Picked Her Up (2)
Chomp, chomp!
Watching Ira gorge herself, Evan’s feelings were a tangled mess.
Looks, speech, every trait—no matter how hard he scrubbed his eyes and looked again, she was a Sin.
The Sin of Wrath, Ira.
Had he really just picked that thing up?
“Mmm! This taste is weird.”
“That’s strawberry flavor.”
“Strawberry? What’s that? Anyway, it’s good!”
The setting that she had lived like a carnivore, eating only meat every day and knowing nothing of the taste or scent of vegetables, was on full display in her every action and attitude.
“All done. That was super tasty.”
“……Would you like more?”
“Huh? Yeah! I mean, yes!”
Feed her first. At the very least, if her stomach was full she wouldn’t kill and eat people.
Evan casually had a golem offer her a potion.
“Please drink.”
“Yeah! Yes! Thank you!”
Ira took the potion in both hands and gulped it down.
The potion’s effect was digestion. Eating a lot wouldn’t hurt her. It was one of the potions whose side effects Evan had carefully removed for his own use.
More than that… she’s way too young.
Evan sank into troubled thought. The reason for his unease was Ira’s appearance. Young—far too young. Ten years old at most.
I’m certain she was an adult five years from now.
The main story began five years from the present. Ira was a villain who appeared from the early stages and maintained a powerful presence until around Act 5. Naturally she had been an adult.
Did she eat something wrong? Or is it a disguise?
Disguise was a technique used by the Sin of Pride, not Wrath. Was there other information about Ira?
Evan calmly combed through his memories.
The Sin of Wrath, Ira.
On the day she was born, the sky turned crimson, a red moon rose, corpses stirred, and long spider threads stretched between the trees.
That day her parents abandoned the child, and the village chief named her Ira.
Since then Ira has wandered the continent, waiting for the appointed time to come.
On that day the Sin of Wrath will finish growing and awaken to her true power and duty.
Because the time hasn’t come yet… is that why?
That was the immediate guess.
She will awaken to her true power and duty.
It was probably deeply connected to that line. The main supporting characters, after all, only became active in the main story after resolving their own flaws.
In that case…
If she never awakens, she never becomes a Sin?
……Then maybe rehabilitation was possible?
“Gulp…… kuh, ah, that was good. I’m full. But I think I’ll be hungry again soon.”
Ira sat on the floor rubbing her stomach. The thin arms and hands stroking her belly caught Evan’s eye, and before he knew it he spoke.
“……Dolf. Is there any lunch left?”
“Huh? Yes! The lunch Young Master hasn’t eaten is still here.”
“Give it to this child.”
“B-but……”
“Quickly.”
Evan’s tone was firm.
I have to feed her properly first.
The Sin of Wrath was especially close to a “beast.” Beasts did not hunt when their stomachs were full. The Sin of Wrath simply got hungry often.
……What happened when she was bored or irritated was another matter.
“Yes…… I understand.”
Dolf kept glancing nervously at Ira as he brought the food. The plate was piled high with green. Fortunately Ira did not frown. She only stared at the plate with curious eyes.
“What’s this? Yo?”
“Medicinal herbs and vegetables that are good for the body. Excellent for breakfast and lunch.”
“Looks like it’ll taste bad……”
“You don’t eat them for the taste.”
All of it was health food—a special diet for Evan’s frail body, every dish designed by Evan himself. Sometimes he even ate things like bell-pepper sandwiches. Honestly Evan didn’t want to eat them either. Of course he preferred greasy food: hamburgers, pork cutlets, gukbap, fried food, spicy pork—the soul food of a Korean man.
But.
If I eat that stuff I might get a stomachache. I have to endure.
Those foods didn’t even exist in this world, of course.
Ah, I still have one portion left.
Herbs left over from an experiment. Evan picked one up and chewed it raw.
Ugh. Fucking bitter.
His face twisted. He would have preferred to steep or process them somehow, but that reduced the effect, so he endured. Health came first, after all.
“Ugh.”
Bitter!
Ira’s face twisted the same way—a reaction just like a little child’s. Tears welled in one eye as she glared at Evan, and it was more funny than frightening.
“Ugh. Bitter, bitteer……”
So she is human after all.
“It’s best if you endure and eat it. It’s good for your body. You can’t get this just anywhere.”
“Can’t get it just anywhere? Uuu…… then it’s precious…… so I have to eat it because it’s important…… yo……”
Ira gripped the herb in both hands and began to chew. Every bite twisted her face. Crunch, crunch.
……No matter how I look at her, she’s just a person.
This was the first time Evan had seen Ira in person. Until now he had only known her through a monitor. So his knowledge of her was extremely limited—what her atmosphere was like, what her personality was like. Every nearby character who spoke of Ira had always said the same thing:
—She’s not like a person.
But the Ira in front of him?
She’s just a slightly unusual kid.
What had let him recognize her at first were her unique looks, her hair color, and an instinctive realization. If he hadn’t had the knowledge, he would have thought of her as nothing more than Orphan #1 without any sense of foreboding.
……If I’m going to rehabilitate her, is now the only chance?
Was rehabilitation even possible? Evan believed in the theory that human nature was evil. The bastards who had tormented the weakling Evan since childhood had proven it. There was a reason the word “pure evil” existed.
Still, if she really became evil only later in life……
It might be worth trying? Or should he just deal with her right now…?
Of course he would have the golems do it.
Gulp!
“Ugh.”
While he was thinking, Ira finished chewing the herb thoroughly and stood up. She bowed her head.
“Still, thank you. Am I?”
“……‘I am’ is correct.”
“Aha. Sorry. I mean, I’m sorry. I never learned anything.”
Ira grinned. Looking at that expression, Evan felt his heart soften.
Classic weakling trait: soft-hearted.
Ahem. Making a guy’s heart go soft like that.
Ah, damn it! Why did the gods have to birth Lee Han-ol as a weakling? A sigh rose unbidden from deep inside.
A Sin that was a person instead of a monster? He had never once considered that. Evil was evil and good was good. Was the yardstick that separated them even right? He had never pondered such things. And of course the moment to ponder them had to be now!
……Fine. I’ve decided.
Classic weakling trait: indecisive. Even when someone asked what he wanted for lunch he would only answer “anything’s fine.” But after falling into this world he had fixed that a little. Now was the time to prove it!
I don’t even hope for full rehabilitation.
He had been thinking too big. Rehabilitation? Unnecessary. Instead—
Just don’t kill me!
He had no intention of clinging pathetically. Just form a moderate attachment, enough that she would feel a twinge of guilt when the time came to kill him. That would be enough. That raised his survival odds higher than dealing with her now.
……And if things go well, she might even deliver letters to the helpers.
Of all things, getting tangled with a Sin. A sigh slipped out on its own.
Creak—
Evan moved the golem dog. Ira reflexively latched onto it with a grab.
“Woof!”
“Do you have somewhere to go?”
“Huh? No. Nope? I don’t. I was hungry so I followed this weird-looking golem. Yo.”
“Isn’t it cute?”
“……Huh? Cute……? Yeah…… yes! It seems cute. It has six legs it can bite with.”
“……Yes.”
Why does no one ever understand my taste?
He felt a little disappointed. Evan smoothly composed his expression.
“In that case, would you stay at this mansion for a while?”
“! Young Master……!”
Behind Ira’s back Dolf shook his head violently. Evan deliberately ignored him.
“For real?”
“Yes. I’ll give you a bed, a room, and clothes. In exchange, you’ll have to eat quite a lot of the vegetables you had today.”
At the mention of eating lots of vegetables Ira hesitated. But the temptation of a bed, clothes, and a room was apparently too strong.
“I’m sick of meat. I hate it now. I also hate how my body hurts every time I catch something. Yo. So I’ll stay here.”
“Excellent.”
Success! Evan breathed an inward sigh of relief.
While I’m at it, I should try turning her vegan too.
Today couldn’t be helped, but starting tomorrow he would prepare vegetables that were actually edible. No more bitter medicinal herbs that were only good for the body.
“Young Master!”
At that moment Dolf bellowed from beside him. Evan turned with a stiff expression (more accurately, a cramp).
“……What is it?”
Was he about to object? That would be a little awkward—
“This Dolf failed to grasp Young Master’s great will!”
Thump, thump! He pounded his chest with his fists. Hot tears streamed down both cheeks.
“As expected of Young Master……! This humble servant Dolf will simply follow Young Master’s great will……!”
“……Thank you.”
Yes. This was the Dolf he knew! Evan decided to accept it gracefully.
For now, he would wait for replies from the holy knights or the Saintess.
Evan looked out the window. The sun was setting. The sky was the color of sunset.
“What are your hobbies?”
“Hobbies? I like string games.”
“Cat’s cradle? A splendid hobby. I like it too.”
“Then will you play with me? Yo?”
“Gladly. First let’s settle on just one speech style.”
Evan decided to play cat’s cradle with Ira.
“Ah, what is your name?”
“Me? Um……”
“If you don’t have one, may I give you one?”
Ira hurriedly nodded. He remembered the setting that even in the main story she disliked her own name.
A name, a name……
“Then how about ‘Lapis’? It’s the name of a beautiful gem.”
“A gem……”
Ira—no, Lapis—murmured the word “gem,” then broke into a wide smile.
“Yes! I like it! Yo!”
“I’m glad it suits you. Then shall we play cat’s cradle for a while? Could you teach me once……”
Pssht!
Skin touched by the thread. It split slightly and blood sprayed.
“……Ah.”
“Young Masteeeeeer!”
A scream rang through the room.
That night.
—Has the order been carried out?
“Yes, Lord Arthur.”
In a forest where not even moonlight could seep, a shadow that had melted into the darkness bowed its head. Arthur’s face appeared in the crystal ball before him.
The shadow of the Knight of the Full Moon, Arthur—Shadow.
Shadow reported to Arthur.
“As ordered, I properly delivered the ‘gift’ to Lord Evan Alcarte.”
—Well done. I wonder whether he liked the gift.
“He will like it.”
A gift personally given by none other than the Knight of the Full Moon, Arthur. Of course he would like it. Even if the giver’s identity had not been revealed.
The gift was the repentance of a brother with whom relations had never been good. There could be no greater gift than the repentance of someone who had been picking fights only yesterday.
—It would be a shame if the gift ended with one. Continue to intervene whenever necessary.
“Understood.”
—Always take care so that He is not disappointed.
Why is he being so cautious?
It almost seemed more careful than when dealing with the moon itself—
Shadow cut the thought short. Anything further was not permitted to a mere shadow.
—Any other information?
“I will report.”
Shadow drew a parchment from his coat and snapped it open.
“Evan Alcarte, age sixteen. Second son of the Alcarte ducal house. Distinguishing features: poor health, and he lost his mother in childhood.”
—Lost his mother, you say……
“That is all I have learned for now.”
—When did he begin learning alchemy?
“It is estimated to have been one year ago.”
—Healing my Aura Hole with alchemy learned for a mere year……
Arthur made a soft chuckling sound.
—An absurd talent.
No—was it even right to call that talent? Geniuses made time and experience meaningless. But hadn’t this gone beyond even that?
I wonder if he could even succeed at the human transmutation I’ve only heard of in rumors.
The Aura Hole potion Evan had sent. Not completely, but part of the Aura Hole had been repaired. The bottom of a cracked vessel had been mended. Enough that a small amount of aura could be stored.
Perhaps—
He might even be able to cure the Divine Illness that has settled on my younger sister.
Arthur’s gaze grew heavy.
A fact far too easy to guess. Did he reveal it on purpose?
Evan was currently hiding his power and true nature. That much was clear from the fact that he did nothing to the worthless Theodore. For what purpose was he concealing his strength? And why had he revealed this to Arthur?
Is he deliberately showing it?
He recalled the words left by the Saintess of the Sun, who had turned back after only a few drinks.
—He may have guided me so that I would see that letter.
—Is that man really of that caliber?
—I can’t know yet, but probably.
Words spoken by a Saintess who always spun cunning schemes. He didn’t have to believe everything, but there was no need to dismiss it either. Perhaps Evan was the real deal, playing above all their heads.
For now I should keep watching.
And show a suitable amount of sincerity, just in case—
—For now, attend Him. Until I come myself.
“Yes.”
Shadow shared the same questions. Why was Arthur, called a holy knight mad for power and blood, taking such care of this Evan—
He is clearly no ordinary person.
He needed to keep watching.
“I will obey.”
And so the misunderstandings only grew larger.
Three days later.
While playing cat’s cradle with Lapis via golem, Evan heard a strange rumor.
“……I made what?”
“There’s a widespread rumor that Young Master created a chimera…… and that the chimera is Lapis……”
I made what?