Ep.7 - An Uncomfortable Journey (2)
Ep.7 - An Uncomfortable Journey (2)
***
In front of the Khalid gate.
"No, how the hell did security get this tight overnight?! This makes no sense!"
"Shut it! This is Her Majesty's command. She ordered disobedience to be punished severely, so if you so much as lay a hand on the baggage again, we'll cut it clean off. Move!"
Like a highway snarled by a car accident, countless carriages and crowds massed near the city entrance, all shouting at the top of their lungs.
"G-goodness... can we even get through this? It's complete pandemonium..."
"Louder than some shitty back alley."
Listening quietly to the sounds outside from inside the carriage, I could even make out some rather violent noises.
The thud of fists, the crunch of bodies hitting the ground, the crash of things breaking...
"Aagh—! Not that!"
Some people screamed, others raged.
"Looks like the bastards around here got caught good. Obvious they got busted trying to sling some shady drugs. Dumb fucks."
Riko spat out curses while praying for their souls. Apparently, drugs like marijuana were widespread in this world too.
Then again, seeing Ms. Helen constantly puffing on cigars...
"Hey. Everyone listen up. The plan that dumb bitch came up with is over. Those lazy-ass search swordsmen? The moment they nail one bust, their eyes roll back and they'll hunt like they're after rats."
Riko leaned forward and whispered just loud enough for only us to hear. Naturally, the women drew their heads together in the center.
Of course, just huddling up like that risked letting sound leak out, so Chichi used a soundproof magic barrier. No sound would escape from inside that barrier.
And so, from then on, only the five of us were part of the conversation...
"Right now, all five of us bolt straight into Khalid. We've got to get in while they're fighting like that with no sense of order."
"But we have no means of entry. The moment we step out of the carriage, they will surely notice."
"No, more than that! What about leaving those two behind?"
"Absolutely not. I won't abandon Eva."
Her plan ran into some fierce opposition. Not a single person agreed with it.
"Let's do this. Delin does a Save right now. If we Save, those two will end up alive and well anyway, right? Even if they die while we're gone, we just Load back here and it's done."
Save!
A tremendous word burst from Riko's mouth.
The shockwave was truly immense.
The women reacted instantly like wildfire,
and especially Chichi fiercely opposed it and cornered Riko.
"Are you out of your mind!? I already explained that the Save needs to be at the earliest point in time! In case things go wrong, it's like starting over from the beginning..."
"Hey. Shut your trap. Every single one of you magic-slinging bastards are cowards, I swear."
"C-cow...? Coward? Coward!?"
"Yeah. Coward."
Riko suddenly ridiculed Chichi, then opened her mouth again and began to lecture us about the useful functions of Save and Load.
"We're short on time, so listen up. You all seem to think it's best to Save at the earliest point that's unaffected by other events. That's the kind of thinking only a fuckin' moron would have. You've got to hammer it in at every crucial moment and use it."
"If that causes something even Delin's power can't undo, can you take responsibility? Huh? Can you!?"
"Chichi-yang is right. Your problem is that kind of recklessness; did I not tell you that you need to think a bit more calmly?"
Fighting sounds still came from outside. It seemed a few people caught by the knights were resisting rather fiercely.
"We've got to get a Save in fast before those dumb bastards outside all drop dead! Delin, just Save."
"Uh, uhh...? Still, like Chichi noona said, the Save should be used sparingly..."
"Listen to me. You have to use the ability you've got—so you're just gonna let it rot? Even if problems come up, you can solve everything with just a few Loads. Who's gonna stop you? You killed those monster bastards in the end, didn't you?"
"That's enough! Follow the leader's words!"
This didn't seem like the kind of talk appropriate for the situation...
If you were going to say it, you should've said it way sooner!
Why spring it on us all of a sudden now...
"Haaah... Hey, you lot. You know what it means to have a Save set at the very front, right?"
Riko growled at everyone in a voice that had become utterly serious, so much so that for a moment a chill shot down my spine and gave me goosebumps.
Of course, I was the only one scared; the other noonas frowned amid the menacing atmosphere Riko was creating. They also seemed to find Riko's behavior incomprehensible.
"It means we all gather back together and have to start over from the beginning again and again, got it?"
But she, with utmost seriousness,
with all her sincerity,
spoke to everyone.
"Why the hell do I have to repeat something with you all when I don't even know when it'll end? If we fail once, we start over from the beginning, right? If Delin happens to die by accident, we go right back to the start, right? Why the fuck do I have to put up with that crap while running around with you? How many times do I have to do it? When do we know it's over? What if we Load a hundred times? I'd have to wander around with you guys through a hundred Loads? Where's the goddamn sense in that?"
And yet, her words carried considerable sincerity,
and they were enough to stir the unease the other noonas had only vaguely been feeling.
"If we're going to end this, then we use Delin's ability and end it in one shot. Got it? I'm saying I don't want to wander around with you all. Once is enough."
But even if she spoke with genuine feelings, it was not a solution that could be easily accepted or agreed upon.
Because when lives are at stake, reason is prioritized over emotion.
"You want to Save for such a pathetic reason? The ability Delin has is an unprecedented, tremendous power! He can return to any point he wants with no cost whatsoever. And you want to waste it like that!?"
My head throbbed.
"I, too, am opposed! Chichi-yang, disregard that and quickly prepare your magic. Make this interior look like the other carts..."
From the moment Riko pulled me aside and shared that deep kiss, she had started very blatantly rejecting everyone else.
She wasn't the type to just act out like this...
"You know full well that's absolutely unacceptable. Why are you suddenly being so stubborn now?"
Neva asked Riko on my behalf. Their eyes briefly met...
"Now that we've already set out together, we need to cooperate with a single goal in mind. But you're ruining that. Our goal isn't something we can achieve easily—we may have to attempt it multiple times."
Between Neva, cold as a porcelain doll,
and Riko, who looked ready to whip out a dagger and start something at any moment, an impenetrable, strange tension flowed.
"Even so, ensuring absolute safety comes first. I cannot comprehend a bitch like you who gambles with lives, but all of us hold safety as our highest priority. I don't care if you die. But if Delin or Eva suffer because of your stupid decisions, can you take responsibility?"
Neva's blue eyes glared at Riko.
Along with that, sharp words cold enough to cut poured out without hesitation.
"I'm different from trash like you who've spent your whole life fighting. So... don't ruin things over some trivial feelings and shut your mouth."
But would Riko back down at a threat like that?
"I'm not so sure a worthless, fuckin' useless moron should be talking. Couldn't even protect your own little sister, can't even protect Delin properly, but you sure run your mouth filthy. A bastard who does nothing."
Neva and Riko snarled as if about to fight at any second, continuing their war of nerves as if they would smash the entire interior of the carriage to pieces.
Just their gazes meeting seemed enough to splinter the wooden boards.
Feeling like something terrible would happen if I didn't stop them right this instant, I hurriedly stood up, blocked the space between them, and shouted.
"S-stop! Both of you stop it! Riko noona? I think you're mistaken this time. I used to think that way before too, but in the end, using the Save carefully is the right..."
"I believe that is not correct. I think saving now is the right thing to do."
Helen cut into the conversation.
I didn't know when she had joined, but she naturally interjected as if she had been part of the discussion from the very beginning, and continued with her own words.
"Do not be sparing with the Save. I do respect that the four of you are somewhat daunted by the thought of lives being at stake, but... in order to move forward, humans need to turn their backs on the past."
Everyone froze.
Only our eyes moved.
All of our gazes gathered on Helen, meeting her eyes deeply shadowed with dark circles.
In stark contrast to the gentle voice that followed her eye smile, all we felt was an extremely ominous aura.
"Please, do cast aside the foolish notion of starting over from the beginning if things go wrong. From the moment we all gathered, the gears have already meshed and are turning."
Chichi's magic was still functioning.
It enveloped all of us.
But Helen, as if she had been by our side from the very start,
spoke right next to my face with a terribly serene and detached expression.
"You all likely think it wise to return to the very beginning. But in my view..."
"It would only be a tragedy that torments you. Delin-gun?"