A Salvation Story, Anyway (2)
Hmm. This is fucked.
I gave a calm nod, and my eyes met the boss lady’s. She’d been gnawing her nails, anxiety written all over her face. At the same moment her lips twisted into something cruel and ugly.
“You. You pink-haired little shit. What the hell did you just say? ‘Save me’?”
“Oh dear. Are you hearing voices because death is staring you in the face? It’s all right, that happens. My grandmother used to slip in and out of lucidity right before she passed, too.”
“...Huh?”
I’d reflexively sneered, but the low, flat tone of her voice and the killing intent prickling across my skin made me drop my gaze instantly.
“Ah… I mean, never mind. I didn’t say anything at all.”
Just a little longer and I’d be free. No point in upsetting her now and inviting trouble.
I am Kim Yona—a man who says what he wants even if it kills him. …But also a man perfectly willing to smash his forehead into the ground if it means he gets to keep breathing.
The boss seemed to enjoy my lightning-fast attitude adjustment. She finally eased off the murderous aura and spoke.
“Hallucinations, whatever—doesn’t matter. Keep begging to be spared. Unless you want a new hole in your side.”
Every finger of hers glittered with colorful jeweled rings. The green one flashed, and a crossguard-less throwing dagger popped into existence at her fingertip.
“…….”
I knew exactly what it was, of course. After all, I’m the one who designed that artifact. It’s a Magic Tower bestseller—the weapon storage ring. Originally meant to hold a single spare weapon, but…
She’d clearly been using it aggressively, pulling out throwing knives and flinging them. The fact that several rings had already lost their luster proved it.
I spent half a second admiring how she’d taken my idea and improved on it. Then she suddenly shoved the dagger through the bars.
Schlick.
A cold line traced my cheek. A heartbeat later came the burning sting. The boss growled at the thin cut she’d left on my handsome face.
“Who told you to close your mouth? If you don’t want your throat slit, keep begging!”
“S-Save me!!”
The scream came straight from the heart. When a crazy bitch is waving a knife in your face, anyone would shout for mercy without being told.
Only then did the boss let out a satisfied sigh. She really had lost her mind the moment her own life was on the line.
While I cursed her internally with every colorful word I knew, on the outside I kept desperately begging exactly as ordered. She strode forward, opened the cage, and hauled me up from behind—using me as a human shield. The dagger pressed against my nape as she whispered. Her breath smelled faintly of rot. Someone clearly didn’t brush her teeth.
“Good boy. Keep that up and I’ll spare you later. Promise.”
Aha. So I was the hostage. But would that actually work? And I couldn’t trust a single word about “sparing” me. This was the same woman who’d been ready to casually murder someone moments ago.
Still, I nodded frantically, face twisted in perfect terror. Just endure a little longer. An opening would come.
Whatever scent she’d been trying to hide, the absurd amount of perfume made my acting almost too easy. Anything in excess becomes a stench, after all.
“Spare… me!”
Maybe she liked how desperately I begged instead of questioning whether she was serious. The boss, now visibly more relaxed, was reaching for the underground prison door when—
KWAAAAANG!
The door didn’t open. It exploded inward as a stranger burst through. The moment I saw her face, my breath caught.
Hair and eyes the color of roaring flames. A tightly closed mouth gave her an expressionless look. She was a little short, but the full plate armor covering her body hid it well. She looked every inch a knight.
I wasn’t the only one who thought so—she was actually known by a similar title.
The Noble Rydia.
Even someone like me, who had little to do with the adventurer crowd, knew her. A high-ranking adventurer from a fallen knight family. The guild had given her that title, and she was literally famous for her upright character.
But was it really that simple? No matter how noble she was, Rydia was a veteran who’d seen every ugly thing the world had to offer. If it were me, I would’ve ignored the hostage and swung my sword. Saving the hostage would be nice; failing would be unfortunate. There was no penalty for her either way.
As I inwardly regretted not simply cursing her out earlier, the boss—as expected—shoved me forward and began negotiating.
“Stop! Or I can’t guarantee this brat’s life!”
“...Hostage?”
Rydia frowned at my trembling, terrified appearance and the cut on my face. She lowered the sword she’d been aiming.
“Objective. What is it.”
“My safety, obviously. Don’t pursue me until I leave the city. Do that, and I’ll leave the kid near the walls.”
“Nonsense.”
Rydia’s grip tightened on her lowered blade. Yeah. That was the right call.
When the opponent pushed back hard, the boss’s face went deathly pale.
“Th-Then I’ll kill the hostage right here and die with him!”
“......”
With no cards left, the boss went all-in. As she tensed her entire body for one final desperate act—
“...Fine. But guarantee the hostage’s safety. Break that promise, and I’ll hunt you to the ends of the earth and cut you down.”
“What…?”
The boss sounded dazed, clearly never expecting agreement. I felt the same. To abandon her achievement and leave a future threat just to save a total stranger she’d never met?
Suddenly it felt like a halo was shining behind Rydia, who had made a choice I never could have.
“Smart decision! As expected of the Noble Rydia! I’ll keep my word too!”
Color flooded back into the boss’s face as she nodded vigorously. Her voice was giddy, like someone who had just escaped death. At the same time, a sinister killing intent focused on my side.
Of course. Rydia might intend to keep her promise, but the boss clearly didn’t. She was probably planning to stab me in the side and flee. Given Rydia’s personality, she’d slow down to treat my wounds, making the chase harder.
Well, I’d seen it coming. Even from a modern Earth perspective, Rydia’s softness was excessive. That was why everyone praised her as noble while secretly trying to use her. Just like this boss was doing now.
So I decided to help end things cleanly. After all, she was my savior.
“Huff… huff…”
The boss breathed roughly as she backed out of the underground prison, eyes locked on Rydia’s every move. The tension peaked as she drew level with her.
True to her backstabbing nature, she was probably worried about being backstabbed herself. Unnecessary worry, in my opinion.
I, on the other hand, clenched my teeth in preparation for the coming pain.
If 3-star magic provided mana, swordsmanship provided a strong body, and holy arts provided divine power, then what bonus did something petty like pickpocketing give?
The answer was simple: agility and flexibility.
Crack.
I dislocated one wrist joint and slipped free of the ropes. With my good hand I performed a sleight-of-hand trick. The target was obviously the dagger pressed against my neck.
“...Eh?”
Too focused on Rydia, the boss couldn’t react in time. Her weapon was snatched away and she stared blankly. She really thought I’d stayed put because I couldn’t escape the ropes?
I grinned, savoring the reversal.
“Peekaboo, you fucking bitch.”
The dagger plunged toward her nape in a flash.
Shiiik—!
A lot of blood sprayed, but one-handed, I lacked the power for a clean kill. So I didn’t stop. I stabbed again and again.
“Die! Die! Die!”
Stab! Stab! Stab!
It was a throwing dagger, not meant to be gripped and swung. After a few strikes the impact made my hand slip, and the blade began slicing my own palm.
So that’s why crossguards matter. I grumbled inwardly while continuing to drive the dagger in—until my previously healthy palm was shredded, and until the boss’s breathing stopped completely.
Thud.
The boss collapsed with half her neck torn open, eyes empty. Blood kept pumping like a fountain, painting everything red.
“Huk… huk…”
The pain hit late. My breathing came in ragged gasps like I’d sprinted a mile. I was soaked head to toe in blood, dyed bright crimson.
Hmm. Good thing they’d taken my clothes. If my new outfit had ended up like this, I really would’ve been sad.
I let out a small sigh of relief—only for a stunned voice to come from behind.
“What…?”
I turned slowly. There stood Rydia, frozen as if she’d witnessed something that should never happen. Her trembling eyes flicked between the miserably dead bandit boss, me drenched in blood, and the dagger still clutched in my hand.
Okay. Situation understood.
I immediately hurled the dagger away to dispose of the murder weapon, then slumped to the floor and crafted a pitiful voice.
“Righteous adventurer! You came to save me!”
“......”
For some reason Rydia took a step back. Like she’d seen something dangerous.
That’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?