Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 129

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

Chapter 129
Elysion….
What could a place filled with peace and joy possibly be like?
Subject 21 had no way to truly comprehend it, having never experienced such emotions.
While I blinked slowly, lost in thought about its meaning.
Subject 18 began adding more figures to the mural—people who resembled someone.
They were their half-siblings.
“I wish the other brothers had gone to Elysion first.”
“They say it’s where people who lived righteous lives go. But we were trapped here our whole lives and died here—how could we possibly go?”
At Subject 21’s cold rebuttal, Subject 18’s face stiffened slightly. It was the expression of someone confronting reality.
“…Then I can’t go there either? I’ll never see the other brothers again?”
“….”
“I thought we could see each other again after we died.”
Subject 18 seemed to genuinely believe in the existence of that fantastical land called Elysion.
For someone as emotionally attached as him, it must have become an even greater trauma than for the rest of us.
Subject 21 paused for a moment, then retracted his words.
“No, actually… I think you might be able to go. With some of the other brothers.”
What did righteousness even matter?
Subject 7, who had shared a piece of bread with me.
Subject 10, who took the blows meant for me when Taragon’s rage reached its peak, dispersing his anger.
Subject 22, who drew his attention away when I became the target of our father’s abuse.
Subject 25, who awakened a healing ability while tending to the wounds of the other brothers.
They were all righteous—they all deserved to enter Elysion.
Of course, that was only if such a dreamlike place actually existed.
“Subject 21.”
“Yeah.”
“If one of us dies first, let’s promise not to grieve.”
“….”
How could that possibly be possible?
Even when a brother I wasn’t close to died, my heart had sunk.
And Subject 18, the one I’d spent the most time with, dying….
The thought was too horrifying to even imagine.
Seeing Subject 21’s crumpled expression, Subject 18 laughed and ruffled his hair.
“We’ve escaped this hell, haven’t we? That’s something to celebrate instead.”
It was shocking.
The fact that Subject 18, who always smiled brightly, was also wishing for death.
Seeing Subject 21’s darkened expression, Subject 18 added as if telling him not to think too deeply about it.
“We could die any time without it being strange. I’m just telling you in advance.”
But Subject 21 couldn’t stop his words from echoing in his mind.
From that day onward.
Taragon did not summon Subject 21.
“Subject 18, come out!”
While the other brothers were dragged away for experiments as usual, Subject 21 was thoroughly ignored as if he didn’t exist.
He was neither subjected to magical experiments nor called away to become a target for venting frustrations.
If the merchandise had defects, it wouldn’t fetch full price—so Taragon left Subject 21, who was to be sold, untouched.
Besides, since he hadn’t awakened an ability, the only thing worth valuing about Subject 21 was his angelic appearance.
Whether fortunate or unfortunate.
As the Empire’s crackdown on human trafficking intensified, Taragon hadn’t been able to sell Subject 21 for some time.
Days passed like this.
While waiting for Subject 18, who had been dragged away for experiments as usual, Subject 21 admired the mural he had drawn.
He had stared at it so long that even with his eyes closed, he could picture it precisely in his mind.
But strangely, Subject 18 was late that day—past the time when experiments should have ended.
Even the time for evening meal distribution came and went without his return.
An uneasy feeling crept over me, but I forced myself to push the thought away.
Perhaps it was because there was only one person left in the iron cage.
The meal that should have included two pieces of bread came with only one.
“…I’ll share it with my brother.”
Even as my stomach ached with hunger, I hid the bread beneath the worn blanket.
But I didn’t realize the truth until the next morning.
Taragon clicked his tongue as he looked at Subject 21, now alone in the iron cage.
“Tsk, what rotten luck—dying over something trivial. Now there aren’t many test subjects left. Today it’s you, Subject 22!”
Watching the number right after his own being called from the adjacent room, he sensed Subject 18’s death.
He hadn’t even been able to say a proper goodbye.
Farewells from his brothers always came abruptly.
But Subject 18’s death felt heavier than any before it.
Subject 21’s emotions surged, and the mana sleeping within his body began to pour out uncontrollably.
“Aaaaaaahhhhh!”
He began to scream in agony.
Mana runaway.
It was a phenomenon where mana flowed unstably and exploded when mages suffered severe emotional trauma.
How much time had passed?
“You bastard, Subject 21! Do you have any idea what you’ve done!”
When Subject 21 regained consciousness, everything around him was burning.
With vacant eyes, I stared at my father—Taragon—consumed by rage.
“Because of your runaway, all the precious test subjects we had left are dead!”
But Subject 21 remembered clearly what he had done.
It was Taragon who had caught and killed those fleeing from the collapsed building debris caused by the explosion.
“Subject 21, I’ll tear your body to shreds.”
Taragon drew a dagger with a grinding sound and approached Subject 21, whose runaway had ceased.
The child closed his eyes and waited for the death that was coming.
Due to the mana rampage, I couldn’t cast any magic at all.
Even though I was treated as a worthless test subject by Taragon, the ability I had hidden until the very end—nullification—proved useless and offered no help whatsoever.
Subject 21’s mind conjured the image of Elysion that Subject 18 had drawn for him.
If I died, could I go there too?
Could I meet the siblings who had died before me?
That was when it happened.
“You bastard, Subject 21! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
It was unmistakably the same words I had heard the moment I regained consciousness earlier.
Even the heated tone and manner of speech were exactly identical to that moment.
“Because of your rampage, all the precious test subjects we had left are dead!”
Upon confirming that the second statement was also the same, Subject 21’s eyes snapped wide open.
I didn’t understand what was happening, but it felt as though time had rewound.
Subject 21 fumbled along the nearby floor and picked up a shard of broken glass.
Was this the chance my dead siblings had given me?
I couldn’t bring myself to surrender my life so easily this time either.
Watching Subject 21, Taragon’s fury only intensified.
“You dare challenge me with nothing but a pathetic glass shard?”
Taragon’s magic shot toward Subject 21 like lightning.
Subject 21 barely managed to evade the spell.
But the second attack that followed came too fast to dodge.
Crash!
Subject 21 slammed against the wall and collapsed, staggering.
Was it truly impossible to face Taragon barehanded?
That was when it happened again.
“You bastard, Subject 21! Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Time had rewound once more.
In the depths of despair, a glimmer of hope kindled within Subject 21’s eyes, and a sinister gleam flickered across them.
I didn’t know how many times this moment would repeat in the same place.
But if I could learn all of his movements, perhaps I could kill him.
Time rewound again and again, countless times.
As if cheering for my victory.
After time had looped back an incalculable number of times, there came a moment.
Subject 21 finally managed to drive the glass shard into Taragon’s eye.
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Experiencing pain for the first time in his life, Taragon clutched his eye and writhed on the ground.
But Subject 21’s revenge was only just beginning.
He wrenched Taragon’s dagger free and plunged it into his heart.
“This is for Subject 7, my sister, who always gave up her bread for me.”
Squelch.
The sensation of the blade tearing through flesh was vivid and clear.
“This is the share of Subject 10, who took the blows meant for me.”
Thud.
Elysion recalled each brother who had shown him kindness, and every time the loop reset, he killed him.
Again and again and again.
And when he finally avenged even Subject 18’s death.
The magic of repeating time ceased.
Clang—!
Subject 21 discarded his dagger and staggered out of Taragon’s House without hesitation.
Clear air flooded into Subject 21’s lungs.
The azure sky and warm sunlight seemed to celebrate his freedom.
A place brimming with peace and joy.
To Subject 21, Elysion was not a fantasy realm he could only reach in the afterlife.
Merely by escaping Taragon’s grasp, this world had become Elysion itself to him.
How else could it be so peaceful and beautiful?

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————