Chapter 245: From The Ashes (2) Part 1
The roof sloped like a breaking wave, the floorboards groaned with age, and dust fell from above like lazy snow. The guild room seemed ready to collapse with a sigh, but on this island, it was still counted among the last real shelters, one of the few left that hadn’t completely given up.
“... Guess I should congratulate you, huh? Getting all chummy with Professor now?” Jukaken said, sneering at Arlos in the reflection.
“Shut your mouth, you piece of shit,” Arlos replied, her face turning stone cold.
“Blabber on, sure~ but it doesn’t change the fact that Arlos, the Puppeteer, showed her original form, and Deculein had the pleasure of seeing every inch.
“What did he say again~? Oh, right—if the world’s most noble and exquisite art piece existed, you would remain something better than the finest damn artwork in the world,” Jukaken said, chuckling as he trimmed his beard and adjusted his coat.
“Jukaken must be busy trying to impress Deculein,” Arlos thought, shaking her head.
“Whatever you say—Deculein’s just the same. I still get goosebumps just thinking about what he did to me.”
Even when she was still called Cynthia, Arlos had become numb to the world’s obsession with appearances. Lookism was nothing new, and with both men and women constantly eyeing her with attention, it was no surprise that once Puppetry, her specialized magic, blossomed, she chose to lock away her original form—and the reason wasn’t anything special.
Because it’s too much to deal with, and out there, it’s not safe.
That was the only reason Arlos had chosen to team up with Gerek and Jukaken—since Gerek, the Multi-Persona, had fractured into too many selves to care for, had no interest in people, and Jukaken had no interest in women. That alone made them easier to breathe around.
"... Finally, I’m really getting off this damned island~” Jukaken said.