Chapter 145
Chapter 145
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 13
Chapter Title: Knot
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The succubus sniffled, tears streaming down her face.
Heads and hands of several women had already risen from the sand around her.
Her kin. It seemed that after the battle with Rophuk, they had quietly taken refuge underground due to the moon's bombardment that followed right away.
"S-Succubus... please calm down—"
"You idiots! What the hell have you been doing until your sister ended up like this! If anyone's getting hurt, it should be you!"
"We got hurt too... This one's tail got sliced off, and that one vanished completely from the neck down..."
Even after neglecting their own kin to help me, she could still unleash her fiery temper on the others.
She was strong. Her kin, faced with her furious expression, had no idea what to do and were breaking out in cold sweats.
"We did our best... But that tough bastard suddenly targeted Lady Lilith and fired at her, then bolted into the temple before we could grab him..."
"That's right...! Still, we nursed her desperately so she wouldn't..."
"Shut your mouths!"
Only we could approach her.
Our relationship was ambiguous in all sorts of ways.
But at least she and I weren't hostile toward each other.
"You okay?"
"...Do I look okay?"
The succubus glared at me as she cradled Lilith's body in her arms. The resentment and rage weren't aimed at me, but the raw outburst of her directionless emotions left me subdued.
"Where's that bastard? He did this to my sister? I'll never forgive him."
"..."
What was I supposed to say?
Could I really tell her—who was clutching her wounded sister and grinding her teeth—"Rophuk's already gone, so just forget it"?
"He escaped. Can't catch him now."
In these awkward situations, it was always Amy's job to bail things out. She recited short sentences with a completely neutral expression.
"Where to?"
"Not on the planet, at least. He's out of your jurisdiction—and ours—so any further action would be pointless."
I worried the succubus might slap Amy across the face or impale her chest with that bizarre tail, but surprisingly, she didn't make a move.
Instead, she gently wiped the blood and hair from her sister's face and tidied it up neatly.
"..."
An unexpected reaction.
She could've gone berserk at the sight of her sister hurt, but the succubus wiped away her tears, figured out what needed doing, and sprang into action.
Maybe it was thanks to Lilith's limp right hand, feebly clutching her finger.
As if telling her not to charge in, not to start a fight she couldn't win.
"Fine. Saving my sister comes first."
Lilith had taken a severe hit from Rophuk's ambush, but she was still breathing, without a doubt.
Though she hovered on the brink of death, like every creature on this world, her stubborn vitality kept her clinging to the thread of life.
"You lot guard the desert until we get back. Could take a while."
"Y-Yes...!"
The succubus hoisted her sister up with both arms and quietly rose to her feet, walking away. A few women trailed after her with worried looks, but she paid them no mind and vanished somewhere.
"Hey!"
I called out to her, shamelessly prying into her destination.
"Where are you headed?"
The succubus turned back.
With sunken eyes,
Still glistening with tears,
Lips quivering,
She told me.
"Going to Father. Need him to wake my sister. To the place closest to him..."
Not a good plan.
The succubus had helped me out several times already.
Would the moon really be clueless?
That freak with eyes bulging through the hole in his own body even now?
"Don't. Come with us for now. We'll figure out a way to help. Safer sticking with us right now."
I extended my hand to persuade her and approached slowly, but...
"..."
The succubus hesitated for a split second before backing away.
Maybe she'd come to her own realization from all this.
"No."
She brushed me off and stuck to her own path.
"Quit sticking your hand out like that."
An incomprehensible choice,
But I couldn't bring myself to stop her.
"Don't act like you'll handle everything. I know you're a good guy, but I don't wanna tag along."
I had nothing to say back to the succubus.
Her bitter parting words sank deep into my heart.
"Feels like you'd make me drop everything. Like I could just hang by your side doing jack shit and it'd be fine. But that's just a delusion. Nothing would get fixed. Don't dangle that mirage in front of me."
Atop the parched desert,
A mysteriously beautiful race let tears fall.
"I get it. Being near you, I'd savor the joy of being born a woman to the fullest—but I'd suffer just as much because of you. I'd obsess every day over how to win more of your love, live in fear you'd leave... start hating other women for no reason... You'd fill up my whole life. My head's already going weird because of you."
Like a single painting.
"...Can't let my sister die because of you two. This is on me. Got it? Then take your girls and get lost far away."
Quietly vanishing into the chill night breeze...
A hazy silhouette fading from memory.
"You, me—both got rough roads ahead. Bye, dummy."
But as I watched her retreating figure, a sudden intuition hit me.
Someday, we'd meet again.
And when we did, I'd have to repay all her help—with interest.
Just like how she felt guilty seeing her injured sister, I carried a sense of debt toward these sisters too.
I'd sent Rophuk packing with my own hands,
And now let the demon sisters slip away.
Even in this moment, severing our tangled bonds and vowing a future reunion, the desert remained utterly still.
Only a handful of regrets seeped slowly, oh so slowly,
Sadly through the gaps between tiny sand grains.
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Isolation Day 153,
10:25 a.m. by planetary rotation,
Weather: Clear,
32°C,
Special Notes - Avoid outdoor activity. Maintain constant hydration.
The 28-day trek came to an end.
I'd thought we'd been gone forever, but when I counted the days, it wasn't that long.
Like a novel that botched its pacing, we'd crammed every damn event into a single month. The journey's brutality hit me now, right on the cusp of returning to the forest—like heading home, comforting even.
Anyway, time for a quick recap, settlement-style.
Hit the desert on Isolation Day 125,
Met the great king and Homunas in Aptukemen, endured all kinds of bullshit, but I personally finished off that Homunas bitch...
Then somehow ran into the succubus? Wait, no—kicked Amy out first?
Anyway, lost my wrists and ankles again, barely reattached 'em,
Even took down that colossal sandworm. Would love to see that wonder again, but fat chance.
Then bumped into Rophuk at the temple,
Fought over tangled interests, but I won anyway. He's probably homeward bound by now.
Succubus-Lilith sisters and Rophuk ditched us on day 147. Now it's 152.
Spent those 5 days eating hearty, resting up, pushing on. Nothing special. Best Jenny griping about a tummy ache.
Now I'm at the altar. Amid dusty mirrors and faded gems, gripping the [Necklace] again to fire it up.
"Everyone ready?"
Jenny, Amy, and Nephyr stand beside me. We left as three; we're heading back as four.
Nephyr's fully mine now. No longer Aptukemen's shamaness—she's my loyal servant.
No way I could leave her here after coming this far. Tell her to wait for my return? She'd slit her throat with that dagger before being "abandoned" by the elders.
Looking on the bright side, my crew just grew—kinda nice...
Truth is,
I'm worried sick.
Nephyr's a lifelong desert dweller; forests or lakesides'll be rough on her. And waiting there? Aria and Arachne...
-Hah, dragged home another bitch. This you saying you die, I die, kids die too?
Chills run down my spine.
Return time looms, and those two voices echo relentlessly.
-Yeah, you wouldn't wanna stick with trash like me. Go live happily with the new one. What right do I have next to Joo-ho?
Terrifying.
Scary as fuck.
Chant "it'll be fine" all I want—my heart won't quit pounding.
"Dr."
But it'll be okay.
This fear's always lurked by my side anyway.
"Heart rate elevated. Recommend deep breathing."
Amy spoke softly, squeezing my hand.
Not to be outdone, Jenny lunged into a tight hug, nuzzling my cheek while shooting Amy a glare. Tummy ache queen was lightning-fast when it counted.
"Ah, ugh..."
Nephyr eyed me, itching to join in, but the two had me surrounded—no gaps left.
She fidgeted like a pup desperate for a pee spot. Couldn't help a wry chuckle. Rough road ahead, just like the succubus said.
"Enough. Let's go."
Gripped the necklace,
Placed it on the altar,
And pristine white [Energy], sand grains, dust swirled together, spinning clockwise.
The three women stood amid the warm aura, thick enough to see with the naked eye.
The altar glowed blue, its central pillar humming with rapid vibrations.
Then,
Everything atop the altar floated weightlessly.
Me,
Jenny,
Amy,
Nephyr—in momentary zero-G.
And then,
Snap—
With a crisp, satisfying crack,
Blackness swallowed my vision.
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Chapter 13 - Farewell
end.
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