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Chapter 17: Indeed, It Really Needs To Be Stewed
"You really need to be freaking stewed!"
With all the strength he could muster, Leon clamped down hard on the black goat's mouth, forcing its incessant blabber back inside. Then, looking up at the still-smiling red-haired woman, he awkwardly scratched the back of his head and said, "Uh... Chief, my sister got quite a scare yesterday and is still in the hospital. If there's nothing urgent, could I take the afternoon off?"
"Mm-hmm, go ahead. After completing such a dangerous cleanup mission, you deserve a break." Smiling as she approved Leon’s leave request, the red-haired woman watched him drag the struggling goat out of the room. Once he was gone, her faint smile faded. She crossed her fingers, leaned back in her chair, and gazed thoughtfully at the old, cracked ceiling.
Something wasn’t right...
Earlier, she had clearly erased Leon’s memory so that he would temporarily forget about his work with the Cleansing Bureau. But why did he know to come back for help after his badge alerted him? And just now, when she deliberately released a bit of her charm, it seemed like Leon was affected—but why didn’t he lose any memories this time?
Her eyebrows twitched slightly as she recalled a small detail she’d overlooked earlier. Yesterday afternoon, when this kid came running over wanting to join the bureau using his supposed “anomaly,” he hesitated before revealing his ability. He claimed his power was forcibly extracting information...
"Ho ho, interesting." A faint smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. The red-haired woman picked up the quill pen from the inkwell and pulled open a drawer to retrieve Leon’s file. In the section marked Ability, under Information Acquisition, she drew a tiny question mark.
What a cautious little guy~ What secrets are you hiding in that heart of yours?
---
[Encountered an incomprehensible special entity. Anomalous-colored Badge "Materialist Soul (Crimson)" activated. Your cognitive boundaries have expanded, and you’ve obtained partial information about this entity.]
[Name: Love Without Memory (Forgetfulness, Whispers)
[Appearance: No physical form
[Ability: When someone develops feelings of affection, fondness, or admiration toward the host, the host gains the ability to temporarily block short-term memories created by the target.
[Cost: Among parental love, filial love, and romantic love—the three ultimate forms of love—the host will forever be unable to experience one. Should anyone develop such love for the host, they will immediately lose all memories related to that love.
[Record: This anomaly is held by Olivia, Head of the Sixth Branch of the Anomaly Cleansing Bureau. As she has no parents, lovers, or children, it is impossible to determine which type of love she has lost. The last recorded use of this anomaly was during the Red Moon Descent Incident in 1794. Disguised as a singer, Olivia used public broadcasts to deceive a large number of moon-dwellers into loving her, blocking the memories of over seventy thousand people and thwarting their descent plan entirely.
[Evaluation: An extremely powerful ability, but the cost is equally heavy.
[Contamination Value: 7
[Through observation and deduction, you’ve gained extensive knowledge about "Love Without Memory."
[Anomalous-colored Badge "Materialist Soul (Crimson)" activated. Due to understanding the activation rules of "Love Without Memory," your resistance to this anomaly has significantly increased, allowing you to resist minor influences.]
---
So that’s why..
Standing at the entrance of the chief’s office, Leon nodded in sudden realization as new information about the anomaly popped up while the red-haired woman held his hand.
No wonder I forgot about my work at the Cleansing Bureau—it must have been temporarily blocked. According to the rules the black goat explained to me, the more “truth” someone knows, the more likely anomalies will seek them out. The chief probably shielded those memories to protect me until I was strong enough to defend myself.
But my reaction to her charm wasn’t very strong, so the effect was minimal. Plus, the badge heated up later, indirectly reminding me through the warning of an out-of-control contaminated individual, which helped me break free from the memory block.
Still, she could’ve told me outright instead of keeping it hidden. Why…
“Leon?” A soft voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see a tall, elegant woman in a beige skirt suit standing at the other end of the corridor, smiling gently at him. Unlike the sharp and dangerous red-haired chief, this woman exuded a non-threatening beauty. Her slender figure carried hints of feminine curves, her porcelain skin glowed like jade, and her delicate features radiated a sweet, serene aura that made others instinctively want to approach her.
“Thank you for yesterday.” The gentle woman appeared familiar with Leon. After greeting him, she walked gracefully over, holding a folder in her arms, and asked with a smile, “Is the chief done talking with you? I’d like to submit another solo mission report. Is it okay if I go in now?”
“…”
Yesterday’s incident, solo missions, knowing me… Could she be the one wrapped in bandages… Wait! Is she Emma?!
The reliable senior who wore a bird-beaked mask and was covered head-to-toe in bandages yesterday looked completely different from the graceful woman before him now. It took Leon a moment to process the drastic change. Hurriedly stepping aside, he stammered, “Of course! Please, go ahead! I’ve already finished speaking with the chief. Sorry for blocking the way.”
“It’s fine.” Emma, whose appearance had skyrocketed after changing outfits, smiled softly and then hesitated before asking, “Actually, I’ll be going on another mission in a few days. When I return, could I ask you for a favor? Don’t worry—I promise it won’t put you in danger, though it might be a bit tiring…”
“No problem at all!” Leon immediately grew serious, his expression earnest as he promised, “You risked so much to save my sister yesterday. No matter how exhausting or difficult it may be, I’ll give it my all when the time comes!”
“Hehe, thank you in advance!” Her slender lips curved into a warm smile. With one last glance at Leon, Emma—formerly known as Bandage Woman—pushed open the door and entered the chief’s office.
As her lithe figure disappeared behind the door, Leon couldn’t help but whistle quietly to himself. Good grief… If it weren’t for her voice being the same, I wouldn’t have recognized her. What a difference! If only…
“If only the bedbugs in my room were as beautiful as her, I wouldn’t even complain if they bit me to death… That’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it, kid?”
“…”
Receiving Leon’s deadpan stare, the black goat grinned maliciously and chuckled, “Heh, I advise you not to get too excited. She’s already got kids—you don’t stand a chance. Give up while you can!”
(ーー゛
What chances are you even talking about? I was just shocked by the huge difference between her yesterday and today—it took me a second to recognize her! Why do you always jump to conclusions like that? And how are you still alive with that obnoxious mouth of yours? How about I send you to the kitchen right now and have you stewed?
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