Chapter 96
Chapter 96
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 96
Chapter Title: Gaslighting (2)
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Looking back on her memories, Dawood had always been like sunshine to Yuria.
From the very first time they met—even though she had nearly put him through hell—he never avoided her. Instead, he was the one who approached her first.
Aside from her sister, he was the only person in the world who knew her condition and still reached out to her.
He was the only one who had built a bridge allowing her to step out into the world and live among people, just like she was doing now.
He was the sunshine that wrapped her dark, damp world in warm light.
And yet.
That very person was now...
“For the first time, I’m disappointed in you.”
...saying those words in a voice as cold as ice.
The sentence pierced straight into her chest.
It felt like she’d actually been struck, and Yuria stumbled back several steps.
Without thinking, she clutched her chest tightly.
“...”
It hurt.
She had come here fully intending to lash out in anger.
Up until arriving, that nagging ‘voice’ in her head had kept echoing about what to do with this man who was seeing other women.
But now.
None of that mattered anymore.
Her hands were shaking. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Her legs felt weak. A chill was creeping through her entire body.
She was scared.
What if, just what if.
This man.
Was truly disappointed in her now, and never looked her way again.
“...”
It wasn’t set in stone yet. Even so.
Just the mere ‘possibility’ of it opening up was enough.
She couldn’t bear it.
“Th-that’s...”
She forced her mouth open, her voice trembling as she let the words spill out.
She had to make excuses, anything.
“I-I didn’t mean to...”
She opened her mouth in a quivering voice.
Hoping against hope that he might calm down, even a little.
But before she could even finish the sentence.
“I didn’t say this just to hear excuses.”
A voice sharp as frost cut her off.
She flinched as if an electric current had shot through her body.
She barely managed to lift her head and meet Dawood’s eyes.
All the warmth that usually filled them was gone. Even through the mask, she could feel nothing but anger, as if he were glaring at an enemy.
The moment she saw it, words spilled out reflexively.
“...I’m sorry...”
Yuria sniffled in response.
Her legs gave out completely, and she collapsed right there on the spot.
“I-I didn’t mean to, really, I-I mean—”
She hadn’t meant to hurt this man. Not at all.
She had just.
Let her greed get the better of her a little.
Love only me. You said I was the most precious to you.
You said our relationship was the truest, even while deceiving other women.
So prove it.
Tell me I’m the most precious to you.
That was all—the wish she had projected onto him.
“I won’t do it again, never again, I’m really, really sorry, so please—”
Don’t look at me like that.
Treat me warmly, like before.
I’m begging you.
Don’t abandon me. I’ll do anything.
Without you, I...
I can’t go on living.
“...Then, can you promise me?”
Those words dropped down from above her head.
Unlike before, at least it didn’t carry that bone-chilling cold.
“I don’t think you did it on purpose.”
“...”
“But things like this could happen again, so I’d like some distance for a while.”
“...!”
Desperation flashed across Yuria’s face.
No, but if that happened...
Anxiety surged. They might drift apart like this—
“Yuria.”
Before the thought could continue.
Dawood’s hand touched the collar she always wore.
More precisely, the handkerchief tied to it, bearing the seal of the Campbell Viscountcy.
The gift he had given her before, calling it a ‘token of promise.’
Warmth seeped into her.
Yuria instinctively grabbed Dawood’s hand with both of hers.
As if letting go would make that tiny warmth vanish right then and there.
“B-but, but—”
“I’ll make a promise too.”
Dawood’s voice overlaid her sobbing words.
“If you do that, I’ll never disappoint you either.”
“...”
“Yuria.”
“...”
“Yuria.”
“...Yes.”
“Can you trust me?”
“...”
“Look at me.”
Yuria barely managed to look up at Dawood’s face.
It was his usual expression.
A bit dazed, maybe.
But always gentle, reliable—the man like sunshine who always lit up her dark world warmly.
“...Yes.”
So.
That was the only answer she could give.
“I trust you.”
Because this expression on his face right now.
Was a treasure she could never lose.
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“...You sure you’re okay with this?”
When I tossed those words at Eliya, she gave me a troubled look as she glanced toward Yuria.
Yuria was sitting on the boat with a dazed expression.
I’d just asked her to safely escort Yuria all the way inside the forge of strife.
“...It’s okay, I guess.”
She alternated glances between me and Yuria.
Her face showed... what was it?
Unconcealed bewilderment.
“...Teacher, you seemed like a completely different person just now.”
“Yeah?”
“It’s weird. Normally, you wouldn’t ‘deliberately’ try to manipulate someone like that.”
“...”
Her gaze sharpened for a moment.
“It makes me think you must have some circumstances forcing you to act that way.”
A chill crept up my spine.
Sure, given my attitude just now, she might think that.
But if she went blabbing to someone else, that’d be a one-way ticket to hell—
“But you have your reasons, right?”
But.
She winked and threw out those words.
While I was speechless, she dragged Yuria back to her original boat with a knowing look.
“...”
Thanks, kid.
Didn’t expect you to be this helpful.
“Caliban.”
[What.]
“Why’re you so quiet this time?”
[...]
Surprisingly, even after I brought up the topic, a hint of pity leaked from the amulet.
This guy who’d normally tear into me as trash—what was up with him?
[...You have to be at least somewhat decent to be fun to tease.]
Caliban replied with a wry smile.
[At this point, I’m actually starting to look forward to it.]
“...What?”
[Wondering what trashy stunt you’ll pull next. You’ve never failed to disappoint. I’m getting excited.]
“...”
[And I’m curious when you’ll get found out and torn limb from limb. How many pieces will you end up in—that’s the real question—]
“...Shut up already.”
Of course.
I scowled and gazed at Eliya’s boat drifting away on the opposite side.
More precisely, at Yuria sitting inside it.
She was hugging her knees on the boat seat, face buried in them, still sniffling nonstop.
Eliya, who’d been dragged into this, was endlessly trying to soothe her with a troubled look.
“...”
Sorry.
Sorry...!
I’m really, truly sorry...!
Staring at the window that popped up before my eyes with those thoughts.
[System Message]
[ Target ‘Yuria’s’ corruption level drops rapidly. ]
[ Emergency event generation conditions are removed! ]
[System Message]
[ Target ‘Yuria’ is afflicted with ‘Anxiety’ abnormal status! ]
[ She will intensely watch your reactions for a while. She will absolutely refuse to do anything unless you order it! ]
For now, the immediate life-threatening crisis is resolved.
I’ll suffer from massive guilt for a bit, but I somehow pulled it off.
Honestly, midway through the act, I was sweating bullets wondering if she’d snap first and decapitate me over why I was yelling when she was the one who messed up.
‘...This works better than I thought.’
And the fact that something like this was possible was thanks in large part to this guy.
With that thought, I eyed the ‘Playboy’ title.
Yuria couldn’t even properly retort to me just now—feels like the ‘bonus’ from this played a big role.
Of course, since it auto-activates, there’s always the risk of weird side effects like with Elnor, but I can’t deny it’ll help navigate future situations.
‘...Anyway.’
At least while this chapter progresses, I don’t have to worry about Yuria coming at me with a knife like now.
The problem is this.
[System Message]
[ Actions toward target ‘Yuria’ trigger follow-up event! ]
[ Target ‘Peynol’s’ related event is generated! ]
[Gift-Related Character Alert]
▼ Peynol Lifec
[ No Favorability Level ]
[ Time until related event: D-2 ]
Hm.
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem like a broken-brake 8-ton truck of death charging from someone with high favorability like Elnor or Yuria.
Still, looks like fate’s forcing me to run into this guy too. I’ve been dodging him as much as possible till now.
Peynol ‘Deathwish’ Lifec.
Key figure in Chapter 4, ‘Crimson Night.’
The character that Sera players unanimously pick as #1 ‘Wrong encounter = game over.’
He’s got a lot in common with Yuria.
And like her, he’s one of the ‘chapter final bosses’ among the cast.
High chance he’s one of the ‘Vessels of the Demon’ too.
But.
In terms of pure danger level, he far surpasses Yuria.
To the point where just bumping into him means worrying about my neck.
‘...Two days from now, definitely...’
That’s when the second phase of Hunter’s Night, ‘Volcanic Zone’ entry begins.
Similar to the water dragon I stamped with the terror brand, there’s a beast over there that needs a ‘brand’ prepped for the chapter boss fight.
And that’s where I’ll run into him.
‘...Gotta prepare thoroughly.’
Truth is, Peynol’s behavior patterns are more predictable than you’d think.
For a Vessel of the Demon—who shows all sorts of reactions because of my constitution—I can roughly guess how he’ll react to me.
“...”
Problem is knowing and still not being able to avoid it.
That’s why I’ve been desperately dodging him.
As those thoughts crossed my mind, another window appeared.
[System Message]
[ Actions toward target ‘Yuria’ trigger follow-up event! ]
[ Target ‘Liru’s’ related event is generated! ]
[Gift-Related Character Alert]
▼ Liru Garda
[ Interest Level 3 ]
[ Time until related event: 3H ]
“...”
What’s this now.
And this one has no grace period of days. It’s happening in just 3 hours.
“...Liru?”
“What.”
When I called out to her, Liru—who’d been staring at the severed forepaw of the water dragon at the boat’s stern—replied in a slightly sharp tone.
She’d been like this the whole time.
Maybe pissed at herself for freezing up without even thinking of fighting the water dragon.
“...What’re you thinking about right now?”
“...”
A brief silence followed.
“...No, just.”
Then Liru sighed in response.
“...You came here planning to take this thing down from the start, didn’t you?”
“...? Yeah, pretty much.”
It was something I did anticipating Yuria showing up.
Cleanup went decently thanks to some luck.
“So that’s what I should’ve learned from.”
“Huh?”
“You asked what I was thinking.”
Liru sighed again as she replied.
“Why couldn’t I be like you? If it’s for my goal, I shouldn’t have held back on methods or means.”
“...”
“I get why Granny picked you. Not for nothing. I shouldn’t have lived so half-heartedly if I wanted to get stronger.”
She got that kind of lesson from watching my trashy stunt just now?
Is that for real?
As I stared at her blankly, Liru scratched her head and continued.
“Hey. That Elnor guy. Where is he now?”
“...Huh?”
Why’s she asking that?
What’s it got to do with anything?
“...No, just.”
Liru awkwardly scratched the back of her head and trailed off.
“Never mind. Not something to tell you.”
“...”
Her vague response made me turn back to the system window.
[Gift-Related Character Alert]
▼ Liru Garda
[ Interest Level 3 ]
[ Time until related event: 3H ]
She’s looking for Elnor right now, and some event pops in 3 hours.
Hm.
“...”
Hope it’s nothing serious.
Really.
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