There’s Something Special About Her - Chapter 16

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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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Episode 16.
“Mana Berserk Drug?”
Deacon tilted his head as if hearing the term for the first time.
But there was no way to know if that reaction was genuine.
Feigning ignorance to extract information from the other party was conversation technique 101.
Deacon Gold called himself my benefactor and treated me with unusual warmth, but I mustn’t forget.
This man before me was one of the seven executives of Nox.
“I don’t know much about it either. It’s just…a drug that Back Alley thugs take before fighting rival gangs, as far as I know.”
“But didn’t you just mention ‘Addiction Symptoms’? If so, that means you’ve been exposed to it enough to recognize an addict.”
There it was.
The moment a gap appeared, he seized it.
I lowered my head and squeezed my innocent sleeve, playing the part of someone in distress.
Deacon took this as fear and softened his tone again.
“It’s all right, Rookie. You can be honest with me.”
“I—I wasn’t lying, exactly…”
I hesitated for a moment, gauging the timing, before I spoke.
“Before I came to Nox. When I had no money, I used to walk through the Back Alley at dawn sometimes. And I’d find people who’d lost consciousness or were dead…and if you searched their belongings carefully, sometimes there was money…”
“My, that must have been difficult.”
In any case, I sometimes saw corpses like that merchant Green, lying dead with purple foam at their lips, and later I learned: if you consume the Berserk Drug too much, too often, you eventually suffer seizures in that state and die.”
“Hmm.”
Deacon stroked his chin, lost in thought.
His expression had shifted from languid to keenly focused.
I sipped the cooled tea slowly, giving Deacon time.
He had much to think about.
Because I’d used the words “much” and “often.”
The severe Addiction Symptoms like those displayed by the merchant Green don’t develop from taking the Berserk Drug once or twice.
Someone had been providing the drug to him that frequently.
Hoping that Green would succeed in assassinating Killian.
So right now, Deacon’s mind was surely running through a list of organizations capable of pulling off such a scheme.
‘I’ve let slip suspicion that there was a patron organization, but who knows.’
Perhaps someone harbored such deep hatred for Killian that they’d procured illegal Back Alley drugs and chewed through them until addiction consumed them.
I myself had once contemplated how best to wound him to cause maximum pain.
Then, breaking the silence, Deacon asked me a question.
“Where is Rookie’s hometown?”
“…Robenhaven.”
“A territory on the border between the Empire and the Crolin Kingdom.”
How did he know the name of that unremarkable rural corner?
While I processed my surprise, Deacon suddenly rose to his feet.
Then he swayed as if he might collapse at any moment.
“Oof.”
“Are you all right, Deacon?”
“Ah, it’s nothing. Stood up too quickly and the dizziness hit. It’s common during Mana Blocking Treatment. But I’m sorry—I’ve just realized I need to go somewhere urgently.”
“Of course you’re busy! I’m fine, so please don’t worry about me!”
I waved both hands and stood to follow him, when Deacon’s eyes narrowed.
“You didn’t eat the cookie properly. You’re welcome to stay longer and relax. The tea must be cold, so I can have my aide brew you a fresh cup—”
“No! I’m all right!”
Deacon had been here before, so I’d held back, but I had no idea what his aide might do if the two of us were alone and I asked for more tea.
“Are you truly sure?”
“Yes! It wouldn’t be proper for an outsider to be alone in the office without its master.”
I followed Deacon out of the office as he donned his coat.
“I did give you a cookie, after all.”
Through the closing door, I glimpsed a window facing the Western Forest.
“So I’ve accomplished what I came for.”
***
Mother’s embrace was warm.
Every night after bathing in hot water, Mother would tell me old stories until I fell asleep.
It was precious time when I had Mother entirely to myself—time that became scarce after my brother Lucas was born.
“Helena, the moon is so bright tonight, isn’t it?”
“Mmm, yes.”
I answered through a long yawn, and a tender kiss landed on my forehead.
“My precious little one.”
“That’s a lie. You only love Lucas.”
“Mm? Our Helena is feeling left out?”
“…I don’t know.”
I pouted and nestled into her warmth, and Mother laughed and held me close.
“Now, what sort of story would make our Helena smile again?”
“The story about the Moon and the Stars and the Raven.”
“Again?”
I heard the laughter in Mother’s voice as if to say ‘how many times has it been now’, and a smile bloomed on my own lips.
My hurt feelings had already melted away, yet still I urged her on.
“Please, hurry.”
“All right, I will.”
Mother began the story, patting my back slowly.
Once upon a time, long, long ago.
Back when the world was filled with nothing but darkness.
In the sky, there was only the Moon.
The Moon shone alone in the night sky, lighting up the world.
But the Moon knew.
There were places her bright light could not reach.
Behind the mountains, within the forests, beneath deep ravines—there were shadows that resisted the Moon’s glow.
So the Moon created Stars.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.
At last, seven Stars began to shine beside the Moon.
The Stars worked hard, shining light into the places the Moon could not reach.
Stars behind the mountains, above the forests, looking down into the ravines.
Now the night was dark no longer.
But here’s the thing, Helena.
There were things that remained unseen even when light touched them.
There was wicked Darkness, Shadow, that had learned to hide within the light itself.
They lurked beneath the Moon’s glow and the Stars’ light and schemed their evil deeds in secret.
No matter how brightly the Stars shone, it made no difference.
The Moon grew worried.
How could she find what even light could not illuminate?
Then, from somewhere, a single Raven flew down and perched near the Moon.
A Raven blacker than the night itself, with eyes of crimson red.
The Moon asked.
“Who are you?”
The Raven answered.
“I am a Raven, Moon. I was born in Shadow. So I know what they hide.”
“Is that truly so?”
The Raven nodded.
“But I need your help, Moon. My eyes can see through darkness, but when it is too deep, I lose my way. Lend me a little of your light. And the light of the Stars as well. Then I can fly anywhere and find all the Shadows hiding in the dark.”
The Moon smiled brightly and shared her luminous glow with the Raven.
The seven Stars each gave a handful of their own light as well.
At last, the Raven could soar, cradling the Moon’s light and the Stars’ light beneath her wings.
From that night on, the Raven flew through the darkness.
Whenever she found Shadow hiding within the light, she would rush back and tell the Moon.
The Raven’s feathers were so black that no one noticed her flying.
But the Raven saw everything.
Then came a night when the Moon fell into deep sleep and her light did not shine.
A vast and terrible Darkness tried to swallow the Moon whole.
Neither the Moon nor the Stars sensed this Darkness approaching.
For it was Darkness that had learned to hide within light, like Shadow itself.
But the Raven saw.
The Raven flew toward the Moon with all her might.
And she cried out with all her voice.
“Moon, beware! Wicked Darkness approaches!”
At that cry, the Moon awoke, and the Stars gathered all their light at once.
The Darkness could not bear that radiance and scattered away.
From that day forward, the Moon never spent a night without the Raven.
The Raven was always near the Moon, seeing what no one else could see, hearing what no one else could hear, and the first to fly out and warn whenever danger drew near.
So Helena, even if you happen to see a Raven flying through the night sky, do not be afraid.
That Raven is working hard to protect the Moon while we sleep.
“Mother, you know something?”
After the story ended, I spoke to Mother.
“The reason I like this story is that the Moon won’t be lonely anymore. That’s why I like it. And honestly…”
I cupped my small hands and whispered to Mother’s ear.
“When I grow up, I’m going to be a Raven. The closest Raven to the Moon.”
But something was wrong with Mother.
I’d expected her to praise me, saying ‘Our Helena will be a wonderful Raven!’ But instead—
Mother’s hands gripped my shoulders with an intensity I’d never felt before.
“Ow, Mother. That hurts…”
“Helena, no. That’s not what you must remember!”
“Mother?”
“Listen to me, my darling.”
Mother’s wide eyes were shot through with red veins.
“The Raven is always watching over you.”

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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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