Sickly Girl, but a Drug Addict

The girl with long black hair coolly brushed aside her bangs that parted above her right eye.

The lemon-colored eyes visible through the gap in her parted bangs contrasted with her black hair, making them sparkle even more.

Her full name was Black Imper Kandinavr.

She was a freshman who entered Regin this year.

“Isn’t that Black?”

“I think it is!”

Despite being a freshman, she carried a tremendous reputation nearly equal to the Thunder Emperor’s.

‘Where there’s an incident, there’s Flash Black.’

‘The moment Black appears, the case is solved like a flash of light!’

…As well-known through newspaper articles and so forth.

Even before her official debut, her continuous achievements had earned her admiration from many people.

“Should we ask her for a photo?”

“Let’s go, let’s go.”

Recognizing this reputation, the academy recommended her as the freshman representative at the entrance ceremony.

Every student knew the famous rumor that the Thunder Emperor, Student Council President of Aesir Dormitory, sought her out on the day of the entrance ceremony to recruit her for the Student Council but was rejected.

In terms of fame rather than ability, there was probably no freshman who could match her.

“This is trouble.”

“……”

While she didn’t have quite the reputation of the Thunder Emperor who subjugates an area the moment she appears,

this Athena who hadn’t even made her debut had already solved dozens of cases, large and small, related to the Fire Sword Ghost.

So her appearance was inevitably uncomfortable for villains like Count Train.

“Of all people, Flash Black…”

I calmly drank the third bottle.

But I, like the Count, was uncomfortable.

‘We’re screwed.’

Black’s appearance means a sudden event is about to occur.

Can’t an academy student casually visit a café alone on the weekend?

Absolutely not.

It’s impossible for Black, who rarely goes outside the academy even on weekends.

There’s a reason users nicknamed her “Event Shuttle.”

In sudden events that award the special resource “Minerva’s Owl,” she is always,

always found.

‘A sudden event out of nowhere…?’

Why?

The first sudden event should definitely be next week, and

Black shouldn’t be outside the academy right now.

Something has gone seriously wrong.

“Ugh, cigarette smell…”

If there’s one good thing, it’s that Black took a seat right behind us.

Both the Count and I,

as if by prior agreement, pressed our backs against our seats and kept our mouths shut.

“May I take your order?”

“Ah, um… I’ll have… this please?”

“Order received. Our new menu item, ‘Extra Cream Strawberry Latte,’ correct?”

“Yes. Please bring it as quickly as possible…!”

“Cash received. We’ll bring it to your table when it’s ready~”

She just came to taste the Extra Cream Strawberry Latte.

I know that despite being “Flash Black,” when it comes to food, she’s no different from an ordinary girl.

“The third bottle… shall we talk about it…? Or a little later?”

“Ah.”

I try to speak casually, but I’m anxious.

Why this café, of all places?

Is this really a sudden event?

I haven’t prepared at all!

“Wait a moment, please. I just remembered some business I had forgotten… I need to organize my thoughts.”

“Yes. Of course.”

That’s a good suggestion, Count.

Thanks to this break, I can prepare a little for the sudden event.

I put down the fourth bottle that I was about to drink and wiped around my mouth with the Count’s handkerchief.

“So this is it…”

Black, who was sticking close to the window, was mumbling something.

The Count and I simultaneously stopped moving and opened our ears toward the back.

“The building really burned down completely.”

The ominous feeling quickly turned into a “threat.”

This wasn’t a ‘coincidence’ visit by Black, but a ‘rest’ visit.

She occasionally enjoys weekend breaks, but

those breaks are always shattered by sudden events.

This is a 100% occurrence event algorithm.

‘It’s you again, hardhead…’

Areas that the Thunder Emperor has visited experience improved security, and the vigilance of heroes and the Security Management Bureau becomes lax for a while.

That’s why the Count’s location selection was perfect.

I’m confident it was a safe contract location until Black showed up.

But places visited by the Thunder Emperor become tourist attractions for certain Athenas.

Yes, like Black, the Athena who enrolled at Regin wanting to be like the Thunder Emperor.

‘Another 0.1%…’

There must have been a 0.1% probability that something went wrong with Black’s weekend part-time job.

That’s why she, who should have been at the academy, was released.

Could it be a side effect of using counterfeits?

Is there a problem with the dimension of possibilities simulation that has been working fine until now?

Or maybe it’s a mistake from trusting the future vision too much.

Things might have come to this point because the premise that the “Escaped Experiment Subject Monegarm” event would definitely occur was wrong from the start.

But still.

I played thousands of hours and made tens of thousands of choices.

No matter what choice I made, Monegarm was always released into the city.

So naturally, I had no choice but to believe it would happen this time too.

‘Is this the Thunder Emperor’s butterfly effect? How far is she trying to ripple…’

But I can’t just sit back and watch.

First, let me drink as many samples as I can.

Extend my survival time as much as possible, and then extend it even more.

‘The sudden event’s occurrence is confirmed…’

So what kind of event will it be?

I roughly know the Fire Sword Ghost’s situation, and the only risk factor during this period is the experimental subject Monegarm.

Does that mean Monegarm will be released today, not during next week’s ability verification?

‘The Fire Sword Ghost can release it anytime he wants. It’s not strange if it’s released today.’

Black’s appearance is like an earthquake warning.

No matter how excellent my predictions are, I can’t beat a pre-set algorithm.

So I need to prepare for the impending sudden event rather than continuing to be anxious.

Without Minerva’s Owl, which can be obtained by clearing the sudden event, I have no future.

“Hmm…”

The Count, perhaps not sensing anything suspicious about Black, turned his head back toward me and groaned softly.

Shortly after, he was startled to see the five empty bottles.

His eyes seem to be asking for a review.

I should finish this quickly and wrap up today’s contract.

Black is what’s important right now.

I need to follow her until she returns to the academy.

I must definitely be involved in the sudden event.

“You’ve already finished them all.”

“There’s practically no difference in taste. The difference in effect is minimal too… But…”

“But?”

“I feel a bit… angry, I should say. It’s somewhat better because I’m touching the pudding…”

Ah.

But why am I like this?

I’m a little irritated,

no, very irritated.

Is it because the future vision keeps going wrong?

I feel unpleasant.

My insides are boiling. I feel stifled…

Why does the anger that’s been building up since earlier keep accumulating?

Were my emotions always this intense?

I try to suppress my anger by squeezing the pudding on my chest harder than usual, but it’s not easy.

I’m annoyed.

I’m annoyed, Student Council President.

Thunder Emperor. Lutia Stormbringer.

Hardhead.

Hardheaded girl!

Right.

If only… if only it weren’t for you.

There would be no reason for the situation to keep going wrong like this—

[ Weakening effect, ‘Impulse Lv7’ has occurred. ]

The five bottles that Count Train prepared today were actually all the same Scarlet Heart except for the very first Vermilion Heart.

They were even prototypes with certain components enhanced compared to before.

The purpose was simple.

To check if Shana could distinguish between the original and the counterfeit.

And if she could, to what extent she could distinguish them in detail.

‘As expected, she can barely distinguish them.’

Shana mentioned that the hyper-awareness state lasted slightly shorter, but she couldn’t say exactly how many seconds different it was.

The Vermilion Heart and the prototype Scarlet Heart showed only extremely subtle differences that even she found difficult to confirm.

Not only that.

Shana occasionally fiddles with something invisible to ordinary people as if it really exists, and she’s starting to have difficulty controlling her anger.

It was all as the Fire Sword Ghost had said.

Truly remarkable pharmaceutical development and analytical power.

“The choice depends on the child’s answer.”

In case Shana could barely distinguish between the genuine and counterfeit products,

“Show two fingers to the contact waiting across from the café.”

Then the experimental subject Monegarm would be released into the city.

Count Train planned to increase Shana’s addiction level by timely providing Scarlet Heart that was exactly the same color as Vermilion Heart.

If she only felt subtle differences normally,

she would be even less likely to notice differences in a chaotic situation.

…But one problem arose.

“If by any chance… truly by any chance.”

“What if heroes come to interfere? What should I do then?”

He had prepared a surprise party at a location with the highest civilian traffic but few Athenas active as heroes.

But of all people, not a hero but a hero-level performing hero-in-training,

Flash Black, appeared in the café.

“It doesn’t matter. However, it would be better to block other Athenas’ approach for as long as possible so that child fights alone for an extended period.”

For the true success of the operation, Flash Black needed to be far away from the café.

If they caused an appropriate disturbance with enhanced humans under their command, Black would surely step forward voluntarily.

After all, they say she has a righteous character that can never stand by while people get hurt.

‘Good thing I prepared in advance…!’

Count Train made hand signals not toward the opposite side of the café but

toward seats arranged inside the café, separated from his table by a corridor.

Crash!

“Ugh, damn it, this coffee tastes like shit.”

“Kyaaa…!”

“I’m not paying for this kind of coffee!”

The Count’s subordinates, who had been waiting, created a commotion and quickly left the café.

Their exit was particularly noisy.

Instead of using the door, they broke the window next to Black’s seat to get out.

The startled citizens all turned to look at Black, who had been quietly waiting for her Extra Cream Strawberry Latte.

“Uh… what?”

Although she wasn’t an officially registered, active hero,

she was a famous person of the kingdom who had solved many cases, big and small, until now.

In a way, it was natural for her to receive expectant looks from people.

“Ah. Ugh… I haven’t even tasted it yet…”

She couldn’t let go of her attachment to the Extra Cream Strawberry Latte.

But still, Black was a justice-filled Athena.

She couldn’t ignore the citizens seeking help.

“I-I’ll catch them!”

Soon, Black jumped up and left the café.