studiobondurri Chapter 110
Chapter 110
Leila Lopez's life was undoubtedly one of great luck.
First of all, being born in the United States, especially in New York, was a stroke of fortune.
After all, only a very small percentage of the world's population is born in a country that holds so much wealth.
Moreover, Leila realized as she grew up that she had been born with a special power.
It was the ability to control magical energy.
Normally, according to the Minor’s Special Protection Act, one would have to wait until they reached adulthood to learn how to control magic, but Leila’s parents didn’t think that way.
“Things in life need to be handled with flexibility and adaptability.”
With her parents' support, she began learning magic much faster than others.
This is such a typical story, it’s so boring. Is there a fast-forward button or something?
While learning from hired mages, Leila discovered something else.
Not only could she control magical energy, but she also had another special ability.
Leila could see into the inventories of others.
This was a unique and unparalleled power, one that couldn’t be found anywhere else in the world.
Thanks to this, Leila gained fame as a promising A-class mage as soon as she reached adulthood, and soon became a well-regarded hunter in New York.
Of course, she had to serve her mandatory service, but that was nothing.
“Once your service is over, would you like to stay by my side?”
Leila would probably never forget those words. She thought to herself.
She had been personally invited to join the Hunter Association by Estella, the greatest hunter in the world.
The Hunter Association was the organization that had the greatest influence over hunters globally, and New York's headquarters was essentially its core.
Joining that organization was an honor no hunter could refuse.
Honor? Isn’t that just vanity?
As an executive responsible for the Hunter Association’s development department, Leila felt proud of her position.
Having the ability to see into others' inventories meant she could prevent dangers from reaching Estella, the president of the Association, in advance.
Every time, Leila felt a sense of pride...
I get it, what’s next?
“We are special. But not everyone is.”
Even though Estella had the power to rule the world if she so wished, she never once acted arrogantly, always dedicating herself solely to magical research.
Her goal had always been one thing.
“We are born strong, and therefore, we have a duty to lead the ordinary.”
The strong must never oppress the weak simply because they are strong.
“For the happiness of the many ordinary people.”
Following Estella’s belief was Leila’s source of pride.
That’s why she had always intended to support Estella as best as she could.
She certainly thought so...
So?
“Dragged into ridiculous politics...”
Leila, who had unconsciously started to respond, suddenly felt a sense of doubt after hearing her own voice.
Who am I talking to right now?
A soft sound of someone clicking their tongue echoed in her ear.
“Oh, a mage, huh? Looks like it’s tough to get through your mental barriers.”@@@@
“What...”
“If you had been out for a bit longer, it would have been more convenient for both of us. But I guess it can’t be helped.”
Before Leila could regain her focus—
Bang!
“AAAH!”
A scream of pain involuntarily escaped her.
A bullet grazed her calf.
The sharp pain was enough to trigger a flood of memories in Leila’s mind.
Right now, I...
"Inflicting physical pain isn’t really my style."
Leila, still enduring the pain, saw the end of the gaze that was focused on her.
A young girl stood there.
A girl of Asian descent, her jet-black hair reaching her waist.
Her eyes, the same color as her hair, glowed strangely.
It was Jeong Da-on.
The girl Leila had kidnapped.
In her hand was a pistol.
It was, of course, Leila’s own pistol.
Yet, contrary to what one might expect from someone who had just aimed a gun at another, the girl smiled faintly and said:
"Well, I’m glad it was close range, so I didn’t miss, right?"
Her voice was mechanical, devoid of emotion.
The translation device Leila had prepared, in the form of an earring, was also shining in Jeong Da-on’s ear by now.
It seemed she had neatly stripped away both the gun and the device.
And now, Leila found herself not only handcuffed by Jeong Da-on but also tightly bound to a chair, unable to move at all.
“We’ll return to the original conversation. So, did the higher-ups in the Hunter Association headquarters fight over Estella’s favor?”
But Leila’s question didn’t last long.
Jeong Da-on said something she couldn’t ignore.
Leila’s eyes trembled violently.
“How... how did you know about the fight among the higher-ups?”
“You said it yourself.”
“What? Are you saying that while I was unconscious, you put me under hypnosis? That’s impossible!”
As someone who had been part of the Hunter Association’s executive team, Leila had always been aware that if she passed out, another mage could use confession magic to get her to spill secrets.
That’s why she had always reinforced her mental barriers with protective magic to prevent revealing secrets.
Even if she passed out, there was no way she would have disclosed anything.
Unless, of course, the person doing it was someone far more powerful than she was!
“You broke through my mental barrier? How did you... ARGH!”
Thud!
Leila’s breath stopped.
Jeong Da-on had kicked Leila’s injured calf.
Kicking the wound!
Leila couldn’t even scream as she suffered, while Jeong Da-on stared down at her without so much as a blink.
“You’re mistaken, I’m the one asking the questions here.”
“You, you...”
“Tell me who it is among the higher-ups in the Hunter Association that wants me. If you don’t...”
“AAAH!”
Jeong Da-on pressed her foot into the bullet wound with her toes.
The pain from the already injured spot exploded through Leila’s entire body.
“When the police arrive, you won’t even be alive.”
It was an absurd situation.
Anyone would think Jeong Da-on was the one who had kidnapped her.
Taking the gun, shooting it at her, and causing physical pain—she seemed strangely used to it.
This was no ordinary person.
‘Who the hell is she?’
Apart from the pain, cold sweat began to trickle down Leila’s back in this abnormal situation.
From what she had investigated, Jeong Da-on seemed to be a talented special individual with no particular noteworthy traits from her past.
Her academic performance had been good, but nothing extraordinary. She had only discovered her talent as a hunter by sheer luck.
Yet, someone who had lived like that was now staring at her, emotionless, as she screamed in agony.
Is this possible?
“Do I really have to dirty my hands to get you to speak? How annoying.”
But that was the reality.
The indifference in her voice and the authoritative presence in her demeanor made it clear.
Jeong Da-on was used to being in control, used to holding the reins.
“You know better than anyone that I still have plenty of bullets left.”
As she said this, Jeong Da-on’s gaze swept over Leila’s body as if appraising it like meat.
Suddenly, a chill ran through Leila’s chest.
Who the hell have I kidnapped?
Jeong Da-on spoke slowly.
“I’ll count to three. Three, two...”
“...I’ll tell you! I’ll tell you, so let me go!”
Leila tried to hang on, but the intense physical pain began to dull her mind.
And with this incomprehensible person...
The pressure on her wound remained unrelenting.
“So, start by telling me their name. Who are they?”
“J-James. James Chen!”
As soon as the name was blurted out, Jeong Da-on finally lifted her foot off the wound.
At last, Leila realized tears were flowing down her face.
“A Chinese name, huh.”
Of course, the one who had tortured her seemed indifferent to such pain.
She merely asked mechanically.
“So, why does this James Chen want me?”
“...I’d like to ask you more.”
Leila clenched her teeth and looked up at her interrogator.
Her vision blurred from pain.
Was it the pain that caused her blurry vision, or was it the detachment that made the girl seem like something other than human, almost divine.