Staggering.
Pain is familiar, but that doesn’t mean I dislike it.
Even if my body has been pierced thousands of times, I couldn’t avoid wrinkling my face.
As I twisted my head with a spear lodged in my abdomen, I saw another knight, who had created a spear again, raising their arm once more.
And at that moment, a great sword came crashing down on the knight, and I raised my arms.
“You saved me!”
“………”
Following Erica’s gaze, I looked down. The spear was fixed in my abdomen.
“It looks a little odd. It would have been cooler if it had pierced my chest.”
“Is that important right now? W-What should we do?”
I could pull it out, but I didn’t want to do anything cruel since the morning.
“I think it will hurt.”
“But you have to hold on… No, I feel like just holding on won’t be enough.”
“I have a good idea.”
I smirked slightly. Erica’s pupils shook.
“You’ll pull it out yourself!”
“………”
“It’s the second dress rehearsal for when you kill me! You have to know how to stab and pull it out, right?”
“Seriously, stop saying those things.”
Erica seemed to struggle for a moment, but soon her expression hardened.
“Y-Yeah. Sooner or later, I will have to kill you,”
“Yes! That’s it! That’s the right mindset!”
Sincerely.
It didn’t take a few seconds before her hand approached me.
I felt my body stiffen with a moment of tense silence.
“I’ll do it.”
“Come on.”
“………. Don’t say anything weird.”
When I faced her determined expression, I couldn’t help but smile.
With the fluttering magic, my abdomen stabilized, and soon a shallow pain spread from where the spear was lodged.
“……… Ugh.”
“Does it hurt?”
“If it’s the pain you give me, then I like it.”
“…… You’re saying strange things again.”
“More than that, I want you to keep pulling it out. If you stop in the middle, do you want me to be in pain?”
“That’s not the case…….”
Erica started to speak but withdrew the remaining blade with effort.
Thanks to that, the lingering pain engulfed my body once.
“Alright.”
Noticing her slightly hesitant tone, I chuckled.
Erica shattered the sword she pulled out with magic.
“I’m giving you the punishment you deserve, so accept it properly.”
What followed was a piercing glare.
That was so typical of Erica.
I slightly grasped my abdomen. Soon, the ruptured part gradually filled, and the flesh reattached.
“Thank you for saying that.”
As I glanced at the building beyond her suspicious eyes, I saw it collapsing amidst the ruins.
“It was just as the magic district governor predicted.”
It seems the invasion has progressed to the Uijeongbu, following the estimated route. If things go on like this, will I meet Seran too?
It has been a while since I last saw her. I had been too busy with association work to stick around Erica, which was why I got pulled in every direction.
“It would be great if there was a terrorist attack right now.”
“………..”
I should have kept that thought to myself, but it slipped out.
“Then I could get Erica’s attention and also gather some blood!”
I glanced around for a moment. People had already evacuated, as no one was in sight.
“I shouldn’t have pulled out the sword.”
“I made a mistake! The wound has already healed!”
Noticing her watching me warily, I slightly raised my arms.
“Actually, I’m a bit tired. I don’t want to fight since this morning, Erica.”
“This is a good opportunity for me. Right now, when you’re gravely injured.”
As I was having this half-joking, half-serious conversation, the director arrived, leading the incident resolution team.
“Help me! Director! Erica is trying to kill me!”
“I guess I have to run.”
“I don’t want to run.”
“Then you should die.”
When the director gave orders, agents headed towards the building. The injured were being guided out, and it seemed Erica was trying to help.
“That’s righteous. Impressive.”
“Did you realize it now?”
“No, I knew since the first time I saw you!”
I contemplated for a moment.
“That’s unfortunate. I didn’t know right when I saw you.”
“It’s proof of fateful love.”
A love that no one can stop.
A love with a beautifully predetermined ending.
“They have invaded the Uijeongbu.”
“It seems Seran is up to something.”
“I haven’t seen her in a while, but saying that makes me want to see her again.”
“Really?”
The director scratched his chin.
“Indeed.”
The injured were slowly being gathered by the medical personnel.
“Do you know the reason?”
“What reason?”
“Second invasion.”
The King is looking for you.
“I have no idea. I feel like I’ve become a fool in love lately.”
“That’s unfortunate.”
The director gave instructions to the approaching medical personnel.
“You’ll personally visit the association, I see. Seran.”
The director glanced at Erica.
“Do you know what kind of coffee she likes?”
“Milk tea?”
“That’s childish.”
They quickly settled the situation and transported the injured.
As we reached the association, the surroundings were adorned with vines. Various colors were sprawling widely.
“Why on earth are you carrying something like this?”
“Why? Flowers are pretty.”
The director seemed to ponder for a moment.
“What about Erica?”
“She’s transporting patients to the hospital.”
That’s a relief.
Ignoring several staff members rushing in, we took the elevator. Upon reaching the top floor and opening the office door, Seran was sitting alone on a chair.
“……… Seran. What is the meaning of this?”
“Oh, it’s been a while. No need for formalities. I’ve chased everyone away from here.”
“That’s good news.”
The director smiled warmly. His previously angry face suddenly changed.
After all, chatting closely in front of everyone is also an issue.
“Seran!”
“So, you were here. I wanted to see you. I haven’t seen you around lately.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”
“Are you working here?”
I nodded. At this point, I’m practically an employee.
“That’s unfortunate. Someone who should dominate this era is wasting away here.”
“Speaking like that is treason against the association.”
“Haha. You’re still so strict. With that personality, the members will ritually die.”
“That’s a harsh thing to say. I was thinking about crying.”
I don’t want to see a fight.
“Sniff.”
Pretending to cry, I discreetly pocketed the red glass bottle that was placed before Seran.
“The reason I’m here is simple. I’ve come for negotiations.”
“Negotiations? Is that what you have to say after crushing the city?”
“It shouldn’t matter to you anyway. It’s a chance to secure the interests you’ve cared about since the gaming days.”
Today’s offering is beautiful too. It seems to be getting better every time.
“The human realm is quite noisy, it seems. It was always like that, but it’s even more chaotic lately.”
“That’s right!”
“I’ll get straight to the point. I will send the spirit world knights.”
Seran snapped her fingers. The vines, which dominated the ground, gathered together to weave into the figure of a knight.
“A special forces unit that can crush those vile beings in an instant, whether it’s with a voice or a scream.”
I looked up at the knight. It looked somewhat cool.
“First, we plan to begin deployment operations in Uijeongbu and Namyangju. It will happen in a few days. Well, you don’t have to thank me…”
“What about side effects?”
“Yeah?”
The director set down the milk tea on the desk in front of him.
“Your legions always have side effects. Just like your monstrous face.”
The robe shivered and her gaze sparkled.
“It could eat a passing person or two.”
The milk tea spilled over. White milk gushed out.
“Is a couple of sacrifices a problem? It would benefit you too, Director. It would help the city! And the human world too! It’s a way to eliminate the noise that feels like my ears are being torn apart at any moment!”
I twisted my hair as I looked around. Only Seran, who entered the association, and the director sitting at the desk were there.
It’s been a battlefield for a while now. Conflicts have intensified and are approaching their climax.
“There’s no reason for a world where flowers wither and corpses start to pile up to exist.”
Seran tapped the floor with her spear. The metallic sound rang out, and the vines grew widely.
“The extermination project has been completed. If you, Director, immediately beg on the ground for your life, I won’t return someone like you back to nature.”
“That’s a good statement, Seran.”
The director picked up a paper cup and brought it to his mouth. He frowned as if it tasted bitter.
“It’s certainly joyous news for the association, which is a vested interest group. If part of the citizens is collateral to sustain the entire human world, that would be truly wonderful—even if the human world is eventually consumed by the spirit world.”
“It’s generous of you to understand. I thought our vulgar director would draw his sword first.”
“Thank you for thinking that way.”
The director set down the paper cup. It was empty.
“But let me tell you, Seran.”
The director glanced at me for a moment. I blinked.
“I feel like I’m going to go insane wanting to chew on your endlessly green vines.”
Seran’s eyes sparkled. The air shook, and a long vine with thorns grew.
As I watched it crashing through the air, I swung my knife. A blood-red ring soared, severing flowers and stems.
“Haha.”
Seran stood up.
“Hahaha! This is wonderful! I don’t know when you managed to win over our dear Orly, but I knew you would say that, Director!”
Of course. We had stuck together.
We went everywhere together.
So I am sad.
“You keep talking about interests, but you’re someone who loves our human world, after all! I believed in you!”
“Stop.”
I whispered softly. The tension in the air faded rapidly.
“I’m sad.”
“Orly.”
Seran approached me, wrapping her robe around her.
“I have no doubt you will join me in my project.”
I knew.
I knew about the second invasion, and this invasion too.
You’re trying to meet me, right?
“I’m sorry.”
“Orly?”
“I’m sorry.”
So I’m sorry. Seran.
“I need this place.”
If only we could keep bickering forever.
How wonderful that would be.
