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Episode 58
Midnight Negotiation
058 – Midnight Negotiation #3
Drip, drip—
Even if this old barn was full of holes, seeing your breath on a spring night still felt a bit exaggerated.
This was clearly abnormal weather. And I had experienced this kind of piercing cold before—the kind that stung deep into your bones.
”I. Have. Arrived.”
The moment the voice echoed through the space, I shot up from where I sat.
Then, without hesitation, I threw myself face-down toward the makeshift altar in the corner—the one that had been glaring at me this whole time.
Thud.
“Nox, my lady…! Y-You’ve come!”
”You’re bowing in the wrong direction. It’s not there—it’s here.”
The voice didn’t come from the altar. It came from behind me—near my backside.
Wait, did she descend into my a**? That stupid thought flashed through my mind for a brief second before I saw Luna quietly pulling a blanket over herself. Then it all made sense.
“Did you… possess Luna’s body again this time?”
”Indeed. But I cannot stay for long.”
Nox, having taken over Luna’s body, wrapped herself in every blanket and sheet on the floor until not even a strand of her hair was visible.
At any rate, I quickly adjusted my position and prostrated myself toward the blanket-covered Luna—now Nox.
For some reason, flattening myself against the ground and begging for my life felt like the right move.
“I-I’m sorry!”
”I have yet to say anything. But seeing you repent so earnestly is… not entirely unpleasant. You are a clever child, so I shall spare you immediate punishment. Speak. Defend yourself.”
“Th-Thank you!”
”So? How was it, you insignificant little thief? How did it feel to recklessly pluck and taste what I nurtured with all my heart?”
“Uh, wh-what?!”
Pluck and taste?! What kind of phrasing was that?! My face burned.
”Do not feign ignorance. I already know everything. That which I watched over since its smallest days—that which I guarded so no one would dare lay a finger on it—you trampled it under your filthy feet, touched it with your hands, and tasted it with your mouth, did you not?”
“W-Well, I…”
Nox seemed furious that I had laid hands on her daughter, Luna.
From beneath that ridiculous blanket pile, the floor began to freeze with a crackle—, and all I felt was sheer terror. At this rate, I might freeze to d*ath right here, face-down on the ground!
”Speak. How did it taste? Describe in detail the sensation of what you tasted—every touch, every texture!”
“W-Well, you see…”
What the hell was I supposed to say?!
”Your daughter’s chest was soft enough to fit in one hand, warm and smooth—absolutely fantastic! Did she take after you, ma’am?” —What kind of psycho says that to their girlfriend’s mother?!
Sure, in this messed-up world, someone like that probably existed. But that someone wasn’t me.
”Out with it! Or shall I freeze that useless mouth shut and ensure you never taste anything again?”
Even hidden beneath the blanket, Nox’s anger was palpable. I was so scared that all I could do was press myself even harder against the floor and tremble.
Thankfully, I’d already relieved myself earlier—otherwise, I would’ve definitely pissed myself.
”Now! Confess every detail! How did it taste?!”
“O-Okay, okay! Please calm down! Hah…”
sh*t, I’m dead. But even if you enter a tiger’s den, keeping your wits about you might just save you.
So, resigned to my fate, I desperately racked my brain. I don’t think I’d ever used my head this much in my entire life.
Alright, let’s go with the least provocative, most ambiguous phrasing possible. I couldn’t afford to piss Nox off any further.
“Well… it tasted really good.”
”Hmm. Is that all?”
“It was small and delicate… just the right size to hold… and you could really tell how much care went into raising it.”
”Good. And the taste? Was it sweet?”
Sweet?! How the hell was I supposed to describe that in terms of flavor?!
“Y-Yes! Very sweet! Kind of tangy, too… I wanted to keep tasting it.”
”You dare say you want more? You intend to keep stealing what I cultivated?”
“Th-That was a slip of the tongue! I just meant it was that delicious! A-Anyway, I’m sorry…!”
”Hmph. Though, I suppose this is the first time anyone has tasted it and given their thoughts.”
Of course it’s the first time, d*mn it… I never imagined I’d be having this conversation with Nox.
Wasn’t Nox the real power behind Tartarus, the so-called edge of hell? Truly, a goddess who lived in hell had a mind like hell itself. A hellish goddess!
”I truly poured my heart into raising it. A hundred nights spent watching over it, a thousand days spent anxiously guarding it. Worrying if some beast might covet it, if insects might dare take a bite. Do you understand a parent’s heart?”
“I’m terribly sorry…”
”But what’s done is done. Not even I can undo what has already happened. Just know this—I will ensure such an incident never occurs again. I will not allow a thief like you to so much as lay a finger on it.”
Thud.
The words from beneath the blanket made my vision swim. A romance opposed by parents—I’d only ever seen it in dramas.
But experiencing it firsthand turned my mind blank, sweat pouring down my back.
”Swear on the River Styx! Swear you will never touch it again!”
“W-Well…”
I stood at a crossroads between life and d*ath, hesitating like a traveler unsure which path to take. One led clearly to doom.
I knew the answer, but for some reason, the words wouldn’t leave my mouth. Give up Luna? Worse, swear it on the Styx?
“N-No. I can’t promise that.”
”What? You intend to keep sucking that honey with your filthy mouth? You’ve got nerve. Fine. Then let’s make a deal. If you swear not to touch it, I shall grant you something in return.”
“Something in return…?”
”Indeed. A substitute, if you will. For example—this.”
Swish.
A small hand emerged from beneath the blanket pile—Luna’s slender palm. On it rested a perfectly round, glossy marble the size of a billiard ball.
Dark indigo with sparkling grains like salt, it looked like a universe trapped inside glass.
”How is it? Tempting, no? The twentieth night steeped in the tears of Titans. Of course, it pales in comparison to what I nurtured, but as it is, it is already a treasure. A mortal could sell this and live comfortably for life.”
Nox’s words were undeniably persuasive. Though the part about steeping nights in tears was lost on me, even my dull eyes could tell this thing was valuable.
To dangle something like this in front of me—just how precious was Luna to her?
”Not to your liking? Then how about this? Men usually enjoy these.”
Flick, swish.
The hand holding the marble withdrew, then reappeared clutching something else.
What was that? A coiled wire? A crudely made rod? I couldn’t tell.
“What is that…?”
”Do not be startled. This is Jupiter’s lightning—one that fell into the abyss and failed to ignite. Though it has lost its divinity, no weapon in the mortal world rivals it.”
Zzzt, crackle.
Now that she called it lightning, the sparks dancing along the red copper made sense.
This was a high-voltage current running through a copper wire. If I touched that bare-handed, the result was obvious.
“Th-That’s a bit…”
”What? You refuse? Wait. There must be something here that will suit your tastes.”
Then, the blanket pile began to rustle as Nox—still in Luna’s body—rummaged around. After a long moment, I finally spoke up.
“Um… no matter what you offer, I won’t give up.”
Freeze.
Nox’s movements stopped.
”Even if it costs you your life? Was it truly that delicious?”
“It was… the best thing I’ve ever tasted in my life. I’ll never taste anything like it again.”
”Hmph. I cannot say I dislike such honesty. I had planned to serve it to other gods, but your confidence is… amusing. Erebore has been eagerly awaiting the day of harvest.”
Wait, what the hell? Serve Luna to other gods? And who the hell is Erebore?!
My vision swam, rage boiling up from my gut. How could any parent treat their own child like some object to be traded?
I slowly rose from my prostrated position and spoke.
“Th-That’s unacceptable! Lady Nox! Sh-She’s mine! I won’t give her to anyone!”
”What did you say? You dare claim ownership? What part of its growth did you contribute to?”
“N-Nothing, but…! Luna promised me! I have no intention of handing her over to anyone else!!”
d*mn, that sounded cool even to me. Here I was, standing up to a woman who could k*ll me with a flick of her finger.
Maybe facing Elpride and Hippolyte had toughened me up. Though Nox was in a completely different league.
At any rate, I’d said my piece! Gulp. Was I really about to d*e here? Just as I braced myself—
”…What nonsense are you spouting? I was referring to the Scarlet Jewel I cultivate in Tartarus.”
Huh? Scarlet Jewel? What’s that?
The sudden shift in topic left me dazed. Scarlet Jewel, Scarlet Jewel— Then it hit me.
That one apple I ate in my dream the night Luna and I first bonded. Its name was something like Scarlet Jewel Bathed in the Night’s Dew, and Nox had mentioned something about it.
”What does Luna have to do with this?”
Oh sh*t. I’ve been digging my own grave this whole time.
If Nox realized I’d been talking about Luna, I was dead. Not just dead—I’d d*e in ways I couldn’t even imagine.
“Uh, I-I was talking about the Scarlet Jewel too! It was delicious! Tasted like honey!!”
”Of course it did. But such a thing is beyond a mortal’s reach. No matter how grand your dreams, it can never be yours.”
“Y-Yes! I-I lost my head for a second! I realize now how wrong I was! Please forgive me!”
I prostrated myself again. Nox responded:
”Very well. I am the Mother of Night. The endless dark is vast and forgiving. I shall pardon you. So, do you relinquish your claim on the Scarlet Jewel?”
“…Yes. How could I dare lay hands on it? I’m nothing but a foolish insect.”
”Good. Slow to learn, but quick to reflect. Still, I am not so shameless as to demand you walk away empty-handed. I shall grant you a reward.”
Swish—
Another hand emerged from the blanket, this time holding a small, unassuming coin.
Compared to the marble and the lightning, it looked downright plain—which only made me more curious.
“Um… may I ask what that is?”
”Foolish child. Is it not obvious? A coin.”
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[Author’s Note]
A triple update! The loss of my backlog means future Me will suffer. Ehehe~ Hiiik…!!
If you enjoyed it, please leave a like and comment…!!
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(Note: Some culturally specific terms and wordplay have been adapted for readability while maintaining the original tone and intent.)
