Chapter 157

Chapter 157

Episode 157: A Rose That Does Not Wither Thud. Thud. Emily looked down at the three men sprawled on the floor and dusted off her hands. It was obvious, but there was no possibility that Emily, who had mastered martial arts, would lose to the three people. Unless it’s a knight who has undergone long training. Dealing with three vagrants on the street was not difficult for her at all. Moreover, she had no reason to easily succumb to the vagrants. No matter how much electricity is needed, there are times and places for it. Emily generously forgave herself for easily allowing her body to be taken by the man just moments ago. “A woman’s heart is originally a complicated thing.”After adjusting her clothes, she looked up at the sky and let out a sigh. “Sigh.”…”I was in a situation where I was about to meet a friend from my past life, but I didn’t feel particularly good about it.” First of all, I was dissatisfied that it was interrupted just when I was about to get really excited. This is frustration…I wonder if that’s what they call it.The sex just now was neither soft nor sweet, but it wasn’t intense or passionate either. In exchange for gaining a handful of vitality, I ended up with a rather unsatisfactory thirst. In many ways, it was not good for Emily. ‘….If you finally found a weakness, you should do it properly.She grumbled to herself and then thought of the next worry. Her second concern. It is the fact that I am afraid of meeting with friends. The time they met in their previous lives, called ‘friends’, was short. If it’s long, it could be several years, but if it’s short, it could be half a year. In Emily’s case, it is somewhat longer, but in Lila’s case, it is even shorter. On the other hand, the time they have spent in this world is long. At this point, where the life of the present surpasses the years of the past, can they really cling to the past? It has been so until now, but there is no guarantee that it will continue to be so in the future. ‘…No, but just in case.Even so, I could not give up. Following the traces of a past life is like searching for a grain of sand on a white beach. If I had overlooked it, I wouldn’t know. Even if you find the grain of sand you desired, if you do not hold it in your hand, that regret will be locked away in your heart and harden. In the end, Emily had no choice but to head to Norman’s general store. Emily, having exited the alley, headed towards the Norman general store that was visible not too far away. At first, she didn’t think much of it, but as she walked, various thoughts crossed her mind. And among the various concerns that she recalls, the most prominent one is about her current situation. ‘….What if they don’t like us?Currently, Emily was a prostitute living by selling her body in Tritia. Regardless of any reasons behind it, the fact that she is selling her body and that this act is regarded as lowly remains unchanged. Emily was well aware that the work she was doing was of a kind that could easily lead to her being rejected by others. In a world where universal moral concepts are loose, what would it be like for friends who remember their past lives? Although I don’t know for sure, not all of my friends will look at me favorably. “….”She still remembered the time when she met Lutrisha.” At that time, Ruthricia did not show it, but there was a hint of reluctance towards Laila. Of course, Rutrisha tried hard not to reveal that point, and after realizing that Laila was Seohyun, she quickly became close to her. However, Emily still remembered the expression Rutrisha had shown when Laila first recounted her background. It’s not that I don’t understand…Ruthricia had the same gender in both her past and present lives. I was a woman in my past life, and I am a woman in this life. Of course, that doesn’t mean that she expressed any particular hatred towards Lila. She just had a slightly hesitant expression. However, such things tend to settle deeper in the heart. Such an expression from Ruthricia was deeply embedded in Emily’s memory. There is no guarantee that that friend from Norman’s general store will not be the same. Moreover, this time the direction of that gaze will be towards oneself, not others. “….Emily, without realizing it, raised her hand and stroked the red scarf around her neck. The sign indicating that she is a prostitute on the street of twilight felt somehow shameful, unlike usual…. Hey, what’s the matter?’ ….However, she was ultimately Emily Artion. Emily completely cleared her complicated mind and walked towards Norman’s general store without any thoughts or preparations. Hitting without any thought or hesitation. That was what she did best on a regular basis. “After all, regret is something my future self will deal with.”…So, the current self just needs to take action. With that, she forcefully flung open the door of the general store.

-Squeak!

But perhaps it was because I exerted too much force. The hinges of the shabby general store scream with a sharp sound. Startled by the unexpected metallic sound for a moment, soon a clear voice echoed through the general store. “What kind of guy is that!””Net!” What?”The sharp Emily hesitated momentarily, taken aback.” However, after a moment of surprise, she soon calmed her mind by smoothing down her ample bosom and turned her gaze towards the old man sitting at the counter, the source of the voice that had resonated. ‘….Is that person?The old man with platinum hair and a face full of wrinkles looked like the owner of a general store, no matter who saw him. Emily momentarily had a foolish thought, but soon shook her head and denied her own thinking. ‘No, that can’t be.’And while she was internally conflicted, Norman also figured out Emily. For a moment, he stared at Emily with a disapproving gaze, and upon seeing the red scarf around her neck, he frowned as if he was even more surprised. “What is it, are you a prostitute?””Yes.” That’s true….”Then get lost.” I’m not standing anymore.”It was an impressive way of hospitality for a shop owner, but Emily did not back down.” The prejudice against prostitutes, which is commonly seen among people of the elderly demographic, has now become almost familiar. She also had the experience that she had accumulated over the years. “I’m not interested in your stuff either.””If you’re not going to buy anything, why did you come to the store?”” “….Sir. Don’t you know what a metaphor is?”You look foolish, but you seem to have picked up something from somewhere.””The old man pointed his hand towards the display while grumbling.” If you need anything, just choose for yourself.” “….You are being too harsh on the customer.”What the hell is going on?” Is there no store in your area?Emily was finally able to understand the old man’s gruff demeanor. It was probably not because of the red scarf, but rather the area where he lived that was the problem. It was understandable to become unnecessarily sensitive if a person entered one’s store in the ‘Twilight Street’, a hotbed of all kinds of crime. It goes without saying that she didn’t come to the store just to buy something. In the end, Emily had no choice but to get to the point. “….I actually came to find someone.”Who?” Me?”Why would I look for that old man?””Heh, that’s something.” It seems like a rough year, as it has even caught a rag on the upper lip.”The old man responded to Emily’s bold retort as if in disbelief and then shouted towards the inside of the store.” “Hey, stop resting and come out quickly!””Even though their words are harsh, seeing them willingly help makes me wonder if their character is not fundamentally flawed.” Emily absentmindedly played with her hair and looked at the closed door inside the store. I wonder who will come out from there. Of course, it was impossible to know. I don’t know who he was in his past life, and I don’t know who he is in this life either. What I know about him…. ‘….Huh?Emily, who had been waiting quietly, suddenly became flustered. I couldn’t remember the name of the person I clearly saw a moment ago. ‘Hey, hey…What was it?I searched through my mind and pondered, but nothing comes to mind. Not knowing a name wasn’t a big deal, but if I don’t even know the name, how on earth should I continue the conversation?

-Squeak.

While she was lost in her pointless worries, the door inside the counter opened. “That old man, as soon as he opens his mouth, it’s nothing but lies.” They said they would guarantee break time, right?”Little one.” Did you learn that pretty way of speaking from your mom?”No, I’m trying to sleep, so why are you calling me?”..The one who revealed himself was a stranger young man. Of course it felt unfamiliar, and of course it was youthful, but anyway, it felt that way to Emily. ‘….괜찮게 생겼What?Was it because of a long-standing habit? Emily gave a generous assessment of the young man in her mind. Compared to the guests I had seen before, the young man’s appearance was quite handsome. …In fact, looking back, there was no one among my friends who was unattractive. There were some people who were lacking in intelligence, but everyone was outstanding in appearance. Is it because of the martial arts?..?Thinking that it doesn’t matter, Emily….He approached a young man whose name he only knew up to that point. And then, he/she greeted warmly. Hello?”She greeted him warmly, but there was no way the young man could know Emily.” A young man whose name is unknown looked back and forth between Emily’s face and the scarf around her neck with a bewildered expression, and asked her again. “….Who is it?”What is it, a girl I don’t know?””No, I do know that person.””In the blink of an eye, Norman responded in disbelief to the farce, but Emily shook her head and gave a definite answer.” Of course, Emily had no certainty, but she was originally capable of acting without any certainty. She stared intently at the flustered young man and then spoke again. The sunlight was clearly licking the leaves.” “….”It was a language that did not exist here.” A language known only to them. If he is truly your friend, he will remember this. And, Emily’s thoughts were not wrong. The young man asked Emily again. “….Who is it?”It was the same words, but the meaning was different.” Emily understood the meaning and wore a gentle smile on her lips. “Shall we step outside and talk?””This is not a story worth telling here.” She thought so, and the young man felt the same way. However, there was one person in this place who did not agree with that thought. “No.”” “….What?Emily looked at Norman with a bewildered expression. I didn’t expect that there would be an interruption at this timing. But the old man explained the reason to her with a firm face. “That guy is our store employee.”” “….You said it was break time, right?”Do you think my eyes are holes?” Seeing the way you guys are acting, it would be a blessing if you come back tomorrow morning. So, am I supposed to just stay here all alone?”It wasn’t the right thing to say, but it wasn’t wrong either.” It must be difficult for an elderly person to manage a store alone. But Emily knew what to do in such cases through her long experience. She looked at the old man Norman and asked a question in a clear voice. “How much does it cost?””After a little while, the two of them were walking silently through a quiet alley.” “….” “….There was no conversation. I pulled it out right away, but I couldn’t think of what to say. It was the same for Aiden and Emily. Even the two did not know each other’s names. The name of the previous life, and the name of the current life. What we know about each other is only the fact that we shared the same memories. “Have you been well all this time?””However, the fact that the conversation began was enough by itself.” “Huh?” Yes.” “…No. Thinking about it, it’s kind of funny. I don’t even know who you are, and you’re saying ‘Have you been well?’.”As Emily complained, Aiden smiled back.” Her words were right. He smiled lightly and answered lightly. “Jo Hee-won.”” “….Jo Hee-won?”

It was a familiar name, but Emily couldn’t readily recall it. Unlike her monotonous life in the village of Artoon, her time in the capital had been filled with a vibrant array of experiences. These experiences were enough to erase the memories of her past life and overwrite them with the life of Emily Artion. Fortunately, however, Emily was soon able to remember. She would have forgotten him if he had been unremarkable, but thankfully, he had one distinguishing feature. “Wait, are you by any chance that Jo Hui-won who lost to me in Mid-Bread?” “…What the hell are you talking about?” Aiden retorted, looking dumbfounded. Emily’s question was absurd to him. Even if he was just a convenience store clerk and a nameless ex-thief in this world, he had been a Grandmaster in his past life. Aiden, or Jo Hui-won, had rarely lost in games in his previous life. And “rarely” meant that it had happened. “…Could it be.” Rummaging through his distant memories, Aiden was able to recall someone’s name. Among the friends who he presumed had come to this world, there was only one rival who was good enough to defeat him in a match. Even though he was not very smart and had a low tier, his physical abilities were equal to his own. Looking at the changed appearance of him, or her, Aiden murmured blankly. “Lee Seong-cheol…?” ———= Author’s Note ========= I am sorry for the long hiatus without a word. After I stopped writing for some reason, I had been neglecting my writing with the excuse that I was busy and couldn’t get a grip on it. I think I also had an excuse that I was tired. Then, after a long time, I braced myself for criticism and looked at the comments, but no one was cursing… I think I had forgotten that there were people who looked kindly on even my lacking writing. So, even though a lot of time has passed, and my skills are poor, and it’s an embarrassing piece of writing without even a purpose, I thought I should somehow bring the story I’ve released to an end. If I can’t bring it to an end, I can’t call it a story. I will resume writing. I’m sorry and thank you.