TRPM 239

chapter 239

I, Yeon Mirae, and Sophia headed to Sinsegyo with my mother.

Since my mother doesn’t have her own car, we decided to take Yeon Mirae’s.

However, even though it was Yeon Mirae’s car, Sophia was the one driving.

According to Sophia, who usually goes to work with Yeon Mirae…

“She drives a bit aggressively. Thanks to her Aura Master’s reflexes, she doesn’t get into accidents, though…”

That’s what she said… Well, that wasn’t really important, so I let it slide.

Honestly, I wouldn’t have minded staying home to rest or train, but I decided to follow my mother.

Sinsegyo is like an inheritance from my eldest uncle…

Sinsegyo was naturally a special place for my mother and me.

Although going there on Children’s Day felt a bit odd, I couldn’t really refuse since it was my mother suggesting it.

“So, what are we going to Sinsegyo for?”

Yeon Mirae asked my mother from the passenger seat.

Sophia, in the driver’s seat, didn’t turn her head but focused her ears on my mother.

“We’re holding a Children’s Day event at Sinsegyo this time.”

“A Children’s Day event… there?”

Yeon Mirae’s expression darkened slightly at that.

Even if I didn’t know anything else, Sinsegyo wasn’t ideally located for a Children’s Day event.

There was a bus stop in front, but it was relatively secluded, making it hard for people to come.

“Even though it’s a Children’s Day event, it’ll be small, mostly for Sinsegyo’s congregation and their families.”

“……”

I stayed silent after hearing that.

My mother’s friends were also part of the congregation.

And among them was Lee Ha-eun’s mother.

Which meant…

“Oh, Ha-eun’s family will probably come too.”

So, I’d be spending Children’s Day with Lee Ha-eun again this year.

No, if I said it like that, it might sound like I disliked her.

“But even for a Children’s Day event, what are you planning to do? Are things ready?”

“Of course. We’ve prepared several light booths like face painting, and we’ve also invited performance magicians for a show.”

She really had prepared properly.

By the way, a performance magician is someone who entertains people with flashy magic.

However, even flashy magic is usually performed by weak magicians who couldn’t make a major impact in dungeons. So the magic itself is often of a lower level.

Because of this, performance magicians often combine magic with sleight-of-hand tricks during their shows.

Well… I don’t think Yeon Mirae, Sophia, and I will enjoy the performance much.

With an awakened person’s reflexes, most illusions would be obvious.

Plus, compared to the powerful dungeon magic we’re used to, the performance magician’s magic would seem weak.

Still, it should be fun enough for kids.

I thought to myself as I looked out the window.

Sinsegyo was slowly coming into view.

… There are quite a few cars in the parking lot in front of Sinsegyo.

Not enough to fill it completely, but still a fair number of cars were parked.

Some people were probably there to run booths, and others had come early to enjoy the day.

“Oh my, so many people are already here?”

Even my mother looked a little surprised at the parking lot.

We had arrived relatively early ourselves, but many had come even earlier.

After entering the parking lot, we got out of the car and went into the Sinsegyo building.

“Where should we go?”

“Are you volunteers? Volunteers, please go to the volunteer lounge on the first floor first to be assigned your booths.”

“Oh, this booth is on the third floor. Go up the stairs to the third floor, then turn right, and you’ll see others preparing booths.”

“Ah, you’re guests. Only a few booths have started operations, but please take a pamphlet. Here—these three booths are currently operating.”

The first floor of Sinsegyo was bustling.

People preparing booths, early visitors, and staff guiding them.

It was inevitably noisy with so many people.

“Oh, looks busy. I need to help others, so you two go play by yourselves, alright?”

“Okay.”

“Yes.”

“Alright then.”

After saying that, my mother went to help the staff.

So, Yeon Mirae, Sophia, and I were left on our own.

“What should we do?”

“What do you mean what should we do…? We can only enjoy the booths, right?”

“I think my mother brought us here so we could relax and have fun since we’re always busy.”

Yeon Mirae and Sophia answered my question.

That made sense.

I quietly picked up a pile of pamphlets in a corner of the first floor and checked their contents.

“Let’s see… the booths currently operating are…”

“Face painting, cube puzzles, and mask decorating. I just heard a staff member introducing them to someone else.”

Sophia muttered quietly when she heard us.

“…Face painting…”

She seemed interested in face painting.

“Interested in face painting? Want to try it?”

“Ah…”

Sophia nodded slightly, blushing a little.

…Why is she embarrassed?

Was she embarrassed because I guessed her feelings?

I tilted my head in thought, and Sophia explained.

“I’ve never done face painting before, except for disguises.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I never had time to enjoy things like this as a child because I was training to become an assassin.”

“……”

That hit me suddenly.

Training to become an assassin…

I don’t think she trained under Richard’s association… or maybe this was before she became his subordinate?

Seeing my expression, Sophia asked,

“Are you curious about my childhood?”

“Well, if I had to say, yes… but if you don’t want to talk about it, that’s fine too.”

It didn’t seem like a pleasant memory.

“It’s fine. It’s all in the past… At most, I was trained as an assassin alongside other children kidnapped by a criminal organization.”

“That doesn’t sound like something you can just brush off as ‘at most’.”

“Really, it’s fine. After growing up a bit, I was rescued by Richard’s association before being deployed for assassination missions.”

Wait…

“And then I started working under Richard. Even so, my first mission was infiltrating the Oracle headquarters.”

“……”

Sophia continued.

“Oh, come to think of it, I’m not the only one working under Richard. I heard Maurice had a similar past, and other children rescued with me are scattered around the world.”

Of course, all of this is voluntary.

“…I see.”

At least I could roughly understand how much trust Sophia and Richard’s subordinates placed in him.

As I pondered that, Yeon Mirae said,

“We’ve arrived at the face painting booth. Sophia, what design would you like?”

“Can we choose a design here or draw our own? Then…”

Sophia mumbled this while looking at the designs at the entrance, then glanced at someone inside the booth.

“?”

“?”

Yeon Mirae and I also looked inside the booth.

The part-time workers and volunteers running the booth. Customers getting their faces painted.

Wait a moment.

There’s an awakened person among the part-timers.

There’s no rule that awakened people can’t work part-time, but usually they go to sites where monsters have caused damage—they get paid better.

Yet, they’re working here?

I guess it’s not strange if they urgently needed money…

I had a hunch.

Sophia was looking at that part-timer.

My hunch was right; she approached the part-timer and asked in English.

“(…Why are you here?)”
“(…Sophia? That sounds like my question… shouldn’t you be on Mars?)”
“(…I came down a few months ago.)”

They seemed to know each other.

And since Sophia mentioned Mars, she clearly knew the part-timer was a spy…

“Do you know that foreigner?”

“Ah, yes. He’s a native teacher at my university.”

“Really? You seem close. You have some time now, so that’s fine, but finish up quickly.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The part-timer excused himself and asked Sophia:

“(…Why are you here? For work?)”
“(…No, it’s not that… Since I’m a spy, Oracle could target me anytime. That’s why the person behind me is protecting me.)”
“(…Protecting?)”

The part-timer looked at me for a moment, then asked Sophia in surprise.

“(…That person is an artist? And they’re protecting you?)”
“(Yes. I also work under them. Today’s a holiday, so I came with the artist’s mother. I didn’t expect to see you here. Are you working?)”
“(…Ah, well….)”

The part-timer looked embarrassed.

“(…I don’t have exceptional abilities like you. I don’t get missions and live as a regular university student after clearing my identity. I came here to work part-time because I was running out of money.)”
“(…Why…? You’re awakened too. You must have other ways to earn…)”
“(…My current identity is a civilian, so my awakened status is secret. If I reveal it, even a minor fine could expose my fake identity, so I can’t risk it.)”
“(…Ah….)”

Sophia nodded, understanding.

…It seems that part-timer was trained as an assassin in a criminal organization, like Sophia.

Though lower in skill than Sophia, they were quite good at hiding their presence.

At least ordinary people wouldn’t see through them as awakened.

…So Richard has many capable potential assassins under him…

Of course, many live quietly without following Richard’s orders. But there are also many ready to act whenever he commands.