PMEVBO 66

I suppose it’s a blessing in disguise that Iser became the target this time. As the one handling my medication, Iser visited my cell daily at the same time and stayed. I didn’t need to risk a dangerous escape from my cell just to see him.

But deep down, I actually hoped someone else would be the target of praise, not Iser. Because I didn’t want to use someone who had already nearly died because of me. Not again, for my own purposes.

I stared at Iser’s face. He was fiddling with my hand, and sensing my gaze, he met my eyes with a pretty smile.

…Well, he doesn’t seem like he’d be easily manipulated.

Fourteen-year-old Iser was prickly and demanding, but at least he was honest. His thoughts and feelings were written all over his face, and he knew it best himself, the way he’d blush over it was adorable.

But twenty-year-old Iser was different. His attitude toward me was nothing but friendly, yet I couldn’t fathom what he was thinking.

I had struggled considerably to complete the quest with fourteen-year-old Iser. Could I possibly clear the quest with twenty-year-old Iser? Honestly, I wasn’t confident.

Six years ago, I was at least in a position to give Iser something. But now… Now, I had nothing to give him.

“It’s better to hold hands like this until the medicine runs out. I don’t know how to insert needles.”

What he meant was that he would use his ability to keep my hand from swelling for the next three hours.

“…Are you sure that’s alright? Isn’t that too much for you?”

“I’m fine, Lucariel.”

Iser replied as he squeezed my hand gently. After a moment of thoughtful silence, as if he were choosing his words, he continued quietly.

“I find it easier to use the Power of Life. It’s not a power I have to strive to use; it’s a power I have to strive not to use.”

“So… when you’re not using the Power of Life, you’re suppressing it to prevent it from leaking out?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

It seemed that six years ago, Iser had been constantly using his ability at a level of Power 100. Now, he had learned to suppress that power, regulating it from Power 99 down to Power 0.

Then, I can somewhat understand that terrible pain I felt whenever I touched Iser six years ago.

Even the most beneficial supplements become poison when taken in excess. It seems the Power of the Life is no exception.

If the reason I didn’t feel pain when touching Iser after our reunion was because he was regulating the intensity of his power…

Is he still regulating it now…?

Then it doesn’t seem like he’s in such a comfortable state either…

I looked down at Iser’s hand, which had somehow slipped into mine and was holding my hand tightly. Even if I told him he didn’t have to go this far, he didn’t seem likely to back down.

Should I just tell him not to control it, that he could go full power? ……No. He said that could kill me.

‘Normally, even if we touched… 20 minutes would be fine. But now… no. You’d die in less than 5 minutes…’

After much deliberation, I reached one conclusion.

“Thanks. Thanks to you, it doesn’t hurt.”

I decided to simply accept Iser’s kindness.

This life-related ability, its intensity perfectly calibrated, was a pleasant force. Like slowly immersing a body shivering from the cold into warm water starting from the back of my hand, the tension melted away, leaving my entire body languidly relaxed.

I understood why Lucariel had particularly loved holding hands with Isabelle in the original story.

And why he could only fall asleep when he was with her…

***

Plop─!

The sound of a medicine droplet falling made me flinch slightly without meaning to.

Only then, feeling the sensation in my arms, did I realize I was holding something. …Something cool and solid.

I opened my eyes, the first thing that came into view was a figure in a guard’s uniform sitting on the floor. My arms were wrapped tightly around a lean, firm waist. Near my head, I felt the distinctive hardness of shoulder blades.

I froze, momentarily unable to comprehend the situation. Then, the large hand covering my needle-pierced arm gently tapped my fingertips.

“Awake?”

A low voice came from above my head, and I creaked my neck up.

“You could have slept longer.”

Iser was looking at me, smiling softly.

Only then did I realize. Until just now, I had been leaning against Iser’s shoulder, asleep, and worse, I had been hugging him like a body pillow.

You crazy bastard…

I pulled away from him as if burned.

“Hey… I’m sorry.”

I sighed, pressing my hand to my forehead.

The position he’d let me sleep in couldn’t have been comfortable. As I’d leaned on his shoulder and hugged him, I must have pulled one of his arms into the embrace too. I must have slept for quite a while, how much must that arm have ached, pinned under my weight?

Just as I was about to ask if his arm was numb, Iser spoke in a calm voice.

“Why are you apologizing? I liked it.”

“…What?”

“I liked it when you held me. So don’t apologize.”

I thought it was nonsense. But Iser’s words made my gaze involuntarily shift to the status window.

────【 Sub Quest 】────

Praise ‘XXX Hayut’!

(1/3)

D-5 (142h 35m 58s)

Reward: Vaccine Generation Rate ?%

────────────────

……Ah.

One praise requirement had been fulfilled. My gaze remained fixed on the status window for a while. I looked and looked again, but no matter how many times I checked, I simply couldn’t believe it.

***

Was it a side effect of filling one so easily?

(1/3)

D-0 (23h 49m 2s)

Even though the time limit was now less than a day away, the praise achievement rate remained unchanged.

“…It’s all my own doing.”

Ever since that day I earned that one point, I couldn’t bring myself to do anything. Because of the medicine, I spent three hours a day with Iser, but during that time, we barely spoke and hardly made eye contact. It wasn’t intentional. I just… couldn’t. I don’t even know why I’m like this.

Iser couldn’t possibly have failed to notice my attitude. Yet he never showed any sign of dissatisfaction toward me.

Ever since that incident where the apothecary misplaced the needle, he used his ability whenever he was with me, just in case. Today was no different. The energy flowing through our touching hands felt soothing, as always.

I struggled to keep my body tense, resisting the urge to relax. Afraid I might fall asleep again, like that day.

Once the medicine was fully administered, Iser carefully withdrew the needle. As I stared at him, Iser met my gaze.

“Did it hurt?”

“…No.”

His gaze felt burdensome. I immediately averted my eyes from him and gently bit the tender flesh inside my mouth.

Ah, if Iser leaves like this, the next chance will only be tomorrow’s medication time…

By the time tomorrow’s medication time ended, the time limit for the praise quest would also be up. The time I actually had left was a mere three hours. My head knew I had to do something quickly. But strangely, I felt no motivation.

Then, I heard a sound from beyond the iron door. The sound grew clearer, and I finally realized it was someone running down the hallway. Iser must have noticed it too, because he held his breath for a moment.

The moment Iser stood up, the tightly locked iron door swung open roughly. The corridor light backlit the figure of a guard. He was the guard named Palet.

“What is it?”

Iser asked, naturally stepping in front of me. Palet took a moment to catch his breath before speaking.

“Prisoner Number 1004, you must proceed to the visiting room immediately. …His Holiness the Pope is waiting… …!”

“Ha…….”

Without meaning to, something escaped my lips, a hollow laugh or a sigh, I couldn’t tell.

In that instant, Iser and Palet’s gazes pierced me, but I didn’t notice. I was too busy trying desperately to resist the mad urge to scratch my throat. My tightly clenched fists trembled.