Episode 75: A Big Catch
As I inwardly grumbled, I asked Jena.
The atmosphere was now flowing almost like Zenon’s inquisition.
“Does Zenon usually come home around what time?”
“…At the latest by midnight. It’s normally the time he would have returned by now.”
“But today?”
“Today… He said he had an important matter in the early morning and would be late. He’d come back tomorrow morning and suggested I go to bed first…”
“And he didn’t mention where he was going or what he would be doing?”
“Yes… I’m sorry.”
Just today. Something important this morning.
By this point, it was practically confirmed. If it weren’t related, it would be weirder.
I immediately pulled out a pen and paper, along with the Box of the Dead, and hastily scribbled.
[The one being chased is named Zenon. He resides at Slum Street No. 3, the 8th shack.]
[Your death is somehow related to him. Find him at all costs.]
That’s it. Finally, the threads are starting to unravel.
I wore a satisfied smile.
“But… is this all I can do for now?”
I rummaged through my pocket and pulled out the emblem of the saint.
The emblem was shining brightly, yet it had undoubtedly dimmed compared to its glow at midnight.
If it has become this dim to my eyes… it means a significant amount of time has passed since midnight.
“I’m going now. Thanks, Jena.”
“Ah, yes. I…!”
“You should finish eating slowly and then return. Be careful on your way home.”
I got up from my seat and hurriedly prepared to return.
Jena suddenly looked up and tried to get up as well, but I stopped her. It was my own way of being considerate.
Instead, I inadvertently asked her.
“In case you know…”
“Yes?”
“If your brother were to suddenly disappear starting today… what would you do?”
“Why would you say that…?”
At first, Jena stared at me intensely.
When she realized I was asking seriously, she began to think seriously as well.
She soon shivered as if she didn’t even want to imagine.
“I… if that happens… in this world… I’d lose the confidence to keep living…”
I stared at her intensely this time.
Then, it dawned on me that her words were completely, honestly genuine, so I walked away without saying a word.
“Oh!” Jena raised her voice with a sigh.
“Thank you for the food. Brother.”
“I appreciate being called ‘brother’ as well.”
“Ahahaha.”
I threw out a light joke and left.
My mouth tasted unusually bitter. I frowned while twirling the emblem with my fingers.
“… I shouldn’t have asked.”
If Zenon is related to my death, there’s a high chance I’ll fight him.
Depending on the situation, I might even kill him. The memory of slashing through the water hose at the Kerensky banquet flashes in my mind.
In every sense, this question only brought losses.
I deeply regretted it as I hurriedly returned to the inn.
“Keep your eyes wide open. Aren’t you still not sleepy?”
“Do you know how many times you’ve asked that now… I’m not sleepy, alright?”
Luci and I were sitting on the bed in my room, waiting.
“You look like you’re about to fall asleep.”
“No, I’m not.”
If you’re wondering what we’re waiting for… we’re waiting for my death.
More specifically, I was waiting for the cause of my death to approach.
“Hey, Zenya?”
“Sleepy… who…?”
But Lucent, the Undying Demon King. The girl has been snoozing repeatedly since a while ago.
Despite being on the 33rd day today, she still seems unable to stay awake.
So I’ve kept talking to her, hoping it would help her stay awake after cooldown.
“Demon King, your shift has arrived.”
“Ahgaaaah!”
As I whispered beside her ear, she abruptly sat up. She seemed to be rubbing her ears, then suddenly flushed her face, and started hitting me.
“You disgusting creep! That line you said was so unpleasant!”
“Don’t complain if you don’t want to listen, then stop snoozing.”
To both vent some frustration and wake her up, I grabbed a cheek and stretched it.
Hmm. As always, I think this cheek is really addictive. How does it remain so supple and soft? Is this how all Demon Kings are?
“Ah, Ah! Sorry, I didn’t mean to! Please don’t pinch! Stop pulling!”
“Yeah, stop sleeping from now on.”
“Huh… Ahh, it hurts…”
Watching Luci shed a tear, I sighed deeply and lied down on the bed.
As I lay staring at the ceiling, various thoughts flooded my mind.
The first one was most prominent…
“… powerless.”
An overwhelming sense of helplessness.
Of course, I’ve become undeniably stronger. Even warriors and Demon Kings wouldn’t stand a chance against me.
But look at me now. I’m just sitting still, doing nothing but sucking my thumb and waiting for the moment of my death.
I can do nothing. That’s frustrating. I feel drained.
And I’m incredibly furious.
“I’ll destroy them all.”
I muttered to myself like a junior high school drama addict.
This mysterious death that’s turned me into this. The enigmatic organization creating it. Or if it’s my destined death itself — it doesn’t matter.
If my death is caused by a human, I’ll dismember them limb by limb. If it’s caused by an organization, I’ll obliterate them into atoms.
If the whole world is rooting for my death, I’ll utterly destroy the world.
-Hic. Are you on the side of the lesser gods or the Demon King?
Hic’s question from earlier suddenly came back to me. I glanced absentmindedly at the Demon King, who was already dozing off again.
On whose side am I, the gods or Lucent’s? Naturally, I’m not on either side.
I side with the winners. So, I side with no one but myself.
I will not die. I am the side that cannot lose.
I’ll win this time again, no matter who the opponent is.
‘Enough brooding.’
I abruptly sat up and extended my hand toward Lucent.
Zooouuuk. Stretching her cheek with all my strength, I let out a breathy sigh.
“It’s been five minutes since you said you’re not sleeping. Show a bit of decency, will you?”
“Uuugggh…”
But no matter how hard I pull, the Demon King shows no intention of waking up.
I furrowed my eyebrows and pulled on her other cheek too. Stretching, I turned it. Then I squeezed her face like dough. I even tried steering her face like a steering wheel.
“Mmph… Hey, you idiot warrior… hahaha.”
But…
Even in her dreams, Lucent kept cursing me while sleeping soundly.
A sudden chill ran through my veins.
“Could it be?”
My entire body stiffened. Due to losing my grip, I let go of her cheek.
With a plop, Lucent collapsed onto the bed like a puppet whose strings were cut.
She’s sleeping. Someone must have put her to sleep in between.
‘… How?’
But how could that possibly happen? It’s impossible.
I kept her by my side to monitor her. Naturally, I thought if anyone wanted to force her asleep, they would need to physically touch her.
‘It’s not that… right. Curse. Magic.’
Is there magic that can force someone to sleep from a distance? There could be.
But using it on Lucent right now would be impossible. Halserberg, the Marquis, once informed me:
– So-called debuffs, primarily curse magic, are widely used due to their versatility. However, there’s a flaw.
The flaw he spoke of was that the target must be within the caster’s line of sight.
At the very least, the target must have been physically touched at least once before to gather information about their bio-mana.
‘Contact… Contact?’
And that’s when I realized.
I subconsciously muttered.
“Right. Contact.”
The only person Lucent had physical contact with today, excluding us.
The seemingly meaningless shoulder pat.
I finally understood its significance.
“Damn bastard…”
Just wait until I meet him again.
I’ll disassemble his limbs like a Lego set… for my future self!
I clenched my teeth with frustration, silently swearing and grumbling at that moment.
With a sudden flash, the outside brightened momentarily.
Without thinking, I glanced out the window, my eyes widening.
“What on earth is…?”
At that moment, for reasons unknown.
Perhaps my 33 repeated experiences had ingrained themselves in my body rather than in my brain.
I grabbed the Demon King, rushing directly to Seop Baek’s room.
“Sseobaeeaeakkkkk!!!”
This time, it was a true nick of time.
The moment Seop Baek finished attaching a charm to the Demon King, a white explosion enveloped us.
[The resurrection point of the Undying has been updated.]
[Date – Continental Calendar 1108, January 12, 11:30 AM]
[Location – Markeuteuriseu. Upper areas of the Land of Promise, residential district of the small town of Kern]
“Wait! Stop right there!!”
It was only after the panel appeared belatedly that I chased the red-haired vagrant with glaring eyes.
The vagrant briefly glanced back at me and then quickly disappeared into a shady alley.
I clicked my tongue and prepared to follow. But,
[Name: Box of the Dead]
[Notice: Item Update – Stored items in the Box of the Dead from the prior life have been updated.]
That panel blocked my view, preventing me from following.
I took a sharp breath and instinctively reached for the Box of the Dead.
Click. Opening the Box of the Dead, I carefully studied its contents.
[To the guy who just hit me and ran: Her name is Seseona.]
“Fuck, what the—?!”
Inside was a note.
A chill similar to being struck by lightning ran down my spine. Even though I had clearly seen her red hair, there was no time to deeply ponder that.
I immediately acted.
‘Mimir’s Eye!’
Just as the rag-wrapped vagrant disappeared at the end of the alley, I glared at him and activated the skill.
Swoosh. A panel appeared in my peripheral vision. I hastily turned my eyes there and saw:
[Name: Zenon]
[Nickname: The 163400157th official hero. The sixth son of Galan Forest. The Supreme]
[LV. 137]
[Health: 1010/1010 Mana: 770/770 Body Status: Normal]
[Strength: 129 Agility: 144 Intelligence: 101 Hero Sense: 11]
“Seriously… How dare you play tricks with me… Ugh.”
Disappointed, I hurled a string of curses at myself from the previous life.
