Only I Am A Reader-Chapter 577: Doubts Resolved! Reverse Effect...

'It doesn't make a difference.'

Although learning about her story yielded way more information than Leo could have imagined, he didn't think that he had to change his plan by much.

Looking at it from far away, dealing with the elusive Vigilante was quite a scary thought, considering how much of an unstable factor he, or rather she, could be.

However, now that he was directly dealing with that kind of situation, Leo didn't feel the need to worry, more so now than ever.

After all, this unexpected side effect of his interference in the story had basically fixed the one thing that made the Vigilante so spooky.

'She no longer has a reason to seek resonance.'

The protagonist described it as seeking resonance? In Leo's eyes, it was the most primal form of hunting.

Although Leo also liked to refer to his side questing activities as Villain Hunting, what he did could only be considered child's play compared to the boogey man known as the Vigilante.

That being said, if his hypothesis was actually true, then the Vigilante was no more, the only thing that shadowy figure could do now was bring chills to the next person that would read the original City of Villains.

'If there is anything to change…'

The one thing that Leo decided to change about his plan was the way he was going to handle Kara.

In the big picture of things, he still planned to make use of her, but now that he knew so much about her, Leo wanted to treat her as more of a human and less of a tool.

'I doubt this was intentional, but even if it is, I don't mind.'

While this could have been Kara's plan all along when she agreed to obediently tell her story, Leo didn't give much attention to that thought.

After all, this wasn't just a simple 'sob story time' interjection, but something much, much more. Regardless of whether she meant to or not, Kara had successfully earned Leo's sympathies.

Indeed, she had pestered him a lot with her recent stalking activities; however, considering that she did that out of helplessness, Leo gave her a partial pardon.

Rather than satisfying her personal urges, she was simply under the control of her ability's desires.

Her disturbed past further evolved this forced influence into a type of dependent relationship with him, but again, this was mostly out of her hands.

Once again, her character showed a strong resemblance to the empty Cassian who did achieve his lifelong goal.

Both of them committed quite a few wrongs that they needed to be called out for, yet Leo couldn't fault them for these wrongdoings either.

'It's too late to play the blame game.'

In Leo's opinion, what they needed was the right person's guidance, someone who would provide effective solutions to the problems that they had caused, all while helping them climb out of their dark pits in the process.

'Not sure if I'm the one to talk, though.'

Since Cassian was actually just another version of him, Leo felt strange at the thought of berating or helping himself, considering how literal that would be.

'Me aside, I might as well extend a helping hand before leaving.'

Since he had already helped Cassian pick himself up, in one way or another, Leo was open to the idea of helping with Kara's rehabilitation before going back to Earth.

After all, his existence was technically the temporary solution to Kara's problems; if he were to disappear just like that, there was no telling what would become of her.

'It would be a nice change of pace.'

Although there was no quest that asked him to do so, and he wouldn't get any benefits from doing so, for once, Leo wanted to put his calculative mindset aside and impulsively do something for a change.

'Of course… For there to be a chance of that, things have to go well first.'

Considering how all of Leo's plans lacked the element of absolute certainty, he wasn't going to let his guard down just yet.

What he had just experienced today was a perfect example of how little he actually controlled.

If he wanted to strive towards a slightly more certain outcome, Kara's involvement in the plan would truly become a necessity rather than a simple favorable additive.

'And such a vital person certainly requires a better name.'

Compared to having a headache about finding the most likely person who would have become the Vigilante, Leo preferred to think of a better name for Kara.

Whether it was the simple 'Student' that he came up with or the edgy Shadow Karasu that she came up with, Leo didn't think either of them actually fit the enthusiastic person in front of him.

'Her title did originate from my edgier title as the lord of… Wait.'

Trying his best to ignore the embarrassment that was bubbling in his heart, an instinctive glance at the eyes staring at him suddenly hit him with the perfect name.

"Star Pupil," Leo muttered.

"Hm?"

Not managing to hear Leo's mumblings, Kara's head turned in confusion.

"Star Pupil. Rather than an ominous Shadow Crow, I believe Star Pupil is a more fitting description of your existence."

Leo found it to be far rather fitting, especially with the unnatural stars that kept popping up in Kara's eyes depending on her emotional state.

"Star… Pupil?"

Repeating Leo's words one more time, Kara's heart was suddenly filled with warmth, a completely different feeling from the excitement that was in its place just a second ago.

'It's almost as if I'm back then.'

Quickly raising her hand to mask the warm tear that trickled down her cheek, Kara personally reminisced about the night that changed her life.

All this while, she had been trying her best to relive these feelings as she told her story, but nothing had come close. Yet, just a short two-word sentence had almost surpassed the threshold of her past experience.

'This is praise…'

Unintentionally, Leo somehow managed to sink deeper into the swamp that he had just resolved to pull Kara from.