Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Taming the True Ancestor (3)
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1.
I've known Isis for a good while, all things considered.
Every loop, every week.
I'd come to treat Arbel and pick up her meds.
During sessions, we'd chat lightly, I'd use Joker, and all told, I know way more about her than she thinks.
Full name: Isis Yojora.
A beauty with a subtly decadent vibe mixed with sharp intellect.
Deep green eyes and green hair, slightly wavy.
Always in a rumpled white coat over a turtleneck sweater that accentuates her assets.
Rare in this city: an independent freelance mage, no affiliation.
She abides by the creed: never disclose patient info.
Personality? Basically a dry pragmatist.
Tried the lethal charm play every loop. Never worked.
Doesn't seem flashy with money, but she's obsessed with it.
Still, she had sides I never anticipated.
Like spotting Sion's true nature on sight.
"This is the True Ancestor doll, right? Golden Carp Clan had her in storage. Why do you have her?"
"Uh..."
No, she knew that much?
Caught me off guard.
Her first reaction hinted at knowledge, sure...
But this level of detail? No clue.
Even Eiming didn't know Golden Carp Clan held a fake Ancestor and assumed otherwise.
How does an unaffiliated quack doc like Isis know this?
What gives?
Is Isis a key scenario player too?
No alert 'cause she already knows?
Ha... this throws my plans off.
As my head spun...
Sion piped up from beside me.
"You know my identity yet keep your head high. Will you not offer tea and snacks?"
For a split second, I saw it.
Isis's face twist in irritation.
"Oh god, my bad, I messed up her training. Sorry. So sorry. Hey! Apologize too!"
"S-Sorry."
I grabbed her by the hair and forced her to bow repeatedly.
But silence was her reply.
"......"
I peeked up cautiously. Isis stood arms crossed, expression a complex mix.
"...Still no answer. Why are you with the doll?"
"Well, I kinda rescued her. Golden Carp Clan had her locked up."
"......"
Isis's silence stretched.
Eh?
What's this?
Not my original plan.
Step one: Have Isis examine Sion.
Secure absolute silence via her creed, then spill the situation.
She'd probably boot me out then.
That's when I'd improvise.
Trivial Indulgence, Grave-Robbing Monocle, or like with Ceres, Mysterious Contract Stamp.
Splash Joker cards to drag her in deep.
If that failed, sell out Ceres and Eiming: "If I get nabbed, I'll say you smuggled the fake Ancestor!!!" Threats and all.
But...
Isis's reaction was off-script.
She turned wordlessly and headed for the door.
Click clack click.
Layering extra locks on multiple bolts.
Wait, it wasn't locked before?
Tension spiked a bit.
I'd seen this in movies.
Manners maketh man, right?
Mana primed for any emergency.
Isis eyed me like "What're you doing?" and said,
"Can't have eyes on us. Come this way. Bring her too."
"......?"
Might be my imagination.
But Isis looked faintly downcast.
2.
You can tell from her always being here off-hours, but Isis Clinic doubles as workshop and home.
"Pardon the intrusion."
Counting overlaps, this is like my tenth visit.
First time stepping into her private quarters.
Heh heh, wonder what our shady doc sis's room's like?
Heart skipped as I entered...
"Hm, quite messy."
Sion's right.
Isis sis ain't the tidy type.
Bride score: -3.
Her room matched the clinic's dim lighting.
Even in the gloom, clutter screamed disorder.
Desk buried in patient charts and mystery tomes.
Bed strewn with carelessly shed pajamas... and even underwear.
Yet oddly cozy.
Disinfectant mingling with faint coffee aroma?
"...Of all things..."
Isis, ever stoic, mussed her hair muttering to herself.
Couldn't catch details, but one thing clear.
Her reaction wasn't normal.
"Sedric, you know what you've got there?"
"Yeah, seems you know plenty too, Isis."
I probed back.
She clamped her lips, brow furrowing.
That reaction alone was weird.
Fake Ancestor Project was in secret docs Eiming snagged.
Classified like Project Z.
Yet Isis called Sion a "True Ancestor doll" before I explained.
And knowing Golden Carp Clan ties, she still let us in easy.
Sudden unease crept in.
Smooth sailing in Sedric's life always means a brutal reversal ahead.
What the hell?
Is Isis a Golden Carp Clan collaborator?
Doubt it.
Living as Eiming's Little Bro, I heard plenty on their internals.
Isis Yojora's name never came up once.
"So, why bring her to me?"
Isis fixed me with a steady gaze.
Try the monocle now?
Nah.
One use left.
Better play cautious.
"I plan to use Sion to turn Arbel into a vampire."
I chose words carefully.
"You seem to know, but she's a fake. Vassalizing needs life force, but she'd die."
"Makes sense. And?"
"Th-This concubine needs a way to vassalize without dying."
Sion barged in.
Her life on the line, so chiming in... total cockblock.
"Tch! Adults talking here."
Already walking on thin ice!
"...Ow... don't touch my head."
I pinned her head, plopped her on my lap; she whined.
Isis toyed with her lip, then continued.
"For Arbel? No need to complicate. Pay, and I'll rebuild her circuits. No vassalizing required."
Fair counter.
That's the frustrating crux.
Even full explanation? People might not buy it.
Genre logic or not, spilling regression facts should be blocked, right?
"Hard to detail the situation. I trust your skills, sis. But circumstances demand vassalizing. Can't kill her."
"Right! So hurry and find a fix!"
After deep thought, Isis asked,
"No matter what?"
"No matter what."
She looked unconvinced.
Yeah.
Tough sell.
Time for Joker to shine!
Or so I thought.
Isis's lips moved.
3.
Heading back to my pad from Isis Clinic.
C Sector nights were their usual acrid chaos.
Damp green smog overhead.
Blood-drop red lanterns dangling through it.
Cheap spices and sewer fish-stink.
Opium's sweet purple haze wafting from deep alleys.
This muggy scene once fascinated me.
Now? Routine.
Guess I'm a C Sector local now.
But this city.
"What the...?"
Impossible to grasp from start to finish.
"Seriously, what?"
I avoided Golden Carp Clan whales on purpose, slinking through clears...
Didn't expect a freebie second loop though.
Necropolis look easy?
Try freeloading, and norovirus, salmonella, vibrio sepsis, Clonorchis, whale tapeworm await.
Even convincing Isis was a hurdle.
Look.
Creed guarantees silence only.
Logically, why help me?
Steeled myself before seeking her out.
But...
"Universal Currency x10."
"Huh?"
"Or 125 million Bios. Bring it, I'll make the Crimson Jade."
"Huh?"
"You need vassalizing done, right? Pay, I'll do it."
Accepted too easily.
Her answer itself baffles.
How does Isis know about Crimson Jade?
How can she make what even Twilight Resource Development abandoned?
Too many holes.
"...Not just taking my money and running, right?"
Even then, I doubted her motives.
Suspicion's survival in Necropolis.
But Isis kept dropping bombs.
"Take this. Have the doll wear it always. You too."
"What's this?"
"Necklace with perception-lowering magic. Shields from Murky Water surveillance."
"......?"
First, solved my biggest worry: surveillance.
"Watch out for Golden Carp Clan's Red Stick, Ri Cheng."
"????"
Reminded me of last loop's final boss.
"Need blood? Buy from me."
"Why?"
"Other sources might trace you."
"Who are you! Not Isis!"
Even tips.
Prime insider info, no other explanation.
"Super duper thanks. But why?"
"...You don't need to know."
Refreshingly straightforward.
Frustrating bit: never explained why help.
"Tch, something's up for sure. You know anything?"
I asked Sion walking beside me.
No reply.
What? Fuck, where'd she go!
Panicking, scanning around—there, far off.
Sion stood frozen before a rice cake stall.
"Goddamn it."
Her eager eyes locked on sticky rice cakes.
Strode over, smacked her occiput.
"Told you stick to my side."
"Eek!"
Sion flinched but couldn't tear eyes away.
"Th-Those cakes look so tasty..."
"So?"
"Will you not offer tribute to this concubine?"
Remembered past loop Sion.
Throwing tantrums for sticky rice cakes.
"Wanna die?"
She clutched my sleeve tight.
"Th-This is your last chance. Truly no tribute?"
"Cut the crap. I'll end you."
People think you're pushover if compliant.
Look at her.
Handled her gently before Isis, now climbing.
Still...
"Three sticky rice cakes, please."
Build some goodwill, avoid endgame bitching.
"Five thousand Bios."
Fuck.
Still ridiculously pricey.