Chapter 31
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 31
Chapter Title: Can't Hold It In Anymore
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"Ah, fuck. I can't hold it in anymore."
Honestly, I was pretty surprised.
Because Sage was acting way too normal.
Sage has never been the gentlemanly type.
A pervert obsessed with gore genres.
A sociopath who gets off on the death rattles of dying people.
Even among the Axiom members, who were all a bit unhinged, Sage was at the top of the list.
"Greetings, Lady Asrania."
I instinctively reached for the greatsword on my back.
I had no idea what his game was, so I needed to put some distance between us first.
That's when it happened.
Snap.
Sage snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the greatsword vanished from my back. The weight was still there, but the blade itself had completely evaporated from sight.
"Huh?"
As I froze mid-reach in confusion, Sage slowly approached.
"Mom!"
Esira moved to draw her sword right away, but Marygold pressed down on her hand.
"Are you crazy? If you attack with half-assed power, the building will mark you as an intruder."
"But Mom...!"
"Esira. It's fine."
I reassured her.
Honestly, Sage wasn't all that strong.
"Please don't worry. I have no intention of attacking."
Sage carefully lifted my right hand. His touch was chillingly gentle.
"What are you doing?"
I narrowed my eyes. I could punch him flying right then and there.
Sage wasn't a combat type, after all.
I relaxed the tension in my fist.
'Let's see what he does first.'
Showing hostility rashly could trigger the building's defenses, which would be a headache.
Of course, Sage wouldn't attack recklessly either.
This was an Axiom gathering, so he had to be extra cautious.
Sage bowed at the waist and brought his lips to the back of my hand.
"...?"
It was so natural that I had to think several times about what was happening.
"It's been too long. I've really missed you."
Black Purple and Reina, watching from behind, covered their mouths. Their faces flushed bright red.
Sage looked up. His eyes were straight out of a melodrama lead.
'What the hell is this vibe...'
The genre had shifted from thriller to romance fantasy in an instant.
From my perspective, though, it was pure horror.
I yanked my hand away and wiped the sensation off on my clothes.
"What the hell was that?"
"A greeting. One filled with respect and reverence."
"Disgusting."
"... "
"What did you do to my sword?"
Sage still wore that affable smile.
"Don't worry. It's right there."
Lies.
There's nothing there.
I reached behind my back skeptically.
Normally, I'd be swinging at empty air.
Huh?
Something was there.
Invisible, but the grip's texture was clear in my palm.
I drew it out with force.
"See? It's there."
The greatsword gradually revealed itself.
Like an invisibility spell wearing off, it materialized from tip to hilt.
As I stared at the sword, Sage explained in a soft voice.
"You looked troubled on your way here. Carrying such a striking greatsword draws unwanted stares."
"So you made it invisible?"
"Yes. I thought it might help. It won't be visible to others normally."
Sage added,
"Including to your eyes."
He tapped my sword with his finger.
"But it becomes visible again when you draw it for combat. No inconvenience."
I narrowed my eyes.
This was weird. Was he always like this?
"Touching someone else's weapon without permission? Were you planning to make it disappear for good?"
"Oh, come on."
Sage waved his hand exaggeratedly.
"How dare I dispose of Lady Asrania's weapon? I'm weaker than you."
Sage shrugged.
"I just bent the light to fool the eyes. My mana isn't enough to actually make it vanish."
That ability he just showed wasn't the mark of a weakling.
He was an original Axiom member. Surviving this long was proof enough.
"Besides."
Sage leaned in to meet my gaze. My reflection was crystal clear in his eyes.
"I don't want you to hate me."
"... "
"I want to be of help to you, Lady Asrania."
What?
'Did this guy eat something bad?'
He looked seriously high on something.
Esira's eyes darkened as she watched.
"Kissing the back of her hand like that is crossing a line. That's my mom. Don't you know that's rude?"
"How peculiar."
Sage didn't flinch. Even tilting his head was done leisurely.
"Does a hand kiss require permission? It's a standard greeting to show respect for a lady. Your daughter must be quite jealous."
"Sage. I didn't know you held me in such high regard to greet me like this."
A hand kiss conveys respect, devotion, or deep affection. Sometimes even longing.
From that guy?
The Sage I knew didn't respect people—he treated them like toys.
'This feels off.'
Kindness without reason is rare. Especially from a creep like him.
"It's a misunderstanding."
Sage smiled softly and shrugged.
"Lady Asrania, you're the new hope and focal point. This level of courtesy is only natural. I've wanted to see you up close."
Marygold gave him a baffled look.
"What are you talking about?"
"It's about us."
I answered.
"Axiom?"
"...Yes. The new hope of Axiom."
The way he phrased it felt a bit off for Axiom.
"Whatever. I don't want to hear it from you."
"...Does this body displease you?"
"Think about your usual behavior, and you'll figure it out."
"Fair enough."
Sage nodded readily.
What was he agreeing to?
He looked down at Esira with interest.
"Your daughter is so lively. That white hair just like her mother's... it's..."
"It is?"
"Very pretty. Truly."
Killing intent surged in an instant.
"Try anything weird with my kid, and I'll rip your jaw off."
"Whoa, why the hostility?"
People usually call kids "cute," not say "pretty" in that creepy tone.
I thought he was just a gore pervert, not a pedo.
Sage scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"My words came out wrong. Please understand..."
Marygold narrowed her eyes.
"It's not that your speech lacks flair—it's suddenly too polished."
"Right! Exactly!"
Marygold nodded vigorously.
"Normally, you'd spout some dogshit philosophy!"
"What kind?"
When Reina asked, Marygold cleared her throat and mimicked Sage's voice.
"Ahh, beautiful lady! Seeing your smooth neck fills me with the urge to behead you! How warm would the blood spraying from the stump be? Ugh, just imagining it gets me hard!"
"... "
No one spoke.
Even Sage, the man himself, flapped his mouth in shock.
"...Was I that insane?"
I said.
"Getting it now?"
"I didn't realize it was that bad."
Sage averted his eyes awkwardly and muttered.
"Still, I don't want you to hate me."
He seemed totally off his rocker.
Did he hit his head somewhere and lose his memory?
My mind was getting tangled trying to figure out what was up with this guy.
"Ah, fuck. I can't hold it in anymore."
Marygold shouted with goosebumps all over her face.
"Sage, you rotten bastard! Did dementia finally hit!?"
Her voice boomed, rough and gravelly—nothing like her usual tone.
"I've been telling you to eat some almonds or beans! You never listened, and now look—disaster struck!"
Marygold kicked his shin repeatedly, unable to hold back.
"You start acting all out of character, and how am I supposed to live in fear? Did the grim reaper call your name or what?!"
She looked like a grandma scolding her immature grandson.
I sighed.
"Marygold."
Your facade just crumbled.
Marygold's eyes blinked.
"Ah..."
The venom vanished. Her innocent kid eyes returned.
She covered her mouth and scurried behind me.
She muttered softly.
"W-well, Sage is acting so different from usual. It gave me chills."
You're giving me chills right now, you idiots.
The Commander whispered in Reina's ear.
"It's less Axiom and more like a bunch of mental patients who escaped a ward together."
"...Commander. Shh. They'll hear you for real."
Only I seemed to catch it; no one else reacted.
Sage looked at Marygold.
"Chills?"
"Yeah. I'd rather you ramble about the beauty of death like usual."
No, that's worse.
The Commander crossed his arms and chimed in seriously.
"Amnesia maybe?"
"... "
"You know the cliché—head injury flips personality 180 degrees. Villain turns nice..."
"Commander."
Sage cut him off firmly.
"I'm perfectly fine. No brain issues."
He straightened his clothes lightly.
"Anyway, we shouldn't linger. Let's move. Time to join the others."
"Others?"
Reina asked without dropping her guard.
"Where are they?"
"Evacuated to a safe spot to monitor the situation. My building has spaces for that."
Sage turned naturally, then paused with an "Ah."
He turned back and stared at Black Purple.
"Black Purple?"
"Y-yes! The building is amazing, haha..."
"I overheard earlier... but I can't just let it slide."
"Pardon?"
Sage cleared his throat and spoke clearly.
"I have no desire to have sex with you."
"...Pardon?"
"Follow me. I'll escort you."
Sage said his piece and took the lead.
Black Purple's jaw dropped. It looked ready to unhinge. The sudden turn left her face frozen like stone.
I was stunned too.
That random bombshell from him made me wonder if he really was senile, like Marygold said.
'Well, he's lived long enough for it.'
Doesn't feel like someone else's problem. Gotta watch myself.
Marygold poked the dazed Black Purple.
"Hey, were you two a thing? That was some surprise breakup notice."
"Huh? N-no! I've barely met him! I never even talked to Axiom folks!"
You are Axiom.
Ah, well, she doesn't mingle much.
The Commander stroked his chin.
"Maybe he misheard the tentacle talk earlier?"
"...Huh?"
Black Purple blinked.
"So when I said I'd make tentacles and do this and that... he skipped the pronouns and heard something twisted?"
"Else why shut it down so hard?"
"He only hears what he wants..."
Black Purple let out an exasperated chuckle.
"What, so he's a tentacle or something? Offended from the tentacle's POV?"
"Could be."
The Commander nodded.
"Maybe he's actually a tentacle monster and got grossed out thinking you'd use tentacles as toys."
"Haha, good one... Means corrupted-by-tentacles human, right? Such a classic metaphor."
Black Purple took it as a joke.
After fighting them recently, I knew it was nonsense.
Tentacles corrupting or impersonating people? Nah, they were just dumb bruisers.
If it were true...
That'd be pretty damn creepy.
"Enough pointless chatter."
I cut it short.
Clinging to the belief Abyss lacked that kind of intelligence.
"Whatever it is, we'll find out following him. Let's go."
We followed behind Sage.