Chapter 40: Nazarick and the Otherworld (2)
Neia Baraja trembled.
Was it fear? Confusion?
Perhaps both.
How had things turned out like this?
She had just been preparing to go about her usual duties as a squire when her superior praised her for her recent achievements and gave her the day off.
On top of that, she'd been told she might soon become a full-fledged paladin.
Neia was overjoyed.
She wanted to brag to Arche, and since she hadn't yet shown her around the Holy Kingdom, she was on her way to Arche's lodging.
And then—she was caught.
By Walker.
Neia looked at the man sitting with his arms crossed in front of her.
She tried to move, but her entire body had been tightly bound with rope.
A skilled warrior could snap such restraints easily—but Neia was not one of those.
The man in front of her—Zaiya, Walker, a monk—had once tried to steal a scroll from her only to be knocked out instantly by Arche.
Other men who seemed to be part of Walker's group stood around her.
"What are you staring at, you brat?"
"Leave her. She's not the target. Unless you want to have some fun?"
"N-no… I'd rather not."
"Rather not," he says…
Neia wasn't naïve enough not to understand what "fun" implied. She knew she wasn't exactly feminine or attractive, but hearing it aloud still stung.
Though, objectively, being considered unattractive might actually be a blessing in this situation…
But it still made her want to cry.
"Paladin lackey, we don't need anything from you. You're just bait to drag that woman here."
Bones cracked in Zaiya's neck as he spoke.
Neia couldn't suppress the thought gnawing at her.
"That's… that's a lie…! There's no way you need me just to call Arche! If you wanted a proper duel, you could've just asked her!"
Zaiya twisted his mouth into a sick grin.
He stepped forward and—
BAM!!
His fist slammed into Neia's cheek.
The world spun.
Warm liquid dripped down her lips—her mouth must've split from the blow.
She wanted to wipe it, but bound as she was, she could only glare up at him.
Even if it earned her another beating—she couldn't allow herself to cower.
She had already dragged her friend into danger; she refused to add cowardice on top of that.
"Y-you… you're gonna use me as a hostage!
C-coward! You know you can't beat Arche in a real fight! You tried sneaking up on her last time and got knocked out by a single spell! You can't—!"
THUD!!
This time his kick sank deep into her stomach.
Her insides twisted.
Was this what Arche felt when she took a blow from Argos, the demonic being?
No… Arche must've endured far worse.
And still she got up.
And still she fought.
And still she cried for that monster with compassion.
Neia felt proud that she had become that girl's friend.
Argos… if they had met under different circumstances, maybe they could have talked peacefully.
"We can't have you dying before that bastard arrives."
"H-heh… t-that all you got? Felt like a pillow hitting me…! Even the demon's punch hurt more than that! Even Arche's punch is stronger than yours!"
Behind her, Neia continued sawing at the rope with the tiny cutting tool she'd hidden.
But it was slow—far too slow.
She needed to buy time.
Zaiya flushed red with anger at her taunts.
His already unpleasant face twisted into a villainous mask.
Well—he was a villain at this point.
Arche had mentioned being a Walker herself once, before finding good companions.
So maybe Walkers differed depending on the person.
"You think I won't kill you just because you're a hostage?"
"If you kill me, you die too! You think Arche will let you walk away after killing me? She'll kill everyone here."
Arche was kind.
But she was also decisive.
A veteran adventurer who had lived through poverty and harsh reality.
She was gentle, moved easily to tears—even for her enemies.
But she also knew how to silence that sympathy when necessary.
If Neia died, even if the murderer was human, Arche might hesitate for a moment.
But she would kill them.
Neia understood that much about her in their short time together.
"Lightning."
ZzzzzrRRAK!!
A bolt of lightning blasted through the door, sending a man flying and knocking him unconscious instantly.
Arche entered with her staff in hand.
Her expression was icy with rage.
She brushed her hair back and glanced at both Zaiya and Neia.
Then she used teleportation and appeared right in front of Neia.
"S-shit—!"
Zaiya panicked.
He had played around too much.
He had let the hostage get taken back instantly.
But—
SMACK!!
A sudden strike crashed against Arche's cheek, sending her flying sideways.
Using that moment, the other Walkers grabbed Neia again, pressing a dagger to her throat.
Arche, expression unmoving, lightly touched the cut on her lip.
"Invisibility?"
Judging by the force, the attacker was likely a monk.
Did this Walker team specialize in monks?
Or was this some kind of larger organization?
Pointless speculation.
Arche disliked improvisational chaos like this though who would enjoy it?
She didn't adventure for thrills or excitement.
Dangerous unknowns excited her only when they were mysteries of the world—not when they involved people threatening her friend.
Dangerous… I don't have an item to detect invisibility.
But invisibility drains mana fast—it won't last long.
Unless… it's a magic item? But even then, everything has limits…
She couldn't simply blow up the room.
Her magic was too destructive; she would kill Neia
along with the attackers.
If only Neia had the Sage's Rosary, this would be easier…
"Drop your weapon."
"Arche! No! Don't mind me—take them down!"
Arche smiled gently.
It didn't suit her at all—almost like she was copying someone.
If Neia had begged her to save her, Arche might have chosen a different method.
But Neia was her friend.
Even in this situation, Neia refused to be a burden.
So Arche quietly dropped her staff.
BAM!!
Zaiya lunged forward and punched her again.
Arche slammed into the wall.
This time blood trickled from her mouth—but her expression didn't change.
"I'll see how long you can keep that smile!"
"A-Arche! Damn it!"
Neia broke free of the rope—finally—but was instantly seized again, losing her last chance.
Her face went pale with despair.
"P-too…"
Arche spat out blood and stood up again.
She smiled softly at Neia—even as blood dripped down her chin and her eye began to swell.
"You damn brat!"
THUD!
A blow to her side.
CRACK!
An elbow to her solar plexus.
Arche staggered back, this time clearly in pain.
Neia's vision blurred.
This is… because I'm weak…
Was weakness a sin?
Did the weak exist only to have things taken from them?
Argos had been killed because he was weak.
Remedios nearly died too—if Arche hadn't been there, vengeance would've claimed her life.
Was weakness… evil?
As the thought gnawed her, Arche spoke.
"Being weak isn't a sin."
It was as if she heard Neia's heart directly.
Bleeding, wobbling, Arche rose again.
Her face was a mess, but she forced her cheek up to keep smiling.
"So this isn't your fault either. Being evil may be a sin. But being weak isn't. What's wrong? Aren't you going to hit me again? Want me to compliment your soft punches?"
"Y-you little—!!"
Arche wiped the blood from her cheek.
It kept flowing, making the gesture meaningless.
Her eyes held no hatred—only calm apathy.
Zaiya had beaten her repeatedly, but she looked at him like he was… irrelevant.
He lost his temper completely and charged, throwing another punch.
CRACK!!
Arche leaned in and met it with her forehead.
Blood splattered from the impact, but she didn't flinch.
Her blue eyes were like a quiet storm—emotion restrained, not absent.
"You're a Walker too, aren't you? I don't know your reasons, but why use this strength for garbage like this? It's not too late. Stop. Use your strength to help people. To do the right thing. With power like yours… you could save so many."
"Preaching all of a sudden? You can't even move your hands or feet!"
"If I could use even one of them…"
Arche spoke casually—like a teacher explaining a simple fact.
"You'd already be dead. That's why I'm trying to persuade you. A monk with your level of skill is rare.
You must've worked incredibly hard to get this far.
So stop. Let my friend go. If you do it now… I'll only hit you once and end it."
She said it so plainly—I won't even use magic—that her blank expression made it clear she meant it.
For a moment, the entire room fell silent.
Zaiya's face flushed with humiliation and rage.
He then roared and swung his fist at her.
Arche thought, Ah… so it didn't work after all, and braced herself to take the blow.
No matter how tough she was, getting beaten this long hurt.
She still had injuries left from fighting Argos.
That hit to her solar plexus earlier had probably cracked one or two ribs.
Even breathing hurt.
She needed to wait for an opening—just enough to knock out the man holding Neia.
She wished she'd learned close-combat techniques from Kaiser instead of dismissing them as "useless for a magic caster."
After all, Kaiser—who used martial arts—also used magic better than she did.
As she was thinking tactically, another question rose in her mind.
Why hasn't the punch landed yet?
Did he actually accept my persuasion?
She opened her eyes—
—and the fist was right in front of her.
She almost yelped from shock, though her face remained unreadable.
"Let's stop there."
A woman stood before her, gripping Zaiya's arm with one hand.
She adjusted her glasses—lenses without prescription—and stared down at him.
Zaiya tried to move his arm—but couldn't.
Not to pull back, not to push forward.
Her strength completely overpowered his.
Her face twisted in displeasure as she pushed lightly—yet Zaiya lost balance and fell backward.
She then looked at Arche.
"R-Rifa…?"
"They say people come in all colors and kinds.
I'm glad the first human I met here was someone like you, Arche."
What…?
Arche was genuinely confused—though nothing showed on her face.
Rifa smiled gently and stroked Arche's head.
A strange but warm sense of relief washed over
Arche—as if her instincts told her she was safe now.
"Normally, I must avoid attracting attention. But failing to act here would be an insult to the one who created me. I'll eliminate these men."
As she moved, Arche grasped Rifa's sleeve.
Rifa paused and looked back, silently asking What is it?
"Don't kill them."
Rifa's eyes widened.
Then she stroked Arche's head again, more softly.
Most of the beings Rifa considered her "siblings" looked down on humans—saw them as inferior, prey, or at best nuisances.
There were exceptions, but only a few.
Even seeing someone like Arche…
Would they still call humans "lowly"?
If so, Rifa thought she would feel a sliver of sadness—small, but real.
Even if she knew things couldn't be helped.
"Don't worry. I will kill no one and retrieve your friend."
With that, she turned—
—and vanished.
It was so fast it nearly looked like invisibility.
Thud.
The man holding a dagger to Neia collapsed forward.
Arche's eyes widened.
That movement wasn't human.
Not even close.
With that alone, Arche knew the truth—Rifa was stronger than her. Far stronger.
The world was large.
There were many stronger than her.
And if Rifa truly came from the south—a region full of hidden powers—there were countless more.
"G-get her!! Kill her!!"
Zaiya shouted as he staggered up.
The other men charged at Rifa.
She wanted to punch them with full strength—but remembered Arche's request.
So she held back, striking lightly.
The men were blown away anyway.
Within ten seconds, every attacker lay unconscious—
except Zaiya.
"You… I don't need to lay a hand on you."
"What—?"
Crackle.
Lightning flickered behind him.
He turned and saw Arche, one hand brimming with electricity.
Arche possessed a rare class—Electric Wizard.
Of all magic casters, she was strongest with lightning.
Kaiser had known the acquisition conditions and shaped all her training and class choices with this in mind.
And the greatest trait of an Electric Wizard was the ability to enchant lightning onto one's own body—a technique closer to martial arts than magic.
"One strike."
"Huh?"
Arche inhaled sharply.
Then—
BAAAM!!
Her electrified fist crashed into Zaiya's face, sending him flying out of the building as lightning crawled over his body.
She exhaled and watched his unconscious form.
"Ahh… that felt good."
Clap, clap.
A slow applause drifted from the window.
At first Arche thought it was Rifa or Neia—but it wasn't.
She turned—
—and saw a boy perched casually on the windowsill.
She smiled immediately.
Neia noticed.
Until now, Arche's smiles were faint, forced, or imitation of someone else's.
But for this boy—she smiled naturally.
She understood what that meant.
Kaiser hopped down from the window.
"I'm back, Arche. Not exactly unharmed, but… alive."
"Your timing is always like this. You are aiming for it, aren't you?"
"This time it really was a coincidence."
Kaiser grinned playfully.
"Heal."
Light shimmered, and Arche's wounds closed as if they'd never been there.
She exhaled shakily, wobbling on her feet.
Kaiser gently patted her head.
"You did well. You feel stronger than the last time I saw you."
"Kaiser… are you all right? You fought someone strong enough to make you draw that sword."
"It's been a while since I fought a real challenge. I imagine they are quite shaken right now."
They, not he—Arche realized Kaiser wasn't fighting a single opponent, but a group.
What kind of enemies were they?
He wasn't telling her—maybe because she was still too weak.
And she was.
She was weaker than Rifa—still firmly in the realm of a human.
"I'm glad you returned safely. Please teach me martial arts too."
"That's sudden. But you'll need it, right? There are martial arts that work well for magic casters."
"And if possible… I'd like some healing-type magic items too."
"You must have had a rough time. You were in a life-threatening situation."
"How did you know?"
"A master knows everything."
Arche immediately realized Kaiser's use of magic or some sensing spell must've told him.
While Kaiser and Arche bantered, Neia—standing opposite them—turned to thank Rifa.
But when she saw Rifa's expression, she froze.
"U-um… are you okay?"
"…?"
Rifa didn't answer.
She was staring—completely petrified.
At Kaiser.
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