WVKWnovel Chapter 83: I'm The First One
Chapter 83: I'm The First One
“...A curse?”
After the brief silence, Tacchia finally continued the conversation.
However, her voice was significantly more tense than before.
“That thing has been cursed?”
She, who had always shown a dry and brusque attitude, was...
...slightly shaken emotionally, just a bit, upon hearing that the Ego Weapon was cursed.
“Ah, yes. It was actually in a dream, but there...”
“That’s impossible.”
Tacchia cut off the explanation.
Then, turning her back, she quietly continued speaking.
“After all, the undead are far inferior to ego weapons in terms of quality.”
“...Miss Tacchia.”
“But for an Ego Weapon, which can accumulate experiences, including those from past lives, to be cursed by a rotten corpse fixated on its own past? Do you realize how nonsensical that sounds?”
“You do know something, right? About this child’s current condition.”
“It’s not a curse.”
Repeating herself, Tacchia looked up at the sky. Though she tried to appear calm, it was clear she had lost her composure, as if a forbidden line had been crossed.
“I don’t know what you heard from that guy, but if it seems like a curse, then that’s how the child was made. It’s not a curse; it’s an innate nature.”
“...Miss Tacchia.”
“If you’ve got your answer, then leave now. There’s nothing more to say.”
Tacchia abruptly ended the conversation and headed towards her home.
In her behavior of not looking back at me, I could sense even her haste.
“If it really bothers you, figure it out on your own. But I’m not sure if you can.”
“......”
“...Is there anything else you want to say?”
“Nothing; I’ll be going.”
I was indebted to her from the beginning.
If that was what she wanted, then it was right to end it here.
Thud.
The door closed, and soon after, silence fell in the backyard.
Having left that place, I crossed the severely ruined street, holding the child I named ‘Pheloi’ in my hand, and asked.
“...The thing you saw then wasn’t just a dream, was it?”
Whimper.
Pheloi let out a short cry.
But Pheloi, also seemed like she didn’t want to talk about it, like Tacchia, showing no significant reaction beyond that.
Yes, this child must also be concerned about Tacchia.
If the dream I had before was not just an illusion.
If this child was really made by refining the soul of a living person, then that person must be related to Tacchia.
“You are indeed Tacchia’s...”
Perhaps, an unfortunate soul who died harboring hatred towards her.
Why would she reincarnate a being that harbored hatred towards her as a weapon?
It was as if she didn’t care if the weapon turned against her.
“...A curse.”
Having pushed such extreme thoughts out of my mind, I absorbed Pheloi into my body and continued walking down the ruined street.
“First, let’s lift the curse and think about it.”
For now, let’s find out if the curse has affected this child and then decide.
Since I was meeting Ga-ram today in the afternoon, let’s use my connections as a hero to get introduced to a priest first.
Having decided that, I prepared to head to the place where I was meeting Ga-ram.
‘Please, for my sake... Live with that weapon.’
‘Do your best until you can, with all your might.’
“Hehe, Airi, you have a nice bed. It’s so soft, and the smell... sniff, sniff.”
“Y-you. What on earth are you doing in my bed...?”
“Ah, Hyo-sung’s scent~♡”
As she inhaled the lingering scent on the bed, an ecstatic smile gradually formed.
Smelling someone’s scent was not easy for humans, but for a demon with senses far superior to humans, it was not difficult.
“But why does Hyo-sung’s scent come from Airi’s bed?”
The concern was not her sense of smell, but why the scent she detected was lingering in her bedroom.
“Th-that is...”
“Hyo-sung’s scent in Airi’s bed, not his own room? Did you lure him into your room after his work?”
“I didn’t seduce... I-I was mentally preparing...”
“But more importantly, isn’t it common to wash the bedding within a few days if it gets stained with sweat or bodily fluids? Yet the scent remains even now.”
Flustered, twitch.
Her body twitched with each piercing remark.
“Ah, I got it~!”
Seeing Airi hesitating and avoiding eye contact, Merilyn soon stood up from the bed and exclaimed cheerfully.
“Airi! Are you pleasuring yourself at night while smelling Hyo-sung’s scent...?”
“Ughhhh! Be quiet, you!!!!”
At that moment, words that even her prophetic ability couldn’t foresee burst out.
As Airi, losing her composure, rushed at her, Merilyn grabbed her by the collar, as if she had been waiting for it, and pulled her onto the bed.
“Hehe, got you~”
“Let go of me. What are you trying to do...? Uh!”
The hand that grabbed her neck started to pry open the gaps in her clothing.
Airi’s body, which had been resisting, stiffened as she felt the grip on her neck.
The faint murderous intent and the focused gaze on her had now lost any trace of amusement.
“...It’s strange; last night you were so fiercely attacking. Now, you seem so vulnerable and weak.”
The frenzied demon moved her hand from her neck over her collarbone, then trailed up her slender arm.
As a chill like a snake coiling its prey enveloped her, Merilyn, closing in, began to whisper taunts in Airi’s ear.
“After all, you relied on traps to push me yesterday. Without such preparations, you’re just an ordinary human woman, as you appear now.”
Stung by the piercing whisper, Airi couldn’t say a word and could only hold her breath.
Indeed, the magic she wielded was based on prophetic abilities, reading the opponent’s movements and operating on a time delay, making it impossible for the opponent to anticipate.
Usually, she could anticipate dangers targeting her through prophecy and act accordingly, but against an unpredictable opponent like now, even that was impossible.
“Trying to face one of the Four Kings of the Demon King’s army with such a frail body.”
So, being captured like this might be even more dangerous than yesterday’s situation.
Amidst this anxiety, she began to feel the strength waning in the hand that was touching her body.
“...I’m jealous. Not only did you take my place in my absence, but you also had the composure to push me away sincerely for him.”
Her voice gradually became bitter and faded.
But there was no trace of the frenzied anger from before or the irritability of the morning’s quarrel.
Yes, it must be due to the realization of yesterday’s friction.
What happened, happened, and killing her here would not change the predetermined outcome.
“...Stand up.”
Having faintly read her true intention, Airi decided to completely erase any hostility towards her.
Although she was an unpredictable being in all aspects and antagonistic to herself, she knew that her love for him was clear.
“I have something to say to you too. Let’s have our conversation over tea.”
And she chose a path where love and duty coexist.
She needed to secure as many allies as possible for him, as she couldn’t achieve her goal alone.
“Are you really okay with this? You know I haven’t given up on Hyo-sung yet.”
“Yes, it’s okay.”
Recollecting this, Airi, steadying herself, turned a resolute gaze towards her rival and said,
“No matter how you see me, I am Hyo-sung’s first.”
Taking comfort in that one, unchanging fact, and preparing to bear all responsibilities that follow.