Chap 10-Insurance

 

“Haa… Huk… Hehe…”

The taste of blood filled my mouth, and at the same time, a hot, sticky liquid flowed back up my throat.

“Uweek!!!”

The bitter taste of blood enveloped the tip of my tongue, and I couldn’t stop vomiting.

‘That’s a lot coming out.’

Whenever I saw so much blood coming out of this small body, I felt that the human body was truly mysterious.

“Cough, cough…”

My vision blurred.

The sounds I heard in my ears gradually faded away.

My whole body felt like it was floating.

The sensation of gravity disappeared, and I sank deeper and deeper as if I were sinking into water…

[SYSTEM]

Aegis Magic System – Decaymal Reverse Activated

Caster: Dorothy Lightshield

Remaining Lives: 8

…

…

“Ugh…”

I opened my eyes.

A cold, sticky ground enveloped my back.

Along with a pain that felt like my body was breaking, I saw the system window in front of me and Bella, who was shouting something next to it.

“You…! Are you okay…? What… is this…?”

Bella’s lips were trembling.

But I couldn’t answer her.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

My pulse began to race.

My heart was beating so fast it felt like it would burst.

My whole body trembled, and I felt something bubbling and boiling inside me.

I tried to inhale, but my lungs felt as heavy as lead.

Air didn’t reach my throat.

“Keuhuk…!”

My eyes began to fill with blood.

I grabbed my neck with my hands and struggled in the air.

And…

Again…

The struggle gradually slowed down, and my vision flickered and sank into darkness.

[SYSTEM]

Aegis Magic System – Decaymal Reverse Activated

Caster: Dorothy Lightshield

Remaining Lives: 7

That’s how I died a total of five times in a row.

…

“Puhah!!”

My heart started beating again.

As soon as consciousness returned, I gasped for breath and raised my body.

‘Ugh… I’m finally calming down a bit.’

[SYSTEM]

Remaining Lives: 4

Once when Bella stabbed me in the heart.

Five times from the backlash of using the Evil God’s power.

A total of six deaths.

Could it be because there weren’t that many monsters?

This time, the backlash was less than expected.

Two months ago, when I used it against the monsters at the front lines, I died ten times in a row, and I almost lost my last remaining life.

Compared to that time, this was quite good.

But now I only had four lives left.

I had to be more careful from now on.

“What… the hell are you?”

Bella’s voice froze.

When I looked up, she was holding her sword tightly.

Her whole body was stiff, and her sharp gaze was directed at me.

“What… the hell are you?”

Her hand trembled slightly.

It was a look mixed with disbelief, fear, and wariness.

Well, it was understandable.

It was already bizarre to die and come back to life once, but I died and came back to life six times in a row right in front of her.

“That’s not important right now.”

I slowly calmed my breathing and said.

“There are still seven high-ranking monsters left.”

Bella was still glaring at me with her sword in her hand, but her eyebrows twitched slightly at my words.

“If even one of them goes over to the village, everyone living there will die.”

“…”

Bella’s expression hardened.

“Their target is me. We can lure them this way and fight. I’ll take care of the other six somehow, so just take care of one.”

Bella still hesitated.

Her sword was pointed at me and wavered subtly.

I raised my blood-stained hand and slowly looked at her.

“Bella, trust me. No, Senior. Please trust me just once.”

Bella didn’t answer.

Her sword was still pointed at me, and her hand was full of strength.

‘She still can’t trust me.’

It was only natural.

Most beings completely infected with Contamination have a hard time maintaining their sanity.

They become twisted and insane, more like beasts or monsters than people.

But there were exceptions.

‘Contamination Worshippers’

Trash whose very nature is evil and dark, so Contamination has no effect on their souls.

If they hide that they are Contamination Worshippers and act, it is difficult to distinguish them from ordinary people.

In the battlefield, I must have been backstabbed dozens of times by those who seemed like ordinary people…

There was no way she could trust me, who was maintaining my sanity even after being covered in Contamination.

So, what I’m about to do now is inevitable to gain trust.

I sighed and took a step towards her.

“System.”

I spread out my palm and floated the system window above it.

[SYSTEM]

Creating a special oath.

[Oath of Death]

Oath Giver: Yeon Bennet → Bella Staren

Effect: Yeon Bennet’s life is entirely under the authority of Bella Staren.

Bella Staren can immediately terminate Yeon Bennet’s life if she wishes.

Oath Revocation Authority: Bella Staren

The Oath of Death, which is only used when slaves are forcibly subordinated to their masters.

I slowly reached out my hand.

“If you can’t trust me, how about this?”

Bella looked momentarily flustered, but soon returned to her expressionless face.

“Hah. What’s the point of something like this?”

“What?”

She looked down at me with a cold expression.

“I clearly felt the sensation of stabbing your heart. But even after you came back to life, I saw you die and come back to life in front of my eyes again. How can you think your life has any value?”

“Huh?”

I could only look up at her with a dumbfounded expression.

When I thought about it for a moment, she was right.

Life wasn’t that important to someone who could be resurrected.

But…

Bella, looking down at me with a cold expression and saying firmly, ‘Your life has no value.’

This might be good in its own way?

As I put aside my silly thoughts and was about to start racking my brain again.

Thump-

Her hand gently rested on my head.

“I’ll trust you.”

“What?”

“Isn’t it that I just have to help you to screw those monster bastards over?”

Bella still didn’t let go of her wary eyes, but the sharpness was much less than before.

“So you don’t have to do this. I’ll trust you.”

After speaking, she immediately pushed aside the system window I had sent.

“You’ll trust me? Really…?”

“Instead, if we survive here, I’m going to thoroughly interrogate you about what just happened.”

The traces of the Contamination Worshippers that I showed while using the power of evil just now.

Even after seeing that, she’s just going to trust me?

I was slightly confused, but I quickly pulled myself together.

[SYSTEM]

Applying a special oath.

[Oath of Death]

Oath Giver: Yeon Bennet → Bella Staren

“You??? What are you doing?”

I felt like my heart was dropping.

My whole body trembled strangely.

She could take my life whenever she wanted.

The moment I recognized that fact, my mind went blank.

Excitement and a thrilling tension spread rapidly throughout my body.

It felt like my senses were burning just from breathing in.

“It’s not like I can keep resurrecting forever. You can use it whenever you think it’s necessary. Hehe.”

I can apply any contract at will as long as the other party doesn’t suffer any loss.

In this case, since I was arbitrarily entrusting my life to her, it was possible to conclude the contract without her consent.

I need to have insurance, too.

Absolutely…

Absolutely.

It wasn’t because I wanted to fall into a miserable situation where the initiative of life and death was out of my hands and I gave up the right to choose for myself.

I really had my own reasons.

Really.

Anyway…

“Do you have any spare weapons? Even something like a dagger.”

She looked at me with an incomprehensible expression, but eventually handed me a dagger without complaint.

The air hung heavy.

The rough breathing and the vibrations shaking the ground could be heard from afar.

I slowly clenched my fist and gripped the dagger.

Bella was the same.

She clenched her sword tightly and pressed her lips tightly.

The tension was palpable.

The killing intent felt from all directions.

It was certain that something was approaching us from not far away.

‘They’ll be here soon.’

I lightly loosened my neck and glanced at Bella.

‘She’s not going to suddenly try to kill me, is she?’

It would be a little troublesome to die now.

I don’t care whether I live or die, so I can give up my life whenever I need to.

But I wanted to do as much as I could.

For the ending of this story.

“Senior.”

Bella reflexively turned her head.

“…You’re going to see something not very pleasant in a little while.”

“…What?”

“Anyway, I clearly said it. Don’t be too surprised.”

Bella didn’t understand the meaning for a moment.

Could it be worse than what just happened?

“Remember? Just take care of one high-ranking monster. I’ll try to do something about the rest.”

“…Okay. I’ll do as you wish.”

Bella hesitated slightly, but eventually nodded and answered.

I could see her hand holding the sword tightening slightly.

She was ready too.

‘Good.’

Six high-ranking monsters to kill.

Four lives left.

It seems a little close, but it’s enough.

Because I’ve been working my ass off for about two years.

Author’s Note:

I know this is an imperfect piece of writing.

Nevertheless, thank you to everyone who reads it!

And someone made their first donation to this kind of writing… Thank you so much!!!