Chapter: 313
It was at that moment when Yoon Si-woo, who had been laughing at my words that we’re still friends even without any secrets, got interrupted.
[Cough, Si-woo. I’m sorry to break the nice atmosphere, but can you take a moment? I have something to tell you.]
Lucy, who had been quietly sitting next to us, cleared her throat and called out to Yoon Si-woo.
The first time Sylvia saw Lucy today, she jumped at the sudden sound of her voice echoing in the room, her expression turning curious at the sight of the talking sword.
“Um… You said you’re the Witch of Arrogance, Lucifer, right?”
[Yes, but you can just call me Lucy. Anyway, Si-woo, this is an important matter, so don’t just brush it off, pay attention.]
As Lucy emphasized it was an important matter, Yoon Si-woo looked at her with a peculiar expression. It seemed like they could communicate with thoughts alone, so it was puzzling why she insisted on saying it out loud for everyone to hear.
[It’s essential for these other folks to hear too so that Si-woo will pay more attention. You have a tendency to treat your body too harshly. I didn’t mention it earlier, but let me be clear now.]
Lucy then spoke, her tone very serious.
[If you use your powers thoughtlessly like before, you will die. Understand?]
For a moment, my mind went blank. …Die? Yoon Si-woo?
What nonsensical talk is that? He’s perfectly fine right here.
How could we have a chat with smiles again?
Nevertheless, even trying to deny it, if I wasn’t misunderstanding, Lucy had clearly just said that Yoon Si-woo would die.
As the reality of that sunk in, my mind slowly conjured up a scene.
The image of Yoon Si-woo collapsed.
But this time, it was the cold, lifeless body of Yoon Si-woo that wouldn’t open his eyes again.
“What do you mean by that?! Yoon Si-woo… dying?!”
Perhaps it stemmed from the recent memory of Yoon Si-woo being unable to move like a corpse, but I could vividly imagine him never waking again, leaving a chill of fear crawling down my spine, and I nearly burst out in a panic, yelling at Lucy.
Then, Lucy spoke to me calmly.
[Calm down. I’m not saying he will definitely die, but that might happen if he continues to abuse my powers.]
“Not die…?”
I managed to settle my racing heart thanks to Lucy’s calming voice.
However, since Lucy didn’t deny the possibility of Yoon Si-woo dying, I needed clarification on this matter, so I asked her.
“…Now that I’ve calmed down, can you explain things properly?”
[You’re a witch too, so you must understand. Miasma is a force that humans aren’t meant to wield. For typical humans, miasma is just a brutal power that harms the body.]
As Lucy stated, miasma was indeed a power that shouldn’t be handled by humans.
If I were to compare it with my limited knowledge, it was like nuclear power.
If it could be harnessed, it could create incredible power, but contact would lead to radiation exposure, rendering it untouchable.
Miasma was something like that force.
[However, Si-woo was an exception. He possesses the Holy Sword that significantly enhances bodily recovery and increases resistance to miasma, allowing him to withstand it. Therefore, as long as he didn’t overexert himself, it was okay to borrow my powers. Even if he used so much miasma that his body couldn’t handle it, he had means to recover.]
True to the story’s protagonist, Yoon Si-woo was indeed capable of wielding such miasma.
Similarly, he was human, but adorned with those ridiculously powerful holy swords.
Perhaps the means of recovery Lucy mentioned referred to the ability of the Holy Sword to restore his body at the cost of its lifespan.
At that moment, I couldn’t help but harden my expression.
I understood just how great the price Yoon Si-woo paid to save me when Evangeline took over my body the previous day.
But the truly unfortunate part was that I only knew that because of my knowledge of the original story.
Normally, I shouldn’t have had any way of knowing that.
Yoon Si-woo hadn’t said a word to me after he woke up, having paid such a great price to rescue me.
He hadn’t mentioned at all how much he had sacrificed, nor that I should be thankful for it.
But I did know.
I knew everything.
Yoon Si-woo, how much you sacrificed for me.
I also knew that you didn’t say anything because you knew I would feel burdened.
So, I was even more grateful and even more sorry.
It was a ridiculous farce.
One person hopes it would remain a secret while the other has to suffer pretending not to know.
As I inwardly chuckled at that thought, Lucy spoke just in time.
[But now, that’s impossible. That girl named Scarlet… Do you have any idea how much Si-woo sacrificed to save you?]
As if she had read my thoughts, Lucy’s words caught Yoon Si-woo off-guard, and he jumped in surprise.
“Lucy, you…!”
[Si-woo, I understand your feelings, but this is something I can’t compromise on. It’s something that needs to be said, for both you and that child.]
“Ugh, but please don’t say anything…!”
Yoon Si-woo objected fiercely to Lucy’s intention to speak.
“What do you mean by sacrifice?!”
But since I already knew everything, I thought it was about time, so I immediately asked.
And without giving Yoon Si-woo a chance to stop her, Lucy promptly responded to my question.
[Most of his lifespan. The Holy Sword Si-woo possesses has the ability to restore his body at the cost of his lifespan. However, during the time he helped you, he ended up sacrificing most of his lifespan by overusing that ability.]
“Ugh…!”
Once Lucy blurted it all out, Yoon Si-woo, not wanting me to know, looked at me with a face full of despair.
For me, it was quite an awkward moment trying to figure out what expression I should make.
It would be weird to be shocked and surprised now after hearing something I already knew.
Thanks to that, it was a relief that before I could say anything, Sylvia, who had been worried about Yoon Si-woo’s lifespan all along, was the first to express her disbelief.
“W-Wait a minute! If you mean most of his lifespan, does that mean Yoon Si-woo won’t live long?!”
[Fortunately, that’s not the case, so you can relax. Although he won’t live a long time, he won’t die right away. And you, who are standing stiff over there. Si-woo can be alive like this thanks to you as well, so don’t take too much blame for what Si-woo sacrificed for you.]
I felt relieved to hear that Yoon Si-woo’s lifespan wasn’t an immediate issue, but still, I couldn’t help but feel confused by what followed.
What do you mean it’s thanks to me?
“What do you mean it’s thanks to me?”
[Quite literally. I suppose I called it a Sacred Remnant. You guys used that to insert that elf child’s strange power into Si-woo’s body, didn’t you? The reason Si-woo isn’t dead despite having nearly exhausted his lifespan is because of that. To put it another way, it’s like you took a cracked dish and glued it back together and then filled it with water again.]
With Lucy’s explanation following my question, I roughly understood the situation.
Although Yoon Si-woo had nearly exhausted his life force because of me, it seemed I could see it as us being able to replenish that with the Sacred Remnant I obtained.
Anyway, I could say we managed to fix the situation, so it was a relief, but there were parts that still didn’t add up, so I cautiously asked Lucy.
“Then, about what you said before, that Yoon Si-woo could die…”
[…It’s a somewhat contradictory statement, but it’s regarding that power you filled in instead of his lifespan.]
Lucy paused before responding to my question.
Neither Sylvia nor I could comprehend it, leaving us with blank expressions.
What issue could possibly arise from the power we filled into him to save Yoon Si-woo?
Seeing how our confusion was evident, Lucy began her explanation.
[The lifespan is something that, in some places, may be referred to as innate talent or by another name, but it’s something that normally cannot be replenished by regular means. Earlier, I likened lifespan to water in a container, but obviously, lifespan isn’t just water. The very fact that it could be replenished like this is itself miraculous.]
Nodding in understanding, Lucy continued her explanation.
[Regardless, the issue is that the power you substituted for his lifespan is also fundamentally different from lifespan. It’s as if you put something else entirely instead of the water that was originally in the dish — something quite peculiar.]
As Lucy continued her explanation, she posed a question to us.
[The force that replaced his lifespan seems to be one that’s in direct opposition to miasma, doesn’t it?]
“Ah….”
Sylvia let out a quiet sound at Lucy’s question.
Indeed, Sylvia’s ability was the antithesis of miasma.
Now, I realized why there was bound to be a problem.
At that moment, as we fell silent, Lucy softly added.
[At this point, it’s still possible for Si-woo to use my power. However, as he uses it for an extended period, naturally, even Si-woo’s body will be affected, and then the situation where he must utilize his recovery ability will arise. But that recovery is inherently based on using lifespan as the resource.]
“…”
[Here lies the problem. If you pour in the force that’s in direct opposition to miasma to recover a body that’s all messed up due to miasma, what do you think will happen?]
I recalled the moment when Sylvia had tried to purify the Sacred Remnant that had been contaminated with miasma just yesterday.
At that time, Sylvia had said she felt the Sacred Remnant tremble in revulsion against her ability.
‘This won’t do. If I keep doing this, it will definitely break.’
I then thought back to Yoon Si-woo, who had messed up his body from overusing the witch’s power due to miasma.
And if he were to use recovery powers in an attempt to fix it that would eventually lead to him shattering into pieces…
Ugh—
I barely suppressed the retch rising from the horrifying image and looked at Yoon Si-woo.
No, no…
I couldn’t let it happen to Yoon Si-woo, so I shouted.
“Then it’s okay if he doesn’t use the witch’s power, right?! Then that should solve it…!”
[That’s exactly what I meant to say.]
At my outburst, Lucy replied, then turned to Yoon Si-woo, making a recommendation.
[Si-woo, like I said, if you want to live, refrain from borrowing my powers. Well, knowing you, it’s likely you’ll throw this advice to the wind anyway, but with everyone knowing this now, surely there will be a few people who will stop you.]
“Lucy, you… You did all this from the start because of that…?”
Yoon Si-woo mumbled as if he had just been caught off guard by Lucy’s words.
But I immediately felt uneasy at his lack of an immediate response.
Why…? Why isn’t he directly saying he won’t do it…?
With the image of Yoon Si-woo shattering into pieces floating back in my mind, I gripped his shoulders tightly, asking.
“Yoon Si-woo… You won’t use it… Will you? You heard what she said — you’ll die if you do…”
“…”
There was no answer.
Fueled by frustration as if my insides were on fire, I shouted.
“Hey!! Why aren’t you answering! Promise, promise me! That you absolutely won’t use that, just like before!”
I released his shoulders and grabbed Yoon Si-woo’s right hand.
Then I began to scream, begging him to promise me by trying to hook my pinky with his.
I felt like I would go insane if I didn’t at least get that promise.
If he could just say he’d promise, I could settle my heart.
Yoon Si-woo hated lies.
So I could trust the promises I made with Yoon Si-woo.
That’s why I desperately wanted to hear that one word.
“…I’m sorry, Scarlet. I don’t think I can promise that.”
But instead of a promise, Yoon Si-woo said that.
He caught my hand trying to hook our pinkies with his other hand, smiling apologetically.
I stared blankly at Yoon Si-woo’s face, puzzled by his response.
“Why… Why…?”
“I won’t use it if I can help it, but if the moment comes where it’s necessary, I’ll have to borrow it.”
“You… will die…!”
“I know. But if it’s to protect something more precious than my life, I think I’d fight for it.”
In that moment, I felt betrayed, as if I had been stabbed in the back.
He had promised to never leave me behind earlier.
That I could relax because he would stay with me.
Then, why was he speaking as if it wouldn’t matter if he died…?
I spoke to Yoon Si-woo with a wounded expression of betrayal.
“You promised earlier… you wouldn’t leave me… so why, why are you saying it doesn’t matter if you die…?”
“Ah…”
Yoon Si-woo seemed to have not considered that up until now, a bitter smile crossed his lips as he mumbled.
“Cancellation… isn’t an option, right…?”
“…If you say you’re canceling, that’s severing our ties. Even if you break the promise, I will sever our ties.”
“That’s troublesome then, haha… I don’t want to be severed…”
As I shot him a sincere glare for saying such ridiculous things, he chuckled, appearing genuinely troubled.
I could feel it; I wouldn’t be able to sway Yoon Si-woo.
Nevertheless, I pleaded one last time as if throwing a tantrum.
“…Can’t you just promise me you won’t use it?”
“…I don’t want to lie. Not to you, my friend, Scarlet.”
“Under any circumstances…?”
What could I say to change Yoon Si-woo’s mind?
As I spoke those words, Yoon Si-woo looked at me and asked.
“If you were me, could you promise you won’t use it?”
“Ah….”
I found myself unable to respond to those words.
Of course not.
While I could have said I would if I wanted to, what meaning would it hold to respond with a lie to someone who can see through lies?
Moreover, having heard Yoon Si-woo say he didn’t want to lie to me, I also didn’t want to.
So in silent acknowledgment, I stayed quiet.
Yoon Si-woo looked like he expected that as he smiled softly.
At that irritating expression, I stood up and shouted.
“Well, whatever! I’ll take care of everything, so you won’t have to fight!”
After I shouted that and was about to leave the room, just before stepping out, I turned around and added one last line.
“…But you have to keep the promise you made earlier, okay? If you don’t, I really mean it; I’ll sever our ties.”
Yoon Si-woo replied to that.
“Hmm, I’ll do my best to keep it as much as I can.”
…What a truly infuriating guy.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.