HTPTMOTMM Chapter 39

"Yes, I found out later too. He left without saying anything to me either."

Thinking about Raphael automatically made me frown.

Anyway, Raphael was already gone...

Since I had the chance, I wanted to discuss the mansion's system with Cheswick, but I still didn't know much about people's attitudes toward this matter since I had just started this playthrough recently.

This 44th playthrough had so many variables and seemed to be the main scenario, so it would be better to act more cautiously.

So I decided to think more about the world-transcending ending by myself and brought up a different question I had been thinking of asking Cheswick for several days.

"Cheswick, if it's alright with you, could I ask you for a favor?"

Fortunately, Cheswick readily agreed.

"Of course."

"But this is actually a somewhat delicate request..."

"Ah, can I take back what I just said? If it's something that makes you react like that, I think I should consider it more carefully."

What does that mean?

I spoke quickly before Cheswick could retract his earlier words.

"Could you go into the demon's garden with me again?"

Cheswick's expression changed subtly.

"Lynne, do you happen to have a hobby of enjoying suffering?"

"It's not like that... Ah, I should ask this first—I forgot. It's true that you're not affected by the flowers there, right? Last time you chased away all the flowers with just one finger."

Cheswick didn't answer and crossed his arms.

"So, if you could go in with me... and help me not become one with the flowers there... um. That's what I was thinking."

I very rarely found myself reading a game character's mood. This was because I needed Cheswick now.

"I'd like to ask the reason for wanting to enter the garden."

"There's something I want to see again there."

"Something to see?"

"Yes, there's something I really want to see again while I'm here."

At my firm words, Cheswick looked down at my face in silence for a moment.

"Really just once. Please."

Will he agree? Will he refuse?

Even if Cheswick refused, I wasn't planning to give up right away.

I'd try persuading and coaxing him a few more times, and if that still didn't work, then... I'd become a dangerous beast—no, a player!

I'd boldly storm into the demon's garden alone, befriend all the flowers there, and become one great unified bloom with them, transforming into the garden's ultimate villain together. Sob sob.

But fortunately, Cheswick didn't let me take root in the demon's garden.

"Alright. I can't refuse Lynne's request. So when would be a good time?"

"Ah! Anytime is fine for me. Even this evening would be... no, that wouldn't work. I want to stay by Dian's side until he's fully recovered. How about tomorrow or the day after? Or another day is fine too. I'll adjust to your schedule, Cheswick."

I rattled off explanations like a machine gun, worried that Cheswick might change his mind if I postponed the schedule, and set a new time.

Fortunately, Cheswick nodded readily.

"How about the evening after tomorrow?"

"That's fine."

"Then let's make it then."

After making the appointment with Cheswick, I bounced back to my room in the most excited state except for when seeing our cute baby kitten Dian.

Hello, Senior Raphael Cardigo. This is Lynne Dorchester.

I'm contacting you through my guide's guidance. Have you returned safely to your home country's agency?

I am doing my best to meet the expectations of the great Archbishop and my dear senior.

By the way, you didn't take the red orange when you visited recently. A maid found it fallen in a corner of the room, so we ended up disposing of it with the people in the mansion.

That red orange was purchased from the 19th World, which is directly connected to the Redford mansion, so please keep this in mind if the Archbishop asks about it.

Still, since it's an upper world one grade above the 18th World where the Redford mansion is located, the air there should be at least somewhat fresher than visiting this place directly again.

I'll contact you again during this week's report.

"Cheswick!"

The promised day finally arrived, and I ran excitedly to the demon's garden.

Seeing Cheswick standing at the door made my heart flutter wildly, and I already felt joyful and happy.

"Lynne, you look like a puppy that came out on a snowy day."

Cheswick made a peculiar expression watching me run toward him.

"Entering here isn't something to be so happy about... Other people would definitely refuse even if you paid them to go inside."

Cheswick seemed unable to understand why I wanted to enter the demon's garden this much.

But that was fine. I had been so excited about today that I had even lost sleep last night.

Of course, that wasn't to say that my excitement was only due to the anticipation of exploring a new map.

Cheswick pushed open the door to the demon's garden and entered before me. I followed behind him with a racing heart.

Cheswick looked at me, unable to hide my excitement, and smiled lightly while saying casually,

"I guess it's fortunate after all. Actually, when you first asked me, I thought it was impressive that you didn't think of entering the garden alone recklessly."

Ah, you've figured me out well.

As someone who'd been planning to gloriously storm that garden alone and become a demon flower ally if Cheswick refused, I felt a stab of guilt.

Cheswick seemed to have noticed the truth from my reaction of clamming up at his words.

A dumbfounded laugh escaped from Cheswick's mouth.

"No way, I was joking just now, but it was really true? You really were thinking of becoming a flower?"

"They're pretty. The demon flowers..."

I made excuses awkwardly while smiling uncomfortably, feeling embarrassed for no reason.

Cheswick seemed puzzled about why I had made such a firm decision to enter here.

Of course, he would be able to understand the reason now.

"This should be fine."

Walking a bit into the demon's garden from the entrance, the bizarre giant flowers I had seen before came into view.

I stopped walking and looked back at Cheswick.

"So I'm going to touch this now."

When I opened my mouth to begin, Cheswick tilted his head askew.

"My ears must be strange. I just heard something weird."

"I'm, going, to, touch, this, now."

When I repeated it once more for Cheswick who was doubting his ears, he closed his mouth. I knew that saying such things would make Cheswick think of me as someone not in their right mind. So I could understand his reaction of seeming at a loss for words.

"Could you please step in before I become not myself or become like the flower friends here?"

When I spoke to Cheswick, he stared at me wordlessly for some time. Then Cheswick spoke to me as if confirming.

"I heard that this garden drains life force equal to the malice of the person touching the flowers, but during that time it makes them recall unpleasant memories."

"Yes, I also heard it makes you recall memories of receiving malice from someone."

After going around the mansion and hearing that story, I thought, 'Ah, so that's why I recalled such memories then.'

At my calm answer, Cheswick let out a hollow laugh.

"Lynne, do you really have a hobby of self-harm?"

"You might think so, but please, just once."

Cheswick's face continued to show a peculiar expression.

Whatever he was thinking now, it was certain that he found me strange. But this time, I felt like I had no choice.

Cheswick eventually granted my request.

I took a deep breath and then touched the petals of the giant flower before my eyes while Cheswick watched.

Old memories immediately surfaced.

"Why did only you survive?"

The place I was in was a hospital.

The thick smell of disinfectant and the fishy smell of blood seeping through it mixed together, making me feel like I would vomit at any moment.

"Why did only you come back alive?"

"Say something, Ha-rin."

Mom, who had been brought to the hospital with me and had fainted after directly confirming my younger sister's body, cried like a madwoman after opening her eyes, then later became frighteningly quiet.

"You're the one who took her out. You took our baby out."

Mom, who kept muttering while looking at me lying in the hospital bed with unfocused, hazy eyes, pushed away Grandma trying to stop her and rushed at me again.

"Why, tell me why you did it! How can such a thing happen!"

"How have I treated you all this time? How much did Ha-eun like you? But how could you do this?"

"My daughter died because of you, so why did only you survive...!"

My younger sister Ha-eun and I went outside together and had an accident.

While crossing at a crosswalk, a truck that ignored the signal ran straight into Ha-eun and passed by. I still couldn't forget the moment when her cute face, which had been smiling brightly until just before, disappeared before my eyes in an instant.

At that time, I was thirteen and Ha-eun was ten.

I was most severely injured in the arm that Ha-eun had been holding tightly until her last moment.

Compared to her, I ended up with only minor injuries, but Ha-eun died instantly on the spot.

Mom became very sick after that. So she hated and resented me.

"I found out the eldest was an adopted daughter."

"Oh my, so the real daughter died and only the adopted child survived?"

"Moreover, that girl secretly took her sister outside and such a thing happened, so there are even rumors about whether she did it on purpose..."

Other people also whispered such words whenever they saw me after that. At that time, I couldn't understand what was happening to me.

"I can't bear to see your face anymore."

"Even if you didn't kill Ha-eun, seeing you is too painful."

"So let's never see each other again, Ha-rin."

One day, Mom said this while crying and holding me. That was the last time with her.