Theresia!!?
The moment I heard that name and looked at the girl's face, a familiar image involuntarily came to mind.
Theresia van Astrea.
They were exactly the same—their appearance, their clothes, even their voices.
If I had to point out any difference, it would probably be the sense of realism. Compared to the character in my memory, the girl in front of me was tangible. She was a living, breathing person.
'Is the dream still ongoing?'
Or perhaps, after experiencing that vivid nightmare of falling, had I entered into a second layer of dreaming? That was my only logical conclusion.
I raised my hand, instinctively wanting to touch the girl's cheek to verify if she was real.
Everything before my eyes, though incredibly detailed, felt far too surreal to be true. If this wasn't a dream, then I must have been summoned to another world.
But an Otherworlder? How could something like that actually happen?
However, faced with my sudden movement and the change in my expression—as if I recognized her—a hint of surprise flashed in Theresia's eyes. She did not try to dodge.
But before I could even touch her...
A sharp spike of danger surged within me, and I quickly withdrew my outstretched hand. At the same exact moment, a silver flash streaked past my eyes.
Shing.
When the true nature of that silvery radiance was finally revealed, a chill ran down my spine, and cold sweat broke out on my forehead.
'So close. So very close...'
If I hadn't pulled my hand back just now, I would have lost it.
"Carol, you scared him," Theresia said, looking at the girl next to her.
"This is just a warning to the impudent." As she sheathed her longsword, the blonde knight stared sharply at me, her eyes filled with cold judgment.
For her, it was already hard enough to accept that this strange and suspicious man had been lying on her lady's lap. But this man still wanted to push his luck? To touch her lady's body with his filthy, blood-stained hands?
"You should thank the Young Miss properly. If she hadn't been here, it wouldn't have been just a warning," Carol said icily.
She was right. She had gone easy on me just now. If she had really wanted to hit her target, it would have been easier for her than breathing.
However, that strike also confirmed one thing for her: I was truly an amateur. I was just an ordinary person with decent physical abilities, nothing more.
The proof was simple. Forget about murderous intent—I was terrified by a mere trace of malice. Only someone who had never experienced real combat and had grown up in a peaceful environment would react like that.
"Really," Theresia sighed. "If this keeps up, Carol, you'll never find a man."
"It doesn't matter."
A very concise answer. She seemed completely unmoved by Theresia's teasing.
Thearesia could only look back at me. "Sorry, don't be fooled by Carol's serious and rigid appearance. It's simply because we aren't familiar with each other yet. Once you get to know her, you'll find that she's actually a very gentle person."
"Um, no... it's nothing..."
"Carol?" Theresia looked at her knight, who was still glaring threateningly at me.
Carol immediately looked away.
This made Theresia sigh inwardly. Even though she understood Carol's vigilance, it felt excessive. There was no need to deliberately play the "bad cop" so aggressively.
"Are you able to get up?" she asked. "Judging from your reactions just now, there shouldn't be any major physical problems."
Since I wasn't crippled, she obviously couldn't let a strange man lie on her lap forever.
"Okay," I answered, scrambling to stand up.
To be honest, if allowed, I would have liked to lie there a little longer. But the current situation clearly prohibited it. If I stayed down, Carol—who had already leaned in—would likely draw her sword again.
After getting to my feet, I noticed that Theresia had turned her head away, her face slightly flushed. She was no longer looking at me.
"Um..."
"Down there!" Carol barked, offering a terse hint.
I looked down.
"Uh..." My expression froze.
My once clean clothes were now unsightly and messy. But the mess wasn't the issue. The issue was that my pants had been sliced open.
They say a breeze makes you feel cool, but this...
I immediately covered my crotch with both hands and looked at Carol, whose face was turned away in disgust.
The clean cut in the fabric was clearly caused by a sharp object—Carol's sword from earlier.
'Damn it!'
Not only was my life almost forfeited, but my "little brother" was almost retired before seeing action!
"Phew~" I let out a soft breath.
Given her attitude, it was impossible to expect an apology. However, after this commotion, my panic had begun to subside.
Although it was unclear whether being summoned to another world was a blessing or a curse, I had immediate problems. Based on the conversation I overheard while pretending to be asleep, if I couldn't handle these two, I would likely be thrown in jail.
Prison food might be free, but people in this world didn't care about human rights. Suspicious individuals were often executed on the spot.
'How can I deceive them?'
These two weren't stupid. Even if Theresia was kind, Carol was rigid and sharp. She wouldn't let anyone go who showed even the slightest inconsistency.
"Can you tell us your name? And why were you lying here covered in blood?" Thearesia asked again.
It was time to face the music.
"Um... I'm sorry, my memory is a bit messy." The lie tumbled out the instant I opened my mouth.
Carol frowned immediately.
"It's true," I insisted. "By the way, was there anything around me while I was unconscious? If so, I might be able to remember something."
"Yes," Thearesia answered, pulling a black book out from the bushes behind her.
Sure enough... even though I had only caught a glimpse of it earlier through the haze of pain, the book existed. Perhaps there were clues in it.
"Sorry, we also wanted to check the contents of the book to identify you, but we couldn't open it," Thearesia explained honestly as she handed it over.
"It doesn't matter... wait, it's open!?"
Theresia's eyes widened in surprise. Just moments ago, neither she nor Carol could pry it open no matter how hard they tried.
"Of course it can be opened. After all, this book is... a family heirloom passed down through generations."
"I see! Does that mean you remember now?"
"Generally speaking, yes. But please let me see the contents first."
Seeing that Theresia bought my casual lie, I turned my gaze to the book in my hand. It looked like a Gospel.
I read the first page.
"Want my treasure? You can have it all if you want. Go find it, and everything in the world will be yours."
'Huh! What the hell?!'
This was a direct quote from Gold Roger, the Pirate King!
'What idiot wrote this... Wait, could this be... a relic of some "Senior" Transmigrator!'
These familiar words couldn't be a coincidence. No native of this world would write such a specific meme on the first page.
With anticipation in my eyes, I turned to the second page.
However, the text that followed was... frustrating.
"I know you're fucking calling me an idiot in your heart, right!"
"Never mind! You, who jumped so hard that you killed the Sin Archbishop of Greed, Regulus Corneas, while still wearing split-crotch pants, are quite a character."
"In that case, I'll give you Regulus's Authority."
"Alright! Now go find it, you little open-crotch pants brat! Find my hidden treasure!"
The moment I finished reading the text, knowledge flooded my brain. A method for using a terrifying power etched itself into my mind.
Authority of Greed.
Lion's Heart (Invincibility via stopping time for the heart)
Little King (Transferring the burden of the heart to others)
"Wow! That's invincible!"
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