Episode 124 – Why Now?

*

I couldn’t shake off the complicated feelings as I returned to the mansion, avoiding people’s eyes.

Deborah’s expression, with my shirt off and her provocative smile as she licked her lips with her tongue, was stuck in my head.

Of course, Deborah and I were by no means in love with each other, and since she’s such a mischievous person, this was probably just another one of Master-nim’s pranks, but I couldn’t help but feel strangely bothered.

And that’s not all.

Crying in Master-nim’s arms even before I got drunk was also a shameful memory for a long time.

Deborah will surely tease me about my tears for a long time to come.

Sighing and moving my feet, I returned to the mansion before I knew it, scratching my head as I opened the door.

Before I could even open the door all the way, a chilling voice came from the other side.

“Why now?”

“Eek, Lara?”

Lara was literally standing in front of the door.

I was so surprised that I screamed without realizing it.

Lara’s gaze fixed on me was as sharp and darkly shining as that night a few days ago when she attacked me.

Lara stood there without the slightest movement, as if rooted to the spot, and said to me.

“Where were you last night?”

“The tavern.”

“With whom?”

“Master-nim, uh, Lara, can’t we go inside first?”

I said, slightly pushing her shoulder as she stood in front of the door, blocking me.

Lara clicked her tongue with a displeased expression and obediently stepped aside.

Closing the door and entering the mansion, I moved my feet towards my room and said.

“It was the first time I’d been drunk in a long time. A good feeling…”

“Where did you sleep?”

Lara interrupted me roughly with a question.

Lara’s wide eyes were fixed on me and wouldn’t let go.

I avoided Lara’s eyes, which were staring at me without blinking, and answered.

“In the inn room on the second floor of that tavern.”

“With that person, Master-nim?”

“That’s right.”

“…Why?”

“Why what?”

“Why all of a sudden? Drinking until you’re drunk, you’ve never done that before.”

“…”

At the mention of being with Deborah, Lara glared at me with an even fiercer expression.

Lara had a strange habit of widening her eyes instead of narrowing her brows and frowning when she was extremely angry.

It was as if she didn’t want to miss the target she was about to shoot with an arrow.

It was an expression I had seen a few times during our party days when we traveled together.

But now, Lara’s eyes were the widest I had ever seen her make while living with her.

Since I had been receiving ardent advances from Lara ever since I was resurrected as an undead, I could fully guess why she was so angry.

Of course, Master-nim and I are definitely not in any kind of relationship.

In the first place, we don’t have any feelings for each other, and even if Deborah did have feelings for me, she wouldn’t attack me in such a reckless way.

…Of course, I’m a little bothered that I woke up without my shirt on after losing my memory, but I was sure that such an unholy accident that Lara might be suspecting would never have happened.

“Lara, that’s…”

I tried to say something, but I shut my mouth and carefully began to choose my words.

I was trying to be careful not to make her anger more intense.

Of course, just as Deborah and I are not lovers, Lara is by no means my lover, so I haven’t committed any infidelity, but since she has conveyed to me that she will never give up despite my rejection, a rash answer could greatly stimulate her.

I often thought that even after all of this is over, I might not be able to accept Lara in the end.

It’s closer to not wanting to live anymore, but even if something happens and I manage to survive, there’s a greater chance that there will never be a future with Lara.

But at this point, with not much time left to finish off Robin, there’s no need to reveal my thoughts and ruin my relationship with Lara, is there?

Besides, she probably didn’t even sleep properly and waited for me.

It was easy to guess just by looking at those sunken eyes inside Lara’s face, which was full of coldness and sharpness.

Even though she probably hadn’t slept properly for days while monitoring Mela, Lara seemed to have waited with her eyes open until I returned.

Could she have been standing in front of that door the whole time until I came?

I hope not, but looking at Lara’s terribly pale complexion, it seemed like my hunch was probably right.

“She said she was worried about my condition.”

“…I see.”

Lara was also worried about my condition, so I thought this answer would probably be the best choice rather than saying I drank too much and lost consciousness or something.

Lara came up to me and stared at my face, then relaxed her sharply raised eyes and answered.

“You definitely look a little better.”

“Really? That’s a relief.”

“If I had known that alcohol would help, I would have drunk with you.”

“…Haha,”

I smiled awkwardly at Lara’s joke.

It would be better not to say that it was Deborah, not alcohol, that soothed my heart.

Thinking that, my steps had already reached the door of my room.

“You look like you’ve been waiting without sleeping, so go in and sleep quickly. Thank you for waiting.”

I said that to Lara and opened my door.

At that moment when the door opened slightly, Lara strode up, pushed my shoulder hard, threw me into the room, and then slipped in herself, closing and locking the door.

Surprised by her sudden action, I called out to her.

“Lara?”

“…Stay still.”

Lara pushed me onto the bed.

Remembering the day Lara tried to attack me, I panicked and tried to push Lara away, but Lara firmly grabbed both of my hands and brought her face to my neck.

Lara buried her nose between my neck and collarbone and repeatedly inhaled and exhaled deeply.

Even though she knew that if I took out the chain, she would fall away without any resistance, Lara silently attacked me and sniffed like a dog tracking a scent on the ground.

I shuddered at the sensation of Lara’s breath tickling my skin and asked.

“Lara, what are you doing now…”

“I smell something.”

“What?”

“…That woman’s scent.”

Lara said, running her nose over my neck.

I felt her nose and lips touch my skin and press down.

I avoided her face and said.

“I slept next to her, so there might be some scent left. Can you stop now?”

“…You slept next to her?”

“I fell asleep drunk, that’s all. Nothing weird happened that you’re thinking of.”

“You fell asleep, so how do you know? What if that woman did something…”

“Do you think Master-nim is you?”

At the harsh words I blurted out without realizing it, Lara grabbed my wrist so tightly that it felt like it would break.

I bit my lip and barely suppressed a groan at the pain that was directly transmitted to my human body.

Lara looked at my face and then lowered her head again, whispering in my ear.

“This morning, Mela tried to tell Robin everything.”

“…What?”

“She was going to tell Robin, who had returned from the Imperial City, that you had come back to life.”

“…Mela?”

I was shocked and gaped at Lara’s words.

I thought I wouldn’t care about Mela anymore, but the thought that Mela was finally trying to betray me came as a great anger.

Was it because of the betrayal, or was it because my heart had been softened for a while thanks to the time I spent with Master-nim?

A boiling anger surged again.

To be honest, I was a little anxious.

I kept thinking, ‘No way, no way,’ but Mela had already spent 20 years with Robin.

I was worried that she might choose Robin, her husband of 20 years, over me, who had only been in a non-physical relationship for less than 3 years and had childhood memories from the same village.

But even the last expectation that Mela, at least the Mela I knew, would never do that was crumbling down.

Even that small expectation that she wouldn’t do that if she was truly sorry to me was ultimately being betrayed.

Lara tapped my earlobe, which was red with anger, with her lips and said.

“Don’t worry, Ed. Because I stopped her.”

“…”

Lara whispered softly, but in a very loud and sweet voice, caressing my ear.

Was it because even the sound of her breath flowing from her mouth was echoing in my brain?

Even though she was always showing off her firm body, the captivating sexiness that had been hidden by her easygoing side seemed to be carried on her breath and flowed into my whole body through my ear.

“You know? Ed.”

“…”

“I am, as much as I am, always on your side.”

“…Lara,”

“Is it almost here now? The time for the final revenge.”

I nodded silently.

As she said, the end was really coming.

The day I would finish my revenge was coming soon.

Lara slowly released my wrist, got up, and moved away from me.

“I won’t let anyone, anything, ever interfere with you.”

“…”

“And I won’t let anyone interfere with me.”

Lara tapped my shoulder and got up, walking towards the door.

She opened the door and said briefly.

“I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll be uneasy if I leave it all to Lily, so I’ll rest today and go back to monitoring Mela tomorrow.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“…Do you trust me?”

“Of course. Who else would I trust if not you?”

At my answer, Lara smiled contentedly, closed the door, and left.

As soon as Lara left, I collapsed on the bed and sighed.

“…20 years… Shit,”

Is it a little selfish to want Mela to help me when I can’t even forgive her?

No, that’s bullshit. I’m the selfish one after suffering so much?

I clenched my teeth.

Just when I felt the blood rushing backwards again and hardening like a stone, a voice flashed through my head.

‘What’s 20 years? Right?’

Ah, Master-nim.

How much did that word comfort me?

I slowly exhaled and recalled Master-nim’s words.

Elly had been busy for days and wanted to rest, so I suddenly had the opportunity, but I was deeply grateful that I was able to be with Deborah yesterday.

“Wait,”

Speaking of the voice in my head, those guys have been strangely quiet for the past few days.

.