Chapter 84 – 8. Underworld Occupation War (4)
The beginning of the shadow of darkness.
The moon was bright. Appearing under the moonlight, I put tobacco in my mouth. Julich took the Brotherhood members line by line with his gunners. The sight of them tied up and being dragged away was like a scene of arresting gangsters all at once.
“You worked hard.”
As I was looking up at the night sky in a daze, a small fire broke out in front of my eyes. I looked up and saw that it was Adele. The bookkeeper who approached without notice lit the cigarette with the lighter in his hand. After that, I looked at my face as I quietly sucked in the smoke.
“Adele.”
In Bernhardt’s spring, the temperature difference between day and night is large. Because of what happened earlier, I was standing half-naked with my top covered, and thanks to that, I felt a bit chilly. Of course, even that was nothing compared to the pain of leaving the skin exposed.
“Do you like tobacco in your mouth?”
“The pain has definitely subsided.”
This cigarette, more familiar with the name of cigar or cigar, is made only from pure tobacco leaves. It’s obvious, but that’s why it boasts a further depth in flavors such as taste and aroma. What’s more, the one I’m eating right now is a special, handmade product.
“It’s much better.”
The spicy smoke lingered in his mouth and smoked his mucous membranes. The special drug ingredient contained in it calmed me down when the pain bothered me.
This cigarette that Adele rolled herself was really like that. It had a greater sedative effect than any other drug I had ever taken. Even more so than Artournil, whom the doctor, Artur, let go of at Brulin Special General Hospital in his previous life.
“Overuse is prohibited.”
“Know.”
Psychotropic and central nervous system drugs are all like that. As the word literally works on the mind, the effect is extremely extreme. Not to mention, even my blessing to go back in time wouldn’t be able to help such a broken spirit.
Memories intact means the continuation of the spirit, and that means that the body will be restored, but the mind will not.
“What time is it?”
“About thirteen minutes until midnight.”
“There won’t be any problems with this unit, right?”
“Yes, you should have at least three hours to spare.”
The thick cigar smoked quickly. I inhaled every bit of smoke that was almost scorching my lungs. Adele stopped overdoing it, but that was it. She didn’t even think she would dare go further and tear me apart.
The pain of this body was not enough even if I carried this in my mouth all day.
“Mr. Renner asked about our next destination.”
“Yes, but we still have some time.”
Hans and the members of his Brotherhood are not to be underestimated. Of course, if you think of their sense of defeat deeply engraved in their minds, there is no need to worry too much. However, Saxony’s thugs are by no means easygoing squire. Because all those who stood in my way were like that.
“You’d better organize your thoughts.”
“I will stay by your side.”
“…… Thank you.”
You shouldn’t blindly trust anything. Unless it was a master-servant relationship formed through lewd and decadent friendships, friends who understood each other after a bloody battle between life and death, and comrades united under a unified banner.
Where did you start?
It was in the Luneburg of the previous life, at that Draken House. After seven days of taming Adele, a group of ghosts from Partenope warned me. On the way to the capital riding the flying dragon they left behind, the bookkeeper said.
―Master, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that there is no one you can trust at this point.
– You are there.
― Thank you for your trust. But I have to point out that such exceptions are as catchy as today. The reason why betrayal is vicious is that it is not done by those who are not face-to-face, but because it is done by those who have truly trusted them.
A Saxon trainer, a poisonous plant that grew wild from the bottom of the shadows. She refers to herself as Bupyeongcho, but it is not. Because there is a difference between wandering aimlessly and running around for survival.
Among us, if there is a life worthy of Bupyeongcho, it is definitely me. It is because, while being able to sustain life by simply floating on the water, the desire to be rooted in the ground has led to the wandering of an unknown destination.
―The person you should trust the most is the person you should trust the most.
— Even Otto Moritz and Anton Feininger?
―Here, even Adele Schneider.
Betrayal will not disappear as long as trust and expectations exist. Considering the threats lurking inside and outside, Adele’s judgment was perfectly correct.
It was indeed insightful.
Defying death and time is a tremendous power. However, we are so small that sometimes we do not realize the gift given to us. Likewise, I was only thinking of ways to kill the queen through this regression. I didn’t worry about how to use this power properly.
Even if it wasn’t, it was already a great power.
It didn’t work. Adele was right. Like her self-appointed schemer, she had to foresee her future without taking life-to-life for granted. She is able to stand like this now because I trusted her.
― Preparing for the afterlife is only possible in this world. The fact that there are traitors among the employees of the official residence suggests the probability that there will be traitors outside. I understand that you trust me, Mr. Moritz, and Mr. Feininger, but please reconsider.
– Doubt is a dark demon. If you are too wary of betrayal, you can rather cover your eyes.
― People tend to underestimate the likelihood of something negative happening to them.
Be suspicious of the people you trust the most. At first glance, it sounds like a contradiction. What Adele said at that time meant that even I should doubt it. It was like the liar’s paradox.
However, all paradoxes are ultimately puns. In the end, it will only be refuted and established as one of our vocabularies.
Adele’s words were an oxymoron. It was just for emphasis.
― OK, what should I do?
―I will entrust my memories to the Master.
An excellent alchemist creates miracles by combining complicated nectar and reagents. The three flasks she gave her before her sniping battle in Bruehllin were actually decoys. Because we took special measures before entering the Boeblingen safe house.
―From now on, I will draw Yeon Seong-jin on my master’s back. Since there is no way to obtain the materials needed for this job, I will disassemble the body to extract the necessary materials.
― Wait, that sounds a bit scary.
– By analogy, it is. Then, based on that, I’m going to replicate the chemical signals in my brain and transfer them to my master’s hippocampus. And I will lock it up as if erasing the memories that have been there so far.
Could it be because of the flying comfort of the flying dragon? Or was it because of Adele’s ability to portray Yeon Seong-jin without being disturbed even in the gusting wind?
― You say it’s locked? So what’s the use?
― This is to prepare for someone capturing us and torturing us or reading our memories.
―If you’re not going to remember it, there’s no reason to plant it in the first place.
― You just need to prepare the key. If possible, let this memory come to you right before you die.
The alchemist who bit off my finger disassembled a part of my body, befitting a person who made a name for himself in the underworld. With the setting sun in the distance, I literally made the sky a laboratory.
– What is that?
― Endorphins. The explosive secretion of endorphins in the master’s brain will serve as a kind of open signal. Then you can safely recall your memories before passing on to the next lifetime.
The fusion was successful. So Adele transferred some of my memories to me. I was worried that it might be too many memories to fit in one person’s brain, but fortunately the capacity wasn’t large. What I had to capture was only the memories after March 13, 1942.
― Then Master, see you in the next life.
— Adele.
―Please, give me the pleasure to serve you in the afterlife.
Locking up the previous memories, I completely forgot about that fact. I received the flask Adele gave me and engaged in a life-and-death sniper fight with the magic bullet. In the process, I noticed the threat that was sneaking up on me, but I pretended not to know it.
Originally written like this above the letters on that round flask.
「This letter will disappear soon. Let the enemy steal this bait. You will soon find out what this is about.”
It really was. At that moment when I saved Elisabeth by using my body as a buffer, my whole body exploded and I remembered and realized along with the exploding endorphins.
– Are you a doctor?
―Yes, my name is Surgeon Artur.
Foolish Artur, did you think I wouldn’t feel your hand coming to steal the bait?
― Your Excellency.
I couldn’t reap the feeling of deja vu enough even with your familiar voice, but your actions drove a wedge into my doubts.
―You must erase the memories of Youngbugun.
Gong-ri, a member of the Iron Cross without knowing the rank!
―The hatred that this person harbors will be more than a threat to your Excellency’s seat of power.
The weak design gradually draws a bigger picture. I am not alone in holding a brush. There is also a beautiful bookkeeper and a trustworthy friend here. Yesterday’s enemies and today’s allies.
I don’t die And trials that don’t kill me only make me stronger.
How strong can I really be?
“This was the fourth.”
“…… ?”
“You said in your previous life. Infuse the memories you entrusted to me into the present you.”
“It was.”
If there is no delusion, it is a lie. Humans sometimes become stronger when they affirm their weaknesses.
“But was it okay? Can you really say that you are the Adele Schneider I know? Isn’t it just something that my lingering feelings and egotism created?”
“Excuse me.”
Shit, Adele suddenly slapped me on the cheek. His hands were so hot that he almost forgot the pain in his wife’s flesh, but his face was hot.
“And excuse me.”
“…… Nope.”
Maybe it’s because the blow that followed came to me like a bigger scolding than any other.
“There is no truth in metaphysics. When tragedy strikes you, look at the world from a macro perspective. Humans are selfish beings who can do anything for the continuation of life. Nevertheless, sometimes mutations are born among us that sacrifice great wills and beliefs instead of small genes.”
Adele’s deep, calm eyes calmed me when I was struggling with buried questions.
“The true value of a person is not an insignificant form. It is a variable nature. Certainly I am not the Adele Schneider you know. But the same goes for me in my previous life. Here I am, just like everyone else, the Adele Schneider that you will always get to know.”
Yes, she was truly my bookkeeper. She was an ally If she could keep a woman like this by her side, she could endure even a decadent relationship like the master and servant.
“Don’t be obsessed. And get over it. We are not bound by any form or falsehood. It is just an existence that deserves to be distinguished by great will and significant conviction.”
“It is paradoxical.”
“What are you talking about?”
“The moment I heard that, a whisper came from deep within me.”
Eyes gleaming with lust radiated. He was seized by the feeling of wanting to trample on and dominate the woman he already possessed. It was an impulse from her heart that never wanted to let go of this woman.
“You are very coveted.”
“Okay. You do great.”
“Why?”
“Because the master finally took off the mask of hypocrisy. Because he blossomed his talent, which he had regretted so far, and revealed his true colors as a wicked man.”
I chuckled and spit out the cigarette in my mouth. He lit the embers and stomped on the smoke that was emitting smoke and extinguished it. So that there will be no regrets left behind.
“Evil does not so readily admit itself as evil.”
Just in time, Julich, who had just finished cleaning up, was approaching. In one hand he was holding a coat to be thrown over my shoulder. And that meant it was time to move.
“I haven’t fallen yet.”
“Is that so?”
“No way.”
Her dark hair, milky white eyes, and unique pure-blooded ears standing upright remind me of the woman I loved the most. Coincidentally, Adele looks a lot like Victoria. Perhaps this lust stemmed from the desire to find a replacement for the wife she could not keep.
But in spite of such suspicions, I will never admit it.
“Boss, is it cold?”
Before I knew it, Julihi, who had come to my side, put a long coat over his shoulder. Standing next to the guy in a black suit, accompanied by Adele in a feminine street outfit, he looked like an underworld tycoon.
“I don’t know who the big boss is.”
“If you look at your appearance, you’re also an unapologetic vassal.”
“What a surprise.”
Julich grinned. I did too. Adele also closed her eyes on rare occasions to match her mood.
“Well then, where is the next stage?”
“Let’s take a quick look at the painting.”
The very organization that Saxon’s teaching assistant belonged to. The place that is different from the origin of all this.
“Call Robert Eidinger.”
“An excellent choice.”
Next is Inse’s Hwarang.
