A Feast for You (5)

Jewel-like tears flow, drop by drop. Not only is I being cooked alive, but I’m also seeing a doppelganger who looks exactly like me? This was cosmic horror itself. My blood-drained, pale skin shivers. Even if I lost my memories and became an idiot, the incomprehensible existence stimulates humanity’s primal fear, and there are no exceptions to this. Whether you’re an idiot or a genius, scary is scary.

‘I’, letting out a small, lewd moan, floated up and approached Yujin.

-That’s right, Yujin. I’m Yujin too, and you’re Yujin.

“Yuuh, Yujin?”

-Did you even forget your own name?

Yujin… Yujin. It felt like I was about to remember. It was the first time I’d heard the name, but it felt familiar, as if it had always been mine. A faint headache started. If I thought a little harder, it felt like something would come to mind, but the more I racked my brain, the clearer the pain became, turning into bubbles.

-You don’t look so good.

You think? You can tell just by looking. I’m dying in real-time right now. Yujin hated this other version of myself who was just flapping her gums without helping. At the same time, my pupils dilated. The consciousness I had barely managed to salvage sank again. I didn’t even have the strength to roll my eyes.

That’s when it happened. Just before my eyes closed, I saw the loathsome version of ‘me’ covering my face.

-Yujin.

The other me climbed on top of my body, face to face. And whispered. I couldn’t feel the weight. But I could definitely feel the hot breath. Our breaths intertwined. My lifeless, cold breath mixed with the flushed, hot breath of ‘me’, swirling together.

“….”

-Shall I help you?

Yujin, another me who has lost her memories. I will help you. She whispered persistently. The more I listened, the more I felt like I was being dragged to the other side of the world. She grabbed my bloodless, cold cheeks and said again. Her touch was warm. I felt the warm touch and opened my ears.

-You want to live, don’t you?

You want to live, don’t you? She spoke confidently, as if she could save me right away. There was no sense of crisis in her eyes. She just wore a bitter smile, as if she found this whole situation very amusing.

I looked at that obnoxious face and thought. Do I want to live? I wanted to live. I didn’t want to die. I wanted to live more than anyone else. I didn’t want to die so miserably. I forced my lips, which were stuck together with dried blood, to twist. And I said.

“Sa… Save… me….”

With all my emotions. Uttering a scream filled with countless despair and grief that I couldn’t even imagine. Her red eyes blazed. I took my last breath and closed my eyes.

-Haa… That’s it. This feeling…. Good. That’s two stages complete.

A voice heard in the darkness.

The last thing I felt at the end of my consciousness was the sensation of soft lips.

A farewell kiss.

-Now, get some rest.

But not a complete farewell, just a lip service.

A gap opens in my empty consciousness.

I gladly opened the gap and welcomed her.

My mind wavers.

My consciousness.

Is overturned.

* * *

“Hmm…?”

Parsih, who was resting the thigh steak, shuddered unexpectedly at the sudden change in Mana waves and turned his head.

He unconsciously swallowed hard. He felt a very dangerous, playful… strange Mana wave. It was suspicious. Mana filled with emotion didn’t come out often except in dramatic situations, which made it even more suspicious. Because usually, such Mana is filled with negative emotions like ‘desperation’ and ‘anger’, not positive emotions like ‘happiness’ and ‘joy’.

Seureung. He picked up his knife.

He muffled his footsteps.

He walked quietly.

“….”

It was definitely here…. But I couldn’t feel anything. Haa…. Parsih sighed softly, lowered his arm, and quietly returned to his place.

“Eugeut, heugeuk…!”

Because all that was here was a human wriggling like a bug on the cutting board. No matter how much of a Demon he was, he had basic common sense. He knew that having your legs cut off was painful. That’s what humans and life are. He couldn’t have imagined that a dying human would emit Mana filled with such joy.

‘Damn, this is awesome….’

If Yujin wasn’t an Acme who was tired of life.

To be exact, it was the copy ego for restoration…. A copy ego with Yujin’s memories. The moment I copied the real thing’s memories without leaving anything out, the authenticity lost its meaning, but at least. I am definitely aware. That I am fake. Can two egos with the same memories be considered the same person? I don’t know. Throw philosophical questions far away. I don’t want to know.

‘She was enjoying this alone…?’

The copy ego created by Yujin’s hand gasped, spewing out her juices at the ecstasy she felt for the first time in her life. Even though I lost my memories, my cursed body remained the same. Since a corrupted and rotten mind had entered that place, it was only natural to feel pleasure in pain.

‘I didn’t know it would be this much….’

Floating around as a Mana mass with will for several hours.

The feeling I felt while watching myself having my legs cut off was none other than ‘envy’.

‘Get a grip… I, I wasn’t created to do this….’

I barely… barely salvaged it. I barely sensed the dying mind that had lost its memories and salvaged it from the abyss of death. If I had failed that, my real life would probably have been over. That’s why I was created in the first place to prevent such a thing from happening. That’s it. My reason for existence is to support the real me in regaining my memories.

For me to crave death is an act of betraying the original owner. Even if I contained all of Yujin’s memories, I couldn’t violate the action principles that were set separately. That’s why I was even more resentful. Why did you even copy this? You should have just completely excluded emotions. If I feel this, I’ll never forget it….

“Haaheut, heuek….”

First stage. Mental resonance.

Second stage. Mental domination.

Third stage. Synchronization.

Now only the last stage remains.

If I inject my memories and disappear like this, my role is over.

I’m just disappearing like that.

…Just like that.

Complete annihilation.

‘T, this kind of thing….’

I can’t admit…

……

…

….I can’t do it.

I try to reconstruct. Blood. I didn’t have enough blood. I revive the body that is dying from excessive bleeding. The thigh where the flesh was torn off was still the same, but at least I wouldn’t be panting from lack of blood. Of course, the pain remained the same.

‘I, if it’s synchronization… I can do it later, later… right….’

The copy ego, suppressing Yujin’s sleeping ego even further, harbored impure thoughts. I’m sorry. I’ll just… enjoy it a little and leave. That’s when new memories were about to be overlaid on Yujin’s body.

-Clap clap!

Applause echoed from outside the kitchen.

“Self Artania-nim! This dish is steak!”

“Ehk, euh? Sseup. What, is it already done?”

“It’s time to wake up! There are many dishes to prepare in the future! It’s too precious a time to sleep!”

“Okay, okay. Self… then….”

She, who had been dozing off, sat down with Parsih’s help. A single restaurant where everything from cooking to table setting was done. Artania just had to enjoy it. Today’s dish was steak. At first glance, it looked like there were five pieces. My mouth watered. The smell was amazing no matter how many times I smelled it. The nicely grilled meat was thigh meat.

“Sniff sniff. Is it thigh meat?”

“Oh, how did you know?”

It wasn’t that special for a gourmet to identify the part just by looking at the meat, but it was enough to surprise Parsih. After all, wasn’t it Artania? A pig-like Demon who just eats whatever part it is, regardless of the part. That’s why she’s even more lovable and I don’t want to miss her! The Artania who used to tear off raw flesh with her bare hands in the past was no more.

“Indeed, have you come to the point where you can recognize it just by the smell…! I, Parsih, am afraid…!”

“I told you I’d kill you if you used that tone.”

“Ahem! I’m sorry!”

She ignored Parsih’s antics and began to cut the meat with her silver cutlery. Seogeok! She cut it into large, easy-to-eat pieces. Unlike the crispy, golden-brown exterior, the tender, pink flesh inside was visible. The corners of her lips twitched. The juices didn’t flow out and were trapped inside.

“Eum… Eum. Eum? Eueum… Eueueum?!”

She opened her mouth wide and took a bite. Her hands and feet trembled. The taste of blood that popped. The melting meat. The well-seasoned spices. Everything was perfect without exception, but there was another element that shook her heart. An incredibly high Mana content. Artania felt like she was going crazy, just like she said.

“Shibal!! This is awesome!! Parsih!! Where did you get this!?!?”

Thanks to Parsih’s continuous etiquette education, she was barely maintaining her dignity, but she couldn’t stop her hands from moving faster. Parsih watched the scene with a satisfied look. The meat was disappearing at a rapid pace. It was almost time to prepare.

“I will go prepare the next dish!”

“Uh! Uh!”

She shook her head without even swallowing the meat.

He planned the next dish. Meat alone wasn’t enough anymore. He wanted to make a more diverse dish using the internal organs. That would be good. Take out the uterus, put minced meat inside, and bake it in the oven. It would definitely be delicious. A smile spread across Parsih’s lips.

“Self, my lovely meat! Are you still alive?!”

“Heugeuk, geut?!”

Parsih was slightly embarrassed to see Yujin’s body, which had strangely regained its vitality, but soon shook his head. Good things are good. Doesn’t that mean the ingredients are fresh?

‘Fi, finally….’

The copy ego was extremely excited at the sight of Parsih approaching with a knife. I can finally feel the ‘feeling of being cooked alive’ that he emphasized. It was madness that even Yujin before losing her memories would have shuddered at. The reason why the copy ego was obsessed with madness was simple.

I can only do this once, right?

When it’s over. I’m disappearing now, right?

The limit that used to bind Yujin’s mind was lifted. I can do things that I didn’t do for various reasons without hesitation. Because this is the only time. Because I’m disappearing when it’s over. The copy ego was planning to enjoy it to the fullest before leaving the world.

“Self. It might hurt a little?”

He made a V-shaped incision based on the pelvis.

The parts Parsih chose were the uterus and calves.

“Heukkeueuk….!!!”

The lower body is torn apart. Parsih’s touch was so exquisite that he cleanly excised only the parts he wanted. She screamed, vomiting blood at the pain of having her legs torn apart and her lower abdomen pierced. The uterus, stained red with blood, wriggled on Parsih’s hand.

“The human uterus stretches well, so it’s useful…. In particular, there are endless ways to cook it by filling it with things. Some Demons grind it as is and stir-fry it with rice… The peach scent is truly exquisite-… Ah, are you listening?”

I couldn’t hear. The copy ego had to put all her strength into not passing out from shock. The two legs that now had only bones left. And the big hole in her lower abdomen. The reason she didn’t die right away was probably thanks to Parsih’s exquisite technique.

“Haa….”

I don’t know how many times I’ve thought ‘if I could’. Really. If I could. I wanted to have my upper body carved up too, but it was getting too much. There was a limit to forcing my heart to beat.

‘Just until this dish… I’m enduring, it….’

Parsih laughed loudly and turned his back.

The second dish began.