Idol Revive: If I Don't Debut, I'll Disappear-Chapter 333: Want Me To Help?

When Adrian and Gil finally collapsed, Miles breathed a sigh of relief. At some point in their drinking competition, Gil had also joined in. He lowered his glasses and stared at the two.

'These guys are too tough.'

If he was truly drinking alcohol, perhaps they would have beaten him drunk.

Miles also glanced around.

"Hehe... Why is the world spinning around?" Xi Huan mumbled in her sleep.

It wasn't just Miles's two opponents who were knocked out, but everyone — even those who were handed alcoholic drinks.

Earlier when they ordered these drinks, Miles had tampered with the non-alcoholic ones while Adrian and Gil weren't looking. After making sure that no one was still conscious, Miles's attention focused on Yuzuka.

She was giggling while trying to raise her soda can. Miles trotted toward her, avoiding all the dead drunks on the floor. Once he reached her, he pulled the can out of Yuzuka's grip.

"Alright. Stop drinking."

But Yuzuka only mumbled. "Drink! Drink! Drink!"

Miles sighed. After a while, he moved toward the person closest to him, Rayen. His hands felt in his pockets, trying to find something. A few moments later, a black contraband appeared in his hand.

'How secured.'

He strode toward the next person and did the same.

From his observation these past few days, they usually tuck their phones in their pockets, never leaving their body. That's why Miles had to resort to making everyone drunk.

While he busied himself, suddenly a voice spoke from behind him.

"What are you doing?"

Miles stiffened. Gradually, he turned around and faced the direction from which the voice came. There, Son Areum was smiling sheepishly at him.

"You're not drunk?" Miles asked the obvious.

Son Areum chuckled. "I'm not. I'm not some naive girl who would accept a drink from an old man like Gil."

"....."

"So?" Son Areum continued looking at him with a sheepish smile. "Why are you taking their phones?"

"... None of your business."

Miles observed her for a while. She was unlike before — not even pretending to be shy like Yuzuka. Her eyes were clear and bright as she stared back at Miles.

'What is she planning?'

Eyes shifting away from her, he focused back on the thing he was doing before. Still, he kept a close watch of her from his peripheral vision, trying to gauge her reaction.

Yet, Son Areum remained motionless.

Instead, she smiled even more. "Want me to help?"

"....." Miles paused once again. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Without Miles replying, Son Areum had already stood up, scrambling toward Xu Jiji. She rummaged through Jiji's pockets but did not find his phone.

So she looked at the bag beside him and found it.

At the side, Miles only watched as she continued on to the next person. "....."

Son Areum noticed him motionless and said, "Why aren't you moving? Chop-chop."

Miles reluctantly moved.

Five minutes later, they were able to gather everyone's phones.

Son Areum handed the phones she gathered to Miles. "Now that I helped you, can you tell me what you're planning now?"

"... Fine," Miles said. "I'm trying to save the world, okay?"

Son Areum tilted her head. "For the world?"

Miles gritted his teeth. "The Overseers are allowing a dangerous thing like the Artificial book pages. I can't just rest assured by that."

"Don't we have the Minstrels?" Son Areum continued, "We can still use the book pages and have powers. Since they have a solution to a problem, it's no longer a problem. So why not use something beneficial if it's no longer a threat?"

"You don't understand."

"What do I not understand?"

"Unaffiliated like you won't understand."

"Make me understand, then."

Miles bit his lip, but Son Areum only stared at him, waiting for his response.

Unable to take it anymore, Miles could only explain.

"The world is crying for help! I bet that's why the Bugs even exist. It's the world's tears. But instead of removing what causes its anguish, they let it be just because of something as shallow as powers?"

Son Areum nodded, seemingly in understanding.

Miles continued, "But what if I can take away the solution to their problems? Wouldn't they just pull out the problem from its roots instead of trying to treat it?"

"Wow, that's quite poetic! I like it even though you insulted me."

"....." Miles was rendered speechless. "Why did you help me?"

"Nothing. You just seem interesting the way you are now."

"The way I am now?"

"Yes. Usually, you're just a simp without any self-authority at all. But now, you just acted according to your will without considering Yuzuka."

"....." Once again, Miles didn't know what to say. "Is that an insult?"

Son Areum nodded. "I'm indeed insulting you."

Hearing that, Miles turned away from her and walked out of the restaurant's private room with the phones in hand. It was no use talking to this Unaffiliated.

However, Son Areum followed him.

"Are you going to destroy the phones?"

"No. I'm just hiding it temporarily to prevent them from going to the Mass Cleansing tomorrow."

"They can just go to work without their phones, no?"

"Entities can't go to work without their phones. That must be the same for them."

"What if it's not?"

Hearing Son Areum's words, Miles stopped for a moment to think.

"If you're planning on depriving them of their abilities, wouldn't it be better to just destroy them?" Son Areum asked again.

Miles looked at her in disdain. "I'm an Entity. I don't destroy things."

"You're already doing something bad, yet you're still insisting on your principles? What's up with your brain?"

"I'm not doing something bad. I'm doing this for the sake of the world."

"Hehe." Son Areum giggled. "I think you just don't want to look bad in front of your crush. I completely understand that feeling."

Before the two reached the exit of the restaurant, Son Areum stopped. She didn't follow Miles out and instead returned to their private room. Miles also didn't insist on her accompanying him.