Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: The Difference
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"C-C-Customer, why are you here?"
"Is there some reason I shouldn't be?"
"N-No, of course not! I-I just thought you'd suddenly vanished, so I was trying to take good care of this gentleman..."
Standing behind her was the man's companion, the one who'd clearly been flung far away through the gate.
The one on the master's side.
The woman who'd competed with me over him earlier.
'The magic circle definitely activated, didn't it?!'
I'd confirmed it.
The circle had activated, and both women had vanished from the spot.
So how was she here?
I'd tampered with the arrival coordinates to drop them randomly anywhere...
'No way, right?'
A grim premonition flashed through my mind.
The magic had worked and sent them away, but they'd landed nearby by sheer chance.
It wasn't impossible.
'Fuck.'
If I was really, really, really, really unlucky.
Being flung randomly and landing right nearby? This had to be the gods screwing with me.
"Well, to me, it looked like you were approaching with impure intentions."
"Haha... It's a misunderstanding. Of course it's a misunderstanding. There's no way that'd be true."
I waved my hands frantically, desperately racking my brain for an excuse.
Think. What could I do in this situation?
Gulp.
"Customer, let me explain everything, so please calm down first..."
"You said you were taking him to the bedroom?"
Oh.
"..."
She'd heard from there.
How the hell was I supposed to explain that...?
'Ah.'
"Haha... It was late, and you looked exhausted after collapsing, so I just wanted to provide a place to rest. There was absolutely no indecent purpose like you're imagining."
"Oh?"
Sweat dripping.
I spat out the excuse I'd barely scraped together, inwardly sweating bullets as I gauged the woman's reaction.
Her expression urged me to keep going, but it didn't seem like she was buying it easily.
'Wait, why am I groveling like this?'
Thinking about it, I had a bit of a grievance too.
Who was it that went wild, fighting and smashing up in someone else's shop?
As the owner, kicking them out was not just my right but my duty, wasn't it?
I was the clear victim here, and they were the culprits who'd ruined my business.
Right. I had the right to be more assertive.
"Customer, the estimated damages our shop suffered from your fight with your companion today..."
But as I opened my mouth,
"Come to think of it, there's something I've been curious about."
Her words naturally cut me off.
"...What is it?"
"I've seen that formation for teleporting people to different locations somewhere else before..."
Flinch.
Killing intent suddenly rose from the woman, who'd been smiling just moments ago.
Shing.
"Are you remnants of the Blood Cult too?"
Before I knew it, her sword was aimed at my throat.
Gulp.
Blood Cult.
I'd heard that when the Lord crossed into this world, he'd taken over that faction.
They'd once been on the verge of dominating this world, only to touch the wrong demon king-like figure and get wiped out. Afterward, they'd struggled to rebuild when coincidence brought the Lord here.
Naturally, the Lord had seized the Blood Cult, and now he'd even called over the vampires from our original world to expand his forces.
So, judging from what this woman said,
For some reason, she held a grudge against vampires,
And she'd probably seen one use a warp gate right in front of her.
To put it simply,
'Fuck.'
I was in deep shit.
"C-Customer, Blood Cult? What are you..."
Stab.
Before I could even properly feign ignorance,
An ominous sound rang out.
Swish.
Looking down at the source, a familiar sword pierced through my heart.
'...Well, even if I'm dying, I should at least fight back as much as I can...'
My death was sealed anyway, but I couldn't just die meekly.
Regeneration was pointless, so I gathered mana in my palm and thrust it out, but
Slash.
The world spinning before my eyes was faster.
'Ah...'
In my darkening vision, my final thought was:
That I'd fallen for the wrong dangerous man.
"...If you're remnants of the Blood Cult, I can't let you live."
I said, gazing at the woman who'd lost her head and collapsed.
The red glow in her eyes as she tried one last trick before dying was clear proof of her ties to the Blood Cult.
It was the same back then, and it was the same now.
I show no mercy to anyone from the Blood Cult.
Any "mercy" toward them isn't mercy—it's arrogance and carelessness.
You must never show them mercy.
The longer they linger in this world, the more people suffer.
"May your place be in the deepest pit of hell."
I spat the strongest curse I could muster, then turned away.
Soyeen's voice echoed like an illusion in my ears.
[You're no different from me.]
'No different, huh.'
The woman I'd just cut down didn't die for targeting him.
She died because she was a remnant of the Blood Cult—beings whose very existence brought harm to the world without any benefit.
There was absolutely no selfish motive involved.
So I could say it proudly.
I was different from Soyeen.
"..."
Stepping over the bloodstains on the floor, I approached the woman who'd been called the assistant manager.
When the manager died, she'd collapsed on the spot like a puppet with its strings cut.
I'd first suspected she was plotting a sneak attack, but upon closer inspection, her body had gone cold—no warmth left.
'A curse where if one dies, the other does too.'
Based on what I'd seen, that was the only explanation.
I knew nothing else.
'The Blood Cult really has every manner of curse imaginable.'
Out of respect for the dead, I closed her unblinking eyes, then turned from the cold corpse.
Splash.
Stepping through the blood on the floor, I headed toward him where he lay collapsed.
Flash.
"Are you alright?"
"Heehee..."
"...You seem fine."
For his drunkenness to hold even in this situation...
It was impressive in many ways.
'It'd be better if he doesn't remember what happened today.'
How was I supposed to explain this after he woke up?
Your drunken master, who was dead, came back to life, fought her, got warped away by Blood Cult trickery. I happened to land nearby and returned quickly, but she's gone—who knows where?
'My head's already hurting.'
I'd explain in detail once he woke. For now, I headed outside.
Before leaving, I glanced at the nearly shattered mirror. My face stared back, colder and more rigid than usual.
"...Hoo."
It couldn't be helped.
So much had happened in a single night.
In a way, it was a welcome reunion; in another, an unpleasant one.
I even wished it was all a dream.
That I'd drunk with him, lost control and fallen asleep, and this was all just a dream.
Snort.
'As if.'
I shoved the impossible wish from my memory, picked him up, and headed out.
"D-Don't move!"
As expected, chaos reigned outside too.
With that much commotion, the nearby sects couldn't just sit idle.
They'd at least come to check what was going on.
A few even looked like Murim Alliance members.
"I'll explain once dawn breaks, so could you make way now?"
"Uh... um..."
"My companion is exhausted."
But despite my request, the path didn't open.
With no choice, I let out a bit of inner energy and spoke again.
"Will you make way?"
Maybe I should've done this from the start.
The warriors blocking the path scattered in an instant.
"Y-Yes! Please pass!"
"Thank you. I'll visit personally later."
Parting the crowd, I entered a suitable inn,
And placed the still-drunk him on my lap.
"...Hoo."
A sweet fragrance rose from him in my arms.
A lewd scent that tempted the mind just by inhaling it.
I'd confirmed he didn't use any special perfume, so it had to be innate.
Even I, at my level, couldn't easily ignore it—what about other women?
I understood why the manager had clung to him so desperately.
Not that I condoned it.
'Why did I even bring him to the tavern...?'
[You're no different from me.]
Soyeen's illusory voice passed through my mind again.
Was it really just to recreate that day of healing, dragging him to the tavern?
He'd chosen it, but knowing how much he loved drinking, I'd offered the tavern as an option.
'...Haa.'
I rested my head on his shoulder.
'Endure... hold back...'
Temptations hard to ignore kept surfacing, but with superhuman patience, I swung my sword at them.
Don't forget.
I am a sinner.
Even if Soyeen returned alive, it didn't change that I'd taught her poorly, causing him harm.
Even if he remembered nothing, it wouldn't change.
A sinner must atone.
Dare not harbor feelings for him.
I have no right to hold him in my heart.
No matter what happens from now on, never forget.
I have no right to harbor feelings for him.
Because I am different from Soyeen.