Chapter 23: CH 20

I fell asleep more lightly than yesterday and woke up soon. Was it morning already? I wanted to check the time, but I couldn’t because I didn’t have a watch. I had also taken the table clock I’d put on the piano yesterday back to my room, so I had no choice but to look out the window to guess the time.

‘Seeing the sunrise, I think it’s past 6 AM.’

I patted my back and turned my neck clockwise. Even though I played the piano all day yesterday and slept in a chair, I felt refreshed somehow.

Why? How could I feel refreshed?

‘Ah, yesterday Seniel said he woke me up using holy power. Is it still working?’

If it was truly because of Seniel, then he was an amazing human fatigue reliever.

I turned to Seniel in my piano chair. His face shone softly in the morning light. There was no gloom on his face when he slept.

‘He would’ve kept such a peaceful face if there were no experiments.’

I rested my arm on the edge of the piano and rested my chin.

Seniel’s forehead narrowed as if he felt my gaze. His long eyelashes trembled, and he slowly opened his eyes.

As soon as I woke up, Seniel looked at my face and blinked slowly. Then he lowered his head and scanned his body. He looked at me again, a puzzled expression on his face.

“Good morning. Seniel.”

“… W-What’s going on?”

Seniel got up from the couch. His clothes were wrinkled from sleeping in the chair all night.

“I think Kid liked my piano performance. He made a strange request like yesterday.”

His eyebrows wrinkled in disbelief, but I had nothing more to explain because it was all true.

He approached me with a confused face. Then he thought of grabbing my hand in seriousness but decided against it in the end. “Did he do anything else? Did you get hurt?”

I became flustered as my distance from him, who’d always kept his distance and backed away until last night as if I were a germ, suddenly narrowed.

It seemed that Seniel was half asleep.

“Nothing happened. As you can see, I’m in very good shape.”

Even when I said it was okay, he did not back down. He looked into my face solemnly. Perhaps it was because he was much more energetic than usual, but his worried gaze became burdensome. I grabbed his strong arm to calm him down. “Maybe you’re losing focus because you just woke up, but calm down. Nothing really happened except playing the piano.”

I pushed his arm lightly, and then his expression softened slightly.

“I’m sorry. I must have gotten sensitive from waking up outside my room for two days.”

You deserve to be sensitive. I nodded in understanding.

“Did you sleep here again?”

“Yes. I didn’t play the piano all day, so that happened.”

Seniel opened his mouth to say something—

‘What else does he have to say?’

…and I didn’t expect the words to come out of his hesitant mouth.

“… Then, can I use my holy power for you? I’ll help you relieve your tiredness.”

‘What?’

After pondering, he uttered such well-refined words that shocked me. I unconsciously nodded toward the kind offer and eyes incomparable to Kid.

Like when he healed his knee, a holy light burst out of his hand. In a split second, my eyes narrowed at the glare. I thought the light was getting closer to my body, and soon after, my body became light, as if I were born again.

Wow, I couldn’t help but admire it.

“I’m sorry that this is the only thing I can do for you. In the future, if you are tired or sick, come to me anytime.”

The only thing. He treated such a wonderful effect as insignificant.

With two days left before the stowaway, I wondered if I would ever visit Seniel, but a good opportunity to abuse the high priest’s ability did not come every day.

I nodded quickly. “Yes, yes, yes. I will definitely do that, High Priest.” Despite my strong affirmations, Seniel’s face was a little hazy, as if he thought he wasn’t helpful. I decided to divert his thoughts. “Dear High Priest, shouldn’t you be getting ready to go to work soon?”

Nothing like a cold day at work to keep you alert.

Seniel was startled and woke up from his thoughts. “I will go first. See you in the evening.”

Oh, I couldn’t believe he said he’d see me in the evening first. It was a great development. I waved to him, who was moving away,

“Yes, goodbye.”

***

After receiving Seniel’s buff, I walked around refreshingly all day. Come to think of it. I didn’t feel sick yesterday, either.

‘All right, let’s hang in there for a couple of days.’

I only had to endure tonight and tomorrow night.

‘I’m not afraid of Kid anymore!’

Although when Kid came, that bluff would disappear immediately.

I was so excited before the escape that I even packed a small package in advance. Jewels, self-defense supplies, camouflage potions to hide my appearance. I checked for my ID card under the bed, thinking I might forget it. I was going to get it last.

‘Perfect.’

Surviving Kid was just a piece of cake.

I burst out laughing all day.

***

After having dinner with Seniel and giving him flowers as usual, I lay down in bed.

I expected Kid to stop visiting me, but he came to my room again. He didn’t say much this time, except for two sentences: “Take the lead” and “Play the piano”. So I played the piano all night long like a music box for a lullaby. In the morning, I greeted Seniel awkwardly, like yesterday.

Seniel still looked at me in embarrassment and was relieved with a sensitive face. I comforted him secretly that there was not much time left for him to suffer like that.

And now that I was alone again, I ran wild, celebrating the only day left before my escape.

***

I checked the date by looking at the calendar. I checked several times, just in case. To ensure that tomorrow was stowaway day.

I was so moved that tears welled up.

“Finally! Finally!”

I opened the window with joy, repeating the same words foolishly.

The spring weather was welcoming me… or not.

“What’s wrong with the weather?”

Gray clouds filled the sky, blocking all the sunlight. The smell of damp ground seemed to hint that it was going to rain soon.

‘It was sunny until yesterday.’

I didn’t like the dark scenery. I was worried that the ship might not be able to float due to bad weather.

‘As far as I know, the ship will depart unless there’s a typhoon.’

I couldn’t tell about the ship on Earth, but holy power and magic existed here. Unless a typhoon were strong enough to destroy the ship, the ship would surely depart. That’s what I gathered from Vivi’s memory.

“Please, don’t be like this.”

Please, don’t let it rain. Sky, please don’t be so nasty.

My heart felt tight, and I closed the window.

‘The ship will depart. I have to go.’

Who was the first person who said, ‘If you wish for it, it will come true’?

My negative thoughts were immediately blown away as I brainwashed myself, leaving only the thought of leaving this place tomorrow.

***

I couldn’t remember what I ate with Seniel for dinner. All I could remember was laughing and saying strange things out of context throughout the meal.

I gave the flowers to Seniel with a smile on my face. It would be the last flower I gave him.

“Sleep well tonight. Continue to strive hard to survive in the future.” After saying goodbye, I realized that it was really the last time.

Thinking it was the last time, I felt a sense of affection. I didn’t regret anything, though. But the more I looked at Seniel’s face, the more I felt strange. I felt like breaking up with a short-lived friend. As the strange feeling enveloped me, I tried to separate faster than usual.

“Vivi.” But Seniel caught me. I tilted my head because he wasn’t the kind of person who’d hold onto anyone.

‘What is it? Did he notice that I was leaving?’

It didn’t matter if Seniel noticed, so I turned around again without thinking.

A scorebook and a flower were held out in front of me. Why did he offer these to me? I stared at Seniel and slowly accepted the scorebook.

“I was always grateful and wanted to repay you.”

“…”

“… Actually, I just wanted to give it as a gift, not a reward.”

And why were you giving me a gift?

I looked down at the scorebook and a rose. I was silent for a long time. I hardly felt sorry. Rather, I felt the opposite.

‘I’m glad I’m leaving now.’

I wasn’t the one to stay long in this mansion.

“… Thank you.”

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It was only then that Seniel gave a small smile. Seeing him smiling without worry, I felt my heart pounding. I felt like I was doing something I shouldn’t have done to him.

“I’ll go first. Sweet dreams. Seniel.”

I turned around and walked quickly as if running away.

***

I left the scorebook and rose I received from Seniel on the side table as they were. I didn’t even think about decorating it or taking it with me because it wasn’t something I could have.

I prepared the self-defense gear and went to bed. I took a deep breath, exhaled, and lay down on the bed as I tried to forget Seniel’s gift. Instead, I thought of an island full of hope which I would go to. It would take a long time to get used to the island, but it would also be new fun in life.

‘There are only a few hours left.’

With only a few hours left, my heart started pounding again. I probably wouldn’t even remember what happened here because I would be busy living there.

‘I should also meet a muscular man that fits the island’s warm climate.’

I felt better. As the corners of my lips rose, I felt his cheeks tighten. The tension was relaxed.

At this rate, I was confident I would welcome Kid mildly even if he came. I closed my eyes with joy.

***

“Wake up.”

My eyes opened at the warning. Waking up every time I slept well didn’t make me feel so good. But today, I was able to let it pass generously.

As usual, the room was lit by a lamp. So I could see Kid’s face quite clearly.

He kept looking and looking at me, squinting his eyes as if something was wrong. I looked at him with an oblivious face. And his face wrinkled.

“You look very happy, considering there’s a killer in front of you.”

The floating feeling subsided in an instant. My blood cooled as I finally remembered that I hadn’t boarded the ship. I couldn’t get caught running away before I succeeded because of this mistake.

I didn’t answer. I lowered my eyes and averted my gaze because I thought answering would cause a fight. If I said I felt good, he’d ask why, and if I said I felt bad, he’d also ask why. I wanted to let it pass as naturally as possible.

Kid, staring at me, suddenly put his hand on the head of the bed behind my back. Then, using the head of the bed for support, he bent down.

Kid’s face came right in front of me. I unknowingly tried to back away in fear. His free hand gripped my face, completely blocking my escape.

“Usually, people who have seen a chance to run away make that kind of expression.”

“…”

“Let me tell you something nice. If you’re thinking nonsense, you’d better throw it away.”

It was fortunate that my hands were under the duvet. Else, he would’ve caught my fingertips shaking right away.

I swallowed once in regret. I shouldn’t have lost my mind until the end.

But there was still a chance to put it back.

“H-How am I supposed to run away? I’ve never even thought of running away.”

The cheeks under Kid’s hand were slightly pressed. He didn’t hold me painfully, but I feared his hand would grab my neck any minute.

Kid remained silent as if he was measuring me. My heart was pounding. After a while, he let go of my face.

“Great. I hope you keep that thought.”

I bit my tongue so I wouldn’t let out a sigh of relief.

“In that sense, let’s hear the results of how close you got to Seniel over the course of a week. Tell me.”

“… I had dinner with Seniel every day. I always gave him flowers…”

“Is that it?”

I chewed the inside of my mouth. I didn’t even think of the holy power shocker under my pillow. He would clearly notice and snatch it immediately, even if I grabbed it.

I worked my mind, but nothing came up. Eventually, I decided to bring up what had happened today.

“Seniel gave me a scorebook and a rose.”

“Really? Where is it?”

“On the side table.”

Kid lifted his hand from the head of the bed. He held the scorebook and rose on the side table. He quickly flipped through the book and returned it to the side table as if uninterested.

“What else?”

“… Nothing. I will try harder tomorrow.”

It was strange that he’d never asked what had happened between Seniel and me so far and suddenly became strict. It seemed like he was trying to push me when he noticed a risk of escape.

I could feel the pulse of my neck pounding with fear. To survive here, I had to appeal that I was just a rat in a trap.