Chapter 175
Chapter 175
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 175
Chapter Title: Forced Rest (2)
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“……”
“Are you conscious?”
Theodore in front of me looked a bit disheveled from his efforts to wake me up.
Disheveled was perhaps an overstatement—it was just a few strands of hair loosened up.
“I really owe you my life, Theodore. You truly are a genius.”
“To say that in a situation like this…”
With his help, I pushed through the backlash and fully sat up, swinging my legs over the side of the bed.
At that moment, the orbs that had been whirling around the room like mad brushed past my body as if inspecting it.
“You knew, didn’t you? That my mind was starting to fray. That’s why you came up with this spell.”
“……”
Theodore wore a worried expression but didn’t open his mouth right away.
Which made sense—he wasn’t a doctor, nor was he the type to pry into others’ affairs.
Even so, it was clear that the moment my consciousness began to sink, his spell activated, allowing me to regain clarity more easily than before.
The fact that he could design a spell with that mechanism meant he had some idea of my condition.
“It’s fine, so tell me honestly.”
At my words, Theodore pulled a chair up to the bedside and sat down before speaking plainly.
“Yes, I knew. I was the first to witness Arma Cruise on the verge of being overtaken by her guardian angel.”
His tone was calm, but there was a hint of sullenness somewhere in it.
Theodore gazed at the magic stone orb lying depleted on the floor as he continued.
“Seeing that, I suspected some kind of mental restraint, so I designed this spell.”
“Mental restraint.”
The compulsion and anxiety from imprinted behaviors, the impatience, the autistic tendencies drawing me inward.
Even after witnessing Arthur under the grip of mental restraint right before my eyes, it hadn’t occurred to me that it was similar to what I was going through.
“Just now, I was staring at the orb and suddenly fell asleep. That was part of your spell too, right?”
“Yes. I’d observed Arma Cruise’s mental state deteriorating severely several times before actual possession began. So, I made it so that when turbid qi appears, it forces a shutdown.”
“I noticed unusual patterns in the orb’s movements. Those patterns trigger the forced sleep.”
“Correct.”
Come to think of it, the way Theodore had fixed Arthur, who was wasting away under the mental restraint’s progression, was none other than physical shock.
‘If Theodore hadn’t devised a new method, I might’ve ended up the same way.’
I should be grateful that Arthur volunteered as a test subject and inspired him.
Anyway, according to Theodore’s explanation, the spell he’d cast on me had a triple effect: it ‘monitored’ for possession states, the magic stone ‘tracked’ them, and it provided ‘self-defense’ protection.
“Indeed, whenever I entered ‘that state,’ I always caused trouble with my actions.”
Like trying to force pills down Theodore’s throat, or attempting to devour all the cadets at the full moon festival despite it being impossible, or going for Arthur’s throat, and so on.
If the people around me weren’t stronger than I was, I’d already be locked up in a detention center as an attempted criminal several times over.
“So, I’m good from now on? If those orbs shut me down every time my mind starts to slip?”
“No, I’ve limited the surveillance range to this room. I can only guarantee safety within here.”
“That’s enough.”
In a situation where I’d left my family’s embrace, and even the locals—strangers, essentially—wished for my death, having even one safe space was something.
“Thank you so much, Theodore.”
“……”
The methods I’d chosen to escape the guardian angel’s control up until now had mostly been self-harm.
Unlike the early days when it only appeared on the brink of death, now it exploited even the tiniest triggers to exert its power over me.
But if Theodore’s magic stone could aid my recovery like this, I could regain my senses with far less extreme measures than before.
“Please thank Cadet Izmel and Adrian too.”
“Of course.”
“Oh, and could you look into what’s up between Adrian and Dylan?”
“Senior Elman and Squad Leader Dylan…?”
Theodore echoed my words.
I’d react the same way if someone asked me to investigate two seemingly unrelated people.
“Is there something suspicious?”
“I wouldn’t even know where to start. Leaving aside the mask, the unnatural skill level, the frequent nighttime outings…”
Each one was suspiciously distinctive enough to make it hard to dismiss, but what struck me as oddest was this.
“The way he reacted with unusual agitation when we said Dylan had gone missing.”
“Does that seem odd for someone who’s normally friendly with Squad Leader Dylan?”
“I don’t know Dylan’s social circle that well, but even if they knew each other, it’s weird. Getting shaken by the disappearance news but not pressing for details—it feels like he’s hiding something.”
“That… makes sense.”
Exactly. That was precisely what bothered me.
Adrian’s reaction was too agitated for news of a stranger’s disappearance, yet too lukewarm for someone he knew.
In such cases, it’s more natural to assume they have some connection and he’s trying to hide it.
“Sorry for just sitting here nodding along, but you’ve basically confined me. It’s hard for me to investigate myself, so I’m asking you.”
“Understood.”
Theodore nodded and immediately started to stand.
I grabbed him as he headed for his outing gear and forcibly turned him around.
“Let’s leave the rest for tomorrow.”
“But—”
“Dylan and Collette both need our help right now. If you, our key asset, collapse, how big would that gap be? Right?”
“Isn’t it urgent, even a moment’s delay?”
“It is. Urgent, but… how much sleep have you gotten in the last two days?”
“Three hours…”
“You’re ruthless.”
At least while I was in my right mind, he hadn’t pulled all-nighters like this for two days straight.
So, I threatened him to either sleep on his own or let me read him a children’s folktale, then enjoyed his horrified expression.
I would’ve gladly read one if he wanted.
“Theodore, let’s both rest. Like you said, I won’t set foot outside this room. Five hours from now—when the evening bell rings—we both get up. Got it?”
Theodore gave his usual curt reply and reluctantly lay down.
I’d just woken up, so sleep didn’t come easy, but since I had this forced chance to rest, it was better to take it.
.
.
.
-Ding-dong, ding-dong…
After spending that strange time—not quite asleep, not quite awake—Theodore and I rose almost simultaneously.
Contrary to my worries, Theodore had slept deeply and, despite only five hours, looked refreshed as he finished gearing up to head out.
We donned flannel coats instead of heavy fur winter cloaks and changed our shoes.
“I can go out now, right?”
“[Boundary released]. Yes, you can now.”
With Theodore’s permission granted, I reached out without hesitation and turned the doorknob.
Just moments ago, whenever I’d tried to leave, magic stone orbs would fly in from somewhere to block me, but now that the spell was lifted, that wasn’t the case.
‘It can stop me from suddenly grabbing a weapon and heading out in an insane state.’
Even if the guardian angel seized control of my body, I was still the owner.
I was close to an ordinary person, with no overwhelming physical power or mana.
All I had to boast was above-average stamina from diligent training, and that was it.
Someone like me, with no real strength or mana, could be easily restrained by a spell like this.
The worry that I might harm others while asleep had lessened considerably, putting my mind a bit more at ease.
Starving after skipping a meal while sleeping, we hurried to the dining hall.
Despite everything that had happened, the place maintained its usual peaceful atmosphere, as if nothing was amiss.
“Just the two of you?”
“Three more from our group will join soon.”
“Then allow me to seat you at the large table by the window.”
The employee—sword at their waist, face obscured—bowed politely and led us to our seats.
Atop the table sat a large candelabra with four candles and the day’s main course: sweetly glazed roasted pork loin, already served.
Platters of salty mashed potatoes with sea salt and steamed fruits followed in quick succession.
‘A bit heavy for right after waking up.’
I ordered a peppermint tea to settle my stomach and waited for the three companions Theodore had mentioned.
I didn’t need to ask who they were—it was obvious.
-Creak.
Speak of the devil, and he shall appear. Apparently that applied to Arthur too.
Without even turning around, I knew Arthur had arrived, plain as day.
“Arthur Usher, senior…”
“It’s been ten years since a cadet skipped grades into Master Class.”
“Is the rumor true that he’s on bad terms with Senior Arma Cruise? He attacked her like he wanted to kill her.”
Because of the hard-to-ignore murmurs like that.
Sounds I wouldn’t have caught amid a crowd on a normal day now flew straight into my ears.
It was true our relationship with Arthur had been strained, but the wild rumors likely stemmed from him swinging his sword at me two days ago.
“Arthur’s a full-fledged celebrity now. Already basking in the fame.”
“It’s just a change in the epithet. He always drew attention anyway.”
Arthur arrived slowly at the dining table, guided by the same employee who’d seated us.
I greeted him with a smile warmer than our plan called for and said,
“Arthur, congrats on the promotion. And about two days ago—”
“I’m sorry about that. It was a golden opportunity, and I regret not finishing you off.”
The brutal remark, stripped of any preamble, sent murmurs rippling through the room.
It completely undermined my efforts to smooth things over casually. Haha.