Chapter 36
Chapter 36
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 36
Chapter Title: Survival Event (5)
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“R-Rafne?”
The first to react to the familiar's alert was Emily.
And how could she not? After all, she was the one who'd dueled her on the last day Rafne had vanished. She might have been keeping an eye out for her.
“Why would Rafne be here...? I heard she went back to her family home...”
“E-Escape? That's terrifying!”
Mary and Alicia chimed in one after another.
The only ones who couldn't utter a word were me and Adrian.
Wait.
Adrian?
'...Why does he look so shocked?'
And more than that, what really caught my attention was the familiar perched on his shoulder.
It made sense for the familiar to report Rafne's escape.
But why was it here?
And acting like it was specifically reporting to Adrian.
Before I could puzzle that out, Adrian's tense face broke the silence.
“Looks like now's not the time to fight over badges.”
“What do you mean? I have to win that prize...!”
Mary hurriedly objected to Adrian's sudden statement, but her words were cut short.
“Kyaaah!!”
They were drowned out by Alicia's scream.
“M-My head!! My head feels like it's splitting open!!”
“Wh-What is this...? Uugh, I think I'm gonna puke...”
It wasn't just Alicia. Emily, beside her, clutched her head and collapsed to the ground as well.
And then Mary.
“N-No, what is this, my h-head... K-Ken...!”
Her body trembled violently as her face drained of color. She sank to the ground like Emily, staring at me with tears welling in her eyes, gripped by terror as if she'd been drenched in icy water.
“Grgh...! Too late...!”
Finally, Adrian.
He grimaced and grabbed his head too.
Everyone looked utterly tormented and anxious.
'...If this is the curse's effect, then... Rafne!'
Rafne's curse had a range of 50 meters.
Which meant...
Rafne...
Was nearby.
“Ken... Sniff.”
And soon.
From the darkness of the forest.
A familiar sobbing sound echoed.
“Ken! Where are you? Sniff, sob, Ken...!”
“R-Rafne...”
The girl with red hair and red eyes appeared.
“Ken...! Keeeen!!”
Tears streaming down her face, Rafne burst from the bushes. Spotting me, she ran over bawling.
She threw herself into my arms as usual, burying her face in my chest and breaking into sobs.
“It's a lie, right? Sniff, a lie? That K-Ken would abandon me or something... Sniff, you didn't abandon me, did you? You won't abandon me, right? Keeen...”
“R-Rafne! How did you get here...!”
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, b-but I can't live without you, Ken... Sob, I can't live without Ken...!”
Rafne clung to me, weeping just like she did in her usual panics.
But this time, the setting was completely different.
Did she really leave the tower just because I was gone for a few days...?
I hurriedly checked Rafne's status window.
⚔ STATUS ⚔ 👤 Name: Rafne Bell Martinez ⭐ Unique Skill: Nerve Acceleration 🔮 Unique Trait: Curse of Fear - Inflicts extreme stress and fear on moving living beings within a 50m radius 📊 Possessed Traits: Despair – Current 194%, Dependency Lv.6 'The Despair value...'
194%.
Even on the day we first met, when it was at its peak, it was only around 120%.
Now it was nearly 200%.
'I need to calm Rafne down first...!'
No matter how you sliced it, that level was way too dangerous.
Emily, the game's protagonist, had killed herself at 100% Despair.
What could happen at 200%? No telling.
I tried to soothe her the usual way, stroking her head to stabilize her.
“Get away from Ken!!”
Boom!!
But a wall of ice erupted between us, blocking the way.
Mary had rushed forward, standing between Rafne and me.
“K-Ken... Who the hell is she?”
Rafne, separated from me, glared at her with chilling eyes.
And Mary—her aggressive stance was a far cry from the terrified girl of moments ago.
Breathing raggedly, pressing her hand to her head, she glared daggers at Rafne.
This was bad.
I had to stop them.
“M-Mary...! It's a misunderstanding! Rafne isn't like that...!”
“Ken! Snap out of it! You can't let something like her bewitch you!”
Mary cut me off, extending her hand in front of me protectively, like shielding from a feral beast.
Her hand trembled with fear.
“Rafne! I don't know what's going on, but if you come near Ken again...!”
“You...”
Mary's threatening shout was buried by Rafne's quiet murmur.
Her voice sent chills down my spine, colder than the icy aura emanating from Mary's magic.
Rafne's hollow, shadowed eyes fixed on Mary.
“Why are you getting between Ken and me?”
“R-Rafne! Mary doesn't mean...!”
But before I could finish.
“W-Wait...!”
Rafne vanished from sight.
“...Huh?”
By the time I'd blinked once.
Thud.
Mary collapsed without even a scream.
Beside her stood Rafne, staring down coldly with an impassive face.
“Rafneeee!!”
Someone shouted.
It was Emily, who'd just snapped out of her daze at the sight of Mary falling.
She thrust her hand out threateningly.
Shiiiing!
Magic chains burst from her hand—the sealing power that had let her beat Rafne in their duel.
But.
“...Ugh, gasp.”
Thud.
Before the chains could reach Rafne, Emily crumpled like Mary.
As if teleporting.
Rafne now stood beside Emily.
'N-Nerve Acceleration.'
Rafne's unique skill, one I'd only seen in the game.
It accelerated her senses and physical abilities, making time feel slower for her.
Even Mary couldn't lay a finger on her with that overwhelming power.
“Stop, Rafne!”
But Adrian shouted at her despite witnessing that powerlessness firsthand.
His hands shook, face twisted in pain.
Tormented by the curse, he still drew his sword.
“Go back to the tower quietly.”
His mana surged, flames erupting and enveloping his blade.
Adrian entered full combat stance.
“N-No! If you fight...!”
I knew how strong Adrian was.
If he swung seriously, even Rafne could get hurt.
'I have to stop them...!'
Boom!!
Before I could even reach out.
In the blink of an eye.
Rafne had moved in front of Adrian.
She stood in a kicking stance amid rising dust.
And Adrian was smashed into a pile of logs far away.
His head hung limp; he'd lost consciousness.
Confirming that, Rafne turned back.
“H-Hiii!”
Alicia's face went deathly pale as her eyes met Rafne's.
Drip...
“A-Ahh... Sniff, p-please spare me.”
Tears streamed from Alicia's eyes.
And a trickle ran down between her legs.
Rafne gazed at her coldly, then slowly walked toward us.
“S-Spare me, spare me! Please spare me!”
Totally terrified, Alicia crawled backward, begging for her life.
But Rafne ignored her completely.
And came straight to me, clinging to my chest again.
“R-Rafne...”
“Sorry, sob, I'm sorry... B-But they were getting between us...! I-I didn't kill them! Just knocked them out! So forgive me...”
She entrusted her body to me again, looking up with fresh tears.
“You won't...? Right? Sniff, sob, tell me you won't...! Tell me you won't abandon me...!”
That cold gaze from before seemed like a dream.
She was back to her usual self.
I stroked her head familiarly.
“Of course not. I won't abandon you. So calm down.”
“Sniff, sob, waaaah...!”
I stroked her head as gently as possible, giving her the reassurance she craved.
Rafne burst into childlike wails.
“Sorry for coming out on my own. Sorry for getting you in trouble...”
“It's okay. ...It's okay, so don't cry.”
Of course, looking around, it was anything but okay.
Mary and Emily unconscious on the ground.
Adrian buried in splintered trees.
“I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I'm sorry...”
Alicia huddled, trembling and clutching her head in terror.
This was the result of leaving the tower empty for five days...
I thought it'd be fine since I'd explained beforehand...
How the hell do I handle this?
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The Survival Scramble ended abruptly with Rafne's intrusion.
Luckily, she arrived right before the end, so the event wasn't canceled.
Thus, the key winners were decided.
The top three with the most badges: Emily, Alicia, and me. We claimed the prizes.
I left the three unconscious ones with Alicia and returned to the tower with Rafne.
“Rafne, I'll stay with you today. Relax and rest.”
“Sniff, okay. Thanks, Ken. Sorry.”
Even on the way back, Rafne kept apologizing nonstop.
She thought it was her fault for suddenly leaving the tower.
She must not have been able to endure it any longer.
Her mind knew she shouldn't, but her heart was too frayed to obey.
I stayed by her side as she lay in bed, holding her hand until she fell asleep.
She clung to my hand even in sleep.
Maybe afraid I'd vanish while she slept.
'...What do I tell the others?'
Tomorrow, Emily, Mary, and the rest would surely ask about Rafne.
I'd just tell them the truth.
Mary and Emily reacted like she was a monster because of her Curse of Fear.
But it was just the curse; Rafne's actually really kind.
They'd understand.
And the next day.
As expected, the academy came looking for me.
Guided by the same guys I'd kidnapped during the Aspetra repair, I was summoned to the student council room.
Standing before the door, I nervously opened it.
“You're here.”
But instead of the expected Student Council President Annet, there was...
“Sit down. I have a lot to say to you.”
Adrian, sipping tea on the sofa.
“Isn't the president here...?”
At Adrian's gesture, the men left the room. Now it was just us.
“I asked her to step out for a bit. Important talk. Don't just stand there—sit.”
He gestured to the sofa opposite him.
I sat down.
Perfect timing, actually.
I had questions for him too.
But as the one summoned, I should hear his first.
I sat rigidly, waiting. Adrian set down his tea and spoke.
“First and foremost... What's your deal with Rafne?”
“...Just friends.”
“Doesn't look 'just friends' to me.”
Fair enough. A girl sobbing and begging not to be abandoned doesn't scream friendship.
Adrian was probably asking about my connection to her curse.
He knew about it.
The forest reactions proved it, and given his background, it'd be weirder if he didn't.
So it'd seem odd.
No one could approach Rafne because of the curse.
Yesterday's scene screamed Rafne seeking me out.
So I answered honestly.
“I'm helping her lift the curse.”
“......Lifting the curse?”
Adrian's face showed rare surprise.
Usually that sly half-smile.
Was my answer that shocking?
If he knew the curse, it'd be a natural assumption.
“Wait, so... You've been in contact with Rafne this whole time? How is that even possible?”
Fair question.
Yesterday's reactions from him and the others showed the agony of being near her because of the curse.
“The curse doesn't affect me. No idea why.”
“I see...”
Adrian pondered, hand on chin.
What was he mulling over?
Did he even need to?
I was just trying to remove her curse out of pity.
That answer should've satisfied his curiosity.
Mystery solved—why the brooding?
And then.
His next words revealed what troubled him.
“Sorry, Ken, but whatever you're planning to resolve her curse...”
He looked at me gravely.
“Stop.”
“...Pardon?”
Stop?
Stop helping Rafne?
Even knowing her situation?
Her year of lonely confinement in that tower.
If he knew that, he wouldn't say this.
“Why... stop?”
His reason eluded me.
Adrian took a sip of tea, flashing his usual sly smile.
“Because I'm the one who cursed her.”