Chapter 49

Thanks to everything I’d gone through so far, I’d realized I didn’t need to follow the signs every single day—once a week, or maybe one per day at most, was more than enough.

So I ignored the sign and stared at Siris instead.

‘One left.’

Only one card remained.

The spinning card slowed… and stopped.

The final image was revealed.

“…”

“…”

The name and illustration on the card required no explanation.

‘How can a future be this devastating?’

And to make it worse, the card was reversed.

The ground in the picture was littered with corpses. Blood dripped from the skeletal knight astride a horse.

The knight’s horse had no head.

Hehehehe!

Ehehehehehehehehehehe!

From the card came the cry of a headless horse and bizarre laughter.

It was… creepy, to say the least.

Like something straight out of a horror game.

“The Death card… Normally, despite its name, the Death card doesn’t always carry a negative meaning—”

Drip!

Before he could finish, a droplet of blood fell from the card and soaked into the floor.

Ehehehehek! Hekhek!

Hekhekhekhekhekhekhek!

This seemed… overwhelmingly negative.

“Rarely do we get a reading this direct.”

For the first time, Siris couldn’t continue speaking. He slowly lifted his head and looked at me.

“Candidate, death will come to you within a week.”

“…”

I blinked.

“You must avoid it—no matter what. But don’t worry. The Order has prepared special support for precisely these kinds of situations.”

Siris looked more serious than ever. I had to resist the urge to scratch my cheek.

‘But like… haven’t I already dodged death plenty of times since I got here…?’

I swallowed the words back.

“Normally, each person receives only one ability to prepare for the future. But oddly enough… Candidate, you’ve been granted one more, in addition to your luck.”

“Gasp, really?”

“Yes. It’s rare, but not unheard of.”

Siris nodded, his expression turning grave as he explained the temporary “second ability” I’d been given.

“The second ability you’ve been granted to avoid death is…”

And just like that, my face scrunched up like I’d just bitten into something sour.

Excuse me? What did you just say?

What did you say, Mister Fortune-Teller?!

* * *

“Nemesia.”

The long hallway echoed with barely a sound from the two sets of feet walking down it.

I sat in a cozy embrace, wearing a pouty expression.

“What’s with the face?”

We were heading back after the divination session.

Daddy looked worried. The fact that his expression had changed from brooding to anything else was a good sign.

However…

There was just no way I could tell him I’d been given a ridiculous ability and had no idea what to do with it. That would just sound absurd.

I simply stuck out my lower lip.

‘No, let’s think positively. The first ability was already a jackpot, right? 150% Luck is amazing.’

That’s high enough to survive even monstrous enemies or supernatural events.

‘But if I can still die even with odds like that, then what the hell kind of horror am I about to face?’

“It’s nothing… just, the ability I got back there kinda sucks.”

The moment I admitted it—

A faint light surrounded us. It was Daddy’s divine power.

‘A soundproof barrier right away? Now that’s what I call thoughtful.’

“What kind of ability is it? Ah… if you’d rather not say, you don’t have to.”

Daddy’s gentle tone made me shake my head.

“No, it’s okay. Daddy should know too. The ability I got is…”

I slowly recalled what had just happened.

“The second ability… is ‘the power to not fall asleep.”

The moment I heard that, my face crumpled and my mouth fell slightly open.

Excuse me? Sir, people call that insomnia…

Why would I receive, as some kind of mystical fortune-telling reward, an illness people usually try to cure?

“…Pawdon?”

“‘The power to not fall asleep.’”

“Pawdon???”

“…Would you like me to explain further?”

Explain? Yes! Please explain a lot!

‘You want me to avoid death with this pathetic ability?’

I felt like even pretending to be shy and cautious was pointless now.

Siris must’ve noticed my expression. He nodded sympathetically.

“Hm. Yes, it is rather strange… Symbolically, death represents eternal slumber. So… the power to not sleep, in a metaphorical sense, would be ideal for avoiding death, but…”

He trailed off, his expression like a salesman who’d just failed to close a deal.

‘Aren’t dreams all about interpretation?’

But Siris himself didn’t know how the ability would actually work. And he couldn’t change it either.

There was no clear answer.

In the end, thinking of the other candidates waiting their turn, I left the room.

But even now, I couldn’t get over how absurd it was.

“Sleep, huh… I mean, it does seem like a trivial ability.”

Trivial? That’s being generous.

What kind of dumb ability… ah.

‘Wait a sec.’

A memory flashed through my mind. Or maybe it was a bit of info.

‘No way… could it be that?’

* * *

A short while later, I was back in my room.

‘Thank God Usher and that damn Pope candidate were after me in the lineup.’

The thought of avoiding that guy for a while already gave me a headache. He was definitely planning to grill me about what happened at the test site.

‘But first, I need to finish talking with Daddy.’

Honestly, we hadn’t had a moment to catch up since I passed out after the raid.

‘Life of a Pope candidate is rough. Seriously.’

Before Daddy could set me down on the bed, I dove into his arms and hugged him tight.

Flinch.

His body tensed as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

“You worked so hard, Daddy!”

I’d said it three days ago too, but another belated thanks burst out of me.

I smiled brightly.

“…Didn’t you say that right after we came out?”

“Uh-huh, but I was still dazed back then. Daddy, you were so cool!”

“…”

I held on to Daddy’s neck and met his gaze.

“You’re the best!”

Now grow, my self-esteem, grow big and strong with these compliments! I’m ready to shower you with love!

“Ah…”

“Hmm? What’s with that face?”

Daddy turned his head slightly.

“…It’s just… I was trying to remember the last time I heard something like that.”

Huh? I didn’t get what he meant at first.

“Come on, you must’ve heard it during your missions!”

“…No, not really.”

“What?”

What??

I widened my eyes.

What was he saying?

“Daddy… weren’t you a hero?”

As the smile faded from my face, Daddy looked flustered.

He must’ve realized he’d said something he shouldn’t have.

“What I do well is just… expected of me.”

His gloomy, shy mumbling left me speechless.

‘Wait, you’re telling me no one ever complimented him even though he risked his life out there?’

Can we just let the whole Order go up in flames?

My nostrils flared with righteous fury.

“There’s been a misunderstanding. At first, even my colleagues and subordinates didn’t trust me, but eventually they came to rely on me—”

“Not them! I mean from above! From higher-ups! Where’s the praise? The rewards? The medals?! Nothing?!”

“Legally, Holy Knights are forbidden from indulging in luxuries—”

“Then they should’ve at least fed you until your stomach burst!”

As I thrashed about, Daddy awkwardly tried to keep hold of me.

“The Order doesn’t starve its Holy Knights…!”

That’s not what I’m talking about!

‘Damn those Order bastards!’

My rage twisted us into the weirdest hugging position imaginable—like he was clutching a log—but I didn’t care.

“Listen up, Daddy. From now on, whenever Nemesia does something awesome, it’s all thanks to you, got it?”

“Hmm? But that’s… because of your own efforts—”

“You think a kid can do all that alone? I’m a kid! You weren’t seriously expecting me to handle everything by myself, were you?”

“No, of course not!”

“Good.”

I nodded firmly.

Then I patted his chest twice.

“From now on, I’m absolutely gonna brag. I’ll hang medals all over your chest and shoulders!”

Medals? I’ll cover him in so many he won’t even have space for more!

This is a matter of gamer pride. If he’s my daddy, then of course he deserves it!

“Anytime I do something good, I’m naming you, Daddy. No one will ever be able to think of me without thinking of you too.”

“…”

“Daddy, that’s the kind of relationship we have.”

I lifted my head and locked eyes with him.

“When I become the best, that means you’re the best too. So let’s start practicing how to accept that, okay?”

Practice makes perfect. Got it?

“Alright, repeat after me. I am…”

“…I am?”

…Why are you mimicking my pronunciation too?
 

Brought to you by Gourmet Scans

Translator: Japchae