Chapter 97

Opening her eyes, it was morning.

Actually, she woke up because her mouth and face felt very stuffy.

Something was placed on her face. Or rather, something was in her mouth.

“What is this...”

When she opened her mouth to check, it was a piece of cloth. A wide and long piece of cloth. She stared at its very familiar shape.

“...Ah, Penelope’s cloth.”

Now that she thought about it, it was the last thing she had in her mouth before disappearing. It had covered her face while she was regressing.

“Ugh.”

She got up.

Looking around, she was in the guest room of Risha’s mansion where she was staying.

Yesterday, she had fainted while attempting ‘Restoration.’ It would definitely be one of the five most foolish things she had done here.

[A new ‘Legend’ grade weaving has been successfully created.]

[The unique skill ‘Weaving’ has leveled up.]

[The ‘Restoration’ function has been unlocked.]

[Restoration: Returns the target to its state before damage. However, the original material or a substitute material is required. The amount of mana consumed varies depending on the size, grade, and degree of damage of the target.]

She saw this message when she emerged from the forest.

The ‘Restoration’ function, which had been locked in weaving.

From the description, it seemed similar to the ‘Restoration’ that Aten had once implemented.

However, ‘Restoration’ was limited to living beings, and the transformation of mana into matter was almost a miracle.

Even Aten had a chance of failure. At the time, since the mana I had consumed was returned to my blood and flesh, the success rate was relatively high even for a first attempt.

Conversely, true ‘Restoration’ could heal bodily damage using Aten’s own mana. No wonder he was an essential character in the protagonist’s party.

‘On the other hand, Restoration feels like a rewind with a time limit.’

Restoration returns the target to its state before damage. However, the original material is required.

For example, if a statue’s arm was broken, the arm had to still be there. If it was too weathered or worn out, or if the material had changed, it couldn’t be restored.

My attempt to restore the barrier was canceled halfway, but even if I had completed it, the barrier wouldn’t have been restored to its original state when it was first created.

It would have been worn out in some places, and there would have been cracks. If it had just turned into stone fragments, it might have been fine, but if it had turned to dust and been mana-ified, it couldn’t be restored.

“Still, I need to try Restoration.”

I turned my gaze to the window.

─The outside looked peaceful.

Well, with that kind of thing done in front of the barrier, monsters wouldn’t swarm again. There wouldn’t be any left to begin with. I was a bit worried, but restoring the barrier doesn’t seem too late.

...But.

“Selena.”

“Yes.”

I called out to Selena, who had been sitting quietly in front of me.

Selena was sitting in seiza. Or rather, I wasn’t sure if it was seiza or if she was kneeling. Her posture was perfect, but her body had been trembling since I woke up.

Clearly, she had never practiced seiza before.

“What are you doing?”

“...I, I’m resting.”

“You look like you’re in pain, trembling like that.”

“No, it’s a very, very comfortable posture.”

Hmm.

I got up and approached Selena, then firmly pressed her shoulders.

“...!”

“It’s fortunate that you find it comfortable. I have something to talk about now.”

“No, please, let go of my shoulders...”

“Nonsense. It’s important. If I hold your shoulders while talking, you’ll listen better.”

“I’ll listen well even without that...”

Selena’s face was twitching. She was forcing herself to maintain the seiza posture.

It was amusing, but I decided to stop.

“Alright. Stand up and listen. It’s uncomfortable to look down at you.”

“A, thank you, no, I understand.”

Selena wobbled as she stood up. Her legs seemed stiff, and she didn’t look very steady.

Selena is used to torture, yet she’s like this just from sitting on her knees. How long has she been sitting there?

“Why are you sitting in seiza, which doesn’t suit you?”

“...I heard that it helps to organize thoughts when you have a lot on your mind. It really does help. I’ve been like this for about five hours, and I can’t think of anything else.”

...No, you’re in pain, that’s why. It’s a posture for meditation.

Still, five hours. I looked at my smartwatch.

It was 11:00 AM. I had slept in, but she had been here since 6:00 AM.

“So, what do I have to talk about...?”

“It’s about your punishment.”

I spoke matter-of-factly, but I could see Selena’s expression stiffen.

Hmm. She seems to be appropriately afraid of me. Or maybe that’s an act too.

“You threatened me with a weapon. If things were normal, ‘Manjok’ would have kept quiet even if I killed you. Your ‘Ancient Language’ is just your imagination.”

“...”

Selena bowed her head.

“Manjok wants my ‘Ancient Language interpretation ability,’ not me. Did you really think your value was greater than that ability? Is your life worth so much to Manjok?”

“...No.”

Selena shook her head silently. I looked at her face.

...I can’t read Selena’s expression. She’s an assassin trained by Manjok. She’s probably a great actress.

Perhaps Empress Phil would be able to gauge Selena’s true feelings, but I have no talent or skill for reading others.

Over the past few days, I felt I had come to understand her personality a bit.

The expression and tone she used when putting on a show, the way she protected me, the tone after dropping the act, and the face she made while imagining torture and crying—all of it is etched in my mind.

However.

If she’s an assassin from Manjok, all of that could be an act.

After all, Manjok and I have a relationship where we try to use each other. Manjok probably believes I’m just using them and feeling smug, but no one is as afraid of Manjok as I am.

“Selena.”

That’s why I decided.

“Report about me to Manjok appropriately.”

I’m making Selena my ally.

“That’s your punishment.”

Selena won’t be able to refuse this.

I’ll make sure of it.