Chapter 55
Chapter 55
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Interlude (2)
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Ariel barely reacted after that, just fiddling with her ring.
Even if I snapped out of it and looked around the hospital room to figure out what had happened, it was hard to tell.
There were no newspapers, and no one was coming in.
Why hadn't the healers come for a check-up?
So when I tried asking Ariel what was going on, she just shook her head no.
She didn't know either.
Whether she truly didn't know or was just too entranced by the ring to care about anything else, I couldn't say.
In the end, I stayed lying on the bed, shifting around to check my body's condition.
'Almost fully healed.'
It was miraculous.
Just moments before taking down Bloodyd, my body had been on the verge of collapse from all those wounds.
No, wounds would have been manageable at least—they could be healed.
The real problem was the blood loss.
I'd bled so much breaking through Bloodyd's blood mist that dying right there wouldn't have been surprising.
Even if the Blood Temple had been dispelled and the healers rushed in right away, there probably hadn't been much time to spare.
Hmm.
So the only one who could clear this up was that one girl.
The purple-haired girl I'd glimpsed right before blacking out.
Elysia Rosnet.
She must have taken the elevator to the top floor. No doubt about it.
And sure enough, as if to confirm my hunch—
"Eek! M-Master Kline! You're awake?!"
The door swung open, and Elysia jumped in surprise, clutching a damp cloth.
Confirming I was conscious, she made a huge fuss.
Well, considering her personality, it wasn't that big a deal.
She just rushed over, stammering her words more rapidly than usual.
"S-So, how's your condition?"
"Fine. My arm's moving perfectly. Good."
"No hazy consciousness or memory gaps?"
"Nope."
Elysia poked and prodded me all over, asking question after question.
I figured she'd be shy about it deep down, given her nature.
But when it came to healing, she showed no hesitation, touching me with a serious expression.
"Phew. Good. That's a relief. I thought for sure you'd end up with permanent damage like some of the other nobles..."
She sighed in relief, hand on her chest.
I nearly got distracted by that ample bosom but held back.
More importantly, she seemed like the perfect person to fill me in on what happened outside.
"Do you know the current situation? I passed out, so I'm clueless."
"Oh. Yes. First off, it's been about three days since you fell asleep. Once the magic transforming the Lotus Pavilion was dispelled, the healers quickly started treating the nobles. But... um..."
"Didn't go so well, huh?"
"...Yeah."
Elysia let out a heavy sigh, as if the topic was too much to speak aloud.
"A lot of nobles were injured. Probably from the monsters Bloodyd's magic created. But if that was all, it wouldn't have led to permanent damage."
"Their faces were the issue, right?"
"Yes. Most of them were wearing glasses... Bloodyd had cast dangerous spells on them. They exploded before anyone could heal, so... uh, they lost their looks, I guess..."
She trailed off, still finding the subject hard to discuss.
I got the gist.
The glasses exploded, severely injuring the nobles' faces.
And with the Lotus Pavilion turning into a Blood Temple right away, proper treatment was impossible.
By the time the magic lifted and outside healers arrived... the golden hour had passed. No way it ended well.
In short,
All the nobles who'd relied on those glasses for their appearance had lost it entirely.
Brutal.
'And probably the future Bloodyd wanted.'
The past records I'd seen through the back world.
The horrors Bloodyd had endured.
I had no intention of justifying her crimes.
It was just bittersweet that the young noble who'd torn her mouth had driven her to take it out on all the others.
Whatever. No point dwelling on it—nothing fun there.
Better shake off these negative thoughts and change the subject.
"Bloodyd's crimes must be all over the Empire by now."
"Eh-heh? Y-Yes. Of course."
Why was she breaking out in sweat, though?
Elysia averted her eyes like I'd hit a nerve.
I tilted my head, and she finally explained.
"Th-The Redmask Merchant Guild that Bloodyd ran? Apparently, imperial inspectors have swarmed the place. Heh-heh."
"Obviously. With Bloodyd as the mastermind, her guild couldn't escape unscathed. So, were the merchants all in on it like her?"
"No. Um, apparently everyone except the guildmaster is innocent. They were just following orders. Probably all the evil deeds were Bloodyd's personal connections."
"Hmm."
Thorough, wasn't she?
Bloodyd hadn't shared her plans with the humans under her.
Her schemes were coordinated solely with Crimson Blood Cult connections.
Maybe because the original story hadn't started yet.
'[Shardia Academy] is still a long way off.'
Kline Leonhart's tale was a prequel to the main story.
By the time the Crimson Blood Cult truly expanded, much more time would pass.
So Bloodyd probably hadn't fully turned Redmask into a cult front yet.
Still... they wouldn't let it slide that easily.
"They're investigating intensely, right? Even if they had no real ties, proving it is tough. And the nobles won't stay quiet anyway."
"Ah. Yes. Heh-heh-heh. Of course, the nobles are furious. They got backstabbed by a partner guild. Everyone's demanding refunds."
"Yeah. But why do you seem so lacking in confidence... Oh."
I could guess why.
Elysia had mentioned before that her own family had major dealings with Redmask.
So Rosnet was likely one of the houses pressuring them now.
"I-I feel bad for the innocent merchants. But I can't tell my family what to do... They really were harmed. Ugh. No helping it..."
I see.
So this soft-hearted girl was dodging the topic out of pity for the merchants.
Hard for her to intervene when her family had actual losses—couldn't just forgive out of kindness.
The other nobles wouldn't either.
"Things got complicated."
"Yeah."
Elysia and I fell silent there.
Over by the window, Ariel fiddled with her ring, ignoring us completely.
She must have noticed Elysia come in.
...Or not?
Elysia kept glancing at her too but said nothing.
Had they talked while I was out? If so, what about?
Intriguing, but asking now would kill the vibe.
Better switch to something else.
"By the way, Lady Elysia."
"Y-Yes?"
"Why are you in my room acting like my personal healer?"
"Uh. Eek. W-Well..."
"And the last thing I saw before beating Bloodyd was you rushing toward me. Were you the one who treated me?"
"...Ahem. Hm."
Elysia's face went through a whirlwind of expressions.
Deflated and insecure, then blushing with embarrassment, then puffing up proudly.
She thrust out her chest and declared confidently.
"O-Of course! I came all the way to the top floor to help you. How's that? Praiseworthy, right? Right?"
"Forget praise—I want to kowtow. You saved my life."
"L-Life?"
"Yeah? My condition was critical without immediate treatment. Didn't you notice?"
"I-I did. I knew, but..."
Elysia flailed her hands around before mumbling dejectedly.
"...Saying it like that feels too showy. Of course I had to heal you. You took down the culprit."
"I'm surprised you even came up. I figured you'd stay safe on the first floor."
"Y-You thought I was some woman who couldn't possibly reach the top floor?!"
"No. Just that it was dangerous, so you might've stayed put. Don't overthink it."
I couldn't figure out what was up with her.
Did she want praise for saving me, or act humble since it was obvious?
Whatever her vague attitude, I made sure to thank her properly.
"Thanks. You healed me, right? I owe you my life."
"..."
Elysia's cheeks flushed.
She fidgeted, unsure what to do, then bowed her head.
"...I just followed behind you, Master Kline."
"Huh?"
"B-Because you looked so cool... I dared to follow. I'm not that great. I just... uh, did something crazy on impulse..."
I see.
From her perspective, she had no idea what was happening up top.
She still came for me anyway.
Crazy, like she said, maybe.
"I think the ones who do crazy things are the real heroes."
"Huh? Wh-What?"
"How's anyone supposed to change the world sticking to safe choices? You know when to step up, Elysia. Have some confidence."
"Eek! ...Ugh. O-Okay."
She squirmed at my words.
Happy? Embarrassed?
Either way, it was cute, so I let her be.
I didn't mind the shyness, but confidence was better for navigating the world.
Elysia could stand to live a bit bolder.
Ah. Right.
"Since we're connected like this, how about dropping the formalities?"
"Eh?!"
"I'm older, after all. I wanna speak casually."
"E-Eek. Th-That's too sudden..."
"For a nickname... Ellie works. Short and sweet. Cool with that, Ellie?"
"Ack. Ack. Ack."
What was with those goofy noises?
Elysia—no, Ellie—covered her face with both hands and froze for a while.
Then she blurted out a machine-gun barrage of words and bolted up.
"I-I was just checking in today! I've monitored your condition till now, but you're fine, so I'll head out. Rest one more day and you'll be good. Bye!"
She fled the room as soon as she finished.
Her eyes were misty from sheer embarrassment.
Hmm.
I hadn't even teased her this time.
Just casual speech and a nickname, and she overreacted like that.
Whatever. No harm done.
I really did like Ellie, after all.
She'd saved my life. Big boobs. Fun personality. Big boobs. Cute face. Big boobs.
Ah. Crap. My head was full of distractions.
I turned away to calm down.
There was Ariel, holding her ring up to the light, eyes sparkling.
"..."
My sister silently twirled the ring this way and that.
Seeing her slender frame settled me somehow.
Yeah. Stay steady. No letting some fatty lumps cloud my judgment.
....
......
.........
Wait.
Something felt off about my thought process.
Like... it was biased toward my little sister?
I tilted my head.
This wasn't me getting influenced by her, was it...?