#058
I doubted my ears. Did Carlisle just say okay? I must have misheard.
“I said okay.”
“Huh?”
No way, he’s accepting this easily? For real? My mouth fell open.
“But even if I hand over the farm, you’ll have to manage it until it’s completely established.”
What does that mean? Is he telling me to become a salaried manager under him?
“……”
Well, whatever. What do I care? Anyway, I’ll be flying back to reality. Honestly, just removing the contamination and handing over the farm in this world seems like I’ve done enough.
“Of course. I’ll gladly do that.”
I nodded so hard my neck might break. Carlisle looked at me with strange eyes. He seemed suspicious and looked like he was trying to figure out my true intentions. Whatever. I tried to make the most sincere and trustworthy expression possible. Without the Tranquility Potion, it was uncertain whether I managed it properly.
Finally, Carlisle withdrew his searching gaze, announcing the deal was made.
“Good. Then I’ll send the contract once it’s drafted, so we’ll discuss the details then… Until you pay off your debt, stay where I can see you.”
“Yeah, got it… what?”
While I was pleased the deal went as I wanted, the condition Carlisle added at the end was unexpected.
“Stay in this house. Until you completely clear your debt.”
“What? Why?”
“Why? You don’t have anywhere to go anyway, do you? Isn’t your house and farm currently underwater?”
“No, thanks for the offer, but I’m fine.”
I was horrified. No matter how nice this house was, the more I enjoyed it, the more astronomical my debt would become. Were this delicious real food, fluffy bed, clean water, and various potions really free? It would be like a worker earning 100 a month staying long-term at a hotel costing 100 per night. I shook my head desperately.
“I’m planning to stay at the guild. It’s more convenient there…”
Since I’d have to keep participating in expedition quests, guild lodging would be mostly free. (Thinking about the cafeteria makes my stomach churn, but if I could reduce lodging costs, I could gladly endure that level of discomfort.)
Most importantly, living in the same house as Carlisle Lightinger was no joke. He’s my ex-husband who I’d done terrible things to, and my creditor for an enormous debt that seemed impossible to repay. (And… there were other awkward aspects, but let’s set those aside for now.) Anyway, facing him every morning and evening?
But to my roundabout rejection, Carlisle smiled with uncharacteristic kindness.
“You think this is a request out of goodwill? You think you have the right to refuse? How dare you?”
His voice flowed out so softly it gave me chills.
“Whether you extend the deadline or provide collateral, the conclusion is that you can’t repay the debt right now, isn’t it? Do you think I’d let a debtor run off somewhere? What if an incompetent person like you wanders around this harsh world and dies? What happens to all the money I’ve invested?”
Carlisle’s smile deepened.
“Considering the debt you’ve incurred anyway, and the debt that will continue to grow from future expeditions, I’ll provide room and board for free, so eat comfortably and just enjoy it. Even if it increases, at most it’ll just extend the period you work as the farm manager by some time.”
Is this a declaration that he’ll use me as Carlisle Lightinger’s slave for life if necessary? Then wouldn’t that be much different from that bastard Muchi? I’ll be able to safely return to reality after everything ends, right?
A strange anxiety washed over me. With this, I had to see the game’s ending by any means necessary. Only then could I escape this dangerous contract.
Anyway, the deal was made, and despite my anxiety, I devoured the chocolate cake down to the last crumb. All while enduring the gaze of that bastard Carlisle who never took his eyes off me until the end.
If it had just ended like this, I could have evaluated it as a decent end to the day. I’d safely completed the expedition, washed my body with warm water, and filled my stomach with real food. (Come to think of it, this was the first luxury I’d enjoyed since entering this game world!) If I’d then spent some alone time in a clean, comfortable space before falling asleep early in a clean, fluffy bed, there couldn’t have been a more perfect ending. (For mental health, setting aside the debt problem I couldn’t do anything about right now!)
What made me do something I’d regret was the alcohol. While sitting, I was just a bit tipsy, but when I stood up after finishing the meal, my head spun. As I stood gripping the dining table with my eyes closed for a moment without moving, Carlisle, who had been about to leave the dining room first, turned back to look at me.
“Come to think of it, you’re weak with alcohol. But why did you drink that whole glass?”
Why indeed. In a world where real wine was as precious as high-grade potions. How often would I get the chance to drink something like this for free? Even Carlisle probably couldn’t enjoy such feasts every day in this world. It was probably the sincerity of the butler and cook wanting to celebrate their master’s safe return.
Taking that opportunity, I wanted to have my own kind of celebration. To fall asleep without thinking, I desperately needed the power of alcohol to numb my mind instead of the Tranquility Potion.
But since I might make mistakes if drunk, I naturally hadn’t planned to drink the whole glass. Originally I was sipping and savoring it with the food, but when that bastard Carlisle pressured me about debt and whatnot in the middle, I felt frustrated and ended up gulping it down without realizing.
“You’re someone who reaches for dangerous things even when not in dangerous places.”
Before I knew it, Carlisle had approached and was supporting me by holding my arm, sighing.
“I’m fine, I can go by myself.”
Forcing strength into my loosening tongue, I tried to push away Carlisle’s arm while being led along. But Carlisle simply brushed off my hand and clicked his tongue.
“Just come. Don’t make trouble by rolling down the stairs unnecessarily.”
“I’m not that bad… Ah.”
It was strange. At some point, I seemed to have nearly fallen down the stairs of Carlisle’s mansion while drunk. Of course, I didn’t actually tumble – Carlisle, who happened to be nearby, had caught me. When our eyes met up close as he caught me… Huh? When exactly was that?
It certainly wasn’t when I was gaming. That couldn’t have happened. Then when? What is this memory? Is it because I had so many fantasies about Carlisle? Did I have such a dream?
When I suddenly stopped walking and stared blankly at his face, he must have thought it was because I was drunk. Carlisle sighed.
“You really do all sorts of things. Just relax and lean on me.”
As Carlisle’s hand reached out, my body was suddenly lifted.
“…Huh?”
Carlisle had hoisted me over his shoulder like luggage and began climbing the stairs. My eyes naturally widened. Of course, there was precedent for being carried this way and that in the hidden dungeon, but that was unavoidable for obtaining the Fragment of the Sacred Tree…
I wasn’t that drunk, was I?
I was even a bit hurt in my pride that he lifted me so easily like a child. I’m a proper adult man. Even if I can’t be called robust because I’m too thin, I’m certainly not short.
But since I wasn’t drunk enough to struggle dangerously while climbing stairs, I stayed quietly in my bewildered state. Anyway, since I was feeling a bit chilly from the alcohol, being in contact with Carlisle Lightinger’s warm body temperature wasn’t so bad.
No, maybe thinking like this was proof I was drunk? That’s why I ended up asking a question I would never have asked outright if I’d been sober.
“But why did you do that?”
“Do what?”
From Carlisle’s perspective, it must have been a question without context.
“Back then, in the hidden dungeon… underwater, you did something weird to me.”
Since our bodies were touching, I could feel his muscles flinch momentarily. Carlisle didn’t answer for a moment, then put me down with a thud. I was already standing with my back against the door of the room I was using.
“Something weird?”
He approached closely and asked in a whisper.
“Do you mean letting you breathe?”
Though he wasn’t trapping me with his arms or anything, maybe because he was standing too close, I somehow felt constrained. I rolled my gaze around his shoulder area.
“No… not that. After that.”
“After that? After that, what.”
Carlisle asked persistently. There’s no way he didn’t know, so when he responded like this, I felt somewhat indignant. It seemed like he was doing this on purpose because he wanted to tease me.
“No, I mean…”
Was he determined to make specific words come out of my mouth? But since I really didn’t want to say the word “kiss” out loud, I shut my mouth.
“Never mind. It’s nothing.”
I pushed Carlisle away with slight irritation. As Carlisle’s body obediently moved back, I felt like my body temperature dropped instantly even in that moment. It was strangely disappointing. Maybe it was because of the chilly nighttime weather.
“Thanks for bringing me up. Thanks for the meal too. It was delicious.”
Even while saying thanks, a sulky tone came out. No, I shouldn’t be like this.
I forced the corners of my mouth up in a smile and turned around. I wondered if I should even say good night, but somehow I felt like Carlisle wasn’t moving away and was just standing there watching. Anyway, since he’s the homeowner, being as polite as possible wouldn’t hurt. I didn’t go to the trouble of turning around, but I roughly raised one hand in greeting while opening the door.
“Well then, rest well and see you tomorrow.”
“Kang Raon.”
Carlisle called me as I was about to enter the room. Not just calling my name – my shoulder was grabbed. It was funny yet strangely not unfamiliar to be called “Kang Raon” with the surname attached like a real Korean friend from Carlisle’s mouth. While having such thoughts, my body was spun around.
Carlisle’s face was right in front of me. I almost instinctively stepped back, but I couldn’t retreat because my shoulder was firmly gripped.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
