As evening came and dinner had just wrapped up, suddenly, Hieronymus showed up.
creak
Hieronymus entered with an expression that masked his anxiety like a pro!
gulp
I figured he’d spill the beans on what’s got him all worked up soon enough. I handed the dishes to Joanna and strutted over to Hieronymus.
“Hello, Hieronymus.”
I wanted to ask about his state, but that could wait.
Patience!
Just a simple greeting, like always. Routine behaviors bring comfort, you know? If I suddenly made a snicker sound upon his entrance, Hieronymus might just smack me upside the head with some magic tool hovering over me!
whoosh
So, I greeted him like I always do.
And that’s where the chatter stops.
Talking more reduces our differences in perception. But if I talk too much, improving those gaps becomes tricky!
And it means I’ll also reduce my chances of making a verbal blunder.
Why do I bother crafting a character?
Because, once I’m out here, I want to stick around! Falling back to the bottom might mean disappearing, so I should snag as much warmth as I can, right?
Making a weak character is key since strong characters often expose their weaknesses. They lack the power or intelligence to support their strength, so it’s just tough luck.
Even if someone only knows how to use a Death Beam, they’d still shoot first and ask questions later if you annoy them.
zap!
How unfortunate.
Living beings learn through fear and reward.
If I had those abilities, I could have trained him using the fear of death coupled with the reward of blessings.
whimper
Just a note, fear alone doesn’t cut it. Without one side, things get twisted!
Even when thorough, occasionally, exceptions pop up. For instance, Tisah!
wink
Environmentally packed in tight, and yet he’s intelligent enough to realize this cult is weird. It would have been dangerous had he not picked up on hiding methods before getting killed.
So, while keeping exceptions in the back of my mind, I wrapped up my greeting to Hieronymus and stared at him silently.
All alone at this late hour?
What on earth is going on?
“Greetings, Lady Rebecca. I recently heard you aren’t fond of this room, so I came to check in.”
Andrew must have squeaked to him! So he dashed over, huh?
swish
Then Joanna, while clearing the table behind me, furrowed her brow without even glancing at Hieronymus.
Is it because I’m not keen on this room? Or maybe it’s just because a stranger popped in? Or something else entirely?
If she had the habit of expressing her thoughts out loud, I might have understood, but Joanna isn’t one for such habits.
So I have no clue what she’s thinking!
While analyzing Joanna on one side, I engaged with Hieronymus.
And just then, he shot another question my way.
“What aspects of this room do you find unsatisfactory?”
What do I find unsatisfactory?
He’s actually asking for my opinion. Kudos for not trying to dodge that thought!
But here? That sort of question is a no-go.
I don’t lie. I can’t stretch a tale to the end due to a lack of confidence. Building a weak character stems from the fact that I’m inherently just like that!
So, let’s stick to the truth.
There are multiple reasons why I’m not fond of this place, but I can summarize it quickly. I know of a particular room—a room for Rebecca Rolfe.
“It’s different from the room where Rebecca Rolfe lived.”
Yep! It’s the room where this body’s owner resided.
To be fair, this girl named Rebecca Rolfe came from a wealthy family. She was the typical lady with plenty of servants.
However, someone burned down her house. Yup, that someone is standing right in front of me.
Though he didn’t do it directly, at the very least, he gave the orders.
“Do you have knowledge of the room where that body’s owner lived?”
“I have memories of her.”
Just a heads-up, this statement bears dangerous implications for me. I just indicated I know Rebecca Rolfe’s memories.
While one could conclude I might access the memories of this body I inhabit, if they think a bit creatively, they might also assume I could read the memories of those I’ve consumed.
If Hieronymus is a genius, he could pick up on my blunders and recognize that I observe you all from the eyes of those I’ve blessed.
whoosh
Someday, I wouldn’t mind being found out.
But I definitely don’t want it to happen right now. I’d like to keep my weaknesses under wraps for a bit longer!
If the moment arises, I’ll need to strike.
I eyed Hieronymus, waiting for his response.
As expected, his brain turns quickly, and he quickly replied.
“I’ll prepare such a room for you.”
Oopsie!
That means he might have visited that room during my abduction. He didn’t even ask what type of room it was. Of course, he could send his subordinates to find out.
what?
Wait. No, there’s something I need to say.
“How will you do that? It’s already burnt to ash!”
guffaw
Yes, this is a condemnation—Rebecca Rolfe’s condemnation.
It’s a complaint from someone who’s already dead. Can you answer that, Hieronymus?
Silence reigned.
He simply chose to remain quiet.
So sad! Had he engaged in some manner, I could have deducted points from his humanity, but for now, he’s still holding on to that.
This is because revenge is the most human of choices, showing he still holds onto that humanity.
So, revenge tales shine the brightest, and that’s what everyone fears—though not solely because the higher-ups might face revenge.
uh oh
When serving despairing beings, you gain some insights.
Revenge is painful. It hurts, and it’s tough, but the fond memories of good times cling onto you and consume you.
nooo
Am I not allowed to forget this?
Am I not permitted to ignore it?
Just because it’s the way of the world, revenge is deemed bad?
oof!
With that mindset, can I avoid this pain? If revenge leads to a righteous world, I could go through life with my eyes shut, weeping softly and meandering on. A massive upheaval either occurs or doesn’t.
Not everyone can be superhuman.
Not everyone can become a hero of steel.
Every person has the freedom to become a weary layabout who has given up.
yyyaawwnnp
The right to be a slave, that is.
Without needing to deeply despair, they can live in ease while fearing merely the daily grind.
Those who desire this are the ones pushing that revenge is a bad thing. Hence, even when the masses have power, it doesn’t vanish but solidifies.
Once you forsake your humanity, you tend to envy others’ humanity.
So someone else’s revenge is beautiful, while you want no part in it.
Why? Because you lack the motivation to avenge yourself!
Yet here I am, in front of someone willing to do whatever it takes for revenge. I have no clue what kind of past they’ve had, but something significant must have been lost.
In front of that person stands one who’s lost everything to their foe.
Even if my mind knows I’m not Rebecca Rolfe, you can’t help but acknowledge the visual cues!
Dishing out accusations will surely stick in your brain.
Because there’s humanity involved, and since we’re both in this revenge game, I think those words will resonate with Hieronymus.
This, indeed, is what Rebecca Rolfe can do for her form of revenge.
Though it’s pitifully inadequate for revenge.
Anyway, as a bonus, it appears my presence has grown, so whatever it is that involves warming or ninja blessings, I’ll take it!
Don’t you find it annoying to keep me hanging like this?
He chose silence instead of a reply. While I could let this silence stretch indefinitely into awkwardness, I felt like Joanna might seriously suffer from an ulcer by now.
ahhh
Well then, shall I phrase it differently?
“Just do what you want, Hieronymus.”
wink
Don’t mind me, go ahead!
Feel free to provide warmth, bestow blessings—whatever your heart desires.
But just one thing.
“Don’t stop.”
Yes. Without food, a person dies. I get cold without warmth.
So, stopping is the one thing I won’t forgive! At that point, I’ll do whatever necessary to escape this cage and find a new host.
If Andrew happens to be your enemy, I might just cozy up to him.
Of course, I won’t spell that out!
smirk
I halted, watching Hieronymus lift his gaze.
“What do you mean?”
Huh? At this point, don’t tell me you missed everything I just said?!
You’re asking what I mean? Are you serious that everything we just talked about has turned into a fantasy in your head?
sigh
Ah, yes, this is what happens when conversations lack substance. No helping it, I suppose.
Let’s dumb it down a little.
“I need warmth. The more you achieve your desires, the more warmth you will give me!”
wink
Just a reminder, the warmth harvested by those blessed by me, who kill others, is a whole other thing! Besides that, you still need to provide me with offerings!
“So go ahead and do what you want. Or should I ask Joanna about the better room?”
bang!
Joanna violently shook her head side to side. Is that really such a terrible idea?
Hieronymus glanced at Joanna once, then back at me, and nodded.
“Understood. I will proceed as desired. And please, Lady Rebecca, if you have any complaints, do let me know through Joanna.”
“Sure, got it.”
So hearing my words through Andrew must have made him feel some type of way, huh?
boing!
Beasts don’t understand things like lines. If he intends to do something, I won’t stop him. I might not help either, though.
And then Hieronymus exited without turning his back to me.
swish
Did my words sting him too much?
Still, I think Hieronymus is the real villain for having no intention of providing warmth or gathering materials for blessings.
Anyway, if I could move to another room…
“Joanna.”
“Yes, Lady Rebecca.”
“If possible, could you ask for a room with a window?”
“That sounds like a splendid idea, Lady Rebecca!”
cheer
Staying in a sealed space for too long can make the air stuffy, right?
Even if it’s not an issue for me, it’s not an ideal environment for Joanna to be in for an extended period.
The kitchen or whatever is too far away!
zoom zoom!
By now, you probably get it. Without blessings, I don’t possess any special powers and have no grand plans in mind. If possible, I’d prefer to venture into uncharted territory within the village.
And also, I think that for incidents to unfold, I must be out there.
smile emoji
