Chapter 271
Chapter 271
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 271
Chapter Title: Final Farewell - Part 2
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Morning sunlight poured in, gently settling on her eyelids through the window. At the sky's knock signaling the start of a new day, the girl let out a soft "Nngh..." and tossed in bed.
A little more sleep. Normally, she'd repeat that to herself and pull the covers over her head, but things were different now. A chilling thought brushed through her drowsy mind.
Time's running out for you. Is it okay to just let it slip away like this?
"......"
Rustle.
Chased by urgency, Kim Lulu bolted upright.
Time flowed mercilessly. With her life nearing its end, it felt at least ten times faster than usual. Sand slipped through her fingers. She couldn't hold it back.
Get up. Do something. You have to do anything.
But I'm still sleepy...
As drowsiness in her eyelids clashed fiercely with her anxiety, the door creaked open, and Daesoo appeared. She asked calmly, as always.
"Awake?"
"......Halfway...?"
"You can sleep more if you want. You tossed and turned a lot last night."
"......"
Hearing that, Kim Lulu blankly recalled the previous night.
Oh, right. We slept together.
They'd gone to bed in the same one last night. She'd first tried sharing with the male version of Roderus, but that seemed impossible to sleep through, so she gave up.
Sleeping with Daesoo in her familiar girl form struck a good balance. Just the right flutter of excitement, a fitting happiness, and the soft, pillow-like comfort of being held.
"Hee hee..."
"What kind of noise is that first thing in the morning? If you're awake, Kim Lulu, get up. Breakfast time."
"Nng."
The trip never happened.
Kim Lulu had given up. She was going to die anyway—she didn't want to burden him too. Leaving now would light up endless red flags with the Redburn family.
Staying together was fine instead. That's the compromise she made.
Kim Lulu intertwined her fingers with Daesoo's and clung to her arm as they shuffled to the living room table. There, today's chef Mongae was showing off his skills.
A Korean-style ten-course banquet rearranged with this world's ingredients. The ingredients were similar but not identical, yet somehow he'd recreated that authentic Korean flavor and aroma.
Mongae grumbled pretentiously, acting exhausted.
"Never thought I'd live to cook as a beast."
"You managed it even with those stubby paws. Kim Lulu, you should've seen it."
"Don't call watching someone cook a circus act."
"Circus... Mong...?"
Hayangi, the amnesiac girl washed up from the river, tugged at Mongae curiously about "circus." Mongae hopped onto her head and fired off a learning-transmission.
A method of directly implanting information into the target's mind via illusion magic—Mongae taught her like this whenever he had spare time.
To Hayangi, who sat with a spoon in her mouth and a dazed look, Daesoo pointed sternly with her chopsticks.
"Studying's good, but eat while you do it."
"Mooong."
"Answer with 'yes,' not 'mong.'"
"Yees."
Kim Lulu giggled at the sight.
This must be what having a kid feels like. Daesoo as dad, Mongae as uncle. Hayangi's a bit big for a baby... but close enough, right?
It would've been happy and fun. Kim Lulu playing with the kid, Daesoo teaching strictly, Uncle Mongae dropping knowledge bombs.
"Nng..."
Yeah.
If she had just a bit more time, could she have made a baby too?
Before becoming a magical girl, she thought babies came from alchemists. Friendly couples would visit a skilled one, and he'd mix up a perfect kid.
But after the shocking "How babies are made??" crisis in the magical girl session, the mad mage added a simple sex ed segment to the school scenes.
Now she knew. Babies were like martial arts. Fill your dantian with mana, go through the motions, and one pops out naturally.
Kim Lulu idly placed a hand on her lower belly and stroked it.
After the bombshell terminal confession, Daesoo had been hyper-alert to Lulu's every move. She didn't miss even this small gesture and asked worriedly.
"Stomach hurt?"
"No... just, wanna have a baby."
"......"
Normally, that would've sparked a "What the heck? Why say that?" and turned rowdy. Instead, a bitter silence hung heavy.
She knew her own body vaguely. About half a year left.
Conceiving new life took at least ten months. An impossible wish. If only her lifespan was a little longer. Or if she'd acted sooner...
Regret clung everywhere. She had nothing to leave him.
Sensing the cooled air, Mongae jumped in perfectly timed to break the mood.
"What's with the gloom at the breakfast table? No whining about sides—eat up!"
"Ah, thanks Mongae. Let's eat!"
"......Let's eat."
"Le's eat moong."
Meal started, filled only with clinking sounds for a while.
Mongae's cooking was delicious. Thinking she'd never taste it again made Kim Lulu's nose tingle. Being terminal made everything pitiful.
If Daesoo hadn't gripped her hand under the table, she might've cried.
Someday soon, she'd have to depart suddenly, cross a river of no return. To leave no regrets... or at least fewer, she'd tidy all ties by then.
After clearing the spotless table post-meal, Kim Lulu gazed at the mysterious amnesiac girl Hayangi.
Even if Kim Lulu died, Daesoo would live well. Mongae too, by his side. But Hayangi was different. She relied on Capital Knights' Captain Kim Lulu's funds and power.
The captain's strength and wealth sufficed to raise one person.
Roderus, living doubly under Daesoo's disguise, couldn't safely take Hayangi—it was tricky and risky.
What if buying a place recklessly got traced back by Duke Redburn?
Mongae hustling might make it somewhat safe, but without Kim Lulu, stability dropped. Fact.
So.
"Who is Hayangi really? Gotta find out and return her to her family..."
"At least from considerable wealth, maybe nobility. Why? Her muscle mass was extremely low. A commoner would've withered away."
"Ah, when washing her, such a pretty body without a scratch. No calluses either!"
Mongae chimed in from the side.
"Super abnormal amnesia. Normal ones I could've fixed, but the data itself seemed wiped..."
"What does that mean?"
"Physical brain loss suspected—not can't recall, but memories gone. Like deleted."
"......But no visible wounds. Tough."
Speculation only deepened the mystery.
Actually, Hayangi's metamorphosis power manipulated organics overall. Near-death mortal wounds unconsciously reshaped her body to survive—bones, muscles, even brain parts shifted/reformed for healing. Side effect: amnesia and de-aging.
No clues, how to unravel that? Near impossible plainly.
Can't return to family? Entrust to someone else then.
"......Ask Gramps to take her?"
"Gramps? Empire's Sword Saint?"
"Yeah. He's always wandering, might not work, but he's the only one... Ah, gotta say goodbye to Gramps too."
Kim Lulu's face darkened again. Gramps would be sad.
Every step sad, every falling leaf sad. Like she was a sadness virus spreading—tears welled.
"......"
Roderus thought this wouldn't do.
Couldn't paint her end in such blue gloom.
Even nearing close, there'd be ways to feel joy over sorrow. Above all, couldn't watch his love grieve constantly.
Kim Lulu hid her short life to spare him sorrow.
Daesoo feigned calm like always to spare sorrow.
But wrong answer.
Couldn't reduce or erase sorrow. Parting a lover—how not agonizing? Natural as sliced flesh hurting.
Opposite. Not lessen sorrow—cover with happiness.
"......Kim Lulu!"
"Y-Yeah? Huh? What?"
Daesoo shot up, strode over. Grabbed Lulu's shoulders firmly, planted lips on her cheek.
"......!!"
Barrage of kisses short-circuited Kim Lulu; Mongae watching blankly jumped. Roderus with this drive!
"Daesoo ate Lulu."
"Whoa Hayangi, too early for you!"
Mongae covered Hayangi's eyes, herded her out to not disturb. Might consummate at home if lucky.
Daesoo eyed ripe Kim Lulu, yelled.
"Don't just sit there like an idiot!"
"......U-Uh?! Eek?!"
"No time. Ring back, wedding too. Trip, everything you want—do it all. Got it?"
Head blank-white, nodded instinctively—but
Chilling anxiety, guilt tripped her. Lulu stammered denial.
"B-But, I'm terminal. M-Marriage, can't together..."
"......Don't wanna take my ring?"
Eh.
Say no, Daesoo'd cry. Kim Lulu panicked, honest.
"No, I do...! It's just..."
"Then take it. I wanna give it, wanna be with you one more second. Got nothing to do with time left!"
Thud.
Like a hammer to head, shock hit Kim Lulu.
...For real?
Really okay to accept?
"Get dressed... Nah, nothing needed. No pretty clothes, no sunset hours—don't need 'em!"
"U-Uwaa?!"
Daesoo scooped up Kim Lulu. Before she recovered, kicked door open, ran. Destination: yesterday's hill.
Same spot as yesterday. But their looks utterly different.
No sharp suit—just tunic thrown on. Leather boots laced sloppily from rushing out.
No pretty makeup, gorgeous dress—half-off slippers, casuals. Messy uncombed hair.
Hard to believe pre-proposal attire.
Daesoo ruffled her crimson hair wildly, pulled yesterday's diamond ring from pocket. Clenched fist, thrust forward.
"Hey, Kim Lulu dummy!"
"......"
"Hand out. Told you how to extend it a million times."
"That was for punching, not ring..."
Tsk.
At Daesoo's menacing sound, Kim Lulu awkwardly extended her fisted hand.
Roderus grabbed, massaged open her fingers, slid ring onto ring finger. Done in a flash.
Eternity's gem sparkled on her finger.
"Whoa..."
Unreal.
Tears streamed. Unnoticed till then, dam burst, drops fell. Yet somehow, smiling. Sad, but... happy.
Daesoo smirked at Lulu's face.
"Stay with me forever. No weird talk—just stay by my side."
"......Yeah."
"Sleep together, wake together. Do every single thing you wanted."
"......Yeah, y-yeah!"
Right.
If she could spend her remaining life with you. If possible.
Sun moon draw lines, death god strides with scythe—if only daily with you... enough. Overflowing. What was so scary?
Regrettable. Story's end... surely so.
No joy of birthing/raising kids, no aging white-haired together. That truth painfully lacking.
"I-I, Daesoo."
"Yeah."
"Me, so!"
So pledge next here. Hands clasped, eyes front. Deep breath.
Lulu poured wish, love, hope—full heart to Roderus.
"I wanna be Roderus's lover next life too──!!"
......
The mad mage watching from tree peeked head, awkwardly raised hand.
"Uh, life-extension potion delivery. Alchemist Guildmaster asked, y'know, AS... quality guarantee."
"......?"
"......??"
"Busy? Come later? No, d-don't glare. Timed it morning, but urgent call. Gotta go quick."
What the hell are you? stares pierced mad mage.
But he tried. Knew romance. Best after emotional confession: appear, offer life extension!
Yet now, messages flooded.
......Dunno details, but shit hit fan. Had to go now, delayed. Ruining mood after perfect timing—wasteful, sorry!
"Can't just leave note/potion—won't trust. Mess up lifespan, Kim Lulu really dies? Then I'd explode."
"......"
"So showed face. Have pretty love. Doubt? Ask Mongae. Or check guild seal forgery. I'm out!"
Poof.
Mad mage dropped potion vial, quality cert, Alchemist Guildmaster's letter—vanished.
"......"
"......"
Awkwardness like heavens collapsing.
Come earlier, or later. Post-vow kiss, less cringe.
And why appear? What's with Alchemist Guildmaster?
Kim Lulu, face tear-streaked mess, mumbled awkwardly.
"......Uh, g-go... back? Daesoo?"
"......"
Grind. Daesoo gritted teeth in deep rage. If prank, swear—hunt to world's end, kill──
Next day.
Kim Lulu, flustered, reported post-potion state.
"I-I'm better. No blood, no dizziness...?"
"......"
"......"
So awkward, terminal fixed but embarrassment > joy. Kim Lulu fidgeted, yesterday's line echoing.
Daesoo same actually.
Roderus truly torn: grateful to nutty mage or smash head? Confused for real.