My Illusion Is Survival - Chapter 11

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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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Chapter 11

When I desperately reached out toward Azel, he hurriedly approached me.

Relieved by the appearance of an ally, tears immediately burst forth.

As I buried my face in his embrace and wept bitterly, I felt hesitant hands wrap around my back.

I was already too out of my mind to be surprised by the fact that he didn’t push me away.

“Where did you go! Why did you leave me alone!”

Of course, I knew.

Leaving me alone wasn’t Azel’s fault.

“That thing is here! It, …it followed me all the way here!”

But fear had consumed me.

The groaning sounds from behind made me even more terrified.

“Heuuk, heuu-uuk!”

When I pointed to where the ghost was with trembling hands, Azel’s gaze followed my fingertip.

“I don’t want to be here! Please take me away! I was wrong. Please, please don’t leave me alone!”

He frowned slightly, then eventually lifted me up without a word.

“Shh- calm down.”

Large hands held my body firmly as he headed somewhere. When I came to my senses belatedly, I saw we had arrived at Azel’s room.

Though it was a place I had never entered before, I couldn’t even think of looking around.

Right now, only this warmth that comforted me mattered.

“Don’t go!”

“It’s okay.”

Fortunately, Azel didn’t turn away from me in this state.

“I won’t leave you alone.”

At the gentle touch patting my back, drowsiness poured over me without my knowing.

I seemed to be exhausted.

Perhaps sensing my condition, a large palm covered my eyes. It was still hesitant but careful touch.

“Get some sleep.”

“…Don’t go. Don’t go anywhere and stay by my side.”

I’m scared. As I whispered with my eyes closed, I felt Azel sit down beside me.

A small voice, barely audible, answered.

“Alright. I promise.”

The flooding sense of relief led me to the world of unconsciousness.

I fell asleep just like that.

*

After she fell asleep.

A woman with short bobbed hair appeared beside Azel.

“There were no intruders.”

“I know.”

If someone had snuck into this manor, there was no way Azel wouldn’t have known.

An empty room.

A woman screaming while pointing at an empty space with nothing there.

‘What on earth did you see.’

So what had the woman seen?

The woman who had stood confidently even before a murderous monster had collapsed from mere false visions.

However, what Azel couldn’t understand most was himself.

“…Just leave it.”

“I will keep watch.”

“No need. I’ll do it.”

When his subordinate approached to separate the woman who was desperately gripping Azel’s hand, Azel refused.

He even refused the offer to keep watch instead.

There was no reason.

He simply wanted to do so.

“Simoer.”

“Yes, sir.”

“What were the results?”

“Still the same. We couldn’t find anything.”

The results of the background investigation he had ordered to discover the woman’s identity were the same. In the end, everything was back to square one.

Auditory and visual hallucinations.

‘These aren’t symptoms an ordinary person without any magical power would easily experience.’

However, the woman’s past remained shrouded in mystery.

‘What on earth are you…’

As Azel’s gaze toward her pale cheeks grew heavy, the pink-haired woman asked.

“What should we do about surveillance?”

“I’ll stay by her side, so you may withdraw.”

Though she was a subordinate assigned for surveillance, now that the woman was sleeping beside him, it wouldn’t be necessary.

Even after the two withdrew following their master’s command, Azel quietly kept watch by the woman’s side.

*

Quiet dawn.

[Hey, wake up. Just how long are you going to sleep?]

I dimly regained consciousness at the sound of someone waking me.

‘How long did I sleep?’

My head, dazed with drowsiness, slowly began to piece thoughts together.

‘Where’s Azel?’

Azel was leaning against the headboard, asleep.

“Ah…”

I wondered why he was sleeping in such a position, then realized I was holding his hand. It seemed he had fallen asleep in this uncomfortable position because he couldn’t bring himself to shake off my hand.

“It’s okay. I won’t leave you alone.”

‘He kept his promise, …didn’t he.’

Unexpected emotion moistened my dry heart.

He had really stayed by my side.

Just as my heart was growing warm, a lightning-like realization struck my head.

‘Wait. Then who on earth woke me up?’

Thanks to that, my drowsiness fled.

[Finally coming to your senses?]

My stiff head instinctively moved to follow the source of the voice. Sure enough, a familiar face was glaring at me.

[Sleep well? Your punches really pack a punch.]

The creature speaking as if giving a greeting had a very disgruntled expression. Of course, the expression wasn’t what mattered, so I began preparing to scream once again.

Noticing this, the ghost frantically opened its mouth.

[I’m not a ghost! I’m not a ghost! I’m not a ghost!]

The creature that frantically shouted it wasn’t a ghost hurriedly moved away from me.

He seemed to be wary of my fist that might suddenly fly at him.

As his already pale face turned even more deathly white, my face also went pale along with his.

“Gh-ghost…!”

[I told you I’m not a ghost! Don’t compare me to some mere specter!]

Then what the hell are you, you bastard.

I barely managed to hold back the harsh words that were about to burst out and waved my hand to wake up Azel.

However, he showed no signs of waking up from his sleep.

‘Didn’t he originally have insomnia?’

Weren’t all male protagonists with tragic backstories supposed to have insomnia?!

Far from having insomnia, his inability to come to his senses even when shaken openly was just frustrating.

Right then, the ghost’s voice was heard.

[He can’t wake up. I put him to sleep on purpose.]

It was enough to make my heart sink.

“Hiiik…!”

Tears blurred my vision, but this wasn’t the time to be crying stupidly.

‘I have to protect Azel!’

Since Azel had protected me, I had to protect him too.

I immediately started looking for something that could serve as a weapon, when that ghost bastard looked at me with eyes that said I was creepy.

‘Who’s really the creepy one here!’

Meanwhile, taking advantage of that gap, the bastard opened his mouth again.

[You, how can you see me?]

“That’s, sniff! That’s what I want to ask you?”

[So you don’t know either.]

When I answered while sniffling, the bastard fell into thought. That appearance was so much like a living person that it created an even more unsettling atmosphere.

‘Scary!’

Unable to overcome my fear in the end, I instinctively clung to Azel’s side.

And immediately made eye contact with the bastard.

But then…

[Huh!]

Upon discovering us clinging together, the bastard suddenly jumped up from his spot like someone who’d been electrocuted.

[Crazy!]

“…?”

Moreover, as if something was so surprising, he covered his mouth with both hands and made a fuss while stomping his feet.

Thanks to that, even my tears dried up.

The ghost’s eyes, busily moving back and forth between me and Azel, were even filled with some inexplicable excitement.

“…What are you doing?”

[Ah! This isn’t the time for this!]

As if he’d finally come to his senses, he belatedly acted like nothing had happened.

The bastard seemed somehow embarrassed by my bewildered gaze.

‘…Could he really not be a ghost?’

I suddenly began to think that what the bastard said might actually be true.

[Ahem! First, I should introduce myself.]

Regardless of whether I was contemplating or not, the bastard suddenly started introducing himself.

[My name is Gaspata! I’m that famous time spirit.]

“…What tapa?”

[Not tapa, Gaspata!]

A familiar name struck my ears.

“Gas… pata…?”

When I repeated it quietly, the bastard nodded his head proudly.

“Gaspata’s Stone, that Gaspata?”

[Yes, that’s right! That Gaspata!]

As I just blinked for a moment, the bastard chattered proudly as if my reaction was natural.

[It’s natural for you to be surprised since I’m not an existence that a mere mortal can dare to behold. It’s an honor that wouldn’t be enough even if you treasured it for a lifetime!]

Gaspata’s Stone.

Regression Stone.

Time spirit, Gaspata.

The confusion from the suddenly injected information was only brief.

Before I knew it, even my body’s trembling had stopped.

“…”

The bastard lifted his chin with an arrogant expression as if my reaction was natural.

[Phew, you’re surprised after all. Yes, I understand. It must be very shocking. But don’t just stand there and faint. Haha! Is it hard to bear? Well, meeting a superstar like me…]

The endless bragging continued on and on.

However, what the bastard was saying didn’t really concern me.

Right now I needed something big, solid, and perfect for gripping in my hand, and I was busy looking for that.

The bastard, no. Gaspata, who belatedly realized this fact, asked me.

[Hey, what are you looking for right now?]

What am I looking for?

[I’m asking what you’re looking for right now?]

“A club.”

[…Why?]

As if he’d finally noticed something was strange, anxiety mixed with his arrogant expression.

I left just one word.

“Why do you think?”

It’s obvious.

This bastard is the culprit behind all this chaos.

It seemed like tonight was going to be a long one.

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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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