Chapter 328
Chapter 328
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 328
Chapter Title: Sister's Legacy
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Isabel rose onto her tiptoes, closing the distance to PS-111 even further. The Coldblood's distinctive protruding snout drew near enough to brush against her pale, chrome-tinted skin.
"This is truly my sister's face."
She declared in a firm voice.
"The real face?"
"Yes. For both my sister and me. This is the face we had before becoming our current bodies."
"Does that mean your body and your little sister's body were swapped?"
"Not exactly sure, but something like that."
"To think both were experimental subjects. I've acquired important information. Logging it now."
Isabel let out a chuckle at PS-111's offbeat reaction.
"There's so much I want to ask my little sister."
"Not little sister—call me Isabel."
"Unable to confirm. Insufficient authority to reclassify code name as 'Isabel.' Apologies."
"Well, can't be helped. What do you want to know?"
Isabel asked in a gentle voice. It was a demeanor utterly unimaginable from the way she'd fought me.
PS-111, excited like a child receiving a gift. Isabel, transformed into someone entirely different. Both were sides I'd never witnessed before.
I watched them chat happily from a distance.
Surprisingly, Isabel didn't ask many questions. Perhaps aware that the other's memories were incomplete, she spent the time answering PS-111's curiosities.
After about an hour, Isabel stood from beside PS-111. She donned her ashen mask again and approached me.
"Leaving already?"
"Yeah. Busy today—gotta head out early."
"I see."
"Thanks for setting this up."
The hostility from our first encounter was nowhere to be found.
"We'll be seeing more of each other. No need to thank me yet."
"...True."
"There's a lot I want to ask too."
At my words, she let out a sound like laughter. Showing me a smile for the first time, she then left the warehouse.
"How was it? Satisfactory?"
"If I could feel regret, I'd be sorry not to spend more time with my little sister."
"Glad you enjoyed it."
After Isabel departed, PS-111 approached me.
"Thanks to the unexpectedly acquired information, a new objective has been established."
"New objective?"
"Affirmative."
As I fiddled with the terminal to leave the warehouse, it chattered at my side.
"My little sister said the original me had many family members in the past."
"Family? Oh, you mean the Coldbloods underground."
"Yes. Biologically unrelated individuals, but the original made an irrational decision to save them."
"Really?"
I'd assumed Isabel had saved them, but apparently not.
'Did she inherit what the 18th ranker saved?'
"My little sister judged them as sister's legacy and provided ongoing material support."
As if reading my mind, it immediately cleared up my doubt.
'That's why she acted so awkward.'
Every time the slaves called her their savior, Isabel had shown a strange reaction. I'd chalked it up to embarrassment, but that wasn't it.
The true savior wasn't her, but her sister.
As PS-111 put it, the 40 Coldbloods were the legacy left by the twin sister.
'Sense of responsibility... and guilt.'
A sense of responsibility to protect those her sister had left behind. Guilt arising from having survived alone whenever she saw them. Those two things must be what bound Isabel.
"But as a slave, my little sister clung to irrational judgments. An Aimorph would have devoured them all to minimize vulnerabilities."
I wanted to deny it, but I couldn't. I'd probably do the same myself.
"Not my place to say, but 'irrational judgments' aren't always bad."
"Is that so?"
"If I'd stuck only to rational decisions, no one would be left around me."
When I learned No. 26 was a seed demon, I hesitated but ultimately didn't devour it.
The first time I met the mutant Galleron Adhai, I debated eating it but chose to spare its life.
I hadn't taken the life of the Mother of the Sky either, keeping her as insurance—and now she was a reliable ally.
"You planned to kill me at first too. I was too dangerous."
"Agreed. As an aggregate of imperfect elements, elimination was logical."
"But I didn't."
"Judged me as potentially useful in the future and invested?"
"Not precisely, but close."
In my case, it was a calculated move, deeming it more beneficial for the kids to stick with me. The 18th ranker saving slaves had to be understood in a completely different context.
'Probably a moral decision.'
I'd never met the 18th ranker Penelope in person in this world, but judging from her twin sister's behavior, that seemed likely.
Pitying the wretched slaves and choosing to help them.
'In that sense, they're similar.'
The little sister who, despite being a slave herself, looked after other slaves. The older sister who tried to save her unfortunate kin.
They were like mirrors facing each other. Savior sisters, you could call them. But that didn't mean they had to meet the same end.
'Once we leave here, a good chunk of what torments her will vanish.'
The 18th ranker's legacy would live safely elsewhere, and the pain of loss would be eased somewhat by PS-111. Even if scars remained, no one knew what the future held.
"Intrigued by what results irrational judgments might yield. Will continue observing the family the original left behind."
"Good. You can keep watching after we leave."
I'd set the warehouse door to open automatically when the airship approached. PS-111 and I boarded together.
"Or just talk it out properly with Isabel. She'd know better than me."
"Agreed. My little sister will greatly aid my development."
"Nice to have such amicable sisters."
If PS-111 upgraded further, it'd be a huge boon for me.
Isabel would want to stay near her sister too. I was certain after seeing her today. She'd likely move with me just to look after PS-111.
'With Isabel as an ally, dealing with other rankers will be much easier.'
Until now, I'd moved stealthily to avoid rankers due to lack of intel on them. With her, I could act far more aggressively.
Her information and potential. Not a bad haul.
PS-111 and I returned to the mansion in high spirits.
And the next day.
The Mother of the Sky and I waited in the shadowy alley—the designated meeting spot with her.
But no matter how long we waited, Isabel never appeared.
-
Sihyun Yujin opened her eyes and momentarily thought she hadn't woken from her dream yet.
After acquiring the relic, she always slept in a bio capsule. But the sensations washing over her body now were far from the artificial comfort unique to the capsule.
A mattress cradling her back and waist like a gentle massage. A moderate weight on her chest. None of it was possible in a bio capsule.
She was lying on a luxury bed. Realizing that, she finally remembered she'd passed out.
"Awake, ma'am?"
At that moment, the door opened, and a familiar face entered.
The other was the maid who'd attended her at the hotel. The notably petite Coldblood crossed the spacious room and set down a tray with a towel and cup beside the bed.
"Where is this?"
"The recovery room. We found you collapsed in your quarters and brought you here."
With that, the Coldblood maid handed Sihyun a drink.
"Juice blended from wild cactus and various fruits. It should ease your headache."
Hearing it would relieve her pain, Sihyun downed the juice immediately. And was astonished.
She'd thought it mere politeness, but the effect was remarkable. The vise-like pain pressing on her entire head vanished completely.
"...Excellent."
"If you'd like, I can check right now if we can supply it to your ship."
"That... would be perfect. Please do."
Sihyun's ship was set to depart Berzan 02 that morning. If they had plenty of this effective drink, she wouldn't suffer headaches for a while.
"Anything else you need?"
"Not at the moment."
"Then I'll withdraw."
As Sihyun leaned back against the bed to rest, the maid moved to quietly exit the room. At the sight, Sihyun impulsively called her back.
"A moment, if you would?"
"Yes?"
Was it because her body had suddenly worsened so drastically? Since becoming a clone—no, even before—she'd never acted on impulse like this.
Having called her herself, she felt inwardly flustered. She didn't show it outwardly, of course.
"I'd like to talk."
"Understood."
The maid fetched a small chair at Sihyun's bidding and sat beside the bed.
"What's your name?"
"Isabel."
"Isabel? Unusual—not a typical Cult name."
Sihyun tilted her head, and the Coldblood maid, Isabel, bowed politely.
"It's the name given to me by those I loved most."
"I see. Very well, Isabel. Any interest in working for me?"
Calling Isabel over had been a fleeting impulse, but this was sincere. During her stay at the Water Fortress, Isabel had served her so perfectly she'd felt no discomfort at all. Sihyun quite liked this diminutive Coldblood maid.
"For you, Sihyun ma'am?"
"Yes. Swear loyalty to me, and I'll free you from slavery. Everyone under me is a free citizen."
Isabel fell silent at Sihyun's offer.
A moment later, the Coldblood shook her pointed snout side to side.
"A generous offer, but I must decline."
"Stay a slave?"
"I have duties. Far more important than slave work."
"......"
Isabel spoke calmly. Meeting the Coldblood's eyes, Sihyun realized her resolve was firmer than expected and was mildly surprised.
Having worked long as an assassin, she could roughly read others' minds. Isabel's determination was too steadfast to dismiss as mere slave mentality.
'A shame.'
Confirming Isabel's intent, she reluctantly gave up.
"Rare to cut down my offers so decisively."
"Apologies."
"Not criticizing—just don't worry. And the juice was excellent."
With a brief thanks, Sihyun rose from the bed. Preparations for departure had been underway; the ship must be in an uproar over her disappearance.
"Sihyun ma'am."
As she reached the door, Isabel called to her.
"Whatever trials come your way, always remember who you are. Even if something tries to erase you, resist."
"...A Coldblood proverb?"
"Somewhat different, but similar."
"I hope you remember who you are too."
With that peculiar farewell, Sihyun left the recovery room.
Isabel gazed at the closed door and murmured softly.
"...Not a tool."
Neither she... nor I.
Swallowing the final words, she began tidying the recovery room.