Chapter 11
Prepare for the Predetermined Demise (3)
“I’m considering it.”
I suppose there’s no helping it.
With a long sigh, I raised my head to look at the pleading guy. From now on, you’re Crybaby.
“Let’s go.”
As if it was an unexpected response, Crybaby’s eyes widened.
“…Why?”
“You asked for help, and now you don’t want it?”
“Ah, no. Thank you. Really, thank you! Edith Crowell.”
“I’ll be back. Therion, if anyone asks for me, please tell them I went to assist.”
“Y-Yes… Be careful.”
After entrusting my whereabouts to Rimos Therion, I turned and followed Crybaby.
“Let’s go.”
“R-Right.”
Crybaby turned to lead the way, hesitated for a moment, then spoke.
“…Crowell.”
“What is it?”
“I didn’t think you’d agree so willingly. Really, thank you.”
“Then why did you ask?”
“Actually, I came here half-doubting whether you’d help…”
“Well…”
Actually, I was planning to ignore it.
“…I’m sorry. Cain will surely be surprised when he knows you came to save him.”
“Yes, he’ll be surprised.”
It’s not like I’m trying to save him.
I rolled my eyes while silently retorting in my mind.
The reason I decided to show mercy was… because I spotted an academy professor hiding in a tree right behind Crybaby.
‘Can’t they notice that?’
It seemed a professor had come out to scout, probably sensing the commotion.
But since no one else seemed to notice the professor, I pretended not to either.
Until then, I had no intention of helping Crybaby or this Cain guy.
…But suddenly, an ominous feeling struck me.
If there’s a casualty before the actual subjugation exercise even begins, the whole exercise might be canceled.
Then I’d lose my chance to approach the curse.
‘That’s all there is to it.’
There wasn’t a shred of petty sense of justice about saving someone else. How could I save others when I can’t even save myself?
“This way…”
Crybaby continued to guide the way.
‘Huh?’
But as we went on, the terrain became increasingly strange. It was odd that anyone wouldn’t realize they were near a cliff at this point.
Unable to hold back, I asked.
“Why on earth did this Cain student go this way? Anyone can see it’s a cliff path.”
Crybaby hesitated, then squeezed out an answer.
“Well, that…”
“What?”
“He was trying to tease you… and then…”
“Hah. He risked his life just to make fun of me?”
Crybaby fell silent, seemingly at a loss for words.
Crazy bastards.
It seems my being placed at the rear became such a new event in their eyes.
“H-Here it is.”
The place we finally arrived at, following Crybaby, was a cliff with sparse trees.
Other students must have been searching for someone who could help from nearby groups. There were already quite a few people at the cliff.
“Hold onto the tree tight!”
“How on earth did he slip there?”
“Hang on! I hear Lord Behemoth is on his way.”
Crybaby shouted towards them with all his might.
“I brought Edith Crowell!!”
“Gasp, she really came?”
“Ah, then maybe…”
Countless gazes poured in.
Gazes filled with a mix of expectation and anxiety.
I let out a hollow laugh, as if to show them.
“Oh, come on…”
I dismounted and looked down at the ridiculous sight below the cliff.
“Ugh…”
A battered guy was hanging and trembling on a large branch protruding from the middle of the cliff.
Glancing back, I saw a horse with tangled reins throwing a fit, and a mage casting a calming spell on it.
He fell off his horse, they said, so it seems the horse threw him off and he managed to grab onto a tree as he rolled down. Some knight’s reflexes.
“Ah, th-this won’t do.”
The knights lowered a rope made from tied cloaks, but he was shaking his head, saying even that might slip from his hands.
“This won’t work. Is there… anyone who can use levitation magic?”
Finally, a large knight gave up and wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead. A freckled mage who seemed to be his assistant shook his head.
“I could do it, but… honestly, it’s too far. If he starts thrashing midway, it’ll break.”
“Even for Edith Crowell?”
“Yes. I can’t do it either.”
I nodded, looking down the cliff with them.
It’s not revenge.
Lifting him into the air itself wouldn’t be difficult, but with him so scared like that, as the freckled mage said, he would likely fall if he struggled.
“Coward.”
Although I came to rescue him reluctantly, his pathetic appearance was too much to bear, and I furrowed my brow and muttered.
“Wh-What are you saying?!”
The coward raised his dust-covered, messy blonde hair and squawked.
He manages to hear insults even from this distance.
“There’s no choice. We’ll have to wait until Lord Ethan arrives… Hey Cain, hang on a little longer!”
The large knight wiped his sweat and shouted down loudly.
‘That Ethan Behemoth again…’
I raised my head from examining the cliff bottom and narrowed my eyes at the knight.
“Hm?”
“By any chance.”
Our eyes met as he looked up, seeming to feel my gaze. I bluntly asked:
“Will a solution appear when Prince Behemoth arrives?”
“Huh?”
He hurriedly added, looking flustered.
“Not particularly, but… he might do something somehow.”
As I thought.
“Does he have the ability to walk on air or something?”
“Probably not, but…”
“Then why? Why rely so much on Prince Behemoth?”
“What?”
The knight frowned at my direct words about not relying on others.
Worried something might happen, the freckled mage standing nearby gently intervened.
“Um, Lady Crowell. That’s a bit harsh.”
“The more I hear, Edith Crowell, you also said there’s nothing you can do…”
“I said levitation wouldn’t work, not that I couldn’t save him, didn’t I?”
“What?”
The knight voiced, sounding dumbfounded.
I sighed and looked down the cliff again.
Thanks to the coward curling up tightly, the job would be easier.
“Keep curling up like that.”
“What?! Are you taunting me, Edith Crowell?”
I hear more grumbling from below.
“No. I really mean it.”
…Sigh. I still don’t feel well. I’ll have to make him pay once I save him.
No. He’s going to die soon anyway, should I just leave him?
I thought that and glanced around.
“……”
Unfortunately, there were too many watching eyes.
Making up my mind, I focused my magic.
Blue light flashed beneath my hands, and I heard the freckled mage gasp as if recognizing something.
“No way…!”
The goal was… to ‘move’ a cuboid space from the bottom of the cliff to the top, using the space where the coward was curled up as the focal point.
The thick, sturdy branch fell onto the cliff top with a thud, sharply cut off and still holding the coward.
It was only about two spans high, so it just made a loud noise, but he was completely fine.
“Ack!”
“Don’t be dramatic. There, it’s done, right? If the march is delayed too much…”
Interrupting my words, surprised voices were heard.
“Wh-What? How…?”
“Spatial transfer magic!”
The knight’s mouth gaped open, and the freckled mage’s hair stood on end.
“When did you learn that? Even I can’t use it yet?!”
“Did you just see that? Edith Crowell…!”
The voices were too loud to ignore, so I finally let out a short sigh and shrugged.
“I just did it skillfully.”
My condition wasn’t good, but for an experienced mage like me, it was nothing…
Nothing…
“Urk.”
No. It wasn’t good. My vision spun. This is bad.
I quickly turned around. I need to leave.
But the coward rescued from the cliff was stumbling over to me, saying…
“Edith Crowell…!”
Don’t come.
Just stay collapsed there. I feel like I’m going to vomit.
I waved my hand behind me, but he grabbed it and pulled me.
His voice, overwhelmed with emotion, was too much to bear.
“I, I only thought about bullying you. But you did this for me…”
“No, really, it’s fine.”
No. I didn’t come deliberately to save you. It just… happened.
Ignoring my words, the coward pulled my hand he had grabbed and hugged me tightly.
“Thank you!!”
“Bleurgh.”
In the end, I vomited what had been rising in my stomach right there.
🥀
Thank you for reading! ♡
