Chapter 39
Chapter 39
Ch. 39 .｡.:✧ Combat Power Test ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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Every morning, I still sighed and opened my eyes.
I got up, preparing myself to endure the pain.
But every morning, I realized my throat wasn’t sore anymore.
I was free now.
Free from the demon.
No longer slowly dying.
“Did you come to work, Madam Mayor Regent? Shall I prepare some warm tea for you?”
“No. It’s alright.”
Yesterday, I could only sleep for 3 hours before coming to work again.
Yet my body felt light as a feather and full of energy.
It had been a week since I stopped taking the poison.
My body, which had been reduced to bones, was regaining flesh and color.
Every time I looked in the mirror, I was surprised.
Was I originally this pretty?
“Madam Mayor Regent. There are more documents piled up…”
“Leave them there.”
I sat at the desk and started working.
The vacant mayor’s seat left by Lawrence’s death was now mine.
Since Lawrence often pushed his work onto me before, it felt familiar as if it were my own.
As soon as Lawrence died, I took control of the situation and flawlessly performed the duties of the mayor regent, so the Holy Kingdom’s government decided to acknowledge me as the mayor regent until the next election.
I purged all the noisy ones within the family.
I turned the moderately capable ones into lifelong slave servants, using their relationship with Lawrence as leverage.
I hired new employees for the residence and normalized it.
Sometimes I felt strange.
Inheriting Lawrence’s position, sitting in Lawrence’s seat, handling Lawrence’s work.
It would be a lie to say I didn’t feel any aversion.
But this was what he wanted, so I couldn’t complain.
“Madam Mayor Regent.”
“What is it again?”
“You received so many letters again.”
“Sigh…”
A pile of letters poured onto the desk.
I let out a deep sigh as soon as I saw them.
The letters had been endless for the past week.
“This one is from the Heinrich family. And this one is from Richter…”
Family names I had never heard of in my life popped up.
The contents were all the same.
I heard about your husband. My condolences. I offer my heartfelt sympathy.
They were all like this.
Some even tactlessly slipped in marriage proposals along with their condolences.
‘Condolences, my foot. I’m so happy I could die.’
I could only find it absurd.
There was nothing happier in my life than Lawrence’s death.
Yet people treated me like the most pitiful widow in the world.
“Hm?”
Among the neat envelopes, I found a single crudely made one.
A letter with no sender or return address written on it.
Feeling like I knew who it was from, I tore it open with my hands, forgetting to use a knife.
-Happy birthday, Cornelia.
“Hehe.”
I couldn’t help but laugh.
The only letter that understood my heart amidst a sea of tear-filled letters.
There was only one person who called me by name and spoke casually to me.
It was Yoo-jin.
Just seeing the stiff writing style made me smile, picturing his face.
-I’m not sure if this letter will arrive on time. It’s embarrassing to call it a gift, but…
“Pfft. It’s a day early.”
My 19th birthday, when I’ll come of age, is tomorrow.
Imagining Yoo-jin agonizing over timing the arrival made me laugh.
And the result was it arrived a day early.
I guess even Yoo-jin has his clumsy side.
A simple note congratulating my birthday.
A small mana stone enclosed as a gift.
‘It’s the first mana stone I acquired thanks to you,’ the note said…
I wasn’t sure what that meant.
So far, all I had given him to help was a few blank checks.
“It doesn’t seem high-grade. A mid-grade mana stone?”
It was a cheap mana stone.
An ordinary pebble-like mana stone that could be found anywhere.
But when I slightly lifted it under the lamp, it reflected an indescribable magical light, captivating my heart.
“Hehe. It’s my first gift.”
I had to keep this.
No, I had to carry it with me at all times.
For some reason, holding it made me feel at ease.
‘Yoo-jin. Will he be alright…’
My laughter while holding the mana stone was short-lived.
The worry that inevitably followed when thinking of him slowly ate away at my mind.
I never asked, and Yoo-jin never said it, but I could easily guess his occupation.
Demon Hunter.
Unlike the inquisitors of the Pope’s Office, they were hunters who professionally hunted demons for bounty.
Since demons were hard to find and even harder to hunt, some people said the occupation of a demon hunter was just an urban legend.
But now I had no choice but to believe it.
Because I saw it with my own eyes.
Yoo-jin said it himself.
That he had another purpose for coming here, and saving me was just an extra in the process of achieving that purpose.
That purpose must be getting rid of the demon that had joined hands with Lawrence.
He appeared like a comet, slit Lawrence’s throat in a day, and left immediately.
Probably to catch other demons.
To save someone else like me.
Even if he denies it, I can only wholeheartedly support and cheer for Yoo-jin.
There’s nothing else I can do.
“Madam Mayor Regent. A guest…”
“Show them to the reception room. I’m busy right now.”
“About that…”
“Cornelia!”
Bang.
The door flung open and a familiar face appeared.
It was my father.
My father, whose beard had turned white in a few months…
“I’m sorry. I heard the news from the northern continent, so I’m late.”
“It’s good to see you, Father. It’s been a while. I’m a bit busy right now, so could you wait in the reception room?”
“It’s an important matter, Cornelia.”
“I said I’m busy.”
“Cornelia. You don’t need to suffer anymore. Leave the Briam family to me. I’ll take care of disbanding it without any problems. You’re free now.”
“…”
Grind.
My teeth ground together.
Now of all times?
He did nothing all this time, and now that it’s all over, he’s trying to take credit?
“Father.”
“Yes, Cornelia.”
“Don’t try to butt in when it’s all done.”
“Wh-what did you say?”
“You had a vague idea of how I was being treated here, right? You did nothing all this time, watching out for Lawrence Briam, and now that I’ve killed him and taken control of the family, you’re trying to freeload? No way. It’s the family I fought for and won with my own strength. It’s mine, and I’ll do as I please with it, whether disbanding it or whatever else. As you said, Father, I’m free now.”
It’s a life I earned thanks to Yoo-jin.
It’s a life I reclaimed thanks to Yoo-jin.
And it’s a dream I could dream again thanks to Yoo-jin.
I had received such immense favors that I was anxious.
Worried that I might not be able to repay it in my lifetime.
Then, at that moment.
When Yoo-jin asked me to lead the Briam family, I was overjoyed.
Yoo-jin needs my help.
I can repay Yoo-jin.
Thinking that he desires me as much as I long for him, my anxiety dissipated and was replaced by a sense of satisfaction.
Even if it’s the family of my enemy and the position of my enemy, it doesn’t matter.
As long as it could help Yoo-jin.
I had no intention of handing over such a family to the cowardly Hildegart.
I had no intention of letting my father disband it as he pleased.
It was the family of Yoo-jin and me.
Unless Yoo-jin ordered me to disband it.
Until then, this family would firmly hold its place.
“Please leave. If you wait in the reception room, I’ll come after I’m done with work.”
“Cornelia, we’re not done talking yet…”
“Do I really have to have you dragged out?”
“…”
Yoo-jin was definitely strong and resilient.
But even such a superhuman would have times when he gets tired and wants to rest.
“Please stop interfering, I said.”
“I understand…”
I intend to become a place of rest for him.
I intend to become a place he can comfortably return to and rest.
I can’t forgive anyone who tries to interfere with this plan, no matter who they are.
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[Yoo-jin: 1.3%]
[Known by a small number of people. Very low presence. Someone harbors very strong emotions.]
My reputation score rose again.
Was it because Cornelia learned my real name?
This time, I had no choice but to tell her to gain her trust, but there probably won’t be a next time.
The more I reveal my real name, the more dangerous it becomes.
If Jill found out by any chance, things would become very tiring from that day on.
‘She wouldn’t issue an arrest warrant again, right?’
My trauma resurfaced vividly.
Bittersweet memories of her falsely accusing me without any evidence and issuing an arrest warrant to chase after me.
Back then, checkpoints were set up everywhere, and the holy knights stopped every passerby to check their faces, driving me crazy.
Still, there are no such movements yet.
No matter how powerful the saintess is, she can’t accuse someone who doesn’t exist.
Thanks to thoroughly concealing my identity while living, ‘Yoo-jin’ never existed from the beginning.
‘At least that’s one less thing to worry about.’
Until a public arrest warrant was issued, it was safe to assume Jill couldn’t find me at all.
I could rest easy until then.
Discarding my unnecessary worries, I turned to the side.
‘The problem is this one…’
Undecided, who had turned her head away from me, came into view.
When I tried to make eye contact by leaning in, Undecided turned her head away from me again.
She had been like this ever since we left Cologne.
She wasn’t throwing a tantrum or disobeying, but she was oddly ignoring me.
It was like she was protesting or something.
“Hey. If you have a problem with me, just say it honestly.”
“…There’s. Nothing like that.”
Again with this.
In the past, I might have just brushed it off as insignificant.
But now that I know she has some emotions left, even if faint, I can see it.
Her facial muscles twitch momentarily, unable to hide her bursts of emotion.
She trembles and flinches.
Her eyes widen.
“This is your last chance. Tell me why you’re upset now.”
“…”
“Three. Two. One…”
“…Forehead.”
“What?”
“Touch. My forehead.”
Undecided met my eyes and slightly stood on her tiptoes.
What kind of nonsense was this?
“…Like you did. To Cornelia.”
“That wasn’t touching her forehead, it was brushing her bangs.”
“…Do that. For me.”
What a strange kid.
Undecided looked up at me with hopeful eyes.
I sighed and brushed Undecided’s bangs to the side, revealing her white and pretty forehead.
Oh.
Even with her forehead exposed, she’s cute.
“…Eek. Hic.”
“Just stay like that.”
Snap.
I fixed her bangs with a hairpin I bought at a general store in the morning.
Undecided twitched and stumbled as if she had malfunctioned.
“…Urgh. Hic, eek. Strange feeling. Forehead. Cold.”
“You’ll get used to it. We have a long way to go. Let’s hurry.”
“…Eek.”
As I started walking, Undecided quickly followed beside me.
With the red hairpin fully exposing her forehead, she looked much more childlike, which was better.
However, she seemed to find it awkward, constantly touching the hairpin.
Still, she didn’t take it off completely, so it must not be entirely uncomfortable.
We soon arrived at our destination.
A dungeon near Basel.
Didn’t I already clear all the dungeons near Basel with decent rewards?
I cleared all the black star dungeons and the ones with good rewards.
What I needed today was a dungeon without necessarily good rewards and with a mediocre difficulty.
“We’re here. Are you hungry?”
“…Not really.”
“Drink anyway.”
“…Okay.”
Even if she says she’s not very hungry, I always make sure to feed her plenty of blood right before conquering a dungeon.
I rolled up my sleeve and Undecided clung to my arm, biting it recklessly.
Since she didn’t just bite one spot but bit here and there randomly, my arms were always covered in teeth marks.
She said she’s not hungry, sheesh…
“Wait.”
“…Slurp.”
“Eat.”
“…Okay.”
As soon as I gave permission, Undecided brought her mouth to the wound.
She gulped and slurped as if she had been starving for three days.
She was like an angel at times like this.
I let out a deep sigh.
“Eat a lot.”
“…Mmm.”
“You’ll be clearing this dungeon alone.”
“…Huh?”
Slurp.
Undecided detached her mouth from the wound and put question marks in her eyes.
“Good luck. I’ll only be watching from afar today.”
“…Huh?”
Today, there was a test scheduled for Undecided’s combat power.
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