This House Has A Delicious Restaurant - Chapter 20 - Wrapping Up - Part 1

20. Wrapping Up

Zerdan and Phel surrounded me. It was clear they were on high alert, trying their best to block any attacks aimed at me.

Their faces were grim, covered in dirt, and it seemed they’d already taken several blows on my behalf.

“…How long have I been unconscious?”

“You wake up and immediately start assessing the situation, without even checking if you’re okay first?”

Zerdan gave a helpless smile and looked at me. I glanced up at him.

The frown on his face, wiping away his earlier smile, reminded me of the way he looked when we were younger. He sighed, as if resigned, and spoke.

“Not that much time has passed. As for Sidon’s side, we haven’t been able to get close. The rest of the group is trying to hold off the one being controlled by Liffree, but it’s not enough.”

“Phel, are you staying by my side to protect me?”

“Well, sure, there was Obella’s command, but do you know what that damn guy said? He said if I so much as take a single step away, he’d turn me into a puppet and force me to protect you!”

Grinding her teeth, Phel shot Zerdan a glare.

It’s rare for someone to react to Zerdan that way…

Zerdan didn’t seem to care, or maybe he just ignored it. He turned to me and spoke.

“Without an amplification user, she’s not much use. At best, she’s a sturdy meat shield.”

“Hey! Just because you have a mouth, doesn’t mean you can run it off! Ugh, how can someone like that be Obella’s brother? His personality is seriously rotten!”

“You don’t seem to have much of a good personality to boast about either.”

Zerdan replied, flashing his signature grin at Phel. Phel clutched the back of her neck and staggered.

I watched Zerdan for a moment before slowly getting up.

Zerdan instinctively reached out to help me, but I waved him off, lightly patting his shoulder instead.

“You’ve grown up well.”

“…What?”

When he was younger, he found it so difficult to hide his emotions, but now he was quite skilled at it. Feeling a strange sense of pride, I smiled, but Zerdan just closed his mouth, puzzled.

“So, what’s the plan now? You’re not dead, so we’re following through with your strategy, but…”

Phel mumbled quietly. As I listened to her, I scanned the surroundings and saw the others trying to either block or attack Terisier.

Their attacks couldn’t even land, vanishing into thin air.

“Good work. Judging by the lack of any major reactions so far, it seems I was at least partially correct.”

Thankfully, it appeared that only my consciousness had traveled back in time, as my body didn’t have any visible injuries, making it easy to move. As I stood up, I saw that Lazis and Khan were still trying to approach Anise and Sidon.

Anise and Sidon were already lifeless, their bodies limp and motionless.

After staring at the two for a moment, I turned my gaze towards Terisier. Standing behind Terisier was Liffree, calmly overseeing everything. Terisier, under Liffree’s control, was blocking every attack without so much as a twitch.

Neither Anise nor Sidon seemed to bother him much, even though they were injured.  

“Terisier doesn’t seem unconscious, but maybe he’s being controlled to the point that he can’t tell friend from foe.”

“Knowing that guy’s personality, even if he were in his right mind, he’d still attack us.”

Phel said seriously. I couldn’t argue with that, so I avoided answering and turned to Zerdan.

“Zerdan.”

“I don’t mind.”

Zerdan smiled as if he had already anticipated what I was going to say. However, this smile wasn’t his usual sly grin; it was a more restrained, calm smile. I could tell he was using it to hide his true emotions.

“This was Liffree’s choice. Even if things turn out badly and he loses his life, he must’ve considered that to some extent.”

“Is that why you’re speaking so coldly because you feel betrayed?”

“We’re not close enough for me to feel sad about betrayal.”

Lies.

I nodded, even though I couldn’t voice my thoughts.

“Phel, what about Diswen?”

“She’s hiding quietly, out of sight.”

Phel gestured towards the rear with her eyes. Thanks to the chaos of the fight, Diswen had managed to stay hidden without being noticed.

Diswen, sensing our gaze, peeked out and glanced at me.

I gave her a small nod, then called out to Lazis.

“Lazis.”

Lazis turned to look at me, then glanced back at Anise before approaching. His eyes were filled with tears as he walked toward me.

“It’s time to end this.”

“…It’s sooner than I expected.”

“I’m a bit more capable than you thought.”

I gave a small smile, and Lazis looked at me with a mix of disbelief and relief. Then, he stepped closer and began to use his ability.

“Lazis, I didn’t know you were such a good actor.”

As my body began to disappear under Lazis’ power, I threw out this last remark, and Lazis’ eyes widened in surprise. But soon after, he gave me a quiet, knowing smile.

Thanks to Lazis’ ability, I materialized in front of Liffree and Terisier. Liffree was briefly surprised by my sudden appearance in the air, but quickly relaxed, reassured by the barrier surrounding Terisier. With a sneer, he spoke to me.

“You’re bold for someone with no special abilities. Even Obella’s power can’t break through, so what do you think you’re going to do? I thought you were dead already; you should’ve stayed that way, playing dead.”

“My personality doesn’t allow me to just sit back after getting stabbed in the back. I won’t be satisfied until I return the favor.”

“Huh? And with what power? That little trick of raising your fur? You might have fought decently, but you chose the wrong opponent. Your abilities don’t even come close.”

Liffree’s words were true. Obella’s lightning had only created noise around them, without causing any real harm.

But I wondered if Liffree realized one thing. Unlike direct attacks from Obella and Mummy Man, sudden strikes aimed at the surroundings were something Terisier couldn’t easily block.

To fully utilize Terisier’s spatial control abilities, one must be aware of their surroundings. The proof was just a moment ago when Luke’s attack, slicing through the space where they stood, left them flustered and unable to react in time.

Terisier’s power is certainly overwhelming, almost inhuman. But like any powerful ability, it has its limitations and weaknesses.

“Why are you so sure my abilities won’t work?”

I asked with a smile.

Liffree’s face twisted in confusion as my form began to blur and fade before his eyes.

Like ripples in water, my image dispersed. Alarmed, Liffree hastily ordered Terisier to attack me.

A sharp spear materialized, racing toward me, but it passed right through, vanishing into the air as my figure dissolved like a mirage.

“What the…?”

“Terisier’s ability is indeed formidable. Almost absurdly so. But the one misusing it? Far too ordinary.”

* * *

Though her form had vanished, her voice lingered. Liffree instinctively reached out, trying to cling to Terisier. However, when his hand should have met Terisier, there was nothing.

Stunned, Liffree stared at Terisier, who still stood by his side, yet remained untouchable.

“You let your guard down. You should have expanded Terisier’s range, using his spatial control to dominate everything — including the enemy’s position and movements, and even their abilities…”

The hunters, including Obella, began to drift away from Liffree’s line of sight.

No, they weren’t drifting away. It was as though they were returning to their original positions, their movements bizarre and unnatural.

What is going on?

“Liffree, if you were going to betray your allies, you should have severed all ties with them. You let them get too close without any precaution. Didn’t you realize that?”

Moa Ablon’s voice, filled with laughter, echoed from the void.

“It seems Terisier’s power is still unstable. It only works within what he is consciously aware of. That’s why he can’t respond to unexpected changes. And on top of that, you failed to even suspect Zerdan, who revealed himself just moments ago.”

“What are you getting at…?”

“You still don’t get it?”

A hand rested on Liffree’s shoulder. It was Moa Ablon, who had approached unnoticed. She leaned in, her voice dripping with amusement.

“Zerdan never moved from his original position. The one who approached you, the one you thought was Zerdan, was Diswen, disguised through her mind control.”

By now, he’s all under her influence.

As Moa Ablon whispered these words, the scene where Anise and Sidon lay dead on the ground began to shift.