Ch.192Chapter 192. Preferences Should Be Respected

Taeyang Lim.

He was one of the few people who showed me kindness in this world overflowing with trash-tier garbage.

Though always taciturn and hard to read, I believed he was never a bad person…

“It happened a month ago.”

His death came as a great shock to me, and the vivid testimony that followed made his absence feel all too real.

“We were searching for materials needed to establish the shelter when suddenly the ground collapsed and something like a massive mouth emerged from the cliff below.”

“…A mouth?”

“Black and enormous… and inside it, countless corpse-like things writhing—an unidentifiable monster.”

A giant mouth teeming with corpses.

Could it be that countless entangled Undead suddenly appeared and devoured everyone in the area?

“Quite a few people were swept up by it.”

No, this was no mere Undead.

Not just a single rational entity like the Four Knights, but a massive monster capable of devastating an entire region.

Its threat level might vastly exceed even the Lord of Corpses, who merely controls corpses.

“The survivors couldn’t identify what it was. They only thought about escaping as quickly as possible. Those who froze and couldn’t move properly were simply swallowed by that monster…”

Her hand reached toward the urn in the columbarium.

As she grasped the urn, a sorrowful expression appeared on her face.

“If only I hadn’t frozen there…”

She revealed not just grief for a lost acquaintance, but what could only be called guilt.

“If I had just taken the hand extended to me, this person wouldn’t have ended up like this.”

When I realized she was referring to the remains in the urn, the situation that had unfolded began to take shape in my mind.

The collapsing ground and people falling one by one. Then the enormous mouth opening as if to devour the entire area, with corpses writhing inside it…

The girl, unable to comprehend the inexplicable situation, had frozen in place and should have met the same fate as those who had fallen before her.

A man, unable to leave her behind, instinctively threw himself forward, grabbed her hand and tossed her to safety, but in doing so, entered the danger zone himself.

“This is all that’s left.”

The result was now revealed before me, taken out by Garam Lee’s hands.

Just a single hand bone, preserved in an urn—no need for cremation, as the flesh had already been stripped away.

“By the time I realized he had sacrificed himself for me, the monster from underground had swallowed his entire body. Only this hand remained—the one that had been holding onto me until the very end.”

Yes, the reason she was alive at this moment was because of someone else’s sacrifice.

I understood that feeling well.

If the person who helped me in the sanctuary hadn’t sacrificed themselves, I wouldn’t be here facing Garam either.

“It’s not your fault.”

But isn’t she too young to accept something like this?

In our original world, she would have just entered high school.

A young girl whose biggest concerns should have been her future career or friendships, not survival.

“Everyone says that.”

Yet reality was forcing this girl to grow up far too quickly.

The environment of the shelter we were in, and the ring on her finger proving she was its owner.

“But you can’t deny that it would have been better for everyone if he had survived instead of me, can you?”

“That’s…!”

“A fully-realized Hero like him versus a young, inexperienced me… even a fool would know which would be better for the people of the shelter.”

Despite the smile on her lips, her self-loathing was unmistakable.

I could immediately feel it just from hearing her words.

No matter how much she adapted to reality or steeled herself to live in this cruel world, she was still too young to bear this burden.

“Even now, I feel overwhelmed taking his place as lord. But the lord doesn’t seem to have any intention of returning…”

With that determination, she pulled out several letters from her possession.

The name “Cheska Flandor” written on those letters showed that Flan had been exchanging correspondence with Garam even while on expedition.

And the consistent closing line on all those letters:

[And Garam. If I don’t return, I entrust everything of the Flandor family to you.]

Without exception, these words emphasizing her absence seemed to imply she had no intention of returning to her family.

“Come to think of it, that person never had any attachment to their family. While others dreamed of success and headed to subjugation zones, they invested their entire fortune into creating this shelter.”

Would a family head dreaming of success pour their entire fortune into something so far removed from advancement?

Though I didn’t know her true identity, it wasn’t difficult to understand her intention not to return as family head after this expedition.

“I heard that person was indebted to you. Do you perhaps know where they might be?”

“…I don’t know. After a while, they joined the expedition team and I lost contact.”

And I also understood why Flan had joined the expedition team and what she had been fighting for.

If I were to be considerate of that child who felt a duty to serve someone, the answer I should give was clear.

“How cruel. Entrusting everything to me and then disappearing without a word.”

At my false answer given out of respect for her role, Garam chuckled and placed her finger on the ring she wore.

“…Still, someone needs to fill that person’s empty position.”

The ring came off with a gesture.

Removing it from her hand meant temporarily setting aside everything managed under the family name.

“Brother.”

Garam held out the object that symbolized this authority to me.

“May I ask you for an unreasonable favor?”

Her face showed more guilt than when she was remembering the sacrifice—the guilt of wanting to transfer her responsibility to someone else.

“…Say whatever you want.”

Is all I can do for this girl just carry her burden instead?

No, I can’t do that forever.

I’m barely managing to take care of myself. If I try to shoulder something else here, everything might collapse.

“Just for a while… just while you’re here, would you hold onto this ring for me?”

But if it’s temporary.

If I can ease this child’s burden until I leave this place, give her some peace of mind and a chance to grow, even a little…

“And if you have no reason to leave, please don’t go.”

That much, I thought, was permissible even for me, and soon Garam’s ring was placed in my hand.

To continue the promise we made that day in front of the bonfire.

“If I lose you too… I don’t know what will become of me.”

And to support this child who was like family to me, who might collapse under the weight of guilt.

*****

The Ark of Shelter Meter.

A mobile fortress large enough to accommodate thousands of people, still expanding its scale even at this moment.

The equipment and technology filling its interior increased the value of this facility, and I was now in charge of managing these things.

Although only temporarily, the responsibility and importance was incomparable to managing an expedition team.

“I should probably consult about this.”

Fortunately, my situation was better than Garam’s.

Though I was inexperienced in management, one of my companions was a specialist who had handled all sorts of administration for the expedition team.

Moreover, though she had her reasons for not returning as lord, she was knowledgeable about family-related matters.

“Flan, are you feeling alright…?”

As I approached Tashian’s room to find her, I was shocked by the scene before me.

I couldn’t possibly step any closer.

What unfolded before me was something I never expected to see.

“My~ You look so perfect, my dear child~!”

The first thing I noticed was Tashian, who was expressing admiration with a satisfied smile.

The object of her attention was a familiar-looking girl standing demurely before her.

“How do you feel, my child? Do you like the clothes mother made for you?”

“Ehehe~ I love them!”

No, only her face was familiar.

The dress she wore, adorned with abundant frills, created such a sense of dissonance that I could hardly believe she was the same person I knew.

“You made such beautiful clothes for me by hand—I don’t know how to express my gratitude!”

Francesca, the Guardian of Humanity.

And to most people, the illegitimate child of the Emperor and the young head of a noble family with a proud and calculating impression.

“Oh my~ Why is everything our child says so adorable?”

Seeing such a figure now wearing a dress and acting coquettishly was quite shocking even to me.

It wasn’t just when she was Cheska.

Even when acting as Flan, she always maintained a dignified atmosphere and perfectly fulfilled her role as a maid.

“Come, my daughter, don’t stand there. Come over here where the light is better…”

“Should I stand here like this?”

“Yes, yes~ That’s much better to see~ Oh! Wait just a moment? I have something perfect…”

In this bewildering situation, Tashian took out a ribbon and placed it in her hair.

As the golden long hair was tied into twin tails by those careful hands, an even deeper exclamation of admiration burst from Tashian’s lips.

“Oh my~ You look so beautiful like this, my child~ You’re unrecognizable from when I first saw you!”

“Really? Wow~!”

What on earth?

Why was Tashian, who should be repairing her, styling Flan’s appearance, and why was Flan smiling and accepting it happily?

And before that, Flan, weren’t you terrified of Tashian before coming here?

“It seems a waste to just stay still after dressing up so prettily. Come, my child. Would you strike a pose for mother?”

“A pose? Like this?”

“Yes, yes~ Hold that pose, and express your honest feelings right now. How does our Flan feel about mother?”

Tashian clasped her hands together, sending an expectant gaze.

At those words, Flan pondered for a moment, and then a bright smile I had never seen before began to form on her face.

“I love you~!”

In a voice without a trace of falsehood, she declared quite boldly:

“I love you most in the world, ehehe~♡”

…Ah, well.

Let’s not overthink this. I suppose this kind of thing can happen.

I personally would find it embarrassing to say such things openly to Tashian, but I can’t say there’s anything wrong with it.

Perhaps maintaining a bright atmosphere like this is better than being constantly depressed about what happened in the sanctuary.

“Ahem!!”

But regardless, I came here with business to attend to.

When I cleared my throat loudly, Tashian finally noticed my presence and immediately expressed her delight.

“Oh my, has our son arrived? I heard you went out earlier—are you uninjured?”

“No need to worry. I’m more concerned about Flan… is she doing alright?”

“The equipment is good, so the treatment went smoothly. There are several functions that need adjustment, but it shouldn’t interfere with her movement or daily life.”

That’s a relief, I thought as I quietly shifted my gaze to Flan.

To the girl who had suddenly tensed up and was blushing upon recognizing my presence.

“Ah, um, well, th-this is…”

Perhaps she didn’t want me to see her like this?

Her face flushed red with embarrassment as she faced me, but I had already decided not to mind the current situation.

“Don’t worry, Flan. I understand completely.”

“N-no, I understand what you’re thinking, but please calm down and listen to me.”

“We should respect people’s preferences.”

“That’s not it at all!!!”

The room grew noisy with her outburst of shock.

“Our child is so energetic~ I’m glad to see she’s recovering well~”

Tashian smiled brightly, taking even this reaction positively.