Chapter 15
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 15
The footsteps that had been pacing outside the door, taunting him for what felt like an eternity, finally vanished.
Andras—who Evangeline had bestowed with the ridiculous name "Jelly"—leaned his back against the doorframe and gasped for breath. Every time a violent cough wracked his body, he vomited up chunks of flesh and internal organs in agonizing pain. His face was already a gruesome mess, blood streaming from his eyes, nose, and mouth.
The wounds from the cat's attack had healed in a matter of hours, but the holy water Evangeline forced down his throat had completely ravaged him from the inside out.
His tongue, unable to withstand the holy liquid, had been scorched away. His esophagus felt as if it were melting, the flesh seared raw. Since it was the holy water of the Sun Goddess, the sensation was hauntingly similar to the time he had been burned at the stake.
The best Andras could do was try to repair his rapidly corroding body. Had he not devoured several victims before coming here, he would have already dropped dead, unable to keep up with the rate of decay.
That damn furball. He had only teased the creature for playing the part of a pet—a role that didn't suit it in the slightest—and he never expected it to get this angry.
To think it would actually put holy water in Evangeline’s hands. If it had been that bastard Flauros himself, Andras might have stood a chance of dodging, but he couldn't even dream of escaping Evangeline’s grasp.
She hadn't even held him tightly, yet an instinctual command that he must not move froze him solid. Thus, as the holy water was forced upon him, he had no choice but to submissively swallow the poison.
The thing residing in Evangeline Rohanson’s body was utterly bizarre.
It wore human skin and acted human enough to match, yet it made no effort to hide its inherent strangeness.
It was an existence that defied human cognition; merely looking at it was enough to make one feel suffocated and terrified. Could anyone other than a god make Andras submit and force Flauros to fawn like a common house cat? And yet, that thing could never be a god.
Whoever performed the summoning had called forth something truly formidable.
Despite having been companions for hundreds of years, Flauros showed no interest in whether Andras bled out or vomited his own flesh. Feeling a petty sense of spite, Andras remained stubbornly slumped in front of the door, even though he'd been told to leave.
It was infuriating to see that bastard cat lying there so peacefully, especially after he’d forbidden Andras from even sitting on Evangeline’s sofa, claiming the scent of blood would stain it.
“Be quiet.”
As if that weren't enough, the cat actually got angry at him for being "noisy" while he was groaning in pain. Who was the one who brought the holy water in the first place? Andras was on the verge of death because of him, yet that cold-hearted bastard was only worried the noise might disturb Evangeline’s sleep.
Having shed his feline disguise, Flauros was—judging by appearances alone—so elegant one might mistake him for an angel who had descended to earth. With curly blond hair that seemed to melt in the sunlight and skin like powdered sugar, he possessed a beauty that even the fastidious Andras found striking.
If he had one flaw, it was the messily embroidered collar around his neck. The man himself, however, seemed quite fond of it.
Flauros rubbed his face against Evangeline’s hand as if he were truly a cat. At a glance, it was a tender scene. It would have been, at least, if not for the hundreds of thousands of eyes blooming like mold across the ceiling and floor.
With eyes sprouting everywhere, the room looked less like a bedroom and more like the insides of a living creature. It was no wonder Andras could smell the cat’s stench from a distance.
Those eyes gazed solely at Evangeline. The fact that she tolerated such a grotesque sight suggested she was quite fond of Flauros as well.
Just then, the eyes turned in unison to stare at Andras. No—was it the door? As he wiped his blood-stained mouth, the door creaked open ever so slightly. A pair of yellow eyes peered through the small gap.
“Mr. Jelly. It’s so noisy I can’t sleep.”
The voice from beyond the door belonged to Canna.
Canna scanned the room, then lowered her voice when she saw the sleeping Evangeline. She spoke in a tiny whisper, as if not to wake her lady.
The sound of Andras gasping in pain had been clearly audible in the room directly below. Unable to endure the noise, Canna had gone outside for a while. But when she returned and the weeping sounds continued, she had come up to Evangeline’s room.
Not daring to enter without the Young Lady’s permission, Canna voiced her complaint from the doorway.
“Hena is scared, so could you please be quiet?”
In the Rohanson mansion, sounds echoed loudly at night. Hena had been covering her ears, frightened by the ceaseless groaning. Canna, worried that her own voice might tremble and sound like she was crying, had asked Hena to keep talking to her.
Andras felt a wave of dejection at being looked down upon by a mere human, but he forced himself to be patient, reminding himself that Canna was someone Evangeline particularly cherished.
As expected of someone chosen by Evangeline Rohanson, this girl wasn't sane either. He’d thought her brave for walking around so normally despite being able to see "them," but now she was telling someone vomiting blood to be quiet. This was the second time today he’d heard such a thing, right after that bastard Flauros.
At this point, he felt like a criminal just for being in pain.
* * *
Ugh… I had sleep paralysis. Why are there ghosts in a RoFan world? I feel like I didn't sleep a wink, since I spent the whole night listening to a ghost sobbing by the door. I tossed and turned so much that I woke up late again today.
Actually, it’s not just today. Ever since I possessed this body, I’ve become lazy, always waking up when the sun is at its highest. I instinctively reached for my phone to check the time before remembering I didn't have one. I sat up, checked the desk clock, and flopped back down.
I wondered if I was still dreaming, but the warmth of the cat at the head of the bed brought me back to reality. Still, it didn't feel quite as heavy as reality should. I wasn't dreaming, but since this was a world made of mere words, it wasn't much different.
Yeah. Let’s not overthink it. I’ll just get homesick, and it's not like there’s a way back anyway.
After tossing and turning for a while longer, I couldn't fall back asleep, so I finally got up.
“Good morning, Pudding.”
“Did you sleep well?”
I greeted Pudding, but the answer came from an unexpected place. I had clearly told him to sleep on the sofa, but there was Jelly, wagging his tail beside me. He must have crawled onto the bed at some point.
“Get down this instant.”
“Why does that guy get special treatment?”
Jelly threw a tantrum, demanding to know why he and Pudding were treated so differently and insisting he wanted to sleep on the bed, too.
Well, obviously, it’s because Pudding is a child. Yesterday, I asked Jelly if Pudding could also transform into a human, and he asked if I really hadn't known. I was so embarrassed for doting on Pudding—thinking he was just a cat—that I avoided him for a bit. But Pudding got so upset that I decided to be close with him again. Still, I can't do things like "butt scritches" anymore.
Unlike Jelly, Pudding isn't very good at human speech, so thankfully, he seems to be a young beastkin. I’m so glad I wasn't patting a grown man’s butt.
“Try to get along,” I said.
Since I woke up in this body without any warning, I assume I could vanish just as suddenly. I'd feel bad if Pudding lost his owner when I left, so it’s a relief he’s a beastkin. Jelly is a fellow beastkin, so he’ll probably take good care of him.
After spending a day with him, it was clear Jelly was definitely not the Male Lead. I’d suspected him because he was so handsome, but he's not Male Lead material. Second Male Lead, at best? Actually, he’s more like a pet. Is that speciesism? To think I’m a species-ist…
Knock, knock.
As I was wallowing in my thoughts, there was a knock on the door.
“Miss. It’s Canna.”
“Come in.”
The door opened, and my vision filled with curly red hair the color of cherry blossoms from the garden.
I saw an optical illusion of fluttering petals, the kind you’d only see on a RoFan cover. My wounded heart feels healed. This must be the quality of a RoFan Female Lead.
“Miss! Look at this!”
Canna proudly showed off the name tag I had embroidered on her clothes.
I made it myself, but it really is terrible. Doesn't it look like hieroglyphics? It warmed my heart to see her so happy with it.
As Canna and I sat and chatted, Hena brought in some food. Even though Jelly lived here now, only Canna and I ate together. Jelly said he’d go eat elsewhere and led Pudding out.
“I hope he never comes back,” Canna muttered, watching Jelly’s retreating back.
Canna had been wary of Gabriel, but she seemed to just plain dislike Jelly. She’d liked him well enough when she thought he was a wolf, but her eyes turned fierce the moment he transformed into a human. It seemed they’d gotten off on the wrong foot because I was the one who found him.
“There’s still no word from Sir Gabriel.”
“I know.”
I figured he’d be fine since he’s the Male Lead, but I’m starting to get uneasy.
Hurry up and take down that painting and prove my innocence! Do I really think the Male Lead will fail just because we haven't heard from him? Not a chance! That’s impossible. Do you have any idea how competent RoFan Male Leads are?
As a rule, a RoFan Male Lead can easily find a Female Lead who has run for her life, even without a GPS. With a single word, he can frame a duke’s daughter powerful enough to shake the empire and have her executed. Anyway, if he’s not competent, he’s not a Male Lead.
If he were a Crown Prince or a Duke, he could get away with being a bit less competent since he’d have money and power. But Gabriel is a Knight Commander, right? If he’s not competent, he’s out. There’s a reason knights are usually the Second Male Lead.
Wait.
Oh my god. Come to think of it, Gabriel could be a Second Male Lead, too!
Since the Crown Prince of this world is middle-aged and there are no Grand Dukes, I was convinced he was the Male Lead just based on his looks. But now that I think about it, knights are way more famous for being the Second Male Lead.
Maybe I just haven't met the real Male Lead yet because I’ve been living like a shut-in since I got here.
Canna and Gabriel already seem to have missed their chance to fall in love, so why am I even analyzing this now? That’s because…