Obsession... What's That? I Just Wish Someone Would Help Me Escape - Chapter 104
At my blunt question, Johann turned his head away and sighed.
“I hate girls whose hair smells like unwashed dogs.”
“Excuse me, that was one day. Don’t act like I’m some kind of swamp creature.”
Just one day—one single day—and now I was branded a filthy human who stinks.
To test the purification ability, I grabbed Enrique’s hand without warning. His fingers twitched slightly in surprise.
After the contact, I could tell—the purification effect was weak, probably due to his high karma level.
I let out a sigh and looked at Enrique and Johann.
“The rampage suppression ability has a heavy cost. I can’t use it lightly. I do have purification powers, but they’re still pretty weak. So for now, it’d be better for you two to keep getting edification by Justina.”
Thinking about it… wasn’t their main goal to kill the Saintess who branded them with cursed secret society tattoos?
I was supposed to steal her power and replace her. But now the target had vanished.
In my current state, I wasn’t a worthy substitute for the Saintess.
If they refused edification just because they trusted my abilities too much and ended up fully rampaged and dead—that’d be my fault. Better to tell them the truth.
But I decided not to mention that Justina was actually a god.
In my experience, humans can’t beat gods.
It’s common sense not to drop these kinds of spoilers carelessly.
What if those idiots start spouting “We’ll kill the god!” and I get roped into it and end up doing 5 billion years of penal labor?
I’ll wait, watch how things go, then decide when to spill.
“And unless it’s an absolute emergency, don’t go holding hands with Justina or doing anything beyond basic edification. Even if I don’t know why… it pisses me off.”
“Alright, alright.”
For someone who’s always going “Why? Why?” at the end of every sentence, Johann agreed surprisingly easily.
Since he’d probably wanted to stop anyway, I didn’t overthink it.
I tried to pull my hand away from Enrique—but he gripped tighter, not letting go.
“So contact is the purification trigger?”
He looked strangely delighted.
* * *
The half-dead prisoners trudged off into the prison yard.
As I climbed down carefully, hoping not to snap my legs, Number 48 trotted over and looked up at me.
“49! The warp device was actually meant for two people, right? You used it to send me instead of yourself? You saved me, didn’t you?”
What is she on about? She was clearly misunderstanding something, but I just shook my head flatly.
“No. I missed it because I ran out of time.”
“So modest too. You’re such a good person, huh? What’s your name? I’m—”
I don’t care! I frowned and waved my hand to cut her off.
“It’s not like that, so just go away. What’s the point of exchanging names when we could drop dead any day now?”
“But still… wouldn’t it be nice to be remembered? To know someone kind like you existed?”
Number 48 smiled brightly at me.
Why is she so sunny and optimistic?
For someone like me—who lives in the shadows—that kind of sunlight is unbearable.
That kind of warmth doesn’t comfort. It strips you bare and shames you. It’s the kind of dangerous sun that peels a traveler’s coat off their back.
And the fact that I’d even briefly been comforted by a sunshine-type like her… irritated me.
“So, Number 49. Wanna be friends?”
I’ve seen it before—someone pretending to be pure, only to betray you later.
Maybe she was just trying to cozy up to a top-ranked prisoner.
“Nope. Don’t talk to me. You’re annoying.”
“If you say that, how do you think it makes the other person feel? You’re not making any lower-ranked friends because you’re scared of losing them, aren’t you? You’re the sensitive type, huh.”
Did she just treat me like some troubled child?
I immediately quickened my pace to get away.
As I scurried away, from behind me, I heard her call out:
“I’m Eliza! Tell me your name next time!”
Hey. This whole thing you’re doing? That’s a 38,000% certified death flag.
There’s a line from Anne of Green Gables.
Something about how the world is beautiful because it never goes the way you want.
But for us, when things don’t go the way we want, we die. And even when they do go our way—we still die.
Trying to erase that sunshine face from my memory, I kept walking—until Grandis caught up and grabbed my wrist.
“Before they drag me to solitary, I want to talk.”
“I don’t have any business with you anymore. If it’s about being bullied by Number 7’s group, that’s your karma. Just endure it.”
I looked at her with sharp, irritated eyes.
She probably chose solitary to escape the harassment from her cellmates and the broken deal with the guards.
But Grandis, face serious, shook her head.
“I’m someone who can at least admit defeat. So instead of our bet… I’ll tell you a secret about Marquis Farsene—one you didn’t know.”
