Ch.4141. Venting (1)

When the Arachne was hiding in the trees, targeting us.

“You should protect your head.”

“What do you mea—KYAAAK!!”

Ray, who had been holding me tightly, threw me without hesitation.

Without a shred of consideration.

Despite his frail male body, where did he find such strength?

I was helplessly thrown by his hands and rolled across the ground.

Thud. Roll-roll-roll.

“Ugh……”

I raised my upper body while groaning.

My arms and legs hurt from hitting the overgrown weeds and hidden tree roots.

My already disheveled appearance became even dirtier from the filthy soil.

“What on earth are you doing in this situation!”

The Arachne could jump out at any moment!

I couldn’t understand the actions of that servant who had just thrown me without warning.

“I need to help him.”

Because of his bizarre behavior, my servant was probably facing the Arachne alone by now.

I needed to hurry back to guard his back.

After all.

-I have a bad feeling. From this seemingly important altar standing alone without any guardians, to this dead tree that smells of rotten blood.

I could feel the trembling in Ray’s voice as he expressed his anxiety to me.

-This is ominous. What Siabel asked for was just a simple search, not a resolution.

I could sense the fear in his following words.

-Just once. Won’t you follow my advice just this once?

From his final words, I could tell how desperate he was.

I didn’t want to leave him alone even for a moment, knowing he was probably nurturing his fear of the Arachne by himself.

“Besides… I promised I would protect him this time.”

Especially after he had once again saved me from the Orc’s attack.

I had sworn that next time, I would be the one to protect him.

My movements were quick.

Even while rolling on the ground, I hadn’t let go of my bow.

Though it seemed slightly damaged from the multiple impacts, it still looked perfectly capable of shooting arrows.

As for the arrows…

They had scattered everywhere as I rolled, but I could easily gather those that had fallen around me.

BOOM!

I heard something crash loudly in the distance.

Probably the sound of the Arachne descending to the ground.

“I hope I’m not too late.”

I hastily nocked one of the collected arrows.

As I smoothly drew the bowstring, I looked toward where my servant—and the Arachne—would be.

“Huh…?”

And then I witnessed it.

“…No way.”

The Arachne had just crushed my servant’s left arm with its massive venomous fangs.

I didn’t think Ray had thrown me without reason.

But to think he would go so far as to sacrifice his own arm to protect me.

“Why… why on earth…!”

What value could I possibly have that would make him go to such lengths…

My vision began to blur.

My focus on the Arachne crumbled.

The strength in my arm pulling the bowstring began to fade.

As my arm, which had been parallel to the ground, bent, the arrowhead that had been drawing power from the string drooped toward the ground.

With my concentration broken, all I could see was Ray.

“Shit, really!!”

He shouted something in incomprehensible language with an expression devoted to pain.

Well, with flesh being torn and bones being pierced, it would be difficult to speak properly in such a situation.

I could deeply feel the pain he must be experiencing from his cry.

I needed to help him.

But with my body trembling like this, I couldn’t shoot a single arrow properly.

I took one step forward.

I needed to get closer to him.

My pace forward grew faster and faster.

But before I could reach him—

Before I could offer any help—

He managed to kill the Arachne first.

However, this was no time to cheer for his valuable victory.

“Haa… haa…”

Ray breathed heavily.

To my ears, that sound…

Like the breath of someone about to die…

Felt terribly ominous.

And then.

Thud.

Ray fell backward helplessly, like a knight who had given his all.

“No… don’t.”

My heart began to pound violently.

When I remembered that the Arachne’s weapons included not only highly viscous threads but also deadly poison, anxiety that Ray might die crept up my spine.

“No, that can’t be.”

For some reason, my vision began to blur.

I realized they were tears as I felt something flowing down my face.

Ray turned his head to look at me.

“…Huh?”

But that was all.

He seemed to move his lips to say something, but ultimately lost consciousness without saying a word.

I ran.

Reaching him, I fell to my knees, feeling like a small sinner.

“…This joke isn’t funny, so get up now. That’s an order.”

“Didn’t I tell you to get up?”

“I said get up!!”

No matter how loudly I shouted, he didn’t move at all.

“Hnngh……”

A sobbing sound escaped me without my realizing it.

I embraced him.

I could feel his warmth.

Ray was still breathing strongly, though gasping.

Only then could I remember that thick blood was seeping from his left arm.

“…Potion.”

…There was definitely a medic and their separately organized tent at the base camp.

If I could get him there in time, they might be able to treat his arm and the Arachne’s poison.

“…Hold on just a little longer.”

I picked Ray up and started running.

In my arms, he felt too fragile for someone who had just defeated an Arachne to protect his master.

How could someone like this think he could defeat an Arachne alone…

What was he thinking when he said he would protect me…

The stronger my self-reproach grew, the faster I ran.

As soon as I arrived at the camp, I entered the medic’s tent.

“Medic!”

“Lord Sione…? What brings you here—”

The medic’s gaze fixed on Ray in my arms.

Seeing his clearly critical condition, her demeanor became intensely serious.

“Can you explain how this happened?”

“We encountered an Arachne. Can you treat him?”

“Good heavens, an Arachne…? Please lay him down here so I can examine the wound.”

I laid Ray where the medic indicated, and she immediately examined his left arm.

“The Arachne’s deadly poison rapidly causes flesh and skin to necrotize… but fortunately, I don’t see any signs of necrosis.”

“That means…”

“If he hasn’t been affected by the deadly poison, I should be able to provide sufficient emergency treatment.”

The emergency treatment began.

Several potions were poured over his left arm before it was bandaged.

Another potion was administered orally in case of poison.

Numerous potions went into his wounds and mouth.

Fortunately, the medic’s urgent ministrations seemed effective.

Ray’s expression, which had been contorted with pain, appeared to relax somewhat.

After the swift emergency treatment, he was moved to a cot at one side of the tent.

“What I’ve done is merely emergency treatment. After returning to the estate, he must be treated by a priest.”

“I will ensure that happens. Thank you for your work.”

“I can stay and nurse him, so Lord Sione, you should—”

“No, that’s fine. I will stay and nurse him.”

I brought a small wooden chair from inside the tent and sat beside Ray.

As I quietly sat examining Ray’s complexion, the medic bowed her head.

“Then I’ll be in the next tent. Please find me immediately if the patient’s condition worsens.”

“Yes, thank you.”

Even after the medic left, I continued to watch Ray for a long time.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Just as I was beginning to feel somewhat relieved that he seemed to be sleeping peacefully without any issues…

I brushed back my hair.

My hair that I had cut to cast away the gloomy past that had crept into my room.

“Sigh……”

Thinking about it made me sigh involuntarily.

Although I had cut my hair to sever my gloomy past and dream of a righteous and bright future…

Looking back now, I had always depended too much on Ray, thinking he would protect me forever.

In reality, he always protected me from enemies and was the pillar of my fragile mind.

That was the problem.

How was I any different now from when I was hiding in my room?

My room, and this foolishly loyal servant of mine…

Thinking about it again, they were merely my places of escape.

“…I was foolish.”

It wasn’t this mere male servant who should protect me.

I, as his master, should have protected him.

If I didn’t have the strength to protect even one servant, I might lose the only ally I had found.

I only realized this after Ray ended up in this state.

My hands clenched involuntarily.

Tightly gripped fists.

I noticed my nails digging into my palms with a stinging pain.

“All this time, I’ve been intoxicated with the illusion that I was something special.”

Even my leaving my room, losing weight, starting to shoot a bow…

None of it was something I started because I wanted to.

Everything I had achieved until now was a creation of Ray, not myself.

I had been under the delusion that all these accomplishments were built entirely by my own will and effort.

How ridiculous.

A cowardly girl who, no different from before, only tried to hide or avoid anything dangerous or displeasing.

How could the will that frosted over my cut hair out of vanity be so lofty?

I was angry.

I wanted to vent my frustration and truly change.

As I was swallowing my anger, not knowing what to do…

“Sione!”

Siabel, who had returned to the camp, hurriedly entered the tent.

Siabel’s gaze moved from me to Ray and fixed there.

Her expression hardened at the sight of the blood-soaked bandage on his left arm.

The younger sister spoke to her older sister.

“Sister.”

“…Can you explain what happened?”

“May I ask for one favor?”

In the midst of their misaligned conversation…

Siabel, meeting Sione’s clouded blue eyes, pressed her lips together for a moment.

“What favor?”

“Could you spar with me right now, just once?”

“Denied. A sparring match when we only have sharp real swords? You might get seriously injured.”

“Please.”

“I said no.”

Sione shook her head.

“I don’t mind if deep cuts cover my body. We have plenty of potions here for treatment, don’t we?”

“…What sister would want to leave sword marks on her younger sister? Besides, you know well that potions aren’t perfect healing remedies.”

“I will bear it all. Just this once, just once is enough. Will you still refuse?”

“…Can you tell me why you’re suddenly requesting a sparring match with me?”

“The reason is simply…”

Sione closed her eyes briefly at Siabel’s question.

“It’s just to vent my frustration.”

When her eyes opened again, they were cold and sharply honed.