For a moment, my mind went blank. My vision was distorted like a crushed can and the words Amelia left me a moment ago were still echoing in my head.
The palace has announced that you are an evil spirit.
The palace has announced that you are an evil spirit.
The palace has announced that you are an evil spirit.
The commotion was as if dozens of strong men formed a circle around me and hit my head with hammers. If it weren't for her, I would have stayed like this for a long time.
«Yandel.»
«Ah...»
«... Are you okay?» When I came to, I could see Amelia's face near mine. Placing his right hand, which seemed infinitely small to me, on my chest, he looked at me with worried eyes.
«U-uh ... »
«I understand how you feel, but this is not the time».
«Oh, sorry...»
Amelia grabbed my wrist and pushed me forward. I moved my feet absentmindedly at that. Even I could see that his judgment was correct.
«I doubt that woman still has the will to do that...»
Erwen also knew me as an evil spirit. That meant it was hard to expect her to still treat me like her comrade. This was probably the same for the others. Unknowingly, I clenched my jaw.
Yes... So, this day has finally arrived.
Aside from accepting this, I also had this thought: you never know. Erwen was chasing Amelia because of the misunderstanding that she killed me. Whether I was an evil spirit or not, she can treat me like before. Yes, that possibility definitely existed.
«You don't have to pull me now.» I removed Amelia's hand and started running on my own.
It was definitely like Amelia said. Erwen couldn't protect me now. Even if she wanted to, Erwen was part of the fairies. If he tried to help me, it would cause harm to his race, and Erwen was likely to make a decision for his people rather than basing it on personal reasons.
...But that's probably just an excuse.
Even as I ran, I smiled bitterly. That was because no matter how smart and cowardly you are, you can't fool yourself. I didn't want to meet Erwen yet. To be exact, I was scared because I didn't know what I would hear when I did.
«That's right! The boss said it too! Evil spirits must be killed as soon as they are found!»
These were the words Ainar once spoke.
«Yes... I didn't know this before, but after today, I know for sure. Why everyone says not to trust evil spirits...»
Missha's words.
«It is wise to get rid of them when the opportunity presents itself. That man is a testimony of what happens if you trust an evil spirit».
Mr. Bear's words.
To structure.
They all became daggers that pierced my heart. Just thinking about it made me that way, but did I experience it myself? If I saw them doubt my sincerity and vomit their anger at me for having been deceived with my own eyes, what kind of face would I make then? If I avoided that situation in any way, maybe I can prevent that day from coming. And then I ran after Amelia.
«Yandel, over here!»
Leaving the empty square, we passed through the dark underground streets and headed to the castle located in the center. In addition to the cemetery, there was another secret passage in the castle. Reaching the overworld through this was urgent.
Screech!
We arrived at the castle and forced the door open.
«Yandel, be careful».
«¿Eh?»
In that brief moment, Amelia pushed me from behind into the crack in the door.
Stab.
An arrow that flew quietly penetrated deep into Amelia's back. His mouth opened and he staggered from the impact. Then Amelia collapsed on top of me and caressed my cheek.
«I'm glad...»
«I'm glad? What are you—!»
«Her face... I don't think she... will hurt you...»
I couldn't understand his words at all, but there was no time to ask him. I quickly picked up Amelia and stood up.
«The... safe...» Amelia continued to tell me something, but her words were not completed.
Burst!
Amelia exploded in my arms.
Plop, plop, plop, plop.
Dozens of pieces fell to the ground. The sight seemed so fake.
«Love...lia...?» The weight disappeared from the arm holding Amelia, but I couldn't even move my arm aimlessly now. I just started thinking.
Is Amelia dead? Like this...? And... by Erwen...?
I stiffened like a statue for a moment before seeing something incongruous.
«Blood.»
There was no blood. If it was an explosion that could tear a person to pieces like this, blood should have flown everywhere, but there wasn't a single drop of blood on my body.
¡Shaaaa!
Just when I realized this, Amelia, who had turned into hundreds of pieces of flesh, disappeared like light like a monster facing death.
[Amelia Rainwales' double has suffered unbearable damage. The call has been dismantled.]
So, it was a double fact with self-replication.
Geez, that surprised me... I thought you really died. If you came to me as a double from the beginning, you should have told me ahead of time.
As much as I was surprised, I started complaining about Amelia, but I quickly put those thoughts aside. Now was not the time for that.
I should think while I run.
I got up from the ground and continued running. Since I memorized the route when I followed Amelia to Noark, I knew the location of the secret passage. The problem was whether he could arrive safely.
Crash.
There was no arrow yet, but it was unknown how long it would remain that way.
If I fight... can I win?
I assumed the worst, the possibility that Erwen would be hostile and try to kill me. Thinking about that premise, the scene of Amelia's body exploding naturally crossed my mind.
That effect...
The explosion was different from ordinary explosions. There were no sparks and the fragments did not fly like grenades. His body had just collapsed into hundreds of pieces like a game of Jenga.
It has to be Breakup...
The Breakup effect was simple. Regardless of whether it was an arrow, sword, or axe, as long as a blade could penetrate flesh and deal a certain amount of damage, it applied fixed damage proportional to the caster's main stats. Physical stamina, mana stamina, all of that was ignored, like an aura, which was unique to humans.
On top of that, he said that Erwen obtained pure blood and signed with the Elemental Ruler...
Whether that attack was Breakup or not, I started to think that my chances of winning in a one-on-one fight were low. With specs like that, she would have a team of a similar level.
How can I defeat her with my naked and unarmed body?
Who!
As he ran with these thoughts in mind, the gem that served as a light source in the dark underground city lost its light. This was not a natural phenomenon. He had used light gems several times before. This magical device gradually lost its light when it ran out of mana, it did not immediately darken like this.
... Is it a spirit of darkness?
I never thought she would take advantage of this attribute too. I soon stopped running.
Tap.
He was confident he could memorize a path he had once taken. If I focused on my step as I walked, I should have been able to find my destiny in the dark, if there wasn't a pursuer behind me.
The escape is a failure.
The moment I decided that, I closed my eyes. Abandoning the vision, which had become useless, I decided to focus on other senses. Soon my overheated ear picked up the sound of footsteps.
Step.
It was a little surprising. He was sure he would hear an arrow fly first.
It is true that she must want to talk to me even if I am an evil spirit.
Even as I pressed my toes so I could move nimbly at any moment, I also thought about Amelia's last words.
«Her face... I don't think she... will hurt you...»
He probably saw her face. Amelia's sight went several times farther than mine. He could have made eye contact with Erwen, who shot the arrow from beyond the darkness.
But how can you be sure just by looking at her face?
No one could tell what Erwen was thinking as she walked towards me in the dark.
«¿Its you, Erwen?»
There was no response. The sound of footsteps stopped.
Hit!
There was a silence where only the sound of my heart resonated like thunder.
«Sir.» The light gem began to work again, along with a name he hadn't heard in a long time.
Shaaaaa...
The light spread in all directions and illuminated the surroundings. Thanks to that I was able to realize why Amelia said she was happy, why she was sure that this girl wouldn't hurt me.
«Is... really... you, sir...?»
He could tell it just by his expression, at least at that moment.
«yes.»
The moment I stated her question, Erwen's amber eyes trembled violently, spilling fragments of countless emotions: joy, gladness, anticipation, anxiety, fear... and distrust.
«C-how... E-they clearly said you died...»
«Ah, it just happened.»
«W-what do you mean it just happened?! It's not something I can end up with...!» Erwen raised her voice due to intense emotions for a moment before suddenly shutting up. «... Is it the work of that woman?» He muttered as if he realized something. At the same time, Erwen's eyes became sharp. «Who are you?»
Uh, I didn't think his mood swings would be that bad...
That's when I really started to worry that he might hurt me, but I responded, making an effort not to show it. «Who would I be? It's me, Bjorn Yandel».
«Liar.»
«What, will you believe me if I use gigantization?»
«Yes, try it». That abrupt tone of voice was strangely strange, but I launched Gigantization without saying anything else. «W-what... are you really, sir?» Erwen's tone returned to normal. Although it only lasted a brief moment.
«To die-»
«No, I don't trust you just for that.»
«… ¿Eh?»
«Try something else». The tearful and happy Erwen instantly returned to cold mode and I quickly used Jump. «I-really you...!»
«Yes, I'm glad you believe me n—»
«Did you think that's what I would say? That's not enough.»
We repeat the same thing several times. It seemed like Erwen would only be satisfied once she checked all my essences while continuing to make demands. When he told me to use Burst of Meat, I felt chills.
«... So you were fake after all?» Those eyes filled with madness and murderous energy were truly a sight that made my stomach cringe.
I told him I erased the essence and instead proved my identity with stories only the two of us knew.
«What you gave me when we met.»
«Move de Lich».
«The inn where we spent our first night».
«…»
«Can't you... answer...?»
«I-it was an inn called Ajo y Sal».
«Too late.»
«No, you started with 'our first night'. We only went there to see an essence...»
«Mmm.»
After talking about the past like this for a while, when stories that only the two of us knew came to light without hesitation, his mood swings diminished until he completely put aside his doubts. It wasn't clear when he would get irritated again and bow between my eyes, but for now, that was the case.
«M-Sir...!»
«How long without seeing you. I heard it's been two and a half years now?»
The greeting took a long time to come out. Erwen lowered her bow as if she had never raised it and clenched her fists as if she was upset with me. «What...took you so long?! You were alive the whole time...! Why didn't you come see me?»
Oh, I guess it might seem that way from your perspective. It's not that I didn't want to go...
«I had a special circumstance», I responded quickly, thinking he might get angry again.
Erwen asked carefully: «Due to special circumstances... Are you talking about the statement? What are you an evil spirit of?»
Perhaps this was the most important part of this conversation. It was an obstacle that one day had to be overcome.
But as I wondered how to approach this problem, Erwen muttered softly: «Idiot. There's no way I care about that...»
«... Does that mean you don't believe the actual statement?»
Even when I asked that, I felt guilt and relief at the same time. Certainly, Erwen would have concluded that she didn't believe in that. The fact that she was casually talking in front of me right now was proof.
«No? I meant that whether the statement is true or not means nothing to me».
«Hey?» Seeing Erwen speak as if she were asking the obvious, I couldn't help but bow my head.
Then I figured he realized an explanation was necessary. Erwen spoke as if to show me every detail. «Sir, we met as adults, right?»
«Hey, right?»
«And evil spirits appear the day you become an adult».
«... ¿Y?»
«So what does it matter if you are an evil spirit or not?»
«... A-so how does it work?» I asked, unable to hide my nervousness.
Erwen suddenly approached me and held my hand tightly. «When you risked your life to save me in the cave, you taught me what I didn't know, and after Daria's death... the person who helped me up was all you, sir». The temperature transmitted through my hands felt particularly warm. «No matter what they say, to me you are Bjorn Yandel».
So, there are people who can think this way.
Many words came to mind, including thank you, but I couldn't say anything and my mouth was closed. Erwen probably didn't know how much comfort those brief words gave me.
«But...» That's when Erwen let go of my hand. Then he spoke to me with eyes and a tone as if we had returned to square one. «Are you really sir?»
I felt like I was going to lose my mind.