Ch.116The Black Mage and the Black Knight (4)

“How did Sejin end up here? Perhaps…”

Though I was curious about what would follow, I wasn’t ready to hear it yet.

The fortunate thing was that my sister knew this, which is probably why she hesitated mid-sentence.

I told her my story.

“After you disappeared, I wanted to know why you left.”

“…Oh.”

“I’m not blaming you, so don’t make that face.”

When I smiled awkwardly, she forced a smile and tightly held my hand. We continued talking like that, sitting side by side on the bed.

“Naturally, I tried the game you played the most. To see what choices you made, which direction you took…”

“How was it?”

“It was just like you. Though some things were unexpected.”

Actually, until I first tried it, I had vaguely remembered and thought my sister would have proceeded with an unconditionally good alignment.

But the reality was different; she would act for the best outcome even if it meant deviating from the good alignment.

I suppose you could call her a typical regressor type.

Usually, they say this type goes insane after many regressions, to the point where they’d say absurdities like “I guess the naval battle will be difficult now” even when their companions die.

Fortunately, my sister wasn’t a regressor. Or, well, maybe she was?

“Hey, are you… a regressor by any chance?”

“What’s that?”

Ah, my chest suddenly hurts.

It’s similar to when a girl once approached me while I was reading a webtoon and asked if that’s what I was looking at.

It was somewhat painful to answer properly, but I explained diligently.

“Roughly… remember ‘The Girl Who Leapt Through Time’?”

“Yes, we watched it together.”

“She does something called a time leap in it.”

“…Ah!”

Time leap.

In English, it means jumping across time.

It could also be called a time jump.

It’s a concept almost identical to regression. Perhaps this explanation is more suitable for my sister who isn’t an otaku.

“Like ‘Love’s Black Hole’?”

“That’s a bit different. That one keeps repeating. Well, regression can also repeat…”

“Hmm? Which is it?”

“It’s both, but typically regression happens just once.”

“So you’re asking if I’m like that? Usually revealing such things leads to trouble! Are you trying to put me in a difficult position?”

My sister spoke with an intrigued expression, and from that point on, I could tell she wasn’t a regressor.

That’s a relief. At least I won’t have to hear her say “I guess reminiscing will be difficult now” after I die.

“Anyway! You’re not like that, so don’t worry.”

It was clear she was hiding something, but she didn’t seem inclined to talk about it.

I could ask about the “betrayal” later. After all, my sister wouldn’t leave me again.

“So how did you end up here?”

My sister was now lying on my lap. So careless.

But I was meeting her after a long time. Above all, this was one of her charms.

She would take good care of me while occasionally acting childish to create a sense of closeness.

I felt that if she had only taken care of me, we wouldn’t have been as close.

My sister, lying on my lap, peering at my face while listening attentively.

When our eyes meet, she smiles brightly. It was a bit disappointing that her eye color was different, but on the other hand, it was still nice to see.

Without realizing it, I reached out and brushed her hair.

The hair I felt under my hand had a different texture from Isla’s or Melody’s.

Something cold, and thread-like thin.

Isla’s hair had a somewhat animalistic quality, and Melody, being a bird demi-human, had a similar feel.

But my sister’s hair felt distinctly different, perhaps because it was completely human.

“After you disappeared, I kept playing Grim Darker to trace your activities… and I ended up liking the game too.”

There was no response, but it had been a while since I’d talked about myself, so the words flowed naturally.

“You liked staying true to your role, but I preferred performance. That’s why I chose my current job and race. Homunculus Mourner, simple and strong, I liked that.”

Yes, I liked the breakthrough ability of the Homunculus Mourner, its straightforward approach, and how it smashed all its problems with its own hands.

If I had known I would be possessing a character, I would have chosen a muscular human male.

But it’s too late for regrets. I had to accept my new origin.

“I even participated in speedruns a few times. I’m ranked first domestically, but seventh worldwide. There are really skilled people out there. Some with creative strategies, some with incredibly fast hands, and some who are just lucky.”

Thinking back, that was the most enjoyable period despite my sister’s absence.

I could immerse myself and escape from worldly worries, allowing me to forget the pain for a while.

But waking from a dream is always the most painful. I had felt the emptiness of my sister’s absence.

Not anymore, though. Now my sister is by my side. I continued talking while moving my hand, and turned my gaze to my silent sister.

“…Sis?”

I thought it was strangely quiet, but my sister was staring at me with wide eyes, as if surprised.

When our eyes met, she smiled broadly and accepted it, but I had already seen her surprised expression.

“What are you doing to me?”

“Oh, just? Without realizing?”

“Do you do this to other women too?”

At this.

I felt like I shouldn’t say certain things. It was as if something was blocking my mouth.

I smiled awkwardly, and for some reason, I felt my sister’s eyes glowing a bit.

No, they really seemed to be glowing.

“Uh, sis?”

“…Ah.”

The light fades belatedly. I saw the possibility I had been avoiding, but I didn’t clumsily mention it.

Above all, I knew my sister wouldn’t pry.

She has her own secrets too. Of course.

“Hey, Sejin.”

“…Yes?”

“What kind of relationship do you have with Isla?”

She asks with a smile. But she’s not really smiling.

I could tell just by looking that something was different.

“Isla seemed to have feelings for you. Do you know?”

“…I know.”

How could I not? From the beginning, Isla went around openly saying she liked me, as if wanting me to notice.

Being perceptive, I naturally knew.

“What about Melody?”

Melody?

“What about Melody?”

“You didn’t know?”

“Uh, aren’t you mistaken?”

“Sejin.”

She’s smiling but still not really smiling. I felt cold sweat forming as I stopped my hand, and my sister stared at it for a moment.

“…Ugh.”

She used magic to make my hand move.

My hand, beyond my will, stroked her head, and she smiled with just the corners of her mouth.

“Our Sejin doesn’t know much.”

“…I guess so.”

Is that really the case?

I’m not sure. I thought I understood women’s hearts to some extent.

But from what my sister is saying, it seems I know absolutely nothing.

“Melody… likes me?”

Why?

She was a character who couldn’t even romance unless in the right mode, and she likes me?

What did I do?

“I had no idea.”

I stared blankly into space.

I could understand Isla liking me.

I’m like the blood of her father, and all descendants of the Three Tribes are destined to like me.

That made sense.

But not Melody.

She’s not from the Three Tribes, just a bird demi-human, and there shouldn’t be anything like that for bird demi-humans.

No, even in the game, I don’t think there was anything about Homunculi gaining favor with the Three Tribes.

My thoughts were complicated. I slowly shifted my gaze from the wall I had been staring at.

I could understand why my sister brought this up.

Just as I failed to notice women’s feelings.

Just as I didn’t realize Melody’s feelings for me until my sister told me.

She’s subtly revealing that I haven’t noticed the feelings she harbors for me.

Unfortunately, I already knew about the feelings my sister had for me.

Perhaps that’s why my sister’s expression was relaxed.

She looked somewhat regretful, yet predominantly relieved.

Seeing such an expression on my sister’s face, I felt my mother’s genes awakening within me.

I felt a strong urge to erase that expression.

If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have chosen Homunculus Mourner.

Even as I thought this, my mouth had already opened.

“Do you feel the same?”

She stiffens with a start. Words that had already left my mouth couldn’t be taken back.

I met the eyes of my frozen sister, saw her wide, startled eyes, and caressed her cheek.

“Do you… feel that way about me too?”

My sister’s mouth gapes. I can see her desperately searching for something to say, like a goldfish opening and closing its mouth.

But no words come out. Even if I were in her position, I wouldn’t know what to say, so I silently watched as she struggled to speak.

It felt like some dark desire had been satisfied. A ticklish feeling inside, and an inexplicable smile forming.

But I couldn’t stay like this for long. I caressed my sister’s jawline, looked at her increasingly flushed face, and gently lifted her off my lap.

“Valterok told me to rest. So I’m going back to sleep now. You get some rest too, and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I felt as if I wasn’t myself, but it was okay for now. My sister couldn’t hold me back or follow me, and I sighed as I left her room.

Was it my imagination, or did the door close a bit late?

Did she try to hold me back with magic?

Knowing she tried to hold me back makes me feel a bit guilty.

Well, things have turned out this way.

I thought I should have a proper, serious talk with my sister later, but I just couldn’t find the courage.

*

“You’re back.”

“Yes, did Isla go hunting?”

“Yes, eat this.”

Isla wasn’t in the room. She wasn’t there even when I woke up, and I only met her after going down to the temple.

She’s quite diligent. I wondered if this is why I felt like a freeloader, but I accepted and ate the dried fruit she offered.

“It’s delicious.”

“Did anything happen?”

Isla asked as she handed her game to someone who used to be an inquisitor and tightened the snow leopard-patterned cloak around her body.

I pondered her question for a moment.

Being kidnapped does count as something happening.

But do I need to mention this? It really ended with nothing happening.

“We did get a new member.”

“A new member?”

Isla tilted her head curiously. Her tail swayed gently before rising high, and there was a certain coldness in her gaze.

“A woman?”

“Well, yes, she is a woman…”

“Another one?”

“No, it’s not what you’re thinking. Really.”

As I desperately tried to explain, my brain frantically searched for a way to change the subject.

Ah, right. The Black Knight.

“Oh! There’s one more thing!”

“Another woman?”

“No, no! Well, there might be women there too.”

Perhaps because my words were ambiguous, Isla paused for a moment and looked at me, and I spoke as she tilted her head and perked up her ears.

“The Black Knights came. They’re staying nearby.”

“Another Black Knight.”

“But not just any Black Knight. It’s the Black Knight Commander, Valterok.”

Good, this should be enough to change the topic.

That’s what I thought, but I couldn’t joke around when I saw Isla’s expression.

She wore a rare, serious look.

“…Valterok the Slaughterer?”

With that serious expression, her words were completely different from my understanding.

I asked back with a stupid expression, “What?”