Celebrity Lady - Chapter 138
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrity Lady
Chapter 138
* * *
Whoooosh—
The sound of running water drifted through the air.
Watching the bathroom door where Rubetria was showering, Wishit fidgeted with mounting anxiety.
‘Damn it. Now I can’t even pull off a simple trick anymore.’
He’d felt it when he’d used his power on Duke Reuben.
All that remained to him now was just enough strength to grant Rubetria’s two remaining wishes—nothing more.
‘With only that…….’
Would he be able to protect her?
Pressing his lips together, Wishit clenched and unclenched his fists, feeling his own fading power…….
Whoooosh—
“Hey hey you you I know that you like me~”
His power…….
“I want to be your girlfriend~”
His power…….
“She’s like so whatever~”
“Ugh.”
A vein suddenly pulsed across Wishit’s forehead, disrupting the brooding atmosphere he’d been cultivating.
“How many hours has it been, really?”
She’d been standing under the shower for over an hour now, belting out songs at full volume.
After rocking the entire social structure since the start of the year and basking in everyone’s attention all day long, she seemed to be in exceptionally high spirits.
“Come out already!”
“I could be your girlfriend~”
She didn’t seem to hear him at all.
Wishit clicked his tongue in disgust.
How could the same soul be so different? He’d known it before, but he found himself startled anew.
What had she been like back when he was her first contractor, or right after she was born as Rubetria Diolus?
Shy and timid enough that she’d never have dreamed of belting out songs in the bathroom like this.
“I want to be your girlfriend~”
“Heh.”
Giving up, Wishit shook his head and sprawled across the bed, stretching his hand up into the empty air.
‘Blissfully ignorant, the lot of them.’
This time.
When his contractor grew old and died happily, he might not be able to stand by her side.
‘……That’s a bit sad.’
* * *
In Wishit’s long-held memories.
Diolus the First, facing death, bitterly regretted her entire life.
Lying in her sickbed, she wept.
“I’ve committed so many sins.”
Wishit remained by her side.
He, who had spent a lifetime beside her in monstrous form, granting her every wish under the guise of a mere wish-spirit…….
“I’m sorry, Wishit.”
“Why?”
“Because I made you do things you never wished to do, all because of my own greed.”
There had been no malice in her actions.
She’d simply healed the sick, enriched the poor, and made those in conflict fall in love.
But it was a mistake.
Human greed knew no bounds, and it demanded ever-greater things from her.
Someone she had saved murdered their own parents and children.
Someone she had empowered trampled countless others and sparked a rebellion.
Someone she had fed grew fat on the exploitation and oppression of others.
In the end, to clean up all the chaos she had created, she had to kill those she’d saved and plunge innocent bystanders into misery.
All that remained to her as death approached was bitter regret and self-recrimination.
“You said you would wait for me, didn’t you? Until I returned to this world again.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t.”
“…….”
“Never appear again, Wishit. Don’t wait for me, and don’t make contracts with any other humans.”
“Because my power ultimately brings chaos to the human world?”
“No. Because I don’t want you to suffer.”
With hands that could barely muster any strength, she gripped him tight.
“The tragedy that unfolds because of your power, the fact that you must act knowing it will happen, the thought that you’ll suffer because of it—it breaks my heart.”
“I…….”
“…….”
“I’m unaffected. I’m not human. Unlike you, I feel no emotion—”
“That’s a lie.”
“…….”
“You learned from me. Joy, sorrow, happiness, guilt. You’ve become capable of feeling anguish just like a human.”
“…….”
“I’m sorry. Don’t wait for me. Don’t repeat this tragedy and suffer again.”
With her last reserves of strength, she smiled radiantly.
“I love you.”
“…….”
“My friend, Wishit. You were the only…….”
……light in my anguished life.
* * *
Humans are amusing, aren’t they?
“I love you.”
“You were the only light in my anguished life.”
And then she asks him not to wait for her—what kind of request was that?
At first, Wishit had fully intended to grant her final wish and not wait.
But long, tedious ages passed.
Whenever he missed her, Wishit would gaze upon the fragments of her soul scattered across countless worlds.
“You seem a little different from other humans.”
Even the most virtuous human possessed at least one ugly fragment of soul.
A human revered as a saint might be a debased criminal in another world, or a selfish small-minded person in yet another.
When the ugly life ended and those soul fragments merged, the pure mind of the sainted human would grow clouded by degrees.
But…….
She was different.
Every life her souls lived was simply beautiful.
Sometimes foolish, occasionally appropriately selfish, often excessively virtuous—but always beautiful.
“Hah, what a numbskull.”
“If only she’d stayed in that world, I couldn’t have asked for more.”
“Wait, or is she actually an idiot? That’s dangerous.”
Wishit found happiness in those rare moments when he could observe her.
And very slowly, imperceptibly, he began to…….
Love her existence itself.
Yes, love.
There was no word in any language to describe what he felt for her, but love came closest.
Not the common romantic love humans spoke of.
Something far more complex, something that no simple language could capture…….
* * *
“Whoa!”
“Geez, you startled me.”
“What are you doing? Going to bed already?”
Wishit, who’d been staring blankly at nothing while lying on the bed, jolted upright at the sound of my voice.
“How many hours have you been in there? And what was that pig-wallowing noise all this time?”
“What? Pig? Hey, I’m someone who’s conquered the musical theater world, you know?”
Wrapped in my shower robe with a towel wound around my hair, I picked up the wine glass I’d poured earlier.
“Hehe.”
As always, the greatest celebrity making waves in high society—Rubetria Diolus!
“Sigh……. It’s exhausting being the center of everyone’s attention, but I can’t give it up.”
I raised the wine glass in front of the mirror as if making a toast, mumbling to myself.
Of course, given my alcohol-intolerant body, it was just for show.
“You enjoying this?”
“Enjoy it? Of course I do.”
Wishit gazed at me with a look of disdain and shook his head.
How could I not be enjoying it?
The fashion show had concluded spectacularly, and my grand public revelation would likely dominate Imperial House discourse for the entire season.
A celebrity—pure and simple!
“Hahahaha!”
The glamorous life of a celebrity!
“Hahahaha!”
I spun in place, savoring the euphoria.
“Oh, and this is a bit embarrassing, but I’ve already decided on a name if Lark and I have children.”
“Oof.”
Wishit made a face of disgust.
I’d almost upset Lark, but we’d cleared up the misunderstanding and our relationship had become sweeter than ever—everything was perfect!
All that remained now was…….
“Extermination!”
I’d already sprayed all the pest control.
“Once the cockroaches in the Imperial House and the bedbugs in the Duke’s residence disappear, my life will be—”
Ah.
As I spoke, a sudden concern occurred to me, and I approached the window.
“Hmm.”
This was my room—the Third Floor.
It used to be Victor’s room, but I’d asked him to trade. The first floor scared me a bit.
As I scanned the darkened window, Wishit asked.
“What are you doing?”
“Just checking if anything suspicious is lurking out there.”
The thought of Duke Cade Reuben, who’d been an obsessive fan, sent chills down my spine.
He’d vanished that way and never returned, but his invisibility made me even more tense.
“The Duke?”
“Yeah. You saw him too, right? If he’s a real stalker, it gives me the creeps. I suffered through him for basically my whole life as Juliet. And even after I died—!”
My teeth clenched.
“All because of that damn obsessive fan!”
“You must be exhausted from today. Don’t work yourself up nervously—just rest easy. Nothing will happen.”
“Yeah, it better not. Nothing should—”
I was answering absently when something in the way Wishit spoke struck me as odd, and I spun around to face him.
“Why wouldn’t anything happen?”
“What?”
“You’re talking like you’re certain nothing will happen—like you know for sure.”
Wishit’s eyes darted away, caught.
“Hey.”
I stomped toward him with heavy, deliberate steps.
Instinctively sensing danger, Wishit scrambled up and backed away until his back was against the wall.
“Did you use your power on the Duke?”
“No, I’m just saying I’ll keep watch beside you. If anything comes up, I’ll wake you, so sleep easy.”
“Sorry, but you’re genuinely terrible at acting. And lying. Look—your eyes are rolling around.”
“What do you mean, my eyes are rolling? They’re not rolling.”
“Please, don’t use your power recklessly. I’m scared. Scared of what might happen to you.”
I gripped both his arms tightly and spoke with absolute sincerity.
Wishit stood quietly, observing me, then murmured softly.
“……I didn’t use it. Not like that, so don’t worry.”
“You’re lying!”
That was when it happened.
I was startled.
It seemed like Wishit’s body before my eyes was becoming translucent.
No—it wasn’t an illusion. He really was fading. Like a ghost.
“Hey, hey! You——”
And then, slowly, his form transformed.
“……?”
Ching—!
Without thinking, I let go of the wine glass, and it fell, shattering into pieces.
“What’s—why——”
Wishit, who’d been frowning with his head tilted in confusion, suddenly froze in shock.
Whoosh.
He felt the sensation of long blonde hair cascading down past his shoulders.
“……This is…….”
I held my breath as I gazed upon the unfamiliar form of Wishit.
A height so imposing I had to crane my neck endlessly just to meet his gaze. A face of beauty that seemed inhuman. Brilliant golden hair falling to his waist.
And…….
Golden eyes symbolizing the power of a Spirit.
Before this stranger dressed in gorgeous robes of silk that looked like something from legends of celestial immortals, I froze.
“…….”
“…….”
We stood transfixed, gazing at each other in silence.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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