…My deep sleep was interrupted as I gradually woke up.
Huh? There’s a mysterious sensation on my cheek. It feels like someone’s tapping me.
What’s this? Feels like a paw. Mew-chan, perhaps? But did he have paws? Well, whatever.
…I feel like I heard ghostly laughter nearby, like “kekekeke”.
Huh? Hmmm?
My body moved on its own.
I found myself sitting upright on the bed. What’s going on?
But, something as trivial as this wouldn’t wake me up.
The next thing I knew, my body stood up on its own.
I don’t understand what’s happening. What’s going on with my body? Am I being controlled by something?
“W-Whoa, impressive. I can’t believe there are people who won’t wake up even to this extend. You’re a funny person onii-san, kekekeke.” (Eva)
That’s definitely Eva’s laughter.
Suddenly, my body began to do a bridge. Why? Seriously, why? Why am I doing a bridge while half asleep?
“You’re still not waking up, huh? Well then, let’s have you breakdance.” (Eva)
Uwaaaah! My body moved on its own.
I ended up doing a headstand on the bed. Moreover, I started spinning around with my legs spread out.
“Aaargh! What on earth is happening?” (Wilhelm)
“You’re acting bewildered with your eyes closed? Hey, Wil-oniisan, are you going to wake up soon? It’s time to wake up, you know? It’s already noon. Ready to get up?” (Eva)
“No, I’m sleeping. I absolutely love indulging in deep sleep.” (Wilhelm)
“Wow, you’re such a troublesome onii-san. Well then, how about doing the splits next? Kekekeke.” (Eva)
“N-No, wait! Doing the splits is too much. My joints have gotten stiff from my shut-in lifestyle. If I do that, I’ll die!” (Wilhelm)
“Hmm.” (Eva)
Don’t just say ‘Hmm’!
My legs kept spreading apart.
Oi oi oi! I’ll seriously really die! I’ll die, you know?!
Aah, I’ve reached my limit. Ow ow ow!
“Can you still endure it?” (Eva)
“I can’t! But I want to sleep. I don’t want to wake up!” (Wilhelm)
“Well then, let’s spread those legs even wider.” (Eva)
“Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow!” (Wilhelm)
“If you won’t wake up, Eva-chan will spread them wider and wider.” (Eva)
“I want to sleep! I still want to sleep!” (Wilhelm)
“Ah, it makes Eva-chan happy to hear you say that. Alright, this is the finishing move. Full split mode, here we go!” (Eva)
“Uwaaahhhhh! I’m seriously gonna dieeee!” (Wilhelm)
“Oh, you’re awake! Good morning, Wil-oniisan. What a lovely wake-up call, right?” (Eva)
“No, it’s the worst.” (Wilhelm)
The pain around my groin is beyond words.
It feels like my bones are dislocating and my muscles tearing inside. Ow, ow, ow. I could’ve endured a bit more if I weren’t bedridden.
Blacky-chan, the black cat, snuggled up to me and meowed softly. It felt like a greeting, so I responded in kind.
I glanced at Eva by the bed. She seemed genuinely amused as she looked at me.
I think she’s got a cute smile.
She seems like a normal girl when interacting with her during the day. I just wish she could always be like this. Unfortunately, meeting her at night is scary, like encountering a ghost.
“So, what’s that thing Eva’s holding?” (Wilhelm)
“This? It’s a straw doll. Kekeke.” (Eva)
Eva showed me a straw-made doll.
Scary. Seriously scary.
What is this girl saying with her dark, lovely smile? With her good looks, it just makes it even scarier.
“I’ve never seen a straw doll before. Isn’t this the kind of thing where if you drive nails into it with resentment, it causes pain to the cursed person?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah. Want to try it?” (Eva)
Eva was all excited.
“No, absolutely not.” (Wilhelm)
“Aww…” (Eva)
“Because it hurts, right?” (Wilhelm)
“Eva-chan won’t make it hurt. So, what do you say?” (Eva)
Even with her sparkling eyes, it’s a no. It’s annoyingly cute. I lightly flicked Eva’s forehead. Her eyes widened in surprise.
“So straw dolls really do work, huh? It’s not something you should use on people. Eva, you’re a shaman, right? Are curses like this your specialty?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah, that’s right.” (Eva)
As she replied, Eva pulled out a large nail and held a small wooden mallet.
She positioned the nail on the straw doll’s belly and struck it with the mallet.
“Ouch! Owwwww!” (Wilhelm)
“Kyaa~! Wil-oniisan, that’s amazing. You’re the first guy to let me do something like this.” (Eva)
“I didn’t give permission!” (Wilhelm)
“You actually want it, don’t you? Eva-chan knows.” (Eva)
I really wish she’d stop giving that lovely smile with dark eyes. It’s scary.
“That’s enough. Straw dolls are absolutely forbidden.” (Wilhelm)
Eva smoothly pulled out a strand of black hair from the straw doll.
It’s a very familiar strand of hair… The color, the length…
“Could that be, by any chance, my hair?” (Eva)
Eva chuckled. In response, Blacky-chan let out a soft “Nya” with its dark eyes. Terrifying.
So she was using my hair in the straw doll for a curse. And she was manipulating me to do the splits. What a terrifying girl.
“Ahhh, well, whatever. I’m feeling sleepy again, so I’ll take another nap. Wake me up in an hour.” (Eva)
“Ehh. You can sleep in such a situation?” (Wilhelm)
I pulled the blanket over myself again.
Goodnight. Zzz…
“Then, I’ll take another strand of hair. Kekeke… Kekekekeke…” (Eva)
I felt a small tug on my head.
“Hey, don’t just take it without permission! Using my hair is strictly prohibited for life!” (Wilhelm)
“Oh, you’re awake.” (Eva)
“Yeah, unfortunately.” (Wilhelm)
Ugh, what a terrible way to wake up.
After changing clothes and washing my face, I went to the kitchen where Eva was warming up food.
Anya probably asked Eva to wake me up and serve lunch.
…I do feel kinda bad for constantly relying on the girls to take care of me.
Anya and Mew-chan apparently went on a quest. They went to collect flowers that were capable of repelling ghosts. It must have been a pretty big order since Sofia-san went with them too.
By the way, it seems like ghost-repelling goods are selling like hotcakes at Bones Magic Shop where Eva lives.
I heard there was a city-wide alert from the country to take measures against ghosts so it’s probably because of that.
“Hey, Eva. What’s the situation with the Ghost, Bagi? We haven’t received any updates since then.” (Wilhelm)
I remember there was talk about government officials and Eva collaborating to figure something out.
Eva, who was looking at the pot she was warming, turned around.
“Actually, the soldiers from the country and Eva-chan once challenged Bagi in a fight together.” (Eva)
“Really? Wow, you’re lucky to have come out unscathed.” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah, we got completely beaten.” (Eva)
“Wasn’t he supposed to be a ghost that eats children…?” (Wilhelm)
“Eva-chan is fourteen now, so he doesn’t classify me as a child anymore.” (Eva)
The Ghost, Bagi, is a creature that eats children and torments adults. If there are no children in the age range it targets, it probably loses interest.
I watched Eva warming up the food while sitting on a chair.
Her appearance seems to change every time I see her. When I first met her, her hair was short, but now it’s grown so long that it reaches the floor.
“It must be tough when your hair grows that fast.” (Wilhelm)
Eva’s hair seemed to squirm and wriggle in response to my voice. Creepy.
“I get that a lot, but Eva-chan is proud of her hair. Short or long, Eva-chan is cute, right?” (Eva)
Eva lifted her heavy-looking hair. Her white neck looked beautiful.
“Yeah, you’re cute.” (Wilhelm)
“Thank you. Oh, the food’s ready.” (Eva)
Eva brought the food to the table. She’d definitely make a good wife someday.
“Here you go, first is the maiden’s blood soup.” (Eva)
It’s actually tomato-rich minestrone1 soup.
“Next, a dish made by roasting chunks of meat after draining the live blood from a pig.” (Eva)
It’s actually roast pork.
“Followed by, a salad made by peeling plant skin while it’s still alive.” (Eva)
It’s actually raw lettuce salad. She even made her own dressing2.
“And garlic bread.” (Eva)
“That one stays as it is?” (Wilhelm)
“I couldn’t come up with a cute way to say it.” (Eva)
“How about ‘Vampire-repellent bread’?” (Wilhelm)
“Hmm, that’s about three points out of a hundred.” (Eva)
Tough crowd. Seems like it didn’t resonate with Eva’s cute sense of humor.
A delicious aroma wafts into my nose.
Let’s dig in right away. This is a dish prepared by Anya and warmed up by Eva. Since these two girls prepared it for me, I should savor and enjoy it.
“Wow, it’s delicious!” (Wilhelm)
The more I eat this roast pork, the more the meaty flavor comes out. It’s invigorating.
The minestrone soup is both comforting and delicious, blowing away any drowsiness.
“Eva is really good at cooking.” (Wilhelm)
“Eh? But it was made by Ana-chan, you know?” (Eva)
“Yeah, but thanks for warming it up.” (Wilhelm)
“You’re welcome. It feels weird to be praised just for warming it up.” (Eva)
As she says this, Eva reaches behind her back and grabs her long hair.
With a big pair of scissors, she cuts off her hair in one go.
I think I must have had a bewildered expression on my face. I mean, it’s the first time I’ve seen someone cut their hair while having a conversation.
“Ah, don’t worry about this, okay?” (Eva)
“It would be strange not to.” (Wilhelm)
Because, you know, the cut hair seems to be squirming as if it’s shocked. What kind of hair is this, anyway?
“Why is your hair moving…? Is it possessed by something?” (Wilhelm)
“It’s because of the humidity.” (Eva)
“Humidity wouldn’t cause that.” (Wilhelm)
At least, my hair doesn’t squirm because of humidity. And being brushed off with a “kekeke” laugh only makes me more curious. She’s truly a mysterious girl.
Eva doesn’t seem to have any interest in the cut hair. She just tossed it into the trash without a second thought.
The hair continued to squirm inside the trash can.
It seemed to stretch upward, trying to return to Eva. However, it lost its strength and fell to the bottom of the bin.
While looking in a small mirror, Eva swiftly tidied up her hairstyle with scissors.
Although the mirror had a crack, she managed to cut her hair neatly.
She’s gradually returning to how she was when we first met. It might be better if she cut her bangs short too.
I continued eating while watching Eva.
I noticed that Blacky-chan was munching on something, and then I realized that she had taken a piece of my roast pork. What a glutton.
Alright, I’m done eating. Time to get through another day. Or maybe I should stay indoors. As I said, “Thanks for the meal,” my eyes met with Eva’s.
“Hmm? Come to think of it, why is Eva here at [Grand Bahamut]? Is it to take care of me?” (Wilhelm)
“There’s no way that’s the reason.” (Eva)
It stings a bit to be flat-out denied like that…
“Do you remember the prophecy Eva-chan made?” (Eva)
“Yeah, it was about something bad and ominous happening, right?” (Wilhelm)
“Well, maybe we can prevent that from happening.” (Eva)
Eva’s eyes grew vacant and dark.
Then she leaned in closer. Scary.
“Wait, so that prophecy is still ongoing?” (Wilhelm)
“Yeah. Wil-oniisan is plagued with bad luck. So how about working together with Eva-chan to avoid it?” (Eva)
“Haa… work, huh…?” (Wilhelm)
“Why are you so disappointed?” (Eva)
“Because, it’s tough for a shut-in to go out and work, you know?” (Wilhelm)
“Wow, even though you’re older than Eva-chan, he’s so uncool.” (Eva)
Blacky-chan meowed. It sounded like it was saying, “Get a job, you neet.” Even though it’s a cat, it’s pretty harsh.
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
The method for waking up MC is constantly evolving, huh?
Wow, even her hair has a personality. Imagine if that hair thing becomes a plot point later on.