Ch.152Chapter 152

On the way back to the branch.

As I finally realized another job was done, an overwhelming fatigue enveloped my entire body.

Looking back, it’s amazing I hadn’t collapsed already considering everything that happened.

Memories that forced their way in even when I didn’t want to accept them.

The fact that my super coward mode was actually Oko.

Wandering around in that incomplete state, and even hearing The Princess’s bewildering proposal.

It was mentally taxing in many ways.

Though there was the advantage that my returned memories made clear what I needed to do.

I barely managed to reach the branch building, dragging my staggering body.

Upon entering, I found the branch director pacing around with a worried expression.

What’s going on?

Did something happen?

Thinking he might be stressed because work had piled up in my absence, I quickly approached him.

“Director, I’ve returned.”

“Ah… Tanthyn. You’re back.”

When the branch director spotted me, his worried expression disappeared, replaced by a bright smile.

Ah, it seems he wasn’t concerned about lack of manpower, but was simply looking for me.

Perhaps headquarters informed the branch that I’d returned.

But still, why was he pacing around so anxiously?

“Have you recovered your memories, Tanthyn?”

“Yes, I have.”

So headquarters did tell them.

After I answered his question, the branch director twisted his lips and spoke in a somewhat awkward voice.

“Then how should I treat you now?”

Ah, is that what he was worried about?

Did he think I’d be very different after recovering my memories?

The branch director often seems to worry about such trivial things.

Of course, it’s that kind of sensitivity that makes me think highly of him.

“Even though I’ve recovered my memories, I’m still the same Raedan Tanthyn as before, Director. Please treat me the same way.”

“You don’t plan to return to Lintfia?”

Perhaps he thought I might say something about returning to Lintfia.

This place is my home now, where else would I go?

“No, I’ll stay here.”

At that, he momentarily flashed a bright smile before clearing his throat and pretending to be nonchalant, which made me chuckle.

“Ahem, I see. You’ve worked hard today. Go get some rest.”

Seemingly embarrassed by his own expression, he spoke to me in an unnecessarily solemn voice.

I saluted him and quickly returned to my room.

I should tell Asti I’m back too.

But the moment I lay on the bed, my body stopped responding.

Right, I’ll greet her first thing after waking up tomorrow.

For now, I’ll just slee… slee…

#

Hmm.

Am I awake already?

It feels like I’ve slept less than an hour.

You know how it is.

Sometimes when you’re too exhausted, you wake up more easily.

Thinking that might be the case, I opened my eyes and was startled.

Everything around me was filled with a black background.

I was confused for a moment, but soon realized.

This was clearly a dream.

Was it Neutrice’s influence? Now I could immediately recognize when something was a dream at the slightest unusual sign.

It seemed like my contact with the deity related to dreams and the unconscious had a significant impact.

Come to think of it, it’s been quite a while since I’ve met Neutrice.

Lately I’ve been so exhausted that I often fall into dreamless sleep.

Even if I wanted to meet her, I couldn’t.

I promised to play with her last time, but I wonder if she’s really angry now.

First, I got up and looked around to figure out what kind of dream this was.

Although my resistance to fear had increased significantly since my memories returned, I still disliked sudden appearances.

My heart had shrunk to the size of a bean from deities suddenly jumping out from somewhere whenever I went to exterminate foreign deities.

Of course, I immediately punished those deities who startled me, as a reflexive response to being surprised.

A pitch-black abyss.

That was the only way to describe the space I was in.

For some reason, I thought this space was deliberately created this way to make me recognize that this wasn’t reality.

After all, how could a dream be this dark?

As I was thinking that, I suddenly stopped in my tracks, feeling a chill run down my spine.

Wait a minute.

Come to think of it, as I said, darkness was something rarely seen in dreams.

And I had seen this appearance once before.

Where?

When I wandered through the unconscious with Neutrice.

Ah.

Why did I only realize it now?

Looking around after recognizing it, I could tell this space was that unique space I had shared with Neutrice.

Which meant…

As soon as that thought occurred to me, I couldn’t help but look around with uneasy eyes.

And by the time something caught my eye, my body was already bound.

“Ugh!”

Pink ropes had somehow wrapped around my body, preventing me from moving properly.

No matter how much strength I applied to break free, I couldn’t escape.

I swallowed dryly as I watched someone approach me.

A chilling laugh reached my ears.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen your face. Or did you just stumble in here by accident, Sir Raedan Tanthyn?”

Though it was the same voice as usual, there was something eerie about it that made my lips go dry.

Just as I was about to say something, a sudden kick to my ankle made me lose balance and fall.

“Argh!”

As I fell backward, I ended up sitting against what felt like a soft wall.

I shook my head to clear my vision and observed what I could see.

Smooth skin.

A provocative outfit that resembled lingerie, reminiscent of a succubus.

Pink hair.

Horns.

These were the details I could confirm as I gradually raised my gaze.

“Oh, your expression shows you know what you did wrong. I thought you might look wronged.”

Neutrice’s characteristically sultry tone rolled into my ears.

She approached me, knelt in front of me, and lifted my chin with one hand.

And I could meet her eyes.

Eyes narrowed with apparent annoyance.

Yet her mouth was curved into a smile.

I couldn’t quite tell, but I could somewhat guess the meaning of that expression.

That she wanted many things from me right now.

That much I could understand.

“If you’re aware of your sin, does that mean you’re prepared to accept whatever I do to you from now on?”

A voice full of breath, as if it could enchant the listener.

Hearing that voice, I couldn’t help but think that Neutrice’s origin might really be a succubus.

And since I had a pretty good idea of what she was planning to do to me, I needed to speak quickly.

“N-Neutrice. Wait a moment.”

“My, you’re opening your mouth without being given permission to speak?”

Neutrice said that as she brought her face closer, then suddenly bit my neck lightly.

W-what is she doing?!

“Hnngh, Neutrice! What are you…?”

“Someone freely grabbed a lady’s bottom, but I can’t do this?”

Neutrice’s teeth had something red on them.

Blood.

Although I didn’t feel pain since this was a dream, I turned my gaze away, strangely drawn to the decadent charm of that sight.

“I-I didn’t grab your bottom, I was just disciplining you because you were being impudent…”

“You know that’s the same thing, don’t you?”

Neutrice said with a grin.

Judging by her provocative behavior, it seemed she had deliberately drawn me into this dream.

I guess she was really angry about me not visiting for so long.

The Neutrice I knew would usually discipline me in other ways when she was angry.

This… this looks like a rather embarrassing situation from the outside.

“I wanted to apologize to you. I was wrong for not keeping my promise…”

“Hmm, I see.”

Neutrice said that and smiled ominously as if something amusing had occurred to her.

No, no.

It’s not ominous.

I’m in the wrong here.

Within my capabilities, I should do as she wishes.

Neutrice is always alone in the unconscious.

She only occasionally chats with friendly deities at the conference hall opened by Fiore.

Considering that, I should be even more accommodating.

Neutrice stood up and looked upward.

“Right. Then let’s change the content of the promise you made to me a bit.”

Neutrice said with a greedy smile.

“You’ll play with me in the virtual world I want, understand?”

Phew.

Is it just my imagination that something serious is about to happen?