episode_0120

I quietly looked around, and after confirming that there were no more living griffons in this area, including upstream of the river, I began to conserve my strength.

“Ah, before that… … .”

Except for the griffon that Carter defeated by creating a shadow and the body of the griffon that was defeated by the knight with the halberd, the corpses of the other griffons were removed to the cliff where people could not see them.

Then, he looked back, confirmed that Hermel was covering his eyes and ears as promised, and slowly approached Hermel.

――… …

Trying to soothe my rumbling stomach, I stood in front of Hermel.

Hermel must have noticed my presence as well, so he raised his head and looked in my direction. Of course, without opening your eyes or taking your hands off your ears.

The sight was so amazing that I laughed, and Hermel must have heard that, tilting his head and saying.

“Are you done? Is it okay for me to open my eyes now?”

“Ugh, not yet. Please wait a little longer.”

I knelt down in front of Hermel and placed my hand on his eyes.

“Why are my hands so wet!? Hey, this isn’t blood!?”

“Ahaha, it’s just sweat, don’t worry. And if it had been blood, you would have noticed it first.”

“Ah… … . That too. But why did you suddenly cover your eyes?”

I did not answer any of Hermel’s questions, but quietly revised Hermel’s memory. In a fairly moderate, gentle way.

If we were to be honest, it would be more accurate to say that it was not I who made the corrections, but rather that Hermel’s spirit induced him to modify the memories on his own.

“Hermel. What did we do today?”

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“I hope you can answer.”

Hermel closed his mouth for a moment, then nodded and opened his mouth again.

“Today… … . It was the day of the practical exam, and while I was taking the practical exam, Charles came to me and asked for help.”

“Yes. and? What did I say?”

“You said Seria was kidnapped by Gryphon. I hated it a little, but when Charles asked for help, I decided to save Ceria.”

Charles said, pouting his lips.

good… … .

After confirming that I had succeeded in inducing consciousness without anyone noticing, I became impatient as my fingertips felt numb, but I tried to calm my mind and continue the induction.

“Who did you come with?”

“I came with the White Lion Knights. And here… … . Meeting Gryphon… … .”

“What did you do with that one griffon?”

I deliberately misdirected suspicion, and Hermel naturally answered the question.

“One… … ? what… … ? Was it just one… … ?”

“Ah. sorry. There were two, right? One griffon defeated by Carol and two including the griffon defeated by Lemoir.”

“Yes. There were two. The griffon at the front was hit by arrows in its wings and feet, and its head was cut off by Carter… … . Lemoire and Turk took down the griffon behind.”

“That’s right. It was like that. Thanks for telling me, Hermel. Now, sleep for a while and when you wake up, it will all be over.”

At those words, I felt Hermel’s body relax, and as he was about to fall towards me, I lightly picked him up and slowly laid him down on the floor.

“Oh my… … . In a dangerous situation… … . You can sleep… … ?”

“Yes. are you okay. It’s because the sleep magic I used to tie up the griffon went out of control.”

“Yes… … . I see… … . Charles, if that’s the case… … .”

Hermel fell asleep, and I quickly walked away, biting my lip as the tingling sensation that started at my fingertips gradually approached my heart.

As I was quickly climbing in the direction where Ceria was, I felt like my lungs were being squeezed and fell forward and landed on the ground.

The sun hasn’t completely set yet, but I’ve used up too much energy… … !

“Pray… … . Eat… … !”

Because the sun had not yet completely set, the souls drawn by the light tried to tear away from my body to return to their rightful place.

okay. This is one of the reasons why I can’t use curses during the day. It was the recoil of a curse that others did not have, that was what it was.

“Ahhh… … !! Ugh… … !!”

The feeling of my lungs being torn apart, the burning pain starting from my fingertips as if on fire, the pain in my back as if I was being stabbed by a knife, and the tenderness as if my whole body was being crushed by a stone began to rip apart my entire body.

The pain I felt when I died and the pain the person I killed felt came back to me.

All I could do in that terrible pain was put my head down on the dirt and hope that the pain would pass quickly.

“Keueuuuu… … .”

When I slowly got up, thinking that I couldn’t just lie down like this, I started to cry and something flowed back.

“Kuhup――!!”

I quickly tried to cover my mouth with a trembling hand, but because my entire body had been cut to pieces, the blood that burst out was not enough to be blocked with just one hand.

Patter, patter.

The black, dead blood that flowed between the fingers soaked the floor, and the amount was enough to create a small puddle.

“Guuuuk… … !!”

I scratched the floor and trembled in pain that I couldn’t express in words.

However, it was usually a sign that the pain would subside soon after vomiting blood, so I slowly stood up, catching my breath.

“Ha… … . ha… … . Ha, it’s a mess… … .”

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth with the back of my hand and smiled bitterly at the blood and dust on my hair.

I used water magic to wipe away the blood from my head and mouth, and after confirming that there was no blood on my uniform, I slowly walked again.

As I went up the river, I found the body of a griffon that had died with its neck broken. Strangely, Ceria was not visible.

“Seria?”

When I called out Ceria’s name to see if she was around here, the Griffon’s wings started shaking and Ceria’s voice was heard from underneath.

[Charlotte!? Is this voice Charlotte!?]

“Yes. Is it down there?”

[huh! I suddenly fell and was crushed!]

“Do not move and wait. I’ll take it out now.”

I plunged the halberd into the joint of the Griffon’s wing and twisted it to break the joint.

[Woofepep!! Ouch!!]

“Oh, keep your mouth shut.”

Although it was a little late, he said that and completely cut off one of the Gryphon’s wings, then grabbed the wing and moved it aside.

Seria’s face, revealed in this way, was completely covered in blood. I thought the first thing to do was to get it out from under there, so I helped Ceria out and pulled her out from under the griffon.

“ugh… … ! Wow!! Ugh, kkueup… … !”

And Ceria, who escaped from under the griffon, placed her hands on the ground and vomited out the blood that had entered her mouth.

Seria, who had been vomiting for a while, seemed to have calmed down a bit, but was panting with her hands on the floor. I was considerate of Ceria and used water magic to wipe the blood off her body.

“I’m sorry.”

No matter how nice she was, she was still human, as she was looking at me with a very distorted face.

I smiled bitterly at that and made another glass of water, and Seria, who rinsed her mouth with the water, smiled bitterly and said,

“No… … . are you okay. You were trying to help me.”

Seria tried to smile and say it was okay, then looked around quietly and looked at me with trembling eyes.

“Me, Charlotte. why… … . You came alone… … ?”

“… … Seria.”

I paused for a moment and then opened my mouth. Seria must have sensed something was wrong in that tone of voice, and the corners of her eyes fluttered.

Wouldn’t it be better to keep quiet about this and let people make the mistake of thinking… … .

After thinking about it for a while, I thought it would be better to tell it from beginning to end, so I sighed softly and said.

“The crown prince… … . Didn’t come.”

When Ceria heard those words, she looked like someone who had been betrayed by something she had firmly believed in.

Yeah, that face. That face was the one I knew best, so I felt like I could clearly see what Seria was thinking.

“As soon as you were kidnapped, I went straight to the crown prince and informed him.”

You must be doubting me. okay. This is natural for humans.

Moreover, since everything that has happened so far has betrayed expectations, I must have had even higher expectations for this event.

And the feeling of betrayal and suspicion will be as great as the expectations.

“But… … .”

“… … Did you refuse?”

I nodded slowly. Seria looked at me blankly and quietly lowered her head.

And then he started shaking. okay. You’ll be angry. It must be suspicious. They hate this shitty world, and they must hate me to death for bringing this news.

“Ah… … .”

Spit it out. Don’t lie, you didn’t do it on purpose. Spit out everything that’s on your mind. When I let it all out and realized that what I said was true… … .

Remember the words you said, despair, and regret.

I raised the corners of my mouth slightly and looked down at Seria. After looking down at her for a moment, Ceria, who was quietly shaking, opened her mouth.

The first words she spoke were――

“I… … . I guess I’m really stupid… … .”

Shockingly, it was a statement of self-blame.