Whipped Cream (6)

Staggering.

Although I’m used to pain, it doesn’t mean I like it.

Even if my body has been pierced thousands of times, I couldn’t help but frown.

As I was twisting my hair with the spear stuck in my abdomen, I saw the knight who had created another spear raising his arm again.

And at that moment, a greatsword struck down on the knight, and I raised both arms.

“You saved me!”

“……”

I lowered my gaze following Erica’s. The spear was fixed in my abdomen.

“The shape is a bit awkward. It would have looked cooler if it was stuck in my chest.”

“…Is that important right now? C-can’t you do something about it?”

I could pull it out, but I didn’t want to do something cruel from the morning.

“It might hurt.”

“Still, you should grit your teeth and… no, that probably won’t work.”

“I have a good idea.”

I smiled slightly. Erica’s pupils shook.

“You pull it out directly!”

“……”

“It’s the second rehearsal for when you kill me! You need to be able to stab and pull out the knife, right?”

“…Again with those words.”

Erica seemed to struggle for a moment, then hardened her expression.

“Th-that’s right. I’ll have to kill you someday,”

“Yes! That’s it! Good mindset!”

Sincerely.

It didn’t take more than a few seconds before her hand approached.

With a moment of silence, I felt my body stiffen slightly.

“I’ll do it.”

“Come on.”

“…Don’t say weird things.”

Facing her determined look head-on, I couldn’t help but smile.

With a fluttering of magical power, my abdomen was fixed, and then a shallow pain spread from where the blade was embedded.

“…Ugh.”

“Ah, does it hurt?”

“I like the pain you give me.”

“…Keep saying weird things.”

“More importantly, I’d like you to keep pulling it out. Is stopping halfway because you want me to be in pain?”

“That’s not it…”

Erica stopped mid-sentence and used force to pull out the remaining blade.

Thanks to that, a lingering pain enveloped my body once.

“I see.”

At the slightly hesitant tone, I smiled slightly.

Erica shattered the pulled-out sword with magical power.

“I’m giving you the punishment you deserve, so accept it quietly.”

What followed was a glaring gaze.

It was so like Erica.

I lightly clutched my abdomen. Soon, the ruptured part gradually filled in, and the flesh reconnected.

“Thank you for saying that.”

Ignoring the dubious eyes, I glanced at the building beyond, and saw the building collapsing amidst the debris.

“It was as the Magic Branch predicted.”

It seems the invasion has progressed to Uijeongbu as per the estimated route. At this rate, will I meet Seran too?

I haven’t met him for a while. It was because I, who was clinging to Erica’s side, was dragged around here and there due to the Association’s work becoming busy.

“It would be so good if I committed terrorism now.”

“……”

I should have thought it in my mind, but it came out of my mouth.

“Then I could get Erica’s attention, and obtain blood too!”

I looked around for a moment. No one was visible, probably because people had already evacuated.

“I shouldn’t have pulled out the knife.”

“I made a mistake! The wound has already healed!”

Seeing her suddenly wary of me, I raised both arms slightly.

“Actually, I’m a bit tired now. I don’t want to fight from the morning. Miss Erica.”

“It would be a good opportunity for me. Now that you’re critically wounded.”

As we were having a conversation that was half-joke, half-serious, the director arrived leading the incident handling team.

“Save me! Director! Erica is trying to kill me!”

“I should run away.”

“I don’t want to run.”

“Then you should die.”

As the director gave instructions, agents headed towards the building. Injured people were being led out, and Erica joined in as if to support them.

“How righteous. It’s cool.”

“Did you just realize?”

“No? I knew from the moment I first saw you?”

I pondered for a moment.

“That’s unfortunate. I didn’t realize it as soon as I saw you.”

“It’s proof of fated love.”

A love that no one can tear apart.

A love with a beautiful ending predetermined.

“They’ve invaded all the way to Uijeongbu.”

“I think Lord Seran might be planning something.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen him, but hearing you say that makes me want to see him again.”

“Really?”

The director stroked his chin.

“Really.”

The injured were clinging to the medics one by one.

“Do you perhaps know the reason?”

“For what?”

“The secondary invasion.”

The king is looking for you.

“I don’t know. I think I’ve become a fool in love lately.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

The director gave instructions to an approaching medic.

“Lord Seran will be visiting the Association in person.”

The director looked at Erica.

“Do you happen to know what kind of coffee he likes?”

“Milk tea?”

“He has a child’s palate.”

They quickly wrapped up the situation and transported the injured.

When we reached the Association, the surroundings were covered in vines. Different colors spread widely in various hues.

“Why on earth does he drag these around?”

“Why? Flowers are pretty.”

The director seemed to ponder for a moment.

“What about Erica?”

“She went to transport patients to the hospital.”

That’s fortunate.

Ignoring several staff members rushing over urgently, we took the elevator. When we reached the top floor and opened the office door, Seran was sitting alone in a chair.

“…Seran. What is this.”

“Ah, it’s been a while. No need for formalities. I’ve driven out everyone here.”

“That’s good news.”

The director’s face became more relaxed. His seemingly angry face changed in an instant.

Well, it’s problematic to have a friendly conversation in front of others too.

“Lord Seran!”

“So you were here. I wanted to see you. You haven’t been visible lately.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”

“Are you working in a place like this?”

I nodded. At this level, I’m a full-time employee.

“That’s a shame. For someone who could command the era to be rotting away here.”

“Speaking of the Association like that amounts to high treason.”

“Haha. You’re still strict. It’s because of that personality that your members are dying while rolling on the ground.”

“That’s harsh. I was contemplating whether to cry.”

I don’t like seeing them fight.

“Sob sob.”

While pretending to cry, I slipped the red glass bottle placed in front of Seran into my arms.

“There’s not much reason for my visit. I came to negotiate.”

“Negotiate? After crushing the city, now you say that?”

“It doesn’t matter to you anyway, right? It’s an opportunity to secure the profits you’ve been thinking so importantly about since the game days.”

Today’s is pretty too. It seems the quality is getting better as time goes on.

“The human realm seems very noisy. It always was, but it’s even more chaotic these days.”

“That’s right!”

“I’ll get straight to the point. I’ll send you spirit realm knights.”

Seran wiggled his fingers. The vines dominating the floor gathered and wove into the shape of a knight.

“It’s a special force that can crush in an instant those extremely wicked things that tear open their mouths, be it voices or howls.”

I looked up at the knight. It’s kind of cool.

“We plan to start deployment work from Uijeongbu and Namyangju first. It’s a stage that will be accomplished in a few days. Well, you don’t need to thank me…”

“What are the side effects?”

“What?”

The director put down the milk tea on the desk in front.

“Your troops always have side effects. Like your grotesque face.”

The robe fluttered and his eyes shone.

“They might eat one or two passersby.”

The milk tea spilled. White milk poured out.

“Is the sacrifice of one or two a problem? It will be beneficial to you, Director. To this city too! And to the human realm! Because it’s a way to immediately eliminate the noise that seems like it will not only tear your ears but cut them off and make them fall!”

I looked around while twisting a lock of my hair. Only Seran, who had entered the Association, and the director sitting on the desk were there.

It’s been a battlefield for a long time. The conflict is deepening and reaching its final act.

“There’s no reason for a world to exist where flowers have withered and corpses are strewn about.”

Seran tapped the spear on the floor. A metallic sound rang out and vines grew widely.

“The extermination project is complete. If the Director begs on the ground right now to save only himself, I won’t return someone of your level to nature.”

“Good words, Seran.”

The director picked up the paper cup and put it to his mouth. He frowned as if it was bitter.

“It’s certainly joyous news for the Association, which is a profit-seeking group. It would be really great if the entire human realm could be maintained by sacrificing some citizens. Even if the human realm eventually meets its end and is swallowed by the spirit realm.”

“I’m flattered that you understand. I thought our ill-mannered Director would point a knife at me first.”

“Thank you for thinking that way.”

The director put down the paper cup. It was empty.

“But you know, Seran.”

The director looked at me for a moment. I blinked.

“I feel like I’m going crazy wanting to chew up your incomparably green vines with my mouth.”

Seran’s eyes flashed. The air currents shook and long vines with thorns grew.

I swung my knife watching them race through the air. Blood-colored rings surged and flowers and stems were cut off.

“Haha.”

Seran stood up.

“Hahaha! Good! I don’t know when you recruited our Lady Aureli, but I knew you would say something like that, Director!”

Of course. Because I’ve been sticking with him.

Because we’ve been together every time.

So I’m sad.

“Even though you always go on about profits, you’re someone who loves our human realm! I believed in that!”

“Please stop.”

I muttered softly. The air currents rapidly subsided.

“I’m sad.”

“Lady Aureli.”

Seran wrapped his robe around himself and approached me.

“I believe without a doubt that you will join my project.”

I knew.

The secondary invasion, and this invasion too.

You did it to meet me, right?

“I’m sorry.”

“Lady Aureli?”

“I’m sorry.”

So I’m sorry, Seran.

“I need this place.”

If only we could have kept bickering forever.

How nice would that have been.