Chapter 4: Picked Up (2)

Chomp chomp!

Watching Ira voraciously devour her food, Evan’s mind was a tangled mess.

Her appearance, her speech, her traits.

No matter how he looked at it, she was a Sin.

The Sin of Wrath, Ira.

Did he really pick her up?

“Mmm! This tastes weird.”

“It’s strawberry flavor.”

“Strawberry? What’s that? It’s yummy anyway!”

A setting where, like a carnivore, she only ate meat every day and didn’t know the taste or smell of vegetables or herbs.

Her actions and demeanor perfectly reflected that.

“I’m done. It was super tasty.”

…Would you like more?

“Yeah? Yeah! I mean, yes!”

Feed her for now.

At the very least, if her stomach was full, she wouldn’t kill and eat someone, right?

Evan subtly handed her a potion through the golem.

“Here, have this.”

“Okay! Yes! Thank you!”

Ira grabbed the potion with both hands and chugged it down.

The potion’s effect: digestion.

There was no harm in eating a lot.

It was a potion made without side effects, specifically for Evan.

But she’s way too young.

Evan fell into thought.

His troubled feelings stemmed from Ira’s appearance.

She was too young.

Barely 10 years old, at most.

She was definitely an adult five years from now.

The main story begins five years from now.

Ira appears as a villain from the start.

She was a powerful presence until around Act 5.

Naturally, she was an adult.

Did she eat something wrong? Or is it a disguise?

A ‘disguise’ was a technique used by the Sin of Pride, not Wrath, though.

Was there any other information about Ira?

Evan calmly sifted through his memories.

[The Sin of Wrath, Ira.

On the day she was born, the sky turned red, a blood moon rose, corpses stirred, and long spider webs stretched between trees.

That day, her parents abandoned her, and the village chief named her ‘Ira.’

Since then, Ira has wandered the continent, waiting for the time to come.

On that day, the Sin of Wrath will complete her growth and awaken to her true power and purpose.]

Is it because the time hasn’t come yet?

That was his immediate guess.

[She will awaken to her true power and purpose.]

It was likely deeply tied to this part.

After all, the main allies only became active in the main story after overcoming their flaws.

So…

If she doesn’t awaken, does that mean she won’t become a Sin?

…Could she possibly be reformed?

“Gulp… Urp, that was good. I’m full. But I’ll probably get hungry again soon.”

Ira, sitting on the floor, rubbed her belly.

Her skinny arms and hands as she rubbed her stomach.

Seeing that, Evan spoke without thinking.

“Dolph, is there any lunch left?”

“Yes? Yes! There’s still some lunch you haven’t eaten.”

“Give it to her.”

“B-But…”

“Now.”

Evan said firmly.

Gotta keep her well-fed for now.

The Sin of Wrath was especially ‘beastly.’

Beasts don’t hunt when they’re full.

Though, the Sin of Wrath just got hungry often.

…Or when she was bored or irritated, who knows.

“Alright…”

Dolph, glancing nervously at Ira, brought the food.

A plate full of green.

Thankfully, Ira didn’t frown.

She just stared at the plate with curious eyes.

“What’s this? Yo?”

“Herbs and vegetables good for your body. Perfect for breakfast and lunch.”

“Looks like it tastes bad…”

“You don’t eat it for the taste.”

All health food.

A special diet for Evan’s frail body.

All designed by Evan himself.

Sometimes he’d eat things like bell pepper sandwiches.

Honestly, even Evan didn’t want to eat them.

Naturally, he preferred greasy foods.

Hamburgers, katsu, gukbap, fried foods, stir-fried pork, and so on.

The soul food of a Korean man, right?

But.

If I ate that, I might get a stomachache. Gotta hold back.

Those foods didn’t even exist in this world anyway.

Oh, I have one portion left.

An herb left over from an experiment.

Evan picked it up and chewed it raw.

Ugh, so bitter.

His face contorted.

He wanted to brew or process it, but that would reduce its effectiveness, so he endured.

Health came first, after all.

“Ugh!”

Bitter!

Ira’s face twisted similarly.

A childlike reaction.

With one eye tearing up, she glared at Evan, but it was more funny than scary.

“Ugh, bitter, so bitter…”

She’s human after all.

“It’s best to endure and eat it. It’s good for you. You can’t get this just anywhere.”

“Can’t get it anywhere? Ugh… Then it’s precious… Important, so I’ll eat it… Yo…!”

Ira grabbed the herbs with both hands and started chewing.

Her face scrunched up with every bite.

Crunch, crunch.

…No matter how I look at it, she’s just a person.

This was Evan’s first time seeing Ira in person.

All he’d seen before was through a monitor.

So his knowledge about Ira was extremely limited.

Her vibe, her personality.

The surrounding characters always said the same thing about her.

– She doesn’t seem human.

But the Ira now?

Just a slightly peculiar kid.

He only recognized her because of her distinctive appearance, hair color, and instinctive realization.

Without that knowledge?

He’d have just thought of her as Orphan #1, without any sense of foreboding.

Is now my only chance to reform her?

Could she really be reformed?

Evan believed in the concept of inherent evil.

His experience as an ordinary man, bullied since childhood, had proven it.

The term ‘pure evil’ existed for a reason, didn’t it?

But if she became an acquired evil…

Maybe it was worth a try?

Or should he just deal with her now…?

Through the golem, of course.

Gulp!

“Ugh.”

While he was thinking.

Ira, having diligently chewed the herbs, stood up. She bowed slightly.

“Thanks anyway. Right?”

“‘Right’ is correct.”

“Oh, sorry. I mean, I’m sorry. I haven’t learned much.”

Ira grinned sheepishly.

Seeing that, Evan felt his resolve weaken.

The trait of an ordinary man.

A soft heart.

Tch, damn it. She’s making me soft.

Ugh, damn it!

Why did God make Han-ol Lee an ordinary man?

A sigh welled up inside him.

The Sin wasn’t a monster but a person?

He’d never considered such a dilemma.

Evil was evil, and good was good.

Was the standard for distinguishing them even correct?

He’d never pondered that.

And now, of all times, he had to face this question!

Alright. I’ve decided.

The trait of an ordinary man.

Indecisiveness.

When asked about lunch options, he’d just say, “Anything’s fine.”

But since arriving in this world, he’d improved a bit.

Now was the time to prove it!

I’m not even aiming for reformation.

He was thinking too big.

Reformation? No need for that.

Instead.

Just don’t kill me!

He wasn’t planning to cling pathetically.

Just build enough rapport so that, when the time came to kill him, she’d feel a twinge of guilt.

That was enough.

It’d increase his survival odds more than dealing with her now.

…And if things go well, she might even deliver letters to the allies.

To think he’d get tangled up with a Sin.

A sigh escaped him.

Creak—

Evan moved the golem dog.

Ira instinctively lunged and clung to it.

“Woof!”

“Do you have anywhere to go?”

“Huh? No. I mean, nope? I don’t. I was hungry, so I followed this weird-looking golem. Yo.”

“Isn’t it cute?”

“…Huh? Cute…? Yeah… Yes! It’s kinda cute. It’s got six legs to chew on.”

“…Right.”

Why doesn’t anyone understand my taste?

A pity.

Evan adjusted his expression with practiced ease.

“Then would you like to stay in this mansion for a while?”

“! Young Master…!”

Dolph, behind Ira, shook his head vigorously.

Evan ignored him.

“For real?”

“Yes. I’ll provide a bed, a room, and clothes. In return, you’ll have to eat a lot of vegetables like today.”

At the mention of eating lots of vegetables, Ira hesitated.

But the temptation of a bed, clothes, and a room was too strong.

“I’m sick of meat. I don’t like it anymore. It hurts my body every time I hunt. Yo. So I’ll stay here.”

“Good.”

Success!

Evan let out a sigh of relief inwardly.

Might as well try making her vegan while I’m at it.

Today was unavoidable, but starting tomorrow, he’d prepare tastier vegetables.

No more bitter herbs.

“Young Master!”

That’s when Dolph shouted loudly from the side.

Evan turned to him with a stiff (cramped) expression.

“…What is it?”

Was he going to object?

That’d be a bit troublesome—

“I, Dolph, failed to understand your grand intentions!”

Thump thump!

He pounded his chest with his fist.

Hot tears streamed down his cheeks.

“As expected of you, Young Master…! I, your humble servant Dolph, will follow your grand vision…!”

“Thank you.”

That’s more like it, Dolph!

Evan decided to accept it moderately.

For now, he’d wait for replies from the paladin or the Saintess.

Evan glanced out the window.

The sun was setting.

The sky was painted with the hues of dusk.

“What’s your hobby?”

“Hobby? I like weaving threads.”

“Thread weaving? That’s a fine hobby. I like it too.”

“Then wanna play with me? Yo?”

“Sure. Let’s stick to one way of speaking, though.”

Evan decided to play thread weaving with Ira.

“Oh, what’s your name?”

“Me? Um…”

“If you don’t have one, can I give you one?”

Ira quickly nodded.

Thanks to remembering her setting of disliking her own name from the main story.

A name, a name…

“How about ‘Lapis’? It’s the name of a beautiful gemstone.”

“Gemstone…”

Muttering the word ‘gemstone,’ Ira—no, Lapis—smiled brightly.

“Yes! I like it! Yo!”

“Glad you do. Shall we weave threads for now? Would you mind teaching me a bit…”

Pssht!

His skin touched the thread.

It split slightly, and blood spurted out.

“…Oh.”

“Young Masterrrrr!”

A scream echoed through the room.

***

That night.

– Did you carry out the order?

“Yes, Sir Arthur.”

A shadow blended into a forest where even moonlight couldn’t penetrate, bowing its head.

Arthur’s face appeared in a crystal orb before it.

The Knight of the Full Moon, Arthur’s shadow.

Shadow.

Shadow reported to Arthur.

“As ordered, I properly delivered the ‘gift’ to Young Master Evan Alkart.”

– Good work. I wonder if he liked the gift.

“He’ll surely be pleased.”

A gift from none other than Arthur, the Knight of the Full Moon.

Of course, he’d like it.

Though they didn’t reveal who sent it.

The gift was the repentance of a brother he didn’t get along with.

For someone who’d been picking fights just yesterday to repent, there could be no greater gift.

– It’d be a shame if the gifts stopped at one. Keep intervening when needed.

“Understood.”

– Be careful not to disappoint him.

Why is he so cautious?

Almost as if he revered Evan more than the moon.

Shadow cut off the thought.

Such thoughts weren’t permitted for a mere shadow.

– Any other information?

“I’ll report.”

Shadow pulled out a parchment and spread it open with a snap.

“Alkart, age 16. Second son of the Alkart ducal family. Notable traits: poor health and the loss of his mother in childhood.”

– Lost his mother, huh.

“That’s all I’ve gathered for now.”

– And when did he start learning alchemy?

“It’s estimated to be about a year ago.”

– Fixing my Aura Hole with just a year of alchemy…

Arthur let out a low chuckle.

– Ridiculous talent.

No, was it even right to call it talent?

Geniuses make time and experience irrelevant.

But this went beyond that, didn’t it?

He might even succeed at human transmutation, as the rumors suggest.

The Aura Hole potion Evan sent.

It didn’t fully fix it, but it repaired part of the Aura Hole.

Like mending the base of a broken vessel.

It could hold a small amount of aura now.

Perhaps—

He might even cure the divine illness afflicting my sister.

Arthur’s eyes darkened.

It’s too easily deduced. Did he reveal it on purpose?

Evan was currently hiding his power and identity.

You could tell by how he did nothing to that insignificant Theodor.

Why was he hiding his strength?

And why reveal it to Arthur?

Is he showing it off deliberately?

He recalled what the Saintess of the Sun, who’d been scheming while drinking, had said.

– He might have guided me to see that letter.

– That man is capable of that?

– I’m not sure yet, but probably.

Words from the Saintess, who was always plotting something sinister.

He didn’t fully believe her, but he couldn’t dismiss it either.

Perhaps Evan was the real mastermind toying with them from above.

I’ll have to keep watching for now.

And show some sincerity in the meantime—

– Serve him until I visit.

“Yes.”

Why was Arthur, the paladin obsessed with strength and blood, so attentive to Evan?

He’s clearly no ordinary person.

He needed to be observed.

“I’ll follow your orders.”

And so, the misunderstanding grew ever larger.

***

Three days later.

While weaving threads with Lapis using a golem, Evan heard a strange rumor.

…I made what?

“There’s a rumor spreading that you made a chimera… and that it’s Lapis…”

I made what?