Chapter 278: When You Called My Name (2)[R-18]
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 278: When You Called My Name (2)[R-18]
Step— step—
Footsteps echoed through the underground corridor of the salon, Le Jardin des Roses.
It was last night that I had returned home in the carriage Laplace had prepared.
“...So, you’re finally here.”
As soon as I opened the door, I saw Evelyn standing there with her arms crossed, leaning at a sharp angle.
“Well? Anything to say?”
At the sound of Evelyn’s voice—a cocktail of worry, anger, and relief—I immediately bowed my head.
“...I’m sorry!”
“Ha! At least you know you messed up. But... if an apology solved everything, why would we even need laws... Sigh, forget it. You brat. We’ll talk when this is over.”
Beside her, Helen chimed in, her eyes narrowing.
“Hmph! Well~ I’m not the type to make a fuss like some people~ so I wasn't particularly worried or anything. Still... you’d better be ready for that talk Evelyn mentioned.”
“...Mm, I’m glad you seem safe, Ian. Everyone was very worried.”
Then, Estelle, who had been sitting on the sofa, whispered softly.
Her voice was calm, but the emotions beneath it were anything but.
“Hehe... I-I was... worried too... Well then... sisters, please get home safely... Huh? E-Evelyn? Why are you taking me with you... My home is here... Gasp! Po! Po! Ring! I understand!”
Starting with Evelyn dragging Poporing away by the scruff of her neck, it seemed everyone had a mountain of things they wanted to say, but...
“...Then, we’ll take our leave for today. But don’t think this is the end.”
Thud!
Once they confirmed I was safe, they immediately cleared the room.
It was likely a consideration to let me save even a little bit of strength for tomorrow.
And so, after agreeing to meet Elfriede at the salon the next day, I spent my first night alone in a long time.
Patter-patter-patter!
As I was reminiscing about last night, loud footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor.
“Ma—ster!!”
The whole world was breasts.
The Divine Power Vessels were so massive they felt like they encompassed everything as they shook violently.
Hop—!
Yuris jumped into my arms with all the momentum of her run.
Along with a soft, plush sensation, the sweet scent of milk hit my nose.
“Hwaaa... so many things happened to me... really... it was so hard...”
Yuris sobbed, rubbing her face vigorously against the crook of my neck.
I could tell just by looking at her face.
Dark circles had fallen deep under her eyes, making her look haggard—reminiscent of when we first met in the Old School Building.
Of course, this look had its own kind of decadent beauty that suited her, but...
Pat— pat—.
“Hauuu... Master...♥”
As I gently patted her bottom, Yuris’s face flushed slightly.
As expected, a smiling face suited Yuris best.
“Yeah, you really worked hard, Yuris.”
Squeeze—
I hugged Yuris tightly, conveying my sincere gratitude.
I had heard that while I was staying in Elvenheim, Yuris had used ‘Purification’ every waking moment to suppress the malevolence radiating from Hayangi.
...For Yuris, who had never once complained about being tired no matter what unreasonable request I made, to speak like this, I could only imagine how much she must have suffered.
Is that why?
Flutter—!
As if she wanted to replenish her lacking Essence right this moment, the sweet scent of milk wafting from Yuris grew thicker.
“Master’s scent... Sniff—! ...Hauuu... I’m hungry...”
“Just wait a little longer. It’ll be over soon.”
“Hehe... Yes, Master. But... this bitch... wants to stay with Master more.... If I stay any longer... I don’t think I’ll be able to hold back...! Snnniff—!”
After burying her face in my neck one last time and taking a deep breath, Yuris pulled away, her expression dripping with regret.
Trot-trot-trot—
Still seemingly lingering, Yuris walked backward toward the end of the hallway while looking at me. She opened the door to leave, and then...
Creek—!
She immediately popped her head back in and shouted.
“Master!! Don’t worry!! If it’s you, Master, I know you can do it!!”
Words filled with pure faith, devoid of any basis or reason.
Even so...
“Yeah. I’ll do it.”
I felt like it would truly turn out that way.
After Yuris left, I waited in the hallway for a moment until Elfriede arrived.
As expected, Elfriede also had a somewhat tense expression.
“Are you ready, Elfriede?”
“Ah... of course, Senior. Well then, shall we go?”
Nodding, I entered the room where Hayangi was waiting with Elfriede.
Click—! Creeeeak—!
Unlike the ornate corridor, the room contained nothing but the single bed where Hayangi lay sleeping.
“Ugh...”
Elfriede groaned low at the sight of Hayangi.
She must have prepared herself mentally, but facing it directly seemed difficult.
“Huff... huff... I’m sorry... Senior... But... can’t you see it too now, Senior?”
“...Yeah, I see it.”
I nodded quietly.
To my eyes, she still looked like Hayangi, but at the same time....
Crackle—
Through the cracks in the White Husk, I could see ‘Black Scales’ writhing.
Seeing that, I finally understood why Elfriede had been so hostile toward Hayangi when they first met.
An ominousness that felt as if all the malevolence in the world had been condensed.
Every cell in my body was screaming at me to run away immediately.
[You only have one chance, Elfriede.]
“I’ve always only had one chance.”
[...What?]
“Don’t mind me. It was just a line I’ve always wanted to say. Now then... ——Whew.”
Elfriede let out a long breath, forcing a joke to ease the tension.
Whoosh—
Upon Elfriede’s palm, a small flame resembling a bird’s feather flickered to life.
It was the ‘Primordial Flame’, the first to ignite in this world and one that had never once been extinguished.
“I’m starting, Senior.”
“...Okay.”
Flar—re!!
The moment the ‘Primordial Flame’ touched Hayangi’s body, the fire spread massively as if to swallow her whole.
And simultaneously, the pitch-black malevolence released from burning Hayangi’s flesh began to fill the room.
It was a foul malice so intense that a single breath felt like it would rot my internal organs...
Whoosh—!
The wind I summoned protected Elfriede from the malevolence.
“I’ll protect you... Trust me and focus.”
“Yes, Senior!”
Drip—! Drip-drip!
Not long after she began to concentrate, beads of sweat formed on Elfriede’s forehead and rolled down the bridge of her nose.
Snap!
As if molting, the old husk from Hayangi’s fingertips turned to ash and peeled away, revealing stainless, snow-white skin beneath.
‘It’s working!!’
A faint sense of relief crossed Elfriede’s face.
She had obtained proof that, at the very least, Hayangi’s entire soul hadn’t been twisted.
The areas where the husk had peeled away didn’t look like a form distorted by ‘Pure White’, but simply the flesh of an ordinary girl.
If the Metamorphosis continued like this, Hayangi might be able to regain her original form.
That’s what she thought.
But...
Roar—!!
“...!!”
The moment the ‘Primordial Flame’ burned the Black Scales, the World’s Malevolence that Hayangi had experienced swallowed Elfriede’s mind.
Thump—! Thump—! Thump—!
Is this what it means to receive the World’s Malevolence?
Everything was agony.
Breathing, drinking, sleeping—everything in the world tormented me.
A hell where taking one’s own life felt like the only salvation...
Where not even a moment of peace was permitted.
Even in that, Hayangi did not give up on life and tried not to lose her goodness.
But...
—The act of trying to save an animal with an injured leg caused the area she touched to rot, leading it to be eaten alive by other beasts.
—The jewel she handed over to help a starving child brought a band of bandits who massacred the child’s village.
Every one of Hayangi’s good deeds was twisted and distorted into a horrific atrocity.
Every time that happened, deep and dark emotions accumulated, to a degree unbelievable for such a small body to endure.
‘I’d rather... with these hands...’
Rather than returning Hayangi, who had suffered so much in this world, back to it...
The temptation that perhaps making her sleep forever would be happier slithered in like a serpent.
[Get a hold of yourself, Elfriede!]
“...!”
Elfriede bit her lip at Ifrit’s shout.
‘As if I didn’t know this already...!!’
From the moment they first met, she had known the weight of the hatred and curses piled upon Hayangi.
Even so...
Had she not decided to trust the man who vowed to stand against the World’s Malevolence to save Hayangi!
The moment Elfriede looked at Ian, a scream escaped her.
“...Se-Senior!!”
Ian’s entire body was drenched in the malevolence Hayangi had emitted.
“...It’s... okay. Elfriede.”
Seeing Ian speak while bleeding black blood from his eyes, Elfriede realized her misconception.
‘...Senior is... swallowing the malevolence?’
A moment ago, what had almost broken Elfriede’s heart...
Was not the World’s Malevolence Hayangi had experienced, but merely a tiny fragment that Ian had failed to swallow.
Shudder—!
She couldn’t believe it.
If a single small fragment was that painful...
Then what kind of pain was Ian, buried in the complete malevolence, enduring?
Grip—!!
“So... please... keep going.”
Despite Elfriede’s desperate gaze, Ian spoke as he firmly grasped Hayangi’s hand, showing no intention of running away from the malice.
*
Grit—!
'It hurts.'
The emotions that tore through Hayangi’s chest tore through mine as well.
I wanted to stop right now, crying and screaming that I was sorry.
「A■■ne」
—Ian... I’m... not... Hayangi...
'It’s painful.'
The despair and pain Hayangi felt were not things one could dare to imagine.
Surely, if it were me, I would have broken long ago.
—I-Iko... really... you can’t tell anyone...
But...
Even in a life where death felt merciful.
Hayangi endured until the end, believing in the promise of the day we would meet again.
So...
I won’t ever give up either.
No matter how painful, no matter how sad, no matter how desperate, I cannot give up.
「A■emone」
I haven’t yet given you what I promised...
—I will definitely make you happy.
—Anemone. That’s... my name...
Because I haven’t given you the happiness that must surely come!
Whoosh—!!!
The moment I recalled our promise once more.
「Anemone」
I was finally able to call your name.