NOVEL WEB Chapter 200
I had already made up my mind, so I wasn’t thinking about it much, but the kids looked like they were either feeling refreshed or a bit sad—hard to say which.
“Why does everyone look so glum? It’s not like we’re headed off to die or going too far away. We could still meet often, right? Don’t pull those faces.”
“Well… that’s true, but thinking that we won’t see each other at the Academy again is kind of sad.”
“Yeah, and also… going into a servant role at a friend’s house feels a bit… off. Servants usually don’t have much freedom.”
Honestly, I felt the same way, but what could I do? I had to do this to survive in the city.
It was definitely better to be here than in the outskirts, where I’d be living alone, with not a single familiar face around.
“Better than dying, right?”
What Jinhyeon said was exactly what I was thinking. I didn’t expect him to say it so bluntly, though.
“No matter how you slice it, what you said is just… ugh…”
Minho chimed in from the side, but Jinhyeon just shrugged, seemingly not getting it, talking about experiment subjects and such.
“Maybe just keeping quiet is the best, Jinhyeon…”
Not everything he said was wrong, but no matter how correct something is, you need to know the right time and place to say it.
That guy will definitely have a storm of controversy trailing him when he becomes a hero—not for his actions, but because journalists will twist his words weirdly.
It might not even be entirely the journalists’ fault… but you should convey things clearly enough so there’s no room for misunderstandings. Being a hero isn’t just about saving people; you also have to be, to some extent, an entertainer.
“Well… like you said, it wouldn’t be easy to come and go freely, and it wouldn’t be comfortable to treat each other like before, but I’m still me. That’s enough for me.”
Ignoring Jinhyeon’s words, I said I was satisfied, and the kids seemed to have nothing more to say, shuffling a bit. Everyone’s just too nice.
Honestly, I could get a bit greedy here, but no one would say anything.
Ah, I wonder what Lapiz would say?
“Yes, yes, Grandma, please get ready now! Almost everyone has arrived… What about the clothes? Not here yet? Still making them…? Then in the meantime… what should we put on…”
It seemed like Lapiz was busy on the phone with her family, so it looked like she couldn’t jump into our conversation.
But even amidst all that, her gaze was on me, like she’d leap out if I said something wrong.
“…While there are many ways to survive, this will let me stick closest to you all. More than anything, I’m curious to see how you all change in the future.”
“Yes, then please do it that way…! Huh, for now, at least we’re all set… We just need to arrive!”
“Blanca, do you have anything you left behind…?”
“Would there be anything? I don’t even have my phone with me, I’ll have to buy a new one.”
“Ah, speaking of which… your phone, it’s at my house…!”
“…Huh?”
Why is it there?
I couldn’t grasp what that meant, so I asked her to repeat it, but the answer was the same.
“Why is my phone there…? And why didn’t you return it earlier…?”
How on earth did she get it? I was so confused that all I could utter was why she had it.
Maybe I could have figured it out with a little thought, but my brain didn’t have the energy to spare for that.
“Remember when we attacked your base before? After you and Yusti all ran away, I found it in the empty hideout. I left it with Lapiz, and somehow, now we’re in a situation where I can finally return it.”
Once I heard Minho explain in place of Lapiz, I began to understand why things rolled out the way they did.
How we got it, and also why it wasn’t returned sooner.
Knowing the reason sent a chill down my spine.
“You didn’t, like, forcibly break it open and check out the data inside, did you…?”
“That… well, I didn’t crack it open!”
“I tried several times, but I realized that messing it up could wipe all the data inside, so I gave up. That’s why I was able to hold onto it personally. Basically, it was a piece of junk.”
Lapiz tried to mumble and dodge the topic, but Jinhyeon’s revelation made her hidden truth spill out.
While I was relieved that she hadn’t opened it, I felt a creepiness at the thought of her keeping a phone she couldn’t even open.
Her obsession was truly beyond my imagination.
If it had been someone I didn’t know well, or just slightly less familiar, I’d probably be feeling pretty uncomfortable right now.
“So, Blanca. Can we look at what was on your phone together?”
Lapiz stopped glaring at Jinhyeon and subtly leaned towards me, eagerly trying to push that she wanted to see my phone.
“Of course…”
“No?”
I was about to say no, but the moment I saw the shift in Lapiz’s expression, I quickly changed my words.
“…Fine, because we’re friends!”
Having made a mistake and with someone who was going to be my boss in the future, I couldn’t refuse this.
Reluctantly agreeing, Lapiz’s expression brightened instantly, and she told the others they could look at it.
…Hmm. Somehow I’m starting to worry about the future a bit. Nothing crazy will happen, right?
Looking at Lapiz, who was entwining her tail with mine, I told her not to expect much since there wasn’t anything all that important or impressive.
There really wasn’t anything major on it. Just pictures with friends, call logs, preparations needed for tomorrow’s class—stuff like that.
“Well, you’ll find out when you look; we’re almost there!”
There wasn’t even time for me to desperately wonder if I had stored anything strange on my phone before being dragged out of the car by Lapiz.
“Mom! Dad! Grandma! Grandpa! I’m here! And my friends too!”
“It’s nice that our daughter is bringing her friends, but you should have at least let us know before coming.”
“That’s true, but how would a girl her age even think that far ahead?”
The slightly pale-haired young man and the intimidating brown-skinned person must be Lapiz’s grandparents.
On the other side was her mother, with golden hair, and a tanned guy who looked like a total punk, that was her father.
I still haven’t quite gotten used to seeing them.
Part of the reason is probably that the way they looked at me wasn’t exactly warm.
No one openly showed hostility, but I could definitely sense their discomfort.
…But I guess I have to endure it all. This is the result of something I brought upon myself.
Lowering my head slightly, I greeted them.
“I’m Blanca, and I’ll be helping out, though I’m not sure what I can offer. You might have seen a few of me already, but nonetheless, I’d like to formally introduce myself.”
One of them, seemingly unsure of what to say, returned the greeting, saying they looked forward to it, regardless of whether they were enthusiastic or lukewarm.
This initiation ceremony wouldn’t end with just this, but for now, it was time to show Lapiz what was inside my phone.
Being pulled by Lapiz’s hand to her room brought back some oddly nostalgic memories.
…I mean, even though it’s different now with two new people added compared to when I first came here. But still, close enough, right?
“I remember this. It feels like just yesterday when I visited your house at the start of last semester.”
“Just yesterday? Didn’t that involve way too much in between?”
“That’s just how I express it, okay?”
Lapiz seemed to have no nostalgia of her own; she just handed me the phone and told me to open it.
“There’s really nothing in there…”
Knowing she wouldn’t listen to what I said, I had no choice but to open it and show her.
The kids, looking in with high expectations, were thoroughly disappointed as soon as they saw the nothingness on my phone.
“I told you, there’s really nothing! Just some pictures with you all and a list of things I need for tomorrow!”
Even though they made disappointed faces, there was nothing I could do about it. I couldn’t just create a secret folder to save the day.
“Anyway… thanks for taking care of my phone. It’s an item filled with memories.”
As I received my phone back from her and gently caressed it,
“So you’re saying you collect memories and then put them in there?!”
I wasn’t sure if she was disappointed or if it was about the contents of the phone, but Lapiz chased after me like she would catch me.
“Hey, what’s with the sudden change?!”
Wasn’t it a warm atmosphere? Why’s it suddenly turning into a chase scene?
Without any clue of what was going on, I ran for my life, and the others followed me like it was a pact.
“Don’t fall!”
Even her parents didn’t seem to be planning to stop us; they just yelled to avoid injury.
What do you want us to do if you’re not stopping us?!
Inside I was screaming, questioning how things could be so chaotic from the very first day.
But… well.
Guess it’s karma for being a traitor.
– – – – Main Story Complete – – – – –
…But their lives go on.
– – – – Epilogue – – – –
Road to Maid. Ep. ??
Being a maid is incredibly exhausting in many ways. Especially when the lady you serve is a hero.
There’s all the household chores, plus handling her makeup and coordination, her outfit and hairstyle, and on top of that, taking up roles akin to a sidekick and manager.
Why does a maid take on these roles, you ask?
I don’t know. I seem to be the only person left who can be called a maid in this age, so if they need something, what can I do?
It’s just what the lady asked of me.