Hunter and Mad Scien Chapter 227

Only at the very end does he say such words.

There had been countless opportunities to say it. While he had endured all those opportunities. Now, when everything was over, the spaceti machine was completed, and even if Esperanza coldly rejected him, nothing would happen—only now does he say it.

"You never said it once until now, not even once."

"You know."

She knew. That even without saying it, he wished for that. But that he couldn't bring himself to say it.

Being unable to say it was the sa for Esperanza. So even though they spent most of each day together, they only reached this conversation at the very last mont.

"Please... you could stay by my side. Until now, this place has been fine for you too."

Moist silence continued.

Cider, who understood the quiet air as rejection, clenched his hands. His fisted hands were trembling. However, he didn't ask twice. He didn't seem to intend to persuade either. He just waited quietly, then soon gave a bitter smile and stroked Esperanza's cheek with his thumb.

"Still."

He began quietly.

"Don't forget that I always wish for your peace."

Esperanza blinked her eyes slowly. Her vision beca hazily blurred. Finally, tears poured down along her eyes.

"That's the sa for ! I also..."

How could she leave this person behind? How? What could be more important than this mont? Could this emotion beco okay? Esperanza could never do sothing like considering soone dead just because they weren't in front of her eyes.

She couldn't choose a world to live in with love alone. She shouldn't do such a foolish thing. However, in this mont at least, love was everything.

The letter in her pocket rustled. A letter written through an entire night. Only air sounds ca out as if her throat was completely blocked. But she couldn't say anything to the end.

If this was called an ending, it wasn't beautiful at all.

??????°??☆????°??????

She couldn't rember with what state of mind she had greeted the morning sun. When she ca to her senses, Esperanza realized there was still a letter envelope in her skirt pocket. She still couldn't know which was the right path.

'What on earth should I do?'

She splashed cold water on her ssed-up face to forcibly pull her consciousness above the surface.

"You're awake."

Cider ca out from the door connecting to the laboratory. Though he had been equally miserable all night, no such traces could be found on his face. He gave his usual smile, then bent down and kissed the cheek of Esperanza, who still seed not fully awake. It was as refreshing as seeing off soone going on a brief outing.

"Are you okay?"

"I wonder."

He tilted his head.

"You'll be okay."

While she was speechless, Cider resolved the matter he had co to the study for. The sound of tools turning was heard, then stopped abruptly. It didn't seem to be related to the spaceti machine.

As if noticing her curious gaze, Cider turned his head.

"This is sothing else. I'll need sothing to be absorbed in after you leave."

"What is it?"

"I won't tell you."

Esperanza gave a hollow laugh. She didn't ask further. Perhaps there might be a chance to ask. Perhaps there might never be one. Her heart was still precariously walking a tightrope, unable to lean to one side.

"There's still so ti before Cyrus cos."

"In the anti, let's draw so blood in advance."

Red blood filled the syringe completely. Magic power that was excessive for this small room rippled.

There was still plenty of blood that Cyrus had drawn. Even so, to operate the spaceti machine, they had to use the magic power of two people in addition to that blood.

So only one person could return with this machine. Once one person left, there would be no magic power to operate the machine for the next person. It was different from when Daria could return to her own world with just her own magic power.

Their world was in such a distant place. A place they might never reach again once this miracle ended.

"I want to see the machine first."

She had co to see the broken machine the day after the battle, but since then, she had never entered the room where the spaceti machine was.

"The shape is exactly the sa."

Indeed it was. It was exactly the sa shape Esperanza rembered. The interpretation system that Cider had broken himself had regained its intact appearance. Because it had been activated in advance, it seed to be actively calculating coordinates. The return ticket Cyrus had given was probably inside there too. Though it wasn't visible.

Whirrrr, the sound of gears turning could be heard. The cream-colored screen flickered. The movent of the machine that filled the room could be felt underfoot.

In the center was the Golden Claw. And below it was a capsule large enough for about two people.

Esperanza looked at that sight, then spun her body around. On the opposite side of the capsule was the control panel. The original spaceti machine wasn't like this. That was natural. This was an extrely inefficient design. In principle, it was right for the person controlling the machine to be able to see the central part of the machine. Because they could respond imdiately if any problems arose.

However, this machine was different. The mont Cider pulled the lever, he wouldn't be able to see Esperanza leaving from inside the capsule.

'He made this design for that purpose.'

Even without asking, that much was certain. Esperanza gave a bitter smile.

He didn't want to hurt anyone. No one at all. However, that was impossible. It was only a matter of choosing between two options.

Knock, knock. With slow knocking sounds, Cyrus opened the study door and entered. His gait was the sa as usual, but to Esperanza it felt like teleportation. Cyrus instantly crossed over to the room where the spaceti machine was.

"You ca."

"I didn't expect you to be preparing already."

Cyrus's gaze turned toward Esperanza. Esperanza turned her head to avoid his eyes.

"Since everyone's here, let's begin."

There was no ti for goodbyes. It might be better not to, but still.

Cider turned around and stood in front of the control panel. He checked the panel and inspected the equipnt status. The magic power ter, coordinate tracker, interpretation system, and most importantly, the 'Golden Claw' in the central part. After checking all of that, he turned the dial.

The vibration underfoot beca stronger. The sound of parts turning inside the machine that blocked all directions was noisy. Even the voice of the person right next to them could barely be heard.

'It's still not enough though.'

Despite the vibration that shook the house, the magic power gauge still wasn't sufficiently filled. Esperanza and Cyrus poured out all the magic power in their bodies. The spaceti machine absorbed magic power instantly like a starved predator.

They emptied the nearby potions and infused magic power once more. Only after completely exhausting their magic power could they fill the amount of magic power the spaceti machine required. The red needle that had been shaking on the gauge above the control panel was pushed back and stopped abruptly.

As if celebrating, smoke rose from the small chimney at the end of the pipeline.

Cider looked at the screen and nodded. His tightly closed lips had turned pale. When he pulled the small lever inside the control panel, the machine made a different sound from before. Whirrrr. Thud.

The capsule opened.

Once this mont ended, if she just turned away from the current pain, Esperanza would return to her original world in the blink of an eye. To the place where she had lived for twenty-seven years of her life. There was a peaceful life there, a world she knew well. And here was.

A back that didn't turn around. She could see that the back wrapped in a white shirt was full of tension. As if the greetings and pleas from the previous day were sufficient.

Even though she could see the hand that pulled the lever trembling.

"Really..."

She wouldn't stay in this world for his sake. She wouldn't...

However, could she go back with that back view as the last and live happily with peace of mind?

"Esperanza-nim?"

Cyrus, who had looked down at hands painfully clenched, called Esperanza in surprise.

"When you go back, you said you had a plan?"

"Yes, that's right, but."

His words cut off abruptly. No way? He looked back at Esperanza as if he couldn't believe it. Esperanza looked at the capsule with the open door with eyes so intense they seed ready to burst.

If she entered there, it would be over. Even if she didn't enter, it would be over.

The scale tipped.

"You go."

Esperanza said with emphasis. There was no taking it back. She only added one more thing.

"If you still want to go back, that is."

"Of course I want to go back if there's a chance. But still, Esperanza-nim. Not this way!"

The machine's vibration grew stronger and stronger. Magic power raced between parts as if running wild.

There was no choice that was entirely good. Esperanza would lose most of the life she had lived, at least twenty years. The things I had built up, the traces of my life. They would rot sowhere in that world, in a dust pit, without anyone knowing anymore.

Is it worth this? Is that man, this emotion, this world worth abandoning all my roots? She asked herself countless tis. She knew the answer well. There was no such thing in the world.

It was an extrely impulsive decision. She might regret it. She was saying this knowing that.

"I'm not giving in. Go and do what you said you'd do. Take responsibility for what you've caused."

"I will. But...!"

She knew well what question he wanted to ask. Don't you have family? Don't you miss them? Would it be okay to leave like this?

'Of course it's not okay.'

But it was a decision where one of the two had to be hurt anyway. Esperanza took out the letter from her pocket. The letter she had written and just kept carrying around.

"Deliver this to my unni. You know what I an, right? Before doing the things you said you'd do. This cos first. Make sure my sister reads it."

With that, I'll forgive everything you've caused.

Cyrus looked at Esperanza with shaking eyes. His hand touched the letter envelope.

"I'll deliver it imdiately upon arrival. Before anything else."

Thus, it was Cyrus who entered the capsule.

The door closed. Cider, who confird the notification on the screen, pulled the largest lever in the center of the control panel. Then the magic power that had been heating the entire machine flowed into the Golden Claw.

The bookshelves in the study shook, and the sound of books falling could be heard. Glass bottles on the laboratory desk spilled over. The small chandelier that had been swaying shattered into pieces.

Bang! A roar that seed like it would bring down an entire house.

Overflowing magic power enveloped the capsule, and pure white light colored the world.

Cider remained motionless with his eyes closed like a statue. The light that pierced his closed eyelids dazzlingly. How much more hurt would he be if he opened these eyes? It might be better if ti stopped forever with his eyes closed.

But he couldn't do that. His eyelids trembled violently.

What he saw before his forcibly opened eyes was the sa control panel as before closing his eyes. From several letters on the screen, he could confirm that the machine had operated successfully. Slowly, he exhaled a breath that seed to completely block his chest. However, he couldn't muster the courage to turn around.

Slow footstep sounds were heard. The shadow of the one who remained cast over the control panel from behind. Sohow a little smaller and a little more upright than he had thought...

Soft arms wrapped around his body. The body temperature touching his back felt unreal.

Cider blankly placed his hand over the hands wrapped around his waist. Exactly the sa shape as what he had held yesterday. Even the sensation filling his hands was the sa. Because he was born with a body that didn't confuse such things, it felt even more like a lie.

"Why... didn't you leave?"

"Is that all you have to say?"

Esperanza couldn't hide her disappointed expression. Though she couldn't say even as empty words that she stayed only for Cider's sake, she had expected him to be happy.

"You wanted to leave."

"There are many reasons, but let's just say I think I can be happier here."

Though not complete, it was a sufficient answer. Cider slowly turned around. Empty capsule. Completely drained magic power. Stopped machine. Body temperature that filled his embrace perfectly. He raised his arms and held Esperanza's back tightly. While gripping tightly as if she might slip through his fingers, he whispered.

"...I'll make it so you can return to see your world. Soday, definitely. I promise."

At those words, Esperanza raised her head and looked at the spaceti machine. Though she didn't know the size of miracle needed to achieve such an invention again, she could guess it might take a lifeti. Gauging the weight of the promise, she answered with a face full of laughter.

"If we can go together, that would be fine too."

The coordinates on the cream-colored screen disappeared. The red needle on the gauge also returned to the reference point.

Reference point.

Esperanza rested her cheek on Cider's shoulder and closed her eyes. She thought that the day she would regret this decision might never co.