Chapter 111
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: The Backside World (4)
Saved Kline Leonhart... and died?
I mulled over those words as I followed behind Ellie.
Why, though?
Anyone could see Ellie wasn't a vampire.
So why did she have a reason to save Kline?
"Why did you save him?"
"......"
Ellie's expression didn't so much as twitch.
I wondered just how many years of torment she must have endured to become this much like a stone statue.
"If I had to put a name to it... a sense of kinship."
"Kinship?"
"Someone whose very existence is pain. Someone who wishes they could leave this world as soon as possible. In that sense, I knew he was one of my own kind."
"Whoa."
She sure dumped some heavy gloom on me right from the first meeting.
Maybe that was the fate Elisicia Rosnet was originally meant to face.
In the world I came from, Ellie wasn't exactly the type to live a joyful life either.
But doubts still lingered.
'Kinship strong enough to lay down your life?'
From what Ellie was saying, it sounded like she'd traded her own life to save Kline's.
That seemed a bit much, didn't it?
"Is it that intriguing to you?"
"Yeah. It's just hard to wrap my head around right away."
"How did I treat you in the world you came from?"
"Huh?"
"If we'd met, I'd have felt the same toward you without a doubt. Don't make me say it myself."
Whoa. Cold as ice.
The feelings Ellie had for me?
Stuff like being troubled or embarrassed... that was about it, right?
'Ah.'
Suddenly, it clicked.
And the moment I realized it, I understood why the Ellie in front of me hadn't said it outright.
'No way. Is that really it?'
What kind of guy was this Kline Leonhart character, anyway?
I'd just figured I was the type who got tangled up with women a lot.
But thinking back, the Adel from this world I'd met earlier felt the same. There seemed to be a surprising number of women who quietly fancied Kline.
'So that's it. She sacrificed herself because she loved him.'
For a vampire who was a heinous criminal, no less.
I shook my head. There was no room left for me to meddle.
If a woman wanted to give her life for a man she loved, who was I to interfere?
Just then, a noise echoed off the ice walls.
Thud... thud...
"What's that?"
I furrowed my brow and scanned our surroundings warily.
What was it? Did the Crimson Blood Cult still have forces left?
Come to think of it, I recalled hearing that demonic beasts appeared in Priod.
Were those the threats they made?
"Sounds like the Imperial Army's arrived."
"Imperial Army?"
"Word of Priod's fall would have just reached them. They're probably sending people to verify it."
"Oh no. So where's Kline? We need to find him quick and get out."
"He's probably buried at the spot where he fought the grand chieftain. Let's hurry before they get here."
"You know who he is, huh."
"Shardia Academy's heroes are being hailed as humanity's hope right now."
Oh.
Figures from my world I'd never even heard of were coming up.
'Shardia Academy.'
The title of the original story, and the core institution of this world.
The protagonist must be headed there.
How long had we walked through the palace following Ellie?
By the time the stench of blood filled the air and sticky bloodstains clung to my shoes...
Ellie and I finally reached our destination.
"Whoa."
It was hell.
No trace of blue remained in the ice palace.
The entire world was dyed crimson, as if painted with blood.
Countless corpses littered the floor.
Priod warriors. Crimson Blood Cult vampires. Beasts and demonic creatures.
In the midst of this hellish mix of blood and flesh that turned the stomach...
One man lay unconscious, on the brink of death.
'That's him.'
The original Kline Leonhart looked nothing like me.
He had golden hair like mine, sure.
But it didn't shine brightly—it was dulled and tarnished.
And his unfocused pupils.
They weren't blue, but blood red.
And above all...
'He's strong.'
I could only gaze at him leisurely because he was unconscious.
If he'd been awake, I wouldn't have been able to look so casually.
'Just how strong has he become?'
Compared to the original Kline, I figured I had way more tools at my disposal.
But when it came to accumulated inner energy, I couldn't match him.
The world's second-ranked talent.
That was the result of endless refinement, right there.
"Kline."
Then Ellie spoke up.
I first thought she was talking to the fallen original Kline, but no—it was to me.
"Want to make a deal?"
"What kind?"
"The Backside World sent you to me for a reason. And it's my role to explain that to you. So, I want compensation."
"Anything's fine—just explain first. I'm not in a position to be picky."
"Very well."
Ellie slowly stepped forward.
Making her way toward the original Kline at a glacial pace, she recited the information I needed to know.
"As I began researching this man, I realized something. Why a guy with one of the world's top talents was so mentally unstable. Why he lacked any sense of pride or self-esteem."
Why did it feel like I was the one getting insulted, even though she wasn't talking about me?
"Kline Leonhart was born with blessed talent. And ironically, that became the source of his despair."
"......Because of Ariel?"
"Yes. Talent superior to his own. A genius among geniuses, heaven above heaven. When he learned that was his cherished little sister, Kline's self-esteem crumbled."
"What does that have to do with your research?"
"Surprisingly... in some uncountable past, there was a similar case."
"!"
What?
There'd been a sibling pair like us before?
"A sister with the greatest talent among humans. But a sister whose talent transcended human limits. Their story was recorded in ancient texts. I only discovered it while skimming through old medical tomes."
"No way. That sister was...?"
"Yes."
Ellie nodded.
She had already drawn very close to the original Kline.
"She was the Blood Demon. The leader of the Crimson Blood Cult—an elder vampire."
"......"
"So remember this. If you become the 'strongest', you can defeat the Blood Demon. But the way to redeem her is to become 'family'."
"What the hell does that mean? You telling me to marry her or something?"
"Sorry. This is all I can tell you. Nothing more."
"Because of the Backside World?"
"You get it."
Of course I did. Prophets had already milked that excuse dry.
As I stared at her dubiously, Ellie pointed behind her with her hand.
Heavy footsteps echoed from that direction.
Shardia Academy's heroes were coming.
"The terms of the deal I mentioned are simple. While I save Kline, hold them off."
"That's it?"
"Simple, but it'll be plenty tough. They live up to being called heroes."
"Once the fight's over, you'll tell me how to move to the next world?"
"No. The Backside World will probably open a portal on its own. Just step inside."
"Got it. Then sure."
I shrugged and gripped my sword.
So basically, I just fight casually, and it'll send me to the next world automatically.
Easy enough.
The entrance to the great hall.
I planted myself squarely amid the chunks of flesh, and soon figures appeared.
"What are those?"
"People?"
"People left here?"
One man at the forefront.
And several women trailing behind him.
'Dead obvious harem setup.'
Typical academy story.
Hmm.
Would talking work?
I was human, after all. Not Crimson Blood Cult.
If I just asked them to wait a bit?
'Yeah, right.'
Since Ellie was trying to save Kline, it was impossible anyway.
I silently drew my sword.
Shing—
The metallic ring halted the enemies in their tracks.
"He's drawn his sword. Prepare for combat."
"Hold on. What if we talk first? Maybe we can reason with them?"
"What are you saying? Didn't you see their eye color?"
Ah.
Come to think of it, my eyes were red right now.
'So that's why.'
I got it now—why the Backside World made me look like a vampire.
Was it thoughtful or just unnecessary meddling?
"Who are you?"
The protagonist at the front asked me.
He looked plenty strong.
He earned that hero title.
And with his comrades beside him... yeah, this wouldn't be an easy fight.
But I didn't mind.
Helping someone else's love life was fun.
Especially in another world.
"Cupid of Love."
And with that, the battle began.
Elisicia Rosnet.
Once known as the young lady of the Rosnet barony.
But now, somehow, she was called a saintess.
She knelt quietly and placed her hand on Kline's forehead.
The exact same action as before her death in her previous life.
But this time was different.
The sounds of combat echoing from the hall's entrance far away.
A young Kline from another world was helping her.
"How ridiculous."
A tale of the past, already over.
A world long sealed shut.
Yet the Backside World had replayed the records of that past for Ellie.
She'd first thought it a malicious prank.
But now it felt like a blessing.
Because in her previous life, she hadn't even been able to talk much with Kline before dying.
Woooong—
White light burst from Ellie's hand.
The light flowed through Kline's body along his bloodstream.
At the same time, his wounds began to heal.
'Spell of Life.'
The ultimate healing magic Ellie had reached at the end of her path as a healer.
It could heal even wounds that wouldn't recover, or beings separate from humans—absolute healing.
The only cost was the caster's life.
"In my previous life, I couldn't even talk while defending."
Sweat dripped down Ellie's cheek.
It hurt, as expected.
She'd felt it before dying last time—the agony of transferring one's entire life to another.
But it didn't matter.
For the man she loved, this was nothing.
Last time, defending against the academy heroes had made it even harder.
Now she had breathing room.
She could even talk.
How much time passed like that?
"......"
Kline's eyebrows twitched.
The Number One Captain of the Crimson Blood Cult.
Known as the Crimson Moon Blood Sword, he immediately opened his eyes and surveyed his surroundings.
This was definitely the grand chieftain of Priod's palace, where he'd collapsed.
'What?'
He should be dead.
The wounds were fatal. No mistaking it.
He'd volunteered for the Priod op intending to die in the first place.
Enough to act alone, leaving his Number One squad behind.
So why was he alive again—
"......Awake?"
A voice reached him then.
Frail, lacking confidence.
But always gentle, always worried for Kline.
"S-Saintess."
"Call me... Ellie."
"What are you doing? Right now, do you even know... who you're saving...?"
One just revived.
The other nearly dead.
Kline and Ellie exchanged halting words.
Kline tried to pull away from her hand, but couldn't.
Ellie was holding him down with her strength.
"Ahaha. You... don't know, do you? Well... the Backside World wouldn't return your memories... or it'd ruin the fun......"
"What nonsense is this? Step back now. If word spreads that the saintess... helped a vampire like me—what do you think will happen—"
"I don't care about that. Saving you is all that matters."
It was a wistful smile.
One impossible to imagine directed at a heinous criminal.
Overflowing with love and compassion.
Seeing Kline's lips tremble,
Ellie continued softly.
"I know. That you curse your life."
"......"
"Why you're alive. Why you were born. Not knowing those answers, you threw yourself into Priod just to die."
"Why... knowing that... do you save me? A sinless woman like you... her life for mine... what's the point..."
"No."
Ellie's life was nearly spent now.
Her heartbeat slowing.
Before dying, she spoke the words she'd always wanted to tell Kline.
A smile on her face.
"I felt the same. I didn't know why I was born. Why I had to live this painful life."
"......"
"But now I do. I was born to love you... and save you. That's my purpose. So......"
She bowed her head.
Distance narrowed to a breath's width.
Ellie covered his lips quietly and whispered.
"......I'll give you meaning. Meaning for your empty life. So......"
Live.
With that, Ellie breathed her last.
The same end as her previous life.
Just as fated, Ellie sacrificed herself for Kline.
But the process was different.
This time, the young Kline had let her say the words left unsaid.
Woooong—
The Backside World quivered in delight.
Satisfied with the fulfilling conclusion,
It opened a portal beside the young Kline battling the academy heroes far away.