Nidome no Yuusha

Chapter 128 – The Beginning of the Collapse

Translator: Ranzan Editor: JackOFallTrades

This was the day before we moved.

「Phew, okay, made it in time. Hey, I did it!」

I looked over at the sleepy Shuria after saying that.

「Yawwwn. Oh! So this is the complete thing?」

I returned to the lodging where Shuria and Minnalis were waiting with a high cape that had the power of negating light, making the wielder become one with the shadows.

After being finished with some easy training in the 『Clothes of the Shadow Soul』that I had loved to use in the first world, I used it for this operation as well.

So in the depths of the night, I crept with it and one curved Kukri knife.

It’s blade was a deep red, almost black, and though it was made for hacking, it looked quite suited for its main purpose, slicing.

「Hee hee, that’s some black magic you’ve generated there.」

Shuria’s 「Red Sight」 shone like a small candle shimmering in the dark room.

「The『Cursed-Blood Knife』? It was part of the original 『Large Sword of Violence』 but the bait of the 『Sloth』part is enough.」

The activation conditions of 『Sloth』that I planned to use was the 『Sloth』curse in the weapon itself.

It was rare that a cursed thing had a definite effect. However, it wasn’t impossible to find a piece that would do almost that much.

Among the many utensils, furniture and masks that had multiple shady pasts, there were too many to count.

There were all of the things that Shuria had set out to collect in the town, and from a piece of the 『Large Sword of Violence』that a goblin had carried in a dungeon near the capital of the Aurolia Empire, I had used my 【Sword Binding】ability.

The result was the 『Cursed-Blood Knife』that I held in my hand.

「Good job, master.」

「Yeah, thanks.」

Minnalis made some hot milk for me and put the cup on the table.

「Preparations are over. Now we just wait until tomorrow.」

I put the knife I held down, got up from the chair and patted Minnalis on the head.

「It’ll be fine. We’re going to do this easily.」

Shuria gripped Minnalis’ hand.

「Yes, finally, finally. They shall receive no forgiveness from any of us.」

Minnalis had a cold, light smile that looked like it would quickly melt away as we all silently snuggled together.

☆

「Keril, I’m headed back to the village, okay?」

「Yeah, don’t cry at night when you’re alone, okay?」

「How old do you think I am? Geez.」

Lucia was riding on a covered wagon to the closest village from Kikitto.

Lucia was complaining with a frown, and though they were used to it, she was so cute that it made your heart jump.

Since she was invited to be a student after leaving the village, she met a lot of people including men that would make her anxious when they approached her, but because of that she noticed it.

After that, we had quite a few twists and turns together and when we graduated, it was time to marry.

「I’ll be there the day after tomorrow. Tell everyone in the village hi.」

「Yeah, let’s have the greatest marriage ceremony ever!」

Upon saying that, a smile formed on Lucia’s face.

It was three days by wagon to the village, and after borrowing a horse, two.

It was 10 days until our marriage, and the preparations were continuing at the village, as there were many things needed to decorate a bride, not to mention a groom.

That’s why Lucia was on her way home first, as I had business to do in Carbonheim and then would follow suit.

With that in mind, I watched Lucia in her wagon fade away until I could see her no longer.

「…ah…marriage, marriage.」

Feelings rose up in my chest as I thought about it.

Both Lucia and I came from that small village.

We were found to have talent in the town nearest by the Magician’s Group and we were made students of Carbonheim.

『There are monsters living as humans in the city, so you can’t go there until you’re older.』

That eventless tiny village…it’s not that I hated it. Even so, it seems so obscure now. I had dreamed.

One day, I’ll leave this village, and fly into the world.

And the day that I finally flew away to that place the adults called the city came quickly.

Those heroic tales I got in a book from my parents.

I would read them over and over to the point that a treasured book of mine became tattered.

Using a magic sword, not letting a small injustice get by, fighting against the enemy for honor, and finally defeating a massive evil – the true heroic story of a man.

I loved those heroes, they would get involved with things and bad stuff would happen.

I deepened my bonds with others as I overcame many obstacles.

A practical road formed before me like a dream about all the various villages I visited, like 『East Village』and『West Village』.

Now, we’re the way we are now.

There, walking towards me is a mother and child beast-person.

Their ears are shaped something like foxes.

「Mommy…I’m hungry…」

「Please, just wait until dinner.」

Looking at the little girl begging her mom made me think of another childhood friend.

Just a year before I left, a childhood friend that was chased from the town.

Remembering that day now makes my heart a little heavy.

From when she was born, we were raised together, and then she was betrayed.

As the adults said, she was a monster that lived among people…a beast.

The first time she came to the village, I was very surprised.

Because in the eyes of the people, a beast is no different than a monster and due to that, a beast is always thought to be evil.

But Minnalis kept all that secret from us.

The fact that Minnalis bullied Lucia wasn’t forgivable as well.

But a childhood friend is just that. We were raised together.

It seemed that she and her mother went away to some town far beyond the horizon, so maybe she’s turned around and decided to live right.

If you correct your mistakes, anyone can have a second chance.

「Yeah, the power of being a beast is too much. And she was still a child.」

Now more than five years have passed, and in the same way we’ve grown, Minnalis must have as well.

I know that Minnalis isn’t bad in her heart of hearts.

Since Lucia was bullied by Minnalis directly, there was no way she would find it easy to forgive her.

Even so the bright and kind Lucia thought that after some time she could make friends with her.

Lucia, Minnalis, and I, laughing together in that childhood scene.

It certainly was a happy one.

「Well, time to clear out of this dorm.」

Different than enlisted students, those who are joining the army as an internal student aren’t forced to live in the dorm.

Of course we both decided to leave our dorms and live together.

Before we earnestly began living our life in the army, we had to get finished moving.

We had just accustomed to this path, and now we were returning to self-living from dorm life.

(…? Is someone in my room?)

When I reached for the doorknob, I could feel someone inside the room.

Woojess, my roommate, went back to his home last night and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow, I though, so I had locked the door.

It was hard to think that another dorm-mate would just barge in.

(It’s impossible…but maybe a thief? I mean, Woojess is a rich kid with a lot of money, but there’s no way he’d leave expensive stuff lying around, right?)

I had my doubts as I grabbed my sword from my waist and opened the door.

「Who is it?! What are you doing in my room?!」

Inside of my room, there was a person in a robe with their back to the door facing the open window.

「…」

Silence returned after I had demanded who the person was.

「Why are you quiet, you thief? Sorry, but there’s nothing of value here…」

「Long time since I’ve seen this…『Tales of the Hero of the Dawn』. You still have it.」

Then, that voice that reached my ears, made me silent.

A cold and echoing voice of a young girl.

A voice that I had heard before.

I was so surprised that I didn’t even look at the book that I had left on my desk.

「Long time no see, Keril. You haven’t changed a bit.」

Fwup, she slung back her hood, and I saw her rabbit-ears pop up.

She looked back at me, the shape of a childhood friend that had grown into a beauty that would enchant any man into amazement.

「Min…nalis? It’s you?」

「Yes…it’s been five, no, six years? A really long time had passed, hasn’t it.」

She made a pained smile in front of my surprised face as she said it.

「Ohh! Oh! It has been a while! Minnalis!」

「…yes, you’re right. For now, do you want to go somewhere we can talk? Maybe have lunch, I have a lot to speak to you about.」

☆

We went to a place with few people, in other words the back-alleys, and found a place to eat.

It should have been the busiest time, but it seemed like we were the only one in the place.

「Even still, you’ve grown so much I thought you were someone else, Minnalis.」

「Yes, well, I’ve went through a lot, which made me grow up very quickly.」

Minnalis smiled calmly.

(Well, good Minnalis. You really have grown.)

Because of the way we separated, I thought maybe that she had a strange, unfounded resentment towards me.

Well, she really had grown mentally as well as physically.

「What are you doing now, Minnalis? In that get-up, are you live-in help for someone?」

I was happy that Minnalis had changed from the girl that bullied Lucia, so I asked her.

She was wearing a nice maid uniform, so I thought she must have been tending to a powerful businessman’s family.

「Yes, I’m working in an excellent environment. Because of that I came to speak to you, and so have come to visit.」

「Hm? To me?」

「Keril, then Lucia. During this year I was asked by the country to conduct a secret investigation of you.」

「S, secret investigation?! And, for a year?! That’s stupid… 」

「Heh heh, have you seen this face anywhere before?」

「Wha?!」

As she said that her face changed to someone completely different.

It changed to the face of a cleaning lady I had seen often at the school.

「It’s an illusion. Because a beast-woman’s magic soon is dispelled after leaving the body, the secretness of this technique that I use is genuine.」

She released the illusion and her face returned.

「And, the result of the investigation was that there’s a problem with Lucia. It’s something that will involve itself with her from now.」

「?! W…what? What do you mean involve itself?」

「…here are the visual records of the investigation. Please look.」

Minnalis took out a vision crystal.

Even though I was greatly surprised, I still looked at the vision crystal that she showed me.

『…don’t mess with me, I know you’re looking at Keril with those enchanting eyes!』

『Hey, my close friend Katrea can use her upper-class connections, you know.』

『I don’t have to tell you what will happen then, do I?』

There was a weeping acquaintance and Lucia, who was threatening her.

「W…what is this?」

「There are other one’s too. Here, and this, and this too.」

I was stunned by all the images I saw.

「This…Lucia…no way! I don’t believe it…」

Bright, kind, healthy, childish, attractive girl.

But in the images she was a cruel woman I never knew.

…I saw a Lucia that I had never seen before.

「Here’s the food.」

As the food was brought to the table, Minnalis put away the crystal.

「These images have not been made public. Before officially joining the army, if Lucia is repentant and apologizes before an authority, this will be treated as a private matter before the army recognizes it as a mistake.」

「…」

「Your food is getting cold?」

「Oh, yes…uh…」

I reached out and took the soup in front of me.

Even though it was in my mouth, the food had no taste.

「I see, in other words, Minnalis, you want me to get Lucia to reform?」

「…」

「Just leave Lucia to me, I’ll do all I can. I’ll show you! Anyone can do things over, can make things right!」

「One line from 『Tales of the Hero of the Dawn』.」

「Yes, people change, and grow, I believe it.」

Yeah, if Lucia really did something like that, then I can correct it.

Defeat the evil and return those that have lost their path to the right one. It’s something I have to do.

Yes, I…

「People change…grow…right?」

「?!」

It felt like someone had licked my spine with a cold tongue.

The odd feeling of something from my instincts made me jump from my chair.

「Kuhuh, Kuhuheh heh, Ahah, Ahah hah hah hah hah!!」

An echoing dark laugh.

So deep that it made you sink no matter how far you stretched your arms.

「Min…Min…nalis?」

「CHANGE? GROW? Hah, even though you haven’t changed a bit! Heh, hahahhah!」

「What are you…?」

A cold sweat broke out at seeing Minnalis change like this.

Even though my hand was covered in sweat, I didn’t dare to let go of the my sword’s handle.

After Minnalis stood there, laughing alone, she suddenly stopped, and said it again in an echoing voice.

「Really, not one thing, not one has changed since then…even though no one cares about what’s right, and it doesn’t matter if you change, and it doesn’t matter if you grow!」

「Why do you say that all the sudden! I…!!」

I felt a bad premonition come over me.

Anyway, Minnalis didn’t stop saying what she wanted to.

「And so, why is the first thing you said was 『I’ll help reform Lucia』? If you thought『There’s no way Lucia would do that』 or 『I need to see the proof before I believe it』, I mean, you were only shown a display crystal that anyone could make…」

「What? So you fooled me?!」

「I didn’t try to fool you, this really did happen. But, Keril. You couldn’t care less, right?」

Minnalis spun her words lightly, like the breeze.

Almost as if she was taking pleasure in my reaction, her smile turned up as she looked at me.

「S…shut up! Stop doing this!」

「You wanted to be a hero, and if you think about defeating what’s evil, that really has nothing to do with evil, right? You were so quick to accept what Lucia did as evil without any proof.」

Her taunting words seemed to play with me.

「Quiet! I wasn’t thinking that!」

「When did you suddenly, without me knowing, become someone so interested in beating evil anyway? What is evil really? Is punishing evil, without even checking to see the truth in it, is fun for you somehow? …you really are the worst.」

She looked down on me like a bug.

—When I was there, did you throw a rock at something evil? Hero?

She spit the words out with disgust.

「Shut upppppp!!」

「I won’t. The reason why? This will be our last conversation.」

「What? …What does that mean?」

A surge of fatigue suddenly coursed through my legs, and I helplessly slumped down on one knee.

「Ah, so the poison has already started, I see. From that soup.」

「P…poison…Minnalis, you, wanted to trick me from the beginning?」

「Didn’t you notice? I was actually wondering what kind of way I could converse with you and keep a poker face. Didn’t you think I held a grudge against you?」

I finally understood the meaning to all this after seeing Minnalis’ surprised face.

Minnalis hadn’t grown at all, and for her to try to kill me though poison meant that she WAS evil.

「…don’t mess with me! You think you can kill me with that weak poison?! Wash it away, 『Clear Body!』!! Take this!」

An evil person can’t be allowed to throw their weight around like this.

In order to defeat her, I must become the hero, now.

I cleansed the poison from my system, and flew at her with a drawn sword.

However, my drawn sword was suddenly stopped as a high, metal sound rang out.

「W, what?!」

「Forgetting yourself, and attacking someone in a town like this is foolish. You are still an immature child.」

She had easily stopped my blade and I reacted with a surprised voice.

I knew it, my instinct knew it. She really is a dangerous woman!

「Sink into the earth, just as these heavy insects wish… 『Summon – Gilmeshia!』」

「Wha, an insect summon?!」

Armored insects the size of a copper coin appeared, a mixture of deep green and red.

These unknown insects emerged suddenly from black holes in groups of 10 and 100s.

「Agh, 『Flaming sword / Inferno!』」

Now that things have come this far, it didn’t matter if this was happening on a city street or now.

I had to lay it all on the line and fight with everything. It would be best if nothing hurt the other customers, and I think they can all get out the door before things become too violent.

(If I can burn all these bugs I can get out, this is too narrow…what?!)

「What’s that?」

But, I couldn’t make my plan happen.

In front of the fire I was throwing were countless bugs I couldn’t exterminate.

And in front of the break between those huge groups of bug was Minnalis grinning.

Finally, all the bugs sprung at me as if I had fallen into a planned trap.

「Dammit, Don’t get any closer! Stay back!!」

I swung my sword wildly about, and the sword couldn’t stop the huge amount of bugs as several of them landed on top of my clothing..

「Ah, they’re heavy! What are these bugs? Gaaaahhhh, dammit! Dammit all!」

I felt like a bucket being filled up with countless stones as they landed on me.

The weight of the bugs on me, caused me to fall on the floor.

Then Minnalis walked up to me and squatted in front of my eyes.

「Damn…doing this to me…you know what will happen right? Someone will come…」

「That’s right. People will gather.」

「?!」

I could feel Minnalis’ hostility coalesce in front of me like a column of ice.

A hostility that felt no sympathy for me whatsoever.

Her smiling face was the coldest and cruelest face I have ever seen her make.

「What?! What are…ugh….agh…」

Minnalis took a purple-poison coated dagger and pointed it at my cheek.

With the fatigue felt throughout my body, I didn’t have the power to throw off the bugs that were pressing down on me.

「This is the beginning preparation for the finale. …I won’t kill you this easily.」

Fwup, Minnalis suddenly stood, and exaggerated her voice loudly.

「Okay, the arrangements are complete. Everyone, come, no holding back.」

After Minnalis called out, countless ghosts came forward.

It was a group of people soaked in grudges that had to be the angry spirits of the dead.

The men and women both with sunken eyes and horrible skin covered with different amounts of blood.

However, their eyes shimmered with evil in that dim store, and they were whispering to each other.

『It’s…their fault…』『Give me…back my…happiness…』『…You’ll know…You will be made…to know.』

「Who are all these…things?」

The strange atmosphere seemed steeped in the opposite of magical power.

I could feel the icy sensation that was chilling my heart and the marrow of my bones in this strange and different magic.

「Everyone…eeeeeveryone here hates you so much they would kill you.」

Who? Who? Who?

I don’t know anything about these…things…that are looking at me.

There was no reason for me to, because…

「Hate? W, what? I mean, who are they? I don’t know who the hell they are!?」

…because out of all the things there, there wasn’t one face I remembered.

However, in that second, the atmosphere suddenly changed.

「YOU, STOP SCREWING WITH USSSSSS!!」「YOU DON’T KNOWWW? DON’T KNNNOW?!」「AGGHGHHHH! DIEDIEDIE!!! YOU TRASH! AAAGHHH!」

Close to my ear the sound of cracking flint, as the screams around me came to a feverish pitch.

「For those of you with nothing in hand, please use these as you wish.」

The smiling Minnalis handed out rusted swords to the ghosts as they one by one took them up.

「Agh! Th…the power to strengthen my flesh 『Metaling Body!』 」

「GIVE ME BACKK MY STORRRE!!」「You, you…MY CHILD!!」「YOU WILL DIE! Why do you CONTINUE TO LIVE?!」

「Eeek! Aghhh, gaah!?」

The wave of violence that was holding back now broke free, they plunged at me without any confusion nor holding back.

The swords they held hit, thrust, and cut me.

My body, now defended by physical defense magic that hardened my flesh like bronze, still felt the dull pain of being hit.

「You, you’re the reason my friend died! You forgot her!」「My brother’s enemeeeey!」「Damn you! I’m not done yet, because of you, you! Dammmittttt!」

I couldn’t understand it.

No matter how it looked, or how I tried to remember, I couldn’t figure out who these men and women angry at me were.

I couldn’t find any reason in their curses for me.

『Heh, heh heh, how does it feel? Keril, to be met with the same pain I was met with?』

(Wha…that voice…in my head?)

『Yes…it’s better this way. I don’t only speak to you, but I can feel your confusion. This is exactly what I wanted, your final despair feels so pleasant… hee hee.』

In the same place as the voice reverberating in my mind was Minnalis’ happy face gazing at me.

「Gwaaahhhh!?」

Just then, one of the swords swung against me broke, and the fragments of it all flew at my right eye.

Before I felt the pain there was a impression of writhing in pain that stung my eyes.

What is all this? ALL OF THIS?

What is it that I’ve done to all these things? Why do they hate me, why?!

「Hee hee…」

A small laugh from Minnalis that didn’t echo inside my mind reached my ear in a strange way.

That mocking voice, cold as an evening snow, echoed like a frigid gale.

『I haven’t done anything. All of them are undoubtedly venting their justifiable anger at you.』

She cried in my head with a purely jovial and pleased voice.

「Venting…! Guwaaaah!」

「What do you mean venting!? You killeeeed my child!」「If you never messed with me, I could have sold whatever I waaaanted! But then you came and I could sell noooothing!」「All I asked you to do is give me one extra poison dispelling magic and my friend wouldn’t dieeee, you, you bastaarrd!」

To that one word I said they became enraged and attacked me blow upon blow.

No matter how much I tried to strengthen myself, I wasn’t completely invincible.

Even in these unskillful blows out of anger, getting hit again and again still leads to damage.

『Yes, venting. There’s no arbitrary person that they’re simply venting about either. Most of them are simply complaining about their own misfortune and just desserts. That’s why I gave them someone that they could pour their anger into. Just like this.』

Outside of her wicked smile, she said no words, but then laughed, saying:

「Now, everyone, this man is the sole reason for the evil that befell you. He is the only one evil here. Hit him with all of your anger, you’ve done nothing wrong, and so you can do no more wrong. Yes, show him your 『justice』!」

「Yeah, YOU’RE THE EVIL ONE!」「LOOK AT THIS EVIL MAN, ALL!」「YOU’RE EVIL! EVIL!」

「No…no! You’re being fooled…」

「Shut UP!」「You’re THE EVIL ONE!」「YOU NEED TO DIE!」

Nothing I could say could reach them, their wave of anger for me simply increased.

Minnalis simply increased their anger like ripples on a pond; larger and larger, wider and wider, higher and higher their passionate rage for me increased.

『Now you see? There’s no real care about what happened to any of them. They only want to kill you, if that’s all they’re thinking together at once. That alone is enough to fulfill their desires.』

Dammit, dammit, dammit!!

All of their violence was increasing in pressure around me, as my own anger seemed to grow to bursting.

「Wh…what the hell are you talking about! Transcend the flesh, 『Transcendent Fire Blade!』!!」

「Whoa!」「Eeeep!」「What the?!」

I was surrounded in a light orange flame, as all the things around me took a step back.

All of my statuses increased, my status irregularties disappeared, as I unleased my ultimate move.

The reaction to my use of it was huge, as it was a technique that I used only when my opponent was super strong.

However.

「Agh…ugh…why? The fatigue in my legs won’t…go away!」

「Hah hah hah, don’t compare my poison to something that anyone can buy on the street, okay? That wasted body of yours can’t do anything in reaction to this, you know?」

「Damn…agh…ahhh…with, this…fatigue, can’t stop…」

「No, it’s over. —suck the fire away, heavy bugs – Gilmeshia.」

「W…what?! Agghhh, hot! My body’s hot! Guwaaaah!」

After just standing up with the heaviness of these bugs still clinging to me, I quickly lost all my power.

Just as she said the bugs began to suck away at the fire surrounding me. The bugs began to heat up, burning my flesh like heated rocks.

「D, damn you! Surprising us like that, die! DIE!!」「YOU BASTARD! BASTARD!」「You should be made to pay, FEEL THE PAIN!」

They then rained down blows on my weakened body, their storm of strikes getting a level stronger.

Their limitless, unceasing hostility, made my heart creak inside.

『This is the end of you.』

「DIE, DIE, DIE!!!」

「Ahg, gah, ugh!!」

The irritating, grating sound of Minnalis’ cold, poisonous voice.

A creaking sound, and the core of my heart that I thought was metal began to break.

『Nothing left, becoming nothing, bearing a sin that shouldn’t exist.』

「Because of guys like you, none of us can be happy!」

「S, stop! Agh!」

The crack that appeared in my heart seemed to be filling with a black ice.

『After this attack of violence, your bright future, and pleasant present, and warm past, all will end now. You and your one page hero’s story.』

「Why are you aliiiive, give me, give me back my friend!」

「Why, agh, this impossible, gah!」

Stop, stop it, just stop.

I felt so weak, like I was about to fall apart, then…

『Today is that final page.』

Riiip, riiip, the long sharp nails of the girl cut wounds deeper and deeper into me.

Them riiiiip, the sound of something being cut.

「Let…let…let go of MEEEEE! GO AWAY!! GET AWAY!!!」

I’m not going to let his end like this!

I’m not the type of man to die this easily!

「Hee hee hee! Keep going Keril, I can feel your fear of death increasing!」

「Minnalis! Stop all of this! Just like an evil foe, coming back without changing at all! Stop trying to destroy me!」

「Heh heh, you say that so strongly. Let me in on this action too. Because I can’t hold back anymore either! HAH HAH HAH HAHA!!」

She grabbed an old and dull sword.

「Gaahh! Damn you! Stop!」

「Yes! Look, look, look!!」

「Agh! Gah! No! Stop!!」

「I won’t wait or stop! You were the same back then, right?! This makes me feel really good! There’s no way I would stop, right!? Hah hah hah HAHAHAHAHAH!!!」

She broke through the body I thought I had strengthened, and I could feel a dull, heavy pain.

I couldn’t believe it, when did Minnalis become so strong…it seemed stupid…

「No…I don’t want to die…」

Why did this happen to me?

I just had a few things to tie up, and then I would follow Lucia to Kikitto village.

「I see, sorry…But this is how it is, right? I had the same thing happen to me. Just before she was to be killed by my slave owner, my mother cried 『sorry』over and over and『I’m sorry I can’t stay with you』. But, even as I think of it, there was nothing I could have done… 」

「S…slave owner? What are you saying?」

「Ah…you didn’t know. Well, you knew that I had left, and maybe felt some regret, but every memory, all of it, really gets on my nerves!」

「Gahh, Geeehe, Agghhhh!」

A red line entered into the spinning world.

No, death, like this I’ll die.

I don’t want to die like this.

Just before I was to marry Lucia.

Just before I was promised a good place in the army.

But, but…

「Well, now the pain must be getting duller…everyone, wait a bit longer.」

「Wha? A po…potion? Wha?」

Then, Minnalis took out a potion in front of all the others, and then poured it all over me from my head.

The pain rushing through my body weakened, and the wounds healed, and my consciousness began to blur.

「…helping, me?」

「HELP YOU? Whaaaat?! You really think I’d do something stupid like that?!」

「Wha, GYAAAAAHHH!!!」

A sudden glimmering hope was cut by her cruel words, as she stabbed the dull sword right through me.

I was healed, and then the dull pain returned to my body once again.

「I told you, I won’t kill you easily. You will suffer, suffer, suffer, and lose all hope, and DIE! Hah hah, HAHAHAHAHAH!!」

Why…is it my fault? Why is it my fault?

「While you’re still alive, I’ll pull out your heart. While you’re still alive, I’ll quarter you limbs. While you’re alive, I’ll burn your body! Over and over and over and over and over, as long as time allows!」

I didn’t think I’d end up like this…I didn’t think so…

I just thought that Minnalis was taken away to a far away town.

At first it was a bit sad to see her again, but she had taken Lucia and my apology so quickly.

So…why?

「We’re juuuust beginning, I have a lot of recovery potions.」

Why, why did this happen?

「Spread the pain around, make you cough it up with blood, make you cry insane tears…」

Did, I do something…that wrong?

「You will die with that same sound of my world being broken.」

She raised the sword of one of the dead against me, and that mocking smile reached Minnalis’ lips again.

The form before my eyes was a goddess of death mixed with a sorceress.

「Minnalis…chan? What…are you doing?」

「Oh, Leone and friends. You were a bit too early. Are you skipping classes? Well, still good timing. I finished my first round, hee hee hee.」

I could suddenly hear other mixing voices.

My heart was filled with despair, and I never heard who the voices of the other were.