Chapter 92
Chapter 92
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Violet's Unconscious #03
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"Hyah?!"
Smack! As I brought my hand down on her butt with a cheerful crack, Almiraz clutched her backside and stared at me in shock.
"W-Why did you hit me?!"
"You think you can call me a loser to my face just because it's my past self and get away with it?"
Is it because she's a demon? Her manners were so lacking. In the end, proper etiquette training backed by the right amount of force was the only way to teach the rude.
"S-Sorry... I was just so surprised I didn't think... That was rude of me."
Fortunately, unlike her prime(?) days with Unicorn, Almiraz seemed to possess the intelligence to recognize her mistake after just one lesson. I decided to hold off on the knuckle-rap follow-up I'd been preparing in secret—for later use.
"Well, back then, I'd just finished my first regression, so I was seriously lacking in social skills. I couldn't even trust people easily. If I couldn't trust my own family, who could I trust?"
"Huh? But don't you have lots of people around you now, Lord Arthin?"
"...Yeah, I guess so. I got a lot of help from Shaomei and Violet... especially Jorba."
I hated admitting that last part... but denying it would just make me sound like an ungrateful jerk.
I still remembered it clearly. Back in the first round, when I couldn't accept the sudden changes and returned to the Ludwig Family. They weren't Yang Hee-min's family but Arthin Ludwig's—still, it was the first time I'd gone back to what I hoped would be a family safety net.
If Shaomei hadn't come looking for me a few months later out of worry, would the first round have ended in suicide from depression over my hopeless situation?
'...Ugh, screw that. Never think about the first round.'
Anyway, right after the second round began, I holed up in my room for a full month, piecing together the novel's plot and events based on my hazy memories from years before.
I resolved to survive alone, acting selfishly, betraying everyone if needed, monopolizing every opportunity just to make it out alive.
'Looking back now, I was mentally unstable right after the second round too.'
Well, it was only natural, in a way.
In reality, the one friend I'd trusted as my best buddy had scammed me, treating me like an orphan orphan and bossing me around. Then in this world, my family treated me like a bug—who could I trust?
The only reason I'd even met Jorba when he came for me back then wasn't some flimsy original knowledge. It was because Shaomei, one of the few lights in my first round, had praised him in her letters and always asked about me.
'Her letters were full of her bragging and stories, but whenever something good happened, she'd write to tell me and check on how I was doing.'
So when I first saw Jorba, I was thrown off by his red-haired, tanned delinquent vibe radiating total social butterfly energy, but I was curious. What kind of guy was he really? And I missed Shaomei too.
'And that's where I met her for the first time.'
Violet—my most precious friend and companion. The cute witch I'd had a crush on.
"Once Violet cleaned up your spilled tea and tidied everything with magic, that old Arthin looked like he was already naming his grandkids... Ah! N-Not that I meant it mockingly!"
"Nah, that's fine. Truth is, I've felt drawn to Violet since back then."
It was hard to imagine from how Violet was now, but she was always the type to look after everyone around her, boosting their confidence and self-esteem—a real pillar of support.
In the original story, she even helped awaken some of the heroines around Kaiyen—not that it was Kaiyen's doing, but hers. Her kindness and hard work were an example to others.
"Me getting stronger was thanks to Violet, in a way."
"What?! You mean Lord Arthin's strength is because of Violet?!"
"She's a bit lost now, but back then, Violet was confident despite her efforts—like a sun supporting others."
Almiraz stared at the past Violet, who was awkwardly trying to chat with the shy old me out of consideration, as if she couldn't believe my words.
"Even though studying was tough for her, she'd spend three hours a day helping me adjust and study together. She'd bandage my sword wounds herself, make potions to cheer me up..."
That's why in the second round, I spent the first year pining for Violet. But I never confessed. Same with Shaomei.
Why no confession? Simple. I assumed Shaomei and Violet liked Jorba or Kaiyen. Especially in the second round, Kaiyen and Unicorn's relentless interference made any romance impossible.
"But that's weird. If she was that bold back then, how'd she end up so lacking in confidence and timid now?"
"Guess we'll find out since we're in her unconscious. Doesn't seem like Violet's around here anyway. Let's head deeper in."
"Yes, sir! Tell me about that regression thing you mentioned on the way!"
I glanced one last time at the fresh-faced quartet from the past, nodded, and started walking deeper into the unconscious along the path with Almiraz. To find Violet at the end of it, maybe.
**
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ When Violet came back to her senses, Olga Beatrice—who'd been tearing her down—was gone.
In her place stood Arthin. Seeing the familiar sight of him swinging his sword with bandages wrapped around both wrists, Violet let out a soft "Ah."
"That's Arthin learning swordsmanship from Professor Urdan Helik..."
It was basically when Violet first met Arthin. She'd been the one to suggest he try learning the sword, seeing his usual dark, guarded eyes.
At first, it was just a light suggestion—maybe moving his body would help. Learning martial arts from Shaomei wasn't bad, but with a genius like her, he might feel intimidated. So she'd asked Professor Urdan Helik, the student supervisor.
Of course, he'd happily agreed. No, he was thrilled to hear Arthin—who'd skipped school for a month straight—was opening up and moving again. He taught him diligently, taking special care of the gloomy boy.
Did her own feelings reach him through the professor? Day by day, Arthin brightened. Scars accumulated on his body, but it seemed like the emotional wounds he hid from others were healing even more. Watching him gave Violet strength too.
'I was always applying herbs, changing bandages, making potions for you. My sisters teased me like I was tending to my in-laws...'
Violet sat there, quietly watching Arthin practice his swings. Back then, she'd missed a few reports just staring like this, but seeing him let her focus on academy life.
Turning her head, there was another Arthin. In the third round, unlike before, he'd chosen to support and help others. She clearly remembered him tirelessly learning magic, necromancy, and alchemy from her, and politics from Jorba.
'Whenever he hurt himself messing up an alchemy experiment, I'd always apply herbs to his fingers...'
The closest she'd been to Arthin. They'd helped each other a lot, spent tons of time together. Back then, his overflowing confidence and reliability had sparked real romantic feelings.
"That's... the fourth round."
Next to him was a rare sight: a muscular giant Arthin covered in scars. She recalled making potions for his muscle pain then, even pulling an all-nighter for three days at his request for an elixir.
"...We've really been together a long time."
It was strange. No other memories surfaced, but those with Arthin remained vivid in her heart, like yesterday.
She remembered picnicking with Arthin in the second round. Shaomei's dim sum had been delicious.
3rd round: Watching the sunset on the beach with him. If Kaiyen hadn't shown up suddenly, would they have kissed?
4th round: Seeing him off to the Demon King's castle. Vaguely, soothing a tearful Agnes beside her.
All the memories were vivid, beautiful, sad, nostalgic. Maybe that's why—every time she recalled the end of those memories, her heart ached like it would burst.
In the second round, hearing Arthin had died in the Underworld with other comrades, she'd lost her appetite and sleep from grief over losing her closest friends, falling ill and failing to stop the Demon King's army.
Third round: After Arthin burned to death before her eyes, she had to destroy what he'd fought to protect with her own hands. She wept bloody tears at the inquisitors burning alive.
Fourth round: As the candle of Arthin's life flickered perilously, she despaired at her powerlessness, praying to a god she'd never sought before. When it went out—what expression had she worn?
'...Am I, have I really... never been able to help Arthin at all?'
Every time Arthin was in danger, Violet hadn't been by his side.
Powerlessly praying for his safe return, while she could only watch helplessly as he died in agony each time.
The joy from recalling memories of Arthin was gone now. To Violet, every memory of him was a tragic history, leaving only sad endings.
-"Hahaha! You too!"-
...Before she knew it, others—not her—stood by dream-Arthin.
Second round's Lucy Valentine, third round's Olga Beatrice, fourth round's Agnes Ermengarde.
She'd always been the first at his side, but somehow others had taken her place. Foolishly kind, she'd always stepped back for Arthin's happiness, yielding her spot.
The wrists she'd bandaged now had armguards gifted by an Underworld woman.
Where she'd applied herbs and talked, now only the saint smiled gently, healing wounds lightly with holy power.
Where she'd watched the sunset and laughed beside him, the imperial princess now leaned on his shoulder, whispering love.
"No... I hate this... I hate it now... I'm always so powerless... unable to do anything..."
Stumbling, Violet turned her head desperately to escape the scene.
But her place was gone there too. As happy memory landscapes unfolded before her eyes, the person beside Arthin was replaced every time.
Shaomei, Agnes, Lucy, Olga, Unicorn, Kaiyen, Jorba. Arthin looking happy with them all, while Violet cheered from one step away.
This whole situation was horrifying. In this nightmare melting her sense of self, Violet collapsed, hugging her knees.
"Thanks to you, we won! Thanks for the cheers—."
"Thanks for the healing. I can train hard again tomorrow. Right—?"
"Hey, I have something to say. Truth is, I—."
There was no place for her. Arthin's happy laughter—not mocking voices—felt like a nightmare now.
And that fact crushed her even more. The laughter of the one she loved hurting her—what a selfish thought.
"...Sorry, Arthin. I'm really sorry..."
—A true nightmare didn't just dredge up pain. It turned even good, happy memories into sorrow and torment. Violet still hadn't realized that.