Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: #019 True Ancestor Taming
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1.
E Sector's trash incinerator, where operations had long been halted.
Soot leaching from the blackened walls and half-burned ashes piled up to ankle height made it a place even homeless folks desperate to avoid freezing shunned.
"Good, this spot's perfect."
Meaning it was ideal for beating the crap out of someone without drawing attention.
-Clunk!
He roughly dumped the bag containing Sion onto the floor and unzipped it.
"......"
Sion was still sleeping soundly.
He'd felt it during their five-day cohabitation before.
With her eyes closed and behaving herself, she had the cute, nation-toppling beauty of a fairy tale princess.
But to his eyes, she was nothing but a brazen freeloader.
The back of his head still throbbed.
Acting all high and mighty like a True Ancestor, sucking his high blood dry, then pulling a dine-and-dash?
Because of that, Brother Eiming died, and he ended up committing suicide with a clone.
"I get it."
You must've been desperate too, in your own way. You probably had your reasons.
Turned out she was a victim of Twilight Resource Development's brutal human experiments.
But so what.
Fraud, extortion, threats. And breach of contract.
Just because you had a rough childhood means you can commit crimes and stab people in the back?
In this shit city, who doesn't have a sob story?
"I've got a ton of sob stories too!!!"
-Slap slap
He rolled up his sleeves and smacked Sion's cheeks—smack smack smack.
"Wake up, princess."
He tapped her cheeks a few times, but she didn't stir.
Tapping wasn't enough?
"You're not faking sleep, are you? If you are, get up now. I'm gonna hit harder this time."
The moment he raised his arm higher.
Sion's eyes snapped open.
Her cursed ruby-like crimson eyes scattered a chilling gleam in the darkness.
He crossed his arms and took a step back.
Sion rose smoothly from her spot like a ghost, wrapped in the restraint suit.
"Was it you who awoke this concubine's long slumber?"
Up to here, it was the same script as last time.
The moment Sion recited her lines, the air in the ruins grew heavy.
A chill crawled over his skin like insects.
A menacing aura that held up against Kisaraya Gu.
The presence of a predator that didn't seem like the same species.
Last time, he'd been so intimidated that he'd bowed in that artificial style.
Sion had gone 'pfft,' flipped belly-up, and barked 'woof woof, master!'
But now he knew from the data.
Sion was a fake True Ancestor.
A half-baked one who could only use 0th Rank magic.
So what was this overwhelming pressure making him want to kneel?
Some kind of illusion or hypnosis spell, probably.
Just her putting on a show in her own way.
"Will you not show proper respect? This body is the sole crimson moon, head of the Tsukimiya family, Sion Tsukimiya."
Sion lifted her chin stiffly and growled.
Fine, let's see how far you'll take it—he crossed his arms defiantly.
"......"
Sion's eyes darted in confusion before she drew blood-red mana from her fingertips.
"...How dare you not even respond to this concubine's words. You need to learn manners. Will you not bow your head!!!"
A wave of mana rippled through the vast chamber, prickling his skin.
Whoa, it felt real.
But that was it.
Seemed like her one and only trick.
Spreading her arms wide and yelling 'Rawr~! This concubine's a True Ancestor~! Scary!!!'
"Done?"
"What...? How dare you speak so casually to this concubine..."
He cut her off and drew up his mana.
"You know who I hate the most?"
Darker mana, denser than last round, filled his circuits.
"Deadbeats who skip out on their debts."
"Insolent...! How dare you spout such nonsense at this concubine...! This concubine owes no debts!"
This was why he'd dragged Sion all the way to this secluded spot.
To instill some manners.
He needed Sion's cooperation going forward.
With Arbel being all cuddly and sleepy lately, he had to solo-clear this round.
He couldn't spend all day babysitting her.
To keep her from acting out, he needed an animalistic approach.
Make her bone-deep understand who was top dog.
"You need... education, human. Behold this concubine's power!"
Black flames fiercely coiled around him.
The newly unlocked Death Verdict, Burning Death.
And if it was the same 0th Rank.
"Yeah? Educate me then."
Sedric? He had no doubts.
Sion's face drained pale—it was a beautiful sight.
2.
After roughly finishing manners training on the fake True Ancestor claimant.
He locked Sion in his studio apartment and hurried to Drunken Red Tower.
"Brother!!!!"
"Shit, you scared me!!! Rowen! What's up!"
Eiming, trimming his nose hairs with clippers, jumped in fright.
Even that shitty look, which would've put him off his meal before, seemed cool now.
"I missed you! Brother!!!"
Tears welled up.
Even knowing he'd see him again, his face was this welcome because...
Eiming had shown such fierce brotherhood last round.
The Tyrant's Seductress-mode Eiming charging like Don Quixote was still vivid.
"Argh, you're creepy, punk. What bullshit now? Need to borrow money?"
He pulled the reluctant Eiming into a tight hug.
Eiming looked flustered for a sec but smirked and patted his back with his pot-lid hand.
After the warm embrace.
"Brother, there's something I've been hiding from you."
He came clean to Eiming about everything.
That he was a spy for Ceres Mamang, and that he'd even slept with her.
Eiming's reaction was a bit off from what he'd expected.
"Hmm, I see?"
He tilted his head.
-Crack!
"Ugh...!"
Eiming's body hook slammed into his solar plexus.
Even braced, he had no time to react.
Like in boxing manga, where a low hook lifts you up and folds you like a shrimp?
Exactly that punch.
"Gaaahk!!!"
His vision yellowed; he couldn't breathe right.
His stomach contents gushed onto the floor.
What the hell?
Hadn't built enough rapport yet?
Or was last round's Eiming just a bit high on heroics?
"Br... brother..."
Crawling in confusion, puking like a faucet.
"UHAHAHA!!!"
Eiming's hearty laugh boomed.
"You little shit. What if you bang the girl Brother had eyes on? Get up, man. A guy's gotta take more than that."
He hauled him up...
-Smack!
And planted another in his gut.
"Khek!!!"
After those two heavy body shots.
Eiming patted his shoulder with a relieved look.
"I've been waiting for you to spill."
"S-sorry... brother..."
"Anyway, you told me now, so it's fine. Hurt bad?"
"No sir!"
"Stomach empty now—you must be starving. Let's eat and talk."
Just Light-ming, Hero-ming.
Heroism incarnate.
His eyes dazzled so much he couldn't look straight.
3.
The round table groaned under the weight of gourmet dishes.
Like an oil gusher had hit—greasy sheen on every plate glittered under golden lights.
While the meal was set, he gave a rough rundown of his situation.
As planned, he held back on Sion for now.
Not because he didn't trust Eiming.
Quite the opposite—with certainty he could call on his help anytime, that's why he hid it.
For exploiting a fake True Ancestor, an 8th-grade fixer was more off the radar than a clan leader.
Instead, he just mentioned he'd be away for a while.
"Hmm, so you want time off? Not hard. But Rowen."
"Yes, brother."
Honestly, he'd thought spilling everything would lead Eiming to suggest double-agent status.
Planting someone in Twilight Resource Development's directorate was too good an opportunity for Eiming to pass.
But Eiming said something else.
"How about coming under me officially? I'll handle Ceres. Hand over that Project Z original data she leaked... should be doable."
"Huh?"
"Use this chance to cut ties clean."
Serious advice.
Eiming dipped crispy duck skin in sugar and continued.
"Ceres Kasian. Attractive woman. You might think you charmed her. But remember—she's helmet flower."
"Huh?"
"Not just her rank. She's survived over 200 years in this filthy world. You'll fall walking that tightrope."
"......"
Grateful advice, full of sincerity, but...
"I'll think it over a bit more."
He trusted Ceres Mamang.
Still had magic to learn.
And though overshadowed by Eiming's shine, Mamang had done her best too.
Absolutely.
Not because Ceres Mamang's embrace was warm, or he wanted a Ceres & Ines two-role play someday.
He wasn't that shallow!
"Anyway, don't worry about me for a bit—handle your business. Need help, just ask."
"Yes sir, thank you! Brother!"
"Take care."
"Oh yeah, brother—I have a gift for you."
"Hm? Gift?"
Anyway.
"Wh-what's this!!!! This gorgeous outfit...!!!!!!!! Is such attire even allowed to exist in this world?!!!!! Truth! It embodies truth!!! Rowen!!!! You're a genius, no doubt!!!!"
"Suits you perfect, brother."
"UHAHAHAHAHA!!!! I raised one hell of a brother!!!! I'll try it next time!"
After expressing thanks for Brother's endless tough love via Bunny Girl Costume, he hit the road.
On the way home.
Walking a C Sector alley.
Man, what was it.
Like with Akit and Arong, he felt bittersweet.
Last round, he was Ceres's spy.
This round, getting help from Eiming.
Yesterday's enemy becomes today's ally.
Hard to fully trust yesterday's comrade—the regression loop's curse.
In this fickle causality, the solitude of being the only constant.
"Junghyuk... I get you now."
But hey, not all bad.
For instance, new experiences he couldn't have in past rounds, even if he died.
"Poksoon, Master's home."
Grinning, he opened his studio door and called the pet name he'd given Sion.
Rustling from inside...
Then his newly adopted pet, Sion, slunk out hesitantly.
"Kyaa..."
Her appearance drew involuntary admiration.
"Yeah, knew it'd suit you perfect!"
"H-how... dare you treat this concubine like this..."
Bunny Girl fake True Ancestor was legendary.
Frail waist evoking protective instincts.
Pure white collarbone stark against the pink bunny suit.
Thighs quivering with shame beneath stockings.
Arms pathetically trying to cover scant fabric.
Perky bunny ears maxing out the costume's perfection.
"Th-this vulgar rag..."
Sion glared, cheeks puffed red, grinding her teeth.
Tears even beaded at her eye corners from how mortified she was.
"Tsk tsk."
At his warning glare.
Sion flinched, shoulders jumping, and stammered in a trembling voice.
"M-M-M-Master... w-w-w-welcome b-back..."
"Not 'w-w-w-welcome b-back.' It's 'welcome back.'"
"Eeek!!!"
Yeah.
No way he saw a drool-worthy Bunny Girl fake True Ancestor last round.