episode_0037

“Ugh… Ugh… Sob…”

Asher dragged her body, which had become difficult to control. Her current physical condition was at its worst, to the point where even her shallow movements were restricted.

The unidentified monsters appeared out of nowhere and attacked Ashe. Fortunately, their inhuman appearance made them slow, but if they had looked like normal humans, they would have been killed long ago.

“It hurts… My body, it hurts so much…”

I managed to escape with my life at stake and kill three more. It was a feat that I was able to achieve because their movements were slow. However, they kept popping up out of nowhere and persistently harassing Asher.

Knock, knock.

Blood dripped from the unhealed wound and soaked the white marble floor. This was the only way she could kindly guide her on her way. As a petty trick, Asher tore her red dress to wipe the floor and tied it tightly around the wound that hadn’t stopped bleeding.

Given the circumstances, I suspect it was Arsent’s doing.

No matter how much the butler is an all-powerful shield, it is impossible to protect Arsent against this number. With Arsent’s meager mobility, he will most likely die quickly.

However, the fact that the next floor did not open meant that these monsters were either Arsent’s allies or at least not attacking him.

“Really… I don’t have a single family member.”

I hated Arsent. I also hated him.

Nevertheless, it was difficult to criticize her by adding the word hatred to her. Arsent was definitely a villain, but I didn’t want to force her to die because we were in a relationship where we were inseparable. She was a woman who would quickly feel better after a night of beating her up.

If I had to define it, I’d say he was a mean person. That’s exactly it.

However, Arsent seems to think differently. He seems to think that the life of his brother, whom he has persecuted his entire life, is not worth even a single copper coin.

This side is hesitating in fear of losing their life, while the other side is mocking such behavior as if it were a joke.

“I didn’t want to know… this kind of stuff.”

Even though Arsent was annoying, he tried to drag him out to the end. Regardless of the past, now he was just a fellow sufferer being chased by his brother outside.

So even though it was annoying, I wanted to escape together… but I didn’t know that our perspectives were so different.

I was astonished at myself for not being able to let go of my obsession until the very end, and the reality that I doubted whether I could really kill him even if I actually faced him was pathetic.

I feel betrayed. And I am angry that he took my butler away from me even though I was just breathing.

“Cough…! Haa…”

His breathing has been a mess since a while ago. That’s why he coughs uncontrollably. Even while coughing, he strains his abdominal muscles. That’s how bad Ashe’s condition was.

‘It’s a good thing those guys stopped appearing…’

I don’t know if it was a coincidence, but luck was on my side. It was a chance to catch my breath, even if only for a moment.

Asher carefully leaned his back against the wall, but did not sit down. If he sat down and then stood up again, he would feel the loss of strength even more acutely.

‘I needed some time to think, and this came at a good time.’

Seizing the opportunity that came in the midst of a crisis, Asher calmly develops his thoughts.

As she climbed the stairs to the third floor, she reflected on this once again: this place was eccentric, but it had its own reasonable standards.

The mansion presents a seemingly impossible task, but ultimately challenges Asher to overcome the odds with the skills and tools at his disposal.

If that tone holds… and if the mansion doesn’t completely abandon Asher…

There had to be some way to solve this ordeal.

Asher began to carefully read the text that was shown to him once again.

=====

Long, long ago, there were foolish devils.

Greedy, indifferent, arrogant, and malicious.

Then one day, a divine punishment came down.

Numerous bright stars trampled and annihilated the demons.

After some time, a new demon entered the mansion.

Those who discern the devil are humans. And those who judge the devil are also humans.

Lastly, the one who selects humans is the one the young lady loves the most.

Punish the devil and face sin and truth.

-Reward: Old Key

-Special Reward: Star Fragment

=====

‘If the mansion really had cast me out, it wouldn’t have presented me with such an ordeal.’

Unless you intend to fool people, you wouldn’t tempt them with a reward. If that’s the case, you must find a way out of this desperate situation while you have some time to rest.

‘Did Mirelda really say something like this…?’

[Think carefully about why I could hurt that man.]

She gave a brief piece of advice, then immediately gave a definitive clue.

I’ll leave you with the most necessary tools.

Also, try to figure out the intentions of the cute knight who was protecting our young lady.

That, he said, would be the key to the next ordeal – the current crisis.

“If it’s the tool you left me, then maybe…?”

Asher reached into his leather pouch and pulled out an ominous book.

[Item: Book of Unequal Exchange]

[By offering up the flesh as a sacrifice, the living flesh of the designated target is constructed.]

The explanation is truly unsettling. Offering up the flesh as a sacrifice. The effect of constructing a flesh body for the designated target is also meaningless.

I understand what it means, but what good will such a dirty spell do for this ordeal?

“I don’t know… This time, I really can’t guess…”

A disturbing thought crosses my temples that this might be my limit. In fact, if it weren’t for Bernacien’s advice, the trials on the second floor would not have been able to avoid a standstill.

Especially now that even the butler has turned away…

Boom, boom.

… is impossible.

A feeling of helplessness swept over my whole body like waves on the beach. And where the waves swept, a salty hand remained. Hot tears were falling one by one on the cold white floor.

That was when the worst guest finally showed up at the worst possible time.

Phew.

Taking advantage of the gap in Asher’s concentration, a thin blade stabbed her side.

Chomp!

The moment the butcher’s knife left Ashe’s body, a thick scent of blood spread in all directions.

◇

“Look at this. Am I right?”

“…”

“Ah…”

One of them fell silent while the other let out a dumbfounded sigh at the woman’s sudden revelation.

Arsent, who was clearly in high spirits, and the butler, who was keeping his mouth shut. As their eyes met, I couldn’t help but let out a voice that was out of my mind.

It’s the worst.

I had to face two people I never wanted to see in this state, which was embarrassing. I felt like the humanity I had maintained since opening the door to the mansion was being eaten away.

“How funny. How confident you are that you arrived at this mansion first. I thought you were a third-rate gangster. A rascal who thinks he’s eating half of what’s in his own area.”

“… Ugh.”

Asher couldn’t refute Arsent’s verbal abuse. Not only did he lack the strength to refute it, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

Outside, the only person on Ashe’s side was the late Emperor. Even that wasn’t something she loved so much that she would punish Arsent or her brothers.

The Emperor judged that the affairs of brothers and sisters should be resolved among themselves, and he only played the minimal role of a breakwater for Ashe. That alone was completely separate from the numerous gifts and compliments he showered on Ashe.

Above all, it is a fact that Ashe had a sense of superiority over Arsent, at least in this place.

In that sense, Arsent’s sharp criticism felt like poking Ashe in the hollow side.

“Do you get it now? No matter where you are, you have never been the main character.”

Arsent waved his hand. Then, white smoke rose and the monsters that had been harassing Ashe appeared in a swarm. There were easily more than a dozen of them.

Only then did Ashe realize that Arsent had been toying with her all along.

Up until now, I had only escaped from six or seven monsters at most, but Arsent had been doing this kind of thing without any trouble.

“Isn’t that a wonderful power? Not only did you visit the Demon Realm, but you even gave me this power as a gift along with your butler… You must be really sick of this mansion.”

“… Ha.”

It’s over.

There is no escape hole even if you soar to the sky. You will be slaughtered and killed so thoroughly that you will not be able to achieve anything. Whether it is revenge or relieving Mirelda’s grudge, all of it…

As despair gradually settled deep into my heart, a final ember of despair was faintly lit.

Kwak.

Asher held the sword with his unbroken hand with a desperate determination. Time to think was a luxury. He was not willing to die a pitiful death without even making a last-ditch effort.

Fight!

Take a step and fly. Shake off the fear that clings to your body with a shout.

“Eww!”

The movements were dull. The remaining stamina fell to the ground and it was impossible to resist.

Still, it would be no problem to cut down Arsent. Even if he had gained some mysterious ability, it would be impossible for him to have acquired physical abilities.

Actually, Asher’s prediction was right, but…

Pfft!

The butler suddenly intervened between Arsent and Ashe.

Stand tall!

In front of the butler, Ashe’s fierce sword blade stopped as if time had stopped. Then, his trembling hand weakly dropped the sword.

Shake!

There was a loud noise as the dull metal clashed with the marble. Arsent burst out laughing at the sight.

“Oh, haha! Love is really scary. The butler knows he can’t attack, but he still stops his sword?”

Arsent laughed heartily, but the reality was different.

Ashedo knew better than anyone that the butler was invincible. However, Ashedo didn’t even notice the moment the butler got involved.

It’s not that she lacks kinetic vision, but that she’s physically at her limit. At the moment, she’s struggling to maintain her field of vision.

So, there is only one reason why Asher stopped swordsmanship.

She was still not ready for murder. She felt a strong aversion to the act of taking a human’s ‘real life’ directly.

Even in extreme circumstances, Asher was too kind to perform the killing practice.

‘I don’t know… anymore. Maybe it’s because I don’t have enough blood. My head just won’t work.’

Her self-diagnosis was correct. She had suffered severe bleeding from the beatings of the demons.

If it weren’t for Haley’s urn, he would have been knocked over and butchered long ago.

Above all, the fact that the coin was completely useless drove Asher to despair. Even though he had two spare lives, it was not a situation where he could find a way to turn the tide.

dump!

Finally, the strength left my trembling legs.

My body, which had been overworked for a long time, was longing for rest.

It seemed more comfortable to turn off consciousness rather than continue thinking.

Even as the swirling chaos filled my head, one desire suddenly arose. At least, I didn’t want to die being toyed with by Arsent…

“Butler…”

So, just before losing consciousness, she made her final request.

It was a time that was short if it was short and long if it was long. It appealed to the affection that had built up in that ambiguous time that was neither here nor there.

“You kill me.”

─Activate the spellbook of unequal exchange.

The moment Asher made up his mind, the spellbook began to glow purple.

Originally, she wanted to offer up her own body to embody the butler’s body while he was alive. Strictly speaking, she wanted the butler to be transformed into a human, not a ghost, and to adorn the final moments.

…… Still, even though she had made up her mind, her survival instincts were struggling because she didn’t want to die. The concept of death was so scary. Even though she pretended to be strong, Asher was only a seventeen-year-old girl.

A kaleidoscope of lights flashed by, forming a panorama.

As he was reflecting on his life and finally reached the mansion, a woman’s request stirred Ashe once again.

[I want to figure out the intentions of the cute knight who protected our young lady.]

The knight who protected the young lady. What a cute knight.

The loyal guard dog of the mansion… Haley. What that cute knight left behind…

……Haley’s own body.

─Using Hayley’s urn as a sacrifice, construct the butler’s living body.

[Item: Hailey’s Ashes disappear.]

[Grants the mansion’s butler the power of life.]

…

……

[Rejection: The sacrifice is of a significantly low standard, making it impossible to construct the entire body.]

[Implementation: Builds up the target’s right hand for 5 seconds.]

Hailey’s urn was a reward for her outstanding contribution to Asher’s progress.

By transferring the physical abilities of the spirit Hailey into a small human body, he was even able to achieve the feat of uniting with Madame Mirelda Neterto.

This Hailey’s urn only embodies one of the butler’s hands for exactly 5 seconds.

The cost-effectiveness was so bad that I lost my mind.

… I thought so.

─You kill me.

The butler complies with Asher’s wishes.

“Yes, gladly. Ash.”

.

.

.

[Warning: You have been removed from the ᚸᛈᛊ of the ᚢᚠᚱᚦ Mansion in another world.]

The moment when broken text fills Asher’s blurred world.

Phew!

An ear-piercing roar was heard.

Blood sprayed like a waterfall, and in an instant, sixty-eight demons were destroyed.

The entire mansion, which seemed as if it would last forever, was engraved with neat, straight scars.

Kugugugugugu…

Asher lost consciousness as he witnessed the scene of the mansion collapsing.

[Think carefully about why I could hurt that man.]

Mirelda’s advice sank into the depths of my fading consciousness.