Chapter 9: Patron Anais (8)

Chapter 9: Patron Anais (8)

It hurts.

Damn... it hurts like hell!

The pain, like fire, has been coursing through my entire body since the bullet pierced me.

I wanted to scream and cry right there.

Back in the orphanage days, I've been beaten with a stick by the caregivers.

It hurt just as much as that.

It was astonishing that such a tiny bullet could deliver such a shock.

"Heh heh."

But all that can come out of my mouth is laughter.

I always strive to maintain composure, not allowing for reflexive cursing or screams.

To curse, I had to line up words neatly in my mind as if having a conversation.

Of course, such curses didn't help with the pain and frustration.

People from the mansion barged into my room.

They dragged me and Ella out and separated us.

I ended up in the underground prison, while Ella was somewhere upstairs.Updated from novelbIn.(c)om

There were no first aid measures for the wounded.

In the eyes of those mansion people, I was a villain trying to attack the owner.

They left me lying there on the cold stone floor to die.

There was no room for excuses.

I unfastened her own clothes right in front of them and touched her own body.

The reason they didn't hang me immediately was that taking care of their owner was more urgent.

The floor was sticky with my spilled blood.

Lost in a sea of blood, I teetered on the edge of life and death.

How did I ever think I could take a bullet for someone else?

It was a reckless move beyond comparison.

In games, even if you have only little HP left, you can win as long as you clear the quest.

You can return to a safe place or talk to a healing character, and your health will be fully restored.

But reality was different.

Having low HP left meant you were on the brink of death.

In the corner of the mansion's prison, I had to fight against impending death.

I had to cling to fading consciousness and endure.

I've seen this in movies before.

If you fall asleep at a time like this, you just die.

When you sleep, your bodily functions slow down, and your life support shuts off.

I had to endure, even if it was tough, even if it hurt.

"You idiot."

I cursed myself.

I was already aware that this was reality.

Yet I acted so carelessly, as if it were just a game.

The mansion from the prologue of TT3. It's a familiar place.

Anais Vergsong, is it? I know who she is.

I even know what's going to happen tonight.

All you have to do is save her, right? It's that easy.

If I had really wanted sponsorship from the aristocrats, I should have approached the situation more cautiously, with a humble attitude.

If I truly believed that my life was at stake, as soon as I opened the door, I should have unleashed an attack and mutilated Pierre's arms and legs.

But I didn't do that.

I underestimated the one I needed to convince, and I looked down on the one who posed a threat.

I knew why my guard had dropped so low.

It wasn't just because of the arrogance of being a 1 million subscriber YouTuber.

"The laughing man."

This damn characteristic of mine.

The laughing man always maintained composure no matter the situation.

Even when my body had six holes in it, I could think about healing my character thanks to this trait.

"What kind of offer was that?"

Instead of answering, Pierre opened his pendant. Inside was a picture of a girl. She had brown hair like Pierre and similar eyes.

"They said they could bring my deceased daughter back to life."

"Mopasang... sir..."

The knight let out a mournful sigh. The rogue looked at him with a pitiful expression. When he looked back on the path he had taken, he realized that such offers had never led to a happy ending.

Pierre's self-deprecating smile confirmed their expectations.

"Because of that, I embezzled funds from the council to support them. A shrine to revive the dead. I helped them build it."

"What happened next...?"

"I couldn't kill Anais, so I went to see them. I told them that things might get exposed if we continued like this, that we needed to take some measures. But when they heard my story, they told me not to worry. They said that Wonderstein and they were very well acquainted. If Wonderstein got his hands on Lord Vergsong, there would be no hindrance. And that was the truth."

Pierre sighed.

His breath was filled with regret for the years gone by.

"I resigned from the council after that. There was no reproach or investigation. My niece's body and mind were already under the control of Wonderstein. Or perhaps she became even more dependent on that black mage due to her betrayal of me... My niece, how... is she?"

"They kept their promise. After about a year, they sent my daughter back to me. But that girl... she had the appearance of my daughter, but she wasn't my daughter... Every night, the village's livestock died, and people suffered mysterious attacks... Ah, I was a fool. I pretended not to know until the end... Even though I knew in my head... I couldn't deny that my daughter had come back to life..."

Pierre wiped away tears.

The knight trembled with anger at the cruelty of those wicked people, and the tender-hearted rogue shed tears at the sad story. The stoic wizard only slightly furrowed his brow.

Pierre took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

"Lately, people who received 'help' from Wonderstein all around the world, including my niece, have been turning into monsters."

"Yes. We heard the news and have been taking action accordingly."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know yet, but..."

"The friends of Wonderstein I mentioned. The shrine that revives the dead... I received information that the island where they reside is becoming active again."

"Reviving the dead... Could it be?"

"Yes. Perhaps... the black mage is back or on his way."

The rogue clenched his teeth at his words.

"That damn bastard!"

"Go to Flolande. You can hear more detailed rumours there."

"Thank you for the information, Mr. Mopasang."

"However..."

Pierre hesitated for a moment, then spoke with determination.

"One request, please."

"A request?"

"I have a villa to the northwest of Flolande. In the basement there, there is a... monster that looks like my daughter. Please... kill her."

He uttered the last sentence in a voice that was almost scratching the bottom of the barrel.

The heroes couldn't imagine the father's feelings as he asked for his daughter's death, even if she had turned into a monster that looked like her.

"Understood..."

["Sub Quest - Resurrected Daughter" has been activated]

"Then go."

"Mr. Mopasang, we can't consider the mansion completely safe yet. Why don't you come with us..."

Click.

Pierre took a revolver from his pocket.

"I always carry a gun for self-defense. Don't worry and go."

The heroes couldn't persuade him any further and left the mansion.

They had only come to exterminate the monsters, but they heard a more important story than they had expected.

The shrine that revives the dead.

And Wonderstein's resurrection.

"We must go to Flolande."

"If Wonderstein has truly been resurrected..."

"We'll have to deal with him."

The heroes left the mansion.

After they had completely left.

Gunshots were heard from the direction of the mansion.

Bang.

Just one shot.

And the mansion fell silent again.