R4STWH - Chapter 93

Chapter 93

"Hey...!"

"You don't need to be so scared. Actually, she's the softest one among us."

"...?"

Looking at the clearly disbelieving Ermitar, Zero leaned back comfortably in his chair. There was no need to correct Ermitar's misunderstanding.

After all, it would be more convenient if Ermitar trembled and cooperated with him.

'I don't know how much beating you took after I died to end up in this state.'

Thinking about Ilesha naturally led Zero to recall the moment she disappeared into that fake Pair's arms.

His teeth clenched at the memory of that unworthy bastard acting as if his Whitey belonged to him.

'I... I will... how much I...'

Zero gave up reminiscing about how hard he had tried to protect Ilesha after just five seconds.

"Whitey, let's wash up before you turn black."

Pouring cold water on her after she had collapsed from exhaustion in the dungeon,

"I heard centipede legs are quite delicious.'

Feeding her something containing enough poison to kill a hundred people, causing her stomach pain for days,

"No. 124! This dungeon absolutely needs an explorer, so I'll come along too- ARGH!"

Brutally punishing those who bothered her in front of everyone... There were far too many instances that made him cringe when he looked back on them.

'Why did I do that...'

At the time, he had tried his best to take care of Ilesha in his own way. The problem was that back then, that was the only way he knew how.

His actions had been attempts to repair their relationship after realizing how badly his foolish and stupid younger self had wronged her, but in retrospect, they had only ended up tormenting her more.

'...There's no choice but to turn back time.'

If you've taken the wrong path, the only option is to return to the starting point. That was the right thing to do.

Now... it was too late.

While he was lost in thought, still watching Ermitar who sat clutching his head and mumbling to himself, a voice came from outside the door.

"Your Highness, the Imperial Princess has arrived."

His adjutant, who had faithfully carried out the order to bring the First Imperial Princess and Howell Ricks this way when they visited, was standing next to Yumi alone.

"What about Lord Howell? Didn't he come?"

"Well, um."

Yumi answered with a grimace.

'Well, that guy wouldn't do anything that Whitey would dislike.'

Zero dismissed his adjutant and brought Yumi into the room.

What he had expected happened the moment she came face to face with Ermitar, who was sitting haphazardly on the floor.

"You bastaaaaard!"

Yumi charged at him without hesitation.

Well, if she had actually intended to kill Ermitar, she would have used magic instead of her fists, so Zero didn't bother stopping her.

"What's this? Why is he so weak?"

Yumi, who had been enthusiastically beating Ermitar, suddenly stopped and asked.

Even in human form, their original abilities shouldn't completely disappear, so her punches should have hurt more, but his face was already swelling up.

He even had an ugly nosebleed.

"Ugh... weak, you say..."

Regardless of Ermitar's pained expression, Yumi had only one concern.

"Don't tell me when time is reversed, all abilities are sealed at that point's level?"

"That's what I heard."

"Then we're in trouble! We won't have any way to bring the child!"

No matter how great one's innate talent, it takes time to grow strong enough to defy adults' wishes.

"Don't worry. We just need to turn back time to when Whitey escaped from the laboratory."

"What? No way! I want to see her toddle around in squeaky shoes!"

"..."

A moment of silence passed between them.

"I want to see her wiggle her bottom in pumpkin pants too."

Yumi's eyes gleamed with a strange yearning.

"I'm going to feed her lots of delicious food until she gets so chubby her wrists and ankles have rolls. When she comes running with her peach-like face calling 'unnie, unnie,' I'll probably want to crush her because she's so cute."

Looking at Yumi, Zero wondered if he should deal with this lunatic right now.

Of course, he didn't act on it. He needed his allies' help to increase the chances of success for the plan.

"When Whitey has a child, I'll make you the godmother."

So he threw out an appealing bait.

"Godmother...?"

Just as he thought she might accept his proposal if what she wanted was a cute child resembling Ilesha—

"Half of its blood would be yours!"

...his assumption proved wrong.

"Then what do you suggest we do? This is the best option."

Zero glared at Yumi, barely containing his irritation.

"Hmm..."

After narrowing her eyes at Zero, Yumi's gaze turned to Ermitar.

"Hey."

Ermitar, who had been pretending not to hear their conversation, raised his head.

"What?"

"Your world ended up being destroyed too, right?"

"...Yes. This world ends about 700 years from now."

"Is there a reason you came back to this specific time? Did you find some clue about preventing the destruction?"

"That... I cannot answer."

"What? You can't answer? Then I'll have to make you want to answer."

As Yumi pulled out her staff from her inventory, Ermitar shouted angrily.

"There are quest restrictions, you damn mage!"

"Oh, if that's the case, nothing can be done. You should have said so earlier."

Yumi casually tossed her staff back into her inventory with an indifferent expression.

"Well, one thing is clear now."

Her eyes glinted coldly as they scanned Ermitar from head to toe.

"This bastard's quest isn't over yet. In other words..."

Yumi turned her head as she felt Zero's gaze on her.

"Even this situation is all according to his plan. Even getting beaten up by me while sitting there so helplessly!"

"..."

Their locked gazes remained steady and calm. As if to say, so what?

"Don't you get what I mean? You might end up with nothing in the end after being played for a fool. Think about how we've been jerked around by quests — final, final final, and all that nonsense!"

Zero frowned as he considered Yumi's words, then smiled slightly and answered.

"It's fine."

"...Fine? Do you have some plan in mind?"

"If such a situation really occurs..."

The man who had gained a spectacular appearance quite unlike his original body answered with an expressionless face, all trace of smile gone.

"We'll end it all. So that no one, nothing can be gained. Perfectly fair."

---

The sudden quest that appeared shocked me with its contents alone.

'Ermitar is alive? How?'

I accepted the quest, of course. Choosing 'NO' would only force my choice again in a few days with much worse conditions, that was obvious.

Though it was hard to call it fortunate, thanks to this cursed quest, I was able to slightly distance myself from the shock of learning that Elias wasn't my Pair.

Because I realized that was a trivial concern for now.

Of course, that didn't mean I was leaving Elias completely unattended.

"Elias, did you just smile at that maid?"

"Hm? I don't know what you're talking about, but come here for a moment."

Elias wiped the chocolate pudding from the corner of my mouth.

Only after confirming throughout the meal that his gentle gaze never turned toward that maid again did I breathe a sigh of relief.

Apart from pondering how to find Ermitar, I began watching Elias's every move like a hawk.

To find out who his real Pair was.

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