Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Azantu (4)
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Slurp—
"Mm, ramen hits the spot sometimes."
I slurped up the noodles, savoring their chewy texture.
The spicy aroma and the artificial flavoring that tingled on my tongue.
Lately, my bank account had been flush enough to splurge on things like pork hocks or sushi, but every now and then, instant food just called to me.
'Speaking of which, this time the avatar really bit the dust.'
Hans had revived as an undead shortly after I thought he'd died, but that wouldn't happen this time.
Chopped to pieces by a vampire, his whole body burned to a crisp, then buried under building rubble—finding an intact corpse would be a miracle.
That thought led me to the siblings waiting for him.
'I told them I'd be back in three days. I can just send a new avatar in his place. Guess that means no outside activities for a while?'
Recreating a deceased avatar took about a week.
Over two months in that world's time.
So for now, I'd have to make do with the avatars already out in the field.
Beep beep—click.
Right on cue, the avatar walked into the house with the luggage.
Including the damaged protective suit from this time around.
'I prepaid a week's rent at the inn I was staying at, so once the teleportation circle is ready, I can beam straight into the room, change clothes, and go see the kids.'
They'd worry if I kept them waiting any longer.
'Time to name this one, too...'
I watched the avatar unpack for a moment, then made up my mind.
'Yeah, let's call him Heinz, too. Technically Heinz 2nd?'
He'd be meeting the siblings in place of the fallen Heinz soon—different names would just confuse them.
Inheriting the valiantly departed Heinz's will, I named him Heinz 2nd.
⚔ ENTITY INFO ⚔ 📛 Entity Name: Heinz 2nd 🔗 Common Traits: 「Mind Hub」, 「Super Recovery」, 「Clear Mirror Still Water」 🌀 Entity Trait: 「Acceleration」 📝 Notes: Han Seonghyeon's third avatar. 'Just to be safe, maybe invest a bit of karma to boost his physical stats?'
Six hours or so until the otherworld teleportation circle's cooldown reset.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Transfer to the Outerica dimension has been completed. I opened my eyes after the transfer, scanning my surroundings. I was in the inn room in Azantu where I'd been staying.
I rummaged through my luggage, layering a coat over the protective suit and grabbing essentials.
'Only brought one longsword. It's probably buried in those ruins now.'
A pang of regret hit me over the lost weapon, but there was nothing to be done.
I'd have to procure a new one later.
Heading out of the room toward the inn's entrance, the owner at the counter jumped in surprise, wondering when I'd slipped in. I brushed it off vaguely and hurried out.
'Doesn't feel like much has changed. Wonder what it's really like out there.'
One of the vampires ruling the city had been killed, yet on the surface, nothing seemed different.
They lurked in the city's underbelly, so it probably hadn't gone public.
Passing through alleys toward the siblings' place, I could feel the tension in the air.
With the incident happening at Barcolac's base that controlled this district, security here was tighter than elsewhere.
"Hey, hold up, buddy. Let me see you for a sec."
Sure enough, a guy with a Barcolac tattoo on his neck stepped up to stop me.
"New face? What's your business here?"
His wary attitude differed from the burly guy who'd shaken me down before.
Given the situation, he had to be extra cautious.
"Ah, I came to the city a few days ago as an adventurer. I got acquainted with some young siblings deeper in here and just wanted to check on them."
"Siblings? Oh, I think I know who. But what's an outsider doing with those orphans?"
As the man eyed me suspiciously, one of his gang members approached him.
"Boss, I heard a few days ago when the boy got lost and the sister was asking around, some young guy helped find him. Probably that one, right?"
"That so? Is it true?"
Luckily, Diana had covered well.
"Yes, exactly. We hit it off then, so I came back to see them again..."
I bowed and scraped in response, then slipped him a bribe on the sly.
He was being picky, but he didn't refuse the money—pocketed it smoothly and nodded.
"Fine, but things are tense right now. Don't cause trouble."
"Of course not! Thanks for your trouble."
Another smooth pass.
Not regular soldiers—just a ragtag street gang in the alleys.
I soon reached the siblings' place.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Diana had spent the last few nights sleepless with worry.
The day Aaron was rescued, she'd gone to the people she'd asked about him and brushed it off as nothing. Then, as Uncle Heinz instructed, she'd acted as normal as possible outside.
She only cut back on going out just enough not to seem suspicious, waiting at home for Uncle to return.
"Sis... you think Uncle's okay?"
"He'll be fine. He promised he'd come back."
Diana hugged her worried little brother, who looked up at her, murmuring it like a vow to herself.
The night they parted, she'd stayed up staring blankly until she passed out from exhaustion. The next day, hearing that the Barcolac building had burned down completely, she'd gritted her teeth to hide her inner turmoil.
She kept believing in Uncle, who had promised to return no matter what, and waited.
And today was the third day—the last day of his promise.
"Sis, you gotta eat. Here, bread."
"Yeah, thanks."
Aaron approached Diana, who'd been staring out the door all day, handed her some bread, and sat beside her.
He carefully softened and ate his own stale loaf.
They couldn't use the money Uncle had left—it had to be returned soon.
All his other belongings were hidden inside, waiting for the owner to claim them.
'What do we do now? This time Uncle saved Aaron, but if something like this happens again...'
Living in this city, that unavoidable moment would come eventually.
Diana feared it.
"Huh?"
Aaron, licking his bread, suddenly shouted while looking outside.
"It's Uncle!"
"What?!"
Diana bolted up from her seat and rushed to the door.
His outfit was different, but it was unmistakably the same face from when they'd parted.
"Uncle—!"
Diana threw her arms around Heinz and burst into tears.
"There, there. Diana, you waited so long? Sorry I'm late. Oh! Aaron, you been well?"
Heinz patted the clinging Diana and ruffled Aaron's hair as he approached.
'The smell's different... is it?'
As Diana buried her face in Heinz's chest, sobbing, a subtle wrongness hit her nose. She sniffed intently and soon realized.
'No, it's definitely Uncle.'
Diana, who could smell souls, was certain this Heinz 2nd was the same man. She let it go.
Scent on the body could change from various events, but the core essence was unchanged.
"Why were you so late? What happened?"
Once her tears subsided, Diana asked softly.
"Hm, not great to talk here. Oh! Wanna go grab something tasty first?"
Heinz grinned, spotting the bread in Aaron's hand.
Even the mighty Mt. Kumgang tastes better after a meal.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ I headed to a restaurant in town with Diana and Aaron.
"Eh, that was for you to use."
"No! You just left it with us temporarily!"
Diana firmly handed back the belongings I'd entrusted before the vampire fight.
"Alright, whatever. We can buy something nice with this. Let's go in!"
After an early dinner with the siblings, I brought them back to my inn.
Anywhere else wasn't suitable for talking.
'Can't expect soundproofing in a place like this, so keep it quiet even here.'
Still better than outside.
I roughly explained how I'd killed the vampire behind Aaron's kidnapping, escaped the building, set it ablaze, and laid low.
Aaron stared with sparkling eyes the whole time, but Diana couldn't hide her worry.
"Uncle, you really killed a vampire? Is that okay?"
"No big issues for now, but we should find a way to leave the city soon."
"Leave the city...? You can go alone if you want. We'll be fine. We've managed on our own so far."
Diana bowed her head, her voice laced with resignation.
She didn't mean it, but inevitability colored her words.
"Who knows? We'll figure something out. They can't block everyone forever. Besides, I've got plans, so don't worry."
With something to rely on, I smiled reassuringly at Diana.
The immediate fire was out; I'd wait out the cooldown here a few days, leave the city, and get Hans's help.
'Hide Hans nearby, and if they come sniffing, take 'em out quick without the kids noticing!'
"It's getting late. Let's go. I'll walk you home."
I wanted to keep them longer before leaving, but that might draw suspicion.
Just ten days to wait—no need to take risks.
I escorted them home, returned alone to the inn, and lay on the bed.
'Staying longer than expected. Might as well see it through properly now.'
I sketched out future plans and closed my eyes to sleep.
How long had I been out?
"Guhk!"
A chokehold on my throat yanked a gasp from me as I snapped my eyes open.
"Hmm, strange. I thought this one was the prime suspect. Did I get it wrong?"
Bathed in moonlight leaking through the window stood a pale-faced handsome man—a vampire—gripping my neck.
"Clear tracks leading this way from the forest, and right on cue, one of the city's vampires gets murdered."
Just his grip sapped my strength; I couldn't resist.
"Then there's an outsider arriving around the same time, staying in the killed vampire's turf. Suspicious movements lately, too."
The vampire sniffed me over, then frowned.
"But no black magic aura on this one, not even a trace of our kind. Just coincidence?"
From his mutterings, I realized everything had been exposed.
My trail from Hans, all of it.
And from his appraising gaze, I knew.
'He's testing me!'
No real conviction—just probing.
I poured everything into 「Mind Hub」 and 「Clear Mirror Still Water」 to steady my mind.
'I have no idea what he's talking about! Suddenly attacked in my sleep—I'm just a normal adventurer who happened into this city!'
He stared into my eyes for a while, then smacked his lips and looked away.
"Guess I was off. Who knows."
Thankfully, my desperate acting sold it; suspicion lifted.
'Damn, I underestimated the city rulers!'
Luck had carried me so far, but they nearly nabbed me at the end.
Resistance was impossible the moment he grabbed me.
'Way stronger than the Barcolac one! Only way is to clear the misunderstanding.'
But his vise grip prevented even a word.
And he had no intention of letting go.
"Hm... still feels off. Perfect timing with one less lesser blood in my turf, and this one's got a sturdy build."
Appraising me, he flipped my frozen body and brought sharp fangs to my neck.
"We'll talk later. I prefer it that way—no lies possible."
Stab—!
The second time I felt blood draining, something flowed in after.
'Why does this keep happening?!'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity's race has been changed to 'Vampire'. Acquired special skill 「Blood Clan (Lesser Blood)」. ⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ The entity's recovery has exceeded limits. Skill 「Super Recovery」 has evolved to 「Regeneration」.