Chapter 29
Chapter 29
Ch. 29 .｡.:✧ Basel (6) ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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A possibility I had never once considered came to mind. The possibility that the system had made an error.
The completeness of the system had long been shattered. From the very start of this round, broken fonts were rampant and it was a complete mess.
Jdjlile Daienrngk Yduglai Petesnbzjuurzgjk Yekrainla Fzjrgofsjtdk
Known by a small number of people. Very low presence.
Starting to gain notoriety. Presence is growing.
Like this.
Now that I had a history, I couldn’t be certain that it hadn’t caused other errors as well. The prevention of regression was one thing, but a much more serious problem could occur.
For example, the heroines regaining their memories from previous rounds.
“No way. That can’t be…”
The photo in the newspaper caught my eye again. The appearance of the cathedral was clearly destroyed by mana bombs, with the pillars blown up and the ceiling collapsed.
It was a method the Jill I knew would never even imagine… unless she had seen something like this before.
“Ha.”
Jill might have regained her memories. The thought made my head throb with pain. The memories of those 12 rounds vividly resurfaced.
The 1st round, where I approached the heroines with impure intentions but still enjoyed my time with them with a fairly pure heart.
The 2nd round, where I faced the heroines who had forgotten me and felt my heart ache.
The 3rd round, where I hardened my resolve but still wavered whenever I saw the heroines.
…Up to the 12th round, where my heart had worn thin and I no longer felt any emotional stirring even when facing the heroines.
At the end, I was completely acting, but they were not. The lines I had heard over and over, they conveyed to me with sincerity.
The scenery I was sick of seeing over and over, they expressed genuine admiration for.
Seeing that, I had thought it would be nice if the heroines regressed with me.
I had the delusion of how wonderful it would be if it wasn’t just my time flowing in solitude. But that delusion might have become reality.
The heroines might remember me from previous rounds.
Now that I considered the possibility, a chill ran down my spine.
“Ugh…”
Those girls who had hurled abuse at me to keep me tied down. Those girls who had tarnished my reputation and restrained my freedom.
Those girls stained with ugly possessiveness and selfishness. Trauma resurfaced and my body trembled.
The heroines forgot their own actions, but they remained forever in my heart.
The dagger embedded in my chest twisted deeper whenever I saw their faces.
Just seeing their clear, unblemished smiles was enough, but what would happen if the heroines regained their memories and came looking for me?
Just imagining it made me short of breath and my chest tighten.
“…Hap.”
Chomp.
A cold sensation touched the nape of my neck. Thanks to that, I could catch my breath and come to my senses.
“What are you doing?”
“…”
Sighing, I turned my head. Undecided, who had finished washing up at some point, was biting the nape of my neck with her wet hair hanging down.
Since she had no fangs, it didn’t particularly hurt. No, it didn’t hurt because she wasn’t putting any strength into it in the first place.
In the midst of this, she was wearing my shirt, which was oversized and loose on her. I had bought her clothes, so why was she doing this?
“Are you hungry?”
“…”
Shake shake.
Undecided shook her head slowly while still biting my neck. As a result, her teeth scraped all over.
Eventually, Undecided began to nibble on my neck. Not strongly, just lightly enough to feel a slight pain.
“Then what is it?”
“…Don’t know.”
Just as I raised my arm to forcibly pull her off, Undecided, who had uncannily noticed, took her mouth off my neck.
Saliva trailed down, but I didn’t find it particularly dirty. Was it because I was someone who was far from cleanliness in the first place?
“…Doing this. Makes me feel at ease.”
“Well then.”
“…Purr purr.”
Undecided swallowed her saliva with a gulp, then bit the other side of my neck and nibbled.
Judging by the fact that she specifically targeted my neck, it seemed her instincts as a blood ghoul remained weakly.
I decided to just let her be since it didn’t cause any wounds or infections. If I stopped her from biting, she might put something strange in her mouth and ruin her teeth.
…I felt like I had become a chew toy.
“You stink, so get off. I haven’t even washed up yet.”
“…Yoo-jin’s smell. I don’t dislike it.”
“Dry your hair.”
“…Ugh.”
I plopped a towel on her head and stood up from the sofa. I had to wash up and check out quickly. Still, thanks to her, I felt a bit better.
***
Not all footsteps sound the same. Some drag their feet powerlessly. Others walk with a thud, putting strength into their steps.
Having lived in a workshop with a clear hierarchy since childhood, I was used to memorizing footsteps.
I had to immediately stand up and politely greet the elders the moment I heard their footsteps.
Of course, that didn’t mean I could instantly memorize the footsteps of someone I met for the first time.
If they weren’t from the workshop, I couldn’t memorize them well. Even if I did, I would quickly forget.
That’s why it was even stranger.
‘The investor’s footsteps?’
How could I remember the footsteps of someone I had only met twice? Rather than consciously remembering, it felt like my body was reacting unconsciously. No way. It must have been my imagination.
“Ah…”
The familiar boots appeared from the reception area. My face naturally brightened. Before I knew it, I was hugging the wooden box in front of me and running out.
“Tay! Your client has…”
“Arrived?!”
It really was the investor. I dashed to the reception before the staff member could even call for me.
It was the first time I had memorized someone’s footsteps in such a short time. Maybe it was because the sound of the investor’s boots was unique.
That must be it. There was no other special reason.
“Yes! The finished mana stones are here…”
I unconsciously trailed off. My expression gradually stiffened.
Because there was an unfamiliar child standing next to the investor.
Judging by how close she stood to the investor, almost touching, their relationship seemed quite intimate.
What was their relationship? I pondered for a moment, my thoughts halting.
She must be his younger sister, right? Right? Only then did I feel a bit relieved.
“Tay?”
“Ah, oh. The finished mana stones are here. They’re a pair of the same ones.”
Realizing my duty, I quickly opened the box to show the contents.
The mana stone the investor had brought this time was one with both sides perfectly symmetrical.
That’s why I split it in half and made two. Having two of the same mana stone wouldn’t double the effect anyway.
“Looks like you’ve gained some leeway. The part that seemed a bit hasty in your previous work is completely gone this time.”
“You noticed? Ehehe. When I put my mind at ease, the work actually sped up.”
I had felt it before, but the investor seemed to see right through me.
Indeed, at first, my thoughts were complicated and I was nervous, so I made a lot of mistakes.
But from the moment I realized that the expectations placed on me were a pure form of support and encouragement, it wasn’t burdensome at all.
At first, just thinking of that human’s face made me so burdened I wanted to vomit.
Now, when I thought of the smile the investor would have upon receiving the mana stone, I felt energized.
Perhaps by meeting the investor, I had truly become a craftsman in the truest sense.
“But there’s still a long way to go.”
“Pardon?”
“You’ll improve even more than this. Surely you’re not planning to settle for this quality and stop here?”
“Of course not!”
“I’ll be leaving Basel now. When I return, I’ll bring a bunch of top-grade mana stones again. I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“I’ll also be honing my skills in the meantime!”
My heart raced with excitement at the thought of working on them. It was the first time I had experienced this.
I never dreamed I would gain such confidence. I never imagined I would find my talent. It was all thanks to the investor.
It was because the investor had pushed me, believed in me, and encouraged me. How could I convey this feeling?
Saying thank you wasn’t enough. It fell far short. Was there a word that could more accurately express my current fluttering heart?
As I pondered, lost in blissful contemplation,
“Hey. You do this one.”
“…Huh?”
“There are two, so we can each make one into a ring and wear it. Don’t you like that?”
“…No. I like it.”
The investor handed one of the mana stones to the child next to him.
The kid I had momentarily forgotten about. Because she was so short.
For a brief instant, as the investor turned his head, a smile flashed across the child’s expressionless face and vanished.
Startled, I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.
‘They must be siblings with a particularly good relationship. That can happen.’
At a glance, they looked like siblings with about a 10-year age gap. Then they could be this close.
Although it was a bit hard to understand siblings wearing couple mana stone rings… I could still overlook it.
No problem.
“Then see you next time, Tay. Stay healthy.”
“Yes…”
“Let’s go. Stop glaring at the mana stone. You’ll bore a hole in it.”
“…Okay.”
The investor turned and walked away. The words I hadn’t managed to say earlier lingered, tickling my throat.
Although we had promised a next time, no one knew when that would be. I should say it after all.
Mustering my courage, I lifted my head and opened my mouth.
“Ah…”
But the moment I saw the investor’s neck, I was gripped by a suffocating pressure as if my breath had been cut off.
‘Teeth marks…?’
Distinct marks left by biting. They covered the investor’s neck.
The investor didn’t seem to hear my scream-like final words.
But the girl holding the investor’s sleeve turned back, her red eyes gleaming.
“Ah…”
Intimidated by the beast-like gaze, my legs gave out. Unable to utter a sound, I could only sit there and follow the investor’s retreating figure with my eyes.
Before I knew it, the investor and the child had disappeared, walking side by side.
“The next time you come… I’ll tell you then… Sob…”
It wasn’t over yet. Until I further improved my skills, became much more famous, and gained greater recognition. Until the day the investor returned, I couldn’t stop.
Wiping my tears, I stood up and clenched my fists tightly.
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