Hieronymus went outside, claiming he had something to do.
whoosh
I’m not sure if he’s choosing someone to make the harvesting period, or looking for someone to supply me with warmth.
chirp chirp
So, I shifted my interest to Joanna Smith.
ding ding
Based on the world view, I thought there would be European-style bread, but seeing Joanna cook in the kitchen feels quite different, doesn’t it?
chop chop
She grinds the grains, adds water, and brings a lump of dough to one side of the kitchen to bake over the fire. It’s like naan from India. Separately, she takes out pickled meat, cuts it up, and stir-fries it, while also boiling dried vegetables with sauce.
boil boil
The dishes seem like they would have an enormous amount of calories. Plus, there’s a bit of fruit.
fruit drop
From the looks of it, it appears to be quite fresh fruit. There’s probably a place nearby where it can be sourced, with a supplier for it.
sigh
Unfortunately, Joanna has no idea how it’s done.
facepalm
If I could assess the food situation, I could consider it when expanding the harvesting period later, but it’s a shame.
whistle
Food, space, and happiness management. These are common elements in simulation games, right? An ideal game shouldn’t have too much interference from human elements.
clink clink
To harvest more warmth, I think it would be good to increase the harvesting period to gain more warmth.
ponder
Well then.
drumroll
If I rush, nothing will go right.
whoosh
Back when I was human, I wasn’t particularly bright. So, it’s impossible for me to be able to do anything now.
light bulb
When too many minds are contaminated, or hosts, or followers gather together, I start thinking about grid computing their brains to increase intelligence…
thinking sound
If I could, I would, but using the brains of Rebecca Rolfe and Joanna Smith doesn’t feel like it’d improve things.
shrug
Rather, they only seem to make noise.
sigh
If the harvesting period increases, there’s a possibility that I won’t be able to manage it.
grumble
Hmm.
tick tock
I’ll think about it then.
wink
As I’m planning for the future bit by bit, Joanna comes into the room carrying food.
step step
Then, Joanna opens the door and steps inside. She carefully walks in and stops before making her way directly to me.
thud
I still remember Joanna clinging onto me.
flashback
She quietly opened the door and entered the room. Once inside, she moved through a space where she wasn’t easily visible.
swish
In the meantime, nobody treats her as a person. Even as a janitor cleans the street, there are often times I don’t even remember her, right?
gasp
As she rises in her position, she seems to be fascinated by being recognized by someone.
glee
This pleasure often leads to an obsession with climbing higher in a cult.
bell rings
Humans are social animals. They find stability in social relationships. When recognized by others, the brain provides a reward accordingly.
cheers
That’s why when one’s rank rises, people often change. Pain is easier to ruin a person than pleasure.
shock
I’m curious to see how Joanna, who’s gradually changing, will turn out.
drama
Looking at the dark purple light within her, I don’t think it will yield good results.
ominous music
“Excuse me. Here’s your meal.”
bell chime
I looked at the meal brought by Joanna. Rebecca Rolfe had made similar dishes I’ve tasted before. It’s not that unusual for a meal.
ahem
For me, it’s the first meal since becoming this body.
chomp chomp
I know how to eat, so I gave it a try. But, there’s nothing in the taste that matches what I know. However, Rebecca Rolfe’s body said she’s been eating like this regularly.
huh?
It feels strangely dualistic or independently peculiar.
thoughtful sound
It just feels like I completed a daily quest. Does that mean I’ll need to deal with the byproducts of this physical activity later?
sigh
If I need to go, I should ask where the restroom is.
poof
Anyway, the most important thing is whether I can obtain the warmth I desire from the food.
deep breath
Though the dish has heat, I don’t feel any warmth entering me upon eating. It’s still cold as ever.
shiver
Surely, warmth isn’t something physical that I require.
fire crackling
If I could feel warm from physical warmth, I would have jumped into a bonfire by now.
whoosh
But… isn’t there a bit too much?
big gulp
I got full before finishing half.
burp
Since there’s no real reason to eat more, I left some behind.
plate clatter
Joanna Smith seemed about to do something but hesitated. Her body tensed. Her mouth opened and closed again, indicating she had a question to ask?
curious
“Do what you want, Joanna Smith.”
encouraging cheer
So, as I told her to go ahead, Joanna Smith looked genuinely shocked.
surprised gasp
Her heart raced, and with it came a surge of awe and faith.
thump thump
But even so, she couldn’t act on her desires immediately, hesitating several times before asking me.
questioning tone
“How should I refer to you, if I may ask?”
curiously
Ah, starting there?
snicker
Didn’t she introduce herself as Rebecca Rolfe before? Isn’t there something like a phrase about not calling upon the name of God in vain?
shrug
Of course, it’s true that if a deity can be easily called upon, their dignity might diminish.
thinking sound
Oh, right.
nod
I introduced myself as a cold sea that desires warmth from the depths below, didn’t I?
soft gasp
It makes sense. Joanna wasn’t present when I introduced myself as Rebecca Rolfe.
realization
There’s no need to ponder on names.
wave of hand
“I am Rebecca Rolfe. It’s the name of this body, but I use it too. So please call me that name.”
smile
“Yes, Lady Rebecca.”
nod
Her gaze is moving busily.
busy busy
Joanna possesses a color that wouldn’t be out of place as an undead or demon in a game. Her skin is a dark blue, and the roots of her hair have turned purple.
color change sound
Rebecca changed all at once to purple, but Joanna still retains some of her original color, albeit faded to white.
thoughtful tone
In her late 50s, she wouldn’t have seemed particularly old back when I was human, and if she managed well, she could have appeared in her 40s, like some people.
age estimation
However, Joanna could be believed to be an 80-year-old due to the hardships shown on her face.
aging sound
But now, she’s transformed to her late teens or early twenties.
yeah!
And has climbed to the rank of a warrior of faith. This cult has different ranks for priests and warriors, it seems.
rank up sound
Body and hierarchy.
dance of improvement
Everything has improved.
cheerful tone
Now I’m excited to see how this person will change. Hopefully, she’ll become something like a reincarnated person or a time traveler.
dreamy theme
Someone who can wield desires freely, following the rules as a mere pretense while eliminating those they dislike.
laughter echoes
That would indeed be a perfect harvesting period.
echo
If someone maintains the pretense of following the rules, it’s hard to be designated as an enemy by a group. Survival rates increase.
survivor theme
If one wields desires freely, one day they will encounter another who does the same. That’s where the ability to eliminate undesired opponents shines.
glint
Kill the opponent and give the warmth to me.
chuckle
Hehe.
laughter
It’s unfortunate to assume I’ve entrusted too much to the cult, so my ability to think for myself is considerably diminished.
grumble
Hence, I’m indeed the villain. Since I ordered people to dig, use someone against their will, deceiving naive village folk into the cult.
evil laughter
Of course, people are dualistic. Kind to someone, dreadful to another.
weights of judgment
One cannot define a person’s nature with just one aspect.
thinking hard
Thus, deliberately looking at only one side to judge.
clap clap
Joanna Smith murmured my name softly a few times, then looked at me again and opened her mouth.
drumroll
“Did you perhaps not like this meal?”
questioning tone
Her manner of speaking feels oddly awkward, as if she’s forcing herself to imitate someone. Is she trying to be polite in her own way?
nod in agreement
“It’s okay to speak comfortably. And I’m too full to eat anymore.”
wave of hand
At my words, Joanna blinked and slightly nodded as she regarded me.
agreeable tone
It doesn’t make sense, but it’s closer to giving a nod without understanding fully.
shrug
Well, it’s quite little for someone like Rebecca, who might be small but has a fair-sized bust.
smirk
But truly, since I’m stuffed, it’s just a bit much for me to eat more, right?
acknowledgment
Just then, the door to the room I’m in opened.
creak
In came Hieronymus, along with two large men and a somewhat younger boy.
thud thud
One of the men is someone Joanna has seen. He’s a warrior of faith. The man on the opposite side, dressed the same, is likely from the same faction.
group dynamics
And the boy they brought along is chained and covered in blood.
gasps of shock
When Joanna hurriedly stood up, Hieronymus made a calming gesture towards her, sending her behind me.
safety first
Then Hieronymus approached me and knelt.
bowing sound
“Lady Rebecca, as you commanded, I’ve brought an offering.”
offering sound
As soon as Hieronymus spoke, the boy jumped up, but the two men behind him grabbed his head and kicked the back of his legs, forcing him to kneel.
grabbing sound
An offering, huh?
thinking noises
This implies Hieronymus is telling me not to use him for anything else but as an offering.
straight face
If offered, I won’t refuse.
no thank you sound
I need to use resources to create the harvesting period, but I’m not sure how long I can restrain myself.
counting
I got up from my seat and approached the mess of a boy.
step step
The left side is so swollen that it’s completely unrecognizable, while the right side has bright blue eyes glaring at me. Who did they capture, I wonder?
curious and cautious
The light in his chest is quite large.
glow
It’s brimming with warmth.
optimistic hum
There’s hope, isn’t there? A hope for life, optimism for the future, and a belief that he may survive ahead.
hopeful light
The condition of his body seems to bear no impact on the warmth within?
pondering sound
I extended my hand forward towards the boy. As my arm split open, dark purple smoke flowed out, swiftly engulfing the light in the boy’s chest.
smoky effect
Warm!
joyful sound
But that was brief.
pause
The cold rushed back in. It was much warmer than those who typically came to me, but the duration… um.
sigh
The dark purple smoke flowed out. In the boy’s chest was a shriveled black light.
observing closely
Unlike Joanna, who’s color shifted to a dark purple hue, this boy, Ishtur La Pranja, has merely reduced to a crumpled black lump.
realization
It’s faintly glowing in the center, showing it once was the light of life in him.
light fading
As the dark purple smoke completely dissipated, the boy slumped over.
thud
He was still breathing, so he wasn’t dead yet.
relief
From Joanna’s perspective, Hieronymus was observing me and the boy intently, while one man felt uncomfortable, and the other merely stood stoically.
observing tension
The boy slumped over.
homely sigh
But that too was temporary.
twist and turn
Gathering something like purple mist, his entire body squirmed. Alien organs sprouted on his face, and his back swelled as muscles expanded. One arm grew longer, creating a left-right asymmetry.
weird sound
But before he could change further, the boy’s neck was sliced off.
slice sound
It was the man behind him who cut his neck with a knife. There was something similar to what I felt from the arrow last time smeared on it.
curious clink
Instead of red blood, he bled a glowing blue liquid as he fell lifelessly.
thud
I saw the blood on my hands when he was beheaded. It surged out, bubbling, then vanished.
huh?
Ah, I see.
understanding sound
I learned one thing.
lightbulb
This transformation didn’t occur because I poured in my power. If one loses all warmth while harboring light, they can wield powers similar to mine.
big smile
Transforming into a monster, the purple smoke they swallowed wasn’t me.
realization dawning
Remembering this phenomenon, I greeted Hieronymus.
smile of acknowledgment
“Thank you for the warmth.”
grainy voice
Then, Hieronymus used elaborate literary expressions to convey, “Don’t mention it.”
laughter echoes
