HPDBC Chapter 88
Chapter 88
“Is this the place?”
As Siwoo looked around, a scene that was hard to believe was from the same city was revealed.
The outdated facilities and buildings created an eerie atmosphere.
If there weren’t people wandering around, it could pass for a ghost town.
Is it because it’s a city recently liberated from monsters?
“Wow, even people live in a place like this...”
Amelia also began to look around with eyes mixed with curiosity and pity.
People walking on the street began to glare at them.
‘Do they realize we’re outsiders from her reaction?’
“Wh-What is it? Why?”
“...Sigh. I’m sorry.”
After apologizing to the passersby, Siwoo said bitter words to Amelia.
“People here don’t like people like us very much, so be careful. I heard the public safety isn’t very good.”
“Wh-What? They’re not superhumans, so there’s no way they could have heard my voice from that distance.”
“Well, that may be true, but your appearance isn’t like that.”
“Appearance?... Ah.”
She finally understood.
Those people aren’t well-off enough to dress up like Amelia.
Her noble-looking appearance and seemingly valuable accessories.
They were looking at her with eyes filled with envy, jealousy, and desire.
There’s only one reason why those people didn’t pick a fight with them.
It’s because they were wearing academy uniforms.
Even if they fought, they would have no way to win.
“Why did you even come here in the first place?”
“... Can’t I come? I’m also Arte’s friend, you know?”
“No, I’m not saying you can’t, but...”
It’s not the first or second time he’s acted together with Amelia, so it didn’t particularly bother him.
The problem is that it was only the two of them.
“Shouldn’t you be moving with Dorothy?”
Dorothy and Amelia are in the same group.
That’s why he thought Amelia wouldn’t come. Because she had to move with Dorothy.
Dorothy doesn’t even know Arte’s true identity.
So he left Amelia behind, but she walked alongside him at some point.
‘Don’t tell me she left Dorothy behind and moved alone.’
“Don’t worry. She allowed it.”
“...Allowed?”
“Yeah. When I explained the situation, she understood.”
Ah.
Siwoo felt like he knew what had happened without even looking.
Dorothy, who is emotionally sensitive, tends to be obsessed with romance.
So, she must have easily fallen for Amelia’s sweet talk.
“Sigh... Do as you please.”
“As always!”
“...”
She’s quite talkative today.
Thinking that continuing to argue like this would only give him a headache, Siwoo decided not to pay any more attention to it.
It’s not like it’s the first or second time she did as she pleased.
“It’s definitely around here, but... How are you going to find her?”
“Huh?”
“...What, you came without any plan? How are you going to find Arte in this city?!”
Amelia raised her voice as if dumbfounded.
‘Why is that even a question?’
“We’ll find her if we just keep walking.”
“What?!”
“Come on, let’s go. I have a feeling it’s this way.”
“H-Hey?!”
***
“...H-Hey. Where are you going?! Do you know the way?!”
“No, I don’t. This is my first time here.”
Is he crazy? No, he’s definitely crazy.
“Mister. Take this.”
“Th-This is...”
“It’s not fake, so don’t worry. It’s quite expensive, you know?”
“...”
Gulp.
She could feel another emotion growing within the man.
Greed.
Well, it’s not often that someone living in a place like this gets a chance to obtain a gold ornament.
He tried to snatch it from her hand, but she pulled it back before he could grab it.
“If you tell us where the person we’re looking for went, I might give you more.”
“...A-Are you serious?”
“Of course. I’m serious, mister. I’m rich.”
Of course, it was her dad’s money.
But money is meant to be spent.
‘If I tell Grandpa and Dad that I spent some money helping a friend, won’t they forgive me?’
...They will, right? Right?
Amelia already felt the nagging in her ears.
‘Well, what’s done is done.’
A little bit of scolding never hurt anyone.
“S-She went into that alley over there.”
“Further inside? Why did she go in?”
“I don’t know. She was looking for Arachne... They said they were looking for Arachne. With an investigator!”
“An investigator?”
“I don’t know if they were real or fake, but anyway, that’s what they said!”
Arte was with an investigator?
...Why?
Arachne is an organization that the association is keeping a close eye on.
‘Hmm, I don’t really understand.’
She handed the bracelet in her hand.
“Here, take it.”
“Oh, ooh...!”
“Let’s go, Siwoo.”
“W-Wait. I have one more thing to say.”
“Huh?”
The man, who had been staring at the jewelry with entranced eyes, spoke to her.
With all doubts removed, to show goodwill to the person who gave him a precious item.
“Arachne is active around here.”
“That’s obvious since it was even on the news. I know that too. They’re just impersonators.”
“S-So... That’s...”
“If you have nothing more to say...”
“Wait, Amelia. Let’s hear more.”
“Those guys, there are quite a lot of them!”
‘There are a lot of them?’
Perhaps noticing their interest, he continued.
“T-The recently disappeared Übermensch...! The guys who were oppressed by them are all impersonating Arachne. The number is enormous.”
“...It doesn’t seem like it will be a problem.”
“No, no. It’s a maze here.”
“...A maze?”
“Because the recaptured areas were hastily built up, the roads are twisted here and there, so it’s easy to get lost even for the locals. So if you let your guard down...”
Only then did she realize what he was trying to say.
A maze-like terrain.
Criminals lurking using the name Arachne.
It might be dangerous if they were attacked by surprise.
Maybe that’s what he wanted to say.
“...Thanks, mister.”
“I-It’s for the money.”
Amelia spent well today.
_____________________
Author’s Notes
I want to have my own ‘world’ like the Author.