Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Back from My Walk
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I was really pissed off.
I'd gone to the fourth floor with such a light heart!
Chatting away happily with Yuna, sightseeing casually, and planning to time it just right!
"But do you know what that bitch said?!"
I slammed the table as I vented to Dasom.
"What the hell is this crap? We gotta eat it together or something!"
In the process, Yuna ignored me and even flung me to the floor!
"That's why I got mad! You wouldn't?!"
Dasom nodded vigorously.
Sure enough, even Dasom thought it was infuriating.
I thought I'd calmed down, but thinking about it again got me fired up!
Swoosh.
"Mmm..."
But then Dasom suddenly slid her cake plate over to me.
Just seeing it made my anger vanish in an instant.
"Hehe, you thought of me?"
Nod, nod.
"Dasom, you're so cute!"
She's cute to look at, and her actions are just too adorable!
"I've had plenty of cake already, so it's fine! I'll have a macaron!"
Even so, snatching Dasom's cake felt wrong, so I slid it back.
Instead, I took a bite of a strawberry macaron.
With Dasom cheering me up and that one bite of macaron, my anger fully subsided.
"Yeah. I gave it a proper thrashing, so I guess I can let it go."
She probably underestimated me because I was trapped in that doll body.
Anomalies are basically beastly by nature.
They see anything weaker than them as prey, right?
So I folded it up nice and neat. Devoured all its power.
It's probably ceased to exist by now.
"Sigh. I'm too nice."
Really. If it weren't for Yuna, I would've smashed it to pieces until my anger wore off.
"I used some strength, so I'm gonna take a nap! Wake me when tea time's ready!"
Nod, nod.
I pushed the remaining desserts over to Dasom. Then I dove onto the bed.
'That' wasn't hard to fold away, but breaking out of the doll took a lot out of me.
Not enough to pass out from exhaustion, though.
A quick nap should have me fully recovered.
I felt my eyes slowly closing not long after lying down.
"What's that castle?"
"No idea. First time here on this side."
The voices woke me up.
Voices I'd never heard before.
I quickly realized where I was.
This wasn't a Foundation containment room. It was the other side.
The voices must have unconsciously pulled me here.
"For now... doesn't seem like anything's around."
"Check thoroughly anyway. You never know."
I blinked.
Two men were poking around the area.
They weren't from the 'Company.' Everyone from there wears a uniform when entering the other side.
So, from some other group?
"Whew, think we came too far this time."
"Fuck, I know! That's why I'm being careful!"
"Keep your voice down, you idiot!"
Hmm.
Doesn't seem like it.
They just look way too sloppy at a glance. I wondered how losers like these were even still alive.
Perfect! You're my playthings for today!
"Ta-da!"
I revealed myself with a flourish.
The ones searching around bulged their eyes and froze solid.
Mindless move number one.
Freezing in place when something pops out? Might as well beg to be killed.
Roll on the ground or dive away to even have a chance.
"H-huh."
They snapped out of it late and slowly backed away.
Of course, I wasn't going to let them.
"No running away."
Wouldn't that just be boring if they escaped now?
So I drew out a power I rarely used.
I saw my reflection in their eyes.
My eyes were dyed purple, spinning round and round.
At the same time, their eyes started spinning too.
A moment later.
"How the hell did you get all the way here?!"
"This place is dangerous!"
The two men started talking to me in worried tones.
I hadn't done anything extreme.
Just convinced them I was 'human.'
I just smiled.
They freaked out for a bit, then told me to follow them.
Said they'd take me somewhere safe.
"Okay."
I said sure.
They immediately decided to head back and started moving.
I considered stopping them before they reached the exit, but changed my mind.
I'd spotted a sinister glint in their eyes.
"Hehe."
This could be fun too.
"Don't make a sound when we pass that spot ahead."
"Stay quiet."
The two were sloppy, but they weren't total newbies here.
"Why?"
"There's something nearby..."
"No need to explain every detail. Obey if you wanna live."
One started to explain, but the other scowled and cut him off.
Seemed tension had spiked again.
I just shut my mouth as requested.
Punishing them here would be too quick.
Plus, I was curious what they were so scared of.
Ssshh-.
My curiosity was satisfied soon enough.
Not long after we started walking silently, something appeared in the distance.
A misshapen lump like white clay mangled by rough hands.
The standout feature was its ridiculously huge ears.
I almost burst out laughing at the sight.
It reminded me of that time I trailed some people sightseeing.
It was such a pathetic thing, barely worthy of being called an anomaly.
Any normal person could bash it if they knew how to fight.
Yet these two grown men turned pale and froze the moment they saw it.
Truly hilarious.
Swoosh.
Then it looked my way.
The men bulged their eyes again.
Their faces said it all.
They were utterly terrified.
But the thing hesitated... then bolted in the opposite direction.
It took one look at me and fled in fear.
Whoosh, whoosh-.
Not until long after it was gone did the men finally signal to hurry and start moving.
On the way to the exit, it happened a few more times.
An anomaly approaching, then spotting me and running off.
"This won't do."
It was the same last time. This was killing the fun.
So I dialed back my presence sharply.
To the level of a perfectly ordinary human child.
Luckily or not, we didn't run into any more anomalies after that.
"Phew."
"We survived."
As the exit door came into view, they let out sighs of relief.
I thought about doing something, but let it slide.
Things would probably get interesting after we got out anyway.
That sinister glint in their eyes wasn't fading—in fact, it was growing stronger.
But just as we reached the door...
Sploooosh-!
Something burst up from the ground.
"Uwaaah!"
"Gasp!"
Naturally, the two men freaked and stumbled back.
Thud!
But a thrusting tentacle grabbed one of them.
It didn't look that strong to me.
A swing of the knives they'd brought as weapons would suffice.
"S-save me!"
Yet the grabbed one was just screaming for his life in panic.
Even more ridiculous was the other guy.
He looked shocked at first, like he might help, then hesitated and glanced at me.
His eyes were filled with blatant 'desire.'
Thud!
The next instant.
The man shoved his companion without a second thought.
"Huh?"
The grabbed man was yanked away by the tentacle.
Crunch!
And sucked straight into a mouth full of serrated teeth.
"Let's go!"
The pusher grabbed my wrist roughly and bolted for the door.
The thing that popped out seemed satisfied with its prey and didn't pursue.
Thanks to that, the man and I passed through the door without issue.
"Hah, huff."
The man only stopped panting after putting some distance past the door.
Then he turned to me with gleaming eyes and said,
"That back there! It was unavoidable! We had to save ourselves! You get it, right?"
"Hehe."
What a pathetically dumb excuse.
He really expects me to buy that?
"Th-think I'm joking? We could've all died!"
"Really?"
It hadn't looked like a situation that warranted it.
I didn't hide my skepticism, and his face twisted in rage.
"Who do you think risked their life to save you?! Huh? You'd be dead back there without me!"
He spat out his fury.
But hilariously, even in that moment, his eyes gleamed with desire.
"If it weren't for dead weight like you, nothing would've happened."
So entertaining.
Rationalizing like that in such a short time.
It made zero sense, yet he seemed to believe it wholeheartedly.
I'm not bad.
I did it to survive.
Definitely not to claim the 'spoils' for myself.
The man slowly approached.
I stopped listening to his mumbling nonsense.
This was plenty of fun.
Time for a different kind of amusement. I pointed at the man's shoulder with my finger.
"Yap!"
Crunch!
"A... aaaagh!"
The man screamed.
His shoulder I'd pointed at had vanished, as if bitten off by something.
"Aaaagh! You bitch! What the!"
He writhed in agony, utterly confused.
I pointed at his leg next.
"Yap!"
Crunch!
This time, the leg.
Then arm. Thigh. Side.
His screams grew louder, turning to desperate pleas for mercy.
"Hehehe."
Watching him crawl was quite the spectacle.
But if I were just going to kill him, I wouldn't have bothered with all this.
So I stopped at the right moment and reached out with my hand.
A message to engrave into his hazy mind.
"Spread the word to everyone who knows about that world. Do your best. If I don't like it, I'll come find you again."
I'd chomped him in spots, but he wouldn't die.
Humans are fragile yet astonishingly tough.
Well, if he croaks, oh well.
Time to head back to the Foundation.
Tea time with Dasom should be starting soon.