Chapter 370: I’ve Regained Consciousness (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 370: I’ve Regained Consciousness (2)
The next day.
Fortunately.
The mishap(?) of Alon regaining control of his body while Yutia was finishing her story the previous night did not occur.
...Even if it had, he wouldn't have moved.
Regardless, Yutia hadn't spent the entire time merely looking out for her own interests(?).
She had calmly shared her memories with Alon, her voice filled with genuine concern.
Though she did add a detailed footnote regarding exactly how old she was at the time of each memory...
It wasn't a major issue.
It simply made Alon realize something.
He saw just how much Yutia, deep down, cared about her age.
‘...But is Yutia really that old?’
Alon tried to estimate it anew.
To be honest, he hadn't given it much thought until now, assuming she was around twenty.
After all, not much of Yutia’s backstory had been revealed in Psychedelia.
Since the only setting revealed in the game was her tragic future, Alon, pondering her age, was suddenly struck by a question.
It wasn't a massive mystery.
For instance.
If she really was that old, why was it that both in the game and in this world...
Whenever Yutia appeared, she always looked like her younger self from about ten years ago?
As he pondered this within his dark consciousness, he heard the creak of a door.
“Mentor!”
It was Seolrang.
Her characteristically cheerful voice was the same as ever.
She sat on Alon’s bed with a quick thud and immediately began rustling around.
She was clearly doing something.
“Mmm—this is a bit disappointing...”
What was she doing?
Since only his consciousness had returned, Alon couldn't tell exactly.
However, judging by the sliding sounds, he could tell she was doing something with his arm.
After some time had passed.
“Mentor—did you know?”
Seolrang began to speak.
Just like Yutia, she started talking about her memories with Alon.
If there was one difference from Yutia...
It was that she didn't feel the need to mention her age.
More time passed.
“Ahem—”
Seolrang’s voice, which had been enthusiastically recounting memories until a moment ago, quieted down.
Her tone became calm, as if she were preparing for something.
Then.
“You know, Mentor? You liked me the best.”
Seolrang began to whisper into Alon’s ear as if she were revealing a profound secret.
“You know? You thought I was the cutest. You hated that stupid brat with horns and the one who does weird things without even changing her expression.”
Seolrang began her slander.
In truth, Alon wanted to ask what on earth she was talking about...
But unfortunately, he had not yet regained control over his physical body.
“They’re just acting like sly foxes to get in your good graces. You didn't know, did you, Mentor? That brat with the horns? She waits until you’re about to come out and then times her appearance perfectly.”
Shouldn't you stop with the slander?
As Alon thought this, Ryanga’s image suddenly flashed through his mind.
In the Count’s estate, which was so vast that it was hard to run into someone unless your paths overlapped...
Every single time he stepped out of his office, he had encountered Ryanga at least once.
To think that was all intentional...
‘Ryanga...?’ He thought for a moment, but his musings were cut short.
After a long bout of diligently slandering(?) the duplicitous natures of Ryanga and Historia, Seolrang spoke again.
“Ahem—anyway, so that means I’m the one you have to play with the most!”
She let out a triumphant fufu laugh, looking as if she had succeeded.
“So, when you wake up, make sure you play with me first, okay?”
She added the last part in a tone that sounded like she was suppressing tears.
Unlike her energetic voice from before, there was a slight thickness to it now.
Alon decided that once he woke up, he would give Seolrang plenty of ear rubs.
A brief silence followed.
“I’m going now—!”
After sitting still for a long while, Seolrang offered a cheerful goodbye and left.
It wasn't long before the quiet room became noisy again.
“Ahem—”
The one who entered this time was Ryanga.
And.
“...Why are you breathing so heavily?”
It was Blue Ghost.
“Shut up.”
Ryanga’s voice was cold.
“No, I mean, he’s unconscious, so why are you so nervous?”
“Shut up. They said he might be conscious.”
“Then shouldn't you be treating me better right now? He might be listening to—ack!”
Blue Ghost’s grumbling and a loud smack! occurred almost simultaneously.
The two had suddenly arrived and were performing a comedy routine.
But that only lasted a moment.
“Ahem—Boss, they said it’s good to tell you about our memories, so I came. Mmm—to be honest, our memories aren't exactly good ones.”
Ryanga laughed awkwardly, and Alon felt his heart grow heavy.
Alon also knew Ryanga’s past.
He knew that their memories were forged during her saddest times.
“So... it’s been a while.”
However, as if it were okay to recall those sad memories, Ryanga began to calmly recount the time they first met.
The moment she was first saved by Alon.
Gathering comrades to escape from Baarma.
The story of their desperate escape, shaking off Baarma’s army, and finally returning to her village.
The time when she cried and begged him to kill Baarma, and he had simply nodded, not knowing what to say.
And.
“Do you remember back then? You made a promise, Boss. You said that I... looked pretty—”
...Alon had told Ryanga she looked pretty...???
A question bloomed in Alon’s mind.
Had he ever said such a thing?
“Ahem—but since the situation wasn't right back then, you said we should talk about it after everything was over, right?”
As Ryanga continued, the number of question marks in Alon’s head began to multiply.
Naturally, Alon had never said such a thing to Ryanga.
No, in the first place, such a thing should never have happened.
While the current Ryanga looked like an adult, the Ryanga of that time was small.
So small that she only came up to Alon’s waist.
If the Alon of that time had said such a thing to Ryanga?
...No matter how he looked at it, he could only see ruin.
‘What on earth are you talking about, Ryanga...’ He desperately wanted to refute her, but his body remained beyond his control, leaving him feeling dizzy for a moment.
“Hey, is there any point in saying that while you’re trembling like a leaf?”
“Wh-What?!”
Blue Ghost, who had been quiet, suddenly interjected.
Ryanga stammered in response.
Blue Ghost let out a long sigh.
“Besides, if you’re going to fabricate something, you should go all in. You’re not writing a children’s fairy tale—ack!”
Unfortunately.
Blue Ghost couldn't finish his sentence.
Blue Ghost, who had been clicking his tongue in disapproval, was silenced by a tremendous crash!
Thirty minutes passed after that.
“Please, be a little more careful.”
“I’m sorry...”
Yutia’s voice, though airy, carried a bloodlust so chilling that even Alon felt a shiver.
With Ryanga’s apology(?), the room fell silent once more.
Another day passed.
“Brother.”
“...Marquis.”
The ones who entered the room were Deus and Ladan.
Unlike the previous visitors, Deus began to speak of his memories with Alon in a somewhat somber tone.
Ladan did the same.
Alon found himself listening tensely, wondering if there would be more fabrications(?) like there were with Ryanga.
Fortunately, just as Alon was breathing a sigh of relief upon realizing their stories were indeed just memories.
“While you have been confined to your bed, Marquis, the situation is slowly being brought under control.”
Deus suddenly began to speak of something other than memories.
Alon listened intently to the information he had been longing for.
Through Deus, Alon was able to easily grasp the current situation.
‘...The fall of Ashtalon and the monsters... I see.’
The news Deus calmly delivered was not particularly good.
Of course, he had somewhat expected the fall of Ashtalon.
From the moment Elivan killed several key nobles of Ashtalon and the capital was destroyed, it would have been incredibly difficult for the kingdom to continue existing as a kingdom.
However, what he hadn't expected were the monsters.
‘Since the Milky Way fell, the number of monsters has increased exponentially—huh.’
Judging by Deus’s story, it wasn't just a simple increase, and Alon wanted to hear more about it.
Unfortunately, there wasn't much information on that.
Instead, he heard this:
“Marquis, as soon as you wake up, we will prepare a new statue for you, the savior of the United Kingdoms. Since you love statues so much.”
...That was what he said.
Did I ever say I liked statues that much? Alon wondered.
But undeterred by Alon’s inner thoughts, Deus spent nearly thirty minutes passionately brainwashing him as if he had to love statues before finally leaving.
* * *
A few days after Deus and Ladan left.
During that time, Alon received many visitors while only his consciousness was awake.
At the same time, over those few days, Alon began to understand a little of what those who came to visit wanted from him.
For instance, Silli, who was the first to visit after the others left.
She read Alon a new scripture, saying she had ‘completed all preparations for his awakening’ and had ‘written a new epic of the Great God.’
Naturally, most of it consisted of things Alon had absolutely no memory of...
He wondered if she wanted him to believe it, or if she truly believed it herself.
Next was Penia.
She came in and told Alon that, in truth, he had cherished and respected her deeply.
In Evan’s case, he said he was receiving only half of the salary he was supposed to get.
...Of course, the moment Alon heard that, he decided to cut Evan’s salary to a quarter.
Nangwon and Historia also visited.
Nangwon quietly shared a memory and disappeared.
Historia simply said, “Get well soon,” in her blunt manner.
And today.
Just as his body had essentially fully recovered and he was about to regain control.
“You’re awake.”
At the sound of the voice, Alon naturally opened his eyes.
There stood Line, smiling against the backdrop of the darkened window.
“How did you know?”
Line had realized it immediately, even though he hadn't shown any sign.
When Alon asked in surprise, she let out a soft laugh.
“Mmm—intuition?”
“...Intuition?”
“Is that strange?”
“...For an answer coming from you?”
Line smiled gently and gave the real answer.
“Actually, I knew.”
“When I would wake up?”
“Yes. Quite accurately, in my own way. That’s why I was waiting in advance.”
“...Why?”
“Because I wanted mine to be the first face you saw?”
Alon couldn't help but let out a small chuckle at Line’s playful remark, delivered with a serene smile.
Then, he tilted his head slightly.
After all, a few days ago, Line had clearly told the others that it was uncertain when Alon would wake up.
“Godfather. May I ask you something?”
Line’s question came faster than Alon’s, and he nodded reflexively.
“What is it?”
“Between someone who acts with a clear conscience and someone who doesn't, which is more to your taste?”
She asked calmly.
Alon, looking bewildered by the sudden question, said:
“...Line.”
“Yes.”
“...You didn't just know when I would wake up, did you?”
He looked into her eyes.
To that.
“...I wonder?”
The smile that hadn't left her face deepened.
Unlike before, it was now tinged with a hint of mischief.
“Anyway, welcome back, Godfather.”
And to Line’s subsequent welcome, Alon responded with a natural smile of his own.