Chapter 74

“…So, when the Demon King unleashed that slash, I really thought I was going to die.”

“It barely missed me, but it obliterated a mountain and turned the forest into flat ground.”

“Raul. So, how did you actually block that attack?”

One of the roles His Majesty and I had in the battle was to counter the Demon King’s attacks.

I added a defensive resonance to my staff, which had absolute hardness, to defend against the Demon King’s attacks.

I was confident in deflecting and repelling. The same went for the criticism against me. Just deflect and repel, and that was it.

“…Could you pick up a pebble and throw it at His Majesty?”

Her Majesty the Empress, who was slightly tipsy, picked up a pebble from the garden and hurled it at His Majesty with all her might.

There might have been a hint of resentment, as getting hit by that would surely shatter his skull.

“Like this.”

I extended my hand, which was buzzing and resonating, and deflected the pebble flying toward His Majesty.

Of course, the deflected pebble ended up hitting Camilla’s forehead, but that was something we could laugh off.

Even Camilla couldn’t get angry. How could she get angry on such a beautiful and joyous day?

At most, she would just strangle me.

“By the way, Layla is late.”

“Right. She should have left by now… *hic*. How many drinks would it take to match her speed?”

“Your Majesty… please…”

“Ahaha…”

I laughed because I was truly happy.

“Honestly, it’s awkward every time I see it. Your smile. Please, just stop smiling.”

“Like fruit on pizza? Something like Layla’s smile. Please stop.”

“Don’t smile. It makes us feel weird.”

Is my smile really that terrifying?

It’s been a long time since I laughed out loud, so it might feel a bit awkward.

I never smiled on the battlefield, where I witnessed countless deaths and attended countless funerals.

“If it’s really that awkward, I’ll try to restrain myself…”

At that moment, the stench of blood hit our noses, and we all stood up, ready for battle.

The killing intent and the presence of a strong enemy made our skin tingle. We all took out the enhancement potions we always carried and swallowed them.

The enemy’s aura was too strong to handle while drunk.

“Whoo…”

Soon, a familiar voice reached us. No, it was too familiar. I think I’ve heard this voice a few times recently.

“That damn lizard used some really potent poison. It was a pain to deal with. Seriously, what a hassle…”

The one who appeared was none other than Layla.

Her beauty, adorned with golden jewels and hair.

Her tall stature, matching mine, and her godlike physique.

And the overwhelming aura that made anyone lose their will to fight.

“Layla, why are you suddenly radiating such killing intent…?”

“Shut up, you pathetic fool. Falling for these fakes.”

It seemed Layla was really angry.

If she was angry, it was probably my fault. My other half rarely got angry. It must have been my stupidity.

So, I gave up protesting and put down my weapon. My other half was always right.

“Hey, Layla! What’s with the sudden killing intent and this nonsense…!”

Camilla, with her fiery temper, couldn’t hold back and approached Layla without hesitation.

*Swoosh.*

With that sound, Camilla’s head was severed.

“Huh…?”

Camilla’s head rolled on the ground, her face still unaware of what had happened.

“These worthless fakes…”

“What are you doing, Layla!!!”

“Layla, what are you doing!!!”

Layla looked at His Majesty and Her Majesty with genuine disgust.

“After all, you’re just fakes imitating their appearances.”

What Layla drew was her beloved Sword of Four Forms.

The Sword of Four Forms instantly traced a complex trajectory, like a snake, piercing through the chests of His Majesty and Her Majesty simultaneously.

“What are you doing…!”

“Shut up. Don’t speak while wearing my friend’s skin. It’s disgusting.”

Layla flicked her finger, and the Sword of Four Forms returned to being a ring. His Majesty and Her Majesty, pierced through the chest, died instantly.

It was a happy and joyous night. I could laugh out loud with happiness. Why?

I hadn’t done anything that wrong. I hadn’t done anything so foolish as to shatter this happiness. I had never dreamed of doing anything so painfully bad.

“Layla…?”

I couldn’t understand.

I couldn’t accept.

I couldn’t bear it.

I couldn’t accept everything unfolding before me. No, I didn’t want to accept it. If I accepted it, if I endured the pain as usual, it would become my daily life.

Every day, it would come to torment me under the name of daily life. I would become a wooden doll that had to endure any pain.

I wanted to live. As my true self.

“It’s a lie… right? You wouldn’t kill them…? You wouldn’t make me suffer…? Right…?”

“Hey, you pathetic little girl.”

*Slap.*

With that sound, a sharp and hot pain brushed past my cheek.

I didn’t understand, but it was clear Layla had slapped my cheek.

“Camilla wouldn’t die from such an attack… You still don’t get it?”

“That’s…”

Camilla would have easily blocked such an attack. That thought was firmly ingrained in my mind.

“Would Penelope and Asel, who killed their friend, stand there and ask questions? Wouldn’t they just blow your head off without a word?”

“…”

His Majesty and Her Majesty were such people. They would have done so.

I knew it well. That this wasn’t reality.

No, I couldn’t have not known. I wasn’t so foolish as to not notice this small discrepancy.

“What you’re doing is betrayal, you idiot.”

“Betrayal? Me? What right do you have to say that to me…”

I resented Layla. The Layla who abandoned me and ran away in that cursed nightmare.

“You were about to give the heart meant for your friends to these fakes. Did you think we were just dolls that looked the same? If the heroine in a novel did that, she’d be immediately dropped from the romance, right?”

Layla grabbed my collar and started shaking me.

“Give that heart only to us. Don’t be swayed by these fakes.”

“…Right.”

I was ashamed.

For a moment, I was swayed by these fakes. I tried to settle in this fake reality. I tried to close my eyes with flimsy excuses.

I was unbearably ashamed.

“I’m sorry. I tried to run away.”

“…It’s natural to want to run away after living a life like yours. Don’t blame yourself too much.”

“To wake up from this illusion… I guess I need great pain. Even if you stab or slash me, I wouldn’t feel real pain.”

Then, what I needed to do was clear.

“I have to endure that pain again.”

“…I’m sorry. For making you go through this again.”

“It’s my fault for being so pathetic. How can I resent my other half? That pain is just a lesson to teach me… so…”

My voice choked.

I couldn’t speak properly.

But no tears flowed. As if something invisible was suppressing them.

I was a pitiful man who couldn’t even show tears to my friend.

“It’s all my fault.”

A warm sensation reached my fingertips. The violently vibrating blade tore through flesh and destroyed my other half’s heart.

Of course, there was no physical pain. Of course. I was the one who stabbed.

Only my heart was unbearably painful. No matter how much I killed my emotions, I couldn’t kill that pain. How could I kill something given by my friend? How could I kill this pain, like a child born between my friend and me?

How could I avoid this lovely pain born from her? This overly lovely and wretched pain that always stayed by my side like a young son, how could I dislike it?

“Layla.”

“Don’t say more. I’m just a phantom after all. Don’t give your precious heart to a mere phantom.”

I see.

Again, I couldn’t convey it.

Again, my love couldn’t reach.

“And I already knew everything.”

“What…?”

The dying Layla grabbed my face, pressed her forehead against mine, and smiled.

“I knew the name, depth, and temperature of your emotions. Even before you did. After all, I’m a genius, but…”

Her lips, hot enough to burn, touched my forehead.

“I’m just really perceptive.”

“Damn it.”

I woke up, touching my forehead.

“Did something happen?”

The first to greet me back to the cold reality was my crow.

“I had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare…?”

“They say fish get burned by human body temperature.”

I touched my forehead where her lips had touched.

“It was a nightmare where I got burned on my forehead.”

“…You’re such a hassle.”

“What are you doing here?”

“Some idiot was sleeping outside in the rain, so I came to wake him up. Why? I was worried because he wouldn’t wake up no matter how much I pecked.”

Now that I think about it, this crow resembles her.

“Raul… are you awake? That’s a relief… We were at a loss without you.”

It seemed Camilla and Kyle, who had woken up earlier, had also suffered greatly.

“Well, it’s a blessing in disguise. I was horrified thinking we had lost one of our strongest. Even the crow knew it, so it was making a fuss trying to wake you up. Just now, it was pecking your forehead…”

“Kaaaaaah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Then, my crow started cawing loudly.

No, it was more like a woman’s scream than a bird’s cry.

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