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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Finding the Skeleton
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"That's a bit… Ugh!"
As I hesitated to answer, Lily punched me in the stomach, then, with a stern expression, began to lecture me.
"In this kind of condition, where exactly do you think you're going? Didn't I tell you? If you're not feeling well, don't just leave it; get treatment right away. Otherwise, it just makes things harder for me."
"That's true, but… Ugh!"
"It's the same right now. Mr. Caramel, even when I hit you gently like this, you're screaming like a baby. You, of all people, Mr. Caramel. Do you really not understand how serious your condition is?"
It didn't feel like she was hitting me gently.
In any case, I was well aware that my condition was serious, so I had to keep my mouth shut.
"If you understand, then lie still. Thanks to you, Mr. Caramel, coming in this state, someone is going to have a very difficult night."
Saying that, Lily pulled a pack of rolled tobacco from her pocket and placed it beside her.
—*Click*.
Lily put one of them to her dainty lips and lit it with practiced ease.
Puff. As she exhaled smoke, the fresh scent of fruit and the pungent smell unique to tobacco stung my nose.
"...I'm sorry."
Watching Lily, who had a resolute expression as she tied back her long, pale purple hair, I had to apologize in a voice as small as a mosquito's.
Because Lily would have to use her holy power on my critical condition and endure immense pain as a consequence.
Of course, it was an unavoidable situation, but feeling guilty towards Lily was also unavoidable.
"You don't need to be sorry."
Lily, who had begun to channel her holy power, replied in a soft tone.
I tried to answer her, but.
Perhaps my condition really was that bad, as I was enveloped by her holy power, my body grew languid, and my eyes slowly began to close.
"Just don't die."
Why? Why did Lily's trembling voice make my heart pound like that?
With that meaningless question as my last thought, my consciousness briefly faded.
"..."
How much time had passed?
Realizing my consciousness had returned, I felt incredibly refreshed.
'Amazing, really.'
I feel it every time, but Lily's holy power possesses such remarkable healing abilities that it could truly be called a divine authority.
Just moments ago, I was clearly in a state where even walking was difficult.
Now, my body feels not only light enough to fly, but also brimming with vitality.
'I feel like I've recovered too well.'
Was it because my stats had soared dramatically just before?
Or was it simply because I was a healthy man who had just woken up?
A certain part of my body was much more engorged than usual, threatening to burst.
'This is insane.'
Normally, I would have been praising myself, thinking, 'As expected, I'm strong.'
The problem was that I hadn't woken up in my own dormitory.
"Mmm..."
Had she been very tired? I turned my head and saw Lily's beautiful face, defenseless in her sleep, using my arm as a pillow.
Lily's shallow, soft breaths brushed against my face.
The sweet scent of fruit and Lily's subtle natural fragrance tickled my nose.
Perhaps it was because she was wearing only a thin slip. The soft touch of her skin, felt through my own, ceaselessly stimulated my senses.
It seemed she had fallen asleep from exhaustion after the healing.
Even so, Lily right now was utterly defenseless, and even fatally alluring.
'Why is she so defenseless?'
I knew that Lily, who I had helped four years ago, trusted me.
And I had no intention of betraying that trust, but…
'I'm a man, too...'
A very robust one at that.
Perhaps that's why. It was incredibly difficult to control my impure thoughts.
I tried so hard to close my eyes, but...
As if dominated by instinct, my eyelids kept opening, and my gaze ceaselessly devoured Lily's beautiful face and cleavage.
"Hmph..."
Just then, a pained sound reached my ears.
I forced my eyes open again, and saw Lily grimacing as if in pain, tears welling up in her eyes.
'What was I thinking right now...?'
Seeing that, the impure thoughts that had dominated my mind crumbled like a sandcastle.
Coming to my senses, I embraced Lily and gently stroked her hair.
I decided that it wouldn't be too late to entertain such thoughts after this child was completely free from pain, so I should endure it now.
And so, I stayed awake all night.
Or so I thought.
—*Clunk*.
—*Chirp*.
Suddenly, the sound of a window opening and birds chirping reached my ears.
I opened my eyes to see warm sunlight streaming through the open window.
"You're awake. How's your body feeling?"
I turned my head and saw Lily, already dressed in her priestess robes, a rolled tobacco stick in her mouth.
"Thanks to you. Honestly, I feel like I could fly."
"That's good. In that case..."
As I answered, Lily, for some reason, pouted her lips and made a sulky face.
"The Mother Superior will be here soon, so you might as well fly away."
She gestured towards the open window, speaking to me in a hushed tone.
Telling me to jump out of the 7th floor.
****
After jumping out of the 7th floor, I immediately headed to Jane's office.
Because Jane must have been waiting endlessly for news, staying awake all night.
Upon arriving at the office, I explained the entire situation to her.
What fate had befallen Duke Astrea and Grid.
What information the Academy and the Holy Empire had gathered.
"So that's how it ended up..."
Jane listened to my explanation to the end, then collapsed onto the sofa, closing her bloodshot eyes as she replied.
Jane's expression, with her eyes closed, was incredibly complex, and I could somewhat understand her feelings.
'So much had changed overnight.'
The man who had driven her and her brother into the abyss of death was gone.
Yet, that man was the head of her family, and once, the father she had loved and who had loved her.
'It must be difficult in many ways.'
The emptiness she was bound to feel from losing a family member, whether she liked it or not,
The burden of having to protect her family from nobles who were like jackals,
The anxiety about the unknown future awaiting her and her brother.
No matter what choice she made, it was undeniably clear that Jane's future would be arduous.
"...Thank you."
As I was thinking that, Jane's voice reached me.
"Truly."
I raised my head and saw Jane bowing deeply to me.
"It was a contract, so there's no need to thank me. Anyway, what are your plans now?"
Though I felt a pang of pity seeing her like that, I deliberately feigned indifference as I asked.
"You said no traces were left, right? And no one found the carriage either."
"I didn't clean it up myself, but that's the situation."
"It'll take a considerable amount of time for the news of his death to spread."
"Right."
"Then I'll just pretend not to know, make preparations, and return at an opportune time."
I listened to Jane's answer and quietly nodded.
I couldn't help but admire Jane slightly for picking the best option even in such a situation.
"Since you've fulfilled your end of the contract, I must do the same."
Jane took out a communication orb and handed it to me.
"You may command Astrea anytime."
She knelt and bowed deeply to me.
"Just keep it a secret."
Feeling awkward, I replied, then recalled the terms of the contract I had made with Jane.
'Was I too excessive?'
It was because I couldn't trust her, but suddenly, that thought occurred to me.
Was it too much to demand lifelong loyalty from a ducal young lady, who was in an extreme situation, in exchange for saving her life?
'No.'
My head shook, dismissing the fleeting doubt.
No matter the circumstances, the actions Jane had committed against Sage were absolutely unforgivable.
Furthermore, humans are the kind of animals who can always repeat something they've done once, aren't they?
So it was only natural. It was natural to impose strong restrictions on Jane, who already had a record.
Above all, having the influence of a ducal family under my command would clearly be of great help to me.
"Oh, and..."
As I was thinking that, Jane looked at me with hesitation.
When I tilted my head, Jane began to mumble in a voice as small as a mosquito's.
"To, to Sage... no matter what happens, I'll apologize to him directly. It's not, it's not because of the contract."
Hearing her mumble, I quietly nodded, then stepped out the door.
****
I had killed Duke Astrea and one of the Seven Deadly Sins.
I stopped the 'Wings of Freedom' terror attack, and sent a recently awakened demon across the rainbow bridge.
So, it should have been perfectly natural for this semester to pass without any incidents or trouble, yet...
'Damn it.'
Having been robbed by a mysterious skeleton, I had to wander through every corner of the Academy grounds and Adenia to find it.
'This won't work.'
The conclusion I reached after roaming Adenia for two days.
If I keep going like this, I'll never find that damn skeleton.
Because the one I'd glimpsed didn't possess even a speck of magical energy.
'It's a talking skeleton, so why doesn't it have any magical energy?!'
It made no sense. It clearly spoke and moved, yet it wasn't a mere skeleton or a Spathoi.
It was frustrating. In this vast Adenia, how was I supposed to find a skeleton with no magical energy?
'I can't do this alone.'
Realizing the gravity of the situation, I decided to mobilize all my limited connections and ask for help.
Among them, the first person I met was Daisy.
"A talking skeleton?"
Daisy tilted her head and asked in return.
The reason I asked Daisy for help was obvious.
'Because Daisy was so resourceful.'
When I was struggling to find the Toy of Greed, Daisy, after hearing my story, had compiled an enormous amount of information in just one day.
Therefore, Daisy was one of the few people I could rely on.
Was she going to live up to my expectations?
"Ah, Mr. Caramel. Now that I think about it..."
Daisy, who had been lost in thought, soon opened her dainty lips.
"My father said he's coming here next week. What was it, he said he was coming to see his son-in-law..."
Her eyes narrowed, as if trying to gauge my reaction.