How To Ruin The Original Work - Chapter 25

“……!”

Nigel barely held back a curse at the sight unfolding before her eyes.

“Damn it……”

The fist she had been clenching involuntarily loosened.

It was an entirely white place, from ceiling to floor.

There were several beds with pristine white sheets, and shelves filled with empty or full medicine bottles lined the walls.

And……

People with bloodless faces occupied each bed.

They were all women, all young girls from the age of Benny, the youngest at the orphanage, to Andy’s age group.

As many as thirty…… no……

Gulp.

Nigel averted her gaze from them and closed her eyes.

Unable to bear the sight before her, she felt her strength leave her body and sank to the floor.

All of this…… all of this was because of her.

These people were entangled in this terrible situation because she created Reparo, which wasn’t even in the original story.

“What do you mean you didn’t intervene…… What on earth……”

Nigel muttered weakly.

Was it because of her selfishness in wanting to hide her status as a saint and live quietly and ordinarily, or was it because she thought she’d be labeled a villain anyway no matter what she did……

It didn’t matter now. Whatever the reason, it had already happened.

Nigel slowly opened her eyes.

The girls lying with pale faces filled her vision.

Nigel stood up and approached the closest girl with chestnut brown hair.

She gently touched the girl’s clenched fist.

……As expected.

‘Should I be glad that my prediction was correct……’

A bitter smile formed at the complicated emotions.

The girl’s magic, which should have been full, and the life force that should have been mixed in, were all depleted.

All for the sake of making a potion to catch up with Reparo.

Clench.

Nigel gritted her teeth.

Magic was never infinite. In this world, it was common sense that if you used magic, you would naturally absorb and recover magic from the air.

That’s why even magicians with abundant magic power enough to manifest it would restrain themselves until their magic recovered if they used it recklessly.

Let alone forcibly taking magic multiple times from ordinary people who couldn’t manifest magic, it would have been extremely taxing on their bodies.

“……!”

It was then.

The girl’s fingers twitched and grasped Nigel’s index finger.

“……Mom.”

It was a feeble voice that sounded like sleep-talking or an auditory hallucination.

But it clearly and distinctly reached Nigel’s ears.

And…… from within that small fist, a crushed yellow flower fell out.

Plop.

The flower slowly fell to the floor beneath the bed.

……This nameless young girl would have smiled brightly today as she brought this yellow flower to her mother.

Someone over there might have exchanged flowers with their lover today.

The person next to them might have decorated their home with flowers.

And…… Andy and Liz would have danced happily at the square ball today, wearing pretty dresses adorned with flowers.

As Nigel examined the faces of the different girls, her eyes gradually lit up.

“That’s right…… If it happened because of me, I just need to resolve it myself.”

Just as you can’t put spilled water back into a cup, but you can dry and iron wet clothes to wear them again.

Like that, she just needed to do what she could.

Her mind, which felt like it was about to burst, gradually lightened.

Strength began to return to her powerless fists.

Nigel, who had regained her composure, looked down at the shining ring on her ring finger, which had lost its invisibility.

Thump thump.

At that moment, footsteps were heard from outside the door.

“Oh no……!”

Nigel anxiously scanned the room.

“Noah…… Are you really going to meet the operator? For real??”

Allen whispered in a small voice as they climbed the stairs to the second floor, following the Histun employee.

“Yes.”

Noah quietly replied.

At that answer, Allen clutched his head.

“Think…… think about it again, uh…… How about investing in Uncle Swindle instead?”

“……Who is Swindle?”

“The uncle from the magic tool shop earlier……!”

Allen, who almost shouted for a moment, said while checking the employee’s reaction.

“Ah…… The one Nigel called a quack.”

“Yes……!”

“But that person is literally a quack, isn’t he?”

Noah tilted his head as if to ask why they should do that, and Allen roughly messed up his own hair.

“That’s what I’m saying……! That’s exactly what I mean! Why on earth are you trying to invest in Kura……!”

“……I have my reasons.”

Noah answered, avoiding Allen’s gaze.

Halt.

Noah suddenly stopped walking after climbing the stairs and crossing the threshold to the second floor.

Thud!

Allen bumped into Noah’s back.

“Ouch…… What is it this time?”

Allen said, rubbing his nose.

“……It’s the flower ring Nigel was wearing.”

“……So it is.”

Following Noah’s gaze, a small ring made of lavender flowers was lying alone on the luxurious carpet.

It was something a boy had given to Nigel while she was walking down the street with Allen, saying it matched her eye color.

“Nigel……”

Allen’s eyes were about to turn red.

Silently bending down, Noah picked up the flower ring. He carefully placed it between his handkerchief and put it in his breast pocket.

“Is something wrong?”

The employee leading the way turned around.

“No, please guide us to where the operator is right away.”

“Yes, understood.”

Allen, whose eyes were about to turn red but instead his face crumpled, reluctantly followed behind Noah.

Stop.

The employee halted in front of a large door with a black background and a golden doorknob.

“I’ve already informed the operator, so you can go right in.”

The employee said, bowing his head while standing next to the door.

Creak.

Noah opened the door without hesitation and went inside.

Unlike the bright and luxurious corridor, everything inside the room, down to the smallest piece of furniture, was dark in color.

The table and sofa right in front, the long desk and leather chair turned away behind them, shelves full of books, unidentified glass bottles, and experimental tools.

Whoosh.

The leather chair that had been facing the window turned towards Noah and Allen.

“……Are you the operator of Histun?”

“That is correct.”

The man wearing a black mask covering his eyes raised the corners of his mouth.

That smile had an unpleasant aura mixed in, causing Allen to unconsciously feel for his dagger to ensure it was still there.

“I hear you young masters are interested in Kura?”

Plop.

He rose from the dark leather chair and sat on the sofa.

Noah and Allen also sat down opposite the operator, following his lead.

“I hear that the young Viscount Beselion wanted to see me. To have such an esteemed member of the family known as the Emperor’s Sword seek out Histun first, this is truly an honor for our establishment.”

The operator’s words contradicted his actions as he crossed his legs while sitting.

“Yes. Mass production of Reparo, I couldn’t help but be intrigued as soon as I heard about it.”

Noah was no less contradictory in his words and actions. His face, which he claimed couldn’t contain his interest, was as cold as ice.

“……Well then, it seems our interests align. Shall we cut to the chase without further delay?”

Clack.

As soon as those words were spoken, Noah placed something silver on the table.

The operator, noticing this, uncrossed his legs and leaned closer to the table.

The simple silver ring had intricate and detailed patterns engraved where a jewel should have been.

It was none other than the seal of the Beselion family.

“No, Noah……?”

Allen’s eyes looked like they might pop out at any moment.

“As the sole heir to the Beselion Marquis family, I have full authority to utilize all of Beselion’s funds as I see fit.”

“Ha…… Hahaha…… Haha!”

The black mask shook unpleasantly.

“Ah…… It seems I’ve been outmaneuvered by the young Viscount. I, with my humble origins, failed to immediately grasp the depth of your sincerity towards Kura, young Viscount.”

He said, not bothering to suppress the laughter seeping out.

“Very well, since the young Viscount is so sincere, I too shall respond with sincerity. What is it that you desire, young Viscount?”

Allen looked back and forth between the operator and Noah with wavering eyes.

“……I’d like to try drinking a bottle of Kura.”

Noah said with a serious expression.

“Ahaha− I see. Of course, that’s only natural. How could an investor invest in a product without knowing what it is? Please wait a moment.”

He said with a laugh as he stood up from the sofa and rummaged through the shelves.

“Not here, not here either…… Ah, here it is.”

The operator cheerfully shook a small glass bottle about the length of a hand span and brought it to the seat.

It was filled with a green liquid, and a black label wrapped around the bottle had ‘Kura’ written on it in golden ink.

Clack.

The operator placed Kura on the table and extended his hand forward.

“The efficacy is guaranteed, so please, drink up.”

Noah picked up the Kura. Then he opened its lid.

“W-Wait a moment……!”

Ignoring Allen’s urgent voice, the green liquid quickly slid down Noah’s throat.

Noah, having completely emptied the bottle, closed his eyes as if savoring the Kura, then slowly opened them.

“……The effect is certainly there. I’d like to invest in the business, but could I see the production process of Kura?”

At that moment, Allen’s eyes caught sight of Noah’s fist, with its veins clearly visible, disappearing under the table where the operator couldn’t see.