Chapter 65
Chapter 65
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Fateful Encounter (2)
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1.
Gukbap, jokbal, budae jjigae. And there's one thing they all have in common.
They're all knockoffs.
I've experienced the fake True Ancestor fear twice so far.
According to Poksoon, fake True Ancestor fear is a kind of hypnosis spell.
A magic that exaggerates the terror a prey feels toward a predator.
Last round, when I met her like a country mutt facing a dogcatcher and pissed myself to become Poksoon's loyal slave, it wasn't because the hypnosis itself was overwhelmingly powerful.
It was just my brain short-circuiting from my own conviction that "This one's the real True Ancestor!"
However.
The real True Ancestor fear was different.
The moment my eyes met those flashing crimson irises...
"...Ugh."
I couldn't twitch a single finger.
It felt like if the True Ancestor said "Stop your heart and die," it would happen just like that—an unbreakable compulsion.
"Come closer."
My body moved on its own, as if yanked by invisible threads.
"Ugh... St... Stop... Yameroong..."
If I reach the Universal Currency, Kisara's gonna come!!!
Thankfully, my body halted just before touching it.
-Splat
I thought her hand blurred for a second, then my cheek burned.
Droplets of blood hung from the tips of her nails.
The True Ancestor flicked out her tongue to lick the blood, then bared her fangs in a grin.
There wasn't a trace of the goofy side I'd seen in Poksoon, who went "walala" all the time.
"You have good blood."
Woo woo...
This isn't Poksoon.
My Poksoon isn't this scary!!!
But more importantly, why?
I knew the True Ancestor was alive.
Poksoon had told me she gained perfect immortality in exchange for following certain precepts.
But walking around with eyes wide open like this was a whole different story.
I desperately pieced together the information.
Twilight Resource Development had sealed the True Ancestor.
They were running Project Z and fake True Ancestor experiments to control her blood.
And Overnus Pharmaceuticals was probably involved too.
Was all that a lie?
No.
That couldn't be.
There was way too much circumstantial evidence pointing to her being "sealed."
I rolled my eyes to scan the surroundings.
The suspiciously dangling golden threads everywhere, and the Universal Currency.
The True Ancestor stopped right in front of them without crossing over.
And most tellingly, the alert when I entered this world. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ [This is the most noble prison, 'Depth 0: Crimson Moon Shrine.'] "Uwoh..."
My tongue was numb, slurring my exclamation.
I got the gist.
No, fuck...
I figured Twilight Resource Development had her sealed, so I thought it'd be some lab or something...
House arrest?
Don't they do their jobs properly at Twilight Resource Development?
If you're sealing her, put her in a test tube or something!
At least put up a "Beware of Dog" sign!!! She looks like she'll bite!!!
My mind raced.
And what did "The half-finished one you brought out was you?" mean?
Circumstantially, the half-finished one seemed to be Poksoon...
But how did the imprisoned real True Ancestor know that?
Then.
"Lady Tsukimiya, what's going on? The barrier reacted... Huh?"
A presence approached from the side.
Rolling my eyes, I saw a suit guy in a sharp suit standing there, looking flustered.
Twilight Resource Development employee.
"How did an outsider get in?"
Hello?
I'm pretty shocked too. Would you hear my story first?
"Uwoh? Awaoow... Euehweh... Oowoowoo?"
I tried my best, but it didn't seem to convey my sincerity.
The suit guy paled and rushed toward me.
"You rat bastard! What group are you with? How did you get in here..."
-Splat
A grotesque sound like meat being crushed in a hydraulic press erased the suit guy's bewilderment.
Warm blood splattered across my face.
It was the suit guy's blood, turned into a handful of gore.
"Ehweh...?"
"Don't mind him. He's just this concubine's errand boy."
The True Ancestor spoke casually, radiating crimson mana.
No... I do mind.
Your errand boy just got errand-boyed to death...?
I knew mages weren't right in the head, but this one's particularly unhinged.
Then.
-Grooooowl
The golden threads throughout the shrine trembled violently.
From them extended complex strings like sutra verses.
Thousands, tens of thousands of glowing sentences instantly wrapped around the True Ancestor like a spiderweb.
"Always so annoying. I barely moved."
Her brow furrowed slightly.
She shrugged her shoulder like a petulant child.
-Screeeeech
The thousands of sentences binding her screamed as they were pulled taut.
The strings burned on the verge of collapse, vibrating the air like a collapsing bridge.
Overwhelming power. Clashing against the restraints holding it back.
Okay.
I got it now.
The True Ancestor was indeed imprisoned.
She was just an out-of-spec existence who could still pop my head like a raspberry even while locked up.
"We don't have time for a long talk."
She glared disdainfully at the golden sentences coiled around her arm.
Then turned back to me.
"This concubine has a question for you."
She waved her hand dismissively, and the pressure eased.
I still couldn't move, but I could speak.
"The one and only crimson moon! Head of the Tsukimiya family! This lowly worm pays respects to Lady True Ancestor!"
I didn't get the full situation.
So lick her ass! Suck up to Lady True Ancestor big time!
"Quite grandiose. Spare me. What good is flattery to a concubine in a cage?"
She let out a self-deprecating chuckle that hummed from her nose.
"How did you come to this prison?"
"Sir! I touched a weird rock in the old sewer and got teleported here!"
"A rock? Ah, you mean the key stone?"
"I don't know what a key stone is, but it was a rock tied with ropes!"
"Ah, yes, there was something like that. It's in this concubine's memory."
Huh?
Less hostility than expected.
And surprisingly, conversation flowed despite the first impression.
After seeing what she did to the errand boy, I'd been prepared to end this round right there.
"You're the one who stole this concubine's replica and ran?"
"Y-Yes..."
Phew, good.
Her crimson eyes, painted with interest and curiosity but mostly heavy boredom, seemed to show some goodwill toward me.
No.
I was wrong.
"Then, are you with Twilight Resource Development or Overnus Pharmaceuticals?"
Her tone was casual, but having died countless times, I could tell.
My answer to this question would decide if I lived or died.
Ha... Fuck, Poksoon.
You're walala bro when I get back.
Didn't keep an eye on Mom properly?
I'm gonna spank the ass of Poksoon—who looks just like the True Ancestor—100 times.
But first, I need to survive and get back.
"Please don't lump me in with those filthy traitorous scum!!!!"
"Ho?"
"I'm unaffiliated with Twilight or Overnus!"
This answer was both truth and the right play.
Think about it.
The True Ancestor clearly harbored ill will toward both Twilight and Overnus, who toppled the R.C.D. Foundation.
Especially now, imprisoned like this.
"If you're with neither, then what connection do you have to steal this concubine's replica?"
Passed the first hurdle.
She crossed her arms, signaling to hear my reason.
"The reason I stole it..."
Second fork in the road.
Muddle through vaguely.
VS
Tell the True Ancestor everything and prove I'm uninvolved with either group.
The latter seemed better than half-assed scheming...
But is it safe to tell her?
She's imprisoned.
Won't it put me in danger too?
"Speak. No one's listening in, right?"
I glanced at the pool of blood.
Fair enough. No real choice anyway.
"To save my sister."
"Sister?"
"She has a disease that can only be cured by turning her into a familiar. I snuck out the one stored in the Golden Carp Clan to make her a 'doll' familiar."
"That half-finished one can't make a familiar, right? Even if it could, it'd die."
"Yes! To make a familiar without killing the clone, I need a crimson jade..."
I gave a condensed explanation of the situation.
The True Ancestor, listening with a faint smile, narrowed her eyes into crescents.
"What a farce! A farce! Two great factions played by a mere nobody's scheme!"
She giggled seductively—a laugh Poksoon could never mimic.
"It's been ages since this concubine enjoyed such entertaining clownery."
This should be safe... right?
The True Ancestor swept her hair back and fiddled with it.
Long locks cascaded down.
"Take this."
I caught what she tossed and looked.
A butterfly-shaped hair ornament studded with jewels.
"Th-This is?"
"Payment for your clown act. Sell the gems alone, and you'll get a fortune easily."
Yeah, looks valuable.
Even with my untrained eye, I could tell this wasn't cheap.
What the—!
Not safe—jackpot?!
"Go and mess with them to your heart's content."
"Stirring shit is my specialty."
I flashed a cocky grin in response to the client's request.
2.
After a brief exchange,
I turned and leaped toward the key stone.
Shame we were short on time.
I had more info I wanted to dig for.
Unexpected hiccup aside,
I achieved my main goal.
Treasure hunt success!
Who knows if things will wrap up neatly afterward.
But according to the True Ancestor, killing errand boys wasn't new for her, no one knew I was here, and she'd handle the aftermath.
What can you do?
Can't ask for a guarantee.
Have to trust her.
I suited up as fast as possible and touched the key stone.
"Logout!"
-Groooowl
Back to the bottom of the flooding tank, same as when I arrived.
Untied the weight from my ankle, and my body floated up.
"I'm back!!!"
"Master!"
Poksoon, who'd been waiting eagerly with a beaming face, suddenly glared daggers.
"You bastard! What took you so long? What if you'd been caught by the janitors?!"
She pelted me with cute little fists the moment I shed the wetsuit.
Man...
They look alike but aren't alike at all.
"You said you'd be right back!"
"Hey, hey, check this out first."
"What did you... Huh?"
"Found the treasure."
Poksoon's eyes went wide at the True Ancestor's butterfly brooch.
"Waaah...!!!"
"Poksoon!! We're rich now!!!"
"Master! Are you a genius?! Amazing! It was really down there?!"
Our alliance started shaky, but we'd suffered together.
We hugged in, jumping for joy.
"So where and how did you find it?"
"Trade secret, kid."
"Why not! This concubine wants to know too! So curious!"
"I'll tell you later. Decompression sickness is kicking in."
I'd thought about this.
The fake always insisted she was the True Ancestor.
Stoically, even when I teased her.
But telling her I met the real imprisoned one might make her go "Uwu, does that mean I'm really a fake...?" and spiral.
Caring for a spiraling girl is a pain.
Already stressing over cashing in this hairpiece safely.
Whatever.
Tell her bit by bit later.
"Poksoon! Booze party tonight! Glutinous rice cakes too—eat as many as you want!"
"Then a hundred! A hundred!!!"
"Two hundred's fine!"
"Two hundred!!!"
For tonight, drowning in victory booze was enough.