Chapter 44
Chapter 44
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 44
Chapter Title: Cohabitation with the True Ancestor
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#044
1.
A silver lining in the misfortune.
C Sector was Unlucky Chinatown.
There was a place selling sticky rice cakes near Night Blossom Garden.
But Necropolis turns any edible food into a price that costs an arm and a leg.
"Three pieces of mochi for 5,000 Bi-os?"
Who the hell eats this stuff? Usually, the high-class courtesans from fancy pleasure houses or guys who hit it big at the gambling dens.
Anyway.
On the way home, clutching my dizzy head from blood loss, sticky rice cakes in hand.
I was deep in thought.
"What to~ do~"
In hindsight, just getting the True Ancestor's blood would've been enough.
Picking up the True Ancestor herself was overkill.
Way, way too much.
"I wanna return her, cancel the adoption, get a refund, abandon her...."
If word got out that the True Ancestor had vanished, the Golden Carp Clan would step in, or Twilight Resource Development would.
No, both probably already had.
It was too big a problem for me to handle.
In Necropolis, with nowhere to run, it'd be a dragnet everywhere.
Tracking a 7th Rank Mage who'd even been dethroned.
Not small fry—real mages would be on the move.
Could I even deal with that?
While controlling a True Ancestor who seemed to have zero cooperativeness or flexibility?
Should I hit up Eiming Ham for help?
Or Ceres the old hag?
"You're so weak, Sedric."
I shook my head.
Here I go again, trying to rely on someone, Sedric.
In this city, the only one I can trust is myself.
With something as major as the 'True Ancestor' involved, even Ceres the old hag or Eiming might turn on me somehow.
I've still got lives left, right?
Priority one: secure as many cards as possible for this route.
If reviving through the True Ancestor feels dicey, next loop I can just go for her 'blood.'
"Tadaima!"
"A slug would be faster than you."
The True Ancestor greeted me, legs crossed in her no-panties cheongsam, foot bobbing.
Mm-hmm, yeah yeah. Wasn't expecting an okaeri anyway.
Arbel was still fast asleep.
I'd fed her before heading out, so she hadn't scavenged scraps.
"Sorry. I took my time picking out the perfect mochi to present to you, Master."
I crawled in on my knees and offered the mochi politely with both hands.
She snatched the sticky rice cakes and started munching away.
"Matcha?"
They didn't have that.
But I had something else prepared.
"Matcha is good, but how about this? A rare drink from my hometown. You can't get it in Necropolis."
Not a lie.
I cracked open one of my last three precious energy drinks and handed it over.
The True Ancestor eyed the can coldly from all angles, took a sip...
"Does it suit your taste?"
"Not bad."
Pleased, she alternated between mochi and energy drink.
She ate so satisfyingly.
The pricey three mochi and the drink you couldn't buy for money vanished in seconds.
Once snack time ended, I rubbed my palms together and asked.
"Um, Master."
"I don't recall permitting you to speak."
Ha, fucking exhausting....
Her stubbornness could go toe-to-toe with a irate complainer at the community center.
Worse, since she wouldn't stop at complaints if things didn't go her way.
"Of course, but... may I have permission to ask a few questions to better serve you going forward?"
"Granted."
I got wordy being too polite, so short version:
Q. Why'd you come out of there? What were you doing? Weren't you locked up by Twilight Resource Development?
"Does this Concubine have to report every detail to you?"
Failed to get a proper answer.
As expected—no disappointment.
Next question.
Q. What now? Gonna go out and cause chaos?
"I'll focus on regaining my strength. I'll stay here for a while, accepting your service. Consider it an honor."
Q. And once you've fully recovered?
"I'll find the group that dragged this Concubine down and make them pay dearly."
That was a relief, at least.
She wouldn't bolt out now and pull every aggro from both megacorps, turning into their target?
If she did, I'd grab Arbel and run.
"This lowly servant is so humbled and honored to serve you, Master. If you find my devotion praiseworthy, could you grant one— just one—request?"
"Speak. But this Concubine will decide whether to allow it."
And this was the big one.
"Could you give a single drop of blood to my sister?"
"You mean make her a familiar? What an ignorant request."
She sneered like it was absurd.
"But this Concubine will see your devotion. Put in the effort."
Huh?
Easier than expected.
Was this no big deal for a True Ancestor?
Or was she weakened enough that she desperately needed my help?
Maybe just tossing out an empty promise with no intent to follow through?
"I am eternally grateful."
If I didn't know, I'd just dive in headfirst.
If it flops, plan for next loop using this one's intel.
Anyway, goal set.
About 9 days left until Premium Route ends.
She'd said 'once I'm fully recovered~' but I didn't have that luxury.
Goal: become her exclusive plaything by day 8 at latest, somehow get Arbel her eternal reincarnation.
And so.
"Get up."
"Urgh...?"
"Strangely, I can't sleep."
"......Huh?"
"Terribly bored. Do something."
"It's 4 a.m...."
"So?"
Cohabitation with the cheongsam-clad True Ancestor began.
2.
Premium Route loop 1, 15 days elapsed.
Dangerous cohabitation with the True Ancestor hits day 5 morning.
To recap events so far...
No sudden pursuers showing up and slaughtering everyone!
Even with the True Ancestor missing.
If anything, the eerie silence and stillness were creepy.
Setting aside that sticky unease, my True Ancestor maid life was going smoothly.
How smooth?
Let's start with morning routine.
-Clunk clunk
-Whoosh!
The bag split open like a clam.
"Yawn...."
Sleepy-eyed True Ancestor—real name 'Sion Tsukimiya'—popped out.
Like a vampire stereotype, she crammed herself into the cramped bag instead of the bed, snoring away.
Me? I could keep sharing a bed with Arbel, so win-win.
"Did you cough, Master?"
"Water."
I swiftly offered the prepped glass; Sion gulped it down.
"Food."
"Yes. Today's menu: vintage blood, aged two days at low temperature. The plasma softens during aging for a clean finish."
Grinning, I held up the blood pack.
P.S., bought from Isis after worrying she'd wither away.
"......"
But Sion pointed at me without a care.
Ha, fuck.
Sucked dry and dizzy all day.
Can't she eat something else today?
"Excellent choice, but my recommendation is..."
"Your tongue's too long."
"...Sedric fresh is great too. Crisp iron tang with a hit of stress adrenaline for a heavy body."
Gave up.
Why's this night-crawling bitch so damn picky after fattening up on my fat....
"Yawn."
Sion bit into my nape and latched on.
Her sleepy eyelids lifting as she suckled was kinda cute.
I really like pretty girls...
But every time I see this bitch, I wanna smack her forehead hard.
She let out a little burp.
Post-meal, she always hunts dessert.
"Mochi and Leto-Blue?"
"Prepared, of course."
After demolishing mochi and energy drink,
"Bath is drawn. 42 degrees like last time—relax and enjoy."
Bath in this studio?
Ta-da! Right here.
Portable antique tub curtained off in the corner.
Pretty petals floated on steaming water.
Bought it for Sion, who insisted on bathing despite the hassle.
Hot water? I boiled and filled it at dawn.
"Mmm...."
Sion's silhouette as she undid her clothes. Splashing sounds followed.
Know what's really shameless about this bitch?
She demands bath prep but never says to attend her.
Anyway, morning routine ends here.
Meaning: real work starts now.
Sion knew venturing out recklessly was dangerous.
So she worked me like a wicked stepmother with Cinderella...
But the demands were insane.
Cough up blood. Mochi and Leto-Blue, now.
Feels sticky, wanna bathe. Twice a day. Water temp's off—redo it. Add petals.
Not done!
Serve tasty food. Come taste this. This tastes good to you?
Buy snacks. Not skimpy—more. All varieties, redo.
Underwear, now. Uncomfortable. Buy new. Dress your sister in this crap. Won't wear.
Need accessories. Silver hairpin.
Hair tangled. Brush it. Break hairs, I break your neck.
Clean the place. Why's dust flying while cleaning?
Room's drab. Buy art.
"Ha...."
More than once, I wanted to shout 'True Ancestor in my house!!!!' regardless of consequences.
But after 4 days of endurance,
Huge results.
"Well done. Not fully satisfactory, but praiseworthy given circumstances."
"Serving you is my joy and honor, Master."
Wholehearted service now even earned satisfied grunts.
And solid promise to save Arbel.
"But Master, about my sister... when can you make her a familiar?"
"Wait."
"So, like, when exactly..."
Pestering her, Sion said irritably.
"Fine. Three days from now. An auspicious day."
"Thank you!!!"
Memo'd it.
Recovered enough for familiar-making 8 days post-awakening?
3.
Taking care of Sion costs a fortune.
Devours my weekly food budget in daily snacks alone?
Leaving the whiny mosquito bitch alone,
I headed to Drunken Red Tower for formula money after ages.
"Bro, I'm here."
Eiming greeted me warmly on sight.
"Rowen bro! Been too long! Thought you'd croaked somewhere."
"Nah bro, called every day via communicator, right?"
"Still, punk. Gotta show your face to bro."
"Sorry."
"You punk, forget it. No more sorrys! But why you look so haggard?"
"Circumstances."
Eiming wasn't the most likable originally.
But after 4 straight days with that leech bitch, Eiming seemed a model senior.
"Rowen, been a while... shall we grab tea?"
"In H Sector?"
"You know it! My bro."
Cancel.
Nah, same shit....
Why no decent humans around me?
"Oh, bro. That last errand you had me run."
"Huh? Oh, that?"
"Total bust. Nothing there when I checked."
"Really? Tsk, thought I had a lead—bummer."
First shift in days, but he nodded without suspicion.
Wasn't even paying close attention.
No big hopes anyway.
"Oh, and Rowen. Sorted those True Ancestor docs you wanted."
"Oh, thanks."
Oh yeah, requested that too.
Might explain why she was dumped there abandoned.
"...Hold up...."
A sudden flash of insight made me shudder.
What if dumped 'cause her personality sucks?
If so, I'd sympathize, stand in solidarity with whoever decided it.
.
.
.
.
Moved spots to Eiming's bunker.
Usual H Sector side hustle time.
While Eiming changed—putting extra effort into makeup—I scanned the True Ancestor docs.
"Hmm... identical."
Knew it, but Sion's face I snagged was plastered there.
Various info despite some redactions.
Disposition eval: extreme arrogance, ferocity, dictatorial, negotiation impossible—totally relatable.
True Ancestor's blood: actually a living mana circuit.
"Hmm?"
One page especially caught my eye.
Seemed pulled from Twilight Resource Development.
[Clinical Analysis of Familiar Creation via True Ancestor's Blood]
[Dept: D-1 Advanced Resources Lab] | [Security: Level 1 (No External Leak)]
Record: No prior cases of True Ancestor creating familiars pre-sealing. Unlike Tsukimiya Family norm of expanding bloodline for power. She massacred family members with overwhelming force, maintaining dictatorship.
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Clinical Observation: Z-2 Serum injection into subject neared familiar-stage cell progression. Process forcibly halted by unknown rejection response. Estimated host ego clashes with True Ancestor's ██, devolving to ghoul.
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Conclusion: True Ancestor's ██ inherently or intentionally precludes new kin. Without her cooperation, human-mediated experiments meaningless. Her cooperation probability: zero.
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Proposal: Pre-implant factors into cultured ██, bypass ██ clash.
Something's off.