Chapter 19
Chapter 19
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: I Don't Like Hurting People (5)
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Where had the guy wearing that serious expression just moments ago disappeared to? Zenon gazed at me with a bright smile.
Was he really taking what I said so seriously? Honestly, my own heart wasn't entirely at ease. Well, it was better than him moping around... I figured it was best to think of it positively.
Truth be told, it had gotten under my skin a bit, and my actions had been an attempt to twist the story's course, but I had no intention of going through with it if it meant hurting someone. Seeing him like this, it was clear that his sulking over the past few days had been because of what I'd said.
...Was he always like this?
In the original story, he never got swayed by others' words, sulking or throwing tantrums. It felt a little childish, almost refreshingly different. I had no idea what had changed him.
Anyway,
That woman hovering in the sky above—Hera Carmen—was diligently smashing the Jörmungandr I'd created. It hadn't been made to unleash its full power anyway, just to buy time... but wasn't she destroying it a bit too effectively? Her ability to manipulate water could almost be seen as similar to mine, but the output she could muster right now was on a whole different level.
"Hng..."
I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn't cooperate. After groaning at my stubbornly immobile legs for a moment, I lifted my head at the feeling of someone staring intently at me. Zenon blushed and averted his gaze.
"What's up?"
"...Did you hurt your legs?"
"No, they just won't move. Guess I overdid it."
"...Sorry."
I had no idea what he was apologizing for. Ignoring his suddenly downcast face, I needed to think about what to do next. Jörmungandr was holding out surprisingly well, but it wouldn't last much longer. That left escaping as the only option...
Would someone who wanted me dead really let us go that easily?
If I could dodge her attacks while she was distracted, maybe, but right now I couldn't even move. Puffing out my cheeks in frustration, I glared at Zenon. He was now surveying Hera Carmen, seemingly trying to assess the situation.
He had some scratches here and there, maybe from a scuffle earlier... but he still seemed fine for walking or running.
Kwagang—
Jörmungandr's body began crumbling bit by bit. I hadn't summoned it expecting to win, just to stall, but watching it fall apart faster than anticipated made my expression harden. If we were going to escape, it had to be now.
Taking a deep breath, I looked at Zenon and spoke. As seriously as possible. He stared back at me, sensing something grave was coming, his face tensing up.
"Zenon."
"I'm listening."
"Carry me."
"...What?"
It was embarrassing, but this was the only way right now.
#
"Hey, s-slow down a bit!"
"......"
He wasn't even responding to my yells anymore. Every time I glanced at Zenon's ears, flushed so red they looked ready to burst, I felt like I might lose my mind. I knew, I really did—this whole situation was ridiculous.
...But it was truly the only option.
My legs wouldn't move, and I'd used up my ability on things that mattered, so no more ice could form. And there was no way I could take on Hera Carmen right now anyway. Strategically, retreat was the call, and the method I'd settled on was simply having Zenon carry me.
My feelings were all mixed up.
I'd carried a girl on my back before, but being carried like this? Feeling the softness against my chest instead of my back was more than a little awkward. The sensation of my soft chest pressing against his firm back made me grimace for a second—but I still glanced back at Hera, who was still dealing with Jörmungandr.
It was almost completely shattered now, with only the head left. Still, it had definitely bought us time. I could see people approaching from far off in the distance. Probably heroes.
"They're finally here. What the hell took them so long?"
As I grumbled, Zenon finally pried open his tightly shut mouth.
"...If it were my sister, she probably could have controlled it sufficiently. She created another 'issue' to divert the heroes' attention there."
"Like at the B District office?"
"I didn't see it myself, so I can't compare exactly, but... probably something like that."
Sure enough, massive plumes of smoke were rising with tremendous force in the distance. Not from the street where I'd fought the villains earlier, nor the A District hero office. Something on that scale... wasn't something a hero or two could handle alone.
"For real..."
"I still don't get it, though. Why go to such lengths?"
Zenon narrowed his eyes, adding that there were ten villains involved. He seemed suspicious of something as he quietly muttered toward me on his back.
"...You know by now, but my father's a Top Hero."
"...Yeah."
"That's why this feels even weirder. He's arbitrary and does things ordinary people can't even imagine without batting an eye... but even so, I can't picture him resorting to using villains."
I definitely agreed with that point. I hadn't read to the end, so I didn't know much about Edwin Carmen, Zenon's father, but from what had been revealed so far, he didn't seem the type to orchestrate something like this by exploiting villains.
If anything, he despised them.
The title of Top Hero wasn't just for show—he was merciless toward villains. A kind hero to citizens, but more terrifying than anyone to villains.
That his daughter, Hera Carmen, had used villains grated on me in a way I couldn't deny.
Swaaaa—
What snapped me out of those thoughts was the jet of water that stabbed into the ground right in front of Zenon. It crashed down, shattering the concrete. Realizing who was behind it was all too easy, so I quietly slid off Zenon's back.
"You okay?"
"...I can stand."
I had something to rely on. Heroes had gathered like a swarm, searching for villains. She must have come to us because she had something to say. Sure enough, Hera Carmen descended from the sky and raised her hands slightly as she spoke.
"Hey, Zenon. Don't look at me like that. I don't plan on fighting anymore anyway."
"...What's with the mask?"
She'd somehow fixed the mask she'd broken earlier and now faced us with it covering from her nose up.
"No need to show my face, right? Don't make that face so stiff. Let's just call today's events a non-issue. A... happenstance, I suppose."
"Happenstance? What the hell...!"
"Shh, Zenon. Let's end it here for today. I'm exhausted. Dealing with that thing Aisha made drained my ability so much—I'm sleepy."
Pressing a finger to her lips, Hera gave me a slight smile. How could she pull off something like this and still smile like that? She was twisted.
As I glared at her for a long while with that thought in mind, Hera pouted regretfully and spoke.
"Anyway, sorry, but it's time to part ways."
"...Does Father know?"
"Pfft... See you later."
Ignoring Zenon's question, she wrapped herself in water with that farewell and flew off somewhere. Zenon stared blankly at the spot where she'd vanished, looking uneasy, before turning to me with a faint smile.
"It's over."
"...It's not over, is it?"
She'd said we'd meet again. Like in the original story, Hera Carmen would keep showing up. Probably in ways I couldn't predict now. It was the result of me twisting the plot toward a completely different ending. But I had no regrets.
I knew how many people died when Zenon fought that villain with the black hole ability. And how he got hurt, spending a while afterward like a shut-in. Now, that was something only I knew.
Swish—
Heroes were bustling through the rubble of collapsed buildings. I felt a pang of conscience knowing I was largely responsible for those buildings coming down, but... what could I do? I'd nearly died pinned there. At least, none of the buildings I'd toppled had people inside. They were all corporate ones, after hours, so it ended with just the collapses.
Dawn was breaking in the sky by now. The incident that started at night had dragged through the early hours and only ended as morning arrived. With that realization, the tension I'd been holding melted away, and my legs buckled. My vision flipped, and as I was about to hit the ground—
Something wrapped around my waist, catching me in midair.
"...What are you doing?"
"......"
We were so close our breaths mingled. Meeting those blue eyes, I shoved his chest away on instinct. He stumbled back weakly, flinching in surprise before avoiding my gaze and scratching his head.
"I... just caught you."
"...Next time, let me fall."
For some reason, my face felt hot.