Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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>Translator: Vine
>Chapter: 58
>Chapter Title: Liar
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*Clack.*
When I opened the locked door and stepped out, a stark white hallway greeted me.
[ What an unpleasant place. ]
"I know, right? It looks like it'd be a pain to clean."
Having spent so many years as a homemaker, my thoughts naturally drifted to cleaning. I instinctively looked up at the ceiling.
"Oh, but it looks like it's well-maintained. The ceiling is clean."
[ Probably magic. ]
"You think so?"
Saying that, I took a step into the hallway. Suddenly, a *pssh!* sound came from the wall. The demon sword in my hand instantly transformed into a spear, spinning around to knock something out of the air.
"Whoa? What just flew at me?"
[ Looks like a poison-tipped arrow. Tsk, tsk, they've set up some annoying traps. ]
The arrow the demon sword had deflected was rolling on the floor. Just as it had said, the arrowhead was coated in a black liquid. It looked like poison.
[ It seems this hallway is filled with all sorts of traps... Are you really going to go through here? ]
"But there's no other way. If we're late, we might miss dinner."
[ Th-That won't do! But... I don't want you to die, Partner... ]
I waved my hand dismissively and said.
"Nah, that won't happen. So let's just go."
[ Ugh, if you say so. ]
And so, the demon sword and I started making our way through the trap-filled hallway. Lightning struck, fireballs flew, and awl-like spikes shot up from the floor. At one point, thorny plants even tried to wrap around my body.
"Phew, this is a really scary place."
[ ...You're scarier than the traps, Partner... ]
"Huh?"
[ N-Nothing! ]
I was a complete mess from tumbling through the hallway, but I finally managed to reach the exit. Thankfully, the picture frame opened easily when I pushed it.
Stepping out, I found myself in the hallway I'd seen earlier. I headed toward the living room.
'Looks like that old man from before went to the hospital.'
The house was empty. I was about to head straight out, but there was too much blood on me, so I wiped myself down with a cloth draped over the sofa. It didn't feel right to just leave the cloth there, so I tossed it into what looked like a laundry basket and headed for the entrance.
'I should change my clothes before I go.'
Since I was covered in blood from head to toe, I planned to ask for help from the slave I'd relied on before. I left the room and headed for the elevator. I didn't run into anyone on the way.
The elevator descended quickly and arrived at the floor where my room was. Instead of going straight to my room, I headed for the quarters of the slave who had helped me before.
*Knock, knock, creak!*
"Hiiiek!"
As I opened the door and stepped inside, my eyes met with the slave, who was shirtless, apparently in the middle of changing. When I took a step closer, he looked toward the demon sword and seemed about to have a seizure.
It didn't seem like we could have a conversation like this, so I sent the demon sword back to the back of my hand and spoke.
"Ah, excuse me."
"Wh-wh-why—.."
"I was hoping to borrow your shower..."
Before I could even finish my sentence, the slave nodded frantically and pointed toward the shower with both hands. I immediately went inside and washed myself.
"Ahhh... that's refreshing."
After washing up, I stepped out. A set of clothes was prepared in front of the door. The slave was nowhere to be seen. I familiarly put on the clothes and left the room.
'I should repay him next time.'
Even if I had intruded, I felt a little bad for taking his clothes several times.
'And I'll probably be doing this often in the future.'
Factoring in my future impositions, I decided I should leave some of my saved money in his pocket and headed for my room.
My joints had been aching lately, and I seemed to have grown a bit taller. With my now slightly longer legs, I strode to my room and arrived.
*Click.*
The moment I opened the door, I heard the pitter-patter of something rushing over. Ah, is this what a father feels like coming home from work?
A pleased smile spread across my face without me realizing it, and I swung the door wide open.
"Iris, I'm home. Sorry, I'm later than I expected."
I had wasted so much time getting through that trap-filled hallway that the sun was already setting. Feeling bad for leaving her alone for so long, I apologized as I stepped inside and closed the door.
'Huh...?'
But Iris's mood was a little strange. She was staring intently at me with a stiff expression.
'What's wrong...? Did I do something wrong? Or is there something on my face?'
I felt my face, but nothing came off. However, I did discover something else.
"Gasp..."
The clothes that had been clean were now soaked in blood. I panicked and pulled at my collar to check inside.
'Crap...'
The traps in the white hallway must have been stronger than I thought, as my wounds hadn't fully healed. Of course, it wasn't like I had any severe injuries left. Just a few light cuts on my skin?
The problem was that my body didn't form scabs when I got hurt. Instead, the blood just kept flowing endlessly until the skin naturally sealed itself.
Because of that, I looked like I'd just come from committing a serial murder somewhere.
"Uhm... Iris, about this..."
Showing blood in front of kids didn't seem good for their education, and I remembered how Iris had overreacted before, so I hesitated and stepped back.
*Thud.*
I felt the closed door against my back. 'I shouldn't have closed the door...' I thought with regret. But it was too late for regrets.
"...Blood, I smell it."
"Ah, yeah, sorry. I should have washed up first."
"That's not...!"
Iris's face contorted as she strode toward me. All sorts of emotions swam in her eyes. Before I could even decipher them, she hung her head low.
"That's not... that's not what's important..."
Her mumbling was barely audible, so I leaned down slightly. But then she clamped her mouth shut.
"I'm sorry. I was thinking about you waiting, so I forgot to take care of it."
I stalled for time, glancing down inside my clothes. The wounds were healing, slowly but surely.
"Ah, were you worried because of the blood? If so, don't worry."
At my words, Iris slowly raised her head to look at me.
"This isn't my blood. Look, these aren't even my clothes, right?"
I couldn't explain what connection the blood on the clothes had with them not being mine. I was just spouting whatever came to mind to soothe Iris, who looked like she was about to cry.
"...Really?"
"Yeah, I'm not even hurt."
At that, Iris came closer and grabbed the hem of my shirt. I quickly caught her hand and said.
"Why? Do you think I'm lying?"
Iris hesitated for a moment at my words before nodding.
"Well, that hurts a little... But still, since you're saying that out of worry, I'll show you just a little. Okay?"
After confirming that the wounds had closed, I lifted my shirt slightly to show her my abdomen. There were still scars since the skin had only just healed, but there were no bleeding wounds.
"See?"
"...."
Iris stared at my stomach silently before giving a heavy nod. It seemed she was finally convinced. I smiled brightly and straightened my clothes.
"It's already dinnertime. I'll go change my clothes real quick, so wait just a moment, okay?"
This time, too, Iris was silent for a moment before nodding.
'I'll have to be more careful from now on.'
I breathed a sigh of relief inwardly and headed to the room with the closet.
"Huh? Why are my clothes...?"
Seeing all the clothes I had neatly put away in the closet now strewn across the bed, I tilted my head in confusion before just picking something out and changing.
'Did Iris play a prank while I was gone?'
The thought brought a faint smile to my lips. Seeing that she had started playing pranks, I felt a wave of pride and emotion.
***
While Rian was changing, Iris was swallowing the burning words that rose to her throat.
'...There were wounds.'
Iris had always watched Rian closely. She had observed when he smelled of blood, and when his wounds appeared and healed. That's how she knew.
The faint scar remaining on his stomach was from a recent injury.
Iris couldn't get angry or throw a tantrum at Rian, who was smiling to reassure her even after bleeding so much.
'Liar...'
All sorts of emotions and thoughts dominated her mind.
It's all your fault.
If you were a proper person, would Rian have had to suffer like that?
The moment her heart weakened, an unwanted voice burrowed into her mind. Iris squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head wildly.
Just as the tears welling in her eyes began to fall, her mind went blank. It was the result of cutting off all thoughts to escape the painful ones.
"Iris, let's go get dinner!"
"Okay..."
As if she had never been so emotionally turbulent, Iris took Rian's hand with a dazed expression and left the room.
Unaware of what lay at the end of the path she took to escape her pain.