Chapter: 376
My mind froze at the sight of the little Lucy, wearing that annoyingly cute smile.
The entity I thought I’d find just beyond the door wasn’t a beast ready to take my life but rather a brat looking at me like I was some sort of joke.
Um, wait. So now I have to duel this kid? What the heck am I supposed to do against that tiny brat?
Sure, I’m ruthless towards my enemies, but I’m not some monster who’d go breaking a small child’s skull. The pathetic deity wouldn’t have left little Lucy in this mess wanting that kind of chaos.
So what’s the deal? What am I supposed to do? Since we’re both Mesugakis, are we supposed to engage in some kind of trash-talking battle? Like, seeing who can make the other feel the worst?
Hah, how ridiculous is that? I mean, sure the pathetic deity is definitely a pervy freak, but they’re not going to orchestrate a scenario just to watch a battle of insults between two Mesugakis, right?
…Right? I mean, it’s a deity we’re talking about; they can’t be that messed up.
With Lucy just chuckling silently at me, I threw my hands up in a panic, seeking help.
“Grandpa! What should I do?!”
But no response came.
“Grandpa? Grandpaw!”
All I could hear ringing in my head was the void of my own voice. In my panic, I accidentally channeled the divine glow into the mace, only to realize that the presence within had fallen into a deep slumber.
This was definitely the work of the pathetic deity. They’d put grandpa to sleep; it was perfectly possible for them to do something like that. What kind of silly trickery are they up to this time?
Tuk-tuk. As I stared blankly at my mace, a noise caught my attention. Little Lucy was kicking the ground, trying to draw my gaze.
She locked eyes with me for a moment before shuffling forward and then subtly turning to check me out.
Follow… me? After a brief hesitation, I moved my feet, and Lucy nodded her little head before trotting lightly deeper into the dungeon.
“Hey.”
Wait, what? My voice is coming out alright!? Confirming that the translation skill from the Mesugaki wasn’t triggering, I rushed over to Lucy’s side and called out to her.
“Lucy?”
She looked up at me as if asking why I called, but she didn’t say anything. I figured, given her age, she probably wasn’t this well-behaved, only unable to speak right now.
Still, she seemed to understand me, so I thought I’d ask her a few questions and see how she reacted.
“So, where are we going right now?”
Upon hearing my question, she tilted her head, then drew a square with her hands and topped it off with a triangle.
It wasn’t too hard to understand what she was trying to convey. Home. Little Lucy referred to the place we were heading as home.
Not long after, the barren cave scenery morphed into lush grasslands, revealing the Alrn family mansion.
Without hesitation, I followed the child inside, and the scenery changed yet again.
‘Mira. Is it really okay to embrace? What if something goes wrong?’
‘What do you take a baby for, anyway?’
‘Just another package to handle?’
‘Hehe. Benedict, this child is yours. She can’t be that fragile, right?’
As a woman named Mira jestingly handed over the child, Benedict appeared bewildered but carefully took the baby into his arms.
The baby squirmed as if uncomfortable with Benedict’s rough touch, freeze-framing when she met his fierce face.
‘Oh gosh, what do I do? She looks like she might cry!’
‘So what? If she cries, you soothe her. Give it a shot.’
‘Are you kidding me?!’
The baby frowned at Benedict’s surprised tone, making him rush to form a comically awkward expression.
As if he were a monstrous creature from the depths of hell, his face made the baby laugh delightedly.
‘Mira! The baby is laughing!’
‘What’s there to be nervous about if you’re doing well?’
Leaving behind the daily joys of their conversation, the scenery shifted again. The baby who could barely speak moments ago was already moving on her own.
Though she appeared downright adorable, making anyone want to care for her, the gazes of the servants watching were far from pleasant.
‘Wretched girl. Where’s Mama?’
The problem was the tone. The aggressive manner of speech I couldn’t determine whose shadow she was adopting naturally drew ire from those around. People murmured in disbelief; how could a child born to such noble parents act like that?
But not me. Having the ability to hear the child’s true thoughts, I understood she didn’t choose to say those things. That wretched curse still clung to that tiny girl.
Unintentionally inflicting pain onto others as she suffered, the little girl was slowly rotting away inside.
Why was I cursed like this?
Why can’t I even say a simple word of hope?
Why can’t I say I love you, thank you, or I’m sorry properly?
Why do I have to bear this kind of pain alone?
What did I do wrong?
Huh?
Huh?
Why me?
“Lucy.”
The reason this fragile child could stand firm without breaking down was the boundless love surrounding her.
Her father, Benedict, would laugh at anything Lucy said, no matter how nonsensical, and her mother, Mira, embraced her with a gentle smile as she spoke.
Naturally, the little girl couldn’t bring herself to stray far from her parents. Leaving their side meant being bombarded by endless hostility, so she lacked the courage to step outside.
Who knows what anyone else thought, but that was more than enough for her. If stepping into another’s gaze meant receiving hatred, she preferred to stay hidden in the mansion forever.
Tuk-tuk.
The sensation of something nudging my waist pulled my attention, revealing Lucy’s playful smile.
And then the scenery crumbled away.
“Huh?!”
Feeling the strength leave my legs, I collapsed, trying to endure the onslaught of memories swirling in my mind.
The happiness she felt as a child. The frustrations she faced. The angry emotions she experienced. All those mixed feelings created a pain more intense than any I’ve ever felt before.
How much time had passed, I wonder?
It was only after those recollections fully seeped into my brain that I could finally gather my senses.
Shaking hands retrieved a handkerchief, wiping away the mix of fluids covering my face. Have I ever felt this kind of suffering since swallowing that elixir? There were a few near-death experiences, but during those times, I was already half out of my mind.
[Lucy! Are you coming to your senses?!]
“Right now, at least.”
[Thank goodness! I was shocked when you suddenly started convulsing as soon as you opened the door!]
As I lifted my head at grandpa’s words, I took in the sights of the dungeon. So what I saw just now was all just an illusion?
Crawling over to the wall, I leaned against it while recalling the earlier scene, letting out a laugh.
Yeah, I’d thought these rumors about Lucy were pretty bizarre. No matter how childish she might be, acting like she’d offered herself up would be strange.
But it makes sense if Lucy was a victim of the Mesugaki skill. If I’m suffering like this, she must have endured her share of pain as well.
Actually, comparing my past suffering to hers would be an insult. How would an already hardened heart feel the same as someone who had to endure pain without knowing any better?
I barely managed to calm my ragged breath while re-examining Lucy’s memories and feelings, only to catch a peculiar detail.
The images flooding into my mind weren’t entirely unfamiliar. Was this an illusion born from borrowing Lucy’s body, or what?
[What on earth happened? Lucy.]
“I saw the memories of the past.”
[The past?]
“Yes. The past.”
[…They weren’t good memories, were they?]
Noticing something, grandpa fell silent, not prying any further. In the protracted stillness, I couldn’t help but envision the tormented Lucy in my mind.
I only know that this wretched deity is a pathetic freak and lacks any divine grace, but at least they aren’t evil. So why would they inflict such a curse on Lucy?
Shaking my head, cast away the many thoughts, I stood unsteadily.
No matter the deity’s intentions, surely reaching the end of this treasure map would yield some answers. I could make judgments later.
As I stepped toward the door leading out of the dungeon, I noticed those waiting for me outside.
“Young Lady!”
“Employer! Inside…”
“Something happened…”
Tuning out their voices, I turned back, but the cave that had appeared so intact upon my arrival was now gone without a trace. Had it fulfilled its purpose?
“Are you alright, Young Lady?”
At Karia’s worried voice, I couldn’t help but chuckle, throwing my arms wide as if to show I was perfectly fine.
“Am I now? Were you seriously getting separation anxiety just because I was alone for a moment?”
After that little quip, I felt a strange sense of discomfort, leading me to reflect on my earlier situation. Wait, hold up? Did I just skip over a part?
Caught in an awkward vibe, I paused, noticing the others around me looking at me with concerned expressions.
What is this? Shouldn’t my face reflect the usual confidence that comes with the Mesugaki skill?
“Employer, what in the world happened in there?”
“What happened? I just smashed that pathetic dungeon to pieces and came out, that’s all.”
As I answered Karia’s question, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in her eyes.
There was no trace of the confident Mesugaki demeanor I was known for.
What reflected back in Karia’s eyes was just a lost little girl, confused by the current circumstances.
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