Terrified, I clung to Ludwig. "L-Ludwig, help me!"
However, Ludwig remained completely still. Oh, right. He's the one who tried to kill me ten minutes ago. I cautiously let go of him. I needed to pick my allies more carefully. The only reason the knights were even trying to stop Matthias was because this was the emperor's private bedroom; otherwise, they probably wouldn't have bothered.
I squirmed, trying to get out of Ludwig's grasp, but his hand was still clamped around my wrist. "Hey, what are you doing? Let go!"
"And what then?" Ludwig's voice was laced with a cold sneer. "Are you going to run to Matthias and declare your love for him, too? I'm not sure your neck would last that long."
"…What?"
"I wouldn't let it."
It was only then that I understood. This bastard, Ludwig… he never believed my story for a second.
"Agh, get off me!" Matthias roared, flinging his arm out. A fourth knight went flying across the room and slammed into a wall. Only three were left clinging to him now. With them attached, Matthias was still approaching me at the speed of a normal person's sprint.
"Whoa! Stay back!" I yelled, waving my hands to ward him off. In that instant, a brilliant light erupted in the room.
Fwaaash!
The flash was so intense it felt like it would incinerate the very air, momentarily blinding everyone. What was that? Did the tension of the situation activate some hidden power of mine? Just as a sliver of hope bloomed in my chest, the light shot like a bolt of lightning and struck Matthias.
I guess I was right!
The three knights attached to Matthias were blown away. Just as his fingers were about to close around my hair, Matthias let out a strangled cry and collapsed, unconscious.
What just happened? Did he just get knocked up by the Holy Spirit?
Congratulations on becoming a pregnant Gong, Matthias.
Just as I was thinking that the gods must finally be on my side, the massive sphere of light began to shrink, gradually taking on a human form. And then… it started moving toward me.
"What, what, what, what?!"
I scrambled backward in a panic, and the motion was finally enough to wrench my wrist free from Ludwig's grip. I was a little surprised it was so easy, but don't they say people gain superhuman strength when their life is in danger? I decided to just go with that.
"Lee Hyun—!"
The human-shaped light slammed into my abdomen. I gasped, my eyes flying open from the sudden impact.
Wait, is this an Omegaverse plotline?
Thanks to my classmate who'd recommended this game, I had a vague but terrifying knowledge of BL terminology, and I began to tremble.
"Hic…"
The figure, however, just sat on my stomach and began rubbing its cheek against mine. A strange smell, like experimental chemicals and pungent salt, filled my nose. I felt a wetness spreading across my face, and then a single drop trickled into my mouth.
"Ugh!" I was about to spit it out, but the taste was surprisingly familiar. It was salty, but with a faint sweetness.
Tears?
The light faded completely, revealing a person I knew all too well.
"You… you're…"
Short black hair, tear-filled red eyes, and a ridiculously arrogant expression that was somehow still crumpled with sorrow.
"Oh… Absilon…"
Absilon Dietcliffe, another of my companions, was crying his heart out as he pinned me to the bed.
"I missed you," he sobbed. "I missed you so, so much."
He wrapped his arms around my neck and burst into fresh tears. Seeing him cry so pitifully made my own nose start to sting. Absilon was a friend of many "firsts." He was the first friend I made in this world and the first person I successfully romanced. Of course, that was mostly because he was the easiest capture target, but that didn't make him any less special.
"Ugh, Absilon…"
"Lee Hyun… hic… where have you been…?" Tears welled up in his clear eyes, and his sadness was instantly contagious. I hugged him back and let out a sob of my own.
"I should have come sooner. I almost died before I even got to see you."
"Lee Hyun, I'm sorry. I had to prepare some things, that's why I was late."
We clung to each other, crying and enjoying our tearful reunion. But… prepared things? Did he prepare a welcome-home gift? Even as I cried, a part of my mind wondered what it could be. Just then, I heard a soft click at my wrists.
I opened my teary eyes. Silver bracelets were now fastened on both of my wrists, softly glowing as they magically resized to fit me perfectly.
"Hey, what are these?" I sniffled. Absilon, still crying, used an invisible blade of energy to slice away the mana-suppression rope that Ludwig had used.
"Hic… They're bracelets imbued with the power of darkness," he explained. "They're much more comfortable than that ugly rope."
"…"
"...So the 'preparations' you mentioned… were these?"
At my question, Absilon smiled beautifully through his tears. "Yes. I spent all five years thinking about how to keep Lee Hyun comfortable. They'll be much cozier to wear." He tilted his head, looking up at me with an expectant expression, as if waiting for praise. A cold sense of betrayal washed over me.
How could you do this to me? I felt like I had just thrown a grenade at an enemy, only to watch my loyal dog happily fetch it and drop it right back at my feet.
I shot up in anger, but Absilon quickly pushed me back down in a panic. "Lee Hyun! You can't move so violently! You might faint, or even die!"
"…Are you serious?"
"Yes! You must always be careful."
These guys are all completely insane.
I turned my head away, unable to look at him. My gaze fell on Ludwig, who was watching us with a satisfied smirk on his face. I didn't want to look at that psycho either, so I looked past him at the unconscious Matthias.
"…"
I quietly clung to my last sliver of hope.
I finally understood that when a person feels true despair, they can't even cry. They just laugh. I was so dumbfounded that all I could do was stare at the ceiling.
* * *
"Here, you have to eat."
"I'm not hungry."
Sometime later, Absilon was approaching my bed with a bowl of food. I was now officially under confinement in this luxurious room. I turned my back to him and spoke bluntly.
"But you need to eat to get your strength back."
"You locked my health at ten percent. What strength is there to get back?"
"Lee… Lee Hyun…" Embarrassed by my coldness, Absilon set the bowl on the bedside table and gently shook my shoulder. I swatted his hand away fiercely.
"Don't touch me!"
"Lee Hyun! If you move your arm that hard, you could actually die… Please, calm down."
As if, I thought, and defiantly swung my arm again to prove a point.
FUCK.
I buried my face in my pillow and kicked the mattress with the top of my foot—very lightly, of course, since I couldn't afford to lose any more stamina. I could feel Absilon's eyes on me.
"Go away! You're pissing me off!" I snarled at him. Absilon's already pale face went even whiter.
"…"
He stood there, speechless and frozen like a statue. As I sniffled into my pillow, I faintly heard him whisper to himself.
"Perhaps if Lee Hyun were a doll… he would be kinder to me…"
"…"
I quietly sat up and smiled as sweetly as I possibly could. "I think I was just a little crazy from hunger. I'll eat now. Thank you for bringing me food, Absilon."
My sudden change in attitude made Absilon's face brighten instantly. "Oh, that's right! I forgot that Lee Hyun gets a little irritable when he's hungry."
"Totally crazy," I said, forcing a laugh. "Wow, is that a whole roasted chicken? It looks delicious!"
My anger had vanished in an instant, replaced by cold calculation. I had just remembered Absilon's history. I'd said before that Absilon was a friend of many "firsts."
First friend I made in this world.
First person I successfully romanced.
And one more.
Absilon… this bastard was the one who gave me my very first Bad Ending.