Chapter 132: Chapter 133: We Can’t Have Everything! But… (3)

Long story short, the sisters Naru, Hina, and Cecily had found the Snake Dragon’s Gem.They had ventured through the deep cave using each other’s items and found the treasure.

“Awesome! Let’s make rings out of this!”

Holding the gem that sparkled brilliantly in 4-colors, Naru giggled.Watching her, Brigitte spoke.

“So it wouldn’t have been found if the kids didn’t cooperate with each other. Judas, did you want to teach them that they need to help each other?”

“Well, something like that.”

I nodded in response but honestly, that wasn’t the intention.I only wanted to see them get along and have fun with each other.Just that.

“The cave had a room in it! The room had a princess and she was very beautiful! I, Cecily, want to meet the princess again…!”

However.Cecily was saying something strange.

That the underground cave beneath this mansion contained some kind of room and a princess was living inside.I was the one who used the shadow to hide the item but I’ve never heard of such a thing.Cariote offered an explanation.

“There’s a general lack of oxygen inside the cave. And there are hallucinogenic fungi growing in it. She may have been seeing things. To be honest, it isn’t a safe place for the children.”

I see.She seemed dissatisfied with where the treasure was hidden.As Cariote rebuked me, Naru giggled.

“It was so much fun! Naru has a pickaxe now! I want to do another treasure hunt! Today was lots of fun…! Thank you, Dad…!”

Squeeze—Naru hugged my leg.And Hina, who had been watching, frowned a bit then hugged my other leg saying, “Hina had fun, too…!” like she was competing against Naru.Cecily was left but I only had two legs so she had nowhere to hold onto.

“Alright, then.”

I picked up Cecily and sat her on my shoulders.It was a shoulder ride.

“How dare you pick up I, Cecily, without permission…!”

Cecily hissed but she didn’t exactly ask to be put down. Was she liking the view from up here?Soon, Naru spoke.

“Ah, Naru wants a ride, too!”“Hina, too….”

The kids started making a fuss so I put them all on my shoulders. It did hurt a bit when they pulled my hair as if trying not to fall off, though.

It made me think of my childhood.Did I ever ride on my mom or dad’s shoulders…?

“…….”

I couldn’t remember.I might have.

My memories were probably fading.

Will Naru, Hina, and Cecily, as well?Will they forget about today’s events, eventually?

Who knows.I’ll ask them one day.‘Hey guys, do you remember when I used to give you rides on my shoulders?’

* * *

Snooze— Snooze—After enjoying dinner, all the kids fell asleep on the same bed.It was a large bed so even with all of them on it, there was still space.

“They’re finally asleep after all that running around.”

Brigitte let out a sigh.She had seemed to be struggling earlier because Naru was saying, “Naru doesn’t want to sleep today…!”But once they were all on the bed, they were fast asleep.Their batteries were all depleted because they had been very active today.

“Naru, won’t sleep….”

Naru mumbled to herself.Was she sleep-talking?

Seeing this, Brigitte spoke.

Kids are sensitive. Especially these guys. They likely sensed that if they fall asleep, there won’t be another day like today.”

“Is that it?”

“And we aren’t stupid, either. Judas, you gave away your things. Honestly, that isn’t like you. There’s something going on, right?”

It was a perceptive question.I’m not the type to share my own things.Even to my daughters.

But today, I gave away a treasure each to Naru, Cecily, and Hina.And Brigitte must have realized something when I did that.

“Shh. They might wake up.”

I left the room in which the children were sleeping.When I did, Cariote and Salome were already waiting in the hallway with their arms crossed.Their expressions demanded an explanation.

I decided to keep it simple.

“I really don’t have much time now. A week, at most.”

A week.Within a week, I’ll become level 50.There were only about 7 days in the final countdown to transcendence.Salome was shocked at my disclosure.

“Didn’t you have at least two months? That Elle Cladeco said it was two months. Why did it suddenly change? What is it? What’s happening?”

Her expression was one of disbelief.She then continued.

“Brigitte, you explain. You’re a mage so you should know about this. You were also part of the experiment.”

Was she asking Brigitte to enlighten her?But Brigitte couldn’t open her mouth easily and hesitated.

Brigitte had a tendency to think complexly.Cariote was the one who responded.

“Is it because of the trip to Pandemonium?”

“I can’t say for sure. But that’s what I think.”

“Is that so? I’ve had a sense of déjà vu since that time.”

As Cariote had guessed, after coming back from Pandemonium, I was gaining power at the rate of a rock that was pushed over a cliff.An unstoppable rock racing for the depths.Yeah, that was my exact situation.

Though it was originally predicted that it would take about 2 months to reach level 50, as of now I sensed it would take a week at most.I had no idea what state I would be in after a week.

So I decided to enjoy the rest of my time to the fullest.It would be nice to just watch the kids laugh and be lively.And, if possible, it would be nice to spend time with my wives.

Wife.Even though I’ve never been married.

I couldn’t even remember holding a woman’s hand.And nothing that resembled a date….

“What a mess.”

Sigh—Now that I think about it, it was all responsibility and no pleasure.

Won’t it be good to hold hands, go on dates, and lock lips in the dark in the remaining week?As I thought that, Cariote spoke.

“How about you spend your remaining time meaningfully? Such as training. If you don’t give up, it isn’t over. There will be a way somehow.”

Training to overcome.Cariote had the right idea.I also used to think that way.

However.I decided.To live my last week as an ordinary person, instead of spending it tediously by training.Because I liked picking one out of all my choices.

“... Sorry, Judas. If I had only worked harder….”

Just then, Brigitte quietly apologized.What was she apologizing for?Was she blaming herself for failing the experiment with the artificial Demon King, Molu?Nonsense.

“I chose this.”

It was my choice to accumulate enough evil karma to become Nocturne's vessel.It might be easier to blame and condemn someone else but…. That was pointless, in the end.

A string of choices.All those paths brought me here; that was all.Besides me, no one else is at fault.

“And, I think I know a bit now.”

Today, I hadn’t just been playing with the kids.Controlling one’s mind, as Enkidus had once taught me.

I feel like I understand something about this 「Constraint」.The art of letting things go, should I say?

It was best put as me having started to learn how to control my passive skill, 《Hungry Socrates》.

Tomorrow, I’ll play with the kids a bit more and get used to this 「Constraint」.Thinking that, I returned to my room.

“Hehe.”

I couldn’t hold back my laugh as I went under the covers.

I was excited to eat my banana that I had been saving.Called a 「Gros Miché Banana」, it was an expensive banana that went for about 2 million arcs for a single one and wasn’t going to be shared even with Naru, Hina, or Cecily.

“You’re mine, banana.”

I had hidden it within the covers.Gonna eat it before bed.

“…….”

But when I flipped back the covers, there was only a banana peel.Flutter— Flutter—And there was a butterfly that was flying away which disappeared when I tried to catch it. It didn’t seem real, more like an illusion.

“What’s this? Where did my banana go?”

Who ate it?Naru? Hina? Cecily?Did they eat it during the treasure hunt?No, my room had been firmly locked so no one should’ve been able to enter except me.

Knock— Knock—Just then, someone knocked on my door.

“The culprit always returns to the scene of the crime.”

Creeeak—When I opened the door, Brigitte was gazing at me.She held out some kind of bottle and asked.

“Judas, did you drink all the mana potion? Why did you drink it all when it doesn’t do anything? A bottle of this takes a month to drink.”

“I didn’t drink it. Was it you who ate my banana?”

“What banana?”

Brigitte tilted her head like she couldn’t understand.Swing—Just then, a door opened in the hallway and Salome stepped out.She held out her lipstick and went after Brigitte.

“Brigitte, did you use my makeup?”

“No, why would I use your makeup?”

“Don’t lie. This is revenge for not answering yesterday when you asked where I got this, right? Even so, how could you ruin the lipstick that I had just bought yesterday? This is too much!”

“Hold up… I really don’t know anything about this.”

The lipstick that Salome claimed to have bought yesterday was stumpy like it had been used for a long time.What was going on?

An eaten banana.An empty mana potion.A used lipstick.

Was it the kids?Or Sifnoi?

“Everyone should see this…!”

Dadadadada—As I was wondering, Sifnoi came out to the 1st-floor reception room, appearing quite angry. She opened a book and there were a bunch of circles drawn over a strange picture.

“This Sifnoi…. just bought today…. a spot-the-difference-book…! But I turned away for a moment and in that time, someone spotted all the differences…! Hiiiik…!

What was this situation?Even Sifnoi was a victim?

“... Did a thief enter the house?”

Brigitte muttered quietly.A thief entering a place like this 「Junk Mansion」.That was absurd.

Swoosh—Just then, Cariote stepped out.She was muttering, “How noisy. What is happening?” as she went to the kitchen and opened the fridge to drink water, which everyone could only watch without a word.

“What is it?”

Cariote looked back with a confused expression.How should I explain it?

“Well, um, your hair is….”

“My hair?”

Cariote felt her hair.Her hair which was always cut short was now at shoulder length, making quite an odd picture. Cariote also didn’t seem to understand why, saying, “What is this?” with a frown.

Flutter— Flutter—Something flew up from behind Cariote’s neck.It was a butterfly.

Flutter— Flutter—The butterfly flew and landed on the water bottle that Cariote was drinking. Then, the water that had been full inside the bottle immediately started decreasing and soon it was completely drained.At that, I was shocked.

“A butterfly just stole all the water!”

Perhaps the banana, lipstick, mana potion, and spot-the-difference were all the butterflies’ doing, I thought, when Brigitte moved her hand.

“Come to think of it, a butterfly was also on my potion bottle….”

Chrrrr—Brigitte pulled back the window’s curtains while mumbling something.Soon, her eyes widened.

“What is this…!”

A countless number of glowing butterflies.They were outside the mansion, all flapping their wings.It was truly a strange phenomenon!

“For now, avoid touching the butterfly and hide in the /genesisforsaken