NOVEL NEXT Chapter 53
“Even if they call it a Hero Suit, it’s not like it’s some incredible thing that makes you shiver the moment you put it on.”
It wasn’t bad, but I couldn’t tell what the difference was from the usual clothes I wore.
It was oddly interesting that wearing a coat didn’t make me feel too hot, but that was just about all I could say.
Other than that, I noticed a few things like it didn’t get in the way of moving my body and it wasn’t that heavy.
Maybe it was because I requested a simple design. Just look at Yeonhwa—her costume was pretty flashy.
“Jinhyeon, how do I look…? Does it suit me?”
Yeonhwa seemed either excited or shy, her face slightly flushed as she asked me how she looked.
“You look great! Surprisingly, you pull off a solemn and calm image well, Yeonhwa.”
Her costume resembled that of a Greek priestess, even if it had been shortened a bit.
There’s no way you could fight in something that cumbersome, let alone run.
The red half-cape covering her right arm, matching her hair color, looked pretty good too.
“Right? Right? It suits me! I’m so relieved! I was worried what I’d do if it didn’t suit me!”
Yeonhwa eagerly bounced around me, her cape and hair swaying as she moved.
“We, well, I had my hopes, but… I feel a bit… empty… Maybe a skirt would have been better?”
Toojuu Ageha criticized herself for being a bit too daring with the design, feeling shy.
A few boys were awkwardly staring at her, watching her fidget with the tiny magician hat that was more of a headpiece than anything.
“…Jinhyeon, what are you looking at?”
“The other kids’ costumes. They’re all so unique, I was just looking around. Take Rapiz, for instance; she’s practically covered in armor!”
There were many unique costumes, but if you had to pick a standout, it was definitely Rapiz.
The pitch-black armor that covered her completely and the majestic fur-trimmed cape emitted an intimidating presence that didn’t really suit her petite frame.
“It’s a bit heavy, though…”
But since it was Rapiz inside, it wasn’t nearly as scary as it looked.
Maybe her gentle gaze made it less intimidating, or perhaps it was her small stature.
“I see, that makes sense…”
“Oh. You’ve done well, Jinhyeon. But where’s Blanca? I can’t see her anywhere.”
Minho, who came with Seolhwa, dressed like a fairy, asked me as soon as he saw me.
“Huh? Where did Blanca go?”
“That staff member took her inside a while ago. I haven’t seen her since. She’s probably still in there?”
I wasn’t exactly sure, so I said it halfway. Minho and Yeonhwa both looked curious and surprised by the news.
“What could she be getting…?”
“Well, maybe something good? Blanca’s been targeted by villains a lot, so the Hero Association might be keeping a close eye on her.”
“Oh, that makes some sense.”
We were deep in thought about what on earth Blanca could be getting when a strange, wet sound came from inside the atelier. It was truly bizarre, but that’s just the best way to describe it.
Splish. Splash. The weird sound of wet bare feet on the floor caught the kids’ attention.
And the source of that sound was Blanca, covered in something that was pulsating oddly.
The black slime covering her skin looked like it was alive, wriggling and dripping, only to cling back onto her.
And perhaps due to her lacking control or the substance being unstable, sometimes her skin would even show through as the slime thinned out.
What that thing even was took a backseat to the increasing focus on her skin peeking through the bizarre goo.
“A, are you here to gawk?! Don’t just stare; get back to whatever you were doing!”
Blanca’s expression was one I had never seen before.
The usual calm and composed look was nowhere to be found, replaced by one blushing furiously out of sheer embarrassment.
Her face, twisted in shame and almost in tears, had an allure that was strange yet captivating.
“Wow.”
“…Ugh, wow…? Ugh…?”
“W-wh-what even is that…?”
“Wow.”
“…Ah.”
Everyone reacted in different ways.
Minho was astonished, Rapiz looked confused, Ageha was hiding her face and peeking through her fingers, and Seolhwa joined Minho in being amazed.
Yeonhwa, however, stared at Blanca and her feet interchangeably with a cold expression.
“Don’t pay any attention to it!!!”
Blanca squeaked in a voice with a pitch I had never heard before, twisting her body to prevent anyone from looking. I couldn’t look away from the scene.
“Ugh… uggh!!”
In the end, unable to withstand the embarrassment, she released a cloud of white mist that obscured everyone’s view.
“Gyaah?!”
The sudden white mist threw the kids into a brief state of confusion, but it was quickly handled by Justitia and Invictus.
“Is everyone alright?”
The Vice Class President stepped outside to check on us, making sure we were okay.
Were we okay? Absolutely not. My heart felt like it was about to burst.
When I closed my eyes, I could still see Blanca’s embarrassed face.
But why was that so? I couldn’t figure it out at all.
– * * * * * –
The performance of the suit was undeniable. Even while almost entirely covered, I didn’t feel any resistance when producing the substance.
This black slime felt like my second skin—perfectly compatible with my body.
But the problem was, although the slime was perfectly compatible with me, I wasn’t used to it.
The slime was oddly cold, sapping my body heat, and its damp, squirming texture sent shivers down my spine.
Furthermore, according to the old man, it was supposed to follow my control, yet handling it proved to be quite difficult.
As a result, I ended up showing the kids a shameful sight I’d never live down, with my cleavage exposed.
I sprayed the slime like a water gun, clearing the area, and managed to gather my emotions long enough to cover my exposed body, but…
Even if everything that needed to be covered was covered, going out looking like this was absolutely insane.
It might not look like much to others, but it truly felt like I was walking around naked, and I wanted to throw something on top.
“Jion… can you bring me something to cover up…?”
“Yes, right away!!”
Jion rushed inside the atelier and came back with something like a blanket to throw over me. However, the moment it touched the slime, it quickly dissolved into darkness and absorbed away.
“What on earth is this?!!!”
I was squatting on the floor, clutching my hair in despair.
Honestly, just give me a damn bodysuit or something! What the heck is this…!
“Blanca, I understand how you feel, but how about calming down a bit?”
Justitia approached me cautiously, obviously unsure about how to handle the situation.
“What am I supposed to do looking like this?! It’ll be a miracle if I’m not arrested for being a pervert!”
“I’m not sure this will comfort you, but there are others who wear even more outrageous outfits. They haven’t been arrested, so try not to worry.”
No, Justitia, that’s not the point…!
Wearing this… No, I can’t even say wearing—if I have to walk around like this, my soul will be crushed before anything else.
I was more certain than anything else. This was nothing like wearing a girl’s outfit or anything like that.
If I had to, I could pretend to be a girl, but this was just unacceptable.
“How do you, how do you take this off…?”
“Press the button in the center of the control device. It seems you don’t like the appearance, huh?”
“Is that really something to say right now?!”
“What can I say? If your demands are too many, you’ll have to take your place in the queue. It’s a suit you chose, so flaunt it, good or bad.”
“Ughh!!!”
In the end, while the other kids wandered around in their suits, I decided I’d just stick to my school uniform.
Justitia and Jion didn’t object at all.
When I finally stepped out of the atelier, over twenty minutes had gone by, but nobody asked me why it took so long.
They just let me quietly simmer in the embarrassment.
After that, I followed Jion around here and there, but of course, there was no way anything she said would stick in my head.
Im Changwon told me to focus a couple of times, but even he eventually seemed to give up, leaving me to my own devices.
“Alright, thanks for listening! After we have lunchtime, we’ll be patrolling around the area. Blanca, um, if you want, you can wear your school uniform.”
I was half-listening as the internal facility tour quickly wrapped up.
“Uh… Blanca? Are you okay?”
The first one to ask was Yeonhwa.
“Do I look okay?”
“W-well, you don’t look okay, but… you can do it, Blanca…!”
“I’ll give it a shot, but…”
Rapiz chimed in, claiming she would lend a helping hand, but it wasn’t really reassuring.
She had the whole cool vibe going for her. What about me…?
“Then… should I just stick to the school uniform?”
Minho offered some advice that was at least somewhat helpful, but honestly, I just wanted to go home and sleep. I wanted to see the Boss. Ahh.
“…I want to go home.”
“But you’re the Vice Class President, right? You should…”
Jinhyeon had a point, but he was also being a bit too assertive.
…Sigh, fine. I guess I should.
“You’re right. I should wear it, and…”
“You’re really going to wear it?”
Seolhwa looked at me in surprise. But I did have an idea.
“I will.”
As much as I detested the idea, some things just had to be done.