The Remaining Ones (3)
The Remaining Ones (3)
Capital Analion, and Smalion and Pazurion.
Melanie and her group went to find the refugees who were camping somewhere in the midpoint between the three cities.
Every single refugee was covered in black spots all over their bodies.
It was proof that they had been attacked by Nightmares.
Ordinary people, once their symptoms worsen to that extent, all fall into a sleep from which they cannot awaken.
"You must return to where you came from immediately. The capital has no intention of accepting you. In fact, they plan to classify you as demonkin and launch a large-scale extermination operation."
Looking at the refugees surrounding Melanie's group, Hilda spoke.
The face of the former Saintess was famous even among the refugees.
After all, these were people who had held onto the hope that one day they might receive healing from her.
"They call us demonkin?"
"Are they really going to kill us all?"
Given that it was the Saintess saying this, it seemed no one doubted it was a lie.
The people who heard Hilda's warning buzzed with conversation, glancing at someone as if checking their reaction.
In the direction the refugees' gazes turned, a pair of a man and a woman stood.
Both had the same purple hair.
[Seems you know them?]
'Yeah... They're twin siblings.'
[Doesn't look like they're fated to die.]
'No, not yet... The boy will die later.'
[......Hmm? But...]
Luxuria seemed to have some question, but the male twin spoke first.
He had a sharp impression, the kind that made you feel you shouldn't approach him recklessly.
"Is that true? That they're trying to kill us?"
"Yes."
"I told you from the start this could happen. It's still not too late. Let's go back to where we came from."
The female twin also spoke.
Her impression was even sharper than her brother's.
"No, precisely because it's come to this, we must head towards the capital even more."
"What?"
"Think about what's happened so far. Those bastards lived as if we didn't exist in this world, not caring about us at all. It wasn't their problem, right? But now, even before we've arrived, they're making a fuss like this trying to stop us!"
The man looked around at the other refugees and continued, almost shouting.
"If they're this worked up just because we're trying to approach, what do you think will happen if we succeed in spreading these spots in the capital? Those noble bastards will find a way to cure this disease in an instant. Because now it's their problem too!"
"R-right. After all the years we've been ignored, it's unfair if only we die."
"Nothing will change unless we make it everyone's problem!"
Seeing that the refugees showed no intention of canceling their plan, Hilda stepped forward urgently.
"I-I can provide treatment too."
"How long would it take for you alone to treat this many people?"
"......That......"
Hilda, at a loss for words, looked around.
Just the visible number was dozens, and if you included those not seen, it would reach hundreds.
"I don't mean to blame you, but I know how it works too. For someone as covered in spots as we are, even if you focus on treating one person, it would take days."
"Alino! Don't say such..."
"And look at this!"
"Ugh......!"
The man called Alino grabbed the arm of the woman trying to stop him and held it out to Hilda, pushing up the sleeve.
It too was stained with spots.
"Alina originally had no spots. She got infected from being with me."
"W-what did you say?"
Hilda looked noticeably flustered.
While everyone firmly believed the rumor that the Nightmares' curse was contagious, no such case had ever been confirmed.
"I'm truly grateful that you say you'll treat us. But do you have facilities to quarantine this many people? Without such a space, treatment is useless no matter what. And do you think the city would give such space to the likes of us?"
"......"
The confused voices of the refugees grew louder.
What Alino had just said was something he was bringing up for the first time in front of them too.
And with those words, even the faint hope that they might receive treatment if they waited disappeared.
These were people who had clung to that hope to survive until now.
Alino was taking that hope away, trying to make them keep moving forward.
"Even if we don't fall into sleep, the Nightmares are strong enough to beat us to death without such abilities. We were living day by day, enduring in places bordering their territory. Rather than returning to that life, I'd rather die collapsed on the main street of the capital."
"......Let's go back for now. They're overheated too, so it's better to let them cool their heads and talk again later."
Melanie spoke in a low voice and tugged on Hilda's sleeve.
Alino and the refugees following him seemed resolute, and her group lacked the means to persuade them.
"......I will visit you again soon. There must be those who need treatment for things other than the spots. I will help as much as I can."
"......"
Hilda bowed her head to the refugees in farewell and then turned to leave.
The refugees made way for Melanie's group as they prepared to depart.
"Melanie! Can't we just go together and say we'll beat all the Nightmares to death for them?"
"If that were possible just among ourselves, wouldn't the war between humanity and the demonkin have ended long ago?"
"......I'm just saying we should say it!"
"What good is making a promise you can't keep!"
After putting distance between themselves and the refugees, Lili and Pia immediately began bickering.
Hilda, who had been silently watching the two, spoke in a low voice.
"......I was lying too."
"Huh?"
"I dislike those people. They're dirty, they smell... The thought of spending long years among such people, doing nothing but healing, is impossible for me now. I was even worried they might actually follow my advice."
"S-Saintess-nim?"
"Trying to stop them with this mindset, just because leaving them to die feels wrong... might be hypocrisy. And a waste of time."
Hilda seemed to be saying there was no other way, so they should withdraw here.
It seemed she thought tying Melanie's feet to this place would be a detriment.
However, even as Hilda wore an expression of having sorted out her thoughts, Melanie had no intention of giving up like this.
"......Don't rationalize it like that and push yourself. I'll find a way."
"Melanie......"
"Otherwise, we might have to kill those people ourselves."
* * *
"There's something I'm curious about."
"Euk......!"
The red threads tightened sharply, digging into her skin, and Melanie grimaced in pain.
Summoned to the Divine Hall, Melanie was having her wrists bound.
Normally, Luxuria would just flick a finger, and red threads appearing from the void would bind Melanie's body.
But today, for some reason, the Goddess was tying Melanie up herself.
"Until now, whenever you saw children fated to die, you felt sorrow."
"Y-yes? Ouch......!"
"When you were about to leave Pia to die, the sight of your heart crumbling was truly spectacular."
"Agh......! Y-you're tying it too tight......!"
"Just recalling the miserable death Hilda was meant to meet, a sweet scream echoed from within your chest."
"Ugh......! What are you trying to say......?"
Luxuria, who had bound Melanie's arms behind her back, forced her to kneel.
And she looked down at her with an expression of deep dissatisfaction.
"So why is it that when I look at that fellow Alino, I don't sense such feelings?"
"......Huh?"
"Didn't you say that fellow is also fated to die? I hear not a single sound of your heart tearing apart from the conflict over whether to save him or leave him be, or how to save him if you do."
"......Me?"
Melanie recalled when she met Alino today.
And she had to admit that what Luxuria said was true.
Melanie hadn't felt particularly sad about Alino's impending death, nor had she pondered ways to save him.
"Is it because this Alino fellow is in a position opposing you, so you think it's fine if he dies?"
"......Th-that's not it."
While they were now forced into a situation where they might oppose each other, originally in Sephemo, Alino was the protagonist's ally.
"Then is it because in the story you know, he's not a fellow you have a deep relationship with?"
"That's not it either..."
While his twin Alina was closer to the protagonist, that didn't mean Alino was sidelined.
"I sensed no particular Distortion from the fellow either. It's not a case like that disgusting Kobold or that annoying knight bastard, where you wouldn't feel an ounce of pity. So then——"
"Euk......!"
The Goddess grabbed her slave's chin, forcing her to meet her fierce gaze directly.
"——Is it because he's not a girl, so you feel no attachment?"
"............How could that be?"
Melanie put on the calmest expression she could and answered in a composed voice.
But there was no way that could deceive the Goddess.
The enraged Goddess's long hair began to float into the air.
"Y-you damn wench...!"
"W-wait, why are you so angry?!"
"You lowly thing! I almost pitied your circumstances at times! I, of all beings, almost had my heart swayed by the likes of you!"
"What are you talking about?!"
"I almost mistook you for a pitiful hero torn between the life before your eyes and a greater cause! And you're just a lecher who feels no sympathy unless the other party is a pretty girl! Me!"
"What?! W-wait! It's a misunder——"
"What misunderstanding, you vile wench!"
Thwack!♥
"——Oough?!"
The Goddess firmly gripped the female's head to hold it still and plunged her massive member into the vulgar mouth.
Overwhelmed by its immense girth, the female had to open her mouth so wide her jaw felt like it would dislocate.
Even though it didn't go all the way in, her throat was completely blocked.
Saliva she couldn't swallow flowed out of her mouth, her breathing cut off made her eyes water.
"I will no longer be deceived by this lying, filthy mouth of yours!"
Thwack!♥
"Gah, hack......?!♡"