Chapter 121: Decisions Must Be Swift
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 121: Decisions Must Be Swift
Two days later.
"This should be enough."
I had finished all the preparations I could do at the inn. I’d already told everyone around me that I might be hard to reach for the next two weeks.
"Aven, have a safe trip."
"Sera. Don't cry just because I'm gone."
"W-what are you talking about...?"
"Haha, I'm sure you won't."
Since falling into this world, had I ever been away from the Mounted Goat Inn for this long? At most, I’d been gone for a few days while diving into the Labyrinth, but I had no memory of being away for a full two weeks.
In fact, excluding trips into the Labyrinth, this was my first time actually leaving Calax. To me, Calax had been the entire world.
"A-Aven!"
"Yes? What is it, Sera?"
It was early morning, barely seven o'clock. Her father, who I’d given some pocket money to yesterday, was currently passed out from a hangover after a heavy drinking session. It wasn't yet time for Auntie or Tresha to be awake, so Sera was the only one seeing me off.
"Um... have a safe trip...!"
Sera hesitated, rubbing her arm, before suddenly rushing forward and burying herself in my chest.
"...Of course. Don't worry."
"Mm-hmm..."
With that, I stepped out of the Mounted Goat Inn.
* * *
"The Lymain Treatment Center is quite a walk."
Going from the Mounted Goat Inn in the southwest to the Lymain workshop in the northwest was one thing, but the Lymain Treatment Center, located in the heart of the Northern Sector, was much further. It was taking quite a while.
I had packed a change of clothes and other necessities into my storage artifact. I wondered just how high-grade the magic crystal Iris had given me in exchange for desserts was.
I thought I’d packed a lot, but it just kept taking more. Seeing as it could easily fit the contents of a dozen ordinary backpacks, it must have been an incredibly expensive magic crystal.
After two hours of steady walking, I finally arrived at the Lymain Treatment Center around nine o'clock. I saw nurses moving busily even at this early hour; it seemed morning started a bit earlier in the North than in the South.
"I guess the rich really do sleep less."
Lady Renart had told me to arrive at the Lymain Treatment Center by noon. She said we would be taking a carriage that departs via the Teleportation Gateway at exactly twelve. I had also told Ravi to be at the gateway platform by then.
"Phew, I hope she does okay. I'm a bit worried."
Waiting for me at the entrance was Grandfather Alfred, who had been informed of my arrival. It felt like a while since I’d seen him, but I felt a wave of guilt because Lady Renart had told me she knew everything I’d done.
"It has been a while, young master."
"Haha... It's good to see you again. Are you feeling alright...?"
"Yes, I am perfectly fine."
"I'm truly sorry. Because of me..."
Grandfather Alfred gave a kind, benevolent smile and slowly shook his head.
"Ho-ho, not at all. You were merely fulfilling the request the young lady made of you."
"That's... well, even so, it's true that I injured you, Grandfather."
"It was a remarkable display of combat power. I only hope that you master it quickly and use that strength for the young lady's sake."
"Yes, I'll do my best."
Following behind him, I reached the staff-only area on the top floor of the treatment center. Even though it was nine, Theodora was still half-asleep, lying on a hospital bed in her pajamas.
Since she treated the VIP rooms like her own bedroom whenever they were vacant, I suppose hospital beds really are comfortable.
"Theodora, are you still sleeping?"
"You're here...? Why so early?"
"I didn't have much else to do."
I’d finished all my preparations the day before, so all I had to do today was tidy myself up. Better to be early than late.
"Are you staying at the treatment center the whole time?"
"I'm here to see you off. I only have a schedule this afternoon, so my morning is free. Besides, I had work until late last night, so I went to bed really late."
"I see."
She said she didn't usually sleep here. To think she stayed just to see me off—I felt quite honored.
"Mom should be in her office. Are you going to go say hello?"
"I should. We leave at twelve, so is there anything before then?"
"What about lunch? Do you want to eat hospital food before you go?"
"Is that allowed?"
"Mom and I eat it all the time."
The director and the director's daughter eating at the hospital cafeteria... Man, the kitchen staff must find that incredibly uncomfortable.
"What about you, Dora? Did you eat breakfast?"
"No, I just woke up. Breakfast time is already over. They only serve lunch now, so why don't you go say hi to Mom and then check out the snack bar on the first floor?"
"What about you? If you're going, I'm going."
Theodora rolled around on the large bed, making a humming sound as if contemplating.
"Well, if you want to go with me that badly, I guess I have no choice. Let's go!"
"Sure. I'll go greet your mother first, so get dressed and ready."
"Okay. Go on ahead."
Leaving Theodora's room, I headed toward the office where her mother was. It was a room with a large wooden door at the end of the hallway. As expected of the director's office, the surroundings were spotless and the door looked high-end.
Knock, knock.
"Madam, it's Aven."
After I knocked and identified myself, her voice came through a speaker-like device above the door.
—Enter.
The room was well-soundproofed; even if you spoke loudly inside, the sound wouldn't leak out. There was clearly a reason for such a setup.
Creak—
"You've arrived early. I told you to be here by twelve."
"I thought it would be much better than being late."
Despite it being early morning, her appearance was flawless, her hair neatly tied and knotted. She was perfectly composed.
"Hmm, and what about breakfast? It must have been a long walk."
"I haven't eaten yet. Theodora said she'd go to the snack bar with me... so I'll probably just grab something light."
"...The snack bar? That girl again... Anyway, very well. I will send someone for you if I need you, so make yourself comfortable."
After a slight bow, I left the room to find Theodora, who had struggled out of bed and was now brushing her teeth like a well-behaved child.
Her taste in pajamas is cute.
In her baggy pink pajamas, it was hard to imagine her as the haughty Theodora I’d first met at Auction Lymain. Back then, she’d been wearing a dress that revealed quite a bit of skin. Come to think of it, she didn't seem to wear clothes like that much lately.
"Dora."
"Yeah? What?"
"Do you remember when we first met?"
"W-why bring that up all of a sudden...?"
"No reason. I just thought your vibe is a bit different now."
"O-of course it is! How can I treat someone I've known for a long time the same way I treat a stranger?!"
Have we really known each other that long? It was almost June, so it had been about two months. Still, a lot had happened in that time, so I did feel closer to her now.
Even if she did feel a bit too much like a "rich person" sometimes.
"I'm going to go change, so just wait a bit."
"Sure."
After that, I just ate a simple piece of bread from the snack bar to save my appetite for a good lunch. I killed some time until around eleven, when the Madam called me back up.
"Yes, Aven. I was reading the report on your abilities, and I called you because I had a question."
"Ah, is that so? If there's anything you're curious about, I'll answer."
It seemed she was somewhat interested in my abilities.
"There is a record of you receiving and consuming a Cave Drake's tail at the monster dismantling workshop."
"Yes, that's correct."
"What happened to that tail?"
"I'm putting it to good use."
"May I see it?"
"Of course."
To summon the tail, I unbuckled my belt and started to lower my pants slightly, which caused the Madam to cry out in shock.
"W-wait! What do you think you're doing?!"
"Ah, Madam. You see, the tail is quite thick. Last time, my pants actually burst and fell right off..."
"I-I see... I understand. It seems I misunderstood your intentions."
"It was a reasonable misunderstanding. I'll let you know before I drop them next time."
"...I hope there won't be a next time."
"Ah, right."
Yeah, how often would I be dropping my pants in front of her... that sounded a bit weird. Anyway.
Crack—
"Hmm, it looks thinner than the shape I'm familiar with."
"It was too thick, so I thinned it out. Instead, I prefer it long, so I increased the length and packed the inside with tendons to compensate for the loss of muscle strength."
"You can even do that. You've acquired a truly remarkable skill."
The Madam stood up from her chair and approached me. She leaned over slightly toward the tail and stroked the scales.
"Does it hinder your movement?"
"No, I can move it as I please."
"Do you feel pain through it as well?"
"I think I wouldn't feel anything if I severed the nerves, but then I wouldn't be able to control its movement."
If I cut the nerves connecting my brain to the tail, it would move on its own. I remembered trying it before; it felt like an unconditional reflex.
Like how snakes keep moving their bodies even after their heads are cut off.
"What's the largest size you've attempted?"
"Since it has to fit inside my stomach for me to use it... for now, about this much."
I manifested the things I usually made at the tip of the tail to show her the size of my stomach.
"I can generally manage anything that fits within this volume."
"I see. And it cannot grow any larger?"
"I suppose I could if I consumed a larger stomach."
The Madam returned to her seat. I retracted everything I’d brought out and pulled my pants back up.
"Good work. We will depart immediately after lunch, so make sure your preparations are complete."
"Yes, ma'am."
* * *
"Have a safe trip. I'll stop by once my schedule is over in three days."
"That's the best thing I've heard all day. Thanks."
After lunch, I headed to the gateway platform with Theodora seeing me off. I was in a different carriage than the Madam; she probably thought it would be uncomfortable for both of us to be alone together.
"Phew, I wonder if Ravi arrived safely."
After a thirty-minute carriage ride, I arrived at the platform in the Northeast Central District. I needed to check if there was a pale white cat nearby.
—Nya, nyaaang~
I heard a meow that sounded a bit like a cat with Down syndrome. I scanned the area, and then heard it again, closer this time.
—Nya, nyaong! Over here! Nyaong!
"Ah, Ravi. That's you, right?"
"Phew, you finally recognized me!"
Wasn't that a bit too obviously a human imitating a cat? It was a miracle she’d made it this far without being caught.
"I'm glad you made it on time."
"It was so hard...!"
Ravi, in her cat form, flailed her front paws in my arms as if complaining. The Teleportation Gateway was a large disk embedded deep in the ground, engraved with geometric patterns.
There was no building covering it; it was wide open to the sky. However, the restricted area around it was larger than I’d expected.
Bzzzt...! Flash!
Moreover, the time between activation and the completion of teleportation was short. This was going to make the plan of Ravi rushing in after the gateway was activated very difficult.
"Hmm, what should we do...?"
"Ravi will just have to try her best."
"Heeing, I'm scared..."
As I was having a brief conversation while holding the white cat, the carriage carrying the Madam arrived at the platform.
Click, clack.
"I-is that her...?! The person you're going with...?!"
"That's right."
"S-s-she looks terrifying...!!"
She did have a somewhat haughty impression. But she wasn't exactly a scary person.
"Hmm?"
Stepping out of the carriage, the Madam spotted me and walked over.
"A cat, I see."
"Ah, I just picked it up nearby—"
"No. It's a person, isn't it?"
She had seen through Ravi's identity in an instant. Even to me, she looked just like a cat on the outside. The Madam's insight was truly formidable.
In times like these, decisions must be swift.
"...Ravi. Hurry up and tell her you've committed a mortal sin."
"But I haven't even done anything yet?!"