Chapter 61: Ricardo''s Dream


    I had a dream.


    -Hey, I heard you messed up another blind date.


    -Not messed up, I got dumped.


    -Nonsense, with your face you could cross the Pacific.


    -If that were possible, would I still be here?


    The all-toomon neighborhood tavern.


    In the dream, I saw my past self vaguely, drinking away, with fish cake soup for snacks.


    Same face and same tall figure as now. My past self, who''d had long, jet-ck hair unlike the red hair I have now, was drinking at the bar with a friend from the orphanage.


    ‘That guy''s also been a while. Lee x-woo, that jerk who ran off with my money.''


    I thought I''d be pleased to see him after such a long time, but far from it, I wanted to punch him dead.


    ‘Bastard.''


    In the dream, I, with a ss in hand, struck up a conversation with my buddy. Chatting with a yful smile on my face, I caught thedies at the next table stealing nces and admiring me.


    My buddy pped me on the shoulder and said.


    -Look at yourself, you idiot.


    -Cut it out.


    I didn''t have a girlfriend in myst life.


    Maybe it was my peculiar taste.


    Or perhaps my standards were too high.


    Or maybe it was my not-so-great personality. But, I had lived the life of a perennial single past the age of 23.


    I, whose only hobby was reading novels, even thought of myself as a dull person.


    My buddy leaned in and whispered so that thedies at the next table couldn''t hear.


    -That''s why you need to stop staring at those strange novels and get a girl. Who tells a blind date that his dream is a harem?


    -I didn''t say it like that. She asked first what I would do if all the people here liked me. I jokingly said I would take them all in my arms.


    -That''s just the same, you fool. You should''ve singled out the one girl you liked the most.


    -A man should have a broad heart.


    -You''re full of it.


    I lightlyughed off my friend''s words.


    My past self loved novels.


    I liked seeing guys who grew up in unfortunate circumstances like me seed in other worlds.


    Working myself ragged in life, I enjoyed a long hobby of watching morous protagonists live marvelously in other worlds.


    Being adored by beautiful heroines.


    And envied the protagonist who was even loved by elves.


    Harem.


    It was a ludicrous story, but perhaps drawing such fantasies once in a while wasn''t so bad. Daydreaming is free, after all.


    Ridiculous…


    I flicked my buddy''s head as I said.


    -But it''s still a man''s dream, right?


    -Idiot


    Now, I softly spoke while looking at my past self.


    ‘Even one was too much to handle.''


    Far too much.


    *


    A loud noise came through.


    "Hyeeek… Air raid siren…!!!"


    The loud noises filled the mansion from early morning.


    The youngdy''s spirited kiai greeted the refreshing morning, her voice echoing powerfully from the second floor.


    Her booming voice had me rubbing my eyes and facing the vibrant morning.


    "Yaaaaaaaaawn… huh?"


    Stretching and clumsily getting to my feet, I suddenly became dizzy and stumbled.


    -Beeeeep─────


    ‘Damn…''


    [‘The Touch of Rehabilitation'' has been used on ‘an object tainted by ck magic,'' consuming ‘1%'' of your vitality.]


    As a splitting headache came on, along with tinnitus, I flopped back onto the bed.


    Last night. The aftermath of overexerting myself.


    The pain in my head gradually started to spread to my chest.


    Pain as if my heart was going to burst.


    "Haah… Haah…"


    I couldn''t breathe properly.


    It felt as if my whole body was being poked with needles, and a chilling pain like my heart was going to explode covered me.


    I grasped at my chest that felt like it was going to burst and took a deep breath.


    "Tssss…haah…"


    I knew there would be side effects to a power that consumed health, but the pain was much more intense than I had anticipated and I shut up.


    I bit down hard and focused so no sound would leak out.


    ‘Let''s pull myself together.''


    This was nothingpared to the pain of ck magic rotting away my hand.


    I regted my rapid breathing while lying prostrate on the bed, waiting for the pain to subside.


    Ten minutes or so might have passed, and the chilling pain running down my spine gradually subsided.


    I took a deep breath and tried moving my body.


    I rotated my shoulders.


    Letting out a burst of aura to check if there was something wrong with my body, but thankfully, there seemed to be no direct effect.


    I''m not sure if it was because I used such a small percentage as 1%, but it didn''t seem to have an impact on my power.


    But if there was one thing that was irksome,


    "Achoo…!"


    Was the feeling that my health had deteriorated somewhat. I touched my scratchy throat and thought to myself.


    "Sniffle…"


    It felt like I had caught a cold.


    The loss of vitality must have had an internal impact, not external.


    I looked at myself in the mirror and smiled at my handsome face today as well.


    "Good."


    I silently walked towards the youngdy''s room as her boisterous voice resounded.


    "Here I go!"


    *


    "Uuugh… Ricardo. The sun''s too bright."


    Today too, the youngdy was wrapped up in her nket, battling her soul against the formidable sun.


    Though she had woken up, it was clear she was regretting not remaining in dreand. Engaged in an intense battle with the sunlight streaming through the windows, the youngdy peeped her face out of the nkets at me.


    She pointed to the fluttering curtains and ordered,


    "That malicious sunlight. Get rid of it."


    It was a ridiculous request.


    I grabbed the end of the nket and yanked it fiercely.


    As the tightly wrapped nket pped open, the youngdy, curling into herself, frowned and shouted, ‘Aaaaaaghh! I’m dying… I''m dead!'' as though she had turned into a vampire struck down by the sun''s re.


    An Act Filled with Sincerity


    Although the youngdy typically had no talent for acting, she could be an actress of the finest caliber when it came to performing with sleep.


    She rubbed her eyes and looked towards me.


    Apparently, she seemed resentful of me for waking her from her deep slumber.


    "Ricardo has destroyed the chocte kingdom."


    "What''s the chocte kingdom?"


    "The dream I had today."


    With a pleasant smile, the youngdy went on to tell the story of the dream she had.


    She spread her hands wide and bragged about an immenselyrge chocte pce, boasting that she had eaten it all by herself.


    I watched the youngdy''s smiling face and voiced a small doubt.


    "But wasn''t it you who destroyed the chocte kingdom?"


    "No, it was Ricardo who destroyed it. I had intended to eat it bit by bit."


    This would have been a back-breaking revtion for the citizens of the chocte kingdom if they were listening.


    After finishing her story about the dream, the youngdy copsed onto the bed, wilting like an unwatered nt.


    It appeared the hangover fromst night''s drinking hadn''t worn off yet.


    Her hands trembling, she requested some honey water, and kindly I handed her a mug of warmed honey water.


    The youngdy gave me a thumbs-up.


    "Truly Ricardo, always so prepared."


    "I know. The most handsome and perfect butler in the world."


    "There seems to be rather a lot added on there."


    "Just drink your honey water."


    I blocked thedy''s realisticints with the honey water.


    "Hoo… Hoo…"


    sping the mug of honey water tightly, the youngdy was earnestly blowing on it to cool it down, as though frantically maintaining her survival.


    She had been scorched by the hangover, previously taken too lightly.


    Although the youngdy tightly embraced the mug like it was her lifeline, she was startled by the arrival of an uninvited guest.


    -Gommmmm…!


    With bright eyes, the youngdy gave a ferocious look to Gomtang.


    Gomtang wagged its tail manically, lured by the sweet scent of the honey water.


    It was a strange one, preferring honey over meat.


    Gomtang energetically wagged its tiny tail as if to dere its intentions.


    -Goom.


    ‘I am your lowly owner. Give it to me too,'' thought Gomtang, the humble pet craving its master''s honey water.


    However, the youngdy ignored Gomtang, concentrating on the honey water. Yet, as Gomtang made big, bouncing movements, she felt her life threatened and barked an order.


    "Scram!"


    -Goomoom!


    "I said scram! It''s mine!"


    -Gooong!


    "Eeek! I feel like I''m going to die if I don''t drink this… Urp…"


    "Please, don''t vomit here."


    "Urp… My stomach feels upset."


    The youngdy was tormented by the hangover.


    The bed rocked slightly from Gomtang''s grand gestures. As the bed bounced, thedy''s teacup began to rock, creating waves.


    Thud. A strong impact hit the bed.


    "Ah hot!"


    The youngdy had spilled honey water on her leg.


    I hurried towards the youngdy''s leg doused in honey water. Though it wasn''t scalding, I worried about whether her delicate leg could withstand it.


    I quickly stripped the nket off the youngdy''s leg.


    She looked dazedly at her own leg.


    "Huh?"


    To the motionless youngdy, I yelled.


    "Why are you just sitting there! Quickly…"


    Our gazes awkwardly met.


    The youngdy, watching her leg with malfunctioning eyes, and I, who had peeled back the nket, stopped all movement upon seeing her white leg exposed.


    My face turned red.


    And the youngdy blushed for a different reason.


    I murmured quietly.


    "Bear panties?"


    "Eeeek…! It''s not!"


    She was someone who usually wore in underwear.


    ***


    After the tumult.


    The youngdy, pointing at her leg, said.


    "It was hot."


    Responding to the youngdy''s now flusteredplexion, I clenched my fist and inquired.


    "It was hot?"


    "Yes."


    She nodded emphatically without taking her eyes off her gaunt leg.


    I asked her again.


    "Really…? It wasn''t just the feeling of pouring it on your hand?"


    I tried hiding my excited emotions, but I couldn''t conceal my trembling voice filled with a sliver of hope.


    The youngdy had not felt any sensation in her leg because the nerves were damaged; she had lost the feeling in her lower body and couldn''t sense either heat or tingling.


    I dropped the washcloth from my hand as I watched the youngdy''s animated eyes.


    "Is that true?"


    "Yeah… It felt suddenly hot."


    As if to demonstrate, the youngdy pinched her leg and cringed, eximing ‘Ouch,'' and her eyes sparkled brightly.


    A sensation she hadn''t felt for two whole years.


    Still seemingly awkward with it, she continued pinching her leg to feel the pain.


    In my eagerness, I didn''t stop peppering the youngdy with questions about whether her leg might move out of hope.


    "Is moving… Could it move!"


    The youngdy showed a tense face and started to exert some effort in her brow.


    "Just a moment, I''ll try."


    Concentrated youngdy.


    "Eeeek!!!"


    Apanied by a loud kiai as she exerted effort, I unknowingly clenched my fist, rooting for her.


    "…Ricardo."


    The youngdy then looked at me with a crestfallen expression.


    "I need to go to the bathroom."


    It seemed like moving was still not possible.


    "Is it a big one?"


    "It''s rude to ask ady such a question."


    "…Ady who wears bear panties."


    The youngdy shouted at Gomtang.


    "Bite!"


    -Goooom!


    "Eek! Not me, bite him!"


    Clearly, Gomtang was obedient to its master.


    Watching this, I clenched my fist tight.


    ‘Thank goodness.''


    It seemed I might be able to solve an unanswered question.