“Brother! Listen to Hill, it’s really important.”
At the last moment before the door closed, Hill activated her Talent (Superhard Matter), pressing her hand against the door to keep it from shutting.
“I’ll listen, but is it really that serious? No need to go as far as using a Talent, right?”
“It is.”
Hill’s tone was resolute.
“And Hill promises, after you hear it, you’ll definitely want to keep Hill company.”
“So confident?”
Looking at his sister’s determined face, Siloque’s interest was piqued.
“Does it have to be now? Tomorrow’s Sunday, I can be with you then.”
“No, no, no, aren’t we going to the Dungeon together tomorrow?”
“I don’t recall making such a promise with you.”
Although Cass had reached Level 14 and no longer needed to worry about duels, that sword still required some time to get used to.
The mission had been completed sooner than planned, and Siloque wanted to take Cass somewhere to test the sword tomorrow.
“Mm~~, Brother’s memory is so good. Then Hill will book you for the Dungeon the day after tomorrow! Monday, it’s a promise, okay? Hill hates people who smoke and break promises.”
“Monday… Hmm, that’s fine, nothing going on Monday.”
“Great! Wait, that’s not what Hill wanted to say!”
Hill, who had kept her hand hidden behind her back, revealed her trump card.
“Ta-da! It’s (RE: Resident Evil 4), Hill pre-ordered it ages ago! So, Brother, do you want to play?”
“Yes.”
In that instant, Siloque felt the call of destiny.
He had also pre-ordered this game in his previous life.
But after inexplicably transferring to this world, the pre-order money had gone down the drain.
He never imagined he’d get another chance to fulfill his dream.
This must be a reward from the Pure Love God.
Sleep, Dungeon, grinding levels—get out of my way for now.
“Thank you, Hill, you’re truly an angel.”
Siloque grabbed both the game box and Hill’s soft hand together.
“Eh? Eh? …N-Nothing…”
Hill grinned sheepishly, and quietly hooked her finger around Siloque’s hand through the gaps.
“This time, Brother will show you a one-breath clear.”
“You said that last time too… But Hill still believes in you. The ammo pack (snacks and drinks) is ready, come to Hill’s room, Brother.”
“No problem. Let’s clear the game passionately without disturbing the neighbors!”
A grand battle was about to begin.
***
Inside the apartment on the 35th floor of the building.
Cassia’s shapely hips were outlined perfectly by her white underwear, her pale feet gripping the polished wooden floor, her hand tightly gripping her straight sword, not daring to relax for a moment as she stared at the flesh spreading and growing along the wall.
A great battle was about to begin.
She hesitated between calling the police, the security, or asking Butler Hyder to help clean up the pile of flesh.
Though it was late at night, as long as the girl wished, any of them could be summoned at any time.
She pulled out a bunch of leftover bananas from her ring and placed them on the automatic sweeper, letting it deliver them.
The flat, round automatic sweeper played the role of messenger, carrying the bananas over.
But the pile of flesh covered both the bananas and the sweeper in an instant.
The machine buzzed as it detected foreign matter, foam-like flesh filling its holes and seams, rendering it motionless and silent.
Useless.
If this went on, the flesh would spread to her brother’s room.
If it disrupted the power supply and affected the operation of ventilators and other equipment, that would be a disaster.
As expected, this thing wasn’t a sword at all—it was a monster!
Why did Siloque insist on making her use this… That’s right, Siloque.
She stuffed the photo frame from her bed into the nightstand drawer, then pulled out her tablet, found the contact “Siloque” on LINE, and started a voice call.
The ringtone played for over thirty seconds with no answer.
Meanwhile, the flesh in front of her oozed slime, spreading across a third of the room and blocking the door. To escape, she might have to jump out the window.
“Ugh…”
Her head felt fuzzy.
She felt her body growing more fatigued, as if her Magic was being drained.
“This sword… is sucking my Magic? Ah! My figure cabinet is getting covered too!”
Her treasured (Precure Ailulu) First Edition BD Box was also stained with the flesh’s slime…
She’d have to install a protective transparent cover on the cabinet in the future…
Wait, that’s not the point!
Cassia was anxious—how was she supposed to explain this mess to her family?
They’d definitely mistake it for a Dungeon Monster, right?
But Dungeon Monsters couldn’t reach the surface, and besides, this thing was just too disgusting.
Siloque didn’t answer.
On second thought, it was late—he was probably asleep.
Cassia called again, telling herself that if he didn’t answer this time, she’d jump from the building and find someone else for help.
This time, after two rings, the call connected.
He answered!
“Siloque, thank goodness! You finally answered! The sword you gave me grew a pile of flesh and covered my whole room…”
“Now’s not the time for jokes…”
A young girl’s voice came from the phone.
So Siloque had a sister too?
No, wait.
Cassia realized the problem.
Oh no, I forgot to wear the Enchantment Ring!
Cassia quickly snatched the ring from the edge of the table before the flesh reached it, put it on, and replied again.
“Hey! Siloque? Sorry, my family’s maid answered just now. Like she said, if this keeps up I won’t be able to sleep tonight, so think of something!”
“How do you know that?! Anyway, my room’s about to become a Cthulhu nest.”
“Chopper?”
Electronic gunfire and painful moans could be heard in the background.
“What are you doing?”
“………”
I’m suffering here and you’re playing games!
Cassia clenched her teeth, gripping the tablet so hard it creaked.
“Uh…”
Cassia was speechless.
“Then, what should I do? Do I need to build a shrine and worship her to stop the growth?”
“Yeah… I think the sword is sucking it out.”
It was like every breath she took was being pulled out by someone at her side.
“Wait, are you saying this ugly lump of flesh and organs is fusing with my Magic?”
“Your sense of aesthetics is too twisted, Siloque!”
After hearing the chant, as casual as the one for offering bananas on the Altar, Cassia felt a wave of shame.
***
I’ve reached the Chief’s house in the game now.
Maybe because I wasn’t playing seriously—
Whoa! Stop!
My sister’s irritation is also rising for no reason—she keeps poking my stomach. I’m hanging up now. If anything happens, call me again.
***
After teaching Cassia how to deal with it, Siloque hurriedly hung up.
Cassia felt speechless toward Siloque, but also a bit used to it.
As Siloque said, the Wraithblade was still growing.
“Normally, after defeating a monster and extracting a Crystal Core, I’d think I’d be used to seeing things like organs…”
Cassia placed the tablet on the floor and looked straight at the ‘creature’ in front of her.
Crimson flesh intertwined with pure white skin, countless fangs protruded from various spots, yellow pus-filled sacs steamed, and mounds of intestines or kidneys formed small hills, pink-glowing tentacles swaying gently.
The overall scent was less putrid and more strangely like strawberry ice cream.
“It’s still disgusting… even the bathroom is covered… This is so bad, I’ll have to call the Housekeeping Company tomorrow.”
She blushed as she thought of the spell to stop the flesh’s spread, reluctant to say it aloud.
But there was no other way.
If Vittolis discovered it, she might gleefully drag the Wraithblade to the research lab for the technical team to study for three days and nights.
How could the fruits of her and Siloque’s efforts be stolen by her mother?
The girl pressed a hand to her chest to steady her breath. Because Siloque said the Wraithblade could sense the holder’s feelings, she tried to speak louder.
“I… I love bananas the most!! Bananas are the best!! Long live bananas!!”
In the middle of the night, what am I doing…
With that shout, Cassia felt half her strength drain from her body, her face burning hot.
In truth, Cassia preferred red-fleshed dragon fruit.
She didn’t particularly like or hate bananas.
The shape of bananas, after all, is… that.
In biology textbooks and novels, it’s described as the primary male sex characteristic…
“Ugh, this is sexual harassment, Siloque.”
Fortunately, as soon as she finished yelling, the mass of flesh instantly froze as if time had stopped, even the waving tentacles motionless.
She didn’t have to worry about disturbing the neighbors in this detached building.
But even years later, whenever Cassia remembered the night she screamed ‘banana’ in the middle of the night, she’d be so embarrassed she’d roll on the floor, making it a black mark in her history she could never overcome.