I Was Confessed to by the Golden Sun

14 – 14. The Golden Sun Receives Treatment

Why did I try to take money from this late writer, Yeong-ae?

Mixed with a sense of crisis and belated regret, thoughts arose in my mind.

“Take this money. Just think of it as my friend using my own money…”

“I’ll never accept it. I’m thinking of where we should go.”

Seeing Lucia happily whistling, it seemed like she was in a good mood, probably because she felt like she had me wrapped around her finger.

This wasn’t the kind of reaction I had expected when I entered this place.

“I’m not as surprised as I thought I would be.”

The place where Lucia and I had entered was generally referred to as an underground gambling den.

Roulette, blackjack, baccarat, poker, and even popular and relatively wholesome games like slot machines were available, but there were also violent games where workers or slaves fought each other with money at stake.

It was not just unarmed combat but had a gladiatorial feel, with weapons and people killing each other.

Every time I saw something like that, I led Lucia in the opposite direction. This person doesn’t seem to have any reservations about that.

I thought it would be fortunate if I didn’t run away right away, but she was just giggling, thinking of teasing me, and had no interest in it.

“Isn’t that cruel?”

When I asked Lucia, she smirked and pointed to the arena where they kill each other.

“This? I’m fine.”

Usually, people who see this for the first time feel disgusted. Isn’t there anyone like that?

Moreover, if she’s from a noble family, she must have lived a very precious life. How can she show no reaction at all?

“Our father operates something similar, and I went to watch secretly a few times.”

..What?

As I stared at Lucia in surprise, she tapped where the purse was with a thud and said.

“Well, then, where do you think I got this money from?”

No, that’s not the problem.

Most of the aristocrats in the upper class operate this secretly without others knowing.

But it’s especially meaningful to hear directly from the direct bloodline of that family about which field they are in.

So, if you say this in front of others, it’s highly likely to be caught.

“Oh, what? Because of that, you kept going the opposite way every time we went to the arena? I thought you hated it.”

But she didn’t seem to care even though she knew that; she patted my arm lightly and said.

“You’re cute, pretending to hate it but still taking care of me.”

No, that’s not what you took care of.

I purposely turned away so that I wouldn’t be surprised and run away when I saw the arena.

I felt like Lucia would misunderstand even more if I left it like this, so I changed the topic.

“No, more importantly, if you tell someone else that our family does this kind of thing, it’ll be a big problem.”

When I said that, Lucia smiled as if she had been waiting for those words, and tugged at my necktie again.

Damn, she keeps pulling at it without any reason, like a dog collar.

Eventually, Lucia, who pulled my ear towards her face, whispered as if it were obvious.

“I wouldn’t do this to anyone else, but I’m telling you because you’re you.”

This crazy woman, trying to provoke someone for no reason.

As I looked at her in astonishment, Lucia said nothing.

She quietly peeled a candy and put one in my mouth. Of course, it was lemon flavor again.

“And you’re still worrying about me even though you said you don’t like me? Tsk…”

While saying that, she smirked at me meaningfully, and I don’t even know why I did that.

“I have a habit of helping people who are acting foolish.”

Perhaps, because Lucia, who was acting foolish, was getting frustrated, I unconsciously acted that way.

“No, when I look at you, you’ve already fallen for me.”

Yes, the words Lucia is saying now are just futile nonsense, trying to shake my heart.

“So, stop doing pointless things and just admit your feelings beneath me.”

She’s acting crazy.

Doesn’t she realize that talking like this will make any feelings I had disappear?

Maybe she noticed my expression turning sour because Lucia leaned in and said to me.

“Honestly, I’m not so bad, am I? I have money, a pretty face, and…”

“I told you, I don’t like women who steal other people’s men.”

I may have wavered a bit, but for the most part, I was consistent in most situations.

Women who snatch someone else’s lover, whether they’ve touched that lover or not, disgust me.

“Now get ready; we’ll soon meet the labor merchant.”

For some reason, Lucia seemed a bit downcast as we entered what appeared to be the eNT*Rance of an ordinary shop.

The shopkeeper, who was fanning himself to cool off because of the heat, came over to us.

This place, which only seemed like a typical shop selling groceries, is where Grayson is currently staying, a place that buys and sells “laborers.”

“Oh, a customer. What kind of product are you looking for?”

“It’s not a rental; I want to buy a 15,000-gold laborer. Can I take a look at one?”

A 15,000-gold laborer typically indicates that there’s something seriously wrong with it, and the price is heavily discounted.

“Either the buyer is a fool, or they have someone they absolutely need it for.”

Laborers become more efficient when their physical abilities are good.

Since Grayson doesn’t meet the ‘criteria,’ he’s no stronger than an average person.

There’s no way they can sell a laborer like that for the full price.

“Oh, what an excellent choice!”

Of course, this man is a salesman.

He won’t mention such information to someone who’s about to buy his merchandise.

“Come this way.”

He led us into a place that felt like a prison, with people confined behind iron bars. It wasn’t as gloomy and oppressive as I had imagined, but it did have the feeling of a prison where prisoners were kept.

The shop owner walked through several rooms and stood in front of a barred window, unlocking the door to the prison with a key.

“This is the only worker we handle at our shop, priced at 15,000 gold.”

With those words from the shop owner, Grayson, who had been quietly bowing his head, looked up and stared at me.

Gray hair, gray eyes. His worn-out appearance reminded me of someone sickly.

His eyes, too, lacked various things that one would expect to find in a person’s eyes.

Memories, memories that should accumulate as a person, a basic something seemed to be missing.

“Do you remember me?”

I looked at him, gesturing towards Lucia, and spoke as if Grayson and I were acquainted from before.

“I’m sorry, I have Harryson’s memory disorder, so I don’t remember anything from the past.”

And now, as Grayson converses with me, his own memories and recollections do not exist either.

There are no ‘should have’ memories properly stored in his head, but if there is a problem with what he is saying now.

“No, that’s not true.”

“..What?”

“You don’t have Harryson’s memory disorder.”

His blurry and unfocused eyes, upon hearing my words, widened as if they shouldn’t have.

Yes, Grayson does not have any memory-related disorders that he usually uses as an excuse.

“I came to take you, Grayson.”

The reason he can’t remember anything at the moment is not due to a disorder.

It’s because he has to expend his own memories to use his power.

“You know me..”

“Don’t bother with excuses, just come with me for now.”

I said that and threw 15,000 gold to the shop owner, who casually nodded as if confirming it with me.

Now legally, Grayson is mine.

Of course, he must be subservient to Heidi, not me.

But that moment is far in the future, and I need him for the upcoming episode.

Don’t I naturally have to play the role of a mediator between Grayson and Heidi?

“Jack, is this your friend? I don’t know him at all.”

Looking at Grayson, who was timidly following behind me, she spoke as if confused.

“This guy, he seems to have Harryson’s memory disorder or something, so he can’t remember.”

At times like this, I can just use Grayson’s go-to excuse.

In the novel, it’s usually acceptable to say it like this.

“But then, where will you accommodate him?”

Well, that’s a problem, I don’t have many options even if I stay in the dormitory.

I smiled at Lucia, who had raised a reasonable question.

“I have everything figured out.”

Of course, there is a solution, but I can’t really talk about it properly.

At the Academy, any student who makes a significant coNT*Ribution to the Academy is given the “transfer student” status.

I’ll make Graysen shine during the eNT*Rance ceremony attack and place him in Class A as a transfer student.

“But how do I explain this…?”

I don’t claim to know the future, and if I say it, it could lead to trouble.

I can always make up some excuses later and have him stay in a different accommodation.

“Wait a minute.”

Lucia stopped me, extending her hand and speaking while poking me.

I thought she wanted to hear more because I hadn’t explained properly.

“Just smile for me one more time, I didn’t see it properly because I was thinking something else.”

It seems like she’s hoping for me to smile more than anything else.

…I really don’t understand why she’s acting so confusing.

She couldn’t possibly like me for real, could she? Is it just a ploy to manipulate me?

“No, thanks.”

Thinking that, I shook my head to reject her request, and Lucia seemed disappointed as she licked her lips again.

Suddenly, she rushed towards the wall and bumped her head against it.

“What are you doing?”

“Ow, this isn’t the eNT*Rance…?”

She said while holding her head and moaning.

“The eNT*Rance is over there…”

It seems like she mistook the eNT*Rance we came through for the wall’s eNT*Rance and ran into it, hitting her head.

“Ouch… I’m bleeding…”

I wonder how hard she ran to make her head bleed slightly.

“I’m so embarrassed, let’s go quickly… Ugh?”

Is this person insane? Why is she trying to leave while she’s bleeding?

I led her and sat her on a large rock nearby, then began applying antiseptic to her head.

“You might feel a little pain, but bear with it.”

“Why do you have antiseptic?”

Not only antiseptic, but I always carry some emergency supplies in case the crazy male protagonists attack.

Even in a world where magic and violence prevail, these emergency supplies are still useful, so I carry them around even if it’s uncomfortable.

In case of emergencies, I can even activate explosives by infusing them with mana.

No matter how I think about it, shouldn’t a writer’s household live comfortably? But what can I do? This is my destiny.

“Ouch! It’s cold!”

And what would people think if a man and a woman were walking together and blood was flowing from the woman’s head?

I appreciate their carefree attitude, but I wish they would consider my thoughts a little.

I examined carefully to see if there were any other injuries elsewhere, but fortunately, there was only a wound on her forehead.

“Phew.. it’s done.”

I felt satisfied as I stuck a bandage that was bigger than necessary on her forehead.

Now I won’t be misunderstood anywhere we go.

“..Hm?”

But for some reason, Lucia’s face turned quite red.

“Do you have any pain?”

Thinking she might have a fever, I put my hand on her forehead, and her face turned even redder.

I thought it might be because of the contact just now, but I quickly erased that hypothesis from my mind with a wry smile.

To say that her face turned red because of a man, it doesn’t make sense.