Episode 20
Translator: RaidenTL
Episode 20
I’d said it to make her reflect, but her expression was utterly relaxed.
“Ah, I remember up to that point. I got shot.”
Elysia added, recalling the memory as she watched his handsome face twist as if she'd said something to be proud of.
“I jumped out of the second-floor window…”
Right before Alma fired, I’d used my quick reflexes to pull an item from my inventory and activate its effect. As I pressed the protruding button on top of the silver pocket watch, a system window appeared, announcing the effect’s activation.
The ‘Damage Stopwatch’ item effect has been activated! (For 90 minutes, damage taken is reduced by 60%, with the remainder converted to damage over time.)
I never thought an item I’d just shoved into my inventory would suddenly become so useful.
The Damage Stopwatch was an item that reduced incoming damage to 40%, then distributed the rest to the player as damage over time.
Having become a high-level user in a short time by beating down countless enemies and raising my health stat, I didn't like the lingering feeling of taking damage over time. So after trying it just once and complaining about what a piece of crap it was, I never used it again. But situations change, and so does an item’s usefulness.
Without much thought, I climbed onto the railing and threw open the window. The wind rushed in, making the curtains flutter, which must have thrown off her aim, because I heard a bullet hit the wall next to me. That gave me a brief moment while she reloaded. I bit my lip, looking down.
Would a jump from the second floor kill me?
In the past, I would have thrown myself from the fifth floor without a second thought, but my current health was so low I’d probably pass out just from falling on the flat ground. Even with the item’s effect, it’s not like my squishy body would magically get tougher.
This damn useless body!
“Ah, screw it.”
With a bang, I jumped without thinking. She must have aimed properly this time, because I saw the bullet that grazed my side embed itself in the wall of the building across the street.
SYSTEM: HP -786. Remaining HP 214. -62 damage over time will be applied every 5 minutes.
Even though I was heavily armed with items, a single graze from a bullet took off over 700 HP. How am I supposed to live with this crap? I swear, I’ll level up no matter what!
Fortunately, I landed on a relatively soft patch of grass. If anything, getting shot made my mind work faster than usual.
My remaining HP was 214, and I’d take 62 damage every five minutes. The moment my HP dropped below 20, I’d be immobilized. So, if I calculated the time I had left…
‘That’s less than thirty minutes!’
My vision swam. Was there a hospital nearby? As I wandered, I heard the sound of footsteps rushing toward me.
“Find her!!!”
“Don’t let her get away!”
It was a situation where I could truly feel what it meant to be trapped with no way out. This wasn't the world of <Panic in the City>, so there was no chance of finding Heal Packs hidden around the city. And even if I wanted to follow the rules of this world and visit a hospital, nothing would be open at this hour.
Fear suddenly gripped me. What would happen if I died here? If I died in my original world, I was sure I’d be resurrected, but not now.
Does a dating simulation game even have a resurrection feature? If I died here, wouldn’t I, a being made of data, simply be erased?
I don’t want to disappear.
With lifeless eyes, I checked my dwindling HP. I glared at the system, a shackle that wouldn’t let me go even after being damaged during my transition between worlds.
In that moment, I remembered something and muttered through gritted teeth, “…I’m not going to die.”
Get a grip. I will not die. I will not give up. I’ll fight tooth and nail to survive.
They say there’s always a way out, even if the sky is falling, and it was up to me to find it.
I chose one of the two systems available to me. In the menu window of <You'll Fall in Love>, adorned with a rose, I selected the ‘Map’ function. Tears welled in my determined eyes.
“I will never give up.”
I had no memory of what happened after that. As I blankly recalled the events, I belatedly realized I’d been staring intently at Evan’s face. I quickly looked away and apologized.
“Ah, sorry.”
The owner of the green eyes, who had been gazing at me, closed them with a sigh of relief. I yawned, my body stiff, and asked.
“By the way, what’s the date today?”
“You were sick all day, starting early Saturday morning. It’s now 3 p.m. on Sunday.”
“A whole day?”
It felt strange, and I tilted my head. I couldn’t remember if I’d been so delirious that I’d mistaken his room for mine and opened the door, or if I’d unconsciously been looking for a doctor and thought of him.
Either way, this man wasn’t the type to just leave a sick person to suffer, so he must have given me proper treatment. If that was the case, I should have woken up as soon as the treatment was finished.
My body was the type to recover instantly as soon as I got a heal. But I was sick for a whole day? I asked with a puzzled look.
“Didn’t you stitch me up?”
“You were going on about stitches early yesterday morning, too… How could I stitch you up when you were bleeding profusely? Don’t tell me you’ve been living your life getting such slapdash treatment until now?”
“Well, if your body’s split open, you’ve gotta sew it up, right?”
“There are procedures in medicine. And El, ‘split open’? Do you think a person’s body is a sack?”
“Isn’t it basically the same? A sack that holds things called organs inside… No, that’s not what I meant to talk about.”
The conversation felt like it was just circling the issue, and I grew frustrated. Crossing my arms, I fumbled at the thick bandages wrapped around my side and asked irritably.
“So, did you do it or not?”
“I did it as soon as the bleeding stopped.”
As I watched Evan, who kept sighing as if displeased with my careless attitude toward my own body, I suddenly realized something. I froze and looked down at my clothes.
I was wearing a blue shirt that was far too big for me. Only then did I notice that the pants I had on were so loose they kept slipping down.
I looked up and asked, “…What about the clothes I was wearing?”
“I sent the pants and underwear to be laundered. The jacket and shirt seemed unsalvageable, so I threw them out. Your shoes are over there.”
“Then these clothes are…”
“I put my own on you for now.”
“Sh-Shit.”
I was flustered. I snuck a glance at his face, but he looked surprisingly nonchalant. He noticed my bright red face and seemed puzzled for a moment, then let out an ‘Ah,’ as if he understood what I was worried about.
“It was necessary for the treatment.”
His stiff expression told me it was a purely professional act, focused only on treatment. I managed to regain the composure I’d almost lost. I looked down at my clenched fists, lost in thought.
Habits are a scary thing… I almost beat him up for being a pervert…
Thinking about it, it was completely logical. Right, I must have been covered in blood, so of course he had to remove my ruined clothes before treating me. It would have been weirder if he hadn’t, right?
“Thanks.”
“For what?”
“For saving me, and for not making it weird.”
He looked bewildered. “Saving someone who’s dying isn’t something to be thanked for. It’s just the right thing to do.”
“No, I’m not thanking you for the treatment. I’m thanking you for being so professional about it. For not doing anything weird like suddenly acting all friendly just because you saw me naked.”
To be honest, since everything in this world seems to lead to romance, I was worried this guy might get some strange ideas and come at me.
But he was someone who knew the proper boundaries. Seemingly completely used to my rough way of speaking by now, Evan asked with a puzzled expression, showing no sign of being offended.
“…Isn’t that just a matter of course?”
“Yes, and I’m thankful for that.”
I watched him nod at my words, then hopped off the bed. At that moment, he looked up and asked.
“Since you’re so grateful, you need to answer a question for me.”
“Go ahead.”
“What are you?”
…Huh?
What kind of line was that? With a stunned expression, I looked down at the man gripping my wrist. Just then, the pink system window for <You'll Fall in Love> flickered as if in warning.
♥ SYSTEM: You have entered an abnormal situation that did not previously exist. Reset? Yes | No ♥
An abnormal situation that didn’t previously exist? Stunned, I stared blankly at the system window as Evan continued, his voice trembling.
“Your body’s healing ability is not human.”
“…”
“Five hours after I stopped the bleeding and stitched you up, the wound vanished without a trace. Not even a scar. I saw it with my own eyes when I changed the bandages. And you, after resting for only a day, are walking around without any pain. Is that… normal?”
♥ SYSTEM: You have entered an abnormal situation that did not previously exist. Reset? Yes | No ♥
Once again, the system window announcing the ‘abnormal situation’ flickered. I finally understood why it was being called an ‘abnormal situation’.
Did a character just figure me out a week after I entered the game? As I stood there, unable to hide my crumbling expression, the man delivered the final blow.
“You pulled a potion bottle out of thin air.”
“What?!”
I was dumbfounded when I realized the extent of my own obsession with leveling up.
On the verge of death, writhing in pain from a gunshot, I somehow managed to pull out and drink an experience potion I didn’t even know I had. I can’t believe myself!
I thought of that when I wasn’t even in my right mind? I finally understood why I’d been sick for an extra day.
<Panic in the City> wasn’t a game where you could simply crush enemies with damage. To prevent so-called ‘brute-forcing with DPS,’ the company had designed experience potions that came with a 24-hour debuff after consumption.
If <Panic in the City> had actually been released, this system would have been patched out long ago due to player complaints. But since my accident completely delayed the game’s launch, it was only natural that an update to abolish this pinnacle of inefficiency never happened.
Well, anyway, that’s that.
I glanced at the man staring at me with burning eyes, then furtively looked behind me.
Of course, there was no escape route. Ah, damn it all!
“I saved you. So answer me properly.”
♥ SYSTEM: You have entered an abnormal situation that did not previously exist. Reset? Yes | No ♥
Avoiding the green gaze that looked ready to burn me alive, I read the warning again. I thought for a moment.
What should I do?
No options appeared, but let’s try making some.
A: Maybe you saw wrong? You must be mistaken! Are you… crazy?
B: Actually, I’m a mage who can use magic freely, and a secret assassin for a clandestine organization. So if you don’t want to die, keep your mouth shut. Got it?
…Somehow, the options were all very much like me, and completely unsuited for this pink-hued world.
I pulled my hand away from his and picked up a clean water glass from a well-organized shelf. Then I grabbed one of the many unopened liquor bottles that were lined up as if they were gifts.
Despite clearly having been left untouched, there wasn’t a speck of dust on the glass or the bottle. He must clean them regularly.
I poured the glass full, so much so that the surface tension made it bulge, and handed it to Evan.
“Drink.”
“I don’t drink.”
The man furrowed his brow and pushed away the hand holding the glass, but I replied with a calm expression.
“It might be a bit much to hear sober. I’m about to tell you that this entire world is a lie.”
The system window that had been announcing the ‘abnormal situation’ flickered weakly and disappeared.