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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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Chapter 87 – Catalyst (3)
“Do you think this will do?”
I had promised Irene I would try wearing more comfortable clothes occasionally.
Considering how persistent she had been, there was no reason to back out now.
So, I took the opportunity to try on something different.
“It feels… a bit strange.”
I was wearing light, short-sleeved pajamas.
The thin fabric fluttered gently, leaving my arms exposed.
The short sleeves couldn’t hide the numerous scars on my body, leaving them fully visible.
Cool air brushed against skin that had been confined under stiff clothing until now.
It felt unfamiliar, leaving me a bit stiff.
Then, Irene’s voice cut through the air, offering approval.
“You look good.”
She was standing next to me.
After giving me a once-over, she nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips.
Her expression seemed oddly pleased.
With an awkward smile of my own, I asked her a question.
“Is it not strange? It’s been so long since I wore anything like this.”
“It suits you.”
“Well, that’s a relief.”
I answered while fiddling with the hem of the shirt.
I was so used to wearing tailored suits that this loose clothing felt incredibly alien.
Oddly, wearing something more comfortable was making me uncomfortable.
‘The others would be shocked if they saw this.’
I thought briefly of the other members.
While a few of them knew about my scars, they had never seen me dressed this casually.
I had always maintained a formal, impenetrable demeanor.
I had to. As their leader and their only source of salvation, I needed to uphold that image.
Even Neria, who had been with me the longest, had never seen me like this.
‘This brings back memories.’
Getting nostalgic over a single outfit—how absurd.
I must really be getting old.
Shaking off the idle thought, I turned to Irene, asking her a question to clear my head.
“By the way, I didn’t realize I had clothes like this in the wardrobe. I thought it was all suits.”
“I bought a few things for you.”
“Pardon?”
“Last time we went to the shopping district, I picked them out. They weren’t expensive, so if you don’t like them, we can get something else.”
“No, this is fine. If you chose them, Miss Irene, then I’ll treasure them.”
“…I wasn’t trying to make it sentimental.”
“I’ll cherish them for life.”
“I said, stop it.”
Irene’s words were sharp, but her body betrayed her.
Her orange tail swished cheerfully behind her.
Her fox ears, which had drooped slightly before, perked up atop her head.
Her reactions were so easy to read that I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Heh.”
“What’s so funny all of a sudden?”
“Nothing at all.”
“You’re so bland.”
“I like to think of myself as quite spicy, actually.”
“…That was terrible, you know?”
As we chatted idly, I noticed the darkened view outside the window.
“It’s getting late. Shall we get some sleep?”
“Yeah, let’s.”
With that brief exchange, we concluded our conversation.
A quiet night for a busy tomorrow.
We each headed to our respective rooms.
***
Or so I thought.
“Good night.”
A soft whisper.
Warm breath brushed past me.
I turned my head to find Irene lying beside me under the covers.
She had claimed part of my bed.
“…”
This again, huh?
Ever since the school trip, Irene had been sleeping in my room instead of her own.
Always in the same bed as me.
Rustle.
She shifted slightly, and her warm body pressed closer.
The fox had nestled herself snugly against me.
Since we were both in thin sleepwear, the sensation of contact was uncomfortably vivid.
Her soft skin seemed to mold against my scars, clinging warmly.
Particularly where our chests touched—
I could feel her weight pressing into me.
The soft, yielding sensation was undeniable.
As our warmth mingled, our shallow breaths intertwined.
‘This is… close.’
A thought that was far too obvious for the situation.
I let out a quiet laugh at myself.
Being held like this made me feel like a pillow.
Pushing aside the strange sentiment, I softly asked her a question.
“Miss Irene.”
“Mm.”
“Why are you sleeping here instead of your perfectly fine bed?”
“Because it’s comfortable.”
“Concise, as always.”
“Am I bothering you?”
“Not at all. I just think you’d be better off sleeping in your own bed. There’s only one in this room, after all.”
“…”
Irene fell silent.
A brief pause followed.
The subdued atmosphere slowly gave way to vulnerability.
Her ears drooped, and her delicate fingers interlocked with mine, as if to anchor herself.
Quietly, as if sinking underwater, she murmured.
“Just… let me stay by your side.”
She looked up at me with pleading eyes.
Her clear gaze reflected only my image.
Faced with such a pitiful expression, I couldn’t bring myself to turn her away.
Once again, I let it slide.
Gently, I patted her back.
“All right.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s not a problem. Don’t worry and get some rest.”
“Mm… okay.”
Finally, the fox closed her heavy eyelids.
I held her close, letting her quiet breathing lull her to sleep.
Our warmth blended as we leaned into each other, the night ticking steadily toward dawn.
***
The hours slipped by.
By now, the faint glow of dawn was creeping over the horizon.
The moonlight and starlight painted a serene canvas outside.
It was a perfect, undisturbed night.
Haa, haa–
The sleeping fox let out shallow sighs.
The Snake watched her for a moment before rising silently.
His quiet steps led him away from the bed.
“…”
The liar remained awake.
Settling onto the sofa, he intended to recover some of the power he had spent over the past few days.
Opening a translucent blue screen, he murmured to himself.
“I confess—I have never told a lie in my life.”
As always, he repeated the familiar deception.
Moments later, a notification appeared on the dormant interface.
Ding!
[Small amount of Lies recovered.]
[Current Output: 24.3%]
The boy continued.
With a voice devoid of emotion, he calmly spoke another.
“I had stew for lunch today.”
Ding!
[Small amount of Lies recovered.]
[Current Output: 24.8%]
“I am outside right now.”
Ding!
[Small amount of Lies recovered.]
[Current Output: 25.2%]
“I hate games.”
Ding!
[Small amount of Lies recovered.]
[Current Output: 25.7%]
“I am not human.”
Ding!
[Small amount of Lies recovered.]
One lie after another.
And so the Snake spent the night, steeped in falsehoods, until the morning light crept in.
***
The next day.
I headed to Astro’s headquarters.
I was there to receive a report on the recent attack.
I had also heard that one of the key witnesses had regained consciousness.
I moved swiftly to meet her.
This time, I didn’t take a carriage.
Instead, Lena herself arrived to escort me.
“Let’s go.”
The dark-haired woman extended her hand in front of a flickering portal.
Thanks to her, I arrived without delay.
After a quick debrief from the deputy commander, I proceeded to meet the witness in her hospital room.
The woman had long white hair cascading over her shoulders.
“Miss Medro.”
Medro Gardnier.
A church deputy who oversaw the Licht branch that had been attacked.
She was also a trusted collaborator of ours.
I greeted her and took a seat across from her.
“I was worried, but it’s good to see you’ve recovered.”
“Thanks to the grace of your intervention, Commander.”
She had been frail, but over the past few days, she seemed to have regained her strength.
The woman offered a polite bow, expressing her gratitude in the calm, graceful manner typical of church members.
“I heard of the miracle you performed. Thanks to your dedication, countless lives were saved. My deepest thanks to you.”
“Miracle? It was nothing more than a parlor trick. Please, don’t dwell on it.”
“Through your intervention, a fragile life like mine has been preserved. Surely this is the will of the heavens. Commander, you must be one chosen by God.”
“My subordinates can hear you, you know. Let’s stop there; you’re embarrassing me.”
“As you wish.”
Miracle, savior, saint—embarrassing praise aside, I turned the conversation back to its purpose.
I began to ask her about the events surrounding the attack.
Although it had happened suddenly, and there wasn’t much detailed information to gain, I was able to grasp a vague picture.
“I don’t know if this will help, but… I saw a giant shadow in the darkness.”
“A giant shadow, you say?”
“It was a profane force. Whatever sacrifices had been made to summon it, simply facing it felt like a test of faith.”
“For even you, Miss Medro, to feel that way—it must have been catastrophic.”
“It was a trial, indeed.”
“Hmm.”
This was a useful discovery.
A giant shadow.
As someone familiar with the original story, I could guess what it might be.
Like the Conductor, this entity’s appearance seemed to be happening earlier than expected.
Still, it was fortunate I had identified it so quickly.
I could prepare more specifically for the dangers to come.
“That will conclude the inquiry for now. Thank you; this was helpful.”
“I’m glad to be of service.”
“You’ll remain here for the time being. The cultists may still have their eyes on you.”
“I’m grateful. What of the other survivors?”
“We’ll protect them as well. In return, I hope your clergy can assist us with some of our work.”
“With such a call, we will gladly serve.”
“Good.”
This incident had brought valuable new allies into my fold.
The Licht branch had been a gathering of skilled clergy dedicated to protecting their region.
Having their experienced members join us in the pursuit of Baob was an excellent outcome.
Satisfied, I rose from my seat.
‘That should wrap up one matter.’
It had been a productive conclusion.
Leaving the hospital room, I moved on to my next destination.
The playroom where the children had been gathered.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Peptobismol]
[Proofreader - Demon God]
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