Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Olivia's Desperate Plea
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Charlotte dragged Olivia Number One out of there, like she was pulling a friend away from a bar fight.
"You okay?"
I comforted Olivia Number Two, who must have been shaken up in all sorts of ways. I couldn't understand why she'd flip out like that over a kid.
No matter how badly she wanted something, there were limits.
"...I'm fine."
The little Olivia trembled but spoke bravely anyway.
"...I just thought my big sis must be disappointed in me, and that hurt a little..."
"Big sis?"
"The black-haired one. She looks just like Mom... Olivia...? The big sister with the same name as me."
"Ah."
She meant Olivia Number One.
"You think she was disappointed in you? Why?"
Olivia Number Two hesitated, mumbling her answer.
"She told me. She said I mustn't let Uncle find out she can see things... that if he did, I might get hurt."
"She said that? To you? Why?"
"I don't know. She said it, and it scared me... so I pretended not to see her in front of Uncle."
"......"
I had no clue what that was about. Was there really any need to scheme like that?
Was it something she had to be careful about, knowing the future and all?
She's already spilled the beans about regressing. What's left that can't be known?
I gently stroked Olivia Number Two to calm her down, then shot Nine a sidelong glare. My look said, Explain yourself.
Nine gave an awkward smile and turned her head toward the inn door, like she was checking on Number One outside.
Or maybe all three of them were in on it together.
Does a 33% stake mean she can't speak up carelessly?
It was ridiculous.
"You okay?"
All I could do right now was soothe Olivia Number Two.
She gradually settled down. Her breathing evened out.
"...I'm okay. Thank you for protecting me."
"Protected you? That's a stretch. What did I even do?"
Her gratitude embarrassed me. I brushed it off modestly.
Ding-a-ling-!
The inn door bell made Olivia Number Two jump behind me in fright. Lisa came downstairs too, having finished showing the victims to their rooms.
"Welcome... oh, not customers."
Realizing they weren't guests, Lisa headed to the counter with a disappointed look.
Olivia Number One strode in confidently. Had she already erased that stunt from her mind?
Her face was the picture of shamelessness.
"Dyke, let's talk for a sec."
"Me?"
Shouldn't you apologize to the little Olivia you're scaring every time she sees you first?
I glared at her pointedly, and the big Olivia shot a glance at the little one before saying,
"Yeah, sorry. Happy now?"
"Doesn't sound sincere at all."
"What do you want? Me to get on my knees? Huh? Is that it?"
"......"
Her sharp tone made it clear: this was Number One's idea of maximum concession.
Pushing further would get us nowhere.
I patted Olivia Number Two's back and pointed to Denis, signaling her to go there while I talked with Number One.
The little Olivia scampered to the counter. Her wobbly run looked precarious.
She'd acted tough around me, but she was still terrified.
"That little bitch... pretending to be scared..."
Olivia Number One ground her teeth and growled. To her wicked eyes, the frightened child's act must have looked repulsive.
Demon. She's a demon.
How the hell did she raise a kid to turn out like this? What had Dyke Number One done...?
I won't raise her like that. I'll raise Number Two better than anyone.
Thanks to this derailed Number One, my resolve surged. I'd raise Number Two to be the kindest soul ever.
My boring routine suddenly had a goal.
Olivia led Dyke outside. She took him to a secluded spot where no one from the inn could possibly overhear.
Dyke followed silently behind her. He had that let's hear what she has to say mindset.
"What do you want to talk about?"
Dyke's voice dripped with edge.
The grown-up vs. kid dynamic put Olivia Number One at a disadvantage, no matter what she said. To sway him, she'd need something shocking.
Twenty years.
Twenty whole years. They'd shared joy, anger, love, and hate. She knew everything about Dyke.
She was confident.
"Dyke, the truth is..."
Olivia Number One laid out nothing but the facts, no lies mixed in.
Pure sincerity. She conveyed the emotions and heartfelt truths she'd felt over those years.
Past me. Doesn't matter—you're still just a kid.
She was a weakling at heart. But she knew how to wield her weapons to the max. She'd have analyzed it already.
The young Olivia was playing pitiful on purpose to mess with her and shake Dyke's heart.
No words needed. It was obvious without looking.
Was she going to let that slide?
Sentimental appeals weren't Number Two's exclusive domain.
"It's not about some separate issue... or worrying about butterfly effects from regression or anything?"
"...Yeah."
"Pure jealousy, then? You hate that Number Two's hogging all my attention?"
"Yes!"
Not a shred of deceit. Since she was hiding nothing, her intentions were unreadable.
Even Dyke, who'd been doubting her motives, started to buy it bit by bit.
She'd messed up because she liked him too much. What could Dyke do about that?
A light scolding, and done.
And Dyke's especially weak to this stuff.
He'd been brutally rejected by the parents' generation. His moms had left him for better men.
So he thirsted for being loved.
He denies it, but... it's obvious.
That was why he was so hung up on Denis. No matter how dirty her past, she gave him love.
Unfeigned affection was the one way to melt Dyke.
"Daddy..."
Olivia Number One gifted him her purity. Even the chance to thrust into her herself.
Things are different this time. Her feelings for me have to be different too.
Before regression, Dyke had taken her virginity too. But the nuance was off.
It wasn't Dyke taking her—it was her forcing it on him. Sexual torture.
All Dyke Number One did was get hard. After over ten years of devoted child-rearing, suddenly pounced on and coerced by the kids he'd raised.
Look at his face. He's already done for.
Olivia's prediction hit the mark. Dyke was warming to her.
Her curt, picky speech? Tina made it harmless. As Tina's daughter, even tantrums didn't faze him.
Her occasional outright insults stung the heart a bit.
But the virginity gift offset the damage. No matter how she tormented him, thinking she'd given him her purity made it okay.
Dyke's lingering attachments to the heroines ran deeper than imagined.
Olivia knew his personality well. She knew this was the moment.
She drove the wedge home.
"Why... why are you doing this?!"
She dropped to her knees before Dyke.
"...Daddy. I can't live without you. She might not get it, but... my heart's full of memories of our time together."
Like Number Two had, she clung to his leg. Dyke floundered, trying to push the adult Olivia away.
But she wasn't going anywhere.
"What the..."
It was herself, after all. If her younger self got loved and raised right, wouldn't that be good?
It was hard to comprehend. Unless he became the one in that position, he'd never get it.
Dyke sighed.
"Fine. Fine, so get up already."
"...You forgive me?"
"Forgive what. Just don't do it again."
"......"
Dyke hesitated a moment. He raised his hand, then lowered it, conflicted.
Then he placed it on Olivia Number One's head. Exactly like he'd done for Number Two.
Olivia smirked inwardly.
So sweet, my daddy.
Too sweet. That was the problem.
Thinking it was better for him to get hurt than other good people.
Foolish man.
This time, I won't let it end like that.
Kill the Demon King. That much, Dyke and the Number Twos could handle.
The kids had the same talents as them, after all.
What the regressed Number Ones prepared was what came after.
The Demon King's curse killed the one the Hero Dyke loved most.
So what if Dyke loved several most? Who would the curse target?
The Goddess who'd regressed the Number Ones had said: dilute the curse.
Even after twenty years together, Dyke loved Denis most. The Number Ones couldn't beat her.
But what about his own blood?
Daddy saved us. We'll save Daddy too.
The only women who'd bear this fool's child were them. Olivia was certain of it.