Home/I Became the Heiress of a Top-Tier Guild /ch65

Chapter 65

Even on a weekday afternoon, the department store was crowded.

Today's meeting point was the <Luxury Boutique Kids Cafe> located inside the department store.

As soon as they entered the department store, pink posters and flashy ads were plastered everywhere.

[Korea's First! ☆Pocket Ping Neon Universe Masquerade Party☆ Held!]

They were all advertising events at the kids' cafe.

Seeing many children with their parents, it seemed everyone was here to enjoy the event.

"Young Mistress, since there are so many people, we'll maintain security at a shorter distance until the cafe."

Amidst the uncles' escort, Sol-a walked confidently.

"Mom, those ajusshis are scary."

"Oh my, what are gangsters doing in a department store...? Do they manage customers here or not?"

Today, the stares towards the bulky uncles in black suits and sunglasses were particularly hostile.

"Aren't those people Awakened? How dare they walk around so brazenly at a time like this?"

"Ugh, look at those builds, so scary. They probably think wearing that makes them look like Geumho hunters? These days, every Tom, Dick, and Harry dresses like that."

Since the City Hall Station terror and the police station attack, the perpetrators had been revealed as Awakened, worsening the nationwide atmosphere of fear towards them.

Because of the fear that they might terrorize innocent citizens anytime, anywhere.

But most Awakened, including hunters, had sacrificed themselves to protect people from all sorts of special phenomena until now.

Citizens used to treat those Awakened as grateful heroes.

And now, overnight, they're treated like this? Isn't that too harsh?

"Honestly, they shouldn't even let Awakened in here! What if there's a terror attack!"

"Excuse me, I can hear you, you know?!"

Unable to stand it any longer, Sol-a stepped forward and spoke loudly to the gossiping people.

"Wha, what? A kid with no fear!"

They'd yelp and run away if their eyes met, but they sure know how to throw out insults!

Sol-a fumed.

"Young Mistress, we're fine... sob!"

"You don't look fine at all!"

Sol-a stood on tiptoe and patted the deflated uncles' backs.

Even these uncles, who looked like they wouldn't bleed if you stabbed them, were actually soft and pure-hearted like silken tofu that would crumble at the slightest touch.

"No matter what anyone says, you uncles are kind and cool people who protect the world! Don't pay them any mind! Got it?"

"Young Mistress...!"

Moved, the trio hugged Sol-a tightly from the center.

"Uncles! I can't breathe!"

And so, Sol-a eventually arrived at the Luxury Boutique Kids Cafe on the 13th floor.

"It would have been better to change the venue to a cafe that could be rented out."

"Can't be helped. The Young Mistress and her friends wanted to come because of that Pocket Ping Masquerade Party event."

The uncles had tried to rent out the entire kids' cafe in advance but failed.

That's because Pocket Ping, along with Secret MooMoo, was an animation at the height of its popularity.

Kids all over the country were losing sleep over wanting to come to this cafe, so there was no way they could rent it out.

Joker had probably chosen this place intentionally, anticipating that.

'He's clever.'

Just as they were about to enter the kids' cafe—

"I'm sorry, but only one guardian may enter."

An employee blocked the uncles' way.

"We confirmed by phone in advance and were told it was fine."

Apple protested, bewildered, but the employee only repeated that it was against regulations.

"Then can we just guard the entrance?"

"Well... other customers are scared, so we ask for your understanding."

With endless refusals, the uncles' brows furrowed.

"Then, just Brother Apple will go in. We'll wait at the cafe across the way and keep watch."

"Understood."

Banana and Carrot left, and Apple entered the cafe with Sol-a.

"Welcome! We're handing out Pocket Ping masks."

What was extended to Sol-a was a paper mask with a printed pink character face.

An elastic band was attached to the ears, and small holes were cut for the eyes, nose, and mouth.

Its biggest feature was that the mask glowed due to fluorescent material.

A design fitting the 'Neon Universe Masquerade Ball' concept.

"Wow..."

Inside the kids' cafe, it was dark but filled with dazzling lights.

Glow-in-the-dark stickers everywhere created a space-like atmosphere. Children wearing fluorescent masks were moving around in the dim setting, looking like Pocket Pings floating through space.

It was a concept perfectly matching the anime's plot, where the protagonist travels through space to catch Pocket Pings.

Thanks to that, with masks on, it was hard to tell who was who unless they were close.

'This is it.'

She didn't know how Joker had found this particular kids' cafe hosting such an event, but it was perfect for shaking off the uncles' watchful eyes.

'They won't notice I'm gone for a while.'

"Uncle, see you later!"

"Yes, Young Mistress! I'll be watching from here. Have fun!"

Apple saw her off, taking pictures with his phone. He wanted to capture Sol-a playing at the cafe.

Sol-a mixed in among the children running around excitedly.

'Where is it...'

With masks on, she couldn't tell who was who.

Just as Sol-a was wandering around the cafe—

"Sol-a unnie, there you are again!"

So-hye ran up and hugged Sol-a.

She was wearing a mask of a character resembling a red fox, like herself.

"Again?"

"Yeah! I saw you over there a while ago! When did you get here?!"

At So-hye's words, Sol-a's eyes narrowed beneath the mask.

'There it is.'

It was just as Joker's plan had conveyed.

"So-hye, have you seen the other unnie and oppa?"

"Yeah! Everyone's playing over there! Let's go together, unnie!"

"Go ahead first. I need to use the bathroom."

A mirror ball sparkled above her head.

'Is this a kids' cafe or a club?'

With the loud music added, it had the full party atmosphere.

She could feel Apple watching her with concerned eyes from the guardians' area near the entrance.

Sol-a waved at him, then headed toward the worm-like tunnel slide that So-hye had mentioned.

"Found it."

Inside the circular plastic tunnel, reached by climbing stairs.

"...It's you."

A child wearing the exact same clothes and mask as Sol-a was sitting still.

She looked identical, as if she'd stepped out of a mirror.

It made her hair stand on end.

The child extended her arms and bowed at the waist.

A formal gesture, like a knight from a fairy tale showing loyalty to a king.

"Where are the clothes?"

Sol-a tossed her hair over her shoulder, shaking off the uneasy feeling.

She'd been curious about what Joker would send as a substitute for Sol-a.

'A shapeshifter. They really look exactly like me.'

She'd heard of shapeshifting abilities, but they were so rare that little was known about them.

Probably, if she took off the mask, her face would be identical to Sol-a's.

'I asked them to let me know what I'm wearing today, and they really matched everything down to the clothes.'

The fake Kim Sol-a pulled something from her pocket and handed it over.

"......"

It was a gold ring.

The fake Sol-a gestured, as if to say to stroke the ring.

'They said she can't speak.'

According to Joker's instructions, this shapeshifter couldn't speak while transformed because she couldn't mimic the voice.

And the maximum time she could maintain Sol-a's form was an hour.

'I can be back by then.'

As Sol-a stroked the ring a couple of times, something dropped into her arms from thin air.

It was a change of clothes.

'It's an inventory device? This must be incredibly expensive...'

"Ahem..."

She had to suppress the urge to gape at the insane item.

Sol-a unzipped her dress.

Over the inner clothes she'd worn in advance, she put on the hooded zip-up and pants that came out of the ring.

When she rubbed the ring again, her dress vanished as if scattering.

It had been stored inside the ring.

"Where do I go?"

At Sol-a's question, the silent child slowly raised her hand and pointed somewhere.

It was an emergency exit glowing with green light.

Just as Sol-a was about to leave—

The child tapped Sol-a's arm.

And held out a new mask with a different character on it.

"So I don't get caught and cause trouble."

Sol-a said coldly, in a warning tone, as she tied her hair up tightly.

With the fake Sol-a drawing attention, getting out and back in would be no problem.

Her heart pounded.

Once she went out there, she'd finally be able to meet Joker face to face.

What would it feel like if, when she confirms Joker's face, it turns out to be Ryu Ji-seung?

Would she be so angry her blood would boil?

Or...

Leaning against the emergency exit door, Sol-a took one last look around the kids' cafe.

The fake Kim Sol-a was passing by Apple, drawing his attention, and heading towards the Milky Way Kindergarten friends.

'One hour from now.'

Sol-a opened the emergency exit door and quickly ran down the stairs.

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