Episode 57 – I Promise
by Afuhfuihgs
Episode 57 – I Promise.
*
I woke up to find myself sitting around a table with Lara, Lily, and Mena.
Numerous empty food plates were scattered on the table, most of which I had emptied.
After waking up, I sat on the bed in the bedroom, taking the Holy Sword’s divine power in and out of my body, fully mastering the ability to switch between human and undead forms at will.
The encounter with the Goddess, which had shocked me in many ways and changed much of my thinking, ended by leaving me with this incredible gift.
She might not have been the benevolent goddess that humans imagine, but she was certainly an omnipotent and great God to me, at least.
Now that I’ve managed to regain a human body, shouldn’t I live like this, at least within this room, even if not outside?
With that thought, I embraced the Holy Sword’s divine power within me and transformed my body into human form.
And at the very moment I grabbed the doorknob to leave the bedroom,
Perhaps because the accumulated tension had finally been released, one sensation I had been putting off began to torment my body terribly.
It was ‘hunger’.
I burst out of the room and begged Lara and Mena for something to eat immediately.
Lara was dumbfounded, and Mena was flustered, but she soon went down to the first-floor lobby to order food.
About ten minutes later, the hotel staff came up with lavish dishes enough to fill the table.
Lara urged me to explain what had happened to my body first, but I shook my head.
Because I also had a story to tell Mena, as much as about my own body.
If Mena heard what Jennifer had done and where Banata was, she might collapse from worry and shock. Besides, I couldn’t tell such a bloody story while eating, so I firmly declared that I would postpone all the stories until after the meal.
In fact, even setting aside all the previous reasons, I was just too hungry to focus on anything else.
As soon as the food was set on the table, I stuffed it into my mouth as ravenously as I had been hungry.
My mealtime lasted less than 10 minutes.
Plates emptied as quickly as a blink of an eye piled up like a tower next to me, and everyone was staring at me with dumbfounded expressions.
‘Wow, hoo- I feel alive now…’
“…”
Everyone looked at me in silence at my words.
Even I was slightly taken aback by my own words.
‘Feel alive’.
“… You really seem alive.”
An indescribably sweet satisfaction permeated my body.
In fact, I could fully feel the taste and aroma even in my undead body, but I realized anew that the satisfaction of fullness, not just taste and smell, is one of the greatest joys one can experience in a human body.
With an involuntary smile, I looked up at everyone sitting around the table.
Lara, Lily, and Mena’s plates were barely half-empty.
Mena, in particular, didn’t seem to have taken even a single spoonful properly.
I slowly opened my mouth.
“First, I’ll explain what happened to my body. You can listen to this while eating.”
I wanted to tell the story about Banata and Jennifer after everyone had finished eating, out of consideration for everyone, especially Mena.
Mena’s complexion was noticeably worse, and I wanted her to have a proper meal first.
I started by explaining the changes in my body, which would be okay to hear during the meal.
Of course, I didn’t bother to bring up all the conversations I had with the Goddess, or whether the male-symbolizing physical organ in my lower body was functioning or not.
In the end, the key points of my story were that I am not human, but I am in a state where I can shapeshift into a human body, and that I can take out and use Robin’s Holy Sword.
Lily didn’t seem to understand much about the divine power, but she was as happy as if it were her own business that I could now sleep and eat.
Mena also seemed a little surprised by my story of meeting and talking directly with the Goddess.
Lara felt a bit of pride that her hypothesis was correct and sincerely welcomed me back into a human body.
Thanks to the fact that I deliberately stretched out the story a bit, I was able to buy time until Lara and Lily finished their meals.
Mena still hadn’t eaten much.
When I asked if she was sure she didn’t want to eat more, Mena nodded weakly.
Well, there was no way she could properly swallow food right now.
After quickly clearing the plates from the table, I explained about Jennifer’s secret laboratory that I had seen and Banata’s condition.
Lara and Lily were shocked by the horrific story, and Mena eventually dropped her head and burst into tears while listening.
Lara patted Mena’s shoulder and asked me.
“What are you going to do now? Is there a way to save Banata?”
“… Well, Ellie’s plan is still there. The problem is… no, never mind. I’ll definitely save her, don’t worry. Mena.”
“I… Baron-nim. No, Edward-nim…”
Mena slid off the chair as if collapsing, then crawled over and grabbed my leg.
I answered with a heavy heart.
“Yes,”
“Please, save my daughter.”
“I promise.”
I made an irresponsible statement.
That was true of Mena as well.
We had been talking about the possibility that Banata was already dead or in critical condition.
Mena would look sad every time, but she would still calmly swallow her emotions and say that she would be satisfied if she could find even her corpse.
However, now that she had found Banata herself, she begged me to save Banata.
In fact, a plan to save Banata was also prepared.
Because Ellie is a smart woman.
But the problem is that Jennifer’s atrocities lightly exceeded what Ellie had expected.
Ellie thought that at most, Banata would be locked up in a dungeon or something and tortured a bit.
That was a terrible imagination in itself, but Jennifer had a knack for exceeding our expectations, then and now.
The phrase “experiment success” attached to Banata kept bothering me.
Perhaps Banata had been transformed into something grotesquely twisted by Jennifer’s horrific experiments.
But I had no choice but to promise Mena, who was holding my leg, crying and begging.
Irresponsibly.
*
Mela’s son, Edward, was sitting in the reception room on the first floor of the White Glass Tower early in the morning.
It was to thank him.
Edward was even carrying a gift prepared with gratitude for Baron Salvier.
Two days after an unidentified suspicious doctor visited the mansion, his sister Dena’s condition improved noticeably.
Not only did she improve, but she recovered enough energy to walk on two feet and even run around. His sister was so full of energy that she seemed healthier than before.
He was worried that it might be rude to come so early in the morning, but fortunately, he heard from the Baron’s maid, Mena, that he could meet the Baron, so Edward waited for the Baron with excitement.
Edward unfortunately only had time in the morning because he was busy searching for a place to protect Dena in order to keep her away from Robin.
Of course, he had time in the middle of the night, but wouldn’t it be even more rude to visit in the middle of the night than in the morning?
How long had he waited?
The door to the reception room opened and the Baron entered.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“Not at all, Baron-nim.”
Baron Salvier, whom he had seen in a few days, was still wearing a mask, but even the skin exposed outside the mask was noticeably healthier than before.
Edward was ashamed that he had once been suspicious of the doctor based only on his appearance.
As soon as Baron Salvier sat down, Edward bowed his head.
“Thank you so much, Baron-nim.”
“… I see that the child has been successfully treated, and the curse seems to have been resolved.”
“Yes, I am so grateful that you threw yourself in front of the monster to protect Dena, and that you sent someone to resolve the curse.”
“Raise your head, both Countess Mela and you. I don’t know why people of higher status than me bow their heads so lightly.”
“I can’t bow enough times to Baron-nim.”
“… I wish you would stop, as it makes me uncomfortable.”
“Really, I have received an unpayable debt.”
“I told you to stop.”
Edward slowly raised his head.
Baron Salvier’s eyes, visible behind the mask, were still coldly staring at him, as always.
He had received so much help from him, but he had never felt his gaze was warm.
Especially recently.
Perhaps he was completely fed up with the Voldiras family.
Considering what Baron Salvier had been through so far, Edward thought it was understandable, and carefully handed the Baron the box he had brought.
“What is this?”
“It’s nothing big, just a gift prepared with gratitude, Baron-nim.”
“Hehe, there was no need to prepare something like this.”
“Well, it’s not a precious item that I can confidently give to Baron-nim. It’s a small gift, but I hope you will accept it as a token of my heart.”
“… Thank you.”
The Baron slowly unwrapped the box and opened the lid.
An item wrapped in luxurious silk cloth appeared.
When he gently lifted the silk, as soft as a beautiful maiden’s cheek, a black glove decorated with red jewels and golden thread appeared inside.
It wouldn’t be a big burden on the Baron’s wealth, but it was clearly a luxurious and quite expensive glove.
“Gloves?”
“I searched for a design that would match the clothes Baron-nim is wearing. In Sioland, nobles above the rank of Count often wear jewelry with red jewels. I prepared this as a symbol that Baron-nim is higher than a Count, or even a Duke, to me.”
“Even if you are the child of a hero’s family, how can a mere priest have the money to give such expensive gifts…”
“My mother also added to the amount, expressing her gratitude.”
Edward heard the Baron gasp.
The Baron picked up the gloves without saying a word, and briefly touched the jewels and gold embroidery with his fingertips.
“… I see.”
“My mother has been wanting to apologize and thank you all this time, but accidents have happened repeatedly, and she said she is truly sorry. Please don’t refuse.”
“…”
“…Baron-nim?”
“Thank you. I will gratefully accept… I will accept it.”
Edward felt a hint of moisture in the Baron’s voice.
He had met the Baron several times, but today he was strangely emotional.
Could it be that his improved health, as seen by his improved complexion, had made him emotionally richer?
Edward thought.
‘Perhaps, now, would it be okay to ask for ‘that favor’?’
In fact, Edward had another purpose in visiting the Baron.
He wanted to ask him to call that doctor one more time for Tess.
Of course, after arriving and thinking about it, he realized that it was too shameless to ask for that as well, so he decided to ask for it later, but seeing the Baron so happy after receiving the gift, it seemed like a good time now.
Edward opened his mouth as carefully as possible.
“Baron-nim, there is something I would like to ask.”
“…What is it?”
“Could you introduce me to the doctor who healed Dena?”
“… I don’t think it would be possible since you are a priest.”
“Then, could I ask for another treatment…”
The Baron tilted his head as if puzzled.
“Was Dena-yang’s treatment not successful?”
“Ah, no! It’s not like that.”
“Then… why?”
Edward explained about Tess to the Baron, who asked as if puzzled, trying to look as pitiful as possible.
Of course, even with plain words without exaggeration, he could fully explain how unfortunate Tess’s story was and how upright she had grown up, but Edward’s desperation, sprinkled on top of the already heartbreaking story, was an excellent seasoning.
The Baron nodded and listened to the story, nodding his head.
“Yes, I see. Now that I think about it, I heard about it from Countess Mela, that she has a daughter who is weak.”
“Yes, she is my sister.”
“You don’t know the cause either?”
“No doctor has been able to find out. The reason I decided to become a priest was to obtain the divine power of healing for her.”
“I see, all the young masters of the Voldiras family seem to have deep affection for each other, it’s good to see.”
“Thank you.”
Edward felt his heart fill with anticipation as the story seemed to be going well.
His chest was so full that he felt like he was getting short of breath.
His mother, Mela, had clearly said that the doctor had saved Dena with divine power.
He didn’t know how he had obtained such power, but honestly, he didn’t care.
Edward’s wish, then and now, was only one thing: to save Tess.
Edward, who was staring at the Baron’s mouth, which was hidden by the mask, slowly opened his mouth.
“But, what to do about this.”
“…Yes?”
“He has already left this city. He said he is avoiding contact for the time being because he met you, a priest.”
“Th, that’s…”
“I don’t know why that man is so negative about the priests of the Goddess Church, but he is such an elusive person. Of course, if I can get in touch with him, I will definitely let him know.”
“… I… I see. Yes, thank you.”
“…”
Disappointment arose in Edward’s eyes and spread all over his face.
The Baron stared at Edward’s face for a moment, then cleared his throat and continued.
“However, before that doctor left the city, he told me one thing.”
“What is it?”
“The third room from the end on the second floor of the Voldiras mansion. He said there is something in that room that is worsening the curse.”
“…The second floor…? The third from the end… Do you mean Aunt Jennifer’s room?”
Edward was surprised, but at the same time, he quickly nodded his head.
At first, he wondered if Aunt Jennifer was trying to harm Tess, but that couldn’t be the case.
Perhaps it was simply that something among her collections was having a negative impact on Tess.
Certainly, Aunt Jennifer is the greatest archmage among humans, so her room may contain items that are difficult to fathom with ordinary knowledge.
Edward was newly impressed by the identity and skill of the doctor who had detected it.
Meanwhile, the Baron smiled and replied.
“I don’t know whose room that is. Haha.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“There is something in that room that enhances the evil curse that affects the entire mansion, and perhaps, your sister is being affected by it.”
“… What did you say?”
“Wait a moment.”
The Baron rummaged through his pocket and handed over a rectangular parallelepiped glass box.
The glass box, about the size of a book, was filled with magic, even Edward, who was ignorant of magic, could feel it.
“What is this…?”
“He said that if you take this to that room, it will resolve the curse.”
“… Is, is that really true?”
The Baron nodded and said.
He felt like his face, hidden by the mask, looked like it was smiling.
“Take this to that room.”
.
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