Merry Christmas, everyone!!!
I spent Christmas with my family and I'm feeling much better now. I think it's time to focus on my fanfics, don't you think?
I hope you all enjoyed Christmas with your families!
<3
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When Serie grabbed me, I forced myself not to make any sudden moves. I couldn't hurt her. Even though this is also my body now, it originally belongs to Frieren, someone very close to Serie.
Besides… I like her too. I don't hate her.
"Let go of me, Serie," I said as I stared at her.
Serie held my gaze for a few seconds, clenched her fists, and finally spoke. "I'm not letting you go. I don't know what's happening, but you're not Frieren. I can't allow you to use her body however you want."
"…"
"Answer me… Are you a god?"
"A god?" I smiled faintly and replied, "I'm not a god. In fact, I'm nowhere near being one."
"Then what are you? A spirit? A demon? A monster?"
"You've got quite the imagination." I thought for a moment, and in the next instant, the spell Serie was using to restrain me dissipated. "I'm nothing more than a human who didn't want to be here."
"Human?" Serie tensed up the moment she heard my words.
"Yes, just a human."
"How is that possible? And what do you mean you 'didn't want to be here'?"
"It's simple. I was dragged into this place against my will after dying in a stupid way because I was irresponsible. Someone trapped me inside this body. I spent a long time imprisoned, but now I'm free!"
"That makes no sense… A human inside the queen's body? When did this happen? Did the queen know about this all along and never told me?"
"You can ask her—if she manages to take her body back. However, I'll make sure she doesn't, at least not until I find a way to return home."
Saying that, I began flying again.
"Wait!" Serie tried to restrain me once more, but this time I managed to put up a barrier around my body that repelled her magic. As I flew away, her shouts grew distant.
When I looked back, she was gone.
Because of that, I calmed down a little and slowed my flight.
"I'm getting close." I was approaching the tower. Almost at Orario.
But is Orario far enough? I should probably head to a place where I can't even see the tree.
'Wait a second. What if I go deep into the dungeon? I could hide there and maybe find something that helps me return home. Since this world was completely altered, there might be some way back hidden in one of the dungeon's floors!'
Suddenly, excitement surged through me.
And then it happened.
GUH!
I felt something hit my stomach with tremendous force, knocking the air out of my lungs.
I lost concentration and plummeted toward the ground.
"SHIT!" I shouted, throwing up a barrier around my body again just before impact.
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When I hit the ground, I got up immediately, already on alert. I'd made a crater in the dirt, and dust clouded the air. As it settled, a silhouette emerged.
"Serie! Are you trying to kill me?!" It was Serie, fist clenched.
She clicked her tongue. "There's no other way to stop you except by fighting."
"You think you can beat me?" I smiled. I was certain my mana far surpassed hers—my overall strength too. But she had much more experience. I'd watched Frieren fight several times, but I hadn't really learned much.
Copying spells or moves I knew from my old world might not work here.
"Do you even know how to use magic in a real fight? I'm sure you don't," Serie said with a stern expression.
She wasn't wrong. She was far more experienced than I was.
"Why don't you just leave me alone and go back?"
"Are you insane?"
"I just want to find a way to go home! I just want to keep control of this body long enough to return. I'm sure that even after dying, I can still make it back!" I shouted.
Serie didn't seem affected by my words.
"I don't care who you are. I don't care if you died and want to return. I want you as far away from the queen's body as possible. The thought of a human controlling her disgusts me. It repulses me," Serie said, her eyes locked onto mine.
I could feel the contempt and fury in her voice.
If I weren't using Frieren's body, she would have killed me without hesitation.
I'd never felt such hatred directed at me.
I swallowed hard, nerves rising.
Even though I was confident I could fight, I was terrified.
"Listen—"
"Silence!"
"I didn't choose this, alright? Do you think I chose to die and end up here? Do you think I wanted to enter this body? I'm not even a woman!"
"What did you say?"
"You heard me! I'm not even a woman and never wanted to be one! Ending up in this body is basically a curse!"
At first, before Frieren regained control, I was excited. I thought it was fun.
But now… now it feels like torture.
"You're a human man? And you're controlling the queen's body?" That's when I sensed Serie's aura change.
Before, it had been pure hatred.
Now it was murderous intent.
"Serie, stop right now! I'm Frieren, understand?!"
"You are not the queen!"
"I know, but I'm using her body right now. You don't want to harm her, do you?"
"…"
"What do you say? Why don't we form a temporary alliance?"
"Are you joking with me?"
"You can help me find a way home. Once I do, I'll leave, and you can live in peace. I don't want to be here, and you don't want me here, right?"
"I'll force you out of her body. I'll take you to the tree—It'll know how to deal with you. If I trust the tree, it will help me."
Serie wasn't bluffing.
Even if it meant hurting Frieren's body, she was willing to beat me unconscious.
'I'll have to fight seriously!'
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Next chapters: Chapter 52 - Did I Kill Serie? / Chapter 53 - Will Riveria visit the queen? / Chapter 54 - Compassion?