Translator: Alfredo Poutine Soup Editor: DesTheSloth
Nero didn’t drink the cocktail that Boss Luo made himself, but ordered a glass of white beer— which was held by an extra large glass.
She devoured the BBQ served by Ms. Maid, saying with her oily mouth, “Really, so many issues happened… no wonder Kuck lost his memory. It turns out he had been tricked by Xiang Liu. Well… it made sense and now, I can write a complete report.”
Saying that, Nero threw out a dim soul light ball from the bag that was carrying souls, “How many months can you the mark you leave on this ‘Prometheus’ last?”
Luo Qiu said indifferently while holding this soul light ball, “About 3 months.”
And then, Luo Qiu turned his hand, a dressing-case-size round plate showed up in front of Nero, “This thing can help you find its location within that three months.”
She clamped up a piece of meat and moved it to her mouth—this was the last piece. Nero collected this small round pan without hesitation, then burped, “Ah… I’m full, thanks for the meal.”
She stood up with both hands lift up, and stretched herself; then she squinted her eyes, “Oh, boss, let me ask you something. I can only make a bargain with Yama until its second form… do you have any suggestions about how to make a contract with it to reveal its third form? You should know, right?”
“Customer, this question needs to be bought.” The boss said indifferently.
“Stingy.” Nero said.
The boss smiled without words—but Nero couldn’t see it because of the mask.
She was a free spirit—at least she acted like that. So she shrugged her shoulder, “Anyway, I am a regular customer right? Can I pay a reduced price on the next deal?”
The boss’s finger pointed the table and a black card with 4 golden stamps arose in front of Nero.
Nero waved her hands and received it, then pointed slightly to her lips, throwing Boss Luo a kiss, “What a nice boss, then goodbye!”
“Hold on, Customer.” Boss Luo suddenly called Nero, and under her amazed look, nodded to You Ye, under her openmouthed look.
The servant girl turned to leave the hall. Soon, she came out holding a tray.
You Ye removed the cloth covering it and a 3 cm, palm-size wooden box with weird lines was revealed.
“Is it for me?” Nero frowned, “What is it?”
Luo Qiu said, “The bag that holds souls is too rough, this one should be more delicate and can keep souls longer.”
Nero gave a start and asked while receiving the box, “How much is it?”
“Free.” Unexpectedly the boss said indifferently, “We can lend this to you and it’ll automatically come back to us as at the end of your life. Of course, you can refuse it.”
Nero poured all the remaining souls into this box without saying a word; then she smiled, “Ding, congratulations player. You obtained an important item from the boss: a soul-keeping box, GET! Is it like this?”
“We hope to see you again.”
…
…
According to a certain transaction that Kuck didn’t know of, his memories, which he had lost, would not be able to return for a few weeks.
Although the feeling of remembering more things started faded, and it even became more and more confusing, Kuck didn’t change his current life.
He spent more time sitting quietly in his room. He always sat for half a day, as if he was just a tiny speck of dust that belonged to this room.
The only sound came from when Xiaozhi knocked his door due to boredom.
He couldn’t remember his true identity and the reason for his arrival, but there were some things he knew instinctively. For instance, he could sense that San Er was shying away from him.
Since she was avoiding him, then he tried not to face her… he even thought of leaving this place— he had such an intention ever since he met that weird gray-hair woman last time.
The day he planned to leave got closer and closer.
“Uncle Mark, what story would you like to tell today!” This kid became more unscrupulous as they got to know more about each other. She hugged Kuck’s arm and shook it as soon as she entered his room.
Kuck touched her head subconsciously and thought of one thing—If he left, would Xiaozhi be very sad?
By right, he should not consider such things— but his way of thinking kept reminding him about this issue.
“I won’t tell stories today.” Kuck emotionlessly said, “Go get me a block of wood.”
He made a gesture concerning the size he needed using his palm. Xiaozhi sucked her finger while nodding after a moment of gazing. Then she moved her fat legs to run out.
Soon, Xiaozhi came back with holding a block of wood, which was about 10 cm long, and 10 cm wide.
Kuck received the round wood, then walked to the table. He pulled the drawer and took out a knife before sitting down on the ground. Measuring using the knife for a moment, he then started to whittle the wood.
Xiaozhi tilted her head and looked at Mark’s behavior— she knew that Uncle Mark was skillful! She had seen Uncle Mark lifting up a 1-meter-high plank of Tofu in one hand previously!
But most of the time, Uncle Mark stayed silent.
“Uncle Mark, what are you doing?”
Kuck didn’t answer her, but kept whittling the round wood using his knife. Xiaozhi got used to his silence, so she didn’t make noise. Instead, she lay on the ground with both hands holding her chin.
She gazed at Uncle Mark, while her soft and meaty legs kicked. She felt it was interesting watching Uncle Mark.
After a long time, she felt tired and fell asleep.
Kuck stopped his actions. He hugged Xiaozhi up and put her on her bed, tucking her in the quilt; then sat back and started to whittle the wood again.
Bits of wood flew out after each action, as if they were floating about.
When he finished the last cut, lots of wood bits gathered on the ground. Kuck put down the knife, blowing away the bits left on the wood, then placed it onto the wood bits and leftover materials.
It was a wooden swan.
It was waving its swings in the center of these bits and leftovers, as natural as though it were alive—a real swan in the middle of ice and snow.
He put this wooden swan into Xiaozhi’s arm, then held her up and sent her back to her room.
After that, Kuck came back to his own room, cleaning the leftovers, turning off the light, and sitting quietly himself.
Kuck thought he would do the same tomorrow.
He didn’t know that a pair of eyes were gazing at this little Tofu shop… not only looking at Kuck’s dark room but also at San Er, who was doing the cleaning.
…
“Ah… why do I suddenly feel that it’s good for Kuck to be like that?”
Nero, who sat on someone’s rooftop was crossing her legs, with both hands holding the sheath. She was eating bread, which she just ‘took’ from a shop nearby.
The Yama in the sheathe whispered— of course, only its master Nero could hear it.
“Oh? You want to eat Kuck?” Nero looked at the sheathe mockingly, “Why weren’t you so energetic when you were in the boss’s room?”
The sheathe quivered slightly, as if it was dissatisfied with her.
“It’ll be troublesome to eat Kuck.” Nero shook her head, “At least those old guys in the club won’t let me go… I can escape anyway, but it’s still troublesome. Maybe I will be hunted down and have to flee around the world.”
Nero lay down, both her hands holding her head. She crossed her legs and squinted her eyes. Suddenly, she showed an evil smile, “Well, do you think Kuck can beat me down if he goes crazy?”
She suddenly sat up, licking her lips while saying, “I got a good idea!”
