Is That My Alter Ego

Chapter 77 – Unconsciousness

“Granny. Have you seen my sister? Where on earth could she be…”

“Oh dear, this is bad! That nobleman took your girl away!”

“….What?!”

The beastfolk woman explained, her brow slick with cold sweat.

Recently, a noble had come down to the lower district, taking beastfolk away. Kali had already known that much.

She remembered clearly warning Kalea not to open the door to strangers and to run away if she encountered anyone, especially after hearing tales of beastfolk being enslaved.

Kalea had been sitting in front of their house, watching the passersby, when suddenly, a noble approached her and fell over.

The noble pointed to his scraped elbow and spoke to Kalea. He claimed she had injured him and demanded a fitting compensation.

What he demanded as compensation was ten gold coins. It was nothing short of madness. To ask for ten gold coins over a mere scrape?

Kalea froze in that moment. Before she could protest, the noble handed her a piece of paper.

Sign this. Then, I’ll consider the ten gold coins as nothing.

Kalea tried to refuse, but the knight standing behind the noble looked ready to draw his sword at any moment, and she had no choice but to sign.

After that, knights entered Kali’s home, taking out all manner of belongings, and they whisked Kalea away to the upper district.

“….What was that noble’s name?”

“As far as I know… it was Ronan Ail…”

The moment the beastfolk woman finished speaking, Kali bit down hard, her teeth nearly shattering, and she sprinted with all her might toward the upper district.

The physique of a beastfolk, superior to that of an ordinary human. Among them, Kali’s strength was even greater, allowing her to cover the distance in the blink of an eye.

She climbed the slope, crossing the threshold that separated the upper and lower districts. Her muscles felt as if they might burst, but she paid it no mind, channeling her magic to run faster.

-What is that beastfolk…?

-Run away!

-Ugh, that crazy woman!!

The torrent of hatred and fear directed at her was of no concern. What mattered now was that some b*stard had kidnapped her sister, who was more precious than life itself.

—

I traverse the streets of the upper district, so clean it feels almost grotesque. I lift my gaze to read the sign placed before the grand entrance of a house so large that I must tilt my head back to see its roof.

The noble lords of the upper district, perhaps eager to announce their names, often inscribe their family names at the front gates.

Cashier? No. Goldie? Not that either. Fury? What the hell is that?

I begin my frantic search for the ‘Ail Family.’ In mere minutes, I have scoured the entirety of the upper district and arrive, panting, before the stronghold of the Ail family.

“What a fucking b*stard… What a fine house.”

Before me stands a mansion more colossal and grand than any in the upper district, and I stride forward, unyielding, toward the firmly shut gates.

“Stop. Identify yourself.”

“Get lost. Unless you want to die.”

“…What? I said to stop—”

“Get the hell away—!”

With a surge of rage, I send the guard reaching for me flying back. The other guards, witnessing this, lower their stances and begin to aim their sharp spears.

“Intruder! Block him!!”

“Fuck it, bring it on!!”

Crack—crackle, snap.

I start to take down the guards one by one. I dodge the incoming spears, kick one up to break it, and strike the guard’s solar plexus.

After sweeping the legs of a guard rushing from behind, I send him flying with a kick to the face.

Though I display overwhelming force, it is not enough to ignore my limits.

“Hah… Hah… Come at me…!”

I knock another guard unconscious and roar fiercely. Yet, the guards keep pouring in, relentless.

I wipe the sweat from my brow, clutching my aching body, and lower my stance.

Come at me. No matter how hard it gets, I will find my brother.

“It would be wise to stop.”

At that moment, a voice, unsettling to the point of nausea, echoes from beyond the firmly shut gates.

“…Unless you wish to see your precious brother die.”

“Kalea—!!”

Turning my head, I see a noble-looking b*stard holding a knife to Kalea’s throat. Tears stream down her face as she stands frozen in fear, unable to move.

A tide of endless fury begins to rise within me. I want to snap that b*stard’s wrist and crush every bone in his body while he’s still alive.

“Whoa, whoa. Calm down. If you keep this up, your precious little sister…”

Szzzz—

“Ugh… Sister…”

“You damn b*stard!!!”

“You might get hurt.”

As the noble’s sword left a small wound on Callea’s neck, bright red blood began to flow down her delicate skin.

It was as if she was going to go crazy. Her anger was so intense that it was hard to make a rational judgment, and an unprecedented power began to overflow.

“Kneel down.”

“………”

“Otherwise…”

“Ugh… Ugh…”

“You damn… You damn…!”

The noble’s actions, smiling wickedly as he pointed his sword at Callea’s neck, made Calley bite her lip and kneel down, unable to do anything else.

If she didn’t, that b*stard would really kill Callea.

The guards began to bind Calley’s hands. Still, the determination in her eyes did not fade.

“Return my sibling…!”

“Hmm… Are you still struggling?”

“You damn b*stard…! Why did you take Callea away!!”

“Hmm… What should I say if you ask why?”

The noble’s face, with a disgusting smile, made Calley want to rip it apart and pull out his heart, but she couldn’t.

Tsk-

The noble, with a smile that was evil enough to be called demonic, spoke.

“Well… It’s fun, isn’t it?”

“You damn b*stard!! Return my sibling!!”

“Hehe… Your struggling is really entertaining. Okay, I’ll give you a chance.”

The gate opened, and the noble slowly approached Calley, who was kneeling down. He lowered his posture and looked her straight in the eye.

“50 gold. If you bring 50 gold, I’ll release your sibling.”

“You damn b*stard-! That’s not a reasonable demand-“

“If you don’t like it, you’ll never see your sibling again. It’s up to you to decide.”

“aaah-!!!”

Calley, who was unable to do anything, could only wail as she watched her sibling being dragged away by the noble, tears of sadness streaming down her face.

The guards threw Calley, who was bound, into the lower levels. As soon as she was released, Calley went back to the Ail mansion, but no matter what method she used, she couldn’t find a way to enter the mansion.

The guards were stationed in all directions, the high walls, and even a magical barrier was set up, making it impossible to enter.

From that day forth, Kali sought every possible means to rescue her younger sibling.

First, she attempted to contact the royal court. For even the nobility, in this empire, abduction and unlawful confinement were grave offenses without reason.

“I’m sorry, but that cannot be done.”

“…What?”

Yet, she failed. The solitary post office in the upper echelons rejected Kali’s letter.

No matter how many times she inquired for a reason, the only response was, “That cannot be done.”

The answer lay with the old woman next door, the fortune-teller. Since the ‘Espilia Incident,’ a chaos had gripped Espilia, and at the center of its restoration stood the ‘Noble Faction,’ whose influence had grown stronger by the day, eventually ruling over all of Espilia.

Initially, the Noble Faction had offered their aid freely, gaining the support of the citizens and receiving various investments, thus beginning to amass power, only to suddenly change their course of action.

They called for severe punishment against those who opposed them and prohibited any actions that could harm the Noble Faction. The reason Kali was denied her letter at the post office was precisely that.

Of course, there were those who sought to resist the oppressive Noble Faction. However, they were threatened with the hostage-taking of their families and loved ones, ultimately forced to submit.

Even leaving Espilia had become restricted, placing them in a situation where they could do nothing against absolute power.

And then there was Ronan Ail. He was the figure at the helm of the Noble Faction. A mere resident of the lower class, Kali found him to possess a power so formidable that she could not hope to oppose him.

No strength, no power, no method came to mind for rescuing her sister.

Espilia was already in the grip of the Noble Faction, and there was no way to escape that grasp.

In the end, Kali began to work tirelessly to earn the 50 gold pieces that Ronan Ail had suggested.

Errands, cleaning, problem-solving. She took on every task without discrimination. Yet, the money she could earn in a day was merely 20 to 30 coins.

Steeling her increasingly weary body and spirit, Kali pressed on in silence. For it was the only way to save her sister once more.

There were those who sought to provoke Kali during this time. Each time, she would not hold back, thoroughly trampling them down, ensuring they would not rise again.

– “Isn’t that… a mad dog?”

– “Yeah… wait, isn’t it looking this way?”

– “Run away!!”

She earned some ridiculous nicknames. But there was no time to care for such things.

“Ugh… I lost…”

“Hey. That’s enough, right? I won.”

“Ugh… damn it. I get it, I get it.”

“Good! Don’t act up again, you idiot!”

Today, she had taken on the role of a ‘fight proxy,’ stepping in to fight for someone else. She trampled the ‘proxy fighter’ from the opposing side in an instant and received one silver coin.

“…Next is an errand job…”

“Hey there, you seem to be in a hurry for money~?”

As she was about to leave the quiet alley to take on another task, someone caught hold of Kali.

A figure cloaked in a suspicious mask and draped in a robe approached Kali, their voice a low hiss.

“Just get lost. Unless you want to get your ass kicked.”

Kali, weary of the madness radiating from this lunatic, spat curses and turned to leave.

She was far too exhausted to waste time on such nonsense, and time was a luxury she could not afford. She needed to earn more coin, and fast.

“No, no. Why the rush? There’s a way to make a whole lot of money~~~.”

“………”

“What do you say? Interested? Let’s hear it.”

All Kali needed right now was money. Nothing else mattered.

As she hesitated, the masked figure began to chatter excitedly.

“It’s simple! Just stick to one person, play the bodyguard. Easy, right?”

“…..What’s the pay?”

“Hmm~ How about 10 gold a week?”

“…..What?! Are you… serious?”

“Of course~ I don’t lie!”

Ten gold a week. It was an absurdly high wage. She barely scraped together a few silver coins after toiling all day.

With that pay, in just five weeks, she could gather enough to save her brother.

But there was one glaring issue. Could she truly trust this madman before her?

“How… am I supposed to trust you? What if you skip out on the payment?”

“Well… how about this? Let’s write a contract! By the way, you can call me the Patron!”

The self-proclaimed Patron, as if already prepared, pulled a contract from within their robe and handed it to Kali. She took it, reading the terms in silence.

The clauses were straightforward. Kali would guard the person the Patron specified. The Patron would meet her once a week to hand over the money directly.

It was a simple agreement, but it was enough. The reason being, this contract was a ‘Mana Contract.’

A Mana Contract bound both parties’ mana to the agreement, and if either broke the terms, the violator’s heart would burst—a brutally precise and fair contract.

“…Why are you giving me this opportunity?”

It was a contract so skewed in her favor that it was almost incomprehensible. Kali asked the Patron, her voice trembling.

The Patron placed a finger to their lips, pondering for a moment before replying.

“Well~ I just thought, seeing you fight, you’d do a fine job protecting my little revolutionary?”

“…..Ha.”

Truly, this was a madman. But it didn’t matter. If it meant saving her brother, she would take the risk.

Kali infused the contract with her mana and handed it back to the Patron, who did the same in return.

The contract began to glow with a blue light, then flared and scattered into nothingness.

“Good! The deal is struck! Now, just go to this address and keep watch! I’ll give you 10 gold as an advance, so see you next week!”

Kali gazed after the departing patron, then set the pouch of coins down at home before heading upstairs.

“…Is this the place?”

Entering through the open front door, she made her way to the second floor. Sounds echoed from beyond a firmly shut door.

Knock—knock—knock—

*

Thus, Kali’s tale came to an end. From the village that had become her hell, to the events in Espilia, and everything that had transpired until now.

“…That’s how it happened. But… I still think of my brother, who cries out every day…”

“………”

How much pain and hardship had she endured?

At such a young age, losing everything she loved and sacrificing herself for her little brother—what immense resolve must that have required?

Her shoulders, once always held high, now seemed so small, and her expression overflowed with sorrow and despair.

The true Kali, revealed in her unconsciousness, appeared so fragile and wretched.

No matter how difficult it was, no one was there to support her, and with her brother present, she had to hide her emotions.

How much… must it have hurt?

Tightly—

“You must have… suffered so much.”

“…..Huh… Huh…”

I approached Kali, wrapping her in a warm embrace, gently patting her back. The shoulder where her face rested grew damp with her tears.

Though I could offer only a small warmth, if it could lighten even a fraction of the weight Kali had borne, I would willingly lend my shoulder.

[You can absorb the emotions and memories of the target. Do you wish to proceed?]

[Absorb: Absorbing emotions and memories of the target ‘Kali.’]

[Do not absorb: Nothing happens. Hypnosis is released.]

‘Just… wait a moment.’

“Huh… Hwaaah…”

I quietly patted her back as she began to release the tears and pain she had held in for so long.

Time flowed on, and the hypnosis naturally faded away.

*

“Shit… What the hell have I done…!”

“It’s okay. I understand—”

“This… you b*stard—! What the hell have you done…!”

“That was just hypnosis.”

Carly’s face flushed crimson, as if she were a ripe tomato. It was something she should never feel ashamed of, yet she seemed to be drowning in embarrassment.

“…And a person can cry—”

“Ugh!! Ugh!!”

Carly began to run around the counseling center, her ears covered, unleashing a torrent of indiscriminate curses.

It took about five minutes for Carly to calm down.

“Shit… you… you! You better not tell anyone…!”

“Of course not. I won’t speak a word of what happened in the counseling session to anyone.”

“Haah… this is so damn humiliating… ugh…”

Carly sat down, her hands covering her face as she continued to wash away her shame. I stood up and began to tidy the counseling center.

“Are you calm now? Then let’s go.”

“…Where to? The lower district again?”

“No. To the mansion of that b*stard Ronan Ael.”

“…What?”

I spoke to Carly in a calm tone, but the atrocities committed by that Ronan Ael still echoed in my mind, barely contained rage simmering beneath the surface.

“You said fifty gold, right? Let’s go.”

“What… what are you doing! Are you serious…!”

“What do you think? We’re going to save your sister. Come on.”

“Uh… huh?”

I grabbed Carly’s wrist and stepped out of the counseling center. I had expected her to resist, but she followed me out with a dazed expression, as if she had surrendered to the absurdity of it all.

Her face was still flushed, perhaps the embarrassment had not yet faded. I could feel a slight pulse through her wrist, a rhythm that seemed to echo her turmoil.

The Ael family. There was no way I didn’t know the location of the largest mansion in the upper district. I suppressed my anger, my heart growing colder as I strode forward with determination.

*

As Venice gripped Carly’s wrist forcefully and began to stride ahead, Carly had no choice but to follow.

“Shit… what the hell is this.”

Thump— thump—

Why was her heart racing like this?

It was a feeling she had never experienced in her life. It felt as if something was swelling within her… as if her body had ignited with heat.

I wanted to shake off that grip, to escape those hands, but for some reason, my body felt heavy, unresponsive.

It was as if… I wanted to surrender myself to this current.

Why was that? Was it the shame of crying like a woman in the arms of that master?

It was damn embarrassing, yet it felt as if the weight in my heart had lightened just a bit.

I gazed at the face of the master leading the way. It was endlessly cold, a serious expression laced with anger.

He was… somewhat handsome. Not that he was ever ugly, but today he seemed a touch more appealing. Was it just my imagination?

Kali, lost in thought, failed to notice the fixed gaze of Venice and her flushed cheeks.

Nor did she recognize the frantic beating of her heart, nor the desire to lean on him.

—