Compensation θ ~ I might be late for reincarnation, but since I was born as the talented eldest son of a prestigious noble, I might be on the winning side.

Ouch… it hurts. It hurts so much, incredibly painful. My face hurt. My head hurts. It’s just pure, unending agony, all over my body.

A relentless and intense pain pulses in short cycles, not confined to one place but spreading all around my whole body.

Why is it hurting so much?

[Because it’s very thick and robust.]

What? The subject is missing. Although this phrase might be something you’d want to hear from a woman in the future, it’s not the right time for it now. What do you mean by that?

[Of course, it’s the magical conduit currently being excavated.]

In my past life, the most painful experience was when I had a root canal treatment[1]. This treatment, involves digging out nerves and blood vessels inside the root canal. After the anesthesia wore off, I couldn’t sleep all night because of the excruciating pain. Even though I took painkillers, it didn’t seem to help at all, and it was incredibly painful.

So, this excavation process, similar to that?

[Yes, precisely. We’re excavating the ethereal body, smoothing the conduit walls, and applying reinforcement to those walls. We are carrying out this series of operations sequentially.]

Is this pain really come from the ethereal body? The physical pain is intense.

[In a living being, the ethereal and physical bodies are not independent; they are interconnected or even overlap. Therefore, if pain occurs in the ethereal body, it affects the physical body as well. Moreover, the combined effect of both excavation and reinforcement can cause more pain.]

If you know that, can’t you at least reduce the pain somehow?

[Master, are you familiar with the saying ‘trampling the wheat’? Just as wheat grows strong by firmly rooting itself in the ground, it will grow even stronger as you trample it. We could say the same thing apply in this case.]

So, you’re saying I should just endure it!

[Give your all to endure today. Hopefully tomorrow will bring greater progress. I wish you the best of luck.]

“Ahh… it hurts… uuuh… aahhh.”

Even though I prayed for the pain to stop, nothing changed, and a feeble baby’s groan leaked out of my mouth.

Tears had swollen my eyes from excessive crying. Tears continued to flow from the corners of my eyes. It hurt so much, beyond what I could endure. It’s way too much.

“Hah, hah, hah…”

I can’t breathe…

Bitter fluid surged up from my stomach. I’m about to throw up. No, I’m throwing up. What came out was a mess. I vomited repeatedly. It felt like my throat was burning from the acid.

“Gubo… Gaah…”

The bitter substance burned my throat. It kept coming. It didn’t stop. I retched and continued to vomit, forcefully expelling it. It felt like my stomach was about to twist and tear.

I’m choking. I’m going to die.

“Gaah…”

A strong impact struck my back. I was rolled onto my stomach and hit repeatedly without mercy. I remembered this – it’s the back blows for first aid.

[Correct. The Heimlich maneuver can’t be used on infants under one-year-old.]

Yay, I got it right. But seriously, I’m still choking!

Here it comes, blarghhh…

Air flowed into my trachea. Air, air… I’m saved… Hyu! What’s going on? His body started twitching involuntarily. Is these spasms? Like a freshly caught fish flopping around, my body was bouncing and twitching uncontrollably. This isn’t good, not good at all.

[An abnormal discharge is occurring in the central nervous system.]

So, do something about it!

Huh… What? I… suddenly felt warmth.

I don’t know why, but a gentle and fluffy warm power, like a soft feather, quickly covered my whole body. A soothing warmth that relieves tense nerves and muscles.

I like it.

As that mysterious force spread to the ends of my body, those terrifying spasms miraculously ceased. For just a moment, the pain also subsided, and various parts of me relaxed. I can’t specify where, but liquids seemed to ooze out from different places.

I’m so drowsy. My body and mind are rapidly sinking into a deep abyss, a bottomless swamp. I was overwhelmed by this sensation. Can’t I just sleep like this? I can’t take the pain anymore. I’ll sleep while it’s warm.

[I have detected external interference. Halting excavating process. External interference block – successful. Status check: no abnormalities. I have removed the obstruction, so I will resume the operation.]

Damn, it’s freezing! I suddenly woke up. It’s terrible. I was just about to fall asleep!

[Master, stopping at this time is not recommended]

Why? I feel like crying.

[Modification process: Foundation excavation progress approximately 7/8. We’ve come this far already. If you stop now, it will require restarting the process from scratch, and it will take about twice as long to complete the modification. Do you want to stop?]

Is that a threat. But it’s probably true, right?

Alright then, I’ll do it. Starting over from the beginning and doubling the time is out of the question. That would break my spirit. If it’s only 1/8 left, I’ll do it. I’ll go ahead with it.

[Master, in difficulties lie opportunities. I pray for your luck. Now, let’s continue.]

I’m being prayed for again.

Guho! This is cruel! Resuming immediately. It hurts so much, it hurts, it hurts. Even the hurts are hurting!

Hold on, hold on, hold on. I’m strong. Just a little more, just a little more, hold on and hold on… I want to give up.

“Gahhhhhhh”

It’s impossible. I feel like I’m about to vomit blood. It hurts everywhere.

Is this how it is from the beginning of the modification? I already feel like I’m dying.

I’m like a helpless newborn.

I accepted that self-modification is better the sooner it’s done. But seriously, with this level of danger, can I really make it out alive?

Compensation Type-θ. If this is the price I have to pay, it’s beyond extreme.

[1] Dental procedure that relieves pain caused by an infected or abscessed tooth. This procedure is not really that painful because of the anesthesia.