Ep.133 Although She Knew

At a beach in South Korea

In a place where the sun shines, where everyone is having fun.

The most popular hero in Korea and the most famous villain were facing each other.

FYI, the villain is wearing sunglasses with a swimsuit and a gown on, and the hero is also wearing her own clothes.

And the hero sat on the sunbed next to him and talked quietly to the villain.

But the problem is, I’m that villain.

Perhaps this is the greatest crisis of my life.

This is the right situation to be panicked

But

My head began to turn more sober and calm in this crisis.

Yeah. A professional villain can stay alert and solve problems calmly, even in a crisis.

My head started spinning at 5 centimeters per second.

‘…Did Lee Seola betray me?’

Did Lee Seola betray me and run to Shin Haru and tell her, ‘That guy is Egostic~’?

In the original work, she took over all kinds of companies and merged them, and now is she trying to take over me? It wasn’t that kind of atmosphere. Didn’t we get along well?

So I looked at Stardus through my sunglasses.

Hmm.

She doesn’t look like she knows that I’m Egostic.

I mean, apart from everything, if she knew I was Egostic, she would have already rushed in and caught me. She wouldn’t awkwardly greet me like this.

‘…Yeah, I don’t think she betrayed me… Was she just not thinking?’

I don’t know what she’s thinking.

She doesn’t even know that Stardus has supersense, so she doesn’t think Shin Haru will recognize me at all, right? Is she trying to tell me to be friends with her?

Anyway, I don’t think Shin Haru noticed my identity.

Of course, her expression changed a little after she saw my face, but… Well…

Tsk. I feel like I’m screwed.

“Shin Haru, are you in college?”

“Yes… You said you’re running a business, right?”

“Oh, yes. I’m Seola’s business partner, just doing a small business. Haha.”

I said so with a slight cold sweat.

Haru is now sitting next to me, she keeps making conversation with me.

What’s wrong, Shin Haru? You’re not the type to talk to strangers first. Since when have you been so enthusiastic…!

I let out a silent scream in my head.

I mean, do you know how a villain feels having a casual talk with a hero?

I’m so nervous that she would find out.

Honestly, I tried to get rid of the negative thoughts, like she might have noticed my anxiety with her supersense. ‘Watch what you say’, I can’t be thinking this way.

That’s how I calmed myself down.

I’m going to smile like a harmless person for now. I’m not a villain. Just an ordinary civilian.

Any proof that I’m Egostic? Do you have any proof?

Honestly, Eun-wol’s magic is so effective. I don’t think she’ll ever notice.

Shin Haru constantly talked to me for the first time, unlike her usual self.

I became a good citizen who constantly was having a chat, and nodding along to a woman I saw for the first time today.

Fyi, she also ordered a non-alcoholic cocktail. How long is she planning to sit here…?

And then our conversation continued.

Time passed by, and now I’m relaxed.

Now she’s even laughing at my words.

Yeah, it seems like I did a good job.

Honestly, how would she find out with the derecognition magic cast? It’s impossible.

I was worried for no reason, right? Yeah… My acting skill is excellent.

Now, I’m completely calm.

Shin Haru sat beside me, smiling.

“Da-in… Hey. I have a question.”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Do you happen to know Egostic?

And at her question, I almost froze for a moment.

Gosh, why would you ask that?

“…Haha, Egostic?”

The moment I sneaked a glance at her, laughing somehow.

Her blue eyes and mine met, with her chin resting and a slight smile, as if she knew everything.

Aha.

I think I’m really screwed.

‘…No, let’s calm down. Don’t get caught in the leading question.’

Barely holding my breath for a moment, I began to think.

Tsk. She seems to suspect me though.

Otherwise, there’s no way she would ask someone she just met this question. Why would she ask that?

She still smiled slightly at me.

…Honestly, I was triggered by her eye smile more, but I endured it like a professional villain. A professional villain has to draw a line between public and private matters.

First, the intention of the examiner must be distinguished.

Why would she ask that? She’s trying to see if I’m Egostic or not from my reaction. Or she asked this to make fun of me when she’s already sure I’m Egostic. ‘Introduce yourself, punk’

However, I don’t think Shin Haru would do that since she doesn’t know how to joke around, this should be a real question. Maybe she still suspects that Egostic and I have a connection. So. It’s important to prove my innocence here.

At that moment, some thoughts crossed my mind.

This is a crisis situation. But it’s also an opportunity to flip the table. So, I’m going to think of this as an opportunity.

After making a quick decision, I spoke up.

“Egostic is a really trashy, evil villain. I think we need to catch him right away.”

“…What?”

She was a little taken aback by my sudden radical statement.

All right, this is it.

I hurried up and took the chance to continue.

“He seems popular these days, but honestly, it’s hard for me to relate. There are people who like someone who causes all kinds of terrorism, establishes criminal organizations, and tramples on the law. I think that psychopath should be severely punished by law immediately.”

Her expression turned sour at my logical and correct words. I guess she didn’t expect me to put myself down. Right. Do I still look like Egostic now?

Shin Haru was slightly silent at my words, then soon spoke up again. Maybe she agrees with me and makes me open up to see my reaction. No way. I’m more confident than anyone else. Feel free to try.

But contrary to my determination, the words from her lips were completely different from what I thought.

“…But, hasn’t Egostic quite a few times stopped other villains’ terrorism in the middle? You can’t just say that he’s bad.”

Wait, Haru. Why are you taking my side?

What is it? Is it a high-level tactic? Yeah, I can’t be swayed. Let’s push forward aggressively.

I used tough words again.

“No. It must be all about protecting his own will. Aren’t villains people who live off of interest in the first place? The bridge, HanEun Group, or even the Wolgwanggyo, he wouldn’t have thought of anyone else there.”

“…Lying.”

“What?”

“O-Oh. I made a slip of tongue.”

She smiled slightly.

Haru, it was really a slip of tongue, right? Right?

I just got goosebumps.

Shin Haru listened to me and still smiled, turning the cocktail glass she held in her hand gently with her finger. As soon as I looked at her without realizing it, she spoke to me again in a happy voice.

“By the way, Da-in.”

“Yes?”

“You say you don’t like him, but you know almost everything Egostic has done so far. People are probably going to think you’re him.”

“…Haha. Are you saying I’m like an evil villain?”

“Oh, I’m just kidding. Just a joke.”

She grinned.

And I laughed, too.

…God, save me.

“Then, Da-in, what do you think of Stardus?”

After taking a sip of the cocktail, she asked me again with a smile.

No, Haru. Since when did you smile so often like that? You’re not this type of person… When you take off the hero suit, you’re a timid person in daily life… Why are you doing this to me?

I almost lost my mind.

“Stardus… She’s my favorite hero.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“…The most righteous, the most brilliant of all. First of all, having a good heart that cares about people more than anyone else, and fighting for everyone until the end even though they are not rewarded. She’s more like a hero than anyone else. She’s also pretty.”

“….Oh.”

She’s slightly fazed by the words that just popped out of my brain.

Yes, this is me.

This is Eca Cola*. I’m just speaking without thinking now. *TN: There’s a high possibility that this is Da-in’s nickname/username on the online community page when he was an active fanboy of Stardus in his world.

Looking at her slightly red cheeks, I thought of something else.

Haa. Did I just screw up things like this?

I think I’m screwed now.

To be honest, there is nothing strange about Shin Haru attacking me anytime here. I can teleport, but I can’t run away because you’re not feeling well. Gosh, I’m screwed if my identity is going to be exposed. She even mentioned my name.

Looking at the beach blankly, I suddenly made eye contact with someone over there.

Ego Stream members, including Seo-eun, Eun-wol, and Choi Sehee who is looking at this place as if they don’t know what to do.

Yeah, everybody noticed Stardus was here.

Guys, I’m screwed. What should I do?

Having been so desperate, I suddenly had a flash of realization.

Hang on. Seo-eun. Choi Sehee and Eun-wol. Fantasy magic. An alibi. Successful.

Realizing how to break through this situation in an instant, I put up with jumping.

Yeah, there’s only one way to get through this. Just one. If this works.

“…Hmm, Haru?”

“Yes?”

Still drinking her cocktail with her cheeks flushed, she raised her head.

I told her.

“Can I go to the bathroom for a second?”

“…What?”

Her face stiffened at my words.

I pointed right in front of her as if I was trying to tell her to relax.

“It’s right in front. I’ll be right back.”

In fact, the bathroom is standing like a white container in front of us, and she can see it at a glance.

She was a little worried about it and soon nodded reluctantly.

“…Yes, well, go ahead.”

“Thank you, then…”

I got up from my seat with a smile.

Done. It’s over.

I did the hardest part.

I woke up from my seat and made brief eye contact with Seo-eun, who was sitting in front of the sand castle before entering the bathroom in front of me.

The moment I signaled with one eye, Seo-eun ran somewhere as if she had noticed.

Seo-eun is the best. She understood just by looking into my eyes.

I went into the bathroom with that thought in mind. Then I smiled.

…Stardus, oh Stardus.

Do you think I’m going to get caught here?

***

“….”

After Da-in went into the bathroom, Shin Haru quietly looked toward the bathroom.

3 minutes. She will make a move if it passes 3 minutes.

She’s almost convinced already.

He’s Egostic. For sure.

And he noticed that she was Stardus, too.

She was almost certain by talking a few words with him.

But she, on the contrary, fell into a different thought.

‘…So, what should I do?’

Should I attack and catch him here? Should I drag him to prison?

…Is that the right thing to do?

“……”

She was sure she wouldn’t hesitate to put him in jail when this situation came.

However, the moment is just around the corner.

Stardus, in fact, is beginning to worry.

‘…I’m going to catch him. I have to catch him. That’s right. It’s the right thing to do…

“Have you been waiting?”

She suddenly heard a voice when she was lost in that thought.

“…You’re back early.”

“Sure. Did you think I was going to run away somewhere?”

She burst into laughter at him speaking so brazenly.

…Strangely, when she’s in front of him, she feels a little relieved.

…Although he’s a villain.

The moment when she suddenly felt uneasy.

Sitting on the sunbed again, he smiled and talked to her first.

“So. Haru.”

“What?”

“What do you think of Stardus?”

“Uh…”

When she was startled by the sudden question, he smiled slightly.

….She thinks he knows everything too.

He tilted his head as if he was asking what was the problem, he looked at her with slightly narrowed eyes.

…So mean.

Though she thought so, she found this situation a little funny.

…A situation in which a villain and a hero laugh and talk as if they didn’t know anything, even though they had already noticed each other’s identity.

Whether the guy in front of her is Egostic or not, she just threw the thought away, she just smiled and went along with him.

Both of them seem crazy.

…I’m going to catch you. I have to attack. I know who you are, so even if you run away, I’ll report it to the association and track you down.

With that in mind, Shin Haru felt her chest stuffy without realizing it.

…All right, let’s stop this conversation, and let’s just barge in. Not yet, maybe after this conversation…

The moment she opens her lips, making a promise to herself…

Somewhere in the distance, she heard something exploding.

-Boom.

“…?”

As she turned her head to the sudden situation, a faint black smoke was seen somewhere in the distance.

As the beach was rocked by a sudden incident, the phone in her pocket suddenly began to ring.

“…Da-in, wait a minute.”

[The Association]

As she saw the letters on the screen, she stood up and went to one side to answer the phone.

The urgent voice of the staff was heard.

[Stardus! We have a problem. Egostic appears again, he’s causing another terrorism!]

“…What?”

Surprised by the sudden words, Shin Haru turned her head and looked at where Da-in was sitting.

He looked around and looked at the place where black smoke was coming out. He seemed like an innocent person who had no idea what was going on.

“…Are you sure it’s Egostic?”

[Yes. It’s definitely him.]

Shin Haru suddenly began to fall into confusion at the certain voice.

…Egostic appeared? So who’s that guy over there?

***

Stardus, who is visibly confused on one side over there.

I looked at her and thought quietly with a slight smile without her knowing.

‘As planned.’