"Aria… why didn't you fight back when we were against each other?" Erina asked.
Her pale blonde hair was dishevelled, obscuring her eyes, but I could still see the guilt reflected in her expression as she rested on my lap.
"Hmm... no idea?"
"…Dummy."
—Flick!
With that, Erina flicked my forehead in annoyance.
"Gyack! W-What was that for?" I complained while rubbing my forehead.
Maybe it was because I had just finished training, but I felt more sensitive than usual.
Actually, wait… did she use mana to flick my forehead?
"It's your fault for being stubborn. Even now, you're still the same."
"Ugh, my bad, I guess."
I responded with a smile, enjoying the gentle autumn breeze brushing against my skin.
Having gotten the sibling banter out of the way, I was in a good mood today, resting under the sun with nothing to do.
…
…
...
"Are you not going to answer my question?" Erina asked again.
"Hmm? Oh, why did I never try to fight you back, I wonder…" I said, placing my hands on my chin.
How should I tell her that everything I did was under the pretense of acting like a fool, undermining my own potential, and ultimately fleeing the household to live alone?
Even so, she made me wonder: why didn't I fight back and tell them the truth if I had the capability to do so?
"…I guess it was because I was scared of losing everything again."
As I spoke this embarrassing truth out loud, I closed my eyes and reflected on my past experiences.
"…Just maybe, just maybe y'know? If I kept waiting… I'll find people who'll believe in me." I tried to reach out for her head, hesitating to caress her hair.
I recalled the bitter memories I had with Erina and her sisters, whether to forgive them after everything we had been through, or to forget it all upon learning the truth.
"But now… I'm just tired—"
—Glomp!
"Erina...?"
Without uttering a word, Erina pulled me into a hug, tightly embracing my sweat-soaked body.
"E-Erina, I'm really sweaty right now—"
"I'm sorry."
"…Erina?"
"I'm so sorry."
"It's alright now."
"I'm truly... so sorry."
...
...
...
After what felt like an eternity, the two of us embraced each other as if we existed in our own world.
Should I feel happy? Sad now that it's over? Or was it something more distant, a feeling I had ignored for too long?
"Aria... no, Big Brother," Erina finally spoke, looking me in the eyes.
Our noses were touching, but neither of us noticed—we were too focused on each other.
Erina's eyes were red, brimming with happiness.
"As long as I live," Erina said, giving me a bright smile.
A smile that revealed that she finally understands what she should have done in the past.
"Know that from now on…"
Those words left a deep impression on me.
That even during the darkest, gut-wrenching moments came to torment me in this treacherous journey to save this god-forsaken world…
"You are no longer alone."
=======
—Crackle!
With a greatsword, magnified by condensed mana into the shape of a giant sword in the sky—
Scarlett raised her hand, illuminating the dark space beneath the ground.
She shone so brightly that I could see the whole city, a small metropolitan underground haven reminiscent of something from the movies.
With this newfound light, it felt like being wrapped in gentle warmth, snapping me back to my senses as I recalled the conversation I had with Erina back then.
"I'm no longer alone, huh… How do people come up with these awkward lines?" I snorted.
Didn't she feel embarrassed after saying that?
As long as it wasn't me saying it, then it was probably fine.
Clenching my fists, I stood up and focused on what lay before me.
Even if the sight before me was so overwhelmingly dreadful, I took small steps.
Towards where Scarlett was on the main stage.
—Tap, Tap, Tap...
"Ugh…" I grimaced, trying my best not to look at the corpses.
No matter where I turned, corpses were scattered around, leaving their souls in utter torment.
Over and over again, my intrusive thoughts kept telling me that if I came a little earlier,
I could have stopped this from happening.
None of this would have happened if I tried.
I should have saved them.
…
…
I repeated these thoughts in my head for so long that they all seemed… laughable now.
—Kachick!
Steeling my nerves, I took a deep breath and stepped forward to where Scarlett was standing, waiting for something to happen.
I removed my braid and tied my hair into a ponytail to avoid any distractions.
—Vooom…!
Ichor swirled around me, infusing my clothes with mana.
Black and gold circuits were engraved across my body, hidden under my clothes, covering me from neck to soles.
The protection was thin, but it was enough to ensure my movements remained unhindered.
It resembled a skinsuit and was a bit... sensual, but that didn't matter right now.
With this, minor injuries wouldn't affect me.
By fully wrapping Ichor around my body, I created a body armour—a mantle made from the blood of the gods.
Sounds really cool when I put it that way.
"Don't forget about me, Scarlett." I patted her shoulder, ready to stand on my own.
"Lady Aria...?" Scarlett, whose anger was at its peak, turned around and calmed down.
Like a valve turning around, her voice turned apologetic as she noticed something in me without fully observing my new appearance.
"What? You really think I'll sit here and let you handle everything?" I tilted my head, confused by her sudden change in tone.
"But… the kids—"
"I already got them covered." I pointed at the elevator.
I encased Luna and Ray in a protective layer of Ichor. As long as I stayed within range, they would be safe.
"…I see." Scarlett sighed.
…
…
Wait.
"Did you just sigh just now?" I commented, surprised by how she showed discontent.
"No, I did not, Lady Aria." She looked straight ahead, denying my accusation.
"Sure thing, Miss Scarlett." I patted her shoulder, trying to lighten the mood with a laugh, despite the gravity of the situation.
In a situation where I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity, I remained confident knowing I had such a capable companion by my side.
"Now, Scarlett, heed my command—" I dropped the playful tone and shifted to seriousness.
With the tone of my voice, Scarlett stood up straight and lifted her sword, aiming it at the flickering light.
It was what she was doing before—using her mana to track down the Morze Cultist.
With her background as a mercenary, she had developed keen senses for hunting down filth.
A perfect hunting dog.
"Eliminate that rat bastard without fail."
"Yes, my lady."
—BOOOM!
With my command, Scarlett took off so quickly that it was hard to believe I had ever fought alongside her and lived to tell the tale.
"W-Wait, hold on! Why the hell are you so fast… ugh!" I stumbled, struggling to keep up with her.
Whether I do the same by shooting myself with a
In moments like these, I wish I had invested more in body strengthening rather than anything else.
This damn frail body.
=======
"Ugh… haaagh…! Why are there so many stairs in this damn city!?" I complained, losing my breath from how far Scarlett had flown in just a matter of seconds.
I followed the bright flashes in the distance and kept running, considering whether I should use a
—BOOOM!
As I pondered my options, a loud explosion went off for the fourth time.
"The party must have started long ago by now." I looked up, feeling chills run down my spine.
The mana I sensed wasn't from Scarlett; it was the unsettling energy emanating from the Morzen Cultists, Malice.
It felt eerie, and my instincts urged me to run as far away as possible—a threat not meant for humans to confront.
'Encountering Morzen Cultists this early...' I scoffed, accepting the harsh reality.
These fiends were only supposed to appear near the end of the novel, during the Second Cardinal Sky.
If I had to explain how grave this situation was—
Everything shifted into chaos, and the early bosses turned into late-mid-game bosses.
…Uhm, everything is under control, I think!
I have confidence in Scarlett, who was stronger than a mere Morzen Cultist.
If I'm lucky, I might also recognize who this sick freak is—
"●●■●○●■○!!!"
With a loud howl, a grotesque, demonic beast revealed itself atop a building.
Since Scarlett and I made so much noise, the monster that had torn these people apart finally revealed itself.
—Thump! Thump!
In an instant, a creature that resembled a giant, rotting dog jumped down from the building.
To call it a dog would be an insult to all living beings.
It was a far more terrifying entity, a monstrosity that should not exist.
Unlike the Eldians in Arcadia or a Rotten, this one was vastly different.
Born in Trestkania, it appeared more mechanical and deformed, showing signs of evolution yet lacking an understanding of what that meant, living with a barely functioning consciousness.
With a core larger than an average Eldian's, it was intelligent enough to understand emotions rather than relying solely on instincts.
"Grrrr…!" The Eldia growled.
In that split second, thousands of teeth were exposed, drooling as it eyed me like I was another piece of prey.
Due to its massive size, estimated at around 6 meters, it saw me as just another meal for its stomach.
"Can I seriously beat this…?" I wondered, looking around to see what I could use to my advantage.
The darkness blurred my vision, only aided by Scarlett's bright mana.
It was an unfavourable area, with buildings scattered around.
Not to mention, this was the strongest non-human entity I had ever fought alone.
If the Rottens I faced were noticeably weaker than the Eldians in Arcadia, this mutt was on an entirely different level.
They were called...
The Flayed, or Those who Pretend.
Beings who act not to survive, but to devour, living solely to destroy without a shred of compassion.
With a combination of scrap and flesh, this creature was magnitudes stronger than a Rotten.
It's safe to say that encountering a Flayed meant one thing:
I'm screwed, aren't I?