Chapter 195
Since When?
When I walked in the cold of Voltaire, which was chilling to the bone? Or when you ate an awfully bland can of beans? Or was it from the time your parents left you, leaving you behind?
From a certain moment, the number of fun things for Adela quickly dwindled.
It was so strange.
The teddy bears and children’s books that I liked so much are all the same. Why have you become so insensitive?
What I loved is gone.
What I like is a shrinking world.
Perhaps that was why Adela clung to battle.
It was because I felt that my heart was beating at that moment when I was fighting a strong opponent in intense tension.
I kept getting stronger to fight more intense battles with stronger people.
However, no matter how many battles, Adela felt only unquenchable thirst.
It was natural.
To feel the emotions, to keep fighting over and over again. That’s already an addict’s life.
It was only a makeshift measure, as if pouring water on an already broken dock would eventually leak out.
It was never going to be full.
‘For sure. Maybe I was broken.’
but.
Meet the statue of your parents.
From the moment I left Ruin Castle.
Adela was clearly feeling the slightest change.
“ah! right! Sumire! I saw something very strange in Academy City yesterday.”
“Miss Amy. Weren’t you at school?”
I’m curious about other people’s stories that I had no interest in before.
“however. When will Eun-ah and Yoo-seong come back?”
Lee Si-woo, who would normally be indifferent, began to pay attention to his words. Of course, to be more precise, I was especially concerned about the fact that ‘Shin Yuseong’ hadn’t returned yet.
But Adela didn’t hate the gradual change she was seeing.
This change was proof that his emotions, which had been frozen at the age of 7, were gradually awakening.
‘…I see.’
Adela closed her eyes, unable to tell whether she was happy or sad.
Even if it’s hard to remember.
It was not difficult to recall the chill of the cold to the bone and the voices of my parents that I felt then.
[Adela. I’ll be back soon, okay?]
Now I knew.
My father was a brave man who left to save Volterra even though he wanted to be by his side more than anyone else.
[Only 3 days. I’m waiting alone for 3 days. Huh?]
Mother is a warm person who can forcefully smile to comfort herself even when she is sadder than anyone else.
Adela opened her eyes slowly.
What was reflected in front of my eyes was not a hellish landscape, but a cozy mansion.
I don’t know if it’s bad or good, but I saw Amy and Lee Si-woo having a fun conversation.
What was so strange was that I saw Sumire looking at the flower pots on the terrace.
The place where Adela was now was a very harmonious mansion, unlike the hellish winter in Volterra.
‘What I was looking for… what I needed wasn’t a strong opponent.’
It would be a lie if I said I didn’t miss the heart-pounding battles I faced with Shin Yoo-seong in the preliminary round.
But that wasn’t all.
Because what he really wanted was emotion. That’s why Shin Yoo-seong was special to Adela.
Shin Yoo-seong returned the watch that had stopped at the age of seven. kept by his side.
‘I also like you…’
Adela smiled lightly as if she had finally come to her senses.
* * *
Even the terrace of Shinsung Group’s mansion was not ordinary. To the extent that I really do not envy the botanical garden.
“I have never seen such a variety of plants!”
Let Sumire spit out the story like a rapid-fire cannon with an excited face. Laplace’s disapproving voice came through telepathy.
– Such a happy face. Wasn’t watering the flowers yourself so much fun?
“sure! From violets to primroses and morning glory. Are they all in one place?”
– okay. If you’re happy, then I’m happy too.
Laplace didn’t like the kind of flower Sumire was talking about. It wasn’t because of such trivial topics that Laplace spoke to Sumire.
– Hey. I’ll tell you in advance before entering the tower. Mind-invading penalties like this one don’t work on you. Hehe, in a way, it must be because of the contract with me.
The ‘mental invasion’ that Laplace refers to is the infantile regression that can occur as a result of being young due to the tower’s effect.
A shocking story that Sumire could even ignore the penalty if Laplace helped her.
“But the power of the tower is absolute. How did that happen…”
– Of course, I can’t stop my body from getting younger. Because no being can directly go against the tower’s laws, but…
Laplace caught his breath and added a strange laugh.
– There are exceptions. I have no body, but my mind is intact.
– So, although the body cannot escape the tower’s penalty. The penalty for the spirit is what I, who has ‘ego’, can offset.
– It’s because I have to shoulder that penalty instead. It’s a simple story if you think about it.
At Laplace’s detailed explanation, Sumire finally nodded.
It was a story that if the tower’s penalty degenerated his mind, Laplace could shoulder it instead.
“okay. That’s for sure… that would help immensely.”
Even in the worst situation where the spirit of the challenger becomes young, Sumire retains the memory of being 17 years old.
Sam becomes a strong commander in an uncontrollable party where everyone becomes a child.
Sumire whispered in a small voice that only Laplace could hear.
“…Thank you as always. Mr. Laplace.”
– Suddenly, what did that mean? You are a being with my convenience. It’s natural to be concerned.
At Laplace’s kind voice, Sumire laughed without answering.
“I get curious sometimes. Why was Laplace-nim called the Plague Witch?”
Laplace did not answer his own question. Sumire hurriedly shook her hand.
“ah! I absolutely do not want to blame Laplace-sama! It’s just… that’s what I was thinking…”
Sumire smiled shyly before muttering in a different, creeping voice.
“The reason Laplace-nim and I had a high assimilation rate… Couldn’t there be another reason? I mean.”
– …for example?
After a long silence, Laplace opened his mouth. Sumire smiled lightly with a strange smile.
“I also hurt someone because of my ability… but that wasn’t the result I wanted. So, I wonder if Laplace-sama might actually have a misunderstanding…”
– No, there is no such thing. …I spread the plague by my will.
Laplace’s voice was determined but lonely.
– So even if that moment comes again. I’m sure you’re going to make the same choice.
Sumire stared at the potted flowers for a while with her hands on her lap, then brought up another story.
“…Laplace-sama, do you know the flower language of the evening primrose?”
The transformation of Sumire, whom I always thought was something to be protected, was surprising.
Now he himself was striding towards Laplace and tearing down the wall.
That’s why Laplace didn’t want to answer.
Even if it was a fragment of the original, she was a proud witch. He didn’t want to show a disheveled appearance to a child who was younger than himself.
However, Sumire’s calm and kind voice continued little by little.
“…the flower language of evening primrose is waiting.”
It was breaking down her walls.
“Even if Laplace-sama doesn’t tell you. I’m OK. I am happy just to have you by my side. I can wait.”
– When the power of the piece is exhausted. I am a being that will disappear someday. If it’s short, it won’t last for 1 year, even if it’s long, 3 years.
Laplace spoke of his disappearance casually. maybe it was natural She is just a piece of memory Laplace left behind. There was no regret because there was no life given in the first place.
but.
– Hey. don’t give me any more
As long as Sumire continues to treat her warmly.
– This is not for you. It’s for me.
if you get any closer.
– Because of your warmth… The day I leave you and disappear might be too sad.
Laplace thought that one day he might become sad.
“Laplace-sama…”
Sumire’s expression looked like she was about to cry at any moment at Laplace’s words. But that’s for a while.
Sumire rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. forced a smile
“I like that way better! …Do you really have to cry out loud at that time?”
* * *
Saaaa!
The day of the decisive battle to challenge the 10th floor of the long-awaited tower.
“We buy all hunter supplies made by Agenda, whether new or used! Please contact Pocket!”
“…therefore. You keep failing to attack.”
“okay. It’s easy to blame others! What did you do well!?”
The first floor of the tower, which was no different from a plaza, was in a state of noisy crowds of people.
The three members, Eunah Kim, Sumire, and Amy Udangtangtang, who had already reached the ninth floor, naturally headed for the desk.
Swoop.
Kim Eun-ah put her hand on the warp stone and expressed it triumphantly like an expert.
“Isn’t anyone here for the first time? Ask if you don’t know. By the way, this is a warp stone, but you can think of it as something like a portal.”
“Huh~ Our Eun-ah. Have you become a very expert?”
Amy twitched her eyebrows with a proud face. Kim Eun-ah seemed to be in a good mood for Amy’s flattery.
“Then the explanation is over. Yoosung?”
Let Kim Eun-ah hand over the turn to Shin Yoo-seong, the party leader. Shin Yuseong slowly put his hand toward the warp stone.
“Everyone take note. I don’t know what will happen when I enter the tower. We all have the same goal.”
Let’s finish the story in a serious voice. Both of their hands were placed on the warp stone.
Saaa!
[Do you want to move to the 10th floor?]
Soon after, a blue hologram was reflected on the warp stone. Shin Yoo-seong looked around all the party members surrounding the warp stone and made a decision.
“I will move.”
With the answer, the blue light emitted from the warp stone swallowed the entire party.
* * *
A room made of colorful blocks.
In a space where all the objects around were made of toys, the little teddy bear was looking at the toy monitor with a serious face.
“…Another fearless guy has entered.”
Talking teddy bears were quite funny to someone unfamiliar with them. Of course, in reality, the risk of toking is from level 2 to level 3. It was not a difficult boss for active hunters.
For a human, he had the intelligence of a teenager and, at most, the ability to possess a toy.
However, the story was different here in the Toy Kingdom, where all the challengers had a terrifying penalty of ‘turning 7 years old’.
“Where then…”
Toking skillfully inspected the prey one by one.
There are 2 kids in the cave with purple hair and a prickly look.
There are two people in the toy kingdom, a pretty boy who is a man and a crazy silver hair.
And there are two people in the forest of desserts: a kid with an expression full of life and a kid who looks too lively.
Toy King quietly muttered as he put on a cape that fit the teddy bear.
“Let’s start hunting.”
Then, Toyking began walking confidently toward the endlessly reviewed toy soldiers.