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Chapter 57

I made a mistake.

Without thinking too much, I expressed my gratitude, and whoosh, Pururu’s real name slipped out!

Pururu seemed flustered, posted a question mark in the chat, and went silent for a while.

【Mysticism】─What’s Dan-bi?
【Yumi】─Could that be Pururu’s name?
【Rize Nova】─When Dan-bi was mentioned, Pururu reacted, so it seems likely.

【Mysticism】─🤔

【Mysticism】─How does Geon oppa know Pururu’s name?
【Yumi】─Exactly? He said he didn’t know Pururu’s identity.
【Yumi】─Oh. Did you figure it out from the drawing?
【Rize Nova】─If you ask directly if she’s Dan-bi, she’ll deny it dry as a bone. So, it seems Geon subtly dropped the name during the conversation to get a reaction. If she reacts, she’s Dan-bi; if not, then not.
【Mysticism】─It was a trap!

But not really. I called it out completely thoughtlessly…

I’m just as flustered right now.

I accidentally revealed Pururu’s identity with my own mouth, but as I said earlier, it was just a slip-up and the situation was too sudden.

“I was supposed to prepare myself and reveal it slowly…”

…Well, since I’ve already blurted it out, there’s no helping it.

You can’t put spilled water back into the container!

I decided to push forward after calling her name.

“Dan-bi, why are you silent?”

Did she get surprised by the sudden situation and exit the broadcast?

I checked the assistant list just in case.

“Looks like she hasn’t left.”

Pururu was still on the assistant list.

She was probably just contemplating how to overcome this situation.

After about 30 seconds, Pururu’s chat finally popped up.

【Pururu】─Haha, caught me!
【Yumi】─Gasp.
【Rize Nova】─You confessed.
【Mysticism】─😱

It was unexpected.

Honestly, I thought she would deny it at first.

Like, “I’m not Dan-bi!” in that style.

But who would have guessed she’d admit it so readily?

If that’s the case, then why on earth did she hide her identity all this time?

【Pururu】─Since when did you figure it out?

“I recognized you right away from the drawing. Your art style is too distinctive!”

【Pururu】─Oh.
【Yumi】─With a drawing style that unique, it’s hard not to know.
【Mysticism】─Wait, did you just admit it? You’re Dan-bi?
【Pururu】─Shut up!
【Mysticism】─😠
【Pururu】─Phew.
【Pururu】─Anyway, I’m sorry for keeping it a secret. I had my reasons.

“What reasons?”

【Yumi】─Could it be that Pururu is quite shy? Hehe.
【Rize Nova】─Pururu is a shy one, huh?
【Mysticism】─I get Pururu. I hid out of embarrassment too.
【Pururu】─It’s not that I hid out of embarrassment.
【Pururu】─I was just afraid I wouldn’t be remembered.

“What do you mean by that?”

【Pururu】─If I revealed I was Seo Dan-bi, and Geon said, “Who is that?” it would be embarrassing.

A laugh escaped me at her unexpected reasoning.

I wondered if there was some big reason for it, but she’d kept it secret simply out of worry about not being remembered.

Such a girl with unnecessary concerns.

“Why would I forget you? We were in the same class, it’s not like I’d forget!”

【Yumi】─Ah, you were in the same class?
【Rize Nova】─So that’s how deeply connected you are!
【Mysticism】─😮
【Pururu】─You could forget. Geon, do you remember all your high school classmates?

Of course, I don’t remember all of them.

It’s been over nine years since we graduated!

“If we weren’t really close, I might forget you.”

【Pururu】─See?

“Even so, if I heard your name or saw your face, I’d at least remember a bit!”

【Pururu】─Do you remember Min Joo-hyun?

“Who’s that?”

【Pururu】─We were in the same class. You can’t even remember after hearing the name?
【Pururu】─You wouldn’t even recognize her if you saw her now. People change, especially girls.

“No way, I had zero connection with her. Not remembering someone whose name I heard means we hardly talked at school.”

【Pururu】─Yeah, you weren’t close with her.
【Pururu】─And that’s why I didn’t reveal my identity.
【Pururu】─Just like you didn’t know who Min Joo-hyun was, maybe you’d forget my name too.

Her analogy was a bit weird.

Unlike with Min Joo-hyun, I had quite a bit of overlap with Seo Dan-bi.

Though we hadn’t kept in touch much after graduation, and hadn’t contacted each other since I traveled to the other world…

We shared a common hobby of drawing back in school, which meant we spent a lot of time drawing together during breaks.

There’s no way those memories would fade in just nine years’ time.

“I’m telling you, you’re different from her. We were way closer than that!”

【Pururu】─Haha, got it.
【Yumi】─Guess that’s news to her.
【Pururu】─Still, who knows? We weren’t that close. Of course, I remembered you, though.
【Pururu】─Plus, if Geon couldn’t immediately recall me and took a moment to think, it would feel hurtful since I kept it a secret. Now you understand?

“……..”

【Pururu】─Oh, and I was touched that you recognized me just by my art style. Haha.

“……..”

【Pururu】─??
【Pururu】─Why so suddenly quiet?

“I thought we were pretty close back in school, but you didn’t think so. I’m quite disappointed.”

【Pururu】─?
【Mysticism】─Pururu’s trash.
【Mysticism】─I’m so disappointed.
【Yumi】─Wow, Sunbi is trash. ㅡㅡ
【Rize Nova】─To think Geon only considered you a friend, while Pururu didn’t consider you one…
【Pururu】─Shit! We really weren’t that close!!!

But honestly, I didn’t think we were that close.

From an objective standpoint, we weren’t that close at all.

What I just said was merely teasing her.

She’d hidden her identity for so long; it was warranting some teasing!

*

【Pururu】─Missy, you’re under me now.
【Mysticism】─Huh?
【Pururu】─You didn’t remember Geon at first. I figured it out right away just by looking at the drawing. Haha.
【Pururu】─That’s the difference between us! See ya!
【Mysticism】─😐
【Yumi】─Looks like she’s asking what we’re supposed to do about that.
【Mysticism】─But Geon-oppa didn’t say Pururu was pretty. The chances are, she’s ugly; that puts her under me!
【Pururu】─What the?

Just for the record, Pururu was actually pretty.

At least by my standards.

I didn’t notice it from afar, but up close, her features were very distinct.

She didn’t stand out back in school since she didn’t bother with looks, but if she had made an effort, she would have been quite popular.

Anyway.

My old classmate Seo Dan-bi, reunited after a long time.

I asked her how she’d been and, feeling glad, chatted about various things.

Then, suddenly, the other assistants started to grill Pururu with questions.

【Yumi】─Geon, what was Pururu like as a person?
【Mysticism】─I’m curious about what kind of student she was!
【Pururu】─Why do you freaks care?

“Just… she loved to draw, was ordinary, and had a quiet personality.”

【Yumi】─So she was quiet?
【Mysticism】─What happened to her now, though?
【Yumi】─Indeed, what happened?

“I guess she changed as she got older.”

【Rize Nova】─The passage of time turned Pururu into a troublemaker.
【Pururu】─What troublemaker? Damn it!
【Pururu】─I was just a nerd back then, keeping my distance.
【Pururu】─I had to avoid the popular kids to make school life less of a drag. Haha.
【Pururu】─And I’m still pretty quiet, you know?
【Yumi】─Huh? Then why are you acting wild here?
【Mysticism】─Looks like Pururu’s a keyboard warrior.
【Pururu】─What are you talking about? This is pretty normal behavior!
【Pururu】─And Missy, don’t speak casually to me. I’m older than you!
【Yumi】─Then you should speak formally to me. I’m older than Pururu.
【Pururu】─No, thanks. Being older isn’t anything to brag about.
【Yumi】─What is up with this person?
【Mysticism】─Hypocrisy at its finest.

Starting from what kind of person Pururu was, the assistants kept showering her with questions.

Then suddenly, an unexpected one popped up.

【Yumi】─Hey, Pururu, were you secretly in love with Geon? You always sat next to him and tried to draw, right?
【Mysticism】─It’s clear she had some interest!

“Well, I don’t think that’s true. We just had a common hobby, and we were friends. I never felt like Dan-bi liked me.”

【Yumi】─Hmm. That’s suspicious.
【Mysticism】─Pururu’s suspicious.
【Yumi】─Geon, did you not have any feelings for Pururu either?

I didn’t. Just a friend.

Before I could even answer, Pururu typed first.

【Pururu】─Geon had someone he liked.
【Yumi】─Gasp?
【Yumi】─Geon had a crush on someone? Really?
【Mysticism】─Who? Who? Who?
【Rize Nova】─Oh, this sounds a bit interesting.

“Dan-bi, let’s not discuss that.”

【Pururu】─Oh, got it. I’m sorry; I typed that without thinking…

“Nothing to be sorry about.”

【Pururu】─Uh-huh…
【Yumi】─Looks like it wasn’t a happy ending after all.
【Rize Nova】─How unfortunate.
【Mysticism】─I’m curious… T_T

The lively chat suddenly dulled.

Out of the blue, the atmosphere turned awkward.

To lift the mood, I decided to switch the topic.

As I pondered what to bring up, it suddenly struck me about the invitation tickets I had forgotten.

“…Ah, right! I haven’t used the invitation tickets yet.”

【Yumi】─Invitation tickets?
【Pururu】─Are you talking about the low-level invitation ticket?

Originally, I planned to gather a few more before using them, but I decided to just use one now since it popped into my mind.

At least this should help divert the assistants’ curiosity about my past!

I gently petted the Melody Fox sleeping on my lap and used ten low-level invitation tickets.

[Kyurolorong.]

[Low-Level Support Request]

▷Holding invitation tickets: 10

「You have called an Assistant.」
「You used 10 low-level invitation tickets.」

「The method of requesting support is determined randomly.」
「The request method has been decided.」

「Requesting support from someone connected to Kang Geon.」
「Determining breadth of connection.」
「The breadth of connection has been determined.」

「We’re not talking about just brushing elbows? NO! Just locking eyes is enough!」
「Sending a letter to someone who has made eye contact with Kang Geon.」

「Randomly generating invitation phrase.」

====================

Somebody help me!

The labyrinth explorer ‘Kang Geon’ has requested assistance!

If you want to assist Kang Geon, hurry up and put this letter in your mouth and swallow it!

※If you do not open this letter and consume it within 3 hours, it will disappear and Kang Geon’s request for support will be canceled!

====================

「10 letters have been generated.」
「The letters will be sent across the dimensions.」

“Hmm…”

【Pururu】─Did you send it?
【Yumi】─Did you request support?

【Mysticism】─🤔

【Rize Nova】─If a new assistant comes, it might be your ticket out of the newbie zone! Haha.

“I think I’ll just take a nap.”

【Pururu】─?

I decided to erase the memory of just having used the invitation tickets.


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