NOVEL NEXT WORLD Delicious!
Pastel mindlessly stuffed meat pudding into her mouth. It was in the shape of a wolf, but it pulled apart like jelly when she tugged at it with her hands.
The black pudding squished in her mouth. Sweetness burst forth, sending tingles through her taste buds.
The world sparkled.
An unprecedented sense of awe washed over her.
Her mind slipped away, and her soul awakened.
Black dream.
Pink illusion.
Is this what food from another world tastes like? Even a top-notch chef couldn’t soothe the soul like this.
Pastel laid back, stuffing two corpses into her stomach. The corners of her mouth broke into a silly grin.
Is this what otherworldly food is?
She regretted never having tasted this before. What had she been living for all this time?
Her appetite was whetted.
Is there more?
The coldness of the corridor tickled her back. She snapped back to reality and hurriedly got up.
“Ugh.”
She dusted off her winter dress. Rubbing her arms, she glanced around the corridor.
There was nothing but a staircase leading down on the blocked wall.
Was this a storage room in the attic? In a mansion, an attic would be more like an entire area than just a room.
Why was she here in the attic? Is it okay to leave the head of the household in such a cold place?
Before going down, she rummaged through two new rooms. There was nothing to find. They were completely empty.
Not even a speck of sawdust?
The dire state of affairs made her teeth chatter.
“Father…!”
You’ve really cleaned it out!
She slammed the table leg into the air.
Just you wait. I’ll make you cough up your wealth.
From today on, my life goal is to be a parricide. No one can stop me.
But first, I need to deal with the servants who left the head of the household in the attic like this. What do they think the head of the household is, for the hierarchy to be like this?
Could it be they all quit? The head of the household becomes a fool, and the son-in-law turns into a marriage fraudster, rendering him unable to provide money?
That’s a plausible guess. What loyalty could a family that can’t even maintain a livelihood command? The thought made her chest ache.
“Those godless people…!”
She slammed the table leg into the air again. She could understand, but she didn’t want to as the one affected.
She gazed fondly at the sturdy round tabletop and table legs. You’re all I’ve got to rely on now. Sorry for thinking of you as garbage when I first saw you.
She hugged her only kin tightly and headed for the stairs.
She peeked down the stairs. Is there something right in front of me? Not sure.
She cautiously descended the stairs.
As she turned her body, a long corridor unfolded.
Suddenly, a thick smell of blood wafted through the air.
Pastel stared blankly at the scene.
Sunlight poured in through a wall blasted apart by an explosion. The distinct claw marks of a massive beast were vividly displayed, stained red with bits of flesh mixed in.
Trembling hands touched the dry bloodstains on the floor.
Red footprints, red handprints.
Several people moved as if to block the stairs.
The unarmed resistance left bloodied marks. No corpses remained. The struggle was devoured and chewed away without a trace.
The last red footprint dashed past the beast and crashed into the broken wall. It paused, leaving behind footprints before leaping down to the ground. The beast followed, crashing down as if in pursuit.
A torn piece of cloth flapped in the wind against the broken wall. It was high-quality fabric used in maid uniforms.
Maid Captain Emma?
Didn’t you teach me how to read? Even when everyone else gave up.
Thanks to you, I can read now. You’ll never know how relieved I was.
Trembling hands grasped the cloth fragment.
I wasn’t abandoned after all.
Her throat tightened.
I was protected.
The godly beings are dead. Only the head of the household remains here. Tears flowed.
Tears fell with the wind, passing through the upper floors and landing in the garden.
Monsters with black forms howled.
A large magic circle in the middle of the garden emitted black energy.
Her moist gaze fixed on the garden.
Who.
Who put something like that in my mansion?
Who killed my loyal retainers without permission?
Her face hardened.
She wiped her tears with her sleeve.
Stuffing the bloodied cloth into her pocket, she gripped the flimsy spear and shield tightly.
God is in my heart, and the dagger is in my mind.
No matter how long it takes, as a dignified head of the household.
As a being worth protecting.
The girl turned her steps as usual.
She opened the door and examined the new room.
One by one, carefully.
#
Pastel glared at the wall mirror with a sulky expression.
After rummaging through four places, this is all I’ve got?
Not even furniture, just a mirror embedded in the wall. The pink winter-dressed girl was reflected back. She looked disheveled.
The girl in the mirror thought for a moment and lifted the table leg. The leg swung around and smashed into the mirror. A sharp sound echoed.
The pink figure shattered, and fragments spilled everywhere.
She picked up a suitably-sized triangular piece.
Oh yeah, obtained mirror shard.
With glee, Pastel walked over to the door and thrust the triangular mirror outside. Adjusting the angle to look, the corridor reflected back in the mirror.
“Oh, much safer.”
Way better than peeking my head out.
After practicing a few times, Pastel tucked the mirror away and returned to the corridor. She turned her head to look back at the stairs and the red scene, quietly shifting her gaze to a new path.
At the end of the path was a wide space that was blocked off. Due to the angle of vision, she couldn’t see the left or right. It looked like there was a corridor.
There didn’t seem to be any particular danger.
But the blind spots felt uneasy.
If a wolf is hiding in there, I’d scream, “Aah, friend!” and end up getting bitten.
“Hehe.”
Pastel proudly lifted the triangular mirror. The mirror sparkled.
A new companion!
I’ll leave the scouting to you!
Trusting the mirror, she walked cautiously.
As she got closer to the wide space, she extended the mirror to glance around her left and right.
An empty square space with no furniture.
Nothing here.
She walked a bit more and peeked again.
Nothing here?
Well, it’s not like there are any dungeon traps.
She looked again on one side.
Hmm, still nothing.
Then she looked to the opposite side.
The triangular mirror reflected a black shape.
A bull the same height as Pastel!
The bull tilted its head as it looked at the mirror.
The mirror shrank back.
Pastel stepped backward, casually distancing herself from the space.
Quietly, she tucked the mirror into her arms.
Then, realizing belatedly, her jaw dropped in shock.
What is a bull doing in the blind spot?
That was the moment a chase scene was triggered.
Oh, friend, eek!
She glanced down at the flimsy round tabletop and table leg in her hand, and the giant bull rose in her mind.
I’m not sure about that.
But I can’t just starve to death.
Pastel focused her mind and pumped courage into her brain. Come on, brain, do something!
That’s a bull-sized meat pudding, a meat pudding!
Fresh and super sweet.
Her salivary glands tingled.
Her eyes spun.
Whoa.
She wiped the drool with her sleeve.
Like a gambling addict, her courage surged.
She felt like she could do anything!
She thought, “Why not jab the bull with the table leg and hear it go ‘moo’ as it falls?”
The table leg swung through the air.
Alright, simulation complete.
Operation begins.
Pastel gripped the flimsy round tabletop and table leg tightly.
“Charge…!”
She ran like a drunken soldier.
A vast space opened up before her.
The black bull snorted as it saw her. Its front legs scraped against the ground. The bull lowered its head and charged at her. The weight shook the floor.
Pastel jumped to the side. The dark form whisked past, shaking the air. Her skin tingled.
She gripped the wooden spear tightly and thrust it at the passing bull. The spear dullly poked the black hide.
She felt the tough skin and dense muscles. The spear ricocheted off. Pastel swayed from the recoil.
Oh, damn.
Regaining her balance, she turned back to the bull. The black bull turned and scraped the ground with its front legs once more. Its head lowered again.
Pastel charged at the wall with all her might. The moment she reached the wall, she spun around. The bull was nearly on top of her.
She pressed the wooden spear against the wall, holding it steady horizontally. The spear tip aimed for the bull’s head.
Come at me…!
The bull’s head reached the spear tip. The spear aimed for the bull’s eye. The bull twisted its head, colliding with the spear.
In the slow motion of time, Pastel’s hand gripping the spear felt a tremendous impact. The wooden spear smashed against the bull’s head, bursting apart. Wooden shards flew everywhere.
Pastel hurriedly dropped the spear. She dove to the ground. Just then, the bull’s head slammed against the wall. A deafening sound erupted.
She pushed against the ground to rise. The bull bellowed. The dark figure raised its front legs. A shadow loomed over her.
She rolled her body. The front legs came smashing down beside her. The impact shattered the stone floor. A thunderous noise echoed, and stone fragments scattered.
Not over yet…!
Pastel released the shield. She grabbed a flying chunk of debris with her hands. The sharp texture stung her palms.
Quickly, she pressed against the ground and launched herself upwards. As she jumped, her body floated up.
She charged straight into the bull preparing to lift its front legs. Clinging on, she lightly climbed up as the bull froze in shock.
Pastel looked down at the bewildered bull.
Ragged breaths escaped her.
“Do you like bullfighting?”
I don’t like it at all.
She viciously rammed the stone shard into the bull’s neck. The hide scraped, and the bull howled. The dark figure shook violently.
That stone is completely stupid…!
Pastel clung on with all her strength. With one hand, she let go of the stone and rummaged through her pocket.
The triangular mirror came out.
The mirror shard glinted sharply in the light.
She took a deep breath. With full force, she slammed it down onto the bull’s neck. The hide tore away, and the black energy burst forth like blood.
The bull let out a roar. The dark body thrashed about. Its front and back legs stomped the ground in rapid succession. A thunderous noise erupted.
Pastel gripped the embedded mirror shard tightly. She took a breath and pushed with all her strength. Hyaaa! The hide tore, and flesh split apart. The black energy erupted explosively.
The bull roared. As it thrashed about, the exhausted Pastel was flung away. She crashed onto the rough ground. Ugh!
She forced herself to rise.
The bull staggered. It wobbled and then collapsed with a heavy thud.
Pastel exhaled sharply.
Her body throbbed.
“Whoa, whoa.”
Did I catch it?
I caught it?
The corners of her mouth twitched upwards.
She righted her slightly wobbling body. She brushed her messy pink hair back into place.
She glanced at the bull’s corpse.
“Just a worthless creature acting tough.”
A few jabs, and it was down and out.
“Moo~!”
Ahahaha!
While Pastel laughed alone, she suddenly halted at the sweet aroma.
Ah! Meat pudding!
She rushed over and buried her face into the corpse.
The massive carcass returned to her soul.
Moments later, Pastel lay flat on her back with a contented grin.
Wow.
If I can keep eating meat pudding like this, maybe this life isn’t so bad. Am I actually happy?
Gurgle.
Oh wait, that’s not true.
I need to scavenge the kitchen or something. It’s not like I can fill my stomach with potions; what a mess.
She grabbed the triangular mirror and shield.
She silently paid her respects to the broken wooden spear.
“Thanks to you, I was able to catch that wolf.”
Then, she suddenly laughed to herself.
What am I doing talking to something that isn’t even alive?
Man, I wonder what would’ve happened if there hadn’t been dessert. Meat pudding really helped relieve my stress. I should eat more.
Nodding, she stretched.
Her body brimmed with energy.
She marched confidently into the new corridor.
A long hallway stretched out before her. In the middle was a staircase. A spacious area leading down to the foyer caught her eye in the distance. Beyond the foyer was another corridor.
As she examined the area, Pastel noticed a glimmering silver reflection on the hallway floor. Her eyes widened.
Huh? Huh?
What’s that?!
A long, sharp metal.
“Lo, lo, lo, lo!”
A longsword…!
Pastel dashed and picked up the longsword.
Its heavy metallic weight felt reassuring.
Though it was chipped, it was definitely a longsword.
Wow!
Finally, a proper weapon!
Like a hero, she raised the sword aloft.
The sunlight streaming through the window sparkled off the blade.
“Longsword!”
My friend!