Chapter 11: To Become Stronger (3)
This was disconcerting. I just came to the movie theater to watch a movie in peace, and Snow White - Baek Seol-hee appeared on the seat next to me.
Her hair color was black.
Of course, it must be a wig, and the hat and mask she wore could also be for disguise, but I could still see that it was her.
I could see who this woman was.
‘The author sure did a great job selecting the illustrator.’
The author had illustrations made for the three main heroines.
It was unfortunate and somewhat cheeky that the author gave up on the production due to the fear of indifference and the drop in views being scarier than the negative comments. Thanks to that illustrator, though, I could instantly recognize that this woman was Snow White.
The illustration was my smartphone’s wallpaper, so I knew it well.
“Excuse me, you lent me a motorcycle in Seoul…?”
“Oh, yes. That’s right. What a coincidence, meeting you here…”
And Snow White also recognized who I was.
Considering I didn’t alter my voice and directly reveal my face, there was no way an S-rank superhuman wouldn’t notice.
“I apologize for the motorcycle. I didn’t mean to not contact you….”
“I roughly understand. Ahem.”
With just a clearing of my throat, Snow White would understand.
“Well, damage from a fight with a villain can’t be helped.”
What I was guessing and being cautious about.
“I was planning to get a new bike anyway, and since it was heavily tuned, I was thinking of giving it to a friend. Think of it as a patriotic act for our country. Haha.”
“Still, it looked incredibly expensive.”
“That much is okay. I’m not exactly short on money. Hahaha….”
It was like making wrinkles before a cocoon, but all of this was a charade to lessen Snow White’s burden.
“I will compensate you later. Can I get your contact information?”
“No, you don’t need to do that.”
“No, I should repay it since I broke it. Don’t feel too burdened. I can claim it from the Hero Association without much problem.”
Despite saying this, she was the type to handle everything at her own expense.
She was a kind-hearted woman who frequently donated the money she earned to those struggling due to the actions of villains.
She might seem cold and detached from the outside, but she was warmer and more empathetic than anyone on the inside.
And she enjoyed B-grade movies like this one.
“I see. This is really… unexpected, running into you here. What a coincidence.”
“I think it’s fate. To meet the person I inconvenienced and have the opportunity to make amends. It’s been bothering me. I knew you lived in Banpo Zai but couldn’t find you.”
“Have you been looking for me?”
“I asked some people I know. I was trying to repay the cost of the bike.”
“…I see.”
I felt a chill run down my spine for a moment.
The fact that she had investigated me - not the villain Goblin, but the person, Do Ji-hwan - made my heart sink.
Goblin could simply disappear.
But even if Do Jih-wan’s body disappeared, his bank account would be frozen.
“I’ll need to contact the person who’s looking for you. After that incident, I immediately went down to Busan.”
“Busan?”
“Yes. I went to Busan for a job interview to get re-employed. I’m waiting for an acceptance message now.”
“Did you pass?”
“It’s more like I’m a preferred candidate. It’s sort of like nepotism, but I am exceptionally competent in that field.”
“That field…?”
“Yes. Ah. You mentioned you’re transitioning to a lecturer role, right? Then you might end up working at the same place as me. I’m a librarian.”
“…A librarian?”
“Yes. A librarian. I love books. Stories.”
“…So, did you know this movie is based on a novel?”
“Huh?”
I wasn’t expecting that.
Her expression changed, and I thought she was asking to uncover my identity, but-
“No way….”
She seemed somewhat disappointed.
What’s going on?
Could this woman be a novel otaku?
I’m not sure if the term “otaku” was accurate, but I decided to shut my mouth tightly, as I felt a stream of too much information (TMI) would pour out if I probed deeper.
“…….”
An advertisement played on the screen.
Snow White and I were separated by just one seat.
She seemed to have reserved the seat next to me, probably aiming for the best viewing spot.
The cinema was almost empty.
Even though it was a morning movie, there usually would be at least one or two people, but hardly anyone would come to watch such a B-grade movie.
Except for me, who looked at everything as new content.
“So, how should I address you?”
“…Well, it might sound strange, but how about we pretend to be co-workers?”
“Alright. …So, Manager. What brings you to this movie at this time?”
“It’s a personal hobby. I was curious about how the dinosaurs would stop the falling meteorite from the sky.”
“I see.”
I know what that felt like.
It must feel like coming to study.
Though I also felt the same, visual content greatly helped to stimulate the imagination.
And this imagination turned into the power to freely manipulate mana.
A world where fantasy became fodder for reality.
As this world was one where fantasy became a reality, I had been consuming all sorts of content in this world to fuel my imagination.
Mainly to use the Goblin’s Bat with no issues.
“The reason Manager came to see this is…”
“They don’t show this in Seoul. This facility is only in Busan.”
“Ah.”
It was truly regrettable, but to see spectacular and grand movies now, you had to come to Sasang, not Yongsan.
‘What a coincidence this is.’
I had spare time and thought I’d watch an action movie to sort my thoughts, and I unexpectedly ran into Snow White.
Snow White, who seemed to have really come to watch a movie as a personal hobby.
And then.
“…Huh?”
No one else was coming in.
Really, no one else was coming in.
Out of curiosity, I tried to book a seat using my smartphone app, but I could only see the phrase “Booking Not Possible” and “124 / 126”.
Could it be?
Were Snow White and I the only ones in the theater now?
“…It seems like it’s just the two of us?”
“Seems like it.”
“So-”
“Should I move seats?”
“…….”
Snow White looked at me for a moment, and I pointed to the row below.
“…I don’t think you need to go that far. I usually watch movies very quietly.”
“Ah, yes. Understood. I said something unnecessary.”
“Ah, no. Uh, Manager?”
Snow White pointed to the empty seat next to her and lifted the popcorn placed beside her.
“…Would you like some popcorn? There’s a bit too much for me to eat alone.”
“…….”
I didn’t really like eating anything while watching a movie.
But what was this?
Why was she trying to approach me?
‘Did she figure out my identity?’
Was that why she’s approaching me now?
Was she planning to suppress me by saying, ‘Don’t move, Goblin’ while I watched the movie?
If so…
Then I would have to run away with all my might.
I met a person to whom I had a debt of gratitude during my vacation.
The man treated me with a mix of unease and comfort.
While others would exclaim ‘Wow, S-grade’ or show jealousy, the man showed a reaction of ‘Just my luck to have someone next to me’ without any signs of envy.
It was refreshing.
This was the first time since I awakened as an S-grade as a young girl.
It was the first time someone looked at me in this way.
So, I became interested.
It didn’t matter if it was described as the curiosity children have for a new toy.
This man, who seemed to be considerate of me and kept a distance, was intriguing.
I was curious, it was interesting, and I also owed him a debt.
Even though I felt it while riding, it was strange that he was not too bothered about the bike that he cared so much about being wrecked by me.
Either he was a person with a lot of money.
Or a person who was fiercely patriotic.
Or maybe someone with a shady background.
Either way, it was impossible not to be intrigued.
A person who came to watch this kind of movie.
A commercial movie without a single storyline, where robots and resurrected dinosaur fossils fought each other and then fended off a meteor falling from space together.
It was clearly not a movie worth watching for the first morning show on a weekday, but Baek Seol-hee was captivated and chose this movie.
Maybe choosing this movie to relieve stress was fate.
A fate to meet this man.
This man.
Something.
‘He really reminds me of the Goblin.’
That was intriguing.
The way he looked at me was so similar to the glittering golden eyes from behind the Goblin’s mask that it made me cautious, yet also curious.
If.
If the Goblin were a person.
Wouldn’t he be just like this man?
‘That can’t be.’
If he were the Goblin, I should be able to feel at least a bit of his magic power.
But I don’t feel any magic from this man.
If this man was Goblin, it meant he was hiding his magic in some special way.
‘That seems unlikely.’
The villain level of Goblin was S-grade, but I’ve already roughly estimated his magic power.
It was far below mine.
No matter how well he disguised himself, or even if he hid his magic, that was impossible to maintain long-term.
‘It can’t be.’
It was just an absurd conjecture.
The man who lent me the bike in Seoul.
The man who coincidentally ended up watching the early morning movie in the same row in Busan.
The Goblin?
‘I’d rather say this world is like that movie where a meteor falls from the sky, causing extinction.’
Baek Seol-hee nonchalantly reached for the popcorn.
She then gulped it down.
As the sound of swallowing filled the air, the movie began.
The screen showed a bloody battle between the resurrected virtuous Tyrannosaurus and its arch-enemy Mech-Tyranno, which was modeled after the T-Rex.
This content is taken from (f)reewe(b)novel.𝗰𝗼𝐦