Voice (1)
"Well, you can talk now, right?"
"...Yeah."
Erin melted the mysterious ice just enough for me to move my head.
No water even forms when it melts.
It seemed less like ice and more like some entirely different substance resembling it.
"What should I ask first?"
Erin circled around me, keeping me at the center, her expression like that of a child who'd just gotten a new toy. Excited, but pondering what to do first.
"Right, which of the heroines you mentioned have you met, oppa?"
"Alessia and Her Highness Lucia, about."
"Her Highness Lucia... so it's still just that much?"
Both Lucia before and now Erin. Why were they so hung up on how I addressed her?
Erin continued peppering me with trivial questions.
"How'd you meet Alessia?"
"What'd you do with Lucia?"
"I love that you call me Erin right away."
A string of questions that didn't mean much. But as time passed, I started noticing something off.
It wasn't the questions themselves.
"You... okay?"
"Huh?"
"Your neck."
Blood was trickling from Erin's neck.
"That. You okay?"
At first, I didn't think much of it. People scratch their necks all the time; nothing weird. But it didn't stop, and that was the problem.
Her nails dug into her skin, wounds opened, blood seeped out—and still, she didn't stop.
"Ah..."
Only after I pointed it out did Erin check her hand. It was soaked in blood by now, but she didn't seem to care.
Casually, she walked to the table, picked up a vial, applied its contents to the wound. The injury vanished without a scar, and after wiping away the blood, no trace remained.
"How many wounds is that one?"
The way she applied the ointment and wiped the blood was so natural. Just like how I'd grown accustomed to Lucia's escort mannerisms—this felt familiar for Erin too.
"Who knows?"
Erin smiled at me. But it wasn't really a smile.
I didn't realize her condition was this bad.
I could understand Alessia and Lucia's obsessions with me. But obsession was one thing; she didn't seem mentally unstable enough to unconsciously harm herself like this.
"Shall we get started now?"
I stared at her, unsure what she meant by "starting." Noticing my gaze, she smiled again.
Erin walked right up to my face. Her small stature meant even standing on tiptoe wasn't enough; she had to levitate herself with magic.
We were close enough to feel each other's breath.
"..!"
And without hesitation, Erin kissed me.
Crunch.
Something flowed into my mouth. Soon, a metallic tang spread across my tongue.
"Hehe."
Pulling away, Erin wore a playful grin. Blood dripped from her mouth in stark contrast.
"What the hell was that..."
Erin stuck out her tongue. A bite mark from her own teeth was vividly exposed.
But the blood flowing from it began evaporating like mist, vanishing with a purple glow.
"How are you using black magic..."
The effect was identical to the animations black magicians—enemies in the game—produced when casting spells.
"I'm the disciple of the Tower Lord, remember? No magic exists that I can't grasp."
A glowing purple magic circle appeared on Erin's chest. And in the same spot on my body, an identical pattern began etching itself in.
A burning pain like a third-degree burn signaled its formation.
"Urk!"
"Now... you can't run from me, oppa."
The last thing I saw before blacking out from the pain was Erin's face, alight with ecstasy.
※ The space I awoke to held only a single bed.
"...Books everywhere."
Like the previous room, this one was surrounded on all sides by books. Even I, who didn't hate reading, felt overwhelmed just looking at them.
"All magic-related, huh."
I pulled out a random book and flipped it open. It was densely packed with theories and research on magic. Just glancing at it gave me a headache, so I shoved it back.
"Kuh!"
Then a searing pain flared in my chest. Touching the spot I couldn't see, I felt a pentagram-shaped scar.
Thump.
"..?"
Thinking I'd imagined it, I touched the scar again.
Thump.
Something pulsed from the scar like a heartbeat. Wondering if it was my own heart, I placed a hand on my chest— but the vibration from the scar beat to a different rhythm than mine.
And for some reason, I felt like I knew where this pulse's owner was.
"Erin, you're there, right?"
"...Busted?"
The wall of books parted, and Erin stepped into the room. She smiled happily, fiddling with the scar on her own neck.
On a hunch, I asked her.
"What the hell is this black magic?"
"This? It's originally a spell black magicians use to hold someone's soul hostage. Lets you know if they're alive and their direction."
Erin walked right up and gazed at the scar on my chest with loving eyes.
"This is a modified version. Originally one-way, but now we can sense each other. So, how's my heartbeat?"
Erin placed her hand on her chest scar.
"Oppa’s heartbeat... it sounds so good."
She closed her eyes, savoring it like fine music. The sight sent chills down my spine.
And I could tell she was delighted hearing mine. It was impossible not to notice.
The heartbeat from her scar was speeding up.
"We can hear each other's hearts anytime, anywhere, and know where the other is. Isn't it romantic?"
"Hard to sympathize with your tastes."
"You wouldn't get it, oppa. How wonderful it sounds compared to a stopped heart."
What had turned Erin into this? Alessia and Lucia hadn't told me exactly what happened in the previous loop either.
"Erin."
"Mm... your heartbeat's nice, but your voice is even better."
"What happened in the previous loop?"
Erin didn't answer. But her body spoke volumes.
"Scratching your neck again."
"Ah..."
At the very least, whatever had changed her seemed tied to her neck. Why else would she keep self-harming there specifically?
As I speculated, Erin spoke up.
"Oppa, I have one request."
"A request?"
"Stay here with me forever."
After dropping that bombshell, Erin continued despite my shock.
"This is my personal space. No one can interfere. Can't enter or leave without my permission."
"...And?"
"Meaning, it's the safest place in the world."
With a gesture, the space began collapsing. It reassembled into a vast beach.
Blazing sunlight, crashing waves. The salty sea breeze screamed real ocean.
Next, a lush forest. Then a cool lake, endless desert, frigid polar region. Spaces assembled and dismantled in sequence.
"You can go anywhere from here!"
"But it's all fake."
"...That obvious?"
I'd almost thought the beach was real at first. Every sensation felt authentic.
But that very perfection tipped it off as illusion. And the uncanny valley unease lingered.
No matter how elaborate, it couldn't fool me completely.
"Then how about this? Not places, but real items I can bring!"
She snapped her fingers. Foods of every kind appeared, followed by expensive-looking jewels, gold-inlaid swords, countless magic tools.
"Being the Tower Lord's disciple has its perks."
I pushed away the floating food and sword.
"...Not good enough?"
Erin looked disappointed.
"You really have no memories, oppa?"
"...Yeah."
"I see... Then what makes you so fearless?"
Clink—
Golden chains erupted from a magic circle, wrapping around my limbs like serpents. They slammed me against the wall.
"Kuh!"
Books tumbled from the impact. Erin approached with a blank expression.
"Oppa, I want to accommodate you as much as possible. I want to protect you, not torment you. But... why do you hate it so much?"
"If it were you... you'd like being chained and thrown like this?"
"You... don't appreciate my efforts."
Erin's voice trembled with hurt.
"This desire to protect you is real."
"Doesn't make it right."
I'm human. I think, judge, act for myself. Sudden transmigration, sudden kidnapping, sudden relocation, sudden imprisonment. Once or twice is fine, but this much pissed me off.
"I have no choice if I want to protect you."
"Protect? From what? What exactly?"
She never explained properly. Yet she kept insisting on protecting me arbitrarily. It was grating.
Enough to blurt something I shouldn't.
"You couldn't protect me in the end anyway, so what's this now?"
"...What?"
"If it's not just to ease your guilt by locking me up, then what?"
Erin covered her face with both hands.
"Ha... haha."
A chilling laugh leaked through her fingers.
"What kind of life did you live, oppa! How much pain, how much suffering!"
"That was...!"
In the end, those were choices I made back then. But I couldn't finish.
My parched throat spasmed from straining too hard. No proper words formed—just a wheeze.
Of all times!
Fury boiled at my voiceless state. Why did I have to endure this?
"Ah..."
Erin's eyes lost focus, her body swaying wildly.
Her heartbeat...
The pulse from the scar raced uncontrollably.
She collapsed, clawing at her neck desperately, muttering unintelligible words. Then she slumped fully to the floor.
The chains binding me vanished, dropping me to the ground.
My body ached from the fall, but I forced myself up and rushed to her.
Her body was drenched in cold sweat, yet she kept scratching her neck—worse than ever, like tearing off something stuck fast.
I grabbed her arms to stop her, but she thrashed harder. Releasing them, I hugged her tight instead.
Good thing she's a mage.
Her strength was something even I could overpower now.
"Voice... no..."
I hugged tighter as she repeated "voice" obsessively. Forcing out words that were half air, half sound into her ear.
"I'm... fine..."
It worked.
"Erin. I'm safe. You're safe."
Her struggles eased. I whispered anything—lullabies, nursery rhymes, random phrases—into her ear nonstop.
"Haa... haa..."
She still panted heavily, twitching occasionally, but she'd calmed considerably.
"Wind?"
A cold breeze made me turn. A dark alley loomed, thick with shadows.
Instinct told me it led outside.
Now's my chance.
I looked down at Erin in my arms. Unconscious, creating the perfect window to escape this space.
Chirp—chirp—
But her small hands clutched my clothes tightly. My body wouldn't move.
I couldn't just abandon her like this.
Am I insane?
I leaned against the bed, holding her until she fell into shallow, sleeping breaths.
The night breeze was cooler than expected.