Chapter 31 : Adventure Level 20 (3)

Yu Mina finished getting ready and quietly opened her bedroom door.
When she stepped into the living room, her father was sitting on the sofa, looking at a tablet.
She startled, her breath catching slightly.
As she hurried toward the entrance, a static voice sounded.
“I’m sure I told you going out was forbidden for the time being.”

Her father adjusted his glasses.
The glasses chain swayed.
“Are you unable to understand words, or just lack patience? I also told you not to date, but seeing you continue, perhaps you lack comprehension.”
It was a calm voice.
But it was enough to stop her body from heading to the entrance.
Many thoughts raced through her mind, and various emotions surfaced.

“Go back to your room.”

None of those thoughts escaped her lips.
She stood awkwardly, neither in the living room nor at the entrance.
Her father sighed faintly and turned his gaze back to the tablet.
After a moment, there was a presence from the kitchen.

“Judge, have some strawberries. They’re delicious since they’re in season.”

The housekeeper came into the living room carrying a plate of strawberries.
Her father smiled and bowed his head slightly.
“Thank you. I was just getting a bit peckish.”

“Cha Haneul…”

All eyes turned to her.
“I’m going to meet Cha Haneul.”
She went to the entrance, put on her shoes, and left the house.
No voice stopped her.
Because, of course, she was going to meet Cha Haneul.

She didn’t actually have plans with Cha Haneul.
It was just an excuse.
She had no other plans either.
She simply didn’t want to be home.
Her father always spoke condescendingly, forcing rules and principles.
It was ridiculous.
She didn’t know what he expected from his child when his hobby was collecting art impossible on a judge’s salary.
Seeing how he couldn’t say anything when Cha Haneul was mentioned, the money must have come from Haneul’s grandfather or father.
It was absurd that a judge cared more about pleasing the next-next chairman, not even the current or next one.
She didn’t want to become that kind of judge.

She wandered through the downtown area.
With no plans, her steps were aimless.
She bumped into a few friends by chance, but they just exchanged greetings and parted ways.
She wanted a change of pace but wasn’t in the mood for lively chatter.
She considered actually going to meet Cha Haneul but decided against it.
Visiting too often might become tiresome for Haneul.
Though Haneul wouldn’t refuse.

Cha Haneul pushed away kids who approached her and never approached anyone first.
She was strangely favorable toward Mina, enough that Mina could visit her house without plans, but Mina hesitated to keep visiting because she didn’t understand the reason for this favor.
Cha Haneul could suddenly draw a line, saying the relationship became bothersome.
It really felt like she could.
The difference in treatment between Do Yugeon and herself made it plausible.
Though she meant it jokingly.

She ordered cake and juice at a café and sat down.
Even though she cursed her father, the cake and juice she just ordered were bought with her allowance.
It was always like this.
She wanted to leave home but wasn’t old enough for a part-time job, and though she cursed her father, her allowance came from his pocket.
She wondered if she was an idiot, just like her father said, living like this without the courage or will to run away.

While waiting for the order notification, a white cat suddenly sat in the seat opposite her.
Wondering if it had an owner, she looked around but couldn’t see one.
The cat stared intently at her.
Being a white cat, it reminded her of the Schrödinger Cha Haneul had mentioned.
She had never seen it herself, but according to Haneul, it would have been white like this.
It was a pity the skill had disappeared.
A cat like this would be really cute if it could talk.

Suddenly sensing a familiar person through the glass, she looked and saw Cha Haneul.
She seemed to be out with her mother.
―Hello―
She stood up and left the café.
It seemed like the cat spoke, but it must have been her imagination.

“Mom. Ice cream in this cold really doesn’t seem right.”
“It’s precisely because it’s cold that you eat ice cream. Just like eating hot dishes in summer, you eat ice cream in winter.”
“Ice cream isn’t exactly a health food…”
“My daughter doesn’t know one of life’s pleasures. It’s great because it doesn’t melt easily even when carried around.”

Mina approached them.
“Hi, Cha Haneul! Hello, Ma’am.”

Cha Haneul’s mother spoke.
“Fancy meeting you here. Perfect timing. Want some ice cream?”

She accepted the ice cream, which somehow felt like it was originally Haneul’s.
It was cold.
Under the expectant gaze, she took a bite without thinking.
Cold and chilly.
Her body shivered briefly from the cold.
Whether winter or summer, ice cream eaten at home is delicious, but eating ice cream outside in the cold winter didn’t seem right.

Haneul’s mother smiled, took a ring out of her pocket, and handed it to Mina.
Wondering what it was, she accepted it.
The cold feeling disappeared, replaced by warmth.
The weather should have been cold, but it wasn’t.

Cha Haneul, who had been staring into the air above the ring, looked at her mother.
“Are you teasing me right now by using an item only on yourself?”
“The ice cream tastes good now that it’s warm.”

Her mother took back the ring and the ice cream.
It became cold again.
“That’s a nice item.”
It was a truly enviable effect.

“Huhu. It’s my favorite among the gifts my husband gave me.”
“What about your wedding ring?”
“That’s second. No, third? Fourth?”
“It keeps getting pushed back.”

Her mother laughed, then her phone alarm rang.
“Oh, look at the time. My daughter can play a bit longer. I have to go now. Mina, come over for dinner sometime—I’ll cook something delicious for you.”
“Yes, I will. Goodbye.”

“I’m going home too.”

Mina grabbed the arm of Cha Haneul, who was about to follow her mother.
Haneul looked flustered.
“It’d be sad if you left right away.”

Haneul seemed to be debating whether to refuse and go home or accept.
Knowing she’d definitely go home if left alone, Mina looked around for a suitable excuse.
There happened to be an art exhibition nearby.
“Let’s go there! I wanted to check it out.”

Cha Haneul spoke with a face showing absolutely no interest.
“Okay, fine.”

As she led Haneul into the exhibition, something occurred to her, and she stopped walking.
She had forgotten her café order.

Sitting in a café chair, I drank my cappuccino.
It warmed me up inside.
Originally, I planned to laze around at home, enjoying the vacation break.
Mom asked me to go out with her for a bit, and now I got caught by Yu Mina.
Hmm.

I ate a bite of cheesecake.
The cake here is quite good.
Brand cafés are consistent and easy to go to without much thought, but sometimes these neighborhood cafés are nice for their simplicity.
Like now, finding something unexpectedly tasty.
I took another bite.
Truly a place Yu Mina would choose.
She knows these kinds of places well.
I don’t know what she does, but she’s outside a lot.
Is she an outdoorsy type? We’re quite the opposite.

“I was just sitting there, and suddenly a cat sat in front of me. It was a white cat, so white it made me wonder if the Schrödinger you mentioned looked like this.”
“You’re saying the cat sat in my current seat?”
“Yeah. It was gone when I came back.”

Hmm? I recalled something I skimmed while entering the café.
Aren’t pets forbidden here? I turned my head and saw a note taped to the café wall: “No Pets Allowed.”
“Was it a stray?”
“No, no. It was very clean, and its fur was neat, so it was clearly a house cat.”
“Then maybe someone brought it in and got kicked out.”
“Really?”
“Probably.”

Cats aren’t usually taken for walks, so I don’t know why someone would bring one, but maybe they had a reason and got kicked out.
Or maybe not.
But associating a white cat with Schrödinger… poor cat.
Being born white isn’t a sin.
Though Schrödinger being born white is a sin.
No, wait, he made that body himself.
Shameless.

“Don’t you have any pictures of Schrödinger? I want to see him.”
“None at all. Never thought of taking one.”
“Why? Seems like he’d be cute. He even talks.”
Precisely because he talks.
He’s cute if he keeps his mouth shut.
“His way of talking is really unpleasant.”
“Ugh, what a shame. Then I should have at least taken a picture of the cat I just met. That cat was really cute too. It would have gotten a great reaction if I posted it on social media.”
That’s more like you.

I took another bite of cheesecake.
It was almost gone.
Should we head to the exhibition now?
Yu Mina clapped her hands and said cheerfully.
“Let’s get one more.”
“More?”
“Yeah.”
“If we eat more, when are we going to the exhibition?”
“We should go see it, but it’s cold outside the café right now.”
True.
It’ll be cold whenever we go out, but still, I don’t want to leave quickly.

We each ordered another dessert, and I added another cup of coffee.
You have to drink coffee when it’s cold.
Also when it’s hot, when you’re sleepy, and when you’re tired.
The desserts and coffee we ordered arrived.
Yum yum, then we got up.
It was really time to leave now.

We left the café and headed toward the exhibition.
“What kind of exhibition is it?”
“The exhibition?”
“Yeah.”
“Umm… I don’t know.”
You’re the one who suggested it.

When I stared at her, Yu Mina smiled.
“I’m just going because I want to.”
“Which artists are participating?”
“I don’t know!”
Then why are we going? I wanted to object but decided against it.

As we continued walking, a passerby ahead of us fell.
The ground must be a bit icy and slippery.
I subtly avoided the path where the person fell.
However, one of my feet slipped, and my body tilted.
Ah? Startled, I momentarily floated in the air with magic, then, realizing my mistake, I released the magic.
I landed hard on my butt.
Ugh. Ow.

“Are you okay?”
Not okay at all. My butt hurt, and the ground was unnecessarily cold.
Because of the impact, my back felt strangely strained too.
While nursing the pain, something popped up.

[System Update Complete]
[Dueling has been added to the System. Try dueling with other explorers. You can compete.]

What are you, popping up so suddenly? I dismissed the message.
As I dusted off my clothes, my KakaoTalk notification went off multiple times.
Knowing it was obviously Do Yugeon, I ignored it for a moment and finished dusting myself off.
The KakaoTalk messages kept coming.
What if I were napping? Why is he sending so many messages?
More importantly, he should be at cram school right now, yet he’s sending messages just fine.

“Getting KakaoTalk messages?”
“Yeah. Looks like it.”

I checked KakaoTalk, and sure enough, it was Do Yugeon.
– It’s an update
– PVP
– P
– V
– P
Etc., etc.

“PVP was added to the System?”
“It just got updated. Not sure if it’s really PVP though.”
“Hmm.”

I scrolled down through the piled-up messages.
– It means it’s time to test our skills
– Of course, victory will be mine

Hmm? Ridiculous.
I typed a message.
– You? Against me?

“Isn’t that too much provocation?”
“You think?”

I edited the message I was about to send.
– You?
I switched my phone to silent mode and put it in my pocket.

“Let’s go then.”
“Sending that and just leaving?”
“He’s at cram school anyway.”

Yu Mina laughed.
The exhibition was just okay.
I don’t have any deep knowledge of aesthetics anyway.