Chapter 8
Chapter 8
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 8
Chapter Title: Emily Epiris (4)
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I bolted straight toward the source of the scream.
What the hell could a fat slob like me even do? But that wasn't the issue right now.
The voice sounded familiar.
"Huff... how... huff... many times a day... do I have to run...!"
My stamina was already in the gutter, but I sprinted toward it at full speed.
I leaped over tree roots and pushed through the underbrush until I reached the spot.
Beyond the bushes blocking my path, in a small clearing, a woman lay sprawled on the ground, and something enormous loomed over her.
'What the fuck—is that bastard here?!'
👁️ ALBINO CYCLOPS GIANT 👁️ B-Rank Monster Treated as a field boss even in this Waterdrop Forest. Albino variant: One tier stronger than standard monsters. Among typical giant-type monsters, the Cyclops was a level treated as a field boss even in this Waterdrop Forest right now.
And on top of that, the Albino title.
Albino variants were rarer than standard monsters and a full tier stronger.
This thing had no business being in this forest.
"Guoooaaargh!!"
Drooling filthy spit, the Cyclops bellowed at the woman in front of it.
"Eeeek!"
The fallen woman let out a terrified whimper in response.
I knew exactly who she was.
'Why the hell is she doing there...?!'
Her identity was a woman I couldn't possibly mistake.
It was Emily Epiris, the protagonist of the game.
If the game's progress was at the early part of Act 2 and she'd followed the normal route...
Emily's stats alone couldn't take down that thing.
The Academy of Epiris encouraged party play to begin with.
The protagonist Emily's solo capabilities weren't that high, and her unique skills leaned more toward support than offense.
The standard strategy was to put attack-heavy companions up front while Emily, at the center, let the player dictate the battle flow.
There was no way she'd solo a boss-level monster.
'Damn it, how do I get her out of here?!'
If she died now, this world's bad ending was locked in.
And that meant my death was locked in too, depending on how events unfolded.
I couldn't let her die now.
We both had to survive somehow.
But...
'I don't stand a chance against that monster right now either...'
Of course not. Ken Fine Stein, the fat extra character, hadn't even been given decent magic skills by the devs—a side character among side characters.
All he had was Item Creation and that mocking trait where losing weight made him stronger.
And...
'I don't wanna use that mystery skill whose effects I don't even know...!'
Unique Skills: Item Creation, Calorie Burn The unidentified skill that had bugged me from the start.
If it turned out to be some self-destruct bullshit, it'd be instant death, so I had no plans to touch it until I knew what it did.
But was now the time to worry about that?
If Emily died now, I'd die anyway.
So then...
'Gotta rely on the mystery skill, huh...'
"Guoooaaargh!!"
Boom. Boom.
"S-someone... please... save me..."
The massive one-eyed giant lumbered slowly toward her on heavy feet.
Emily sat paralyzed on the ground, trembling and unable to move.
Judging by the dirt on her clothes, she'd already rolled around in one round of combat.
She shook violently, her eyes filled with despair.
With death right in front of her, tears welled up, and her voice came out weak and broken.
"Please... someone... help me..."
Watching that, I steeled my resolve.
I closed my eyes and projected my will inward.
'...Calorie Burn.'
Soon, I felt the mana in my body surging wildly. Pain hit me, and I opened my eyes.
"Guhk!"
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡ Calorie Burn Duration: 15 minutes
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Emily reflected on her life as death loomed before her.
In the so-called life-flashing-before-her-eyes reel, the thing she regretted most right now was...
The old woman who had grabbed her in the city during what was supposed to be a casual weekend stroll.
Agreeing to that old woman's request.
'I never should've offered to find her son's keepsakes or whatever...!'
Emily could never say no to someone in need. She usually found fulfillment in helping others and believed it was the right thing to do.
But if it put her life in danger, that changed everything.
One act of kindness, and her life was ending.
With the snarling Cyclops right in her face, Emily trembled.
Her legs were stiff from its earlier attack—she couldn't even run now.
Her shoulders shook. Her legs shook. Her lips quivered.
As if amused by her terror, the giant took slow, deliberate steps toward her.
Soon, its massive hand filled her vision.
Emily started picturing how she'd die.
It'd rip her limbs off.
At the very least, that fist would smash her flat.
The monster wouldn't grant her a painless end.
As all that played out in her head unbidden, Emily forced her mouth open.
"S-someone... please... save me..."
I don't want to die...! I don't want to die...!
Emily absolutely did not want to die.
"Please... someone... help me..."
In that short time, she screamed and prayed dozens of times in her mind. Please, someone save me.
Like that knight who once rescued her from a disgusting noble's clutches.
Please save her this time too.
'Ah... this time... no one...'
Would no miracle like that knight's happen again?
As her calls went unanswered, Emily began to give up on life.
She pressed her lips shut, tears streaming as she closed her eyes.
Her sealed lips trembled with fear, and tears flowed endlessly from her dread.
And then...
"Get back!"
Like a miracle, the knight she'd longed for appeared before her.
"...Ah, aaa...!"
Emily, who had given up and shut her eyes, opened them to see the blond knight who had saved her from that noble in the past.
The same golden hair. A broad back blocking her from harm like a prince.
"...Hyaah!"
He gripped a short dagger and charged bravely at the Cyclops.
His movements were swift; in an instant, he was upon it, stabbing unhesitatingly at the monster's eye as if he knew its weak point.
"Guoooaaargh!!"
The giant clutched its pierced eye and slumped down. The man didn't miss the opening and swung his dagger again.
A short blade, but the result was no different from a knight's sword.
The man cleaved the giant in half, killing it.
'...What do I do.'
Emily couldn't tear her eyes away.
The giant-slaying man approached her, breathing heavily.
He looked just like the knight who had saved her before.
The ideal man that knight had imprinted in her heart.
A high nose bridge, sharp eyes.
His sturdy build seemed to scream strength.
'...Am I an idiot? Why am I like this...!'
Just moments ago, she'd been shaking in terror of death. But now, miraculously alive, her heart pounded like never before for the man before her.
She pressed her hand to her chest and felt her heart racing madly.
Heat rose to Emily's face.
It was her first love.
"Th-thank you... for saving me."
First, she calmed her wild heart and expressed her gratitude.
'An academy student...?'
The man's outfit was the standard academy training uniform.
The academy emblem was clearly embroidered on his chest.
Emily saw her chance.
"Um... by any chance...!"
As she racked her brain for words to extend this fateful connection...
The man spoke first.
"...Food."
"...Huh?"
A completely unexpected word.
"Got any spare food? ...I'm starving. Anything works."
The man suddenly demanded food.
After stylishly dropping the giant, this line felt off somehow, but Emily frantically rummaged through her pockets at his words.
"Y-yes! I'll get it right now! Just wait a sec!"
Luckily, Emily had a subspace pocket.
Food stored inside stayed fresh indefinitely due to time suspension.
Thanks to that handy pocket, she kept all her spare rations there.
'Thank god for this pocket...!'
She'd benefited from it many times before, but this time it felt like a godsend.
She wanted to keep this man around even a little longer.
Offering food was the perfect excuse.
"H-here... I hope it suits your taste."
What Emily pulled out was a sandwich—chicken and mashed potatoes, handmade by her.
She handed it over with a fluttering heart, and the man devoured it on the spot.
To an outsider, he looked rude and gluttonous, but to Emily, it seemed different.
'Even his eating is so rugged...'
She'd worried if her sandwich would be to his liking, but he didn't hesitate and held out his hand again.
"More... I need more food...!"
"Ah, sure! I have plenty—just say the word!"
Thrilled that he liked her sandwich and wanted more, Emily smiled happily and kept pulling food from her pocket.
She'd take one out, and he'd wolf it down in seconds.
Two out, and seconds later, gone.
His insatiable appetite showed no signs of stopping, but Emily happily kept handing it over.
The man, who kept scarfing down food...
'...Huh?'
Slowly started to bloat up.
'...Wha—?'
Soon, he transformed back into a familiar figure.
"Whew, thanks. I was in deep shit, but you saved me."
The satisfied man patted his plump belly with a smile and a greeting.
He was a classmate from her own class at school.
Ken Fine Stein.
"...Huh?"
Emily's short utterance and the sound of Ken patting his belly echoed through the quiet forest.