VIP Chapter 411: A Good Day
Will felt that Iaar was particularly different today.
If he could see with his own eyes, it might be better, but in his darkened, obscured vision, he could still see Iaar’s small, swaying tail and hear her speaking to him with a happier voice than usual.
Today, like every other day, there were no “missions” or “things that must be done,” but Iaar was more “determined” than ever to replicate the time-stopping ability she achieved yesterday for Will.
In the morning, with a hint of warmth emanating from the high-temperature sauna, Iaar and Will sat on opposite sides of the dining table, and she began to concentrate intensely on the meal plate in front of her.
“Recall… recall that feeling…”
But she didn’t succeed.
At noon, after a sumptuous lunch, amidst the fragrance of tea brewed by Iaar, Will took a short nap and then watched her continue her training in the garden during their “tea party”—
“What if I imagine the Young Master falling again? Perhaps I can recall the feeling from that time.”
“This time, Iaar should do it like this…”
But she didn’t succeed.
“Iaar, perhaps you should recall the contents written in ‘Ice Array’ again. After all, that book was recorded to help replicate this state of mind…”
“No need. Iaar believes that since it’s something Iaar has experienced, I can definitely recall it on my own.”
“…Eh?”
Will found himself unusually interrupted by Iaar, and it was an interruption to his offer to help.
Had yesterday’s experience truly brought about a more profound change in her?
“After succeeding yesterday, Iaar tried hard to remember that feeling, but it seems I can’t quite use it. Uh…”
Throughout a leisurely and long afternoon, Iaar’s face turned red as she strained, yet she was still unable to replicate the time-stopping skill from “Ice Array.”
“Don’t rush it too much.”
“Of c-of course I’m in a hurry! Clearing the Dungeon is what the Young Master said we should do! And do it right away!”
“The End Ash doesn’t seem like a popular Dungeon anyway, so it shouldn’t be cleared by anyone in a short amount of time.”
“No, Iaar feels that now is the closest I’ve ever been to recapturing that feeling.”
“Don’t panic. According to the description in ‘Ice Array,’ this magic might require constant recollection and reflection on the past. This also takes a long time…”
She panicked slightly and tapped the table at Will, who was drinking tea.
“Moreover, only when Iaar can use it without wavering will the Young Master truly be ‘saved’!”
“Cough, cough, cough… I-Iaar, what… what are you saying?”
Will almost spat out the tea from his cup.
After a few exchanges, Will sensed Iaar’s urgency, which seemed to stem from her genuine confidence and her strong desire to change Will on her own.
…An emotion of sufficient gravity.
“This is something Iaar wants to achieve! The sooner I complete it, the sooner the Young Master will know that the current you… also… can be as strong as before… as strong as before!”
“Besides, it will also let… let the Young Master feel that the current Iaar is different now.”
As Iaar spoke, she turned her head and saw the sunset sunlight filtering through the path.
The closer it got to sunset, the colder the sunlight became, and the more crimson it appeared.
“This light… No, no, right now… what time is it now!”
“Hm? Iaar, is there something urgent? Although I can’t see the exact time, it’s almost time for dinner—a little later would be fine…”
“It’s… it’s already half past five! Could it be that Iaar hasn’t learned to stop time, but to accelerate it?!”
“If you truly learned that, it would be quite impressive.”
Will heard Iaar’s hurried tone and didn’t realize what was happening.
Did she have something she absolutely had to do today? But Iaar’s life should be very plain, with no outsiders, just herself…
“That store shouldn’t close just like that, right? Young Master, Iaar has something very important to pick up in the city. Please wait a moment, Iaar will push you in right away.”
“Something very important to pick up in the city?”
By the time he realized it, he had already been pushed into the room by Iaar.
“Ugh…”
Thinking carefully, Iaar should have prepared everything, so there shouldn’t be anything she needed to pick up in the city on a whim, unless…
Unless it was something she couldn’t make herself, or something she didn’t want to make, or more likely…
It was…
Something she wanted to keep as a memento?
“Uh…”
Then, when would she need to leave a memento…
Will thought about it. In the game, for the sake of the story, he had once asked the author for Iaar’s birthday. The date the original author gave him seemed to be in winter—which was understandable, as Iaar was abandoned in winter. It seemed setting a winter birthday would be a better way to gain sympathy from players who enjoyed such things.
Of course, he didn’t consider when Iaar’s life before the age of three or four would have occurred.
Naturally, neither the current Iaar nor the past Iaar would remember her true birthday.
But…
There was one day that both Will and Iaar still had some memory of…
For example, a bright, sunny early spring day, with a slight chill that winter hadn’t yet relinquished, but with a warmth that hinted at the arrival of spring.
It was a good day for a half-beastman abandoned in winter to recover her health and be brought to the gates of the Hysterm Family.
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Not long after, Will was indeed greeted by a mysterious Iaar.
“Young~ Master~ Iaar is back, Young Master must be starving, right? Please wait a moment, Iaar will prepare tonight’s dinner right away.”
Her steps were a bit unsteady, and it was evident she was carrying something in her right hand.
And even so, she seemed to be tiptoeing, as if hiding something.
Will was about to offer his congratulations, but it seemed she wanted to surprise him, so he held back.
“You took a long time to get back, did you forget to buy groceries?”
“Ah… ah, that… yes! Iaar forgot to buy groceries! Iaar will go make dinner for the Young Master right away! Wait a moment, Young Master~”
Believing she hadn’t been discovered, Iaar seemed very pleased that her plan could be executed, her tail swaying and even brushing Will’s arm as she slowly walked past him.
“…Alright, I’ll be waiting then.”
Will deliberately adjusted his tone to sound impatient.
“The main food today will still be steak and fried eggs. After all, we can only buy these things here, um… and some broccoli.”
Iaar, sitting beside Will, seemed to be genuinely preparing something and introduced it carefully.
Her voice carried a hint of laughter, and even she couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Alright, Iaar will feed the Young Master now.”
Author’s Note: I was too busy at work today and forgot to post my saved drafts.
