Ch.107How to Save an Enemy (6)

Human life is tougher than one might think, yet at the same time, it can vanish in an instant.

That’s why I believed the Major wouldn’t die easily, yet I descended the mountain slope with my heart in my throat, fearing she might suddenly perish.

Olivia, who knew a bit about biology, said it was damage to the femoral artery.

She mentioned that without proper treatment, death could occur within minutes, but fortunately, we seemed to have passed that critical moment.

It was too early to relax, though.

Now we had to worry about gradual blood loss or sepsis. Despite our emergency treatment, the poor hygiene of this place meant the risk of infection remained constant.

“Huff, huff…”

I continued running while carrying the half-unconscious Major.

Every time I noticed her face growing darker by the minute, my heart sank, causing me to push my pace recklessly.

Eventually, I even twisted my ankle in the process.

I couldn’t stop.

If one foot was crippled, I’d have to hop down on one leg.

What stopped me as I descended with every ounce of strength I had was the cold fog and damp rain clouds.

The damn rainy season had begun.

[‘This really isn’t going to work.’]

[‘There’s a cave over there. We should regroup there and move once the rain stops.’]

Though my heart yearned to reach the bottom of the mountain, the situation was truly unfavorable.

I entered the cave. After confirming there were no monsters or other predators, I slowly laid down the Major whom I had been carrying.

[“Illuminate.”]

As soon as I turned on the hastily prepared luminous stone, dizziness washed over me.

It was that damned mana depletion again. Using magic when my magical power was already at its limit brought waves of dry heaving.

After spitting dry saliva onto the ground, I began removing the Major’s rain-soaked clothes one by one.

“…Excuse me.”

I undressed the Major, then myself.

Even though I was fully aware this was an emergency procedure, my body reacted instinctively. It was the result of months of abstinence. I bit my lip to suppress my desires.

“…Cold.”

“Are you cold?”

The Major nodded slightly.

“Hold me…”

I apologized again for the intrusion and embraced her naked body.

The Major’s body had lost considerable warmth due to the rainwater, and the same was true for me. However, the Major’s condition was worse, having lost blood as well.

We silently shared each other’s body heat for a while.

Whether fortunately or as a harbinger of misfortune, the Major’s body was gradually warming up.

“Get my coat, bring my coat over.”

“It’s completely soaked right now.”

“I know. Get something to eat from over there.”

Without further questions, I retrieved some bubble gum. From my observations over the past few days, the Major had a habit of chewing gum when anxious or restless.

Sure enough, she eagerly pulled the gum toward her lips.

“Fortune.”

“I don’t even have enough mana to put into the circuit right now.”

“Then… check it later.”

The Major sighed.

“What are we doing, risking our lives for one enemy woman?”

“I wonder the same.”

“Still, compared to the sins I’ve committed so far, this is hardly a punishment.”

“You haven’t committed any sins, Major.”

“No, I’ve taken too many lives. I was afraid of dying if I didn’t follow the Chancellor’s orders, so…”

“That’s only natural. Where in the world would you find a fool who values others more than their own life? No one would blame you for making a selfish choice.”

“That’s just your opinion.”

The truth is, I knew too. I had occasionally heard from Admiral Dietz that the Seven Swords were implicated in all sorts of war crimes as the Chancellor’s close associates.

Whether intentional or not, what mattered legally was the fact that the Major had been involved. Like it or not, if the Magic Kingdom lost the war, she would likely receive a prison sentence at trial.

“A human life is precious enough to want one more day…”

“…yet sufficient even with one day less.”

The Major laughed weakly.

“The reason I followed you this time isn’t anything special. I wanted some atonement for what I’ve done as one of the Eight Shadows.”

“But it wasn’t done according to your will, Major.”

“You might be the only one to defend me like that at a war crimes trial, right?”

“I’ll be in the cell with you anyway.”

“Well…”

After that, we fell silent for a long time. Only the sound of the Major chewing gum echoed in my ears.

Though the Major had exhausted her physical strength, she still had plenty of mana left. Lying down, she performed Mirkil, gradually transferring mana to me. Judging by the inconsistent purity, she seemed to be having trouble concentrating.

Despite my attempts to decline, saying I was fine, I continued receiving it. Thanks to this, my condition improved somewhat, but the problem was the chill.

The mountain temperature was already low, and getting caught in the rain made the cold creep up my spine.

With no sign of our clothes drying, we could die from a severe cold at this rate.

If we could at least eat something, it would help, but with the downpour outside, there was no way to find food.

It was then that the Major spoke in a drowsy tone.

“Senior.”

“Please don’t talk anymore.”

“I’m sleepy.”

“You can’t sleep now. You’ll die.”

“It’s okay. I’ve decided I absolutely won’t die until I help you escape.”

A tearful voice.

“But since life and death aren’t entirely in my control, I’d like to take out an insurance policy…”

“…Insurance?”

The Major, no.

Adora looked up at me.

“Won’t you make a good memory with me?”

It took me a moment to understand her meaning.

I spoke firmly, even changing my speech pattern.

“No.”

“Senior, I think I’ve been attracted to you since you saved me. Perhaps I’m not your type?”

“That’s not it.”

“Then why?”

“Because I don’t want to harm my precious junior’s body due to a momentary impulse.”

“…”

“What? If Giford’s daughter dies here, it would all be my responsibility.”

Adora’s dimming eyes regained their sparkle. She stared at me with a surprised expression, almost uncomfortably so.

“You’ve been that concerned about me?”

“You’re my junior.”

“I see you value school ties the most. Considering how you speak to a fellow alumnus you’ve just met.”

“I have no family or hometown.”

“…Oh. I’m sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about. Anyway, don’t die here.”

Adora nodded. Leaning her head against me, she murmured.

“Don’t you need a family?”

“I do.”

“Have you thought about marriage?”

“I have… No, stop talking and rest. Why do you keep talking? Weren’t your lips numb from the cold?”

“Being with you has warmed me up. Though I’m still a bit dizzy.”

“Then rest.”

“Okay.”

I thought silence would follow, but…

A few minutes later, Adora spoke again.

“Have you ever thought about changing your surname?”

“I said rest and stop talking.”

“Sigh.”

Adora sighed.

“You’re a bit dense, Senior. Or are you doing this on purpose?”

“If it’s on purpose?”

“Too much push and pull is exhausting.”

Despite my protests, Adora raised her head and blew a bubble with her gum.

This fresh strawberry scent.

Her hair, glistening with moisture.

Her eyes, containing a subtle light like black onyx, contrasting beautifully with her fair, white skin like white jade.

I could no longer control my racing heart.

And it seemed Adora felt the same. I could feel her heartbeat through our touching skin.

“Senior.”

“What, what?”

“Can’t I at least repay you for treating me?”

Adora’s face drew closer. Before I knew it, we were close enough to feel each other’s breath, yet instead of backing away, I was moving forward.

I don’t know why I was acting this way.

It was just an instinctive attraction.

Perhaps accumulated fatigue made normal thinking impossible.

Thinking about how we might have been completely wiped out if Adora hadn’t become my ally here suddenly made her presence feel significant.

While I was thinking this, Adora’s tongue parted my lips.

And like laying an egg, she rolled the gum she had been chewing into my mouth.

Our tongues intertwined as we passed the gum back and forth. Our saliva mixed naturally. I could taste the artificial sweetener.

The sweetness wasn’t just from sucralose.

For a while, only wet sounds echoed throughout the cave.

***

[Today’s Fortune!]

[It’s a day when previously ambiguous relationships become clearer.]

***

The suspension bridge effect, is it?

It’s a psychological phenomenon where people develop feelings of attraction or even love for someone they’ve shared dangerous situations with.

The Major seemed to be feeling that way toward me.

In fact, so was I.

After spending the past few days mountain climbing with Major Adora in life-threatening conditions, I began to feel something inexplicably strange.

How many times had we crossed between life and death in that short time?

This kind of experience is absolutely impossible in everyday life.

The relationship between the Major and me, which had been relatively intimate on the way up, became somewhat awkward on the way down for this very reason.

“Um… Major.”

“Just walk quietly.”

“No, are you feeling alright?”

“…I’m still dizzy.”

Since the Major couldn’t fully support one of her legs, I had to carry her princess-style all the way down.

Fortunately, the weather was good today.

There were times when I was struggling with thirst, and times when I had to fight monsters alone, but I managed to endure it all and successfully made it down.

By the end of the forced march, I was nearly starving. I hadn’t eaten properly because I wanted to get down as quickly as possible, fearing something might happen to the Major.

Our clothes hadn’t completely dried and were still damp. All I wanted was to take them off as soon as possible, eat, and then lie down.

It was night when we arrived at the base.

“…Phew, finally.”

“Put me down now. I think I can walk with support from here.”

Looking around, I noticed quite a few spider webs had been spun during the days we were gone.

If these webs marked enemy territory, we would have had to consider the worst-case scenario, but fortunately, no ominous killing intent could be felt in the vicinity.

However, one spider had come out to greet us.

It was a monster small enough in size to be considered cute, and as soon as it spotted us, it repeated meaningful words.

[“Beep-beep.”]

That must be its name.

[“Beep-beep, beep-beep-beep.”]

Perhaps it’s telling us to follow.

Walking wearily at the spider’s pace, we came upon a tent made of silk. From that tent came a familiar voice.

It was sobbing.

“Erich, please, come quickly. I miss you…”

It was the Saint.

It’s both nice and sad that I can now understand the Holy Spirit Kingdom’s language.

Come to think of it, I’m not sure how long we were on the mountain. Considering that time in magical realms can flow differently from reality, Tiria and Riyo might have been waiting for us much longer.

I smiled bitterly as I moved forward.

It was then that the fox beastkin emerged from the tent.

Disheveled fur.

Hollow eyes from lack of sleep.

Riyo, who had always maintained a lively expression even in difficult situations, had completely transformed into a wreck in the days we hadn’t seen her.

But the moment our eyes met.

“…Huh?”

A spark flickered in her lifeless eyes.

The fox sisters rubbed their eyes hard. Then they blinked several times. It was as if they were trying to determine whether what stood before them was real or an illusion.

[“Huh?”]

“Huuuh?”

Riyo and Miyo reached out their hands. I’ve heard that beastkin have a custom of touching each other when meeting a close companion after a long time. It’s supposedly to check for injuries.

So, I let the fox sisters touch me.

The two foxes took turns claiming parts of my body, touching my face, arms, legs, stomach, chest—almost every part thoroughly.

In the past, I would have detested these beastkin, but now their touch felt only pleasant.

[“Is it really, really Erich?”]

[“What else would I be, a ghost?”]

[“I can’t believe it.”]

Miyo brought her face close to mine.

And the next moment.

With a smack, my thoughts were bleached.

[“What are you suddenly doing…”]

[“Suddenly?”]

Miyo smiled with eyes both warm and cold.

[“It is our darling. I’m glad you returned safely. But… what’s this other woman’s scent on your lips?”]

A chill ran down my spine.

The cold aura could be felt right beside me.

[“…You fox girl?”]