Chapter 84: 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.’

On that day.

I vaguely recalled the words she said when I received Pheloi.

After the events had concluded, Airi, having prepared herself, returned to her sanctuary to rest.

Though she wished to stay longer by the side of the one she intended to make her companion, his side was currently occupied by the greatest calamity born of this world.

She had received minimal treatment and hospitality, but having been on the receiving end of dislike since their first meeting, she had to tread carefully.

‘Just seeing the past doesn’t reveal her true intentions, but considering she even gave up a weapon and looked after him, it’s unlikely Hyo-sung would come to harm.’

Still, after leaving that place and making a prophecy, she could foresee that she would be the one to welcome him back in the evening after his business at the guild.

Yes, as long as the transcendents didn’t intervene, there was no need to worry.

Having made that decision, Airi wanted to take time to unwind after returning home.

“Heh~ So this is where Hyo-sung and Airi live together~”

Unaware of the stealthy follower behind her.

“What?!”

Startled by the unmistakable voice, Airi’s body tensed, and she turned her head towards the entrance door she had just come through.

There, waiting for her, was a woman in a black cloak with a bright and innocent appearance…

No, only appearing innocent on the outside, but surely harboring a dark abyss within.

Airi had painfully realized this point from their clash just the night before.

“M-Merilyn…? You said we were parting ways just a while ago, why are you here now?”

“Hehe~ I thought about backing off after hearing that scary woman’s warning, but I changed my mind a little~”

“Your mind changed? Do you not remember what happened yesterday?! If you make such decisions lightly…”

“Then, excuse me~”

“Wait a minute, you!”

Merilyn entered the house even before Airi could stop her.

Feeling a twinge in her body as she tried to stop the seemingly innocent Merilyn, Airi finally clutched her forehead and sighed deeply.

‘There was no such future, but this woman…! What in the world…?!’

Worrying about a peaceful withdrawal, Airi had divined the future, which showed her and Hyo-sung staying at home together the next day.

Of course, as a transcendent herself, Merilyn’s future could change, but ‘whims,’ which often change the future, usually come with emotional upheaval.

In such a situation, she thought even that impulse would be subdued when facing a transcendent of higher status than herself, but had the madness this woman possessed reached a point where it suppressed even such fear?

“So this is where Hyo-sung and Airi have their meals together~”

However, unlike Airi, who felt wary of the altered future, Merilyn was focused solely on the housewarming, putting her concerns about her to the back.

Having reached the kitchen, she rummaged around and casually threw questions at Airi.

“Uhm~ You cook together, right? Do you serve Hyo-sung breakfast too? Cooking while naked?”

“Th-that’s impossible.”

“Aha, so do you at least wear an apron over your naked body?”

“Naked with an apron! I wouldn’t do such a shameful thing! What do you think of me?!”

“Eh, if you live together, you could do that~ Hyo-sung would surely like it.”

“Don’t say such nonsense! Hyo-sung wouldn’t like such an indecent thing…!”

Airi was briefly infuriated by the absurd statement.

Airi, momentarily speechless, took time to reconsider Merilyn’s words along with the thoughts that came to her mind.

‘Ah, no. Thinking about it, I’ve done several embarrassing things in front of Hyo-sung, haven’t I?’

The numerous encounters she had with him over the past three months.

What began as embarrassing and awkward had eventually become an experience approached with a pure and solemn heart, akin to a ritual.

For this, they would divine the future to choose the right day, prepare mood-enhancing candles or lighting, study positions at the library, and even secretly purchase risqué underwear at the market.

For her, serious about her relationship with him, such questions as these were not easily dismissed.

‘Compared to those things, is wearing just an apron over a naked body trivial? No, but such acts require mental preparation. If I show up in just an apron in the morning, a stimulated Hyo-sung might pounce…’

Her imagination began to swell, one thought leading to another.

By the time her face flushed red, Merilyn had already left the kitchen and was preparing to enter a room deeper inside the house.

“Oh, I found the bedroom.”

“Eh? W-wait a minute, Merilyn! When did you get there?!”

Airi, startled, followed her.

Upon reaching her room, she saw Merilyn lying in her bed, burying her face in it.

“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.”n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

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.