The Boss Wants to Die - Chapter 18

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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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The boss wants to die.
Episode 18
My affinity was plummeting with every breath I took.
At this rate, not seeing him at all would probably help the quest more than anything.
I laughed awkwardly.
Michael didn’t even smile back out of politeness.
“Ah, well. Yes. You might not want to tell me about it.”
“What are you scheming now?”
[Michael Iruber’s affinity has decreased by 1 point.]
‘Stop dropping, please!’
I forced the corners of my mouth upward.
“Just a whim. I’m tired of this with you.”
I turned away, mustering what dignity I could.
“Stay nearby until I signal you again.”
Then I rode the wind and vanished from the spot in an instant.
It was essentially a hasty retreat.
***
‘What kind of mess is this?’
Morning, as the sun rose.
I sat at my desk with both hands clasped, sunk deep in thought.
‘A quest? A quest from a boss monster??’
I rubbed my stiffened neck and pulled up the quest window.
Even checking again, it was absurd.
‘Fine, a quest appeared. I could overlook that and chalk it up to an advanced system making it possible.’
But the penalty?
Four months of it?
‘All my plans fail for four months?’
Four months was nearly half a year.
Half a year of living without dying, dragged along by Act like a dog on a leash.
‘Absolutely not.’
Which meant I had to meet the condition, but Michael’s affinity was careening toward negative one hundred.
“Ugh…….”
I collapsed like melted marshmallow and tore at my hair.
‘How am I supposed to raise Michael’s affinity? I’ve already done so many awful things.’
Just thinking back on it, there were so many moments from my past I wanted to choke myself over.
Mocking him, tormenting him, trampling him underfoot…….
I’d committed every possible cruelty, and if I suddenly became nice, how repulsed would he be?
It would only deepen Michael’s suspicion.
‘It’d be more realistic to just die within a month.’
Twenty-nine days remained until the quest ended.
If Michael killed me before then, I wouldn’t need to fulfill this ridiculous quest at all.
‘But if I fail?’
A hollow laugh escaped me.
‘Then I’d be spending four cozy months with Act…….’
I hate that.
I’d rather die!
The safe option was to raise Michael’s affinity while pushing forward with my plan simultaneously.
“Like that’s even possible…….”
“What is?”
“Ah!”
I screamed and shot up from my chair.
Act was leaning against the doorframe, watching me.
I grabbed my chest, which was about to burst, and flared up at him.
“Who told you to open the door?”
“I knocked, but you didn’t answer. I thought the room was empty. Sorry.”
Act straightened himself as he replied.
“What were you worried about that you couldn’t hear the knocking? Your hearing is usually so sharp.”
“How would a creature like you understand the troubles of a god?”
I grumbled and rubbed my face roughly.
Act shrugged.
“I have some business in the Village. Want to come along?”
“Just go on your own. It’s hunting anyway—watching is boring.”
“Got it.”
Act nodded and turned to leave.
“Wait.”
I closed the door and called him back, brushing a leaf from his collar.
“You’re so careless.”
At my remark, Act stared down at me intently.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Oh. I didn’t know you’d remove it for me…….”
“It’d be itching if I left it. The neck’s sensitive—even a small leaf can leave a mark if it scratches the wrong way.”
I gestured at my own neck as I spoke matter-of-factly.
“Especially the neck—it’s a delicate area. A leaf might seem trivial, but it can draw blood if it catches you the wrong way.”
I brushed once over his priest’s robes, which had taken on a rather presentable appearance.
“There don’t seem to be any others. That must have been the only one. Go on.”
……
“I said go.”
“Right.”
Act, who had been staring at me blankly, broke into a wide grin.
It was a rare, unguarded smile—the kind that lit up everything around it.
‘Is it the white hair? It’s almost dazzling.’
I narrowed my eyes and patted his back twice.
Only then did Act slowly turn his massive frame.
“I’ll be back soon.”
“Don’t rush back. Focus on leveling up instead.”
“Okay! Got it!”
Act was plainly delighted.
‘I could swear I saw a tail just now.’
Act bounded off like an overjoyed puppy—though with a frame that massive, perhaps I should say dog.
Larger than most great hounds, really. A wolf would be more fitting…….
I abandoned the pointless speculation and checked above his head.
There was nothing—it was clear.
‘The Affinity only shows for active Quest targets, then.’
Thinking of the Quest brought a heavy sigh.
I returned to my room and slumped over the desk, face buried in my mangled hair, brooding over the situation.
‘This won’t work. If I keep going like this, I might actually fail.’
Slap. Slap.
I struck my cheeks and gathered my thoughts.
‘Let me organize what needs to be done.’
The circumstances will keep shifting regardless.
The more tangled things get, the better to unravel them one thread at a time.
I gathered some scattered paper and a pen, then sat down.
“Let me plan this out. How can I make Michael kill me?”
The overwhelming nature of it drew a sigh.
“I need Act to pin me down with the Leash, but the conditions are trickier than I thought.”
A Boss Monster’s Duty is to kill the Player.
Even if I wanted to stand still and take the blade, that Duty forces my body to move of its own accord.
That had been my critical mistake until now.
But if I were restrained by the Leash, everything would change.
Act claims he has no intention of killing me—but Michael is different.
He would strike down a powerless Evil God without hesitation.
That was the crux of this plan.
“If Act realizes what I’m doing and releases the Leash’s restraint, it’s all over. They can’t meet…….”
What mistake would I need to make for Act to pin me down with the Leash?
“I’d need to provoke him. That would make things easier. But thinking about it, I’ve never actually seen him angry.”
In truth, making someone angry was simple.
Rude behavior or casual mockery—humans grew furious easily enough.
Yet Act’s composure had never cracked, no matter how obnoxiously I behaved.
‘The most he’s done is dislike it when I said I wanted to die.’
Worrying without information was a waste of time.
In the end, I used the Heart to summon Michael.
At the same time, I observed him, searching for ways to raise his Affinity.
“You want to make Act angry?”
Michael’s expression flickered with confusion, but after a moment, understanding dawned on him.
“You’re trying to buy yourself time.”
“Exactly. I need to be helpless so you can kill me. Any ideas?”
…….
Michael’s face suddenly went rigid, and he fell silent.
I was used to his emotional fluctuations by now, so I pressed on.
“No time to play coy. We need a plan before Act gets back.”
“That’s…….”
Michael hesitated, groping for words, before finally spilling it out.
“There is one method I can think of.”
“What is it?”
“Act finds out we’re together.”
I furrowed my brow.
“That doesn’t help the plan at all.”
“This method is certain. Act will subdue you.”
I pointed out the flaw in his reasoning.
“How can you be so sure he’ll subdue me? We could just look like we’re chatting.”
As long as I wasn’t loudly insisting to Michael that he kill me, it would simply appear we were having a conversation.
Then Act would have no reason to be angry.
Michael couldn’t find words and fell silent, then glanced at me sideways.
[Michael Iruber’s Affinity has increased by 1 point.]
‘What?’
His Affinity—which had seemed forever impossible to raise—suddenly climbed by a single point.
Michael turned his head away as though he couldn’t bear to look at me anymore.
His blue eyes, heavy with sorrow, cast downward.
I couldn’t fathom what went on in that small head of his.
“Just trust me. Act will absolutely hate us being together.”
“Even if he hates it, he might not subdue me.”
I tapped my chin thoughtfully.
“It’s a dangerous situation, after all. You could kill me. Would Act make me helpless in that scenario?”
He might even remove the constraints instead.
To push me toward having Michael kill me.
But Michael shook his head.
“Players don’t die. They return to the Holy Sanctuary. You’ll keep trying to meet me after I’m resurrected whenever the chance arises.”
Michael had business with Act.
Given time, we would meet again eventually.
And then I would…….
‘Ask to be killed again.’
“Act will believe it’s only a matter of time before you die.”
Whether it took a year or two, it was only a matter of time.
I would never abandon my pursuit of death, no matter how many years passed.
If he subdues me and confines me, I’ll become powerless, and Michael will come to kill me.
If he doesn’t subdue me, I’ll seize every opportunity and beg Michael to end me.
No matter which choice he makes, I die.
“Act’s only options left are…….”
“Release you and lose you without knowing when or how you’ll die, or subdue you and lose you right before his eyes. That’s all.”
…….
“And he’ll choose to lose you right before his eyes.”
“Why?”
“Because he won’t leave you alone.”
Not even in your final moment.

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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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