idea what was going on.
“…Hmm? Is there a problem?”
“Oh, it’s nothing. Really.”
Lapiz hurriedly tried to divert Ageha’s attention, but all it did was raise her suspicions.
“Really?”
“Ah, Lapiz. Could you perhaps give me a ride home? I have a lot of stuff, and people might stare.”
At just the right moment, I threw out a lifeline, and Lapiz eagerly grabbed it.
“Uh, sure…! Of course, because we’re… friends…!”
In reality, I should’ve been grateful, but instead, Lapiz was the one thanking me.
Ageha had a dumbfounded question mark above her head.
“To Blanca’s house… Oh, Blanca. Can we visit your home this time?”
But an unexpected interruption came. It was Jinhyeon and Yeonhwa.
“Uh, this time…? But didn’t Blanca go to your place last time…?”
“Yeah.”
Feeling the fire under my feet, I hurriedly tried to explain, but Jinhyeon spoke faster.
“I want to go too, Blanca…!”
Oh man, I’m done for.
With no chance to stop them, now there were three—Ageha, Minho, and Seolhwa—showing keen interest in coming over.
Hmm.
It would be hard to decline like this. Why do they all like to huddle together so much?
“Maybe it’s possible, Blanca?”
Even Minho was looking at me with those eyes that said he wanted to go, and I couldn’t say no.
In the end, all I could do was shrug as if I had lost and say not to get their hopes up too high.
“This will be fun!”
“It’s not like there’s anything enjoyable, though…?”
There really isn’t anything to see. But the kids looked super excited.
I guess at that age, you can’t help it. Once they got there, they’d probably tire themselves out.
Because there’s really nothing to see.
“Then with Miss Blanca’s permission, let’s head to her house!”
And so, we all climbed into the limousine, heading towards my home like it was the most natural thing in the world.
* * * * * –
“Please make a left turn at the next intersection and park over there by the roadside. The entrance is really narrow, so this limousine probably won’t fit.”
“Looks that way, we’ll do that.”
I didn’t expect Blanca to live in luxury.
It’s a bit awkward to say, but without her parents around, she probably struggled to find a good place.
But I thought it would be a little better than this.
Because she’s a heroine.
I figured it would at least look like a place where people lived, not this building that seemed to be built solely based on plot ratio.
The kids who saw what looked like a literal human livestock facility had long lost their initial enthusiasm.
Or maybe it was because of the homeless people seen on every alley.
Both would be unfamiliar sights for kids attending Heros Academy.
“Blanca… do you, um, live here…?”
Even Yeonhwa, with her bright personality, was shocked, stuttering as she asked Blanca.
“Yup. I told you, there’s not much fun to be had here.”
Would it feel awkward if they all came in…? Blanca said this while resting her chin as if in deep thought.
“It’s dark and gloomy. Scary.”
“Seolhwa, that’s a bit much…”
I wanted to say that it’s not right to say that about a friend’s home, but Blanca raised the stakes.
“Plus, fights happen all the time. Whatever happens, you can hear screams from the houses above, below, and to the side. It’s not a good place, absolutely.”
Ageha and Lapiz just blankly stared at that building.
“Get out, you guys. And don’t wander off alone and get lost. It’s not a safe neighborhood.”
“Are there no heroes patrolling around here…?”
Jinhyeon asked, seemingly shocked that Blanca lived in a place like this, wondering if any heroes were around.
“They might patrol the main street up front, but they don’t patrol inside the complex. And no one wants to come in. They’re essentially absent.”
Following Blanca up to her floor, all I heard were headaches in various forms.
I knew it existed in Heros City.
But seeing it in person left me utterly speechless.
Can this even be called a way of living?
“This is it. And don’t talk too loudly. The soundproofing isn’t great, so people next door and above can hear everything.”
There was no thrill about entering a woman’s room.
It was just a studio.
“This is… home…?”
Lapiz muttered softly, whether she heard Blanca’s earlier words, and Ageha seemed the same. However, Ageha asked Blanca.
“Wh-where are your parents?”
“They aren’t here.”
“…Huh?”
Ageha seemed about to say something again, but lost her words upon seeing Blanca’s expression.
“Where’s your vanity?”
“Don’t have one.”
“What about laundry?”
“By hand in the bathroom. I make my detergent.”
“…No TV either?”
“I’ve got this. With this, you can watch the news or read papers.”
Blanca casually waved her phone in hand.
“What’s this cardboard box…?”
While the others were in shock at the stark reality of Blanca’s “home,” Jinhyeon asked about a cardboard box rolling in the corner.
“Oh, that… I brought it because it makes me feel comfortable. I really hate to admit it, but I’m also a cat spirit. I couldn’t help it.”
Ageha had been gaping, then suddenly covered her mouth as she looked at Blanca.
“What kind of life have you led… Miss Blanca?”
“It seems like everyone I get close to asks that. Um… can you explain this time? I’m too tired hearing the same thing over and over.”
Blanca tossed the explanation to us and began organizing clothes gifted by Ageha from her wardrobe.
Yeonhwa and I earnestly summarized Blanca’s “past” for Ageha.
During this time, Blanca seemed to be pulling out an absurd number of clothes from the closet, making disappointed faces as she packed them into the cardboard box.
Then she carefully took out the clothes Ageha bought and hung them on a hanger.
Glancing at the clothes crammed inside the box, they were either thick or cheap.
“I, I… wasn’t trying to… turn out like this…”
Ageha seemed pretty shaken, repeating that she didn’t mean to say “I didn’t intend for it to be like this.”
But I think I understood the gist of it.
Ageha liked to flaunt what she had.
But she only showed off to those who were somewhat on her level; she didn’t for those drastically less fortunate.
She probably meant she didn’t realize it was this bad.
For her, what she tried to lightly say ended up poking blades into an open wound.
Blanca didn’t seem to care much, though.
“I really should save up and get out of here quickly. Sorry, everyone. I don’t have anything to give you.”
Blanca apologized to us after the story was done.
“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry… Blanca, I didn’t really mean it; I’m so sorry…!”
But the first to bow her head was Ageha. With eyes brimming with tears, she repeatedly apologized.
“Uh… why suddenly…”
Blanca seemed genuinely confused, but…
…somehow, that corner of her mouth seemed to hint at a faint smile; was it just me?