I Opened an Illegal Animal Hospital in Another World - Chapter 51
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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51
Chapter 12. Who Are You (4)
We used to sleep lying side by side.
We shared an old blanket, and on cold days, we would hold each other close.
After my day and night schedule got reversed from working at the factory, we slept together less often, but whenever possible, we would embrace each other as if we wanted to confirm the reality that only the two of us were left in this world.
‘Sister, why did you do that.’
‘You said you wouldn’t leave me alone, you said you wouldn’t go.’
‘How am I supposed to manage by myself…’
Whenever I worried about Mina being left alone, I would squeeze my eyes shut tight.
I was sorry for not being able to endure longer, and even more sorry for not keeping my promise.
If I had endured more, if I had been stronger, could I have kept my promise to Mina?
Even though I didn’t die because I wanted to die, thinking of Mina inevitably made guilt pile up. How did she handle my death all by herself… How much must she resent me?
I wanted Mina to live doing everything she wanted to do. That’s why I wanted to do everything I could for her, but in the end, maybe all I left behind was deep wounds.
If Mina knew that I thought it was fortunate I had taken out life insurance, she might never forgive me for the rest of her life.
‘Who asked you to go this far? Enduring without saying it’s hard, making it impossible for anyone to help you…’
It was okay even when it was hard. It was bearable? Really…
I thought I could do it, and I naively thought it was okay to put taking care of myself on the back burner since I was young.
I could forget everything if I thought that Mina became more comfortable as much as I struggled.
As a reaction to living so earnestly back then, now I’ve come to wish I could live as lazily as possible, but I didn’t regret that time.
What I regret is that I didn’t know it would turn out that way, and ended up hurting Mina.
“I can’t forgive you.”
I was startled and bolted upright. It was a shock as if someone had dunked my head in ice water. It was definitely Mina’s voice.
“Mina?!”
However, I couldn’t fully sit up and was pushed back down. Because Mina was on top of me, strangling my neck.
“I can’t forgive you, why didn’t you keep your promise? Why did you go alone leaving me behind… When you knew how hard it would be for me!”
“I’m, I’m sorry…”
Tears fell onto my cheeks with a patter. The neatly cut black bob, pale and slender face, and large eyes without double eyelids – it was definitely my younger sister Mina.
Without even having time to think about how this could be happening, my heart was breaking and I didn’t know what to do.
Me, who had secretly felt relieved after dying, me, who was living peacefully and happily with the excessive love newly given to me…
What could I possibly say to you who are crying?
“I can’t forgive you. I really hate you. I’ll kill you, come with me, sister… Come back to me.”
Ah.
I quietly closed my eyes and opened them. Then I spoke while letting Mina continue strangling my neck.
“Who are you.”
“…”
The hands that had been gripping my neck fell away. I looked at the expressionless Mina and felt quite annoyed.
Once I realized it wasn’t Mina, the resembling parts completely transformed into elements that caused displeasure. I pushed it away forcefully and stood up abruptly. Surprisingly, it was pushed away obediently.
“How did you know?”
“No matter how much Mina hates someone, she’s a kid who could never think of ‘dragging them down.'”
“…Just from something like that?”
“Get out of my way right now. You’re annoying.”
That’s how I raised her.
“I thought it might work well.”
‘That thing’ clicked its tongue and changed its appearance.
‘There’s no way we could meet again…’
The facial outline became thicker, the shoulders broadened, and the hair grew long. I watched the scene with indifference while feeling contradictory emotions.
I felt relieved that it wasn’t Mina, yet also disappointed that it wasn’t Mina.
After a moment, a tall, handsome man with black hair flowing down to his waist appeared. He was a beautiful man with long eyelashes cast downward, sparkling black eyes beneath them, and a bewitching smile across his elegant features.
Since I’m just a 7-year-old child, I haven’t had any opportunity to encounter something like ‘sensuality’ in this world…
This man seems to have no intention of hiding his charm even when dealing with a young child.
I didn’t hide my somewhat disgusted feelings and threw out a reproach.
“…A grown man disguised himself as an underage girl…?”
That’s perverted…
“Didn’t it suit me well?”
“Not at all. You’re acting so confident when you got caught red-handed.”
The man burst into refreshing laughter.
“It was a gift I prepared for you, but I guess you didn’t like it.”
“It was the worst.”
“It was meant as an apology for peeking into your memories.”
“Go study Korean again. It was neither a gift nor an apology.”
When I glared at him without hiding my irritation, he smiled sweetly as if trying to appease me.
“What are you? And where is… this place?”
I looked around.
At first it was the small single room where Mina and I had lived, but now it looked like my bedroom.
“My name is Seth.”
“I asked what you are.”
“…Did your personality change? You were acting like a foolish saint earlier.”
“I’m just returning what I received.”
It was natural to be kind and gentle to people who cared for me.
“Won’t you answer?”
“Would it suffice to say I’m the demon you were looking for?”
“You’re really stupid…”
I clicked my tongue quietly. He was watching me throw a tantrum with his chin propped up, as if finding it amusing.
“I knew you were a demon the moment I opened my eyes. I’m not interested in your name either. I’m telling you to reveal your identity. Your identity, not your race.”
“I like this side of you better.”
“…”
Who are you calling a split personality?
“I am Seth, subordinate of Lord Belial, a feudal lord of the Demon Realm, and his sixteenth son. I cannot tell you the name of the one who summoned me due to our contract, but the purpose seems to be the assassination of the Prince. I was planning to use Canaria as one of the means, which is why she had a seizure the moment she saw the Prince. I planted a suggestion deep in her mind. Ingenious, isn’t it?”
“…”
“Canaria’s contact with you was coincidental, but I’ve been looking for you for four years. I’m truly glad to meet you.”
This man… is more than he appears.
“The Canaria beastman was so rebellious that I planted it half out of spite, but I never expected this connection.”
“That was just for fun…”
“Honestly, I’m surprised she didn’t die sooner. I guess it’s thanks to beastmen having high magic resistance. If I hadn’t known that you arbitrarily broke the curse four years ago, I would have missed you helplessly again this time.”
“…”
“Thanks to that, I was able to give up everything else and leave only the connection point before you completely broke the curse. In reality, the guard around you was so tight that I couldn’t approach.”
…He’s incredibly talkative…
I hadn’t said a word, but he was rambling on by himself. He even seemed oddly excited. Meanwhile, I was able to gradually calm my anger.
I understand his identity, but then why did he bring me here?
“So I had no choice but to incite Canaria’s rampage, then make contact with you and infiltrate your mind. How about it, impressive right?”
“What do you mean you had no choice? Do you know how much Lili suffered because of you?”
Evelyn and Raven were hurt too.
“Is that so?”
“…”
“That’s unfortunate. She would have been more comfortable if she had died earlier.”
It was a smooth voice that didn’t care at all whether others got hurt or not.
“Don’t worry about trivial things.”
“Shameless.”
“Isn’t the important thing that we met?”
“…”
“You seem to dislike me though.”
What an obvious thing to say…
Certainly, I had been reborn into this world and was lucky enough to meet only good people, but that didn’t mean I had no one I disliked. Before I died, I had more people I disliked than people I liked.
I absolutely detested self-centered people like this man who acted shamelessly after causing harm to others, and I completely abhorred the act of dismissing damage as trivial when you’re the perpetrator.
“I hate you. I completely hate you. You make me want to vomit, so won’t you disappear from my sight right now?”
“Oh my, I’m hurt.”
“Wet your lips before lying.”
The man stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. Then he grinned. He was definitely trying to tease me.
But I didn’t care what someone I disliked did. Whether they cried or laughed, what did it matter to me? When I stared at him coldly without any reaction, the man changed his approach.
“Even if you hate me, it would be better to get on my good side. Are you fine with being trapped here forever?”
“…”
“By the way, I’d prefer that.”
A glossy shine flowed in his black eyes. His smiling face showed clear fondness and interest, but in contrast, I felt chills down my spine.
Is this ‘thing’ what you call a psychopath? Is this what demons are like?
“That power.”
A large hand, with long white fingers, approached before my eyes.
“You don’t seem to know what it is.”
“…What is it.”
“I’m not going to teach you though?”
“…Hey.”
“To get what you want from the Demon Clan, you must pay a corresponding price.”
“You dragged me here on your own, and now you’re talking about a price!”
Fine. I was about to argue that not knowing his identity wouldn’t hinder using him, but he laughed first.
“Still, I’ll tell you this time. I’m kind, after all.”
“….”
Is he mocking me right now?
“That’s an ancient power that modern humans lost long ago. Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen a human with this power alive and moving.”
He looked at me with sparkling eyes. Like he was looking at some fascinating animal. It felt extremely disgusting.
“In the past, all humans with that power died young. It’s the most powerful force for purification and healing, but it can’t particularly protect the user, so they died early. There were many who targeted them too… Besides, since it uses the caster’s life force as a medium, it’s not very useful for humans with short lifespans.”
“It uses lifespan?”
Wait, wait. Then I can’t tell anyone about this!
“It’s okay, it’s okay. Even saving one person only shaves off a few seconds from your given lifespan. Very convenient.”
I aged ten years. Whether he enjoyed making people’s hearts drop with a single word, the man laughed deeply. It’s quite rare to feel the urge to punch someone when seeing their bright smile.
“So let’s make a deal with me.”
“No.”
The refusal spilled from my mouth before I could even think.
“Listen, my contractor wants the Prince assassinated. But I’m not particularly interested in human affairs. What interests me most right now is you.”
“Should I be grateful for that? It’s completely creepy.”
“So if you occasionally meet me in dreams like this, I won’t kill the Prince even if my contractor wants it. Since the contractor is fixated on the form of ‘assassination,’ it wouldn’t be a contract violation if I fail. How about it. Isn’t it a worthwhile deal?”
I let out a breath.
“As long as I don’t kill him, you’ll be able to save him, so it’s a deal with no loss. Besides, you know, don’t you? The reason your guardian risked his life to hide you for four years is because I can kill you instantly. Your power can’t protect you.”
“….”
“And now that I know where you are and who you are, no matter how great your guardian is, I can kill you in a moment of carelessness….”
“A proposal you can’t refuse is called blackmail, not a deal, you know?”
“Ahaha. That’s true!”
Annoying!
The man who had been sitting the whole time stood up. Then he bent down and kissed my forehead. His long black hair that looked smooth as silk flowed down, covering my vision. Ugh. I couldn’t dodge it!
“Then the deal is made.”
“Ah, damn….”
As my consciousness blurred again, I made a resolution.
I need to scrub my forehead clean.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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