Escape (2)

The atmosphere changed in an instant. The soup set out for breakfast was cooling, and the bread was hardening.

But no one paid attention to the food. Everyone’s eyes were fixed on one place.

Right at me.

Seraphina was the first to rise from her seat. No, should I say float up? Her toes were slightly off the ground.

“Hero-nim, come this way.”

Her saintess robes fluttered as pure white wings unfolded. The wings, which were only a pair when we first met, had now increased to four pairs.

Amidst the sacred energy pouring down, eight wings reflected the sunlight and sparkled.

“Showing off, aren’t we.”

Alice put down her teacup. It was an elegant movement, but the moment the teacup touched the table, a sharp sound rang out.

“Haru’s mind is already made up, you see.”

Her golden eyes split vertically like a reptile’s. With a wave of her hand, the space distorted and grimoires appeared. Grimoire, Necronomicon, Erebus, the Book of Vilt… all of them I found with my original knowledge and gifted to her.

“I’ll tell you the first law of the forest.”

Sylvia rose from her seat. The trees outside the window swayed without any wind.

“The strong take everything.”

With her gesture, spirits appeared. A lion made of flames roared, and a hawk made of lightning screeched. A giant snake made of earth’s power coiled around the floor.

Sylvia reached behind her back, and a green glowing bow appeared. It was Yggdrasil, made from the branches of the World Tree. A sacred weapon obtained by passing trials together.

“Haru-nyang is Nia’s master-nya!”

Nia jumped onto the table. Her usual cute appearance was nowhere to be found, and black aura rose from her entire body. The reason she survived stealing so many treasures and evaded the pursuit of S-class adventurers is simply because she’s strong.

“Now, choose, Hero-nim.”

Seraphina’s wings shone even brighter.

“You can’t run anymore, you see.”

The grimoires floating around Alice glowed ominously.

“Please decide.”

Sylvia’s spirits howled.

“Haru-nyang, answer-nyang!”

Nia’s claws flashed.

Four gazes turned to me.

My heart was pounding as if it would burst. They want my true feelings. But what they want as true feelings is…

Each of them is waiting for the answer they desire. And if it’s not that answer…

A chill ran down my spine. If I choose someone, the others won’t stand still. But if I don’t choose anyone, I’ll be quartered on the spot.

Calm down. There’s still a chance.

“Hey, everyone.”

I said, smiling as calmly as possible.

“We’re precious comrades, right? A team that’s fought together for 5 years. Um, do we really have to do this?”

But that made the situation worse.

“Comrades? I want to be more than comrades with Hero-nim.”

Seraphina’s wings fluttered.

“Remaining as comrades or friends is no longer permitted by the dragon’s greed, you see.”

Alice’s grimoires glowed dangerously.

“The spirits are also dissatisfied. They want a deeper connection.”

Green light surged around Sylvia.

“Nia will become Haru-nyang’s bride-nya!”

A black tail swung threateningly.

This is bad. The situation is getting worse.

Rapid calculations continued in my head. Is there a way to escape?

I might be able to avoid magic. But the spirits will follow me anywhere.

The saintess’s divine power must have become stronger as her wings increased.

Nia’s claws… the back of my neck feels cold.

Should I confess my true feelings?

‘I have to go back to the modern world.’

But that’s as good as a death sentence.

Right now… right now…

Should I choose someone? No, should I not choose?

My head spun complicatedly in this tense atmosphere.

‘Let’s think calmly for now. What if I join hands with Alice?’

I glanced at her golden eyes. The grimoires floating around her were emitting an ominous aura.

‘The Dragon Sage… she truly lives up to her name.’

Alice, who combines magic and dragon power, has the strongest combat power in the party.

More than anything, looking at her attitude… it seems like she’d do anything for me. If she’s even giving up her dragon’s pride, am I really that special to her?

But a chill ran down my spine in an instant. Yeah, that’s exactly the problem.

The moment I join hands with her, it’s all over. She said ‘Dragon’s Treasure’, didn’t she? No matter how much I struggle, I won’t be able to escape the dragon’s nest. The obsession of a dragon who has lived for thousands of years…

I turned my gaze to Sylvia. Cold green eyes were looking at me.

‘Sylvia… might be a little different.’

Sylvia… seems less dangerous than Alice. Because she has a cold and rational personality. If I coax her a little, it seems like we could talk to some extent.

But I soon shook my head.

The problem is that she doesn’t care about the Demon King at all. She’ll probably tell me to go back to the forest right now and live there forever. Once I go to the forest, there’s no way I can escape from the forest where the spirits are watching, and I might even be imprisoned in the World Tree.

Then what about Seraphina?

The first comrade I met, and the saintess who has been by my side with a pure heart. And she’s got big boobs.

In battle, the synergy between the saintess and the hero, the holy sword and the blessing, was more overwhelming than any other combination.

‘If I knew she was this strong, I would have just adventured with the saintess from the start.’

I might not have needed the other party members. Well, it’s too late to think about it now.

But that doesn’t mean I can choose her… I remembered her tearful voice yesterday.

‘I… I have to grow old and die as an old maid in the monastery for the rest of my life!’

The sight of her pure white wings fluttering, the tears welling up in her purple eyes.

The saintess-nim is dangerous too. Maybe even more dangerous.

Seraphina packages everything sacredly. She’ll ignore my will, saying it’s ‘the goddess’s will’. Isn’t she the one with the least room for negotiation?

Lastly, I looked at Nia. Her black tail was standing up tensely.

‘…She’s a cat.’

I hesitated for a moment and immediately shook my head.

‘Pass.’

I excluded her from the choices without thinking any further.

“Nya?”

Nia’s ears perked up as if she noticed something.

No. I can’t stick with anyone. They’re all incarnations of obsession.

Even if I defeat the Demon King later, I won’t have any freedom, no matter where I’m dragged.

He carefully looked around.

I can’t ally with anyone in this situation. The answer is to stir up a fight as much as possible and disappear in the chaos. Otherwise, my life will be over.

There was only one conclusion.

‘I have to escape.’

Cold sweat ran down my spine. Everyone was waiting for an answer.

I can’t join hands with anyone. This is a choice to survive.

I took a deep breath. I opened my mouth, trying to smile as calmly as possible.

“We all cherish each other, right? There’s no need to be so bloodthirsty…”

This won’t work. I need to buy as much time as possible.

“So… everyone calm down…”

I have to escape. But how?

Everyone is waiting for the answer they want.

But if I give them the answer they want…

Suddenly, I missed the modern world. I was caught in a sacred vortex on the way back from the convenience store and came to this other world.

‘Pepsi Zero…’

The taste of the carbonation I couldn’t drink back then always lingered in my mind while adventuring.

Wait, this might be an opportunity, not a crisis.

The fact that they’re glaring at each other like this means…

That’s right, they’re suspecting each other.

I took a deep breath and opened my mouth.

First, Seraphina.

“Actually, you know, I…”

Her purple eyes sparkled.

“From the moment I first met you, I liked Saintess-nim. Your pure soul and warm heart… more than anything, being a saintess blessed by the goddess felt like fate.”

Seraphina’s wings trembled with joy. Her white cheeks flushed red.

“But…”

“But…?”

“I’m afraid to be with you because Alice is scary… she’s a dragon who can burn down a city…”

“What, you’re afraid of a dragon? What are you saying…”

Alice’s golden eyes shone sharply.

“No, I mean… I really like Alice too. She’s a sage with the pride of the dragon race. Elegant and intellectual…”

This time, a smile spread across Alice’s lips.

“Hehe… I’m honored that you think so.”

“But you know…”

“What is it?”

“Sylvia won’t stand still… she’s a queen chosen by the World Tree, right? What will happen to the world if she summons spirits with a vengeance…”

“Me?”

Sylvia’s ears perked up.

“Queen-nim is really charming. A personality that’s cold yet warm, and the dignity of an elf queen…”

Sylvia’s face turned red. The spirits around her sparkled as if they were excited.

“But the church won’t allow it… they’ll definitely oppose the hero marrying a different race…”

Now it’s Nia’s turn.

“Nia is…”

“Nya?”

Her black ears perked up.

“Um… a cat…”

“That’s all-nya?!”

“No, I mean… cute…”

“There’s nothing more-nya?!”

Nia’s claws flashed.

‘It’s going well.’

I put on the most serious expression possible.

Four gazes crossed sharply.

“Hehe… I understand perfectly, you see.”

Alice laughed coldly. Her dragon nature gradually revealed itself.

“You’re really too kind. You could have just said it honestly. In the end, you mean that others are getting in the way of our love, right?”

“Who are you saying is getting in the way?”

“To dare interfere with the connection that the goddess has ordained…!”

“Haru-nyang is Nia’s butler-nya!”

The air froze for a moment.

‘It’s finally starting.’

Seraphina moved first. Eight wings spread out threateningly, and sacred light filled the surroundings.

In response, the grimoires floating around Alice emitted magic power. The books turned their pages on their own as if they were alive, finding the most deadly spells.

“I’ll pluck your wings and collect them. They’ll be perfect as decorations for our new home.”

Seraphina’s wings immediately spread out like a shield, blocking the flames with sacred light. Pure white feathers and dragon magic collided, and sparks flew in all directions.

“Hero-nim and I are a destiny ordained by the goddess. Please step aside, everyone else.”

At that moment, Sylvia’s spirits moved. The fire lion roared at Nia, and the lightning hawk descended from the sky.

“Can you stop Nia with just this much-nya?”

Nia’s claws flashed, tearing apart the spirits. The spirits, caught in the black aura, scattered and then gathered again.

“The forest’s judgment!”

Sylvia raised the World Tree bow. A green arrow cut through the air and flew towards Nia.

Nia barely managed to twist her body to avoid it, but a few strands of black fur flew away.

“Kyaak! To dare touch Nia’s fur…!”

In an instant, it became a scene of chaos. Golden magic and sacred light collided, and the roars of spirits and black claws clashed.

The four party members glared at each other and continued their attacks. None of them seemed willing to back down.

“How fantastic Haru and I are together… history has already proven the combination of hero and saintess, right?”

“Hehe… is that so? Have you ever heard of a dragon knight? A legendary knight who rides a dragon and dominates the sky… it’s possible with Haru and me.”

“Haru has a special talent for resonating with spirits. The spirits of the forest have also acknowledged him. The two of us are enough.”

“The vanguard combo is Nia and Haru-nyang, the strongest-nya! From now on, I’ll only adventure with Haru-nyang-nya! I don’t need other females-nya!”

In an instant, Alice’s grimoires all opened.

“To dare covet the dragon’s treasure!”

“I’ll purify you in the name of the goddess!”

“The second law of the forest, the weak are simply eliminated.”

“I’ll tear you all apart-nya!”

Divine power and magic power, the power of spirits, and aura intertwined and collided at one point.

The moment the four powers collided. An explosion occurred with a dazzling light.

Amidst the thick smoke, I was already leaving the village.

“The Hero-nim has disappeared!”

“Where did you go…”

“Spirits! Find him quickly!”

“Haru-nyang, where are you-nya?!”

The voices coming from behind grew more and more distant.

‘I’m sorry. But this is the best I can do.’

I quickened my pace. The road to the Empire.

“What’s scarier than the Demon King… was this party I raised.”

The sound of explosions fading behind me could be heard. It seemed that the attacks against each other were continuing.

Soon they’ll realize I’m gone, and then they’ll scatter for now. While being wary of each other.

“Now I’m a fugitive.”

But they’ll never give up. They’ll use their own methods to take me.

‘Let’s go to the Empire for now. I need to make a plan there.’