LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 223
I was listening to the story, and I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted to barge in right away and stomp that old man flat. After all, I could empathize with Blanca’s position as an experiment subject more than anyone else.
Moreover, that kid, unfortunately, was one who couldn’t even enjoy the bliss of forgetting. Like me, they must have lived trapped in that nightmare from years ago, unable to forget.
For me, it had been hundreds of years since I resolved my own issues, but even thinking about it or dreaming about it still brought back that frustrating cold sweat.
But how much more… painful would it be for that child, who had faced such horrors less than ten years ago?
That’s why I waited quietly outside. The revenge was all theirs to claim.
Maybe if someone like that person had been there for them, things would be different… but since that child had no one left, the revenge had to be entirely theirs.
Having someone else take revenge wouldn’t cleanse the burden on their heart.
So, I patiently waited until that child would sever their long-standing ill fate with their own hands.
…They said it wouldn’t do to kill him, but honestly, if she really did, I would respect that and wrap her in support.
The granddaughter cherished that child, and above all, I was starting to like the situation. My inner closeness because of being in the same predicament as an experiment subject surely contributed too.
However, quite a long time had passed, yet there were no sounds of death coming from the room. There was some unnerving and ominous wiggling noise, but that was all.
In fact, that old man walked out of the room on his own two feet.
Wondering what on earth was going on, I held the old man back for a moment and went into the room to ask the child.
“Why are you letting him live?”
If this were someone with the kind of character to be called a saint, then maybe I could understand, but knowing the child’s temperament, there was no reason to let that old man go.
No, even if they had the qualities of a saint, what that old man did to that child was unforgivable.
Whatever the case, he had undoubtedly made the child suffer worse than I had. So why was she letting him go? I couldn’t understand.
Was something threatening her? Could there exist something she couldn’t shake off even with me backing her?
If the child spoke up, I would have squeezed and burst him like a grape…
“…Did you not notice at all?”
The child suddenly made an incomprehensible statement.
“What on earth do you mean…?”
When I asked what I didn’t notice, the child gave a truly sinister smile and said that was exactly how it should be.
“If even a returnee like you didn’t notice, then no one in the world would.”
Seeing that expression made me curious about what she had done, so I asked for the details. The child, nonchalantly, explained what she had done to that old man.
“I damaged the brain and spine, putting him in a state similar to a vegetative one, and replaced him with a Mimic. It’s similar to total paralysis. He has consciousness, but his body can’t move at all. Yes… it’s like consciousness is trapped in a prison of flesh.”
To quote the old man, he was like a primitive person wandering across the plains in a body that couldn’t do any better.
“Is that so? But he seemed to be walking just fine…”
“That’s the crux of it. He must not be recognizable by anyone. So, I inserted a Mimic. I made the Mimic act as though it could move normally. However, that is not his will.”
“…Doesn’t that risk him getting found out someday?”
“He might get found out, maybe about 20 years from now. But do you think that old man could survive until then, my lady?”
“Hmm.”
“Furthermore, the Mimic has learned some of the actions of the old man’s brain. I instructed it to act like the old man usually would. In summary… his consciousness is clear, but he’s being controlled by something that pretends to be him.”
“I see. So, he’s worse off than dead…”
“Additionally, I ordered the Mimic to trample on the old man’s dreams. For instance… that old man wanted to evolve humanity, but I had him create inventions that make humans weaker instead. Or invest heavily in healthcare to ensure humanity could just continue living without evolving.”
“…”
I thought he would just be killed or crippled, but the more I listened, the more it exceeded my imagination.
I knew she was a cruel one, but this was… far beyond my expectations.
To watch helplessly as something that pretends to be oneself tramples upon one’s lifelong dreams while trapped inside one’s own body. That surely befits someone like him, but… the physiological aversion made it hard to accept completely.
Still, on the other hand, it felt like a refreshingly perfect revenge, so maybe it was alright.
This might even be an opportunity for that child to absolutely pledge loyalty to my family… Hmm, not a bad deal for me, I’d say.
Whether she knew my inner thoughts or not, the child politely bowed to me, expressing gratitude for the opportunity.
“Well… just do well in return for this kindness.”
I tried my best to hide my discomfort and act as if it was no big deal.
—
Before I knew it, winter break at the Academy was looming, but my routine remained the same. Cleaning, trimming the garden, doing the dishes, driving around, learning styling, and so on.
At least I had the change of driving around or walking to the nearby bustling area to catch villains personally.
But still, the major aspects were pretty much unchanged. Being a maid, it was normal for my life not to have drastic changes.
I wouldn’t say I never felt bored. Humans are such fickle creatures; when life seems just fine, they can’t help but wonder if this is really okay—leading to unnecessary feelings of boredom.
However, I could say I was quite satisfied with the way things were right now. Thanks to my master, I took revenge on my lifelong enemy without being beaten up.
What more could I possibly want? Having hit rock bottom and crawled back up here, it felt unnecessary to be greedy.
Living like this was already quite a miracle.
Even if I was bored, to have the luxury to feel such boredom was itself a sign of abundance. If I hadn’t been taken in like this, I’d probably be shoved somewhere in Heros Company.
At least I was aware of my station.
“Hey, why don’t you go to the Hero Association and get a sidekick license or something? Or even a temporary hero license.”
Therefore, I knew better than anyone how little connection I had with the Hero Association—no, it was an ill fate.
Though the kids had been direct victims with no casualties, the heroes certainly had experienced loss of life.
While they might have forgiven me, I doubt the heroes have. And now they want me to go there?
“Me?”
Startled, I forgot I was even in front of my master and asked, quickly realizing what mistake I made and hurriedly apologized.
However, my master seemed not to mind and told me it was understandable to be surprised.
“I know, I know. I can see why you’re panicking. But how could you possibly assist Lapiz without such a license?”
“…Are you saying I’d get to assist her?”
Could that even happen?
With a returnee background and all, could that even be a possibility? No matter how much a hero could do something with just ability, didn’t the idea of me running around as a sidekick just seem wrong?
“Yes. Is there a problem?”
Many, but explaining all of that seemed tedious. So, I brought up one representative example and argued that under such circumstances, it would be difficult to follow my master’s wishes.
“I’d love to escort her, but… wouldn’t my presence as a sidekick compromise her reputation?”
Besides any abilities, that would be hard to do for the sake of Lapiz’s reputation. If it were private, it might be alright, but to be publicly known as Lapiz’s sidekick?
A backlash would ripple, not just for Lapiz but for this whole family. That couldn’t happen.
Having said that, it seemed Altera understood I wasn’t throwing a tantrum and acknowledged that reasoning.
“She might be pleased, but if the world doesn’t approve, that would be problematic since she’s a girl seriously dreaming of becoming a hero.”
“So…”
“Then how about being a manager?”
“Uh…”
Manager, huh? That… being a manager might not be too impossible…?
It’s not like I’d be out in the public eye, just providing some behind-the-scenes support, so being a manager could work.
Moreover, what I do at home doesn’t differ much from that, right…?
“If that’s the case, I think I could… manage.”
I wasn’t entirely sure, but I replied to my master that it seemed feasible.
“Then let’s go with manager. I’ll handle recruiting, so you think about how you can do it right. Oh, I should also learn how to do it. I’ll need to get someone for that too.”
It proceeded efficiently, which was good, but—
Master, could you discuss a bit with others before making decisions like this?
I silently wished for that.