Chapter 68 – Awakening Madness (13)
This is the after story of this day.
“Oh, Nor… You’re here…”
When I returned to the inn room, Fran was mending a black robe. I was surprised to see his haggard face, as if he had worked without blinking after sending me away.
“Franc? What happened while I was gone?”
“I have nothing to do… I also want to make clothes that can hide my identity. You need it to move with Nord.”
Fran unfolded the robe he was holding. It wasn’t even half a day since I went out, but the robe seemed almost finished.
Could it be that he skipped the rice and only mended the robe? I threw away my bag and sat down in front of Franc. I didn’t think Fran would be so overbearing because of me.
“Franc. I didn’t do anything today look at this Did you get the thesis back and it was all over easily? You don’t have to make it in such a hurry.”
“Did anything happen?”
Pan–.
Fran scanned me up and down with blank eyes.
What. Do dwarf eyes have psychometric abilities? Fran looked at her like that for about 10 seconds, then took off her robe and put it away.
─Flutter.
Then he pointed to the floor where the mat was spread.
“Mr. Nord.”
“Yes, four?”
It is expressionless to the extreme.
There is respect.
The atmosphere was strong. As I stood stiff, Fran quietly pointed to the mat in front of her.
“Sit.”
“Yeah.”
I quietly sat down at the declaration without questioning whether or not it was there. Fran and I knelt down and sat facing each other.
Frank said without changing his expression.
“Mr. Nord.”
“Yeah.”
“Did anything really happen?”
“Four? Uh, that’s it I think the standard of nothing happened is different for each person.”
I rolled my eyes and rolled them. The bastard who told the thief leader not to roll his eyes was not here. Because I was Nord, not Arthur Wayne.
“Don’t lie, answer me. Did anything really happen?”
“… There was.”
After going through a long agony, I did a straight job.
Like a condemned prisoner repenting for a nun.
“Mr. Nord.”
Fran said while sitting still.
“From now on, think as I say.”
“Yeah.”
“The lover I love had to go to a dangerous place for some reason, but Mr. Nord couldn’t catch up and was left alone at the inn.”
“Yeah.”
“From there, I was doing my own chores, worrying about when I would come back and whether I would get hurt, saying that I would definitely follow you next time, but the lover who came back is hiding his disfigured body and lying that nothing happened.”
“Yeah.”
“Imagine that, of course, you know that the lie is for yourself, but the lover you love hides the fact that she has been hurt and instead shows concern for Mr. Nord, who has been doing nothing.”
“I thought.”
“How do you feel, Mr. Nord?”
I used all my imagination to simulate.
What if Frank left alone in Germania and came back with a bandage on his face and said nothing had happened?
“I’m sad, I’m sorry, I think I’m pathetic.”
“That is how I feel right now.”
Oh my gosh.
Her mouth went numb. To teach me while scolding me so vividly and lightly. Wouldn’t she be the best mother she could be?
Perhaps the child born to Frank and me will polymorph into a Confucian dragon. Just like the Imoogi ascended to heaven with the Yeouiju in its mouth.
Fran, who looked at me calmly as I was in deep heartache, stroked my head.
“You didn’t do well, didn’t you?”
“Good mother Taekdong…”
Nord, a forager in a different world, was the biggest reflection of my life.
This made me feel more sorry than when, as a child, she played a game of scabs with her friend, summoned a card that could directly attack her, and actually beat her friend.
It could be said that it was childhood cheating only when I dreamed of dueling, but what I just said was a grown adult telling a lie to hurt his lover out of selfishness. She was terribly sorry for herself.
─Malkanmalkan.
Fran caressed my messy hair as she embraced me with her large breasts.
“Nor. Thank you for worrying about me But when Norr is worried about me, am I worried about Nord?”
Fran whispered kindly into my ear. Being hugged by my girlfriend’s big breasts and being stroked by this celestial hand, I really felt like I was being held by her mother.
“So, please. Don’t try to shoulder too much on your own.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine if you know. Because I believe in our Nor. I will do my best so that I can bear the burden of Norr.”
Buried in the soft breasts, he hugged Fran. Jujikonda raised her head without grasping the situation, and her inner Professor Slayer overpowered her.
‘Thank you, Professor Slayer.’
This warm atmosphere almost turned into a hot one night stand. I got out of Fran’s arms and hugged her to my chest.
“I love you. Franc. I’m really glad you’re there.”
“That’s me too.”
I hugged him like that and then he fell. Fran smiled as usual. Ugh. Our Fran is so cute.
“Hmmmm. So, francs? Haven’t you eaten dinner yet?”
“Yes. Nor did he come before it was too late, so I didn’t eat and waited to eat with him.”
“Good job. Get up and get dressed with something good Let’s go eat something delicious for dinner.”
“Whoops. Did you suffer a lot today?”
Fran stood up and picked up her clothes and smiled, so I straightened my shoulders and shook my head proudly.
“No. Brother, you made a lot of money today. On a day like this, you should eat something delicious and expensive.”
“Really, brother?”
“Because we won’t do that.”
After exchanging jokes, we took Frann to the restaurant. It was one of my go-to restaurants whenever I had a chance.
“Hey?”
Our cute girlfriend’s smile hardened at the sight of the street gradually becoming more colorful, and when she arrived at the large restaurant, she stiffened like a village girl hit by a basilisk’s petrifying beam.
“Uh, uh, uh? No, no? Hey, are you going here? It looks very expensive here.”
Fran reacts negatively to the splendid appearance of the store. I smiled wryly at the sight.
This is my guess, but my girlfriend will have less experience of coming to such a high-class restaurant in her life growing up.
Isn’t it the franc that lived from day to day by running away from home? If you were born in the 21st century, wouldn’t you have lived with cost-effectiveness in food to the extent that you became a soup mania?
‘I know because I did it when I was at an age where I couldn’t work part-time.’
When she was in middle school, she would walk 30 minutes to save 500 won and buy snacks or meat at cheaper marts. I even hung event flyers in my room.
As I grew older and earned more money, the more I spent, it must have been a reaction to living like that in my childhood.
As much as I was like that, I wanted Fran to experience this kind of experience often.
‘Because it’s important for people to spend money like this sometimes.’
On a day like today when a large amount of money came in, it was polite to waste money while eating expensive and delicious food to help revitalize the market economy.
“It’s not that expensive here. I didn’t buy it because I investigated, and I’ll shoot it today, so don’t worry.”
“Joe, investigation? When?”
“Whenever you have free time?”
He put his hand on Frank’s shoulder while answering roughly. I entered the shop with a hesitant Fran.
That’s what I said, but it’s not that expensive a restaurant.
‘Because in a really high-class store, we have to dress up our fran and take him away.’
An inn with a high standard will also increase the level of guests. If you go to such a place wearing shabby clothes, you won’t know whether the rice goes over your nose or your mouth.
You will only have embarrassing and unpleasant memories, so I chose a place where the dress code and customer level are common, but the food is delicious and moderately expensive.
Let’s put on a dress someday and take her to a high-class restaurant with an entrance cut.
I secretly snatched the order slip from Fran, who was looking at the price of the food, and ordered her to cook.
“Nor. Can I really eat at such an expensive place?”
“It’s not something you get. My money is your money.”
“Well, I’m happy to say that, but…”
Fran hesitated until the end at the huge lineup of cheese, steak, and pudding, but when I started eating in peace, he followed me and put the food in his mouth.
“—Ah. Delicious.”
Fran, wide-eyed, trembled as she savored the taste of the pudding after about 10 minutes.
“Tasty?”
“Yes! I’ve never eaten anything sweet like this in my life!”
Seeing Fran rejoicing makes it worthwhile for me to come here as well. All right Even people who aren’t used to it get used to luxury like this.
We ate the full course meal like that. What surprised me a little was that Fran also ate more than expected.
Excluding the chest and hips, she was quite thin, so I didn’t know much about it, but Fran also seemed to be a glutton.
From now on, let’s feed them something delicious.
There’s no way an adventurer who uses his body every day won’t gain weight.
***
That night.
I confirmed that Fran was asleep and went out on the street with a bare face.
After wandering through the dark alleys, I sat down on a bench in the central plaza. Numerous cats lined up and chased after me. These were the feral cats I caught for food.
“Nya? (Who is this human?)”
“Nyaaaaang. (They give you rice.)”
“Nya? Myoaaaaang! (Bob? Joa!)”
It seems that there is a kind of grass that cats love to die in another world, but I didn’t even know if it was sold in this city, so I just seduced it with dried fish.
Personally, I really like cats—because the reason I wanted to become a veterinarian was because of dogs and cats—it was nice to see even if it was crowded like this.
‘It’s a nuisance to other residents, but.’
In the 21st century, people who feed feral cats like this are called cat moms and are considered bad.
I’m the type of person I hate because I’ve had experiences, but today was an exception.
No, to be precise, ‘from today’ is an exception.
From this time today, I am Cat Daddy Nord.
“Nya myoan. (Eat.)”
I tore the dried fish with my gloved hand and tossed it.
The cats started eating the fish I threw. A few even attacked the fish I was carrying.
“Hmm… (That’s Joe…)”
“Nya. (No.)”
With dirty paws, I pushed the cat that was trying to get on. Then this bastard suddenly punched me in the leg.
─Tak!
What’s so dissatisfied about is that the bitch who hits the first bread and goes down to pick up the fallen fish pieces.
People who hate cats even call them arrogant idiots and cute champies, but I feel a little sympathetic.
“Nyaaaaah? (Do you guys want to eat more?)”
“Nya-. (Yeah-.)”
Cats who act cute at my words at the same time. Pups are cute I said with a smile.
“Ughhhhh. (Then let me ask you a favor.)”
“Myoah—? (Please—?)”
The cats stopped acting cute and focused.
In cat language, I told them to walk around and tell us what they found. In particular, he said that it would be nice if he could get to know the people who are ‘feeling scared’ among them.
He said that he would buy a very delicious meal for the guy who brought him some particularly helpful information.
“Nya-! (Yes—!)”
“Nya-! (Yes—!)”
“Gorolong Nyaa!! (Delicious rice—!)”
The cats were excited about my words, and after eating the fish, they scattered on their own. I was trying to tell the residents not to get choked up by making an accident, but before they listened to me, they gobbled up the fish and dodge it.
“As expected, they’re just a group of people who learned their home schooling by stealing fish.”
When the cats dispersed, I was left alone in the central plaza. After I stretched out, I fanned my hot face.
‘Fuck. I’m going to die of embarrassment because the boy is trying to be nyangnyang…’
That’s the reason why we deliberately gathered at night and acted as cat daddies. Nekomimi Muscular Macho Nord’s Hunyangnyan lecture is better without witnesses. That is if I don’t want to bite my tongue.
─Food Deuk!!
As I was cooling my face in the cold night air, an owl suddenly came down from the sky and sat down in front of me. He turned his head 180 degrees and looked at me, as if he had smelled my bag.
“Hoot—? (Meat—?)”
I felt a little frightened by the creepy moving ice and big eyes, but with the guts of a veterinary student, I took out the chicken.
“Hohohoho? (Want some?)”
“Hohohoho. (Yes.)”
I think it’s a little cute because I can talk. I tossed the meat with a big smile. The owl thanked them and ate the meat.
That way, they roamed the city and fed the animals.
This was all a process to gain some kind of information.
I realized it again through this exploration, but being able to communicate with animals was quite a boon. It’s because people don’t think suspiciously and you can pamper yourself with a simple reward.
I know this, but I haven’t used it until today.
Isn’t that fucking normal? I’m going to collect information about the city and use it somewhere.
Like a detective, popping out in front of dark organizations lurking somewhere, screaming ‘There is only one truth!’ And then realizing that there is only one life?
And since I didn’t know 〈animal painting〉magic existed until today, I thought that if I was caught messing with animals, I could be treated as a heretic and stoned.
The movement to oppress paganism, which began in Romania, is a stereotype of a witch hunt that strictly follows the theory of respect for human rights in another world—it is okay to kill garbage because it is not human.
It is the same as the old Earth, which was hit and run the moment it was accused of being a red.
The people of the new continent don’t even know what they believe in, so they’re passing it off as pagans or this shit. To the Heretic Inquisitors, the Kitais are gray that is infinitely close to black.
‘Fuck, that’s so poetic.’
Anyway, that’s why, as an outsider, I can get fucked up if I go out without thinking.
From my point of view, of course, I had to be careful.
But as it turns out, there is a separate magic called 〈 Animal Painting 〉 magic, doesn’t it?
Like the magic of 〈 Familiar 〉, 〈 Animal Painting 〉 seemed to be a magic that is “Permanently maintained once activated”. Even if I continued the conversation without spending mana, Tyrsi didn’t seem strange.
Perhaps Tyrsi thought that the animals in the mountains I talked to were ‘the ones I had tamed in the past’.
This magic seems to require intimacy work in advance, but that was something I could claim to have done before.
I’ve seasoned it beforehand and put a spell on it. Who’s to say what? Probably, to the extent of samba-samba with animals, he would not be accused of being a heretic anywhere.
‘That’s why I decided to try it starting today.’
After passing rice cakes to the animals while walking around the city (a metaphorical expression), I returned to the central bench and sat down.
“… Haha, shit.”
There is a reason why you worked so late tonight.
After returning from dinner with Frank, I deciphered a paper document that was one of Tabula’s luggage. It was an item that I had packed after rummaging through the robe that was buried in the ice coffin.
It was written in code, but my translation skills easily deciphered even that.
At the point of interpreting even the code, not the ‘language’, it feels like the structure of the translation ability is also roughly glimpsed, but that is not the problem.
Anyway, trying to translate the code by myself won’t help as I can’t provide proof that it’s true. Even if you search and interpret the old documents, if there is no evidence that they are real, it is worthless as a thesis.
What was really more important than that was the document Tabula was holding.
I opened the black paper document——no, the ‘order’.
[List of chase designators.]
This was an order issued by Tabula’s organization.
All that was written was the name, but 100% it would have been to find and kill the people on the list.
As long as this exists, the black organization to which Tabula belongs must be a real organization, not an exaggerated guess by Tyrsi and me. Fuck. They did a good job destroying the thieves’ lair and taking care of the aftermath.
– Hwareuk.
I set the paper on fire with 〈 flaming touch 〉. The paper was tough enough to stay intact even in an ice coffin, but it lost its strength in front of the flames and turned to ashes.
-Wheein.
The wind carried the ashes away. I leaned back on the bench, pressing down on my rough bangs.
‘… Where the hell is this bitch going and what is she doing?’
He took off his gloves while holding down his throbbing hair.
Revenge for the theft of my thesis was one of my goals in life. I don’t know how much longer it will take on my own, but it was never something I should hand over to others.
Whether it takes 100 days or 200 days, I will definitely see the end with these two hands.
I adjusted my collar and returned to the inn where Fran was sleeping.
The order written in black told me in red letters.
The current top priority kill designator——
──’Archaeologist Jerna Gracie’.
