Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Guild Creation (5)
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"Lady Selverion, you can rest comfortably here!"
"Yeah, thanks."
Back at Kim Arin's mansion after putting an end to Perolrn's revenge. She beamed brightly as she offered me the largest room in the house.
Heading back to my place in the hillside slum would have been ideal, but I couldn't just leave her alone, and leaving her here by herself with him felt a bit too risky. So for the time being, I'd stay at her place.
"Then, good night!"
With Kim Arin's goodnight, the unusually long day finally came to a close. As she shut the door behind her, a heavy silence enveloped the room.
"It's spacious..."
The room she'd given me seemed to be the master bedroom, the biggest in the mansion. From the chandelier hanging on the ceiling to the luxurious furniture and the custom-made bed—everything screamed opulence.
It was easily five times the size of my current place.
Even back when my business was booming, I'd never dreamed of a master bedroom this grand. It gave me a rough idea of just how loaded Kim Arin really was.
"Hoo..."
With a short sigh, I flopped onto the bed, which boasted a level of comfort in a league of its own. The faint swaying of the chandelier above caught my eye.
The master bedroom was bathed in a soft orange glow, and outside the window, the dark night sky loomed.
Any normal person would be closing their eyes and drifting off by now, but as the spirit of the snowflake, Selverion needed neither food nor sleep to function perfectly fine.
Even closing my eyes brought no peace—just stray thoughts swirling around. I couldn't slip into sleep as easily as before.
I did miss the sensation of dreaming a little, but on the flip side, Selverion's body let me make full use of the time others wasted sleeping. It wasn't all bad.
"So much to do..."
It had only been a day or so, but I'd already straightened out my resolve and set a clear path forward. Now that I had a destination, a goal, it was time for me to ride this world-shaking chaos too.
"Right."
As I pondered my to-do list, one thing I'd largely ignored until now flashed through my mind.
"There was an ununlocked skill, wasn't there..."
Scratching my chin, I called up Selverion's skill screen for the first time in ages. A blue holographic display appeared before me, followed by a cascade of text.
[Blizzard of Ruin] - [Ununlocked!] ※Automatically unlocks upon acquiring H-Grade Item 'Skadi's Arrow' / H-Grade Item 'Chione's Cloak' / H-Grade Item 'Snow Woman's Heart' (Unlock Progress: 0%) "Blizzard of Ruin..."
And among them, the one that stood out most was Selverion's still-ununlocked skill: Blizzard of Ruin.
Given that it was ununlocked and required three whole H-Grade items, I figured it had to be her ultimate skill.
Selverion had reached the pinnacle of stage bosses with just three skills and her base physicals. So what kind of power did her ultimate hold? Could it really usher in an ice age?
Or maybe... something even greater?
"Wonder what it's like..."
If only there were some detailed description, but even that was missing, only fueling my curiosity more.
Suddenly, it hit me: since I'd decided to dive headfirst into worldly affairs, gathering those H-Grade items to unlock her final skill on the side didn't sound half bad.
Selverion was strong even without an ultimate, but having one trump card no one saw coming couldn't hurt.
With the genius scientist Billishtein—the only teleport user in Season Off Fantasy—plus a Scientist or Thief to pinpoint item locations, even H-Grade stuff should be a breeze.
"Snow Woman's Heart...?"
And one of those unlock items, 'Snow Woman's Heart,' rang a vague bell. It wasn't entirely unfamiliar.
From my fuzzy memories, it was one of the first H-Grade items sold in a limited early-access sale right when the game launched.
It added a freeze effect to the owner's weapon—an enchantment item—and plenty of veteran players from the early days likely owned one.
Kim Arin might even have it. She'd made a name for herself as a skilled pirate from the very start.
I could ask her in the morning if she had it or any other H-Grade items.
"Haa..."
Future plans, ununlocked skills, H-Grade items... My mind overflowed with thousands of thoughts, and all that escaped my lips were heavy sighs.
"Guess I'll get some air..."
Better than lying here stewing— a walk in the courtyard to sort my thoughts sounded good. I sprang up and quietly opened the master bedroom door, stepping out.
"Hm...?"
As I slipped out and padded through the living room, my eyes landed on Perolrn, sitting blankly on the sofa, staring out at the night sky.
October's stage boss wore a bizarre expression—lips curved in a smile, but eyes drooping in gloom—as he lost himself in thought.
He looked utterly hollow.
"Hoo..."
I let out a short sigh, pausing my steps toward the entrance and heading over to him instead. Carefully, I sat on the spacious leather sofa beside him.
"What's eating you?"
That was my question.
Even after killing everyone who'd tormented him and achieving the revenge he'd craved, he didn't look happy or satisfied. If anything, he seemed even more down. I couldn't help tilting my head.
"...Yeah, tell me about it."
At least he was open to talking. A dark voice slipped from Perolrn's torn lips. His gaze shifted from the night sky outside to the mansion floor.
"Just feels... really off."
"Off how?"
"Yeah."
He nodded, fidgeting with his pale, elongated fingers.
"It's just so absurd."
His violet eyes flicked toward me sideways. A short sigh burst from his lips.
"Three whole years, man. That's how long they tormented me."
"...That long, huh."
"Yeah. From the first day of freshman year in middle school, nonstop. Just because I was ugly, creepy-looking— that's it. From that day till now."
"......"
"I reported it as school violence, begged teachers for help, even got one transferred by force. But they kept at it till the end. Even threatened me with my mom."
Perolrn's eyes brimmed with sorrow as he cautiously unpacked his past.
"No matter what I tried, no matter how hard I thrashed, I could never escape. But in just five days... it all ended."
His gaze drifted to the massive scythe propped in the living room corner.
"They were just scared kids like me, humans who bled when hit like me. What the hell was I even..."
He trailed off, head drooping. Even unfinished, I got the gist.
After three years of unrelenting hell he couldn't escape on his own, he'd broken free in a mere five days—effortlessly. No wonder the emptiness and bitterness welled up.
"No clue what to do now."
...Perolrn looked at me with teary eyes. Despite his killer clown appearance, his gaze revealed the mind of an immature student.
"I just wanted a normal life like everyone else... but now I can't even have that. What do I do? How?"
Thanks to becoming October's stage boss Perolrn, he'd succeeded in revenge and escaping hell—but ironically, it also made the normal life he craved impossible.
A 2-meter-tall clown lugging a giant scythe couldn't blend in with teens, socialize, or prep for college entrance.
"Can't even go back to Mom... What should I do...?"
Returning home to his parents' arms was out too. If word spread that stage bosses were once human with families and friends, they could be taken hostage, turning him into players' puppet.
"What am I supposed to do now...?"
Like a high schooler agonizing over career choices, Perolrn fretted over his future, anxious and lost. I couldn't fully empathize, but I could give him one solid piece of advice.
"Don't worry."
"...!!"
As I gently pulled him into a hug, Perolrn's body trembled. I patted his back, offering comfort in the softest voice I could muster.
"The hard part's over. Nothing will torment you anymore."
"S-Selverion...?!"
He'd never imagined I'd hug him, let alone comfort him—Perolrn couldn't hide his fluster.
"Ah... ahh..."
Feeling human warmth after so long?
Perolrn froze, then buried his face in my chest, sobbing. A faint smile tugged at my lips as I stroked the back of his head and continued.
"...Even if not right now, someday you'll get that normal life you want."
"A normal life..."
"Yeah. And until then, to make sure no more victims like you pop up, we'll do what we can. That's all it takes."
Normal life was impossible for now, sure. But by punishing lawbreakers like his tormentors who faced no consequences, we'd restore the world's balance.
And if we led the charge to seal all the light rifts, bringing peace back once more, then both Perolrn and I could achieve what we desired.
"...So, will you trust me and stick with me from here on out?"
My question hung in the air.
"Yeah, got it."
His reply carried a newfound resolve, laced with shifting emotions.
02.
"You must be exhausted. Try to get some sleep."
"Got it... No, yes, ma'am."
"Pfft. Alright, I'll take a stroll and be back."
Was switching to formal speech so suddenly amusing? Selverion let out a small laugh as she opened the front door and stepped outside. The 'Sad Clown' Perolrn watched her go in a daze, feeling his heart pounding like mad.
'W-What is this...?'
Selverion's small, warm touch lingered. Her gentle voice echoed in his ears. Her breathtakingly beautiful face kept flashing in his mind.
Unfamiliar emotions slammed into Perolrn's chest.
"Huh...?"
Even his stage boss powers, mental resistance—nothing could stop the thumping.
He had no idea what caused these feelings, this racing heart. But one thing he knew instinctively.
...Sleep was off the table tonight.