Chapter 112
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 112
Chapter Title: Hidden World (5)
After Kline went missing, Ellie felt like her soul had been sucked right out of her.
She vaguely remembered somehow making the journey from Leonhart Ducal Territory all the way to the Rosnet Viscount's estate.
But even after returning home, she couldn't focus on daily life at all.
'Young Master Kline is gone.'
That was the verdict from the Leonhart Ducal Family.
Right now, Kline Leonhart was unmistakably missing.
Just acknowledging that fact made Ellie's chest ache like it was being torn apart.
Is he okay? Is he still alive? How did he disappear? Is he searching for a way back?
Dwelling on each thought one by one left her chest heavy and stuffy. Before long, Ellie buried her face in the bed.
It was strange.
Ellie wasn't Kline's fiancée or anything like that. That position had already been claimed by Adelheit von Baldrion, the Third Imperial Princess.
She wasn't even a friend his age. That role belonged to a woman from the East named Kurotsuki Yoru.
She wasn't the person Kline cherished most either. That was his little sister, Ariel.
So why...
did her heart ache so fiercely, filled with such sorrow?
"Ah..."
Only then did Ellie realize it afresh.
That she truly harbored feelings for Kline Leonhart.
She sniffled quietly, wiping away her tears in secret.
She had no energy. She didn't want to eat or do anything.
Staggering aimlessly around her room, maybe some news would come eventually?
"Ellie."
Her father knocked on her door then.
"I understand how you feel, but you still need to train. You've chosen to walk the path of a healer yourself, so you should spend your day accordingly."
"Ungh..."
Even now, her father insisting she practice her healing arts like always felt heartless.
But Ellie wasn't the type to coldly turn away her worried father.
Eventually, she shuffled out of her room and headed to the family infirmary.
A space created for anyone injured to receive treatment from Ellie.
A gift Viscount Rosnet had prepared the moment his daughter said she wanted to become a healer.
So Ellie had to give it her all in return.
Even if her tender first love had just shattered.
"......"
Ellie entered the infirmary.
Inside waited a little girl with bandages wrapped around her arm.
Deeply furrowed brows. Eyes brimming with tears. Lips trembling faintly.
Probably scratched by some beast somewhere.
A familiar injury. Nothing Ellie couldn't handle.
So she moved toward the child as usual but suddenly froze at the sight of blood seeping through the bandage.
...Red.
Human blood is red. Ellie knew that. No need to point it out now.
But why did it hit her so hard in this moment?
They said blood had been splattered where Kline vanished.
Whose blood was it?
Maybe an enemy's?
No, probably not.
The one missing was Kline. So that blood must have been his, spilled as he lay dying—
"Ugh!"
Ellie choked back the nausea surging inside her.
She couldn't even stand and sank to the floor.
"Young Lady?! Are you hurt?!"
The servants around her voiced their concern.
But Ellie couldn't hear a word of it.
Why? Healing, which she'd done so casually until now, felt utterly alien.
Back then, treating the injured had been joyful, fulfilling.
Why now...
did that red liquid terrify her so?
"Ha. Hah, heuk—"
"H-Healer! Check on Young Lady Ellie quick!"
Hyperventilation hit her without warning, forcing her to hunch over.
Her consciousness blurred. Her vision blackened.
In that haze, she saw an illusion of Kline dying, blood pouring from him.
It terrified her beyond measure.
She truly never wanted to open her eyes again.
**
The untimely clash with the protagonists didn't drag on.
While I kept defending, the hidden world suddenly yawned open beside me.
Seemed like a signal to head to the next era, so I leaped right in.
No clue what happened after that.
Probably, if Ellie saved Kline, the protagonists would've bolted on their own.
Wouldn't make sense not to. Even all together, they couldn't beat that Kline.
Even without me, Ellie would've saved him anyway. No main scenario alteration message, then.
"Well. So the issue is..."
Where the hell is this?
I scanned my surroundings.
No trace of blue in the sky anymore.
Not night or anything. Most of it was just steeped in red.
Maybe signaling the Crimson Blood Cult's forces advancing aggressively.
Looking for a landmark, one popped up immediately.
The imperial palace.
"Whoa. Why here of all places."
This world's palace looked far more battered and rundown than when I'd gone to the Cluster of Stars.
Not like they'd neglected it. No one'd be insane enough to slack on the palace.
Definitely the war's doing.
No signs of life in the streets around the palace ward either.
A ghost town devoid of people.
Everyone either fled the capital to scrape by... or got buried unable to escape.
Tragic either way.
"Hmm."
Anyway, my landing here—does it mean it's time to see Ariel?
Feels like I've heard all the useful info by now.
Thinking that, right as I stepped forward—
"!"
A shiver ran through me.
An aura like needles stabbing my whole body shot from ahead.
'What the—.'
As strong as the Kline I'd just seen.
These powerhouses commonplace in the original timeline?
If I'd trained to this point, I wouldn't lag behind.
But right now? Dicey.
Don't even know who it is.
Imperial forces or Crimson Blood Cult—could spark a fight—
"Hey there. Who're you?"
"Huh?"
A familiar voice.
Almost like they cherry-picked these exact people on purpose.
Crunch, crunch—
The woman parting the underbrush had black hair.
And eyes like blood, crimson.
A vampire's.
The future of my friend Kurotsuki Yoru.
"......Huh?"
Yoru frowned.
Ten years? No, even longer.
This Yoru looked far more mature than the one I knew as she scratched her temple.
She eyed my face every which way before speaking.
"You. What are you?"
"......"
What what?
Not sure her angle yet, so I held off answering.
Yoru hummed, arms crossed under her chest.
"Sensed an unknown presence, came to check. Eyes say not human. But vampire? No word from the cult..."
'Ah.'
Got it. My eyes are still red, huh.
Made me look vampiric to smooth things along.
Shing—
Yoru drew her sword.
Open hostility.
"State your affiliation. Verify it, and you're free to go."
"Fellow vampire—no quarter?"
"Quarter what. Since when do we care about tha..."
Mid-sentence, Yoru halted.
Her eyes widened just a bit.
She tilted her head at me.
"You. Step out."
"Pardon?"
"Can't see you in the shadow. Come out."
You my boss?
For now, complied. No desire to fight.
Stepped into the moonlight, and Yoru's eyes flew wide—way wider.
Looked genuinely shocked.
'Why?'
Recognize my face?
"You..."
Yoru sheathed her sword.
Rushed right up and pawed at my face from all angles.
"Eek. Hold on. What're you doing?"
"Stay put. Gotta confirm. Pissed? Fight me."
She kneaded my cheeks, my jaw, then stepped back with a hum.
"Uncanny resemblance."
"Pardon?"
"Why do you look so much like our Captain? Blue his eyes, shave some years off—he'd be you."
What.
Was original me chummy with Yoru?
No, and she just said Captain.
So Yoru's subordinate to Kline?
"But not those lively, sparkling eyes of yours... Creeps me out. Too unfamiliar."
"What kinda thing to say to someone's face."
"Hmm. Exactly. Our Captain couldn't joke like that. Ever."
"......"
Yoru's aura sharpened.
Killing intent thick enough to sever my head on its own.
'Gotta fight?'
I swallowed hard, tensing—
Yoru burst out laughing, clapping my shoulder.
"Kidding! Newbie to our 1st Unit, huh."
"Pardon?"
"Won't pry. Special strike team from the Cult Leader, I bet. Follow. I'll show you to 1st Unit."
With that, she turned her back briskly.
Like she trusted me completely.
'Sheesh.'
Yoru's Yoru even here.
That unpredictable personality unchanged.
"Ah."
Yoru paused, tossed me something.
A black hood.
"What's this?"
"Hide your face. Lively types like you get hassle 100%."
"Vampires pull rank too?"
"Like we wouldn't?"
She giggled, pressing on.
"Who turns vamp if they're fine?"
After that, silence between us.
Didn't wanna open my mouth and botch things.
Yoru had no questions, just strode ahead.
Though she kept glancing back subtly, like pondering something.
'No idea.'
Does this Yoru like me—er, Kline too?
What if my identity stirs chaos?
No, is meeting Kline now even smart?
Hood covers my face, but discovery means hassle.
"......"
The full moon hung bright in the night sky.
It sank slowly below the horizon.
Dim dawn broke.
We reached where 1st Unit waited.
'Whoa.'
The instant I sensed them, mana surged through my body.
Couldn't endure their bloodlust otherwise.
Crimson Blood Cult's 1st Unit.
All vampires, all swordmasters—emanating killing intent just by existing.
Even I, who'd maxed the world's #2 talent with scenario tweaks, needed full mana guard.
"Captain!"
Yoru wove through them like her living room.
Members parted, clearing a path.
I trailed her to one man.
'Meet again.'
The guy from earlier with Ellie.
Kline Leonhart—original me.
Dull, frizzy blond hair. Dead red eyes. Waiting for Yoru.
"......Where were you."
My voice, yet chillingly alien.
Unbelievable it was the same person.
Parched. Dry as dust.
Unlike Ariel.
Not emotionless from the start.
Someone who'd murdered their own feelings.
"Out for a quick drink."
"Told you not to wander. We're beheading the Emperor soon."
"That's why I relaxed. Ease up. Brought solid backup."
"......Backup?"
"Yeah. Cult Leader sent 'em, probably. Our op's iffy odds? Reinforcements."
"Never doubt the Cult Leader's judgment. He doesn't fail."
"Then success is easier with backup. Happy?"
"......"
Kline clicked his tongue.
Then pierced me with those red eyes.
'Damn. That killing intent.'
Backup intro, and he radiates murder. Psycho.
Aura to block the stabbing needles.
Kline stared wordlessly, then muttered hoarsely.
"If it's the Cult Leader's call."
'That's it?'
Expected grilling.
Too gullible?
"Move out. Op imminent."
"Got it. Time for that exalted Emperor's head."
"Enough. Follow. 1st Unit."
Kline advanced. All of 1st Unit followed.
I tailed them discreetly toward the palace.
'Met Yoru now.'
Eerily, same order as the women from my reality.
Adel, Ellie, Yoru, Ariel.
So...
'Ariel next.'
I narrowed my eyes ever so slightly.
If my hunch held...
There, in the Empire's imperial palace.
Waited this world's little sister.