Episode 232: Full of Pain (5)
“Don’t you regret it?”
I raised my head in response to Kim Tae-gyun’s question. Perhaps because he realized the meaning, he belatedly added the subject he had omitted.
“I decided to sponsor you.”
In his hand is a cigarette that has not yet been lit.
“Put away your cigarette.”
“huh? why?”
“You said you quit smoking.”
“…You were wondering if you should ban smoking in group rooms, but are you really going to do it?”
“Then it must be real or fake?”
Kim Tae-gyun gaped at my words. It wasn’t something I couldn’t understand. Until recently, I was a pack-a-day smoker. Six months ago, I smoked two packs a day, sometimes three packs a day.
“Since when?”
“A month ago?”
“No, you’re crazy. really?”
But is there anything more certain than quitting smoking to give you the feeling of starting life anew? That was the reason why I suddenly quit smoking, and it was also the driving force that made me persevere until now.
I took the cigarette out of Kim Tae-gyun’s dumbfounded hand and gave him a carrot stick instead. Kim Tae-gyun, who had suddenly picked up an orange vegetable, made a disappointed face.
“Can I quit overnight?”
“I heard it works.”
Actually, I’m itching a lot. However, how can a person say that he will quit smoking and then start smoking again?
My father even personally gives me carrot sticks every day.
“You crazy bastard….”
“Don’t do that, you too, quit smoking right now. “You are the only one among us who smokes.”
“No, how do you do that? “People who can quit smoking are weird!”
“What is he saying now. “Maybe you’re just impatient.”
I wrapped the crushed cigarette with a piece of tissue I was carrying and then put a carrot stick in my mouth. It was good as a substitute for cigarettes or as a treat to chew.
“You really are a crazy bastard…”
Kim Tae-gyun saw that and ended up putting a carrot stick in his mouth. “Is this delicious?” I think about this every time, but I think it’s funny that a person who is crazy about tea leaves hates vegetables.
“I don’t regret it.”
Also, about sponsorship… At first, I wondered if this was right, but now I am convinced. I won’t regret this.
“Even though you were in so much pain?”
Kim Tae-gyun, who had stopped, turned his head in another direction and asked as if he were spitting out. I kept my head down, even though I knew he couldn’t see.
“Yes, even though it was painful.”
“Fuck, fuck. “You really are…”
Misread, misread. The carrot stick crumbled into small pieces and disappeared in my mouth.
“You’re such a bastard.”
“I know.”
“Who cares about the child of the perpetrator… and the victim…”
“But that child was too young to be left alone.”
“The rest of my family will take good care of me!”
“They said there isn’t any. I found out everything. “Except for his father, who went to prison, he has no family.”
And I was the one who sent her only family member to prison. It was my parents who worked hard to ensure that I received the highest possible prison sentence without an agreement.
“Why the fuck are you recognizing that!”
“I know. “Why did you look into it?”
Actually, I’m not very sorry about not reaching an agreement.
In the end, it was his own karma that caused that person to be sentenced to prison. I can only think that serving the maximum sentence is perhaps an insufficient compensation for having shattered my dreams and thrown my entire life into the mud.
“…There are many other children. There are a lot of children left alone, either because their parents died or because they went to prison. But why him? “Why, why, the bastard who did that damn thing to you…”
But what about the bastard who was left behind like that? What about that child who now has to live alone?
What kind of crime is that kid who had no choice but to depend on that person, who is also family?
“But I saw it.”
There is no reason for me to take responsibility. know. It’s not my fault that she became like that, and I have no obligation to embrace her. Because I’m just a victim.
But…
“I already… knew of its existence.”
But yeah. I can’t help but feel that way.
That really can’t be helped.
“How can you ignore that?”
It really can’t be helped that I am a person who cannot be happy while bearing the misfortune of others.
“idiot.”
“know.”
“You bastard.”
“It’s a bit like that.”
“…You really don’t regret it?”
“huh.”
So I laughed at my vague friend.
“I learned from you how precious free devotion is and how desperately an extended hand is needed in the most difficult times. “How can I regret having learned that?”
Or, I smiled at the person peering into my memories.
My friend’s face fell.
.
.
.
“Would it have been better if you had been a selfish person? “If you were the only person I knew, then I would…”
I blinked at the deep darkness.
Did you sleep, dream, or did you watch a lot? It was a strange feeling.
“I don’t know what was best.”
But even if it feels like that, even if the world is filled with darkness.
“At the time, I thought it was the only way.”
The being in front of me was clearly visible.
“…But one thing is certain: you are a good person. “He’s too good of a person to be our betting partner.”
Gray hair and pale cheeks that weren’t stained by anything. Eyes of the same color on the left and right. Uniform: A neat outfit reminiscent of a uniform. And…
“So, I want to make sure you can go back.”
And…
“You should blame me for not saying anything. It’s all my fault. All of your trials and tribulations are my fault. I am the cause. It’s all because I’m a bad guy.”
…Ah. I see
“So… don’t tell me any more. You just have to blame me. Don’t know any more.”
You just….
“Ignorance will save you.”
Just….
“…I’m sorry.”
I didn’t avoid the approaching hand. It might have been a little closer to the side where I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t that important.
My vision became dark. It’s falling again.
* * *
Oh, it’s convenient because there are certain parts of the memory that need to be erased. Tsk. How annoying it was last time….
“….”
Why are you crying? You made the decision. Or are you trying to pretend to be pitiful and gain Gretchen’s sympathy?
“shut up. Because I know very well that I don’t deserve sympathy. I’m just… just… done. “It’s better to bite my tongue and die than to talk to you.”
Oh… then I guess I should bite my tongue and die right now? Hey, thank you so much.
“Go away.”
Don’t forget. So far, the humans are leaving the dishes alone, but if executions are carried out again before they leave this area, then…
“….”
Ugh. More than that, I’m really looking forward to seeing how Gretchen turns out. Will he, who lost his memory, refuse to be executed even after hearing about his runaway from humans?
“…Wait, can’t that happen too?”
I definitely bet on something stupid. I will not tolerate any form of threat until I leave this area.
“This is a scam!”
What are you talking about? It’s because you didn’t set up the terms well. Why is this a scam?
“You…!”
Rather than that, ah. I’m finally coming to my senses. So what happens now?
* * *
‘Open your eyes, idiot. I’ve told you everything that I want you to execute, so just go ahead and do it. As always, like a brat!’
Grumble. As soon as I woke up, the sound of metal piercing my ears. If you try to open your eyelids unconsciously, the attempt itself will not work due to the presence of something pressing on the corner of your eyes.
It was a moment where I felt a sense of déjà vu.
Sigh.
I twisted my body slightly just in case. It doesn’t look like I’m lying down, it feels like I’m sitting… but I have no feeling in my limbs. So, it must be said that strength is definitely involved, but there is no feeling of movement, and attempting the action itself is difficult.
The area around my mouth and my cheek are being pressed and pulled, making me wonder if I’m biting something.
“hmm?”
The problem is that this too is somehow familiar.
Yes, this feeling is particularly similar to something I experienced about 150 episodes ago. Especially since it looks like the limbs have been bound or gagged—
“Why are you doing that?”
“No, it seemed like it was moving…”
— No, wait. This isn’t at a similar level, but it’s really that, isn’t it? Aren’t you really in a real state of bondage?
I became aware of a new voice entering my dazed ears. human voice. The accident took a turn quickly.
The last thing I did? Get hit by a lava demon and get a signal flare.
What after that? Molu.
So why am I (supposedly) detained now? I’d like to say this too… but honestly, the reasons are limited. I guess I got angry again and went on a rampage. Anyway, I don’t remember anger being triggered in my head.
Separately, the fact that I heard voices around me and that I was subdued and arrested can be interpreted as the end of the incident. I was truly fortunate at that point.
To be honest, until I fell, I thought it wouldn’t be surprising if the city ended in annihilation. But seeing as they have the power to subdue and imprison me, it seems like they at least avoided annihilation. huh. As expected, I’m glad. I’m really glad.
“…It’s not moving?”
“Is it an illusion…?”
So what should we do now? Should I collect information by listening to surrounding sounds or just let them know that I am awake?
I was conflicted, but ultimately chose the latter. It was too frustrating to stay in this state for a long time. My throat is especially tight.
Sigh.
“uh! “It’s moving!”
“I’m awake!”
“…Uh huh?”
I moved my head to scratch my itchy neck. I was sure there was something stuck in my throat. Every time my shoulder and cheek touched, something hard got stuck in my neck. I was out of breath.
Clap!
“lily!?”
It tickles. It’s more suffocating than that. stuffy. It’s frustrating. Someone help me solve this. I don’t need anything else, so please at least give me the neck…
Shake it off!
“lily!”
Would it have been better if my hands were free? However, it is impossible to even touch the neck with your hands.
I turned my head this way and that, wriggled my body, and then fell forward.
Sigh. As the dull pain hit my shoulder and head, the sound of metal echoing dizzyingly.
“Damn it! lily! Can you hear me!?”
“What is it? “Why are you doing that?”
no. I don’t like it. This is real.
I’m suffocating.
“Sleep@#$% heat#[email protected]#$&$!”
“#@$^! Come on @[email protected]%*$!”
“#*%&@#[email protected]#&%!!”
“@@#*@#&@&[email protected]%!”
Sigh. Churrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
“@#$%&%%^#$!”
“#$^&[email protected]#@!”
“#@%&$^#$─!”
I shivered in helplessness. I had trouble breathing. I need to rest through my nose, but my nose is obviously not clogged…
I feel like I’m choking.
“#@%^%$#$!”
One of the dozens of sounds that had been going back and forth in the meantime got closer. Something was pressing down on my body. hate. I moved my body to shake it off. But there were several hands, and one of them grabbed my neck.
Crash.
Something hanging around my neck disappeared. at las.
“Pool$%#@.”
“Don’t#@%%@#$.”
Additionally, the pressure that had been tightening around my mouth disappeared. “*@#@#.” An unintelligible voice made me stand up. My throat was still itchy.
“Da#@%^nim! danger…!”
“#@%^%$. Is @%%@#$ dangerous@%%@#$ me? I’m only panic%&$^#$ #$%&%%^#$. “You are #$%&%.”
“#$%.”
I can breathe again. But it’s still stuffy. I think there’s something there.
I tried to rub my neck against his shoulder, trying to find something I didn’t know was there. Suddenly! But before that was successful, the feeling that was binding my arms first disappeared.
My hands quickly went to my throat.
“%%^#$.”
“%&$^#$.”
It tickles. It was itchy…
I peeled off the bandage with my fingertips and scratched my neck. Even though the metal lump in my throat was already gone, it was strangely difficult to breathe. It seems like something is still there. Tickle.
“Tsk. @%%@#$knew @%%@#$?”
“…Like this@% Sim#[email protected]^$.”
“#@$ and say$#^.”
“Well, it’s similar^$#@ so it would be better #@$% not to $%^#?”
“#@It’s like #@$%@# on my neck#@$%.”
“Gam#@$yajo. $#@^@# Wrong#[email protected]# @#$%There are more people. @#$India #[email protected]^ That side has more power than #[email protected]# Cell &^$$#.”
Crackling. Suddenly, hot liquid touched my fingertips. Still, it was frustrating. I felt like if all the skin came off, it would prove that there was nothing. I made my nails stronger.
It wasn’t until the blood had wetted most of my fingers that the itchiness went away.
“It would be better not to touch your neck with….”
It was around that time that I could properly hear the voices of people around me. I concentrated for a moment to understand the words I heard through the tinnitus. touching. better. There were two words I found.
“I am Nari.”
It was a little better after that. As I focused on the words, I realized that the owner of the voice was very familiar.
You were alive.
“I’m not going to take off the blindfold….”
Bleep. The voice heard through the tinnitus is quite cautious. A faint trace reached the corner of my eye. Grumbling. The hem of the cloth that was covering my eyes went down.
“lily.”
Then, behind the emaciated Deathbringer, soldiers with weapons and Inquisitors appeared. There were priests, wizards, and knights.
But everyone was terrified.
“I’m fine….”
“How many did you kill?”
That sight gave me a realization that was close to certainty.
“How many have I killed?”
I guess I have to die here.