Chapter 89

R̈èâ​d́ ̂öǹ ̈K̃át́​R̂​ẽã​d̈ĩ​n̈​g̃Ĉâf́ẽ

There wasn’t much time, so our discussion was brief.

We decided to split up to evacuate people.

Moving as a group would save fewer people than scattering to cover more ground.

Of course, we didn’t make the reckless choice of going alone.

We’re still students—not active heroes. What kind of student would act solo in this situation? Only someone with a death wish.

Or me, hehe~♡

So, the next discussion was how to divide into groups.

Time was short, so we stuck with the teams we’d been working with until now.

Strictly speaking, it would’ve been wiser to stick together as one group. The rift had only just opened, so only weaker monsters had come through for now. But as time passed, stronger monsters would surely appear. Splitting our forces was a risky move.

That said, for the time being, there were only weak monsters.

By the time the powerful ones showed up, the Celestial Corps would likely have arrived.

With that reasoning, we divided into teams without hesitation.

After all, what might seem like weak monsters to supernaturals are still deadly threats to ordinary people.

It didn’t take long to realize how naive that decision was.

“The rift…?!”

Frey trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

I was just as shocked.

The sky, rapidly fracturing and shattering.

Monsters spilling through the cracks.

“What’s going on? Isn’t this too fast? Doesn’t it normally take time for the rift to expand that much?”

Frey was right. Normally, it would’ve taken longer.

For the rift to grow this large, more time should have been needed.

But if it had expanded this quickly…

‘Astaroth.’

It could only be her.

A devil could interfere with the rift like this.

So much for doing nothing, huh?

I hadn’t believed her, but I had at least held onto a sliver of hope.

“…”

The protagonists of “The Dawn of the Sword”, the so-called Golden Generation, were gathered here.

Despite the dire circumstances, I had been a bit optimistic.

If they were all here, surely we’d manage somehow.

Crisis is an opportunity, after all. The Golden Generation grew stronger by facing dire situations. Even Eugene had undergone rapid growth after facing crises.

I’d subconsciously expected this disaster to become their stepping stone.

■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■───────!!!!

But reality doesn’t follow the rules of a novel.

The sky shattered like glass, and the ground trembled violently.

The deafening roar threw my complacent thoughts off a cliff.

A gut-wrenching discomfort twisted my stomach.

The cracks devouring the blue sky kept spreading.

It wasn’t until I saw it that I realized how optimistic I’d been.

The original story I knew had long since ceased to exist.

From the moment the devils descended, the information I possessed was no longer an infallible guide.

Just because someone survived in the original didn’t mean they’d be safe here.

And there was no guarantee that a crisis would always lead to opportunity.

No certainty that we’d overcome the present danger.

“…This isn’t good. Something’s seriously off. Lucia, we need to regroup with the others. We haven’t gone far; we can meet up quickly. This isn’t the time to worry about saving others. If we’re not careful, even we could be in danger.”

Frey spoke firmly.

To Frey, whose priority was Alice above all else, other people’s lives were of little consequence. She likely didn’t think it was worth taking risks for them.

But I couldn’t bring myself to nod in agreement.

I partially agreed with her.

The situation had grown so dangerous that acting carelessly was incredibly risky.

If we didn’t regroup with the others—or even if we did—the danger remained the same.

It was no longer feasible to run around rescuing others.

Even keeping ourselves alive had become difficult, let alone saving anyone else.

If a high rank monster appeared, our strength alone wouldn’t be enough to handle it.

This wasn’t the time for reckless bravery.

“…The fire… stopped.”

“What?”

Frey, puzzled by my murmur, turned to ask.

Then she must’ve noticed it too, whipping her head around.

The fiery meteors that had swept away the monsters in a blazing storm.

The crimson flames that had scorched the sky without pause were gone.

“…This doesn’t feel right.”

If it’s Eugene—if it’s the protagonist…

The one imbued with all the absurdity, irrationality, and favoritism of the world—he’ll be fine.

He’ll overcome any crisis. That’s why he’s the protagonist. That’s why he’s a hero.

But…

What if he’s not?

What if this reality, different from the novel, swallows Eugene whole?

If he fails to become a hero and falls instead?

“Something’s happened. I need to check it out.”

“…You going there will be no help, only a hindrance. You’re weak.”

“You’re right.”

I hoped my worries were just baseless fears.

Eugene had always been beaten down but persisted through sheer determination, eventually defeating even those stronger than himself.

I thought maybe I should trust and leave it to him.

“If Eugene is in danger, I might not be much help, but…”

I just couldn’t shake my unease.

Like last time—if I hadn’t anticipated the high rank monster’s resurrection and rushed in, Eugene might’ve suffered a fatal wound.

If things had gone wrong, he could’ve died.

“Eugene is alone right now. Someone needs to be there to help him.”

Even if my strength won’t make much of a difference, I can at least be a shield.

Heh, turns out Lucia is actually a tank.

No matter the attack, I’ll take it all with this body!

A shield that automatically repairs itself even when broken.

Lucia might be unexpectedly high-performance.

Could it be that I’ve found my true calling?

“Lucia, I understand how you feel, but it’s too dangerous.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Do you think I’m talking about someone else?! Think about it! Just because you’ve survived with your neck sliced and your body halved doesn’t mean you’re truly immortal. Don’t fool yourself… You recover quickly and are hard to kill, but you’re not invincible!”

Frey’s cute face twisted into a frustrated scowl as she shouted.

Hehe, but even then, she’s cute. Would she get mad if I pinched her cheeks?

“Can’t you see what’s going on?! We’ve passed the point where we can do anything. It’s not about evacuating people anymore; we need to evacuate!”

“Then what about Eugene?”

“He’s much better off than you. At least he has the strength to fend for himself. Didn’t he fight a high rank monster? Someone with that kind of power can take care of himself.”

Frey grabbed my hand, clearly intending to pull me away from the battlefield. Maybe she wanted us to regroup with the others, or just to escape.

But neither option aligned with what I wanted, so I gently pushed her hand away.

“I’m sorry. And thank you for worrying about me.”

“Did you even hear what I said?! Or are you so eager to throw your life away?”

“Even if it’s dangerous, I have to go. Even if something happens to me. It’s better for me to get hurt than for Eugene to.”

If something happens to the protagonist, it’s a disaster.

It’s better for me to take the hit.

After all, I’ll heal quickly.

“You… Is that guy really that important to you?”

Frey’s question made me tilt my head.

Where did that come from?

I was at a loss for words because it felt so out of the blue.

Was Eugene important? Sure, he was.

He’s the one who’ll secure my future, after all.

If Eugene doesn’t lead the story to a happy ending like in the original, my happy life is over, too.

But why ask that…?

Ah.

I get it now.

A realization struck me, and I couldn’t help but smile.

My hands itched to pat Frey on the head, but I restrained myself.

So that’s what this is about.

Frey, you’re feeling uneasy, aren’t you?

Because Alice has shown interest in Eugene.

It’s obvious if you’ve been paying attention to Alice lately.

I’ve seen her stealing glances at Eugene more than once.

And she was thrilled when I suggested going out with Eugene.

Frey must not be thrilled about Eugene grabbing Alice’s attention. But because Alice means everything to her, she probably wants to support Alice’s wishes. If Alice likes Eugene, Frey would want to help make her happy.

In this context, seeing me act like I care about Eugene might have made Frey feel insecure.

Perhaps she’s worried I also have feelings for Eugene.

Haha, don’t worry about that.

I have no romantic interest in Eugene.

My interest lies in another area.

But I should set the record straight here. I don’t want Frey to misunderstand.

“Yes, he’s important. As a friend.”

“…”

Eugene is my friend. Nothing more, nothing less.

I made sure to emphasize that. That should clear up any misunderstanding, right?

Hmm, just to be safe, let’s add something more.

“Eugene is my second most precious friend after Alice (and Frey). That’s why I want to help him.”

Alice is my top priority!

Frey, do you get it now?

You can let Alice know there’s nothing to worry about.

“…I see. Alright.”

Thankfully, it seemed my feelings got through to Frey.

Phew, that’s a relief.

If she’d mistakenly thought I had feelings for Eugene, things could’ve gotten messy.

Knowing Alice’s personality, it wouldn’t be surprising if she chose to sacrifice love for friendship—a dreadful scenario.

Frey grabbed my hand again, this time looking up at me with determination.

“I’m not letting you go alone. I’ll go with you.”

 

Author Note

A/N (Author’s note):
Lucia is an idiot.

An idiot.

I said it twice because it’s important!

Translator Note

T/N (Translator’s note):
Ah yes, the power of emphasis, if only it was for the right thing, heh.