The Price of Saving a Princess
Repaying kindness with shit...? I ran like a madman. Behind the sound of my ragged breathing and trembling fingertips, I could feel a massive vibration. Back when I was a cleaner, at least the open fields gave me plenty of room to run. But this was a cave. The space was far too restricted.
Kieeeek-!!
Crash! Thud!
"Ugh, is this thing actually insane...?!!!"
"Towards that small exit over there!"
Behind me, legs were crashing down with reckless abandon. A roar filled with pure rage echoed through the tunnel. It didn't care about the pillars or the walls in front of it; it was pure, unadulterated madness. Damn it, was it because I burned its eggs? The fact that it didn't even care if the cave collapsed on top of us showed just how furious it was.
I was dodging the falling legs as best I could, but it was an unprecedented crisis where I could be snatched up at any second. I fixed my eyes solely on the exit Ersia pointed out and poured every ounce of strength into my legs.
"...Wait, above!"
That was when I heard her voice. Above...?
Whoosh-!
"Crazy!!!"
I threw my body to the side, rolling across the ground. Looking back at the spot where I’d just been standing, a white leg, thick as a steel rebar, was now embedded in the floor.
"What are you doing, get a grip!!!"
"Ah...!"
My mind went blank for a split second. I’d been so stunned by the realization that I would’ve been turned into a human kebab if I’d been a second slower.
Kieeeek-! Thud!
I dodged another leg of the Sub-colony crashing down toward me. I shook my head to clear the fog, hoisted Ersia back onto my back, and grabbed my bag. Squeak...! Geomdung-i and Heindung-i were clinging tightly to her shoulders, not falling off at all. They really knew how to read the room at times like this.
I braced my entire body with tension and started running again. I kept my nerves on edge, thinking that if I got caught, I’d be the daily ration for those bugs from that moment on.
Thud-thud-thud-
"Ugh-!"
"Just a little further! Get a hold of yourself!"
Damn it...! Then you run! It would’ve been easier if I were running empty-handed, but with a bag and a person on my back, escaping wasn't easy. There were just too many things to worry about...
"We're almost there!"
At her words, I looked ahead. The exit was so close I could practically touch it if I tripped. It was just big enough for a scorpion or a centipede to pass through. It was the perfect place to shake off that oversized spider bastard.
That was when it happened.
Tingle-!
"Huh?"
I was in the middle of evasive maneuvers. I felt it. An instinctual threat. Malice and a sense of foreboding slammed into the back of my head. My Jiha Tingling warned me to dodge.
Dash-
"Ugh-!"
"Wh-what, why are you doing that when we were doing so well?!"
Ersia screamed as I suddenly threw my body into a roll. I didn't understand my own actions either, but the very next moment, I realized it had been the right choice.
Hiss-!
"Ugh-!"
Something poured down onto the spot where I’d been a second ago. This time, it wasn't a leg. It was spider silk. The same threads that had been binding Ersia and protecting the eggs were pouring out like crazy. If I hadn't thrown myself away, I definitely would’ve been tied up in that.
"...Your senses are better than an Elf's."
Ersia muttered something as she watched, but I had no time to listen or answer. I hoisted her up again. Silk. The spider silk was pouring out, but the entrance wasn't blocked. I ran at maximum speed. I hadn't learned how to reinforce my body with mana yet, but I could still use my wits.
I shifted my bag to the front and gripped Ersia’s legs tightly.
"Don't be surprised!!!"
"What?!"
I had warned her. I lunged forward. The spider bastard realized it too. Those disgusting ten eyes followed me.
Whoosh-
A leg flew toward the direction I was heading. I twisted my body using my Washing skill to dodge it. And then.
Pah-!
"I don't care anymore, you son of a bitch!"
A small spark rose at my fingertips. I compressed the spark at my fingertips like crazy. It was my first time doing it while running, but it worked. Circulation. Image. Explosion. The flame at my fingertips gradually took on a round shape. I slowly aimed it at that thing—whether it was a sub-colony or a spider, I didn't care.
Pew-
"Don't look!"
"What?!"
I shouted at Ersia and kept running. I didn't look back, even as the spark flew rapidly toward the Sub-colony. It was only natural, because the mental image I had conjured was a Flashbang.
Kieeeeeeek-! Thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-thud-
"Ugh-"
I threw my body through the exit. I could hear the monster spider, blinded for a moment, thrashing around inside. It seemed I’d managed to shake it off properly.
"...What are you, a mage? Human mages should all be dead by now...?"
Wh-what is that Elf saying now? I am a mage... technically. Why would human mages be dead?
"What do you mean, human mages are dea..."
Thud-!!!
Huh? My question to Ersia was cut off as a strong vibration traveled up through my waist. It already came to its senses? But because of the light, it shouldn't know where we went, right? I turned my head to look at the entrance.
"...Let's bolt!"
"Wh-why, what's wrong?!"
I hoisted Ersia up.
"Eek-?!"
You saw it, didn't you? Those ten eyes were glaring at us from that small entrance. I ignored Ersia’s startled cry and ran.
"Quick, the way!"
"O-okay, I got it!"
Navi! The way! Ersia scanned the surroundings.
"Th-that way-!"
I started running in the direction she pointed without looking back. It was urgent. Very urgent. Why, you ask?
Thud-! Thud-! Thud-!!!
Because that lunatic was smashing into that small entrance like it was going to break it down. No, just turn around and come, why are you doing this to me?! It was the first time I’d felt such madness from a Tower monster.
"Uh... and that way-! No, more importantly, did you take anything from inside?"
Just as I was running, ignoring the spider bastard, Ersia asked. Took something? I only had the eggs? Wait... the eggs?
"I did take a few eggs from inside!"
"...You lunatic! Throw them away right now! Throw them awayyy!!!"
No, that hurts, you jerk. When Ersia heard my answer, she started pounding my shoulder with her fist. No, why is someone who was suffering from malnutrition so strong? More importantly, is that guy following us because of the eggs?
I looked at the bag on my front. "...I don't want to! They're perfect as materials, it's a waste to throw them away!"
"Are you a lunatic?! It's not like you're dying to die. Just throw them away!"
Damn it! Then you get off my back! I just need to get out of this cave and out of the Tower. I ignored her words and ran toward the cave exit.
Kieek-! Screech-!
"Damn it!"
On the way out. Bugs were crawling out from holes on both sides. Probably because they heard the Sub-colony's roar earlier.
"Look at this! I told you to just throw them away!"
"Ah, just be quiet for a second. Then you use magic or a bow and deal with them!"
Ersia shut her mouth at my words. I stopped paying attention to her and focused my energy on my fingertips again. This time, a little differently. I changed the compression method and the flow. And I threw it.
Boom-!
"I'm going to collapse this whole cave anyway! That should buy us some time!"
"Still... I'm anxious."
A small crimson flame caused an explosion. The path ahead, blocked by bugs, was blown open. And I could see the light. If I could just get out like this...
Craaaaash- Kieeeeeeek-!
"Ugh... hold on tight!"
We were just about to get out, and now this. It must have finally broken through that small hole. The cave was vibrating, the ceiling was cracking, and dust was falling. I didn't even use skills anymore, whether bugs came out in front or whatever else happened. Get out. I ran like a madman with that single obsession. I stepped on flying pincers and used a centipede baring its fangs as a stepping stone. Then, the light grew closer. I saw the exit.
"Outside...! It's outside!"
Bugs were following behind, but I ignored them. I created a small water droplet under my feet. And.
Boom-
"Ugh!"
I used the recoil to burst out of the cave. But I couldn't relax yet.
"Move aside for a second!"
"Wh-what is it!"
I shoved Ersia, who was near the cave entrance, to the side. I stood right in front of the entrance. I reached my hand into the cave, toward the bugs trying to come out. Rough. Intense explosion. From dynamite to TNT, from TNT to chemical explosion. I packed in everything I could think of. And.
I fired the cylindrical flame that had formed in front of me into the cave like a gun. The flame flew rapidly. Please... succeed!
A massive water droplet blocked the cave entrance. It was to counter the blast wave. And behind the transparent water, I saw the spider bastard rushing toward us.
BOOOOOM-!
A massive explosion occurred as the spider bastard made contact with the flame.
"Ughhhhh-!"
The water barrier blocked the flames that were trying to surge out of the cave. It was a flame so intense that if I hadn't blocked it, the Elf and the human would’ve been grilled alive. Melt away, you disgusting things! I didn't know about the spider, but the bugs were definitely dead.
Rumble-
The cave ceiling couldn't withstand the power of the explosion and collapsed. I thought I saw the spider bastard glaring at me through the falling rocks at the end... well, I guess it's fine. Yeah, try and follow me~ Once I get out of the Tower, that's it~
"Huff...! A-am I alive?"
"Yes, you're very much alive."
Ersia, who had been lying on the ground like a tragic heroine, was rubbing her cheeks frantically. Uh, yeah, you're alive. Someone helped you, by the way. She looked at me after hearing my answer.
"Th-thanks for saving my life, I guess."
Mm, mm, you should be. I gladly accepted the gratitude Ersia sent my way.
"Yeah, if it's a reward, I'll take money or some good byproducts or tools."
"But, you know..."
Ersia, who had been listening to me, hung her head low. The sudden trailing off of her words made my anxiety rise. Uh... is there no reward? Is it really not a hidden quest? I looked at Ersia like an anxious puppy.
"I! Told! You! To throw away! The eggs! Inside!!!"
"Augh-!"
Ersia raised her hand high and started pounding my back like crazy. No...! I’ve never even been hit by my mom! Well, that's because I didn't have one. Anyway.
"N-no, I saved you, why are you suddenly doing this-! Ouch-!"
"That's just a result of hindsight!"
Ah, it hurts! It hurts, you jerk! I tried to keep saying something, but Ersia showed no signs of stopping.
"Ugh... your personality is truly trash."
I clutched my back where she’d hit me. My hand felt like it was covered in white capsaicin; it was burning like hell. I looked at Ersia with resentful eyes, but—swish—she turned her head away with an expression that said it was all my fault.
That was when it happened.
Tingle-!
"Huh?"
That instinctual sensation from earlier warned me again. We were clearly outside. The bugs should have been burned and buried alive. Why... was my Jiha Tingling going off?
Just as I was thinking that.
Whoosh- Thwack-
"Wh-what is this?"
An arrow embedded in the ground right in front of me. Who is it? An arrow in a desert with nothing but sand around? I scanned the surroundings. Then, I saw figures in tattered robes, aiming bows at me from far away.
"...A search party?"
A search party? Ersia, who was next to me, muttered. And with that one word, the figures in front of us vanished. Where did they go? I stayed alert. Judging by Ersia’s reaction, it seemed to be someone she knew. Still, I didn't let my guard down.
Pop-!
"Hup-!"
The figure reappeared right in front of my eyes. I don't know what kind of nerve or confidence they had to appear in front of me like that, but you're going to lose a little something.
Whoosh-!
I swung the Daiso Rose Knife I was holding in my hand with force. The knife flew toward the neck and head of the robed figure. I thought, 'It touched...!', but it hadn't.
Clang-!
The Rose Knife was deflected in vain. How? I looked at the robe, wondering, and saw a saber that had slipped out from between the long robes.
"Ugh-!"
The vibration traveled up my arm. My fingertips trembled from the stinging sensation. It was a sensation unfamiliar to me, as I’d never had blades clash before. And the saber held in the robed figure's hand flew toward my neck.
Damn it, I shouldn't have been cocky. The saber flew straight at me. If this continues, I die. I floated the Rose Knife in my hand and gripped it in a reverse hold. No, I won't die. I can dodge and stab. I’d never killed a person before, so I felt a slight hesitation, but I didn't want to die without a fight.
Just as I was about to plunge the Rose Knife into the robed figure's head.
"Stop!!!"
Thwack-!
...I’ve felt this since before, but your voice is too loud. Ersia’s voice, which seemed to cut through the air, spread out, and the robed figure and I both stopped moving. In truth, I could’ve ignored the voice and everything else and just stabbed their head, but Ersia’s desperate expression made my hand stop.
While my gaze was fixed on Ersia, Pah-! the robed figure in front of me vanished, and—
"Are you okay, Ersia-nim~?"
Someone was already by the side of the fallen Ersia, checking on her. "We’ve come to pick you up, Ersia-nim. I was so worried when I heard you’d been captured by those bugs..."
And behind those two, more robed figures gathered. Seeing them all lower their hoods, they were all Elves. 'Ah... so those are the Elves' search party...?'
...Ersia? I gritted my teeth and looked at her. Is this how you repay kindness with shit...?
Ersia, feeling my intense gaze, opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end, she just avoided my eyes. She didn't say anything else.