episode_0011

Beta, running with all his might, was lifted into the air as the rope around his ankle was pulled taut.

“Kraaah!!”

In a moment of anger at things not going his way, Beta roared. Hajiyu ran towards Beta at a terrifying speed, as if mustering up his last bit of strength.

“Haaah!”

The accelerating blade was thrust into Beta’s mouth.

“Kraaahh…! Cough……!”

-Thud!

Beta’s heavy body collided with the ground as Hajiyu lunged at him with a final strike. If left lying like that, it would be difficult for Beta to survive.

“Hajiyu!”

Darn it! I got up and ran straight towards him.

Fortunately, he was pinned down by his outstretched arms rather than his torso, but Hajiyu seemed unconscious, his eyes closed.

Struggling with the weight of just his arm, I managed to pull Hajiyu out.

“Jiyu! Hajiyu!”

I shook his body, but there was still no movement. Fear crept in.

He can’t die like this. I went all out to save him, there’s no way he’s dead. Not yet. It can’t end like this.

In a hurry, I placed my hand on my left chest. The thumping sound, was it my heart or Hajiyu’s, I couldn’t tell.

“Hoo….”

Closing my eyes, I tried to calmly feel the heartbeat. Thump-thump- a slightly faster, rhythmic beat resonated.

It’s beating! It felt weak, probably due to the large obstacle blocking it, but it was definitely the heartbeat coming from Hajiyu’s chest. He’s alive!

With joy, I opened my eyes to find Hajiyu looking at me with cat-like eyes.

“You pervert. I knew, but….”

Before the words could fully come out, I hugged Hajiyu tightly.

“You’re alive. I saved you!”

In my excitement, I hugged him without thinking. Hajiyu didn’t say anything and just let himself be held. After feeling the warmth for a while, a slightly embarrassed voice came from his ear.

“Shouldn’t you get up now?”

Only then did I realize I had been hugging Hajiyu for too long.

I cleared my throat a few times and got up. Right next to us was Beta, with lifeless eyes and a sword deeply embedded in his mouth.

His head is quite big.

I lifted one foot onto his face and grabbed the hilt of the sword. After exerting some force, I was able to pull out the sword from his mouth.

It’s fortunate it ended with one strike. Originally, I planned to tie up his feet first and then think about the next steps, but Hajiyu’s stamina dropped more rapidly than expected. I had to make this risky attack because I couldn’t afford to delay any longer. It was lucky that it worked out, but…

Helping Hajiyu, who was struggling to stand, I supported him as he got up.

“It’s disgraceful….”

“What are you talking about? You caught Beta with just a sword!”

Beta, who could easily sweep away a squad armed with rifles if you didn’t know his tactics. I caught him. I don’t know why Beta appeared here, but since it’s resolved, I’ll think about it later.

I saved Hajiyu, caught Beta. As we were catching our breath, Hajiyu asked with a puzzled voice.

“Beta?”

“Oh, that monster’s name….”

“Why Beta?”

It wasn’t that important, and I didn’t have anything specific to explain, so I changed the subject.

“Let’s get out of here quickly. We don’t know when those guys will wake up.”

The zombie horde that absorbed the shock of Beta’s charge. They were now lying in a group, trying to help each other up, but we didn’t know when one or two of them might break free.

Currently, dealing with Hajiyu in her current state is burdensome, and if too many of them gather, it becomes difficult for me to protect her. It was a risky move to save her from those ordinary zombies.

Fortunately, there was a staff lounge nearby that I had seen yesterday. Even though I am immune, I didn’t want to stay here alone with those zombies, so I had found this place.

It may be just an ordinary iron door, but it should be enough to keep the regular zombies at bay.

Hajiyu, leaning on my shoulder, swayed as if she would collapse at any moment.

Strange, did she completely exhaust her stamina? Or…

“Did you break or injure something?”

Although there are many bruises all over, it doesn’t seem like she’s seriously injured.

Hajiyu could only gasp for breath, unable to speak. After a moment of thought, I extended my back and kneeled down on one knee.

“Lean on me.”

“You don’t have to… do that…”

“If it’s difficult for you to even speak, don’t be stubborn.”

Encouraging her once more, Hajiyu leaned heavily on my back, struggling to breathe.

“Then… I won’t refuse…”

Her still damp body felt hot as if she had a fever. The smell of sweat mixed with a warm scent lingered in the air.

“Haa…, haa…”

I suddenly felt Hajiyu’s warm breath behind my ear.

Is she running a fever? A bad thought crossed my mind, but I quickly shook my head. It couldn’t be…

Instead, I focused on the fact that she seemed to relax in a different way.

The firm elasticity of her thigh that I held in my hand, the two bulges that displayed her large presence on my back with each step.

In this tense atmosphere, we arrived at the staff lounge. Fortunately, there were no zombies chasing us until then.

-Click.

After locking the door, I finally let out a sigh of relief.

Even though she’s a light girl, carrying her up was tiring.

“You can put me down now…”

“Uh, okay.”

Although I felt somewhat disappointed, I had to let her down.

-Thud.

Hajiyu immediately collapsed to the floor as if she had lost all strength, still gasping for breath.

“Haa…, haa…”

Why is her condition getting worse when I carried her all this time…?

A sense of foreboding crept up on me through my mind.

“I’m sorry…”

Her rough breathing and the words she uttered seemed to carry a sense of resignation.

“W-what…?”

Hajiyu raised her wrist slightly. A thin, white wrist. Among the various bruises, a long red line with oozing blood could be seen.

The ominous feeling I had been feeling since earlier. The reality I had been trying to deny.

“I think I might be infected…”

With that laborious confession, my head felt like it had been hit with a hammer.

In the dim light, I noticed a reddish tint in her eyes.

Damn it.

“W-when did this happen?”

“Is that really important right now?”

“The time! We need to know the time of infection! That way, we can know how much time is left!”

Yes, we need to know the time. The remaining time. So we can find a way… any way before she turns into a zombie in 30 minutes even if she survives being bitten or scratched by a zombie…

Maybe if I use my blood? No, that didn’t work for the original Ian who was left alone. Another, another way…

While thinking about any possible solution, Hajiyu, who had been silent, exhaled a sigh through her rough breath.

“It seems like I was scratched while luring that monster according to your instructions…?”

Finally, everything made sense. Hajiyu’s stamina dropping drastically. A life-threatening blow. The rising body temperature. The unrelenting sweat. Even the rough breath.

Did I give unreasonable orders…? But at that time, that was the best way. Was my choice wrong? Was there a better way?

As if she had read my mind, Haji-yu forced a smile.

“You did well… If you weren’t there, we would have never caught that monster. It’s not your fault.”

It was no comfort at all. I tried so hard to save Haji-yu, so why?

Is this really going according to the script? Then what’s the point of my actions? If fate is already predetermined?

But I survived. I’m still alive, not dead as the script dictated.

I was sure I could save Haji-yu like that.

Suddenly, all the light disappeared.

A power outage. If that’s the case, things must be wrapping up over there too. Ian should have done well enough… But that wasn’t important right now.

As I tried to turn on the flashlight, Haji-yu sensed something and stopped me.

“Wait… Don’t turn on the light…”

Then, she took a deep breath and spoke laboriously.

“Thank you for everything… And I’m sorry… I wanted to protect you all a little longer…”

She said not to turn on the light because she was embarrassed to say those words…?

With a sudden ominous feeling, I immediately turned on the flashlight and attacked Haji-yu.

With a clang, the katana fell. Blood was seeping from Haji-yu’s hand holding the blade.

She was trying to sever her own spinal cord with the sword standing on the ground.

“Don’t… Stop. Or do you want to finish it with your own hands…?”

A firm statement. In contrast, her face looking up at me seemed on the verge of tears.

I had nothing to say. I couldn’t bring myself to end Haji-yu’s life, nor could I leave her to commit suicide. In the end, there was nothing I could do.

“Now… Move aside. There’s not much time left. I don’t want to see you turn into a zombie…”

Time… Yes, time… How much time is left? About 20 minutes now.

If it’s 20 minutes later, will I no longer be able to see Haji-yu?

I looked down at Haji-yu lying beneath me. Her body was hot like a boulder. Her cheeks flushed. Still breathing roughly, she twisted her agonized and restrained body little by little.

Seeing her like that, a strange feeling arose. Damn, what kind of thoughts am I having in this situation…?

Shaking off the negative thoughts, a sudden idea flashed through my mind.

“Just wait a moment… I have something to try.”