episode_0036

Elena held the jewel high and observed it with interest.

In fact, it was somewhat difficult to call it a jewel.

Since ancient times, a jewel must sparkle brightly enough to arouse a fierce desire to possess it in those who look at it.

In contrast, the jewel currently held in Elena’s hand showed no bright light at all.

A small size that looks like transparent crystal without any color.

Inside, something like black fog is constantly flowing.

It is a terrible sight that somehow causes an infinite sense of ominousness just by looking at it.

Damn it, it seems like it’s gotten more intense in the time I haven’t seen it.

“Ho… … My dear, have you ever had something like this?”

Elena, who had been observing the ‘Elena’s Curse Stone’ I gave her for a while, opened her mouth.

I suppressed my impatience and asked her.

“How about you, can you find out what this thing is?”

“I’m sorry, but I guess I have no choice but to give you the same answer as before.”

“Huh? Wait, if the answer is the same as before… … .”

“It’s exactly the answer you think. It’s something Jim doesn’t know anything about.”

Was the intention to kill an emotion that could be formed so easily?

I glared at Elena with a devouring gaze.

However, Elena just smiled her characteristic relaxed smile as if she was amused by my reaction.

“Don’t get too worked up. No matter how impatience is a young person’s privilege, isn’t it necessary to listen to what people say to the end?”

After saying that, Elena brought the curse stone to her chest.

It’s an ominous-looking jewel with a creeping black fog, but somehow it looks well-matched on Elena’s body, as if it was originally a set.

“Jim doesn’t know what this is or why it is named ‘Elena’s Cursed Stone’ with Jim’s name in it. But the power inside seems to be Jim’s.”

Elena, who was applying the curse stone to her chest, suddenly threw the curse stone at me.

I suddenly came to my senses when I caught it without hesitation.

“What does it mean that your power is in it?”

“As you know, the power I wield is necromancy.”

“Necromancy… … That means that what is inside this is your curse, Elena.”

“Yes. And that curse is probably the cause of this strange phenomenon that you and Jim are experiencing.”

Elena decided in a stern voice.

It was the moment when I learned the identity of this terrible phenomenon that had been tormenting me all along, but since it was somewhat expected, I was not particularly impressed.

Instead, I asked Elena back in an urgent manner.

“Can you unlock it? They say that what lies within this is your power. Then you might be able to cancel it.”

“It must be difficult right now. But I think it’s possible if you just put in a little time and effort.”

“What does that mean?”

“If we can just lift the curse of the burden that lies here, it seems like this situation will be resolved naturally.”

It was great!

There was no reason to worry about what other people thought, so I cheered loudly.

Finally, I found a way out of this shitty situation.

Even though I was decapitated and raped without knowing what was going on, it was worth holding on!

After enduring so tenaciously, I found a way to return to my original body and original world.

From Elena, who I thought was the culprit of all this!

For some reason, Elena, sitting in front of me, began to look even more beautiful.

Did Elena always look this lovely?

I felt like I wanted to hug Elena right now and dance happily.

“Good! Then there is no need to worry any more.”

“What does it mean to suddenly say that there is no need to worry?”

“What are you saying right now? They say there is a way to solve this situation. All you have to do is lift the curse on the jewel. I just said you can do it.”

“Yes, Jim definitely meant that to you.”

The excitement that had been so high began to subside.

Why does Elena’s eyes look at me feel so cold?

“Why does Jim have to do that?”

Elena spoke in a tone as cold as her cold eyes.

Is it because my expectations were infinitely high?

Surprisingly, I wasn’t angry or anything.

Instead, I just felt absurd.

“Uh, why? I’m sure you said that too. I don’t want to entrust your body to a guy like me who has killed you countless times. So this is good enough for you too!”

“Yes, I definitely said that.”

“But why!”

“While observing the stone, I discovered a strange fact. Boy, it looks like you’re slowly being eroded by Jim’s curse.”

I felt my blood run cold at Elena’s words.

At that moment, a suspicious phrase that appeared in the message window appeared in my mind.

‘I am further eroded by Elena’s curse.’

I looked at Elena with my eyes wide open.

What an idiot.

From Elena’s point of view, there is no need to use any effort to lift the curse.

because… … .

“The body will soon be Jim’s if he waits just a little longer, so why should he go to such trouble?”

I will correct it.

Elena is by no means a beautiful or lovely woman.

The girl sitting in front of me with a cruel smile is a ruthless boss monster who can annihilate a small village without even blinking if she puts her mind to it.

“Uh, why would you do such a cruel thing… … Wow, we were pretty good. You had fun talking with me too! But why now… … .”

“Why now? Honey, think about it for a moment. Why should I forgive you, who killed me countless times?”

Oh my god.

Yes, I thought it was a really pointless appeal.

Elena will do something for me? why? why?

Did they say that the only thing more terrible than despair is hope?

What should I do at this moment, when the hope that shimmered before my eyes has disappeared without a trace?

In the end, it came back to square one.

There was only one big problem.

Can my actions of killing Elena a hundred thousand times be forgiven or not?

However, this time, he did not cry and blame himself for his actions.

I didn’t cry out to please forgive me or to turn back time and go back to the past.

Because I knew very well that those things no longer had any meaning.

Without even realizing it, my two hands stretched out like lightning and grabbed something in front of me.

I felt the soft texture of my hands.

Ironically, I have already felt this feeling in my hand once.

Immediately after being reincarnated in Elena’s body, one of the methods she used to kill herself due to the unbearable reality was to strangle herself.

I rushed towards Elena and began to strangle her with all my might.

“Qu… … Ugh… … ! Well, now… … True colors… … Are you revealing it? … … but… … I endured it for a long time… … I thought about everything… … .”

Elena let out everything she wanted to say even though she was choking in my hands and making gurgling sounds.

It’s only natural.

Even when I tried to commit suicide by strangling myself, I failed many times due to lack of strength.

How much force can these thin forearms produce?

Holy shit, I know that.

I know best!

But if I don’t do this, I don’t think I will be able to hold back this boiling heart!

After strangling Elena for a while, I roughly shook her off.

Elena, who was thrown far away, was panting for a long time to catch her breath.

“It’s been a while since I handled Jim’s body… … My hands have gotten quite spicy. I really almost died.”

Elena’s first words were barely able to catch her breath.

Is it excessive paranoia that makes me feel like those words are a mockery aimed at me?

There was a sense of ease in Elena’s voice.

I was deeply envious of that endless leisure.

A leisure that can only be achieved by those who know that their position is infinitely superior to that of their opponents.

It was also an attitude that I could never have.

“What are you doing now?”

A disdainful voice came from behind me.

Unlike last time, where I wondered if it was paranoia or delusion, this time the feeling of contempt contained therein was very clear.

“You were strangling me a little while ago, but now you are bowing your head politely. Does this mean that this is all that a man like you has? It’s truly pathetic.”

Yes, I know I’m pathetic.

But it can’t be helped, right?

No matter how much I get treated like trash, this is the only thing left to me now.

I opened my mouth as I was lying face down towards Elena.

“Please, Elena. I don’t know how to apologize. I did everything wrong.”

A pathetic plea that would best be described as miserable.

What kind of expression is Elena making right now?

Are they laughing at me and despising me? Or is he making a bewildered expression?

What felt like an eternity passed.

After a while, Elena’s low voice was heard.

“Wake up. The person who borrows Jim’s body must not carelessly bow his head.”

“But… … .”

“Wake up!”

He jumped upright at Elena’s yelling.

Contrary to what I thought, Elena did not laugh at me or despise me.

Instead, she was looking at me with eyes full of pity and sympathy.

“I don’t know how you’re misunderstanding, but let me make it clear right here. I don’t plan on waiting until my curse eats away at you to get my body back.”

“That’s really… … Is this really true?”

“Yes, if Jim had thought that way, he wouldn’t have helped you at all. Have you already forgotten who taught you how to move your body and use the princess’s charm and magic?”

Yes, it definitely was.

If Elena hadn’t moved to help me at that time, I would have been repeatedly decapitated by a knight even now.

If that were the case, the curse would have eroded much more strongly.

Perhaps he had already handed over control of his body to Elena.

Elena started to leisurely walk around me with her back to me.

Her humming voice sounded like she was singing.

“It is true that I was angry at the person who killed Jim. But after the initial anger disappeared, other things came into view.”

“Other things?”

“Yes. The fact is that the time you and I are staying now is a little different from when we originally stayed. I think you’ve already noticed, right?”

As expected, Elena was feeling the same thing as me.

“That’s right… … Yo.”

I was so overwhelmed by Elena’s atmosphere that I found myself using polite language towards her without even realizing it.

After hearing my awkward politeness, she bent her back and laughed out loud.

“Hahaha! There is no need to show respect to Jim. As long as you don’t strangle me like before, you can treat me like you normally do.”

Her face seemed to have turned bright red from the sound of her laughter.

Damn it, why are you doing something you shouldn’t do and getting embarrassed by buying it?

Elena, who had been laughing for a while, had a smile on her face as if she was having fun.

“Anyway, after realizing that fact, I suddenly became greedy. I felt that this was my chance to accomplish what I could not accomplish in my last life.”

“Things you couldn’t accomplish in your last life?”

Elena suddenly walked towards me, so I flinched without realizing it.

But Elena didn’t seem to care about my reaction.

Elena walked towards me and placed her hand on my shoulder.

“As the princess of the underworld, I will make a proposal to you. Let’s move Jim’s body and punish all those evil cultists who stole everything from Jim.”

Her gaze was pouring towards me, burning with blazing anger.

This was quite unusual for a woman who had rarely shown any emotions.

“… … What is the reward?”

Overwhelmed by Elena’s mood, the only thing I could manage to say was that one word.

It was neither a poignant nor a tasteless remark, but Elena did not laugh at me.

Elena looked at me instead and smiled her signature confident smile that I was familiar with.

“Everything you want.”

I couldn’t help but feel a thrill at that confident declaration.