Chapter 415, Korinna, Wandering

Translator: Barnnn

Editor: Silavin

 

Korinna’s sixth-sense-like ability, which enabled her to perceive the death of others as a black, smoky haze, had finally manifested on her Status Card as a skill named <<Eyes of a Reaper>>.

 

The skill was confirmed to be unique to her; no one else in the city possessed anything like it. With that revelation, it was officially declared a Unique Skill, and Korinna quickly became a media darling, beset by journalists and flooded with personal sponsorship requests. It was overwhelming.

 

Fortunately, Xeno’s experience with contracts and Ollie’s logistical oversight helped settle those matters, bringing a degree of stability to her increasingly hectic life. Yet public expectations soared even higher. She had already stood out among the Channelers of Dungeon City, but now, thanks to her unique skill, she was routinely mentioned as one of the ‘Big Three Healers’, filling the void left by Tsutomu.

 

[Ugh…]

 

But fame came with consequences. Now, Korinna trudged along the city’s main street, shoulders slumped, her mood down in the dumps.

 

“So Absolute Helix actually had two unique skills this whole time, huh? No wonder they were so strong.”

 

“Guess that’s what sets them apart from the rest.”

 

With whispers like those drifting among the crowds, it was no surprise that people began to dismiss her accomplishments as merely the byproduct of a rare skill. Its ominous title of <<Eyes of a Reaper>> did not help either; it made people uneasy, and the more superstitious types started avoiding her altogether.

 

[Great, I never thought things would get so bad that shops would start banning me… Now I can’t even do my restaurant tours anymore!]

 

That, more than anything, hurt the most. She had been looking forward to visiting a brand-new restaurant, only to be barred from entry thanks to the whispers surrounding her skill. The chef, a renowned culinary artist counted among the top three in the Royal Capital, had finally opened a location in Dungeon City, and Korinna, had eagerly awaited opening day.

 

She had waited in line for hours, but just as her turn approached, she was turned away on account of customer complaints. Apparently, the word ‘Reaper’ had taken on a life of its own, and rumors had spread. Elderly patrons and families with infants, acquaintances of the chef, no less, had found her presence disturbing. She had not even stepped inside before being asked to leave.

 

[Why did it have to be ‘Reaper’? Couldn’t it have been something else? Did God do this just to spite me…?]

 

She had not thought something so petty could sabotage her long-awaited meal. It felt unfair, ridiculous even. The more she dwelled on it, the angrier she became. And Garm’s explanation of Tsutomu’s circumstances had only fueled her frustration. What kind of God would slap such a dreadful name onto a unique skill and call it a gift?

 

But most of all, what truly crushed her spirit was the fact that she had spent the past few days meticulously preparing her digestive system for this one special meal, only for it all to go to waste. In the Royal Capital, the chef’s dishes had been priced far beyond her means; today was supposed to be a dream come true. Now, no matter what she ate, it would not satisfy her. Her stomach would not accept anything else.

 

Letting out a sigh three times deeper than usual, Korinna wandered back toward the Clan House, drawing curious glances from passersby as she dragged her feet, pale-faced like a ghoul in search of the living.

 

“Um, excuse me… Are you all right?”

 

“Ah… y-yes… Sorry…”

 

She barely acknowledged the voice of the young man who had summoned the courage to speak with her. She did not even raise her head, only murmured an answer and tried to keep walking. But that voice was familiar… and then she saw his drooping dog ears.

 

“…D-Daryl?”

 

“Ah, y-yes. Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you. But you looked… well, you really didn’t look okay. Do you want me to walk you back to the Clan House?”

 

Daryl had been working tirelessly behind the scenes of his own Clan’s operations until recently; thanks to Mirul’s insistence, he had finally taken a half-day off. By sheer chance, he had spotted Korinna in her current state.

 

Since his falling out with Garm, Daryl had stepped away from Absolute Helix; it felt awkward to approach a still-active member of the Clan. But considering how Korinna was one of the few truly kind-hearted members of Absolute Helix, he could not bring himself to ignore her, especially since she seemed more devastated than he had ever seen her before.

 

“…Well, actually…”

 

Korinna was surprised to see Daryl of all people, but the words spilled out before she could stop them. Slowly and hesitantly, she began to tell him what had happened earlier today.

 

Daryl listened with uncharacteristic solemnity. Korinna was not the type to sulk or complain, which only made her current state all the more concerning. But the more she explained, the clearer the picture became, and his once-alert tail slowly drooped.

 

“If that’s all it is, then how about I treat you to something? I’m starving too.”

 

“…I should warn you, I don’t think anything I eat right now will make me feel better. Are you okay with that?”

 

“Oh, I think we’ll manage. And besides… I don’t think Miss Ollie needs to see you like this.”

 

“…I guess you’re right. Maybe I should just grab something from one of the food stalls.”

 

If everything she ate was going to pale in comparison to the meal she had been denied, it would feel wrong to trouble Ollie for a home-cooked effort. With that reasoning in mind, Korinna gave a small nod and accepted Daryl’s invitation.

 

Usually, it was Korinna, as the older one of the two, who led their conversations. But today her words were few and far between, still caught in the mire of her disappointment. As she trudged along, Daryl struggled to pull up whatever topics he could think of, keeping the conversation barely afloat until they reached one of his favorite food stalls.

 

This particular stall was known for putting on a spectacle to lure in hungry customers, grilling whole gigantic slabs of meat over open flames. Daryl used to be a regular here, coming alongside Tsutomu and Garm. He dropped himself into one of the stall’s rickety wooden chairs and placed his usual order: a chunk of meat so large it could be mistaken for a boulder.

 

Without prompting, he gestured for Korinna to sit, and though her mood remained visibly sunken, she did as asked. She had been to this stall once before, quite some time ago, so when a casually dressed attendant handed her an apron to ward off oil splatter, she slipped it on without hesitation.

 

For a while, Korinna continued to respond to Daryl with nothing but distracted hums and nods, her eyes distant. But the moment a plate of meat landed at the next table, drenched in golden chip-flecked sauce, steam rising as the sizzling iron plate met garlic and rendered fat, her eyes began darting around everywhere.

 

Soon, she was talking again… albeit about the food and the stall. When her gaze landed on the meat roasting in the charcoal oven, her eyes lit up with an almost childlike wonder. Daryl let out a chuckle and reached for his iced water, drinking to cover his smile.

 

“This is amazing! The last time I came here, they didn’t have nearly this many sauces! And the staff’s way more welcoming now, too. Plus, this meat’s definitely one of the good ones!”

 

“Yes, ever since Ice Magic Stones started circulating more widely, places like this have changed a lot. And the owner’s wife joined him in the kitchen after they got married, which has definitely helped with the service.”

 

As Daryl explained, he munched on a skewer of marinated offal. And with how Korinna was now tearing into her food, it was as if her earlier dejection had been a complete lie.

 

The flavors had come a long way since her last visit; back then, it had been salt and pepper or nothing. Now, there were citrus sauces, garlic glazes, smoky blends, and all sorts of other options. Even the meat, which had once been served whole with inconsistent quality, was now sliced into reliable cuts based on the part of the animal. It was no longer a gamble.

 

“Oh, that reminds me, Daryl. Xeno was looking for you,” Korinna said between bites, letting out a satisfied sigh as she sipped from a cup of pulpy fruit juice. “Something about wanting to hand over some gear. He said you two just kept missing each other.”

 

The comment was casual enough, perhaps spurred by the pleasant fullness in her stomach, but Daryl visibly tensed up.

 

“…Sorry, I’m not planning on keeping in touch with old Clan members,” he replied quietly.

 

“What? Really?”

 

“Yes. I left Absolute Helix, so I figure it’s better not to get involved anymore.”

 

“Hmm… but isn’t that a bit different from just cutting off contact entirely? I mean, I get it with Garm; things got heated between you two. But the others…”

 

“…Maybe.”

 

“You’re treating me to lunch right now, you know? And I’m still officially one of Absolute Helix’s members. So doesn’t that say something?”

 

Korinna gave him a playful grin, but Daryl only returned a dry look.

 

“Only because you looked like death warmed over when I found you.”

 

“And if you really believed keeping distance was best, you wouldn’t have said anything to me at all. If it were Leleia, maybe you would have walked past her. Then again… no, I believe you’d still care. At least a little.”

 

She stopped short of saying ‘If it were Tsutomu,’ judging that name might still sting too much. But even so, she did not believe Daryl was as cold as he made himself out to be.

 

“Leaving the Clan doesn’t mean erasing the relationships we had, you know? If you were walking down the street looking miserable, I’d speak to you. And so would Xeno, and Leleia. Even Garm, of course.”

 

“…”

 

“I heard you’ve been busy managing things with the… alliance, right? And I didn’t want to bother you, especially with how hard Xeno was trying to rope you back in. But… maybe next time you have a day off, we could get lunch again? It’ll be my treat.”

 

“…”

 

Daryl hesitated; part of him wondered if Korinna had cleverly drawn him into this, just to pull him back. But her offer was genuine, and truth be told, it was tempting.

 

He had left Absolute Helix not because he hated anyone, but because of the sting of betrayal by Tsutomu and the feeling of being belittled by Garm, someone Tsutomu had trusted deeply. That one rift had been enough to drive him away, but it did not mean he had stopped caring about the rest of them. Saying goodbye to those he had fought beside for over a year had not been easy, even if it had been his decision.

 

“…Honestly, it feels a little backwards to say this, but I think I should be the one asking you that instead, Miss Korinna. Thank you.”

 

“Don’t mention it! If anything, I should be thanking you. You’re the one who pulled me out of my funk!”

 

“…Sorry.”

 

Daryl winced a little, remembering how he’d stormed out of the Clan without speaking to anyone, lashing out even at Garm, his former mentor. And yet here he was, reconnecting with someone from that same group at a food stall, of all places.

 

It felt a little pathetic, but this moment provided him with a much-needed sense of relief. And in the end, Daryl was deeply glad he had worked up the courage to speak to her.