Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: My House Collapsed. Tears Fell (3)
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After barely making it back through a blizzard on this freezing day, the base I'd worked so hard to set up had turned into a walk-in freezer.
I blinked blankly at the bewildering scene, then belatedly let out a silent scream.
A sudden, fierce gust of cold wind from across the room had slipped through the gaps in my clothing.
Ugh, the wind is crazy strong up this high!
I sniffled, pulling my coat tighter, and peered into the windy darkness.
After finding the cheap portable flashlight I'd picked up in an alley on the messy floor, I tapped its body with my fist until it flickered to life.
*...Wow, what a complete disaster.*
In the faint light of the cheap, dying flashlight, my ruined base came into view.
It was a catastrophe, as if someone had scooped up snow from outside and generously sprinkled it all over the inside.
With the ear-numbingly cold wind at my back, I carefully walked around, inspecting every corner of the base.
After a brief investigation, I realized the cause of this whole mess was a shattered windowpane.
I had no idea what had happened while I was out, but snow and wind were freely entering through the gaping hole in the window without my permission.
What kind of bolt from the blue is this? Why did this happen?
Just in case, I cautiously peeked my head out the window. Down below, I spotted the unnatural sight of a wrecked outdoor air conditioning unit lying on the ground.
*Don't tell me the heavy snow made the AC unit fall? And of all things, it had to break my window?*
My eyes squeezed shut on their own.
How could my luck be this bad?
Even if this area is deserted and completely unmanaged.
For the AC unit from the building next door to fall and break my base's window is just too much!
I stomped my feet in utter frustration before my shoulders slumped in resignation.
It's not like I can turn back time. What's done is done.
Instead of lamenting my bad luck, I should focus on how to solve this problem.
*...Well, maybe it's for the best. I was thinking of moving anyway, but it was too much of a hassle. If fate forces my hand like this, what can I do?*
The silver lining was that I didn't have any particular attachment to this base anyway.
Why do you think I call it a "base" and not a "home" in the first place?
The word "home" carries a sense of preciousness. I did it so I wouldn't have even the slightest lingering attachment when it was time to move.
In that case, the solution was simple.
Just pack up everything here and find a new base.
Of course, there weren't any other floors in this building as problem-free as this one, so I'd have to search through other buildings for a while.
But the Western Labyrinth is full of buildings. Surely there's at least one other place where strangers won't bother me.
*I was already thinking of moving since it's getting colder. Let's just think of it as moving the date up a bit. This much is... huh?*
*Crack.*
As I confidently grabbed my sleeping bag, a bad feeling shot through my fingertips.
The sleeping bag that had warmly enveloped me just this morning now felt cold and brittle.
...It's frozen.
I knew instinctively that the sleeping bag was beyond saving.
No way, right?
Was it because of the cold wind whipping through the base? A chill ran down my spine.
And after about five minutes of checking every item in the base.
I had to admit it. I was in big trouble.
*Almost everything is ruined. The bed and sleeping bag will have to be thrown out. As for clothes, aside from the winter fleece pajamas and coat I'm wearing now, and the maid outfit at Greg's shop, everything else is a total loss...*
It seems the window must have broken shortly after I left for the agency.
It looked like a lot of snow had piled up, then melted, and the melted snow had frozen again.
So, the bedding, furniture, clothes, fabrics, towels, daily necessities, and so on...
Most of the things I'd carefully collected over the past few months were frozen solid, as if they'd been dunked in water and then thrown in a freezer.
Huh? Can't I just thaw them and dry them out?
When and where am I supposed to thaw and dry all this stuff until it's crisp!
Besides, if I had a place warm enough to thaw it, I wouldn't be in this mess in the first place!
*What do I do? Where am I going to sleep tonight? If I sleep outside in this weather, I'll definitely become a human popsicle. Should I gather some snow and build an igloo?*
I crossed my arms and continued to ponder.
For now, it was best to give up on the frozen items.
There was no way I could squeeze myself into a rock-solid frozen sleeping bag.
So, does this mean I have to find a new base with nothing but the clothes on my back?
Isn't this a huge problem?
...No, on second thought, it wasn't a completely hopeless situation.
I still had one way to mooch off someone.
With that thought, I slipped the key to the general store out of my coat pocket.
*I could probably get through one night if I imposed on the general store...*
But it wasn't an option I was keen on.
Greg is my benefactor. I didn't want to rely on him too much.
This key was a token of the trust Greg had shown me first.
Let's put myself in his shoes. How heavy must his heart have been, giving a key to some strange kid he barely knew?
To put it bluntly, if I sold the store's deed and ran off without a trace, he, being abroad, would be completely stabbed in the back with no way to retaliate.
Not that I would ever do that, of course. But anyway, he took that risk to give this to me. Shouldn't I repay that trust in kind?
*And I've already received so much from Greg one-sidedly. If I take any more, I might just die of guilt.*
He helped me when I was a wanted criminal as the ghost. I got durable clothes that you can't even buy with money.
On top of that, he gave me an artifact to hide my face and even connected me with the part-time job at the agency?
With a little exaggeration, it was enough to call him my life's savior.
And now I'm supposed to use his store like my own home without permission?
No. Even if Greg forgave me, I couldn't forgive myself.
As long as my burning conscience was alive, I just couldn't do it.
*...If I'm really about to freeze to death with no other options, then I'll have no choice. But for now, let's keep this as a last resort.*
Still, my conscience isn't more important than my life.
I'd consider it as the very, very last resort when I had absolutely no other way.
I clutched the key tightly in my hand and put it back into my coat pocket.
Well then, back to square one. Where should I spend the night in this raging blizzard?
It was time to rack my brain for ideas.
My determination not to burden Greg in any way burned fiercely.
* * *
"Still no new information on the ghost? Anything, even the smallest detail, would be fine..."
"Hmm. I haven't heard anything, at least. Go ask Gilbert across the street. He's into rumors, so he might know something."
"Ah... yes. Thank you. Have a good day."
*I just came from asking there...*
Alice muttered to herself as she stepped out of the shop, letting out a small sigh.
It had been over two weeks since the Night of Blood, and she was still searching for the ghost.
But the ghost was nowhere to be found, as if it had vanished completely.
Could it have secretly left Nighthaven after that day?
Chasing the ghost constantly, she felt like a boy chasing a rainbow.
"No luck today either... Hah, maybe I should reduce my search to once a week..."
If the ghost had already left the Western Labyrinth, then what Alice was doing was a fool's errand.
Her motivation to uncover the ghost's identity was dwindling by the day.
*Growl.*
Having missed her mealtime while asking around about the ghost, Alice's stomach protested loudly.
Deciding to postpone the task for tomorrow's self, she trudged wearily toward a nearby eatery.
"...Three cheesesteaks, please."
"Sure thing. They're pretty long, want me to cut 'em in half?"
"No, I'll have them all uncut, please."
"Three cheesesteaks! Here you go."
Alice took the three forearm-sized sandwiches and left the shop.
She then unwrapped one and took a bite.
It seemed like a lot for a woman of her average build to eat.
But the sight of the sandwich disappearing into her mouth as if in fast-forward was rare enough to draw the attention of passersby.
*Munch, munch. Eating in the snow has its own charm.*
As she thought this, walking toward the exit of the Western Labyrinth, her eyes caught sight of a girl who shouldn't have been there.
*...Yuria?*
The black coat she usually wore, her silver hair that looked like cascading silk, and the glimpse of a fox mask.
She was recognizable even from a distance. No matter how you looked at it, it was Yuria herself.
*Why is she wandering around a dangerous place like this?*
As that thought crossed her mind, she belatedly recalled that Yuria had been with Greg when she first came to the agency.
*Greg's shop is near the Western Labyrinth... Maybe she got a little lost.*
The thought that Yuria might be living in the Western Labyrinth never even occurred to Alice.
It couldn't be helped. In her eyes, Yuria was the agency's cute, fragile youngest member.
Besides, given that she was from a noble family, it was hard to imagine a young girl living in a place like this.
But as she got closer to Yuria's back, Alice's expression grew more and more serious.
The snow piled on her body and her shoulders, which were trembling slightly from the cold, indicated that she had been wandering around here for quite some time.
*Why are you wandering all alone in such a cold, dangerous place?*
Alice felt an inexplicable pang in her chest and hurried toward her.
"Yuria!"
"…!"
Yuria turned around and seemed startled to see Alice approaching.
Alice couldn't read her mind, but she looked as if she'd seen someone who shouldn't be there.
*That's what I want to say.* Biting her lip lightly, Alice reached out with a hand warmed from her pocket and touched Yuria's ear and neck.
*She's so cold! Just how long have you been out here?*
Yuria's ear... no, her whole body was as cold as ice.
She was so cold that Alice's eyes trembled in shock.
Alice quickly took off her own overcoat and draped it over Yuria.
White steam rose from her body due to her high body temperature, but Alice didn't have time to worry about that. She was busy checking Yuria's condition.
*Thank goodness. She's stopped shivering.*
Seeing that she was no longer trembling, it seemed Alice's coat was warm enough for her.
*Phew.* Alice let out a small sigh of relief and knelt to meet Yuria's eyes.
"Are you okay? Feeling a little warmer now?"
"…"
"Why are you wandering around here alone? Are you lost?"
But Yuria simply turned her head away, not responding to Alice's questions.
*Is it difficult for her to answer? Or is she feeling uncomfortable?*
After a moment of deep thought, Alice asked Yuria a very careful question, just in case.
"Yuria, do you live around here?"
"…"
"...Could you maybe show me where you live?"
"…!"
"Don't tell me you're homeless, wandering around..."
"…"
Yuria's all-too-transparent reaction hit Alice like a hammer to the back of the head.
Come to think of it, it was strange.
Why did Yuria need to work at such a young age?
If she had a family, or at least a guardian, there would be no reason or need for it.
*Maybe she just wants to earn some pocket money,* she had casually thought.
To think it was actually a struggle for survival. Alice was at a loss for words.
Thus, feeling a heart-wrenching pity, she looked at Yuria with a more determined gaze than ever before and declared.
"Yuria, you're coming to my place tonight. I won't take no for an answer. So just know that."
"…!"
*I will absolutely, positively take you home with me.*
For Yuria, who had failed to find a new base and was dejectedly trudging toward Greg's general store, it was a truly bewildering declaration.