Instead of feeling touched, Lakis sneered at the parasitic organism.
'What nonsense. Since when were you ever 'someone'?'
—Hey, you ****! Is that important right now?!
The jolting voice rang out in his head like a raging tide causing Lakis to knit his brows.
—I thought you were really finished this time! Do you even know what state your body is in right now? Don't you know I die if you die? Be a little more careful! Treat your body like the most precious, fragile glass doll under the sky!
Displeasure oozed from Lakis' face, dimly lit by the candle's fire. He gave a low sigh and swept back the hair that was pricking his eyes.
Even doing just that grated his wound and his face couldn't help but crumple. Despite that, Lakis' senses were keenly observing his surroundings. The situation was certainly strange, but he was truly alone in this house after the owner left.
Furthermore, seeing as he didn't sense anything suspicious around the house, it looked like there was currently no need to move right now.
This was the first time he was hurt this badly since he got this parasite-like microorganism that had been making noise in his head for a while now (of course, if the voice knew what he was thinking, it would leap into a fit of rage.)
His whole body felt as heavy as water-soaked wool and even if someone came to kill him right now, he didn't think he could respond properly.
Lakis nestled himself a little deeper into the sofa then he slowly closed and opened his eyes. His glistening gold lashes fell to cover his blue eyes then slowly lifted up again. This event repeated itself several times over. Meanwhile, the nagging in his head continued. Apparently, the annoying bug in Lakis' body had forgotten he was currently a patient.
For some reason, he thought of smoking a cigarette, something he had quit after doing it for a while when he was at war. But there was no way he would have something like that right now, especially since he didn't even have it when he was in perfect condition.
Usually, he would have made the voice in his head shut up in a more brutal manner than earlier. But since it was true that he had almost died for a really stupid reason, he decided to just endure the annoying nagging for a little.
Besides, it was thanks to the noisy voice that he was able to maintain his consciousness longer than he thought while he was wandering through the streets, wounded. Of course, that didn't mean he would enthusiastically agree with all the chatter.
Lakis paid half attention to the voice ringing in his head and began to examine his surroundings again.
—What's worse, it wasn't even going to be a nice death but so foolishly…! You should be glad you're lucky, if things had gone the wrong way, you would have really croaked!
Suddenly, Lakis' lips curved into a cold smile.
…he was lucky?
He was in this state because the only person he trusted in the world stabbed him in the back, so could you really call him lucky?
Yuri, the owner of the house who left for work not too long ago, had guessed right.
The man was none other than the same Lakis Avalon who was the king of the dark city of Carnot, just a few days before. However, Lakis was betrayed by the only person he believed in his entire life and after having his position humiliatingly stripped away, he became a fugitive like this.
As he was reminded of what happened back then, his deep blue eyes were filled with thick murderous intent.
He didn't expect that guy to obtain the power of the ruins. He thought it had all disappeared when he destroyed the research institute, but perhaps there were some remaining fragments hidden somewhere.
At that time, he was already fatally wounded so it was best for him to escape the situation and plan for the future. So like that, he escaped from Carnot, hid himself in the darkness and walked on aimlessly… and at some point, he lost consciousness. And when he opened his eyes, he was in this place.
—How many times did I tell you that bastard had really bad vibe? I said his eyes were rotten till my mouth was sore! You were so up your ass you ignored everything I said, it serves you right, you idiot!
Lakis mulled over his humiliation and slowly chewed on his lips. Although his throne was seized and he escaped with such an injury, there was no way the beasts that had been tearing at each other since birth would suddenly turn into grass-chewing herbivores.
The walls glowed in an inexplicably eerie manner as Lakis stared at the ceiling.
'I suppose you're right.'
—Yep, you're an idiot…what?
'I said you're right. I'm an idiot.'
When Lakis agreed, the voice that had been noisy all this time actually fell silent.
Soon after, Lakis took advantage of the silence and began to take a close look at the condition of his body. He didn't undo the bandages that were tied pretty carefully on his body to check inside. If the woman had done anything suspicious to his body or there was something wrong with the treatment, the voice in his head would have definitely told him.
Of course, while Lakis was unconscious, the existence in his body was also asleep but if there was anything wrong with Lakis' body, it would have been first to notice the moment he opened his eyes.
But with that said, even though his injury was quite huge, the woman hadn't taken him to the clinic, instead she took useful measures at home…
He didn't know what work the woman did but she was considerably skilled in this area.
Perhaps the voice's heart was softened by Lakis' unexpected reaction for its spirit was dampened a notch and it slurred the end of its sentence as it muttered.
—I mean, when I said I would help you at the end, if you had just accepted…
'Just thinking about that disgusts me so don't even start with such pointless talk.'
Like it said, if Lakis had used the power in his body, no matter how unguarded he was, he wouldn't have been taken down so easily. But Lakis knew that 'if' didn't exist in a sense, and the parasitic voice in his head also knew that.
Perhaps the voice sensed that Lakis was truly appalled, for it didn't speak again for a while.
Lakis was now pretty much done with checking his body so he began to look over the table top. In his current state, he didn't even want to move a finger, but he felt he should at least check if there was anything useful.
—Oh, right!
As if it had suddenly remembered something, the voice rang out in Lakis' head with a very different energy from before.
—Lakis, you were mesmerized when you first saw that woman earlier right?
Right then, Lakis' hand, which was rummaging through the drugs on the table, paused. The person who stood before him some moments ago flashed through his mind.
When Lakis opened his eyes, his sight was filled with a beautiful woman standing under the sunlight by the window, like she was soaking up the first light of the morning. That scene was somehow so awfully calm and peaceful that it had felt unreal. So at first, he thought he was still dreaming. But she was a real person.
'Lie down, and go back to sleep'
As he thought about what happened earlier, the calm voice that remained in his memory like a dream lingered in his ears.
'At least, there's no one here to threaten you right now.'
…He wasn't sure why, but he felt a little strange. Just a tiny bit strange.
But Lakis didn't know what to call that feeling.
—Wow, you're not even denying it?
Just as Lakis' eyes narrowed slightly, an annoyingly excited voice arrived in his head.
—So your ideal type is a girl like that? How interesting. I've never seen you react to someone so adorably before.
This stupid bug seemed to have taken his silence as confirmation when he was just thinking about something else. Hearing what it said, Lakis denied it, albeit late.
'Don't talk crap. Ideal type my ass, it's not even funny…'
—It's not crap though. Your eyes were practically glued to her. I know your heart was pounding really hard when your eyes met.
"…"
—Is that all? Your heart rate even soared like crazy while she was in front of you.
'…'
Lakis felt at loss for words at this moment. But he himself didn't know why he was speechless now of all times. Then the voice in his head chuckled despicably and carried on like it had caught a piece of him.
—So your standards are that high, eh? Not knowing that, I just thought your thing didn't work till now. Wow, to think that wasn't the case.[3]
Lakis ground his teeth.
'Shut up.'
—It's because I'm relieved, y'know. Relieved~. I thought you'd be a virgin for life…
'If you don't want to die, cut the bullshit and shut up.'
—Aww, are you getting all shy?
Knowing that Lakis couldn't actually hurt it, the voice didn't stop its teasing chatter. Eventually, Lakis ended up cursing it out under his breath. Even before, this infuriating bug could say vomit-inducing stuff like it was nothing.
—But I kinda get it too! Strangely, as soon as I saw her, I was just hit with this feeling…?? Like for some reason, she was close and familiar at a glance somehow… They call this kind of thing fate, right? Right?
And it was also good at rambling about such ridiculous bullshit.
—As expected of the human I chose. Just when I thought you were going to really die this time; your life was saved, and you met your ideal woman. Even did both of them, at once. Amazing indeed. I am truly in awe.
Now it was bothersome to even tell it to shut up so Lakis remained unresponsive.
Then after raising a racket for a while, the voice gradually faded away like it had slowly lost interest.