TRPM 126

chapter 126

After the sparring match between Elliot and Lee Doomin ended and the two of them went to the hospital, Elena asked me something in Korean.

“Geonwoo, do you have some time?”

“Hm? Time?”

Hearing that, I took out my phone to check the time. There was still plenty of time before my mother would finish work. So I could spare a little while.

(Of course, even if my mother’s workday ended, I could just send a message saying I’d be late.)

With that thought, I answered that I had time.

“That’s good. Then could you spend a little while with me?”

“I’d like to know what it’s about beforehand.”

Elena answered my question honestly.

“Actually, I wanted to meet Ryu Ayoung or Lee Ha-eun, not you, Geonwoo. Since we’ll be attending the academy together later, I thought it would be good to build friendships in advance.”

But those two had gone to the academy right after Elliot and Lee Doomin’s sparring finished.

Some might find it odd that someone as great a mage as Lee Ha-eun still attends the academy, but the academy keeps them there without charging tuition. Having well-known students like Ryu Ayoung and Lee Ha-eun makes the academy famous, so it was natural for their mothers to send them. After all, the academy saying they wouldn’t charge tuition was irresistible.

(My mom got a similar offer…)

I had refused. Ryu Ayoung and Lee Ha-eun still had a lot to learn at the academy, but I didn’t. I’d rather spend time in my room practicing breathing techniques or meditating than attend classes.

“The academy…? Oh, I know — it’s like a school but not a school that teaches students, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

The concept of an academy seemed a little unfamiliar to Elena, who is British. I suppose education fever isn’t as intense in the UK as it is here.

Anyway, because both Ryu Ayoung and Lee Ha-eun had gone to the academy, Elena had no choice but to spend time with me.

“…Ah! That doesn’t mean I’m substituting you for them…!”

Elena started to make excuses as if what she’d said might hurt my feelings. I didn’t really mind. She probably wanted to socialize ahead of time with the girls who were more likely to share a dormitory at the academy than with a boy like me. Whether Lee Ha-eun and Ryu Ayoung would actually enter the dormitory, I didn’t know.

“Okay, okay. But even if we spend time together, what are we going to do?”

“Hmm… girls usually go to a dessert café together…”

Elena said that as if she were embarrassed. Maybe many boys dislike sweets.

“Then let’s go.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t hate sweets.”

I don’t dislike things that are moderately sweet, unless they’re cloying. I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat them, but there happened to be a dessert place nearby that I frequented.

(…I only started going to that dessert shop because the girls, including Ryu Ayoung and Lee Ha-eun, dragged me there.)

The desserts there were all pretty good, so I had no complaint. I decided to take Elena to that dessert shop. But then…

“Hey, did you hear? Geonwoo’s taking us to a dessert shop!”

“Is Geonwoo buying?”

“…Ah.”

Some of the girls who hadn’t gone to the academy and who had overheard our conversation shouted that out. I hadn’t been talking to them — Elena wanted to spend time with me, not with them.

“Everyone, come. I’ll pay. But one per person, okay?”

When Elena said that after hearing the girls, the boys hesitated but then asked if they could come too. For them, dessert wasn’t the real objective…

(Elena is the objective.)

They wanted to be near Elena, who looked like the picture-perfect princess. They probably hoped to spend time with her. Whether psychotic Elena would actually take any interest in them was another matter.

We all entered the nearby dessert shop as a group. Fortunately, there was enough space for everyone, and the kids sat down and enjoyed their desserts. I also took a plate of tiramisu and sat down.

“I’m glad everyone’s enjoying it.”

After paying and collecting her dessert, Elena sat on the chair opposite me and said.

“So? Since I made you spare the time, you’re not just going to buy me dessert and call it a day, are you?”

It was probably true that Elena wanted to get to know me. If she were a high schooler or an academy cadet — or an adult who had graduated — I might suspect other motives, but she was still a middle schooler. Even if a royal had been given special education and often hid her true nature with coyness, Elena was still a child. It was hard to believe she approached me with anything else in mind.

(Still, she wouldn’t just treat me to dessert and leave.)

She would at least talk casually and try to build rapport.

“Let’s just have a light chat. After all, this is at most our third meeting.”

“Third? Ah…”

For a moment I wondered if this was only our second meeting, but then I remembered: we’d first met in England and sparred, then again at Arthur’s wedding, and now this — that made three. Although—

“Does meeting at Arthur’s wedding count as meeting?”

Back then, Elliot had requested a sparring match, but it ended quickly because of the flight schedule. Elena hadn’t even properly seen my face.

“Hmm…”

Elena didn’t quite answer, seeming to agree with my doubt.

“Anyway! Shall we take some time to get to know each other?”

“Sure.”

It was a blunt way to say it, but I decided to play along. Our conversation would be normal Q&A-style — nothing more, given how little we knew about each other.

“Ah, next question.”

“Ask.”

“Is Geonwoo really an artist?”

I put a piece of tiramisu into my mouth and said,

“Has that rumor spread to England?”

I meant it as just a rumor. I didn’t know if Elena would believe me.

“It hasn’t reached England. We only learned that such rumors are circulating now that we came to Korea.”

Good — the rumor hadn’t spread internationally, at least not all the way to England. It might have spread elsewhere in East Asia, though.

“Hmm… really?”

“For now, I’ll assume it isn’t true.”

Elena didn’t seem convinced I was an artist.

“Now it’s your turn to ask, Geonwoo.”

“Even if you say that…”

I felt like we’d covered most of the questions, but then I noticed the other kids staring our way.

“…You guys, do you have anything you want to ask Elena?”

“Yes!”

“If she’s a princess, does she live in a castle?”

“The one who sparred with Doomin earlier — is he a prince?”

“Princess, what color underwear are you wearing today…?”

When I asked if they had any questions, the kids seized the chance to ask. The last one — who’s the idiot? Who would sexually harass a princess?

“To answer one by one: the place I live is Buckingham Palace. Elliot is a prince. And I will not answer questions about my underwear.”

Elena answered calmly, as if she had a lot of experience with this. Her response to the sexual question was well handled.

Then — whack! whack!

“Gyaaaah?!”

“You dared to ask the princess that?!”

“You pervert!”

The boy who had asked the lewd question was being punished by the girls. No one stopped them; he deserved it.

(Well…)

I smiled at the ruckus. The kids punished the offender but continued to ask Elena curious questions about princess life, and Elena slowly began to lower her guard as she answered them. Watching them, I cut a piece of tiramisu with my fork.

“Hm?”

As I went to cut the tiramisu, something caught my eye on the bottom of the plate. I carefully moved the piece aside and checked the base of the plate.

“……”

It was a scrap of paper. Something was written on it. I glanced subtly toward the counter. The woman who always worked at the dessert shop stood there with her usual face.

(Isn’t that woman the daughter of the woman who owns this dessert shop?)

I checked the paper and saw hurriedly scribbled letters.

(…“SOS, 112”…)

I realized what it said.

“……”

I looked cautiously at the woman at the counter. Her expression was as usual, but on closer inspection she seemed a little uneasy. While her face wasn’t pointed at us, her eyes were subtly looking our way. That meant the “SOS” and “112” message had been sent to me by her.

(…This is my fault for assuming nothing dangerous would happen around here and lowering my guard.)

Realizing that, I spread out my ki perception and confirmed there were people in the shop’s kitchen and storage room. Among those in the storage room, the shop’s manager — the owner — was being held captive.

If I had been spreading my ki like usual, I’d have detected this before entering the shop.

(I’d become arrogant, thinking crimes wouldn’t happen around my neighborhood anymore. That was foolish.)

With that in mind, I cast an alert. The noisy chatter around me faded away. The kids wouldn’t hear what I was saying now. I took out my phone and dialed 112.

[“Yes, what’s the matter? How can we help?”]

“A woman from this shop gave me a piece of paper that said ‘SOS’ and ‘112.’”

[Student? What’s the location of the shop?]

“The name of the shop is—”

As I was speaking, I felt a strange energy trying to seep into my smartphone. I kept talking while investigating the presence.

(…A hacking attempt.)

A crude one. “Crude” compared to the usual hacking attempts. Normally, those who try to infiltrate my phone are international intelligence groups or organized criminals. It seemed whoever had taken over this shop was attempting to block reports by hacking.

[Units nearby — police or awakeners — will arrive soon. We detected an attempt to hack your phone. Your location might be exposed and targeted, so be careful.]

The police operator sounded as if they had also detected the hacking attempt.

Hmm…

(How many officers or awakeners will be needed?)

I checked the kitchen and storage again. Most inside were ordinary people, but there were a few awakeners among them. The responding police or awakeners might be ambushed themselves.

(There’s no choice.)

I decided to stay in the dessert shop until the situation was resolved. Maybe I should order more dessert.