Chapter 12
Chapter 12
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 12
Chapter Title: Master, This Rabbit Is Smiling?
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A stigma held tremendous potential compared to the magic wielded by mages.
This was because stigmas were created through the Goddess's Prayer.
A god was an absolute being that couldn't be defined in any simple terms from the start, so it was only natural that the traces they left in the human realm—stigmas—were extraordinary.
There were various ways to acquire them, but they all ultimately boiled down to a stroke of fateful fortune.
In my case, stealing the holy relic that was meant for Elfriede Dice had been my fateful encounter.
Just as magic had classifications, stigmas had their own categories as well—healing types, manifestation types, combat types, illusion types, and so on.
The Restoration Stigma I'd acquired fell under the broad healing category, but with some ingenuity, it wasn't impossible to apply it to other types.
In other words, I'd come across an especially excellent stigma.
That was why I couldn't afford to slack on my training.
Acquiring a stigma was a blessing, but mastering it required effort.
Put another way, a blessing was an opportunity. If you didn't seize it through hard work, it would become nothing more than a curse.
"Hoo."
After taking a deep breath, I checked the condition of my arm.
Etched boldly into the firm muscles of my forearm was a cross-shaped stigma.
If the goddess's whisper determined a stigma's price, then so be it. If it came with a heavy mission, I'd grit my teeth and bear it.
—Please save you.
But that's all she had whispered to me.
I was lucky in that regard too. It meant I could simply do what I wanted.
What I wanted?
Just one thing. To create a world the opposite of what Elfriede desired.
The method to strengthen a stigma was straightforward: use it as much as possible within your limits.
However, since my stigma was purely 'restoration,' simply using it more wouldn't strengthen the stigma itself.
'I need to temper my body instead.'
This was because it reset whatever it touched to its 'original' state.
I had to create an even more trained physical condition and set that as my new baseline.
In that sense, it wasn't much different from my usual routine.
For two straight days, I trained without hesitation—repeating, repeating, and repeating some more. When the heat became unbearable, I stripped off my shirt and kept going.
Ellis brought me meals regularly, so food wasn't an issue.
She walked on two legs to deliver them, but I didn't scold her for it. Meals took priority for now.
It had only been two days of grueling training, but I could already feel myself improving faster than in my previous life. Even I was surprised.
"Next up, shooting practice."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Only when my arms were trembling so badly I could barely hold them up did I finally move on to shooting drills.
Hitting a target at peak condition was something anyone could do.
The real test was whether you could do it in the worst possible state.
Three shots fired, two hits.
Not bad at all, considering I'd fired them when I could barely lift my arms. The thrill of growth had my lips curling into a grin before I knew it.
Plus, the pistol's performance was impeccable. Top-quality craftsmanship, after all.
I was starting to grow fond of it, so I decided to give the pistol a name.
"Trivi."
The name of the little sister Elfriede had killed. I'd use her name to exact revenge on Elfriede.
After naming it, I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.
A brother naming his weapon after the sister killed by Elfriede's Witch's Curse—what a joke.
The Witch's Curse.
The product of Elfriede Dice, the supreme genius, witch, queen—called by many names—as her means to defy the goddess.
In fact, among the curses she'd created, quite a few rivaled stigmas in power.
But what mattered most to me was that I possessed both a stigma and a Witch's Curse.
I'd wield them both to change my fate.
I was about to focus on shooting again when someone called out to me.
"Master!"
It was Ellis, of course. She was carrying a towel and various bathing supplies as she searched for me.
"What."
"What do you mean 'what'? Training's over, right? I'm here to help you bathe."
"No need."
"Eh, really? But it's me doing it?"
She tilted her head side to side. After a moment, she scrutinized my bare torso.
"Wow, Master, your body's seriously amazing."
"Stop sexually harassing me."
"It's a compliment. When I give it."
As always, this girl had sky-high confidence in her looks.
I wouldn't deny it, though.
Her skin gleamed with luster, her pale pink hair and snow-white complexion looked soft to the eye.
She'd probably only ever heard praise for her appearance.
But that just made me want to tease her more. Anyway.
"Ah, I get it. Tohihi~"
Ellis scratched her head.
"You're a guy too, Master. If we bathed together, you'd pop a boner for sure. You're embarrassed, huh? Yeah, that makes sense~"
I rubbed my chin, searching for an excuse to kill Ellis, when I suddenly recalled what she'd said.
—You shitty bastard.
Come to think of it, I hadn't punished her for that yet.
I'd been planning to let it slide since I was busy with training and it was a hassle, but seeing her antics, that clearly wasn't an option.
Right. There were things in this world you had to do no matter how annoying. And this was one of them.
"Ellis."
I sat straddling the ground and patted my thigh twice with my palm.
"Yeah?"
Ellis's head tilted to the side.
But she quickly understood and approached me.
Soon, her ample hips settled softly onto my thigh.
"Out of nowhere?"
Well, I hadn't actually called her over just to sit her down.
"Kyaa, kyaak?!"
I grabbed a fistful of her hair and yanked her head down hard. She naturally ended up draped over my lap.
"Master? M-Master?"
Ellis flailed in confusion, but my gaze was fixed solely on her rear.
"Ellis."
"Y-Yes?"
"Tone down the cheekiness."
Smack—!
I swung my palm with all my might, and Ellis's eyes widened to twice their size.
"Kyahaat?!"
Kicking her would hurt too, but my aim was to instill a bit of shame.
In front of the murmuring gathered servants, I struck Ellis's rear without hesitation.
Smack—! Smack! Smack! Smack—!
"Aheuk?! M-Mast! Er?!"
Her body jolted like she'd been electrocuted with every strike. Her whole body flushed red—she was clearly embarrassed.
"S-Stop…! Master!"
I didn't stop. Left cheek, right cheek—I smacked her rear with full force, no holding back.
Smaaack—!
"Hya, hyaaat?!"
Her moans echoed in front of the watching servants.
I kept going mechanically until I suddenly halted. Well, I had no choice but to stop.
'......?'
The reason? My palm was slick. And not with sweat.
I clenched and unclenched my fist. Transparent, sticky fluid stretched out in strings.
"Ellis."
I glanced at her condition.
"M-Masteeeer… Heh… Et…"
"Goddamn it. Seriously."
I shot to my feet and flung her to the ground.
"Ah… It huuuurts…"
In my view was Ellis, eyes rolled back, drool spilling from her mouth.
Her crotch area was noticeably soaked.
That was when I realized what the fluid on my palm was. This girl was a hopeless pervert by nature.
"Wow… Even so, really. You're…"
"Tohihii…"
Seeing her clutch her groin with both hands, writhing on the ground in spasms, I forgot what I was going to say.
I wiped my palm on the towel she'd brought and hastily left the scene. No more corporal punishment for this one.
On the way, one servant caught my eye, so I stopped.
"Uh, um? Did I do something wrong?"
She yelped the moment our eyes met.
She hadn't done anything wrong.
But I couldn't ignore the bundle of papers she was holding. Every single one had my face drawn on it.
"What the hell is this."
"Oh, this is…"
The servant stammered, trembling.
"Lady Ellis told me to prepare them. She said she'd practice by sticking them up in her room…"
"This is insane. Burn them all right now."
"Pardon? No, uh. Y-Yes, sir!"
Why did punishments exist?
To inflict pain on the offender and engrave the lesson that such actions brought disadvantages.
That way, the punished would strive to avoid future penalties. That's how it was supposed to work.
But looking at this…
'Was I rewarding her?'
A chill ran down my spine.
If she had masochistic tendencies, every punishment I'd given so far had been a reward for Ellis.
At this rate, she'd get even more brazen. Craving bigger rewards.
"This is driving me mad."
I shook my head and headed to the bath. Training was over for the day.