Chapter 103: The One Who Returned from Death (1)

“Huk… heok…”

Although I had regained control of my body, all I could do right now was gasp for breath.

It still felt like my body wasn’t my own.

It was partly because I had been watching from a distance until just a moment ago and had suddenly returned, but more than that, my body just wouldn’t listen to me.

‘The strain on my body, is no joke…!’

Obviously.

As if it had read my inner monologue (though in a way, it was obvious), the ‘Primordial’ said, as if mocking me.

To try and replicate this body’s power with the body of a mere human, and a weak one at that, it is only right that you pay the price, is it not?

I don’t know if it was because it was no longer necessary to pretend to be a ‘narration’ now that we had met and I knew its identity, or if something that had been blocking us had been removed and I could hear it more directly.

But what I could say for sure was that the ‘voice’, which had been emotionless until now, had now completely become the ‘Primordial’s.

If I had my way, I would have liked to enjoy the sensation of a physical body for a little longer… but if I had, you would have broken, so I came out quickly!

You should be grateful!

The me from just a moment ago was, strictly speaking, not me.

It was the ‘Primordial’.

To explain, it was as if I had temporarily switched places with the ‘Primordial’ that was always monitoring me in my head, or as if I had lent it my body.

So I was able to do things that I, in my usual self, could never do, but now that the ‘Primordial’ was gone, the aftermath of it rampaging in my body was belatedly catching up to me.

However, it wasn’t just the negative aftermath that remained.

–

Level Up!

Lv. 8 → 9

Lv. 9 → 10

Lv. 10 → 11

Lv. 11 → 12

--

By defeating Luce, a powerful enemy that I would never have been able to defeat at this point, my level had jumped up in one go as a reward.

A whopping 4 levels.

In this world, even at level 10, you were treated as a very skilled person, and at level 12, you could start to aim for being a famous person on the continent.

With this one battle, I had grown to that level.

Perhaps the reason I was able to endure the aftermath of the ‘Primordial’s possession without losing consciousness was also thanks to that growth.

Hey, you bastard!

You’re listening to everything, aren’t you!

Where’s your thank you!

‘…Thank you.’

Sincerely.

This time, I had no choice but to express my gratitude.

‘You saved me.’

Thanks to the ‘Primordial’, I was able to overturn fate again this time.

And this time, a very big fate.

Mmm.

That’s right.

Dealing with Luce here in advance was a path I had never taken before.

Because it wasn't allowed in the game.

So… I was worried if it would really work, but in the end, it worked beautifully.

I should be grateful.

Well, it’s still annoying that I don’t feel any respect.

He’s such a foolish fellow, so I can’t teach him two things at once.

I’ll let it slide for now!

To the extent that I would just quietly go along with its arrogance for today.

It was then.

A mask was gently held out in front of my eyes.

The one that had been forcibly taken off by Luce, was picked up and brought back to me.

There were no words, but that made it even clearer whose small, white hand it was.

She must be making her usual calm expression.

“Thank you.”

Therefore, I immediately put on the mask, slowly got up, and expressed my gratitude.

And, I saw Rine, who was nodding quietly with an emotionless expression, as expected.

Until a moment ago, since it was the ‘Primordial’, the trait of 「Kingdom-Toppling Beauty」 didn’t activate even when she saw my face, but now that the control had returned to me, I couldn’t show my bare face.

Rine, knowing that well, must have been considerate.

Or maybe, she was scolding me in her own way.

“…….”

Telling me not to run away and to face my companions, who had to watch me die right in front of them, properly.

They were all, unable to open their mouths rashly, looking at me with somewhat wary eyes.

Rather than being afraid of me, it was as if they weren’t sure if the me they were looking at was really the ‘Yubin’ they knew.

Well.

It wasn't just that I had looked like I was dead, but my heart had been torn out.

But then I had suddenly pulled off the number one thing you shouldn't do at a funeral, 「Resurrection」, so it was only natural to be flustered.

And on top of that, seeing the guy who usually had a hard time just walking for a long time, overwhelm the 7th Corps Commander of the Demon King's army, it was only natural to be suspicious.

Even if my reddened hair had returned to its original black color, it was possible that it was just the ‘monster’ from before, pretending to be Yubin again.

Well, it wasn't.

I was definitely the Yubin they knew.

Of course, if I repeated this kind of thing a few more times, I don’t know what would happen then… but at least for now, I was in perfect control of myself.

Therefore, to show them that it was okay to be relieved, I slightly raised my hands and spread them, and said the best thing a person who had miraculously returned from the dead could say, as nonchalantly as possible.

“Ta-da──”

──Slap!

A dry sound echoed.

And my tired mind was jolted awake.

When I looked back, holding my burning cheek, Ibi was glaring at me fiercely.

With a cold gaze I had never seen before.

Despite that, Ibi, as if her anger had not subsided, raised her hand again to hit me one more time, and I, who had flinched at that, closed my eyes and waited for the next slap.

And, I saw Ibi, who was trembling instead of swinging her raised hand.

Then, instead of slapping my cheek again.

Thud!

And, she extended her clenched fist and hit my chest as if to push me away.

“You, you idiot…”

Muttering in a reproachful voice, with her head bowed, as if suppressing her surging emotions.

“If you dare… to die in front of me again.”

Ibi hit me with her fist one more time.

Considering her real strength, it was a much lighter fist, but despite that, I felt as if the weight was fully transmitted.

“Then with my own hands… so you can’t do this kind of thing again, I’ll go to hell and kill you for good.”

“…Yeah. I’m sorry.”

So, instead of playing dumb anymore, I apologized honestly.

Hearing my apology, Ibi seemed to have calmed down a little and slowly took her hand away, but then, as if she was getting angry again just thinking about it, she hit my shoulder one last time.

This time, a little, harder.

“J-Just now…”

She must have been convinced that it was really me after seeing my appearance.

“That appearance was…”

Lily, who had let down her guard and was approaching me one step at a time, shook her head as if it wasn't the time to ask such things.

“A-Are you really… okay…?”

Instead, with tearful eyes that looked like they would burst into tears at any moment, she looked at me and slowly approached.

“Really… is it really you…?”

And then, she gently touched the ‘trace’… where the wound had disappeared with the resurrection, but the clothes were still pierced.

As if to check that it wasn't a recorded projection, that this sensation was real.

“Yeah. I’m really okay.”

Actually, I could barely stand, but at least my life wasn't in danger.

But even though I had said it to reassure her, Lily, upon hearing those words, ended up bursting into tears.

“M-Mr. Yubin…!”

At the same time as Miki, who had been crying like Lily, hugged me tightly.

“I’m so glad, you’re safe…!”

However, instead of bursting into tears, Miki seemed to be trying to hold it in somehow.

Because he was a knight.

As if he shouldn't cry in a place like this.

While I was briefly thinking about whether I should lightly pat them to comfort them, I couldn’t.

As if following Miki's lead, Rine, who had been standing still all this time, suddenly approached me without a word and hugged my arm.

Surprised, I turned around, and although Rine still had her usual expressionless face, I could tell at a glance that she wasn't going to let go easily.

“…What a scene.”

Ibi, who had her arms crossed, let out a small laugh at the three who had surrounded me in an instant, from all four, no, three sides, front and both sides, and made me unable to move.

She must have already erased from her memory what she had done until just a moment ago, and even the part where she had said in ‘Ibi-ese’, “If you die, I’ll follow you to the death” (with some liberal translation).

“There's still a space left.”

“What?”

“My back.”

“……Are you asking me to go behind you and choke you?”

Toric, who had been quietly watching the three who were clinging to me, and the one who was pretending to be disgusted because she was embarrassed even though she actually wanted to cling to me (with some fabrication), soon let out a short breath through his nose and a bitter smile.

“With this, I have a lot to ask you……”

Then, as if he were the most mature, he said in a calm tone.

“For now, I'm glad you’re back. Yubin.”

Since I fully agreed with that, I nodded my head silently.

***

Everyone seemed to have a lot to ask me, but we were all too tired to hold a hearing.

First of all, we were on the run after robbing the second largest bank in Tiaria, and we had all accumulated considerable fatigue from fighting the 7th Corps Commander of the Demon King's army.

Although not to the extent of dying once like me, the damage my companions had received was not insignificant.

Rather, they were probably in a situation with less ‘HP’ than me, who had recovered my health after resurrecting.

Therefore, we agreed to take a good rest for today and talk properly tomorrow, and after first returning to Logan and handing over a part of the gold we had stolen, we headed to the lodging he had guided us to.

That lodging was a so-called ‘safe house’.

It was a place that the Kapers active in Tiaria used in case of an emergency, and since it was empty, he had allowed us to use it.

Of course, as befitting a safe house, we needed a ‘key’ to enter, and that key was already in Toric's possession.

The insignia of the Kapers.

That is, the decoration at the end of Toric's axe handle.

Thus, having entered the safe house, we all headed to our respective beds without anyone having to go first.

Perhaps because they were all relaxed at the thought of finally being able to rest, they all fell asleep almost immediately after lying down on the beds.

But I, just couldn't.

Of course, it was partly because so much had happened today, but.

Hmm.

Are you really going to fall asleep like this?

If you want, I can help you train your weak body a little.

“…….”

Because of this… talkative ‘voice’.

Are you really going to sleep?

Huh?

Huh?

Isn't it too early?

When I had a physical body, I never fell asleep at this time.

I don't know how it had endured until now, but the ‘Primordial’s mouth, which had been literally opened, had been moving non-stop since a while ago.

In its own words.

Well, it’s because I’m bored, of course!

It said.

Until now, since it was a ‘narration’, it had been in a position to speak to me one-sidedly, but once we could have a conversation, it was no longer one-sided, and the new stimulus of receiving my ‘reaction’ must have made it lose its mind.

Well, even if there was no sense of time, it must have been alone there all this time, so I can understand…

“Be quiet……”

Even if I tried to pretend not to hear by tossing and turning in bed, or by covering my ears with a pillow, it was no use.

In the first place, this damn ‘voice’ was, strictly speaking, ringing in my head, not my ears.

Ah, if you want, how about you start some reproductive activities?

You wouldn’t have the difficulty of having to find a partner.

When I finished a rough battle, that day I would always──

“No, let me sleep…”

There was a lot to do tomorrow.

First, I had to talk properly with my companions, and then talk with Logan again to advance the quest, and then go to ‘Nero's Atelier’…

Anyway, so I wanted to somehow ignore the ‘Primordial’s nonsense and fall asleep quickly──

“──!?”

This time, a sudden headache prevented it.

Keuuuk!?

Wh-What is this?!

At that, the ‘Primordial’, which had come to share the same sensation as me, also began to complain of pain.

When people describe a headache, they often say it’s like it’s going to break.

This was a little different.

M-My head, it’s like it’s being stabbed with a knife…!

And I knew this pain.

‘A F-Fragment of Memory…!’

Yes, it was similar to the sensation of a Fragment of Memory being forcibly ‘stuffed’ into my head.

But this time, it wasn't just one.

Kraaaak…!

After writhing in bed for a while in a pain that couldn't even be screamed.

I saw it.

--

Attempting a resistance roll

Difficulty ??

--

The resistance check that had suddenly appeared, like this headache.

The white plastic dice that had appeared for this── probably meaning the soul of me, ‘Yubin’── and the pitch-black obsidian dice that meant the soul of the ‘Primordial’.

And──

‘Wh-What is that…?!’

Another dice, a blood-red ruby dice.