The Espers Who Regretted Losing Me Chapter 116

The day had finally come.

Today, I was leaving the headquarters where I had stayed for ten years.

……Saying it like that made it feel like I should have some kind of emotional reaction, but in reality, I didn’t feel much of anything.

If anything, I think I was more excited when I went on the expedition.

‘Even though my opinion wasn’t considered at all, it was the first time I had gone outside after entering the headquarters.’

More than anything, I wasn’t going out to have fun now. If anything, I felt calm.

So, just like any other day, I ate breakfast, took care of my usual tasks, and when it became ten o’clock, I said goodbye to everyone in front of the wire fence.

Maybe because I had already explained why I was leaving the headquarters and what my purpose was, everyone looked worried but also quietly expectant.

Dain, who had asked several times if she could come with me before finally giving up, held my hand tightly and spoke.

“Hyeya unni. You’re definitely coming back, right? I still have so many stories I want to hear from you.”

“Yes. I’ll definitely come back, so keep practicing running with Juwon. If you want to do anything, the first thing is stamina, the second thing is stamina, and the third thing is stamina. Don’t fight too much, and never do anything reckless.”

“Okay.”

“……The same goes for you, Hyeya, you know? Even if you’re an Esper, the outside world is really dangerous, so be careful.”

“That’s right, noona. I know I’m saying this late, but honestly, you’re the one who’s reckless the most often……”

When Sooyoung unni and Seungkwon said that, the others chimed in, saying they agreed and that it was true.

The person who nodded the most enthusiastically was the director, but since I already knew it was true, I covered it up with an awkward smile.

Still, they didn’t look anxious.

It was because they had stuffed every single thing I told them into their heads and memorized it all without hesitation.

‘Hyeya, you weren’t unable to do it. You just didn’t do it…….’

Maybe he was remembering my childhood when I used to run away whenever I heard the word “study.” The director had said that with a somewhat nostalgic expression.

Anyway, I had said all the goodbyes and everything I wanted to say over the past few days.

There was no reason to delay any longer, so I simply said, “Everyone, stay healthy,” and moved outside the fence.

If someone asked whether I had become very close with everyone, I would immediately answer, “It’s complicated.”

Even though we had lived in the same place for several months, I had been busy and I wasn’t exactly a sociable person, so aside from meal times, I rarely had casual conversations.

Besides, since they knew I was an Esper, there was still a subtle sense of distance because they found me difficult to approach.

A few people had approached me first and we had built some level of familiarity, but in the end, the only person who had completely started speaking casually with me was Sooyoung unni.

So I didn’t have much sadness or lingering attachment, but……

Apparently, they felt differently.

“Is she really going to be okay alone? I mean, she’s a girl, even if she beats monsters with that pole……”

“I kept telling her too, but she said she doesn’t know how long it’ll take, and if something happens, it’s better to act alone.”

“Now that I think about it, I never properly thanked her.”

The entire way to the place I had chosen beforehand, small voices tickled my ears.

They carried various emotions: worry, concern, gratitude, and guilt.

‘……When I come back, should I try being a little friendlier?’

I muttered that to myself in my mind.

Even so, unlike the Espers, I didn’t dislike being worried about by people who had no hidden motives.

Following the familiar path, I arrived at the entrance of the association.

The wall that stood like a boundary was apparently not electrified or equipped with special devices like before.

It was just so incredibly tall that instead of going through the trouble of climbing over it, I decided to leave through the entrance.

The problem was that there was a group of trolls gathered near the entrance.

Inside the headquarters, the monsters were in a predator-prey relationship with each other, except for Queen Arachne.

I had kidnapped a few useful monsters, but that wasn’t enough to disturb the balance.

However, if I wiped out that group of trolls, it would definitely cause problems.

Not only would it affect the balance between the monsters, but those guys also acted as a barrier that blocked outside intruders.

‘It’s not like they’re weak enough for me to wipe them all out alone anyway.’

If it were one or two trolls mixed into an orc group, maybe it would be different, but a group of trolls carried too much risk.

Of course, sneaking out without being noticed was similarly dangerous.

‘It would’ve been easier if the holes or damaged areas from before were still there.’

Apparently, those places had been repaired first, so there was no choice.

After checking the trolls wandering around while swinging their clubs from a distance, I touched the mini grenades I had placed in my pocket beforehand.

Still, since I had gotten used to distracting monsters and escaping while living here, I wasn’t particularly nervous.

Besides, unlike other monster groups, these ones had never attacked me before.

Monsters could learn too, so after being lured by grenades several times, they learned that they were traps.

But those guys didn’t know that.

‘There’s not really anything I need to worry about…….’

It was fortunate that there were no obstacles or traps.

I threw a grenade toward the opposite side of my position.

To draw more attention, I threw several more with time differences, and at the same moment the fifth grenade flew away, the first one exploded.

“GROOOAR!”

Three or four trolls roared threateningly and rushed toward the first explosion.

A few seconds later, the second grenade exploded, and the remaining trolls entered a state of alert.

However, when the third and fourth grenades exploded, most of the trolls had already moved toward the explosion site.

‘It’s fortunate they aren’t smart enough to think this is a lure or a trap.’

It was a crude trick that would never work against people.

The only ones left in the nest were the young ones and two large individuals.

I took out a smoke grenade from my pocket and threw it right into the center.

The trolls that were still there approached the smoke grenade while making confused noises like “Kruk?”

About six seconds later, white smoke rose from the ground.

Strange cries like “Kruk, KRUK, KRUK” echoed from all around.

I narrowed my eyes and dashed toward the path I had prepared beforehand.

Only then did the other trolls realize what was happening and turned back at the same time, making the ground shake.

But by then, I had already gotten far away.

‘It would be so convenient if the monsters outside were this easy too.’

However, the director had warned me that this place only had a special environment, and the monsters I would encounter outside would be much more cunning and dangerous.

Of course, I agreed.

Like I had thought earlier, the monsters inside the headquarters were still lacking experience.

But the monsters in the ruined outside world must have seen many things and learned many things.

‘Even if their intelligence is low, they learn quickly.’

I could tell just by looking at Queen Arachne.

Even though there were no Espers left in the headquarters and Yeon Dogyeong, who had fire abilities, had already left long ago, they still chose coexistence.

I had to be even more careful because I had no idea where those creatures might be hiding.

‘Honestly…… I’m more worried about people than monsters.’

According to the information I gathered over the past few days, some people apparently moved around like gangs.

In a world where morals and order had disappeared, crimes could no longer be punished.

So some people even cried while saying that they had seen more people killing people than monsters killing people.

‘Anyway, I don’t plan on going down easily.’

If all survivors had awakened abilities, they could sense me even if I hid.

Even if only some had awakened, ordinary people should be easy to deal with, so I just had to stay alert.

After repeating those thoughts several times, I finally passed through the main gate.

This was only the third time I had ever gone through it by myself.

The buildings and roads around me were completely destroyed, but that was exactly what I had expected.

I took out my phone and checked the map.

The destination was far away.

Very far away, but not somewhere I couldn’t reach on foot.

‘Let’s go.’

After letting out a short breath, I quickly started walking.

Calling it an escape from the headquarters…… might be a little strange, but either way, I had finally left the home that had felt like a prison.

Along with the goal of finding those runaway criminals and making them work for me.