LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 61
TLed by NolepGuy
Chapter 61
I had a dream.
-Hey, I heard you messed up another blind date.
-It wasn’t messed up; I got rejected.
-Bullshit. A guy who could cross the Pacific with his face alone?
-If that were possible, would I be sitting here like this?
An ordinary neighborhood bar.
In my dream, I vaguely saw my past self drinking alcohol with fish cake soup as a side dish.
The same face and tall height as now.
But unlike my current red hair, my past self had long, jet-black hair and was drinking with an orphanage friend at the bar.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve seen that guy. That bastard who ran off with my money, Lee X-woo.’
I thought I’d be glad to see him after so long, but instead, I wanted to punch him in the face.
‘Son of a b*.’
In the dream, I tilted my liquor glass and spoke to my friend. With a small smile and a hint of mischief, my expression caught the attention of women at the next table, who admired me and stole glances.
My friend slapped my shoulder and said,
-See? Idiot.
-Bullshit.
In my previous life, I didn’t have a girlfriend.
Was it because my tastes were peculiar?
Was it because my standards were too high?
Or maybe it was because my personality wasn’t great. Whatever the reason, I lived as a lifelong bachelor past the age of 23.
Reading novels was my only hobby, and even I thought I was a boring guy.
My friend whispered to me in a small voice, making sure the woman at the next table couldn’t hear.
-That’s why you should stop reading those weird novels and try to pick up women. Who in the world says their dream is a harem on a blind date?
-I didn’t say it like that. She asked me first, “What would you do if everyone here liked you?” So I joked that I’d embrace them all.
-That’s the same thing, idiot. In moments like that, you’re supposed to pick the woman you like the most and say so.
-A man should have a big heart.
-Bullshit.
I chuckled softly, brushing off my friend’s words.
In the past, I loved novels.
Because guys like me, who grew up in unfortunate family circumstances, enjoyed seeing characters succeed in another world.
Living a life crushed by work, it was my long-standing hobby to watch protagonists thrive in dazzling worlds.
Being loved by beautiful heroines.
Even being loved by elves. I envied those protagonists.
A harem.
It’s a ridiculous story, but wouldn’t it be okay to dream of such a romance at least once? Daydreaming is free, after all.
Bullshit…
I lightly tapped my friend’s head and said,
“Still, it’s a man’s dream, isn’t it?”
“Idiot.”
Looking at my past self, I muttered softly.
‘Even one person is overwhelming.’
So much.
*
A loud noise rang out.
“Eek… An air raid alarm…!!!”
From the morning, the loud sound spread throughout the estate.
The Young Lady’s energetic shout echoed vividly from the second floor, greeting the refreshing morning.
To the Young Lady’s booming voice, I rubbed my eyes and welcomed the lively morning.
“Yawn… Huh…?”
As I stretched and slowly got up, a wave of dizziness made me stagger.
-Beeeeeeep─────
‘Damn…’
[As a result of using ‘Rehabilitation’s Touch’ on a ‘Dark Magic-contaminated target,’ 1% of Vitality has been consumed.]
Along with the ringing in my ears, a splitting headache struck, and I collapsed onto the bed.
Last night. The aftermath of overexerting myself.
The pain in my head gradually began to spread to my chest.
A pain as if my heart would burst.
“Ha… Ha…”
Breathing became difficult.
It felt like needles were stabbing my entire body.
The chilling pain, as if my heart would explode, engulfed me.
Clutching my chest that felt like it would burst, I exhaled deeply.
“Haaah… Haaa…”
Since it was an ability that consumed health, I expected side effects, but the pain was far worse than I had anticipated, leaving me speechless.
Clenching my teeth, I held on, making sure no sound escaped.
‘Get a grip.’
Compared to the pain of my hand rotting from dark magic, this was nothing.
Taking shallow breaths, I lay on the bed, waiting for the pain to subside.
About ten minutes passed, and the chilling pain that had gripped my spine started to fade.
Breathing heavily, I moved my body to test it.
I rotated my shoulders.
Releasing aura to check for any abnormalities in my body, I found, fortunately, that there seemed to be no direct impact on my physical state.
Perhaps because I had only used a small amount, 1%, it didn’t seem to affect my strength.
However, if there was one thing that bothered me…
“Achoo…!”
It felt like my health had slightly deteriorated. Rubbing my scratchy throat, I thought to myself.
“Sniff…”
I think I caught a cold.
It seemed that the vitality aspect affected my internal state rather than my external one.
Looking in the mirror, I smiled at my handsome face once again.
“Alright.”
I walked steadily toward the Young Lady’s room, where her booming voice echoed.
“I’m coming!”
*
“Ugh… Ricardo. The sun is too bright.”
Once again, the Young Lady was wrapped tightly in her blanket, waging a fierce battle against the sun.
Though she had woken up, she was still lamenting her inability to conquer Dreamland, engaging in a heated skirmish with the sunlight streaming through the window. Peeking her face out from the blanket, she looked at me.
Pointing at the fluttering curtains, the Young Lady said,
“Deal with the evil sunlight.”
Not a chance.
Grabbing the edge of the blanket, I gave it a strong tug.
As the tightly wrapped blanket flapped, the Young Lady spun around. Squinting her eyes, she groaned, “Ugh! Die… Just die already!” like a vampire perishing under the sun.
Her acting was sincere.
Though the Young Lady usually lacked talent in acting, when it came to sleep, she became an Oscar-worthy performer.
Rubbing her eyes, the Young Lady looked at me.
She seemed resentful of me for waking her from her sweet slumber.
“Ricardo destroyed the Chocolate Kingdom.”
“What is the Chocolate Kingdom?”
“The dream I had today.”
With a pleasant smile, the Young Lady began recounting her dream from last night.
The Young Lady spread her hands wide, boasting about a massive Chocolate Palace that she claimed to have eaten entirely.
Watching her smile, I posed a small question.
“Isn’t it you who destroyed the Chocolate Kingdom, Young Lady?”
“No, it was Ricardo who destroyed it. I was planning to eat it little by little.”
If the citizens of the Chocolate Kingdom had heard this, they would have clutched their necks and collapsed.
After finishing her story about the dream, the Young Lady flopped onto the bed like a withered plant that hadn’t been watered.
It seemed the hangover from last night’s overdrinking had not yet subsided.
With trembling hands, the Young Lady asked for honey water, and I kindly handed her a cup of warm honey water.
The Young Lady gave a thumbs-up.
“As expected of Ricardo. You’re always prepared.”
“I know. The most handsome and perfect butler in the world.”
“…There’s a lot attached to that statement.”
“Just drink the honey water.”
I silenced the Young Lady’s realistic complaints with the honey water.
“Hoo… Hoo…”
Hugging the honey water tightly, the Young Lady blew on it diligently, trying to cool it down for survival.
It seemed she had underestimated the hangover and suffered greatly for it.
Though she clung to the honey water like it was the water of life, the Young Lady flinched at the appearance of an unwelcome guest.
-Gooooom…!
The Young Lady glared fiercely at Gomtangi, who was staring at her with bright, shining eyes.
Gomtangi wagged her tail furiously, driven mad by the sweet scent of honey water.
She was a strange creature who liked honey more than meat.
Wagging her tiny, finger-sized tail, Gomtangi eagerly expressed her intentions.
-Goooom.
‘You lowly master, give me some too.’ The lowly pet dared to covet her master’s honey water.
The Young Lady ignored Gomtangi and focused on her honey water, but Gomtangi’s hefty movements made the Young Lady feel a threat to life.
“Get lost!”
-Gooooom!
“I said get lost! It’s mine!”
-Gooooooom!
“Eeeek! I feel like I’ll die if I don’t drink this… Ugh…”
“Please don’t throw up here.”
“Ugh… I feel sick.”
The Young Lady was clearly suffering from her hangover.
With Gomtangi’s continued hefty movements, the bed began to shake slightly. The swaying bed caused the Young Lady’s teacup to ripple like waves.
Thud. A strong impact hit the bed.
“Ah, hot!”
The Young Lady spilled the honey water on her leg.
I quickly rushed toward the Young Lady’s leg, where the honey water had spilled. Though it wasn’t hot enough to cause burns, I was concerned about whether her delicate legs could endure it.
I swiftly pulled back the blanket covering the Young Lady’s legs.
The Young Lady stared blankly at her legs.
“Huh?”
Seeing her remain still, I shouted at her.
“Why are you just sitting there! Quickly…”
Our awkward gazes met.
The Young Lady, staring at her legs with broken eyes, and I, who had pulled back the blanket, froze at the sight of her bare legs.
My face turned red.
The Young Lady’s face turned red for a different reason.
I muttered softly.
“Bear-patterned underwear?”
“Eeeek…! No, it’s not!”
The Young Lady wore modest undergarments.
***
After the commotion had settled down.
The Young Lady pointed at her leg and said.
“It was hot.”
Seeing the Young Lady’s flustered and dark expression, I clenched my fist and asked.
“It was hot?”
“Yes.”
The Young Lady nodded vigorously, unable to take her eyes off her thin legs.
I asked the Young Lady again.
“Really…? It wasn’t just because it spilled on your hand?”
Though I tried to suppress my excitement, I couldn’t hide the trembling in my voice, born from a faint hope.
After all, the Young Lady couldn’t feel anything in her legs. Her nerves had been severed, leaving her lower body devoid of sensation—unable to feel heat or even a tingle.
Seeing the excitement in her eyes, I dropped the wet towel I was holding.
“Is it true?”
“Uh… I told you, it felt hot.”
To prove it, the Young Lady pinched her leg, furrowed her brows, and let out an exaggerated “Ouch” before opening her bright, shining eyes.
For two years, she hadn’t felt anything.
Still unfamiliar with the sensation, the Young Lady kept pinching her leg, marveling at the pain.
Anxious, I couldn’t stop myself from asking her more questions, desperate to know if her legs could move.
“Can you… Can you move them?”
The Young Lady’s face tensed as she furrowed her brows in concentration.
“Wait, let me try.”
The Young Lady focused intently.
“Eeeek!!!”
With a loud shout of spirit, the Young Lady strained herself, and I couldn’t help but clench my fists in encouragement.
“…Ricardo.”
The Young Lady looked at me with a sullen expression and said.
“I need to go to the bathroom.”
It seemed moving her legs was still impossible.
“Is it… a big one?”
“It’s rude to ask a lady such a thing.”
“…A lady wearing bear-patterned underwear.”
The Young Lady shouted at Gomtangi.
“Bite him!”
-Gooooom!
“Ack! Not me! Bite him!”
As expected, Gomtangi was obedient to her master’s words.
Watching the scene, I clenched my fist tightly.
‘Thank goodness.’
It felt like I could finally solve the problem that had no answer.