The Unbearable Lightness of a Kiss #3
"L-Lord—!!"
"Hmm, I figured as much."
With the sword still impaled in my chest, Cordelia flicked her other hand to restrain Talia.
Talia froze instantly.
It seemed even her voice had been sealed this time; she could only writhe in silence, unable to let out so much as a scream.
"Mmph, mmmph—!"
"I'm sorry, but it's a bit dangerous right now, so please stay still, okay?"
Spitting up blood, I blamed myself for not being more wary of this witch as I slowly collapsed—
"Ah, shit! That hurts like hell!!"
...Or not.
It was true that a sword was sticking out of my chest. It wasn't an illusion. The agonizing pain radiating from my sternum was proof enough.
And yet,
"You really are fine, aren't you?"
Cordelia smiled brightly.
No, seriously, why was I fine? I looked down at my chest again. The blade was still clean through me.
"What did you do to me?"
"What did I do? Oh, nothing much. I just put you in a state right on the brink of death. The point where your consciousness would normally fade and your mind would go hazy."
"Consciousness fading? I feel perfectly fine, though."
"Exactly."
Cordelia nodded in agreement.
"A normal person would have collapsed by now. But you're perfectly fine, aren't you? That's what makes you so unique."
She began to explain in a relaxed tone.
"Unlike ordinary people, your soul and body exist somewhat independently. As a result, even if your body is damaged, your soul remains intact and continues to control it. That's why you can have a perfectly normal conversation with me right now, when you should be in a coma."
I didn't care much for the academic jargon. In short, it meant I was special. The whole soul-and-body separation thing was probably because I was a transmigrator.
Wait, was this my transmigration cheat code?
"So... I won't die even if I get stabbed?"
"Of course not! What are you talking about? If I pull this sword out, you'll bleed to death. It just means you can move around normally even when you're in a state that would normally incapacitate someone."
Her answer was disappointing. In other words, it was just the ability to fight like hell right up until the moment I died.
"It's interesting, but it doesn't sound like that great of an ability."
"But it's fascinating. Do you remember when you were on the verge of death back then? You had lost about two-thirds of your blood. Anyone else would have been dead."
Hey, stop bringing that up! Fortunately, Talia didn't seem to have heard her clearly.
Cordelia smiled and continued.
"Ah, right. There's one more thing. Back then, I noticed a strange property mixing into your body."
"A strange property...?"
"Should I call it the energy of death? An energy similar to a corpse's began to blend into your dying body. Quite strange, isn't it? Fascinating, really."
What? A death attribute? Avada Kedavra! That sounds cool as hell!
"Then can I use instant-death magic and stuff like that?"
"Hmm, it's not impossible... but at least for you, it is. You won't be able to."
Another disappointing answer. Why? Why is the world always out to get me? I want to cast Avada Kedavra too!
"To put it in your terms, you're absolutely terrible at magic."
"Ah, right."
I had no choice but to agree. Edwin was a magic cripple. Even if I had a death attribute, I couldn't use magic, which meant I couldn't go around dominating this fantasy world with instant-death spells.
"If you were a mage, you might have become someone who wields incredibly rare spells. But your magical aptitude is disastrous. It would be difficult for you to master the complex mana manipulation required for something like instant-death magic."
"What a waste. Then what can I use it for?"
"And that brings me to my main point. I want to study how to infuse that energy of yours into aura."
Cordelia began to explain, tapping the blade stuck in my chest.
Ah, damn it. It hurts when she taps it like that.
"I told you before, didn't I? Whether it's aura or mana, it all comes down to managing the energy inside you."
"Which means...?"
"While instant-death magic is out of the question, an instant-death sword might just be possible."
Oh. That sounded incredibly tempting. Was my cheat finally arriving?
"Anyway, a case like yours, where an attribute mixes into one's energy, is extremely rare. That's why I want to study you so badly."
If I could wield a death-attribute aura, becoming one of the strongest in the world wouldn't be a mere dream. They said that once you became a Sword Master, you could project your aura outward like scattering plum blossoms instead of just keeping it coated on the blade. And I possessed the potential of a Sword Master.
It would be perfect if I could use the relic, too.
The growth cheat of the Pale Cameo was definitely alluring, but after the gates of hell opened every night, I was too terrified to use it anymore. It would be a massive pain if the system started throwing a fit about increasing the penalty or whatever. I guess there was a reason why the Shadow Clone Jutsu was a forbidden technique.
"Alright, Professor! What should we start with?"
"Hmm, good. Let's pull the sword out first. It would be troublesome if you actually died."
Cordelia smoothly drew the sword out.
"Ah, fuck, that stings!! ...Wait, uh?"
Blood immediately began to gush from my chest. Is this really okay? No matter how I looked at it, this was dangerous.
"Oh dear, did we talk for too long?"
My vision began to blur.
Wait, what? Didn't she just say my consciousness would remain clear until right before I died? But my mind was fading fast. Why? Why else? Because I was literally on the verge of death! No way. Am I really dying like this?
"Sorry, I'll fix you up right now."
Fortunately, Cordelia leaned in and pressed her lips against mine.
"Mmph... Hngh? Mmm...!"
N-No, Cordelia maman. Talia is watching... Heeeung...
Talia, still paralyzed and silenced, stared at us with wide, horrified eyes.
"Don't move. Mmph... Mmm, there we go."
A warm energy immediately flooded in through my lips, and before I knew it, the faucet-like hole in my chest had vanished, completely healed.
This woman was seriously broken. She could even use healing magic to this extent?
"Aha, the alteration of mana occurs during the process of life force rushing back in right after death. But there's no significant effect on the aura... Is it because aura is a pure force? Or is it a difference in how they mix?"
But Cordelia paid no attention to my reaction, muttering to herself as she stared at the spot where my wound had been.
"Um, are we done now?"
I asked cautiously. Cordelia raised her head and tilted it as if she couldn't comprehend the question.
"Of course not! Believing you've figured everything out from a single experiment makes you unqualified as a researcher. You can never guarantee a result with just one trial."
"I see?"
"Indeed."
Cordelia grinned. A cold sweat broke out at her smile. Why did I feel so uneasy?
"So, let's do it one more time."
With that same smiling face, Cordelia plunged the sword back into my chest.
Squelch.
This crazy bitch. I knew it. You psychopathic mad scientist, you crazy witch!!
"Does it hurt a lot?"
"Yes, it hurts like hell...!"
"It can't be helped. Bear with it. You're a man, aren't you?"
Do men not feel pain? You crazy psycho. Cordelia pulled the sword out and kissed me again.
"Phew... Mmm, good. The life force is filling back up."
"Um, can we stop here for today...?"
"Not a chance."
And then, another squelch.
You crazy bitch!!
"Aaargh—!!"
A scream tore from my throat. But Cordelia didn't care.
"Don't you have any other plans today?"
"I don't have any lectures today."
Smooch, a quick kiss.
Squelch, a stab to the chest, and presto!
"Cough! But, I have to go to class...!"
"Hmm? Ah... I guess you'll have to submit an absence slip. Don't worry. I'll approve it right away."
Another kiss followed.
"Mmph... Hey, can't you use your tongue?"
"No."
"You stingy woman!!"
"Would you quiet down?"
Squelch.
Another kiss.
"Mmm... Yes, good. It seems the degree of mana alteration increases with each repeated death. Or is it simply a difference in quantity?"
Another soft kiss. And then a brutally painful stab to the chest! Kiss.
"Hmm, should we try a different way of dying?"
"How about death by snu-snu?"
Squelch.
"Ugh, sob!! I can't do this anymore! Maman, I want to stop!!"
"No. And I am not your maman."
Kiss. And repeat.
Squelch, smooch.
Squelch, smooch, squelch, smooch.
"I'm seriously going to die from the pain, you crazy bitch!!!"
"Watch your language."
This cycle continued. I fainted from the pain multiple times, and we kissed so much my lips grew swollen.
[New Trait Acquired!]
Death Attribute: Death - Lv. 1
And around noon—I had long since lost my sense of time, but that was what Cordelia said—she smiled and clapped for me.
"Alright, that's enough experimenting for today. Good job."
"Pant, gasp, haaa... Ugh."
"Was it very hard on you?"
What? Was it hard? Was it hard?! Of course it was hard, you just butchered my chest over and over! I'll pay you back tenfold one day. I'll make you do all sorts of things with those massive tits of yours. Consider it revenge for today!
"...Yes, maman. It's so hard. Please stop..."
...Of course, that was only after I got stronger. For now, I was nothing but a weakling.