Action Again (1)

I picked up the doll.

Did it self-miniaturize due to the fatal wound?

It was a blow that wouldn’t have been strange if she died on the spot…

“She’s not dead, right?”

[Surely not.]

I could only ponder, not knowing if it was the death she wanted.

Leaving Bloody, who had suddenly torn through subspace and was closely examining the Jekyll doll, I continued walking.

[Hmm. I can do it with my ability.]

“That’s good.”

[You don’t seem very interested?]

I glanced at the fifth sentence that was being composed.

“It’s not particularly important, is it? More than that, hurry up and repair her.”

The subspace that was slowly closing opened again, and magic stones poured out.

[This one works… this one’s useless…]

Bloody checked the magic stones one by one and selected them, then grabbed a few purple stones with light and chanted a spell.

Soon, looking at the heart-shaped carving, he nodded with satisfaction.

[This is why I like the spirit realm.]

“It hasn’t collapsed, huh.”

[Of course not! Do you think an entire ecosystem disappears so easily! The restoration work is almost done!]

I nodded roughly and stopped walking. Beyond the field piled with corpses, I saw a few people who looked like Association hunters.

The doll shook. The cloth near its small chest tore and emitted a faint light. The heart made of magic stones was inserted inside as if fitting in, and threads that came out of the cloth patched up that part.

[It’s indeed a different quality body. I didn’t know it had a self-healing function. A body that can immediately adapt to magic stones extracted from the 3rd zone is rare.]

The Jekyll doll blinked its eyes. Its eyes blinked a few times and its head turned this way and that.

Then its small hands cupped its cheeks.

“My beautiful world!”

“That ship has sailed.”

“Ugh…”

Not knowing what to say, I thought for a moment and then just opened my mouth.

“You don’t seem very surprised.”

“About what?”

“Being reborn?”

Silence fell.

Jekyll lowered her eyes and touched the clothes she was wearing.

“What! Why have I become younger!”

“When I looked earlier, there was a scent of the spirit realm on you. Have you perhaps been on a business trip there?”

A moment of contemplation passed.

“Well, I have visited a few times before. When I entered the entrance, it was for the project, but when I returned, there was a body I coveted, so I cut up the visible bodies and implanted them into mine.”

Jekyll, who was still floating in the air as if not yet adjusted to her body, turned this way and that.

Bloody, who had been quiet, was appalled.

[Gyaah! No wonder several hundred corpses weren’t accounted for! It was your doing?!]

“They were dead forms anyway.”

[To think you targeted the chaotic recovery period…]

“I didn’t target it. I just saw them and took them.”

[That’s the same thing!]

After listening to their conversation, I turned my gaze.

The battle seemed to be over, and I could see hunters gathering and talking.

“Anyway, thanks to that, you were able to regenerate your body. Well done.”

“Huhu. It’s nothing. Aureli-nim is so kind!”

I approached the hunters and responded roughly.

“Well, that’s right. Enjoy it a lot in advance.”

I met eyes with a man whose armor was dirty. The man trembled for a moment but then quickly changed to a calm expression.

“Hello. Good work on the battle. I’ve taken care of Jekyll.”

“Ah, yes. Is that so?”

“Yes. Are you in the process of restoration? Would you like some help?”

The man and a few other hunters exchanged glances and then turned their gaze back to me.

“We appreciate the thought, but we’re fine. We’ll be withdrawing soon anyway.”

I looked around. There were still uncleaned corpses and various weapons scattered about.

“You don’t have to decline. You’re going to collect all these items anyway, right? The magic stones too. The Association will need them too, so let’s just do it now.”

“We really are fine. The processing team will be here soon. We need to make contact too.”

Ah, contact.

“I see. Alright then.”

“Yes. I’ll let the Association know that Aureli-nim is heading there.”

“Thank you.”

I bowed my head and turned to leave.

“Puhah! You said you took care of me?! That’s too much!”

“It seems I did well to keep your mouth shut.”

Jekyll grumbled for a while and then changed the subject.

“It’s too much no matter how I think about it. I said I’d help! They should have just graciously accepted the kindness!”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not like it particularly harmed me. And they said the processing team is coming, so those people probably have their procedures.”

It seemed we had walked quite far, so I looked back. I could see those hunters from earlier going around collecting weapons.

“Those trash. Let’s just kill them. They were liars, doing it themselves when they said they wouldn’t.”

It was such a just reason.

[Aureli…]

“It can’t be helped. Well.”

“It’s frustrating! We could just kill them all! Why aren’t you taking action?! After trampling me so diligently! Where did that past appearance go!”

“It’s because I don’t care what happens now.”

Silence fell.

I stuffed Jekyll, who seemed at a loss for words, into my pocket and continued walking.

“I’ll take you to the Association.”

I should be satisfied just having a place to return to.

I opened the office door.

Wondering if the Director was there, I glanced at the seat, but only the desk was there.

“You’re back now?”

“Yeah.”

I answered reflexively.

“I’ve vanquished evil. Now there’s no darkness.”

Erica smiled slightly and then sat down on the chair next to me and gestured.

“Then I should give you a reward.”

As I approached obediently, Erica reached out her hand to me. I closed my eyes and enjoyed the touch on my head.

“You did well.”

“…Don’t treat me like a child.”

“But you are a child.”

I puffed out my cheeks.

Erica poked my cheek as if I was cute.

“Want some coffee?”

“Pet me more.”

“Geez. You’re such a spoiled child.”

Tens of seconds that felt like seconds passed.

“Alright, that’s enough. Let’s drink coffee now.”

“Do it more. More.”

“No more for today.”

I looked dejectedly at her as she moved away towards the coffee machine.

I’m being trained…

“Pu-public displays of affection shouldn’t be done in front of others, I think.”

“You people are extras outside our relationship, so you don’t have the right to care about such things.”

“That’s mean.”

Jekyll grumbled and then pointed with her small hand at the coffee Erica was brewing.

“Is that coffee?”

“Yes.”

“Americano?”

“You know well.”

“It’s bitter, isn’t it?”

“It is.”

“Then why do you like it?”

What was it that I longed for?

Was it the bitter taste of coffee? Or was it the conversation with her?

“Jekyll-nim wouldn’t understand. I don’t understand either.”

The machine stopped and Erica brought two cups, holding one out in front of me.

As I put it to my mouth, a bitter taste spread.

“We’ll rest for a few days, and then the next schedule is Yangju City.”

“Going to see Iris?”

“Yes. We received a telegram saying they’ve secured an area where magical beast subjugation is possible thanks to driving out the faction.”

It’s a good opportunity for her to obtain supplies and resources too. Is calling Erica a way of saying they’ll share with the Association side?

“I have something I’m curious about.”

“Yes?”

“When are we going to drink alcohol?”

There’s been no word since we briefly talked about it last time.

“I want to see you drunk soon.”

“…You still remember that?”

“Of course. It’s about you.”

“I can’t even speak.”

Erica cleared her throat a few times and then seemed to be thinking deeply about something.

“Umm. Well, I’ll think about it.”

“You mean you want to show me your drunken appearance soon.”

“Are you going to keep doing this? I, I have a high alcohol tolerance, you know?”

I stared at her intently. Erica slightly avoided my gaze.

“I see. I’ll look forward to it.”

“Ugh…”

Time passed and the Director came.

Leaving Erica working, I went up to the upper floor and delivered Jekyll.

“You’re joking, right? Surely you’re not trying to hand me over to that vicious Director?!”

“You’ll get used to it and be fine.”

There’s nowhere else to put her, and it seems like she’d be too noisy to carry around.

“Does she think I do human experiments or something?”

“The Director does have a somewhat scary side, doesn’t she?”

“I never thought I’d hear you say that.”

“A joke born from our relationship.”

Jekyll flailed her small arms.

“No! I said no! Let go! Let me go!”

It was after that that her body was tightly bound with small ropes.

“This looks good. Really good. Looking at it like this, it even seems somewhat cute.”

“Shut that mouth! I’ll… you…!”

The rope wrapped around Jekyll’s mouth too. The Director stroked her chin.

“You didn’t kill her?”

“I did, but I revived her.”

“How?”

“Because she had a body from the spirit realm implanted.”

“Ah, I see.”

Perhaps because she’s not an expert in this field, the Director just nodded roughly.

I looked at Jekyll, who was making muffled sounds, for a moment.

She must be suffocating.

“Don’t worry too much. Aureli told me not to kill you. And who knows, you might even grow fond of this place as you stay here.”

“You’re very tolerant.”

“There’s a saying to love your enemies. I don’t love them though.”

The Director gestured towards the shelf beyond the table. A doll wearing a rope was lying face down.

Its back part repeatedly contracted and relaxed to a steady rhythm, as if it was sleeping.

“Seran is doing well too.”

When the rope was untied, Jekyll screamed.

“Then what are those scratch marks and broken objects next to her?!”

“She went wild, probably because I didn’t give her the medicine she needs to take regularly.”

“What kind of medicine?”

“Sleeping pills.”

After thinking for a moment, I nodded.

“Seran-nim must like sleeping pills.”

“That’s something even I didn’t know.”

“Don’t lie! You forcibly fed her because she was resisting! You bastard!”

I smiled slightly and then opened my mouth.

“Take good care of her. Don’t treat her roughly.”

“How could I do that when you’re watching?”

“Then at least while I’m watching.”

When the Director silently looked at me, I turned my body and left the office.

I let her live because it wasn’t the death she wanted.

Contradictorily.

Me.