Chapter 26

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 26

Chapter Title: 10th Floor (3)

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The light that had engulfed the world in blinding white finally faded.

The colossal Urk-Nar was gone, without even a trace left behind.

"...Huh? W-what?"

I gaped blankly. The scene felt so unreal that I was about to rub my eyes.

Something thick trickled from the tip of my nose. Thinking it was snot, I wiped it away with the back of my hand.

"Huh...?"

I froze as I looked at my hand. Bright red blood.

It wasn't just a drop or two.

Drip, drip.

"Ugh, ugh?"

It was like a broken faucet. Dark red blood gushed out from both nostrils.

I hurriedly clamped my nose with my hand, but blood seeped through my fingers, streaming down my chin and soaking my collar.

I had no idea what happened, but the mana inside me was completely drained. And the price was brutal.

"Dizzy..."

The world spun. My legs gave out, and I collapsed to the floor.

"Darling! How are you? Pretty surprising, right?"

Tikhe came scampering over, her face beaming with excitement as she bounced around.

"Blink once, and it was over! Totally cleaned him up nice and neat. I'm the best... Huh?!"

Tikhe's chatter cut off abruptly.

Seeing my blood-soaked face, her expression turned pale.

"D-darling?!"

Tikhe screamed and rushed to me.

"Blood! You're bleeding! Why? Did you get hit?!"

"No... I-it's probably because you... s-skill..."

"Wait, lift your head! Can you breathe?!"

Tikhe fumbled out a white handkerchief and plugged my nose. Her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠hands trembled violently.

"Ugh..."

My eyes stung embarrassingly.

Was I seriously tearing up over a nosebleed? Had I gotten this weak?

No, it was the body. This little girl's frame was hypersensitive to pain. The hurt and misery triggered tears on their own.

"Don't cry, darling! I'm sorry! The blood won't stop—what do we do?!"

Kitty, who had snuck up, plastered herself to my back.

She gently stroked my back with her spindly little hand.

Seeing her master collapse and bleed, she looked terrified too.

I mustered what strength I had left to call out to Tikhe.

"...Ti, Tikhe."

"Huh? Yeah? What? Need something? Want me to get anything?"

"N-no... right now... Urk-Nar vanishing... was that you...?"

Dizziness tangled my tongue, but Tikhe's face lit up instantly.

"Oh, yeah! That was me. I took him down 1v1, clean as can be. Did great, right?"

She puffed up proudly, shrugging her shoulders.

Her teary face bloomed into a grin like a puppy begging for praise.

"Yeah, you did great. Really great... ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠but..."

I pressed my throbbing temples, steadying my ragged breath.

"Hoo..."

"Yeah? But?"

"It says my mana is completely depleted... how...?"

"..."

Tikhe's expression shifted to an "oh no" look at my question.

Her eyes darted around evasively.

"Uh, um... well... that is... um..."

"What... did you... explain..."

As I trailed off, Kitty marched up to Tikhe and pointed accusingly.

Nyaa! Nyaang!

It was like she was yelling, 'Master collapsed! What did you do?!'

Kitty was the only one I could rely on.

"Well, earlier..."

Tikhe hemmed and hawed, finally spilling the whole story.

"To make sure I beat Majie, I used a Mythic skill. Didn't know it'd suck up your mana..."

She glanced at me nervously, trailing off.

"I knew summons draw from the summoner's mana when theirs runs out, but I forgot my level and stats reset when I was summoned!"

"..."

"R-really! It wasn't on purpose... ugh..."

She defended herself desperately. But my glare had dropped below freezing.

Excuses wouldn't stop the nosebleed.

Sensing my stare, Tikhe flinched.

Meanwhile, Kitty listened to Tikhe, crossed her arms, and nodded solemnly like 'Yeah, that could happen.'

I shot Kitty an incredulous look, and she jolted in fright, trembling.

Nya, nyang! Nyaang!

Kitty unleashed a flurry of meow-punches at Tikhe. 'How dare you use up all of Master's mana?!' It was quite the sight.

Under the joint assault from me and Kitty, Tikhe wilted and hung her head.

"Haa..."

I didn't even have the energy to scold her more. I wiped the flowing blood roughly.

But still—a finisher move draining my mana in an instant?

Even with Mana Spring and Mana Circuit Reinforcement traits?

What kind of insane fuel efficiency did that skill have?

'Come to think of it...'

I realized then that I'd never checked Tikhe's status window.

I needed to see what specs she had to wreck me like this.

"St-status... window!"

"...Ha."

I was floored.

Myth grade. The one that only existed in theory. Her base race was even divine.

"Come to think of it, didn't you say you used a Myth skill earlier?"

Tikhe answered casually to my question.

"Yeah. Lucky Dice lets you borrow a holy skill briefly if you roll high.

The higher the result, the higher the grade. That's what I used at the end."

"Ah..."

Completely broken. Roll well on dice, and you get top holy skills. Plus two exclusive fields, buffs, debuffs. Every skill was at least Legend-tier performance.

'Especially this Jackpot Touch...'

For someone like me who burned through mana like water, this passive was a lifesaver.

"What a ridiculously powerful reward..."

I muttered dazedly, and Tikhe stared at my face before grinning brightly.

"Right? Darling? I'm the best, aren't I?"

"...Y-yeah. You are."

No room for argument.

"Hoo..."

The nosebleed had stopped, so it was time to move.

I pushed off the ground to stand, but my legs had no strength. My head spun.

"Wha..."

"Darling, wait. Don't push yourself."

Tikhe caught my staggering form.

She spun around in front of me and thrust out her back.

"...What're you doing?"

"Hop on."

"Huh? N-no thanks. I can stand... up."

I pushed back out of pride. An adult getting piggybacked? No way.

I tried putting strength into my knees again.

But.

Thud.

"Ah..."

I didn't stand—instead, I just fell on my butt again.

No energy to get up at all.

My body didn't feel like mine.

"Hmm."

Tikhe eyed me thoughtfully, a sly smile curling her lips.

"Don't like piggybacks, huh? Then..."

"Huh?"

Whoosh.

Tikhe slipped her arms under my waist and knees in a flash.

"Kyaa?!"

My viewpoint shot up.

Tikhe lifted me feather-light and scooped me up in a princess carry.

"W-what?! P-put me down!"

My face burned red.

I'd refused the piggyback out of embarrassment, only for this even more mortifying ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠pose.

I squirmed in shame, but I didn't have the strength to twitch a finger.

"Just stay put. We'll grab the reward and head out."

Tikhe spoke softly, like soothing a fussy child.

"We'll go home and rest up nice and cozy, okay?"

"...Ugh."

Tikhe smiled down at me sweetly.

The goddess's smile right in front of my face. So close I could see her eyelashes quiver.

Thump, thump.

My heart raced oddly. Like I might fall for her...

'...No, what am I thinking.'

I shook my head hastily. Falling for a girl? What then?

'Wait, but I was originally a guy... so is that normal...?'

My instincts as a rational being tangled with my current body's awareness.

'...This is confusing.'

I gave up thinking and just slumped limply against Tikhe's chest.

For now, pretending to be clueless and going along seemed wisest.