Chapter 42.2
Chapter 42.2
Bruja, lips pursed, looked ready to resume her attack. But then, changing her mind, she shifted her stance, aiming the tip of her sword past Adeline, towards Damian.
“Vete.” It wasn’t a mistake. Bruja’s aggression was solely directed at Damian.
“No.”
“No? Something Shade and Eric couldn’t manage?”
The belligerent words unlocked the puzzle. Somehow, Bruja recognized Damian.
Adeline quickly stepped back, shielding him with her arm. Damian looked down at the slender figure protecting him. Strands of hair had escaped her ponytail, fluttering around her face. She’d done the same in the serpent’s den, inserting herself into a fight that wasn’t hers, desperately trying to protect him. A dark shadow flickered in his lowered golden eyes.
“It’s not about whether we can or can’t. There’s no need to fight.”
“¿Cómo?”
“Damian won’t attack anyone anymore. Shade will be fine, too. He just fell in the water…”
Bruja, her sharp features etched against her tanned skin, frowned in utter incomprehension.
“That gloomy b4stard is fine, aside from losing an eye. But what does this monster not attacking anyone have to do with me?”
Bruja was a warrior. Deep thought wasn’t her forte. Adeline, momentarily startled by the mention of the lost eye, pressed on. “That’s why there’s no need to fight. If we leave each other alone, we can part ways without any unnecessary bloodshed.”
Bruja, who had been standing with her legs crossed and a scowl on her face, suddenly let out an exclamation of understanding and plunged her sword into the floor. The thin, fencing-like blade quivered. Her sharp gaze settled on Adeline’s matching uniform. Finally, her full lips parted.
“Aja? So that’s why you’re with… this thing. I get it now. I guess I got a little too invested, even if it was my first humanoid monster. You should get tested for Puppet Syndrome.” Bruja offered the advice with a touch of concern, her gaze still fixed on some distant thought.
Puppet Syndrome was, simply put, the tendency to humanize. To perceive something non-human as human.
It was one of the social issues that arose with the unprecedented popularity of Escape. It likely began with the establishment of District 10. While talking fairies were rare now, there were many more communicative individuals in the early days of colonization.
Aside from their doll-like size, they looked just like humans. The only differences were their innate crafting abilities and their arrogant, haughty personalities.
Communication inevitably led to interaction, and then to emotional connection. People began to believe that the dwarf fairies were truly living beings. This, in turn, led to a severe addiction problem. It wasn’t until several murders occurred in the real world, all stemming from disputes over fairies, that people acknowledged the issue.
Reality was being consumed by the virtual. Alarmed, people resorted to excessive violence. They deliberately treated the fairies like livestock, suppressed their intellectual development, and killed any individuals capable of communication. Thanks to these measures, cases of Puppet Syndrome had decreased significantly.
“Hmm. Maybe not Eric, but I think the day we stop using the word ‘addiction’ for virtual worlds isn’t far off. It’s becoming essential to daily life. We don’t say we’re addicted to clothes or shoes, do we? So, this is purely for your mental health. It’ll be sad if you get attached and then it dies.”
“I understand what you’re saying, but don’t worry. He won’t die. We won’t fight anymore.”
“We’re not getting anywhere. Most people don’t care if this monster attacks someone or not. Take me, for example. I’m just here for the money. Does a diamond sword lose its value just because it can’t kill people?”
Bruja had misunderstood her motivation. This fight was unwinnable. She couldn’t reason with her. If she didn’t want to fight, then escape was the only option.
The shop.
Adeline opened her shop window, outwardly maintaining her composure as she continued the conversation. “He’s not a sword or a monster. He’s a person. If you still want to attack him knowing that, answer one question first.”
Ten flashbangs, ten smoke grenades.
“Where is your guild leader?”
Purchase.
“District 9. Se queda ahí por desarrollo.” Turning off her translator signaled the end of the conversation.
Luce wasn’t here, and there was nothing more to learn. Adeline acted swiftly.
Before Bruja could finish her sentence, Adeline threw a flashbang at the floor. Flash! The world turned white. Adeline swung her sword, not at Bruja, but at a nearby display case, shattering it. Bruja, clearly not expecting an escape attempt, shielded her eyes and cursed.
“¡Hijo de puta!” Adeline didn’t understand the words, but the venom was clear. She spun around, grabbing Damian’s hand. No explanation was needed. He’d sensed her intention to flee the moment her back stiffened.
They burst through the closed door and into the hallway. Adeline tossed smoke grenades as they ran. As she prepared to leap down the stairwell, Damian yanked her back.
“What’s wrong?”
“Not that way.” His low voice guided her in the opposite direction, upwards.
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