Dead-End of Madness
After chasing Margaret from the monastery for about ten minutes, she suddenly stopped. Amid the dense trees where even sunlight barely penetrated, it was a dark, secluded spot deep in the forest, far from any human traffic. Margaret cautiously scanned the surroundings, checking if anyone had arrived first. This seemed to be the "secret meeting place" she'd thought of.
"..."
I'd come this far; there was no turning back now. I steeled myself. The person I had to face next was someone who'd tried to kill me multiple times. A fight with her was inevitable—and depending on how things went, I might even have to kill her myself.
It's definitely not going to end easily.
Even knowing that, the reason I was confronting her head-on was to extract information. Why were they targeting me? Why was she helping them? How much did she know about me? And if she did know... how much exactly? To be honest, I had too many questions.
"Haah... whew..."
I took a light breath to steady myself, then slowly revealed myself to her. Not like someone who'd chased her here, but as if I'd been waiting all along, calm and composed.
"You're late. I've been waiting, Sister Margaret."
Margaret had just confirmed no one was around and was starting to relax when I popped out of nowhere. She flinched in surprise.
"You—you...!?"
I was seeing her for the first time, but her reaction made it clear she knew who I was.
"Good. Looks like the letter I sent got through just fine."
Maybe it was my imagination, but the closer I got, the more a inexplicable disgust welled up from deep in my chest. It felt like I had to judge her right now... my fists itched for it.
"What's wrong? Shocked that your prey turned the tables and hunted you instead?"
"How did you...?!"
Margaret's eyes shook wildly, her lips trembling in disbelief.
"How? You might not believe it, but I have a few special abilities. Let's just say this is one of them. You didn't really think a normal kid with no powers would be targeted by the church, did you?"
Her gaze narrowed, wary now. Looked like my bluff had worked, at least for the moment.
"What do you want?"
"Nothing much. Just curiosity, I guess. I have a few questions for you. Doesn't it seem odd? A proper church nun helping demon cultists."
"Shut up!"
She exploded in rage.
"You think I want to help that bitch!?"
That confirmed it: she was helping the cult, whether she liked it or not.
She didn't want to, but she had no choice...
I decided to push her harder.
"You've got a weakness they have on you."
"..."
Her face stiffened—I'd hit the mark.
A weakness big enough to make her obey demon cult orders without question...
Given her role handling supplies, maybe she'd embezzled donated grain or other goods, or siphoned monastery resources for personal gain or to line her pockets by selling to outsiders. There were other possibilities, but right now, all I could do was throw out guesses.
"...You've been diverting monastery supplies all this time, haven't you?"
"Heh... heh heh heh heh heh..."
Suddenly, a dry laugh escaped Margaret's lips. A chilling, low, unstable cackle filled the air, echoing eerily around us.
"...?"
"Yes... heh heh heh heh... y-yes... that's right... just like back then... that bastard dragged me here too, yammering about my sins, demanding penance... from me of all people!!!"
Margaret quietly drew a dull iron mace from her habit. Her grip tightened, her eyes wild—already lost to sanity.
Shit...!
It wasn't just embezzlement. Her sins ran deeper than I'd imagined.
"You're just like that bastard... You're the real evil!"
She bit her lip, muttering.
"..."
"I have to judge the wicked... heh heh heh..."
Her form twisted slowly. The laughter stretched on, growing madder, her eyes unfocused, staring into some past horror.
"I'll make you just like him."
I wanted more info, but she was beyond reason now.
"I'll kill you!!!"
She charged at me.
"Die!!!"
"..."
Honestly, while chasing her here, I'd thought about bolting—I could probably lose her. But something wouldn't let me. I didn't run. I closed my eyes.
No turning back now.
I've got my preparations, right?
Maybe it was inevitable from the start. I checked the protective amulet hidden in my habit, then gripped the dagger I'd brought just in case.
Crunch!— A heavy blow slammed into me. My shoulder crumpled, agony ripping through my arm like it was tearing off, but I gritted my teeth and endured.
"Heh heh, hahaha hahaha!!!"
Margaret smirked, thinking she'd finished me...
Stab!— I seized the moment, yanking out the hidden dagger and plunging it into the nape of her neck.
Damage against the wicked has been increased.
"Gaaahhh!!!!"
Her agonized scream rang out, and in reflex, she swung wildly...
Thud!— My body flew through the air, crashing back to the ground.
"Guh...!"
Blood filled my mouth... Every bone around my battered shoulder and gut felt shattered, organs rupturing in waves of excruciating pain. I writhed for a moment, then barely regained my senses and looked up at her.
"Ugh...!"
Margaret stood there, dagger lodged in her neck. But judging by the blood soaking her clothes and pooling on the ground... the blade had hit her carotid. She'd bleed out like this.
But I couldn't overlook that she was a cleric. She yanked the dagger free, unleashing a gush of blood. She must've known she could heal herself. Sure enough, she clamped her hand over the wound, closed her eyes, and began praying.
Like hell I'll let you!
I grabbed a nearby rock and hurled it at her with all my strength.
Clang!— It smacked her forehead mid-prayer, breaking her concentration. I forced myself up and charged. My body wasn't fully healed—every step twisted my guts—but I could still move.
Margaret was prepping another prayer for recovery. I scooped up the dropped dagger mid-run and lunged.
"!?"
But just as I went for the killing blow...
Screeech, graaahhh, skreeee—
A metallic shriek unlike anything I'd ever heard—alien, unreal—warped the darkness before my eyes...
Boom, flash!— Like a dump truck slamming my whole body, an impact engulfed me.
... . ..
My body... shattered to pieces... then regenerated. Consciousness had blacked out completely, then dragged back forcibly.
How much time passed?
I couldn't tell after losing consciousness.
Shit...
I propped up my barely healed upper body and scanned around.
"..."
I was still in that gloomy forest spot, shrouded in thick darkness. Not far off lay a mangled, unrecognizable corpse—twisted beyond recognition. I instinctively knew it was Margaret.
"Ahh~ Our new master~"
Then, following the voice, into view came Annette, peering down at me with a creepy smile, surrounded by massive black blobs. They mimicked life poorly—awkward limbs, legs, tentacles flailing and morphing endlessly.
Fuck...
Goosebumps exploded across my skin.