Episode 67
Translator: RaidenTL
Episode 67
A pretty boy in a worn-out beige shirt and chestnut-brown overalls was irritably fanning himself with the cap he was holding.
A group of girls who had been watching him with interest scattered in fright when the boy suddenly kicked an innocent, adjacent wall with a loud bang and shouted.
“This fucking weather!!!”
Elysia irritably undid the top two buttons of her shirt. The bandages tightly wrapped around her chest made it twice as hot.
Of all days, the sun had to be blazing. She neurotically rolled up her sleeves and glanced back at the last destination she had just stormed out of.
She had been visiting the places on her list one by one, causing a ruckus at each. At the butcher shop, the owner happened to have a scar on his face, so she’d feigned insanity, declaring she needed to check his hygiene, and grabbed his wrist to sniff it.
Naturally, she’d found nothing. She was cursed out as a lunatic and thrown out, but she didn’t care.
Her real destination was the last one on the list anyway. The stops before were just for confirmation.
The only small problem was the damn heat. Elysia was feeling the full effect of this region’s geography.
This was Alea, the southernmost of the continent’s three nations. What’s more, its proximity to the sea made it humid, even in May. Then, an unexpected problem arose. The first problem.
SYSTEM: Stalking detected. Estimated number of pursuers: 1
“What little rat…”
A curse escaped her lips. Someone was following her. The persistent feeling of a gaze tracking her every move had her on edge. The stare, prodding at her like a sharp stick, was deeply unpleasant.
To identify who was tailing her, she deliberately walked past shop windows and glanced at mirrors on street stalls, but her pursuer was no amateur. Every time she approached a reflective surface, they would pull back as if mocking her.
The fact that they kept their distance was even more unsettling. If they had just thrown a punch, she could have at least hit back and felt some relief, but the way they just watched, as if testing the waters, was even more unnerving.
And then, the second problem. This was the real issue.
SYSTEM: ‘Heatstroke’ has occurred! You will take -18 HP damage per minute.
‘Movement Speed’ decreased by 23%.
‘Headache’ has occurred. 4% increased chance of ‘Temporary Judgment Impairment’.
“Ha… this is a problem.”
Elysia stared blankly at the status window that had been floating in front of her for a while. She’d had a bad feeling when her head started spinning, and now it had come to this. Still, -18 HP per minute was manageable. It was a huge improvement compared to the time she nearly died from a paper cut, but it was shitty all the same.
It seemed the temporary judgment impairment was already kicking in. She was starting to have trouble thinking clearly and getting her bearings.
Stumbling, Elysia managed to get a bottle of water from a nearby stall before collapsing under the shade of a tree. She gulped the water down, her hands trembling so much that some of it spilled from the corners of her mouth, dripping onto her shirt.
SYSTEM: ‘Heatstroke’ symptoms alleviated due to ‘Hydration’. HP damage per minute changed from -18 to -9.
‘Movement Speed reduction debuff’ eased to a 12% decrease.
Okay, calm down.
It was a miracle it had taken this long, considering she’d been scurrying all over the place in thick clothes under the scorching sun.
She was only in this shape because she had leveled up; in the past, she would have probably fainted within an hour. Elysia leaned her head against the tree trunk and closed her eyes.
With her eyes closed, the sensation of being watched grew even more intense. It was too focused to be simple surveillance. She wasn't just being watched; she was being observed. Scowling, she muttered through clenched teeth.
“Haa… who the hell is it?”
Blair had said he hadn’t told anyone else about this matter. Could it be that her recent inquiries at the stalls about Hertz’s whereabouts had already reached the wrong ears?
Was it the tension? Her headache worsened. Elysia roughly wiped the cold sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and pressed the still-cool glass bottle to her throbbing head. As the pounding in her skull finally subsided, her mind cleared.
“Hoo…”
It would be stranger if the people running an illegal drug operation from the underground weren’t sharp. It wasn’t surprising that someone was tailing her.
If anything, it was good news, as it proved she was on the right track. Without letting her guard down, she breathed slowly, waiting for her body to recover.
When she opened her eyes again, she scanned her surroundings. Evening was approaching, and there weren't many people left on the street.
SYSTEM: ‘Heatstroke’ symptoms alleviated due to ‘Hydration’. HP damage per minute changed from -9 to -0.
‘Movement Speed reduction debuff’ eased to a 6% decrease.
She could move now.
Pushing herself to her feet, Elysia pulled out the note again to confirm her destination. Bicola Plaza, the place where an unidentified client had placed a bulk order for greaseproof paper.
As she began to walk slowly, that damned, grating stare followed her once more. With a nonchalant expression, Elysia reached into her inventory and unhesitatingly pulled out her revolver. Then she checked her status window.
Elysia Hemming (LV.7): HP 3,738 | Defense 875 | Attack 6,000
Just don’t get hit once. Whispering this to herself, she tightened her grip on the gun.
It would be a lie to say the thought of just turning back hadn’t crossed her mind. Honestly, she wanted to run. It was no easy thing to risk your life in a dating simulation game where you didn’t even know if resurrection was possible.
But she couldn’t overcome the thrill that was igniting in a corner of her heart. If she took down the bastard following her, how much information could she get? That simple expectation was all it took to move her.
Taking a deep breath, Elysia kept walking, muttering to herself.
“It’s no big deal.”
She saw a boy moving through the now-darkened alleys, lighting the streetlamps. She slowly stepped into the alley leading to Bicola Plaza. She was only a single step away from the main street, but a vast darkness immediately swallowed her whole.
Another set of footsteps overlaid the sound of her own. Elysia knew the pounding in her chest wasn’t from tension, but from excitement, and she let out a small, wry laugh.
Ah, even as she cursed how tedious it was, she had secretly missed it. This feeling of being hunted.
She deliberately slowed her pace. She paused for a moment, like a predator stalking its prey, then started walking again. The person following her didn't stop, continuing to close the distance.
In that moment, the fine hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. In an instant, she spun around, slammed the person who had been reaching for her against the wall, and pressed the muzzle of her gun into their side.
“Why are you sneaking up on me? Who are you?”
“…”
“Not answering? Should I pump your gut full of lead to get that mouth open?”
The person calmly wrapped a hand around her own, which was choking them, and smiled. Despite letting out a few coughs, they seemed more amused than frightened.
The man gently took her hand from his throat, easily pulling it away, and whispered in a hoarse voice.
“I’m hurt.”
“?”
“I came to look out for you.”
Click. From somewhere in the opposite alley, the sound of a streetlamp cover opening and closing echoed, and a sliver of light seeped into the dark space. The dim light traced the outline of the person before her.
Blood-red eyes shining from beneath a brow slightly furrowed in pain from the sudden impact, pure white-blond hair, a sharp, high nose… Her eyes widened at the unexpected sight. Elysia muttered.
“…Ror?”
“You’re on edge.”
“You followed me?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“I was just curious what a girl I like is up to. Is that so wrong?”
Cain leaned down slightly to meet her eyes, a sly grin on his face as he boldly questioned her back. For a moment, Elysia was at a loss for words, simply glaring at him.
She didn’t need to make an effort not to be swayed by this man who was spouting strange things with such a shameless face. She laughed as if in disbelief and replied.
“You crazy bastard. As if.”
Elysia shook off Cain, who was still casually holding her hand, and irritably put her revolver away.
Her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she saw something being held out to her. It was a clear glass bottle, cool water sloshing inside.
Looking up at him with an expression of sheer absurdity, Elysia let out a dry laugh.
“That was you the whole time?”
“Ah, you knew? I thought you seemed overly wary of your surroundings. Were you conscious of me?”
Seeing that Elysia had no intention of taking the water bottle, he offered her a gentle smile and added.
“Drink.”
“I don’t—”
“Afraid it’s poisoned?”
As if to prove a point, Cain uncorked the bottle and took a sip before offering it to her again.
Caught off guard, Elysia accepted his offering. She looked at him with a dubious expression before slowly drinking it down. It might have come from a shady bastard, but it was something she needed.
SYSTEM: ‘Heatstroke’ symptoms alleviated due to ‘Hydration’.
‘Movement Speed reduction debuff’ has been removed. ‘Temporary Judgment Impairment’ effect has been removed.
After finishing the water, Elysia tossed the empty bottle into a random corner of the alley, pulled out a gold coin, and shoved it into his hand with a dismissive wave. It was a clear signal for him to get lost, which he found amusing.
“Trying to buy me off? Your methods are quite crude.”
“Sorry if that offends you, but I’m offended too, so let’s call it even and you can piss off. Why were you following me in the first—”
“How could I not follow you? A girl I’m interested in suddenly dresses up as a boy and runs out of the academy.”
His eyes curving into a smile, Cain naturally took a spot beside her. Elysia swallowed a curse. She looked up at the man who had been approaching her with sudden goodwill, her eyes filled with suspicion.
What the hell is this guy? Just some idiot who chases after girls? Then why is my intuition screaming at me to be wary of him? What is the source of this unease?
Whether he knew what she was thinking or not, Cain continued.
“You’re the one drawing all this attention. I can’t help it if you ask me why I’m looking.”
“…”
“It’s your fault. You shouldn’t have caught my eye.”
She had been backing away from him as he slowly approached, and her back bumped against a cold wall.
Elysia looked up at him with wary eyes. Cain smiled faintly and offered her his hand. She ignored it, of course, and stared at him as she asked.
“What? Get that away from me.”
“You’re not telling me to get lost, though. Good.”
With a breezy attitude, Cain stood beside her and gestured with his head as if telling her to lead the way. Seeing the exasperated look on her face, he looked down at her and said.
“You still have a destination to get to, don’t you?”
Her expression hardened. As if in response to her unspoken question of ‘How did you know?’, he shrugged as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
“You were running somewhere without any intention of returning to the academy. It’s a simple deduction, isn’t it? I’ll accompany you. You’re not in top condition. You should have at least one companion.”
“I don’t need—”
“Besides, I’m the benevolent President, and it’s my duty to protect the freshmen.”
“…”
Something was suddenly slipped into Elysia’s mouth as she stood there, watching him guardedly. She froze, a piece of chocolate held between her lips.
The finger that placed the sweet between her lips brushed lightly against them. The man’s eyes curved into a smile as he whispered.
“This is because you looked like you were out of energy.”
At that moment, only one thought came to mind.
“…Did this bastard eat rat poison or something?”