Chapter 38
Chapter 38
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Parasite (3)
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In truth.
Did oa had seen through Toolan's deception even before she lost everything to her.
She knew that all the kindness Toolan showed her was false, and that her only interest was exploiting Didoa's position.
Yet Didoa couldn't cast Toolan aside.
"Didoa. You know you're the only one I have, right?"
"..."
"You're my one true confidant, my most precious friend. I meet so many people out there—but in the end, you'll always be the one I respect the most."
"...Yeah."
For a half-demon who had lived her entire life in loneliness, the first taste of kindness and goodwill was far too sweet.
Perhaps.
That was just Toolan's way of expressing emotion.
Maybe there was a sliver of true feeling mixed in there.
It had once been Didoa's vain hope.
"Toolan...?"
The first to react to Toolan's deranged state was Sophia, her devoted follower who had once called her 'Master Toolan.'
Sophia stared vacantly at Toolan's face, twisted in ugly rage.
"...!"
Toolan snapped back to her senses at the sight of Sophia.
This wasn't the time to indulge in rage.
'I can still fix this!'
Toolan truly believed it.
With the prestige she commanded, manipulating these people freed from mental interference and lost in confusion would be child's play.
Toolan conjured the image of the beloved 'Master Toolan' and approached Sophia.
"Sophia—"
"Stay away!!!"
Sophia screamed at her.
"W-what are you going to do to me now...!"
"Sophia...! Calm down, I can explain everything!!! You—you'll believe me, right!? You will!"
Toolan kept advancing cautiously, refusing to stop.
"I said stay away!!!"
Terrified and fidgeting, Sophia swung her arm. The mana wave she unleashed shoved Toolan back.
"Ugh...!"
Toolan's body was flung unceremoniously to the floor. She immediately lifted her head and glared at Sophia.
"Eek...!"
But as Sophia recoiled in fear, Toolan quickly turned to her other followers.
"Malley?"
"Brandon?"
"Horen!?"
They were the ones who had once clung to Toolan, desperate to stay in her good graces even for a moment.
The ones who hadn't hidden their joy at receiving her attention.
"..."
"..."
"..."
Now, they responded to her calls with clear revulsion.
They distanced themselves, ready to summon mana at any second.
"H-how can you all do this to me...!!!"
Toolan writhed in betrayal.
"Toolan..."
It was then that Parozan called her name in a sinking voice.
"Master Parozan!"
Toolan lit up as if spotting a lifeline from the heavens.
She had always looked down on Parozan.
She'd been friendly just to manage her connections, and in return, he'd leered at her with sleazy eyes.
She'd been utterly disgusted by his lack of self-awareness.
But right now, even that repulsive gaze from Parozan felt welcome.
"P-please, hear me out, Parozan! Something—something's happening! That half-demon bitch and the bastard teamed up to get me—"
Toolan rushed toward him, playing the role of a pitiful woman begging for help.
Based on past experience, this fool would crumble before such an act.
"...Don't move."
"Parozan!?"
"This is for your sake. It's best if you do nothing from here on. Any suspicious movement—and I'll take immediate action."
"Don't do this, Parozan! How could you treat me like this!?"
"..."
"You were always hitting on me, asking to have dinner together... Parozan...? Parozan! You—this—ugly pig—!"
She had even forgotten to maintain her friendly 'Master Toolan' facade.
"You too! All of you! When you were fawning over me to look good—do you think I'll let this slide!? I'll remember this! Every single one of you!!!"
Enraged, she spewed curses at Parozan and her former followers.
A strange euphoria lingered on her face. She was utterly convinced her words were cornering them.
But that expression twisted in an instant.
They were now looking at her like some repulsive insect.
"W-what are you doing...! How dare you look at me like that!? You worthless apprentices!?"
"And what are you, then?"
Parozan retorted.
"What do you think you are?"
"I—"
Toolan, about to answer confidently, faltered.
"I..."
Only then did she realize it.
The charm, prestige, and character she had so proudly boasted—
All of it was nothing without the 'Master' title.
She was nothing without Didoa.
A memory flashed in Toolan's mind from some day.
Her pathetic self, fretting over rejected research and an uncertain future.
"No! No, no!!! No..."
Now, Toolan begged in a trembling voice.
"Everyone—please snap out of it...!!! That wicked half-demon bitch and the bastard are conspiring against us!!! How can you believe them over me? You'll regret this—you'll regret it...!"
Parozan shook his head. Even he, who had once admired her, felt the last shred of pity vanish.
Everyone present looked down at Toolan with cold eyes.
All but one.
Didoa.
"Toolan."
"Didoa... Didoa!!! No, Master Didoa—"
Toolan no longer knew what expression she wore.
"I-I'm sorry...!!! I-I must have lost my mind for a moment!"
"..."
"Please—please forgive me!"
"Toolan. Can I ask you one thing?"
"Yes! Yes! Master Didoa! Anything!"
"Were you ever sincere? Even once?"
"What? What do you—"
"Did you ever truly see me as a friend?"
"...Yes! Of course—of course I did! You've always been my friend, Didoa!"
Toolan strained to force a friendly smile.
Despite her efforts, what emerged was a sycophantic, groveling grin.
In that moment, Didoa realized.
"I see."
Toolan had never once treated her with sincerity.
"..."
Didoa felt a pang of surprise at herself.
The truth she had desperately denied and refused to accept.
She accepted it so easily now.
And felt no emotion about it.
Why?
Then, Didoa sensed a gaze from across the room.
Rishir. He, who saw his past self in her, looked at Didoa with genuine concern.
"..."
Didoa nodded.
And understood.
Why she wasn't shocked that Toolan had never shown her sincerity.
Why it didn't hurt at all.
There was no longer any reason to cling to it.
Now she knew what true kindness and goodwill felt like.
Didoa responded to Rishir with an awkward, clumsy smile.
Then reverted to her emotionless expression and looked back at Toolan.
"Got it. Toolan. I forgive you."
"...What?"
"Everything you did to me. It doesn't bother me anymore."
"..."
Hahaha.
Hahahahaha!!!!!!
Toolan, staring blankly at Didoa, burst into mad laughter.
Her face suddenly hardened coldly.
A vial of reagent was already in her hand.
Toolan assumed a stance as if ready to hurl it at Didoa.
"Didoa! Danger!"
Meltas and Parozan immediately erected mana barriers around Didoa.
Toolan didn't panic.
Instead, she spun around as if that's what she'd been waiting for.
Facing Rishir on the opposite side.
Right now, Toolan hated no one more than Rishir.
The bastard who appeared out of nowhere and ruined all her plans.
The moment Toolan reared back to throw the reagent at Rishir with pure hatred—
"Kya啊啊啊啊!!!"
A scream erupted from Toolan's mouth. Green flames exploded from her body, engulfing her.
The green fire died out quickly, but it was enough.
-Crash!
Her grip loosened, and the vial shattered on the floor.
Toolan's body crumpled limply to the ground.
The Master Toolan whom the magic tower's apprentices had envied was gone.
In her place lay a witch whose hair had burned away and whose skin was scorched over her entire body.
"Hah—hah—"
Meanwhile, Didoa gasped for breath, eyes wide in rare agitation for her usually impassive self.
Everyone quickly realized who had caused the explosion: Didoa herself.
Didoa could forgive everything Toolan had done.
But not one thing. Not attempting to harm that man.
"You okay!?"
Didoa shouted toward Rishir.
"Y-yeah! I'm fine."
"...Good."
Didoa clutched her chest in relief.
"Thanks to you, Didoa! Thank you for helping!"
"...Yeah."
Didoa's impassive face wavered at Rishir's gratitude.
Shyly, like a sprout breaking through parched soil.
Once the incident wrapped up and the onlookers dispersed, Didoa's lab returned to its quiet state.
"Didoa—no, Master Didoa. I'll handle the cleanup for this mess, so rest for now. You'll be busy with the trial ahead. Oh, and while you're resting, could you assist Rishir with his elixir intake as well?"
"Understood."
Didoa stared at the restrained Toolan for a moment before nodding.
"Sir Meltas, did you say trial?"
"Yes, Rishir. Magic tower matters are handled within the tower. Toolan will face trial per our regulations and receive punishment."
"Do they, like, torture her or anything?"
"Do you think the magic tower's some church? Anyway—Master Parozan. Pull yourself together."
"I still can't believe it. Toolan was a black mage...?"
"Hard for me too. To think I mistook Master Didoa for an apprentice all this time."
Meltas recalled past events involving Toolan and Didoa, furrowing his brow.
He bowed toward Didoa.
"Didoa. I apologize again for my past rudeness."
Parozan followed suit. The two masters bowed to Didoa.
"..."
Didoa awkwardly returned the gesture.
"Oh, right. Rishir. The tower will take great interest in you after this."
"Pardon?"
"Isn't it obvious? You detected black magic that even masters missed and exposed the culprit. You'll get the proper treatment—look forward to it."
"Does that mean...! Even without becoming your apprentice, Sir Meltas, I might enjoy various tower privileges...!?"
"Such a cheeky one."
With that, Meltas left Didoa in charge of Rishir and departed with Parozan to handle the aftermath.
Rishir and Didoa.
Only the two remained, standing awkwardly in the lab.
"Want to sit?"
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
Didoa guided Rishir to the best seat in the lab, then headed to the cupboard.
Moments later.
A teapot brimming with tea and a box of desserts appeared on the table.
"Here."
Didoa poured tea into Rishir's cup and placed desserts on his plate.
"Ah, thank you."
Didoa poured tea into Rishir's cup and placed desserts on his plate.
"Thank you."
Didoa poured tea into Rishir's cup and placed desserts on his plate.
"...Thank you?"
Every sip, every bite—his cup and plate refilled.
'Whoa. Food duplication glitch.'
Rishir was bewildered.
"Need more?"
Her impassive eyes sparkled.
Rishir blankly shook his head.
"Alright. Let me know if you need anything."
Rishir didn't know.
That the impassive girl before him was desperate to befriend him.
That this infinite tea hell was the fruit of her touching, clumsy efforts.
That if he asked for her liver and gall as a friendship toll, she'd hand them over without hesitation.
Didoa fidgeted endlessly with her rune-covered hands.
'How do I get closer to him?'
Her impassive eyes sparkled as she watched his cup and plate.
The rumors spread throughout the magic tower via the onlookers.
One person was outraged by them—
"You!"
The sudden visitor to Didoa's lab.
Hainya, Rishir's sparring opponent.
She checked Rishir's condition, then widened her eyes.
"It's true! Unbelievable! You really took the elixir?"
It was the part of the rumor that especially caught Hainya's interest.
Rishir.
The man scheduled to spar with her, from what she recalled.
And he had taken an elixir.
Right before their spar.
Not even a life-or-death duel for honor—just for a simple spar—
To Hainya, born of great noble blood with her unique values, it was an extravagance beyond imagination.
"You took an elixir just to win a spar!? No, you agreed to spar with me and then take an elixir?! You think that's okay!?"
"?"
Hainya rambled in flustered confusion.
Rishir, midway through his endless battle with the refreshments, stammered back in bewilderment.
"I haven't taken the elixir yet."
"?"