episode_0045

cold.

I lost too much blood.

The large wounds left on my arms and legs were torn and tied up with clothes, but that did not return the lost blood.

At first glance, the skin had already turned pale and corpse-like.

It was a natural result.

Even though he needed to be treated right away, he spun around on purpose, spreading blood stains everywhere.

So that the blood scattered around can be considered just traces of ordinary monsters.

Otherwise.

The solid red marks that dot the surface of the earth may become signposts that inform the whereabouts of the murderer.

All the kobolds that came after smelling blood were killed.

Even just lying on the ground with one half-broken arm was enough to defeat a kobold.

Although there were a few more cuts.

I’m tired.

As I crawled across the floor back into the cave, I thought about the man.

Knut.

The man who risked his life for revenge and had no choice but to kill him in the end.

In a dazed and clouded consciousness, I barely gather my scattered mind and continue thinking.

You said you swore to avenge your family and compatriots.

Spewing out resentment that is just to him, but unfair to me.

Perhaps he is just the beginning, and such people will continue to appear in the future.

…Every time that happens, I’ll have to kill those people.

It was sad.

Especially because there is no alternative.

You can’t convince them.

The scars that Ka`har and Hershela have carved on them are so deep that they will never heal or be forgotten.

I can’t die for them.

If I accept the grudge and die, it won’t even end there.

Ka`har is still the same and Orhan is also alive and well.

What if it was Hershela in the original who killed Orhan?

The moment I die here, the already twisted story will reach a point where nothing can be done.

Orhan, who is not dead, will one day come with an immeasurable army.

I was responsible for all the people who would die as a result.

That’s what’s going to happen because I ran away here.

So I had to stop it.

So that Orhan’s army, which will come someday, cannot cross the wall.

I don’t know exactly what Marquis Ludwig is thinking…but he probably won’t refuse.

Extend your fingertips again and move forward, pulling your body forward.

Orhan is not the only one.

In the future, many deaths will unfold in this world.

Beastmen, monsters. and……

…okay. Because there is Damian, peace will come someday.

The guy I met in person wasn’t someone who gave me that kind of confidence…but he was still the main character.

I will continue to grow stronger and gradually become more like a warrior.

But by then, how many people will die?

“Big! Hehe, hehe..! …Haaa…Haaa…!”

Something boiled inside my chest, and I coughed up blood.

Breathing heavily, he dug up the dirt and covered the blood he had spit out.

it hurts.

The game I played was not a peaceful work.

It was a hell where tens of thousands of people died in a comical way to create tension, catharsis, and excitement.

Asha, Millia, Lana, Friede, Ophelia.

Just making one mistake could have been worse than death.

At that time, it was just a picture on the other side of the monitor.

Now, this has become my reality.

So I had to protect it. I wanted to protect it.

I didn’t want to look away.

Even if I have to kill those who stand in my way with my own hands.

A bitter smile rose up.

They kill innocent people because they want to protect them.

As expected, it was a truly terrible contradiction.

Even so.

Fight, kill, regret, and feel pain.

Still, get up again and fight. Let’s protect it.

Saving the world and people.

Although it may be messy and full of contradictions, this is it.

You could call it my belief.

The morning sun was already coming up.

In a forest immersed in shadows.

I crawled around in the dirt and stared blankly at the sky for a while.

—-

Millia was wandering at the entrance of the cave.

Why is that guy here…?

Isn’t it time for Hans to be on guard?

First, I kept crawling towards it.

Perhaps because the tension was relieved, blood began to slowly seep out again from the wound where it had been tied.

“Hashall…?”

Millia, who discovered me, came running towards me with her eyes wide and shocked.

Could it be that he couldn’t sleep? There was deep fatigue around his eyes.

“What…Hans, what are you doing, Millia…”

“Is that important now? Oh my god, look at this scar! Are you okay?! Hans! Lana! Come here!”

Milia made a fuss and picked me up and headed into the cave.

Are you okay…? That’s not okay…

Slowly, my body and mind reached their limits.

My consciousness was fading.

Still, since Lana is there, you won’t die, right…?

“Miss Hashal? No, what on earth were you doing like this…!”

“Rather than that, you need to get treatment right away! Sister Millia, please put Hashalr down here!”

Milia laid me down on the sleeping bag and grabbed the star tag that Lana was wearing around her neck.

“What…even the troll…Milia…knew…”

“Me too…! It’s just that… no way…!”

“…to…your…mother, Shaulithe…to…!”

Even my hearing gradually darkened, and I could barely hear the conversation between the three people.

The coldness that had been freezing my heart and the pain that felt like my wounds were gradually fading away.

At the end of the sight of the scarlet holy light blooming, my mind sank into darkness.

—-

When I woke up, it was already midnight.

The bonfire crackled and spewed out embers.

I felt an extreme thirst, as if my body had turned into a desert.

The moment I tried to move my body, a pain as if my whole body was being torn apart came over me.

“K, ugh…!”

“Uh…? Ah, Hashal! Don’t move yet!”

“Ugh…water, some water…!”

Lana took out a water bag and carefully poured it into my mouth.

A stream of lukewarm water moistened my dry throat and seeped into my stomach.

After drinking everything until my pockets were empty, my thirst finally subsided.

“…Thank you. Lana, did you treat me…?”

“It’s Shaulithe’s grace. If I hadn’t been careful, I would have died…Thanks to the strong blessing he gave me, I was able to save him.”

God’s help.

After all, does God even know about me?

…Knut said that the warrior god guided him.

I thought it was just a simple idiom, but maybe not.

“Yeah…? It’s Shaulithe’s grace… I’ll try to make a donation to the church later.”

“What on earth did you fight with to get hurt like that? As if I had faced a dragon.”

It wasn’t a dragon, but someone similar to an angry brown bear.

If I had fought a dragon, I would have died. How can a person defeat a dragon?

“Just a strong guy…”

I spoke moderately slurred. Well, I couldn’t say that I killed my classmate.

“Anyway, you need to rest well for a while. Not only was there more than one or two injuries, the bleeding was severe, and there was even a curse on him.”

“…Curse?”

That couldn’t be…

“Yes. It was a terrible curse. It is a curse with the coldness of the underworld that breaks the spirit and steals vitality.”

Was it frosty as expected…!

An object that can inflict such a curse not on an enemy but on its owner.

Why on earth did Hershela create something like this?

…Or maybe she didn’t expect the curse either?

“…Anyway, thank you. Thanks to you, I survived. Milia and Hans?”

The two people were not visible.

In the lonely cave, only Lana remained to take care of me.

“Milia is guarding the entrance. Uncle Hans went to catch the monsters. I hope you’ll be back soon.”

“Alone…? It must be dangerous……”

Those guys who got hurt even against four or so kobolds, are wandering around this forest alone?

What will you do if you meet a troll?

“I have to take care of Hashal, and someone has to guard the cave.”

Lana answered calmly.

As expected, I guess I didn’t intend to just spend time quietly.

Are you trying to get good grades at least a little bit?

Since I’m holding you back, I guess I should help you with that…?

“I see…Could you please call Millia?”

“Yes. Rest here!”

Lana ran towards the cave entrance.

In the meantime, I roughly checked my physical condition.

His entire body was covered in red bandages.

I guess this is something Hans has prepared.

The chill had subsided a little, but my limbs were still not moving properly.

That’s only natural since I was stabbed, stabbed, cut, and twisted.

The wound on my back was still burning as if it hadn’t healed yet.

…At this rate, it won’t be possible to fight until practice is over.

Beyond the sleeping bag, I saw a tattered piece of armor lying there.

It already looked like it couldn’t be used as clothing, let alone armor.

How much will it cost to fix that?

—-

“I brought Millia here, Hashal!”

“Are you awake, Hashal? Are you okay?”

Not long after, Lana returned with Milia.

Milia sat down next to the sleeping bag and looked at my complexion with concern.

“It’s bearable…More than that, Hans went into the forest alone. It must be dangerous.”

“Well, I tried to stop him. Hans seemed to be quite concerned about his grades…”

Are you aiming for a scholarship?

Not only did he fight with me as a condition of receiving Ophelia’s support, but he seems to be quite tight on money.

“…I can’t. Let go of today, and take me with you tomorrow.”

“No! The wound hasn’t even healed properly yet!”

Lana objected, shaking her head. Millia also shook her head.

“Yes. You won’t even be able to move properly, that’s impossible.”

“I have no intention of fighting. I can’t fight like you said with this body.”

If you engage in combat in this state, you will destroy yourself.

From the beginning, I had no intention of helping in the fight.

“Pick me up and move. Then you three can walk around together. There is no need for two people to be tied up in this cave.”

“That’s…but…”

“I will only inform you of the presence of kobolds and trolls. The two of you can handle the fighting on your own. Would that be possible?”

There is no problem with reconnaissance as long as the sense organs are intact.

All you have to do is avoid trolls and excessively large groups of kobolds.

“…I’ll talk to Hans first.”

Millia reluctantly agreed, then suddenly turned to Lana.

“And Lana, I have something to talk about with you two. I’m sorry, but could you wait for Hans at the entrance? If anything happens, call out immediately.”

“Uh…yes! I will!”

After thinking for a moment, Lana headed to the cave entrance.

Millia, who had been watching the scene for a while, turned her head towards me and looked down at me.

Perhaps because of the backlight from the bonfire, his face was obscured by flickering shadows and his expression could not even be seen properly.

“Yes. Lana has been sent, so talk to me now. Hashall.”

There was dark emotion mixed in the low voice.

“…Okay.”