IBRIP l CH 97

Chapter 97 

“Ouch!”

My body was going through a lot today.

As I looked up from where I had fallen, something strange rose from the ground. It looked like cold, hardening lava, growing like an octopus’s tentacle.

“What… What is that?!”

Suddenly, a voice echoed in my head.

***

– Third warning:
If the subconscious notices an outsider, it will attack.
The more closed off the person’s mind is, the stronger the resistance.
So don’t stay in one place too long.

***

The black tentacle in front of me was getting bigger, almost touching the ceiling.

It wobbled and dripped sticky, black goo that landed on my shoes.

[Don’t you dare ask me to touch that thing!]

My dragon, Raglia, who has a serious fear of dirt, freaked out and hid in my sleeve.

“Raglia! Block it!”

[Nooooo! Nooooooo!]

But she couldn’t disobey her precious master. Crying dramatically, the red chalk flew out of my sleeve and hit the tentacle. It flinched.

I quickly took that chance to run to the frame I had entered through and tried to open it. But—!

Another tentacle was rising from the left!

I quickly threw myself through the door just in time.

I turned to look back.

The tentacle was gone.

Moments later, pop! Raglia came flying in through the door and wrapped herself back around my wrist.

[Request! Cancel contract! Request!]

She screamed so loud, I worried she might hurt her voice.

This is exactly why I usually tell her not to talk so loudly. She has no sense of timing or volume.

But still… I love her. My dear bracelet.

“Raglia, you’re like the salt of my life.”

[Requeeeesssst!!]

Thanks to Raglia’s help, I returned safely. As soon as I opened my eyes, I looked at Rena beside me.

She looked back at me too.

Then, noticing my expression, Rena’s face turned pale.

“Alfred doesn’t remember any of that… Please keep it a secret.”

“Huh? Did someone call me?”

Alfred, sitting on a nearby chair, raised an eyebrow.

“Young Lady, Rena’s taste is a little unusual, right? Whew… That scene wasn’t for a young girl like you. I was shocked when I first saw it too.”

I looked at Alfred — with his lazy outfit and muscular body — and then remembered the chubby little boy swinging a sword wildly.

It was hard to believe they were the same person. I just stared, frozen.

Then I slowly nodded, but Raglia, noticing the situation, started whispering like a devil.

[My silence isn’t that expensive! Just one red diamond will keep my lips shut!]

And that’s how my first attempt ended.

And “first attempt” means… there will be a second.

“Loti, you should lie down and try it too. I think I need to practice this a few more times.”

As you know, Loti is my mysterious relic.

But after this second attempt, my questions didn’t get answered—they just doubled.

We’ll talk more about that later.

***

Back to the present…

Oscar’s mind was exactly what you’d expect from a swordsman.

[Again! This sneaky kind of magic again!]

His hallway was decorated with armor, swords, and shields. It felt cold, like iron floating in the air.

I was used to this now, so I checked the nameplates on the doors right away.

***

• [The Day I First Got Aura] 
• [The Day Lord Rad Said My Posture Improved] 
• [The Day I Won My First Duel] 
• [Junior Grand Prix Victory Day] 
• … 
• [The Day Lady Noah Confessed] 
• [The Day Lady Rewen Confessed] 
• [The Day Lady Zelda Confessed] 
• [The Day Lady Mulla Confessed] 
• … 

***

Raglia, who was also looking at the nameplates, said,

[Ugh! Human pride makes me sick!]

There were over twenty doors just about girls confessing to him. Oscar, you really enjoyed being popular, didn’t you?

Oscar’s memories fell into two types: victories in swordsmanship or something about noble ladies.

Very simple.

After passing about 30 doors, I started to run.

[Something smells rotten…]

Raglia sniffed the air and led me to a specific door.

• [Why?] 
• [Why?] 
• [Why?] 
• … 

All the doors from that point on had the same label: “Why?”

About ten of them. The doors were all rotting and black.

I reached for the closest door handle and opened it without hesitation.

***

#First Door

A fancy mansion, as grand as Rohia.

“Oscar, come say hello. This is Lord Boris of the Rohia family and Prince Joseph.”

Young Oscar, Boris, and Joseph were all together.

Oscar looked arrogant as he stared at the other boys. Boris crossed his arms, clearly proud too.

But when they saw each other had wooden toy swords, Oscar’s expression softened.

“You use a sword too?”

Oscar smiled brightly, and Boris scratched his cheek, a little shy.

“Wanna duel? Joseph can be the judge—he’s fair.”

Joseph, standing behind Boris, nodded happily.

“I’m glad someone else can duel with my brother besides me.”

All three laughed together. They seemed like good friends.

***

#Second Door

A forest.

The three boys sat near a giant tree stump.

Oscar and Boris each showed a bug they caught to Joseph.

“What kind of bug is this?” they asked.

Joseph answered without hesitation.

“That’s a rhinoceros beetle.”

“But it looks different from the last one. Didn’t you say the other one had two horns?”

“There are one-horned beetles too. Look here.”

Joseph opened a bug encyclopedia and showed them. Boris and Oscar both nodded.

“Joseph knows everything. You’re amazing.”

“See? My brother’s a genius. You don’t have a younger sibling, right?”

Oscar pouted and looked at Boris with envy.

Joseph smiled proudly and examined Oscar’s bug.

“This one’s a grasshopper.”

“I thought it was a cricket. It looked similar.”

“They’re a bit different.”

Oscar laughed — until Joseph suddenly stepped on the grasshopper and crushed it.

“What are you doing?!”

“It’s a pest, Oscar. It eats fruits, vegetables, and even other bugs.”

Joseph pressed his foot down harder.

“Pests should be eliminated.”

“I could’ve raised it with my pet spider! No problem!”

“No, Oscar. A pest is a pest. The book says so. I memorized it.”

Joseph quickly flipped through the book, trying to explain. But Oscar had already started crying.

Boris tried giving him another bug to cheer him up, but it didn’t work.

Joseph tilted his head, puzzled as he watched Oscar cry sadly.

***

#Third Door

The three boys were lying in an open clearing in the woods.

“I have another sibling—a little sister.”

“Really? Why didn’t she come with us?”

“She’s sick. She can’t leave her room.”

Boris yawned loudly.

“And… she’s illegitimate, so our parents don’t let us play together. I have to sneak in to visit.”

“What do you do when you visit her?”

“Obviously, sword fighting.”

Boris chuckled.

“She’s the worst at sword fighting. Even worse than Joseph.”

“You fight a sick girl?” Oscar asked, shocked.

“What? What else do you do in her room?”

“I don’t know… maybe play with dolls?”

At the mention of dolls, Boris got mad.

“Why do that?! That’s so childish. No way. If she’s my sister, she has to love sword fighting.”

“I don’t like sword fighting,” Joseph said quietly.

Boris looked like his world had crumbled.

***

#Fourth Door

A little puppy wagged its tail excitedly, running around the boys.

“This year, I’m building a love house for his birthday.”

“You give birthday gifts to a dog?”

“He’s my little brother. Of course he gets a gift.”

Boris scratched his head.

“I’ve never given a gift to… you know, the illegitimate one.”

“Why not give her one next time?” Oscar suggested.

Boris turned to Joseph, who was watching the puppy.

“Joseph, have you ever given her a gift?”

“Isana? Yeah.”

“What did you give?”

Joseph blinked and answered, “A spider.”

“A SPIDER?!”

Oscar was horrified.

“She probably hated it!”

“Well… she’s never seen one before. But yeah, she didn’t like it.”

“Of course she didn’t! Girls like dolls!”

“But I like bugs. I’d be happy if someone gave me one.”

Boris nodded seriously.

“Then I’ll give her a spider too. She’s our sister, so she has to like bugs.”

Joseph added,

“But it should be a good bug. A helpful one, not a pest. I think I gave her a pest last time, that’s why she didn’t like it.”

Oscar’s face twisted in horror.

“No! Just give her a doll!”

“Fine, a spider doll then.”

Oscar looked like he was going to faint.