Returnee from Another World - Chapter 29: A Strange Fate

Chapter 29: A Strange Fate

In the dark of night, I left the Holy Temple where Nishikuse and his ilk resided.

I’d extorted just over 8 million yen from them through intimidation.

It wasn’t the haul I’d hoped for, but cash wasn’t lying around in piles. The safe they used for temporary storage held only that much, so there was little I could do.

These guys were tools for generating money.

Keeping them alive but subdued would be more profitable in the long run. I hadn’t planned to take everything from the start.

I’d intended to give them a few Healing Potions beyond what I used on Nishikuse, but I didn’t fully trust Higashikawa, so I decided to hold off.

Even though I had plenty in my dimensional storage, it wasn’t something to hand out recklessly.

They’d witnessed the phenomenon on Nishikuse’s body. They must’ve realized it was extraordinary—practically a miracle in this world.

That’s why I warned them not to reveal the remaining potions lightly.

I told them to spread rumors subtly. If they used the potion to fleece believers, they’d need to be cautious to avoid suspicion about its origin.

Higashikawa seemed to grasp my intentions, nodding without objection. The moment he realized there was profit, he became cooperative. It was clear he responded better to greed than threats.

For now, I had a month of peace.

Bound by the Ring of Oath, they couldn’t even speak of tonight’s events.

Whether they understood the unfairness of the oath didn’t matter. They’d learn through pain. Someone like Higashikawa would likely experience it firsthand soon enough.

As for the believers, if there were any attractive women, I’d claim them as “sacrifices for Vepar” and enjoy them myself.

Most believers were probably old, but with thousands, there’d be some young, desirable ones. With Nishikuse and Higashikawa setting the stage, I’d be foolish not to take advantage.

I’d played every card I could, but success wasn’t guaranteed.

In a month, they might betray me. Still, I’d hidden my identity and spun the devil lie as insurance. Whatever happened, it shouldn’t be a problem.

Lost in these thoughts, I vanished into the silent mountain toward the base.

◇

“—This is the reality of the religion you believed in.”

The day after my encounter with Nishikuse and Higashikawa, I called Hojo Sayaka to a hotel.

After playing the recorded conversation, I spat out the words.

Sayaka’s face remained expressionless.

Learning she’d been deceived by Nishikuse should’ve sparked anger, but her aura showed no trace of it.

Even if she trusted me, her faith in the Gospel Love Church wouldn’t vanish so easily. To deepen her dependence, I needed her to face reality.

Money was a motive, sure, but this was also about binding her to me.

Yet, unexpectedly, her aura radiated gray (【Sadness】) and (【Pain】).

“Not angry about being tricked?”

“Yes. It’s my fault for being deceived. No, that’s not right. If I didn’t know the true god, I might’ve lost control.”

“I see. If you’re fine with that, we can drop it. They’d never admit it anyway. But… you have a daughter?”

“I’m sorry for keeping it secret. I planned to tell you eventually…”

“She’s sick?”

“…Yes.”

Sayaka knelt at my feet by the bed’s edge, head bowed, her words soft.

Her obsession with the Poison of Muleduel hinted at something, but I hadn’t considered a sick family member.

The Sayaka I knew before showed no signs of having a family.

She was young and beautiful enough to be married, true. But we weren’t close enough to visit each other’s homes. Still, as her former lover, I’d have noticed a husband or child.

She never called family during sudden overnight stays or showed concern for anyone else.

Some women hide their kids, feeling it’s a disadvantage in relationships.

She didn’t mention her daughter this time either.

Maybe I just didn’t notice. Or… could I have forgotten?

My incomplete memories make it hard to pin down events from the “future past.”

But Higashikawa and Nishikuse’s talk—about Sayaka’s daughter having a rare disease—sparked another possibility.

“Is it serious? Any chance of recovery?”

“The doctors say she has about five years. Current medicine can’t treat it, and remission is unlikely.”

“I see. That’s why you want a miracle…”

If I was supposed to meet Sayaka five years from now, and her daughter had already died, it would explain her shadowed demeanor back then.

“Yes. I understand you don’t fully trust me, Master. But Kaede’s condition could worsen any moment. I’ll pay whatever I have. If it’s not enough, I’ll earn more and serve you with my life. Please, can you provide the miracle drug for her?”

“Hm… Kaede Hojo? Same surname, so you’re divorced?”

“No, I’m unmarried. Kaede’s father died in a car accident before she was born…”

—Dead.

Maybe my claim to Nishikuse that Sayaka was cursed by a demon wasn’t entirely wrong.

They mentioned her parents’ early deaths too. With a sick daughter, it’s no wonder she suspected a curse and turned to religion.

Whether it’s a real curse or not, my body’s immune to disease, and unless I’m killed instantly, accidents won’t stop me.

With that cheat, her curse doesn’t matter.

But one thing nagged at me.

The child I’m testing the Poison of Muleduel on, observing after three doses, is named Yuki Sato.

The other child I considered for the test was Kaede Hojo. Almost certainly Sayaka’s daughter. So, I’d already crossed paths with her child by chance.

How could so many coincidences align?

It was the same with Sayaka. I was drawn to her, meeting her a second time. This encounter, this whole affair—it felt orchestrated, like something was guiding me.

I’d concluded before that it was fate.

But with these coincidences piling up, it felt unnatural.

Still, like last time, this “fate” didn’t seem malicious. I didn’t feel the dread I’d known in the other world when danger loomed. It was just a hunch, but I’d survived on hunches before.

As long as this fate worked in my favor, my unease didn’t seem worth worrying about.

“Master, I know I’m asking the impossible. It’s precious, but…”

“No, I’m not saying it’s impossible. Nor am I demanding money. I just need to think about whether it’s right to bring a god’s miracle into this world so easily.”

If it’s for her daughter, I shouldn’t drag it out.

I’d planned to give it to her eventually. Saving her daughter’s life would cement her loyalty. It was the perfect opportunity.

“Alright. I don’t fully trust you, but I understand it’s urgent. Letting a savable life slip away would defy Agufis’s will. I’ll have the miracle drug ready next time.”

“Really?! Thank you, thank you so much!”

“Don’t thank me yet. Wait until she’s cured. And thank Agufis, not me.”

“Yes, of course. Lord Agufis, thank you!”

Her gray (【Sadness】) aura shifted to yellow (【Hope】).

Sayaka kissed the top of my foot.

Watching her, I felt a slight unease. What if her daughter rejected the Poison of Muleduel? The possibility, however small, was noted in its description. There must’ve been failures.

Should I warn her?

—No.

It’s supposed to be a divine miracle.

Suggesting it’s imperfect could undermine its credibility before we even try. If it were a desperate gamble, I’d mention the risk, but it’s not that dire. If this strange fate binds us, and this is my destiny, it shouldn’t fail.

“Master, let me serve you.”

Sayaka reached for my belt.

As I let her proceed, she pulled down my slacks and underwear, her red lips diving for my crotch.

Burying her face there, she stimulated my penis with careful lips and tongue, shedding her clothes one by one.

Her stunning nude body came into view.

Already model-like in proportion, Sayaka’s scar-free body was now near perfection.

The angel wings on her back, left untouched, swayed with her movements. As she gave me a devoted, intense blowjob, my mind was consumed by the strange fate tying us together.