Healing (3)
To put it bluntly, simply getting close to Arieta was a major obstacle in itself.
Crackle—rumble!
Blue lightning was erupting in every direction around Arieta.
I couldn’t tell whether she was just blasting out the mana that had built up inside her body or whether she had sensed an uninvited guest nearby, but the force of it rivaled the lightning spells of most mages.
BOOM—KRAKABOOM!
When the lightning struck the palace floor head-on, the marble shattered in an instant.
For all I knew, if I took that head-on, it would be hard to expect to keep all four limbs intact.
“...This might be a little dangerous.”
In the past, I’d forcibly subdued Letitia when her mana went berserk, and I’d done it more than once, so I’d vaguely assumed subduing Arieta wouldn’t be all that difficult either.
That was especially true when I remembered how unbelievably inexperienced I’d been back when I dealt with Letitia.
But now, facing Arieta raging right in front of me, I had no choice but to admit I’d been wrong.
From the amount of mana alone to its output, density, and range, the current Arieta far surpassed what Letitia had once been.
If my goal were to kill her, things might be simple enough, but considering I had to subdue her without leaving even a scratch, this was about as hard as it got.
“...Damn it.”
If I’d known this would happen, maybe it would’ve been better to come here with the mages and priests waiting outside.
But it was a pointless what-if. They weren’t here now. I couldn’t afford the risk that someone else might somehow notice what I was capable of.
And most importantly, this was something I had to do.
This was something I was doing, entirely for my own satisfaction. I couldn’t very well complain just because the situation had turned a little uglier than expected.
“Here I go.”
Just to stay alive, I focused every last shred of my concentration and slapped aside one of the bolts of lightning crashing toward me with my sword.
Clang!
“Kgh!”
The force carried in the lightning was so overwhelming that I almost lost my grip and dropped the sword.
If I could just get close to Arieta, just close enough, I could have settled this easily. But it didn’t look like things would be that simple.
Creeeeeak!
The storm of mana surrounding Arieta roared even more violently than before.
In response, the lightning pouring down from above grew more numerous and far more powerful.
Fwoosh!
In the end, one bolt pierced straight through my thigh. I’d tried to dodge it, but there were simply too many of them. Evading every single one was impossible.
“Sian!”
Cartesia called my name in a voice strained with urgency.
But I had absolutely no spare attention for her, so there was nowhere for me to turn and look back.
If I had the luxury to do that, then it was far more practical to keep forcing myself forward with everything I had.
And even without looking back, I already knew.
Cartesia was probably making a tearful face right now.
I knew what kind of woman Cartesia was. She always acted strong on the outside, but in truth she was more fragile and delicate than anyone else in the world.
She must already be hurting enough over the sight of her younger sister in that state; she didn’t need me adding to it.
So if I had the strength to look back, I’d rather use it to take even one more step forward.
To end this nightmare as quickly as possible, and keep my precious friend from crying any longer.
Thud!
Once more, I took a step forward.
Maybe it was because I’d concentrated all my mana into the tips of my feet, or maybe because the palace was on the verge of collapse from Arieta’s lightning, but a thunderous roar shook the entire castle.
I had roughly twenty steps left before I could reach Arieta.
But considering that every single step had cost me about two brushes with death, it was by no means easy.
Fwoosh!
This time, one of Arieta’s lightning bolts struck my left arm directly. The choking smell of burnt flesh stabbed into my nose.
Thud!
But in exchange, I was able to take another step forward.
Nineteen steps left.
KRAAAARRRUMBLE!
Lightning rained down like a storm. I dodged it, I batted it aside with my sword, and sometimes I used my own body as a shield as I kept closing the distance to Arieta.
Even as my body burned, split apart, and blood poured from me in streams, I didn’t stop.
Thunk.
One step, then another. I never stopped.
Through this tempest, forward.
And at last, after crossing that line, I managed to get within ten paces of Arieta, who was bound tight in a cocoon of mana.
Arieta floated in midair with her eyes squeezed shut, like a sacrifice offered to a god.
“...!”
The mana surrounding Arieta turned hostile toward me. The malice directed my way was unmistakable, surging through that roiling power.
Maybe it had sensed the ability I possessed, or maybe it simply deemed any outsider’s approach a danger to its host, Arieta.
Arieta’s mana became a fierce whirlwind, trying to protect her while blocking my advance.
Crack!
The instant I reached my right hand into the gale of mana surrounding Arieta, a hideous sound rang out.
My nails, and even the bones in my right hand, were completely crushed and shattered.
I barely managed to endure the pain, as if my whole right hand were on fire, and somehow withstood the mana’s repulsive force, which felt as though it could fling me all the way to the back of the room at any moment.
Then, refusing to retreat even a little, I finally stretched out my hand and gently took Arieta’s left hand.
“...Huh? Who...?”
And then it happened.
Arieta, who had been unconscious the entire time, suddenly woke.
For a moment, she seemed unable to grasp the situation and looked around in confusion, then stared blankly at me and at Cartesia standing far behind me.
And soon enough, as if she understood what was happening, she gave me a sorrowful smile that looked as though she might cry at any second.
“...Ah, I see. I don’t know who you are, but it seems I’ve caused trouble for everyone again. I’m truly, truly sorry.”
“...Trouble?”
What the hell was she talking about? She was the victim here, and yet she was calling herself trouble.
Why was this woman blaming herself instead of resenting her circumstances like everyone else would?
“That’s right, isn’t it? A fool who can’t even control the power she was born with, always causing trouble for everyone around her. That’s the essence of who I am.”
In Arieta’s self-mocking mutter, there was nothing but hatred and loathing for herself.
“Look around here. There isn’t even a single living soul, let alone anything intact, is there? If not for the barrier around the palace, I would have definitely hurt someone.”
“...No, I’ve basically already hurt people. Because I was unfortunately born into the imperial family, countless people had to sacrifice so much just to stop me alone. I... from the very beginning, I was someone who should never have been born.”
As she spoke, Arieta was crying soundlessly.
Not because of the terrible pain inflicted on her by the rampaging mana even now, but because of the guilt of once again failing to restrain it herself.
“So please... take my sister and Her Majesty out of here. I don’t have any salvation waiting for me anyway. There isn’t any way to fix me, so if I keep living like this, all that remains is suffering. And yet, are you really going to tell me even someone like me has a reason to live?”
“.....”
I didn’t know Arieta.
I didn’t know what kind of life she’d lived, or what sacrifices had been made to keep her alive this long.
That was precisely why Arieta had lost hope in life.
Far from being able to help anyone else, without the pitying hands of others she would likely die at any moment.
And if I had to watch her drag on in that miserable state, I could understand why she’d think death would be kinder.
But.
“You know what? From here to there, while I was walking those twenty steps to reach you, I passed through at least ten life-or-death moments.”
As I said that, I held up my body for Arieta to see, and there was hardly a single unbroken place left on it.
“It was insanely dangerous, and I almost died... but even so, I’m still alive. I don’t know what’ll happen to me tomorrow, but right now, in this moment, I’m alive.”
Just as you are alive right now, no matter what form that life has taken.
I didn’t know what would become of Arieta tomorrow.
But if she were ever in danger again, I could save her again.
That was how I would give life to a girl who had known nothing but pain and sorrow until now.
So that my friend would never have to cry or look on the verge of tears because of her family again.
If all it took was a little damage to my own body to make that happen, then wasn’t that a damn good bargain?
“But... but that’s impossible. Unless a miracle happens... there’s no chance I can-”
What? Then this was actually simple.
“Then I’ll become your miracle.”
“...Huh?”
Saying that, I clasped Arieta’s hand tightly with both of mine and quietly shouted inwardly.
The spell of a miracle that would let her suffer no longer, and smile happily from now on.
Life Return.
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