Chapter 230: Reversal (6)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 230: Reversal (6)
"Are you awake?"
With the distinct tang of potion still lingering on the tip of her tongue, Missha Karlstein opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Abman.
"...W-What happened? Did we win?" Missha asked the moment her vision cleared, trying to recall the answer. Her memory wasn't perfect and seemed to cut off intermittently.
"Protect Raven!"
Corpse Collector had transformed into a skeleton and charged at her. She had been unable to withstand a single attack and got knocked out.
Bang! Bang!
Then, she had been awoken by a thunderous boom in time to see Bjorn lying face down with both hands planted on the ground, struggling to protect them. That was her last memory.
"I don't know if we won, but we're safe for now, at least. Our enemies have all retreated."
"Really? That's a rrrelief. But is anyone d-dead...?"
Abman's face fell in a way that suggested that someone really did die. When he spotted the look in her eyes, however, he quickly backtracked. "Ah, don't freak out. Everyone on our team survived. That elf was the one who died."
"Elf...?" She flinched at those words. "Was it Erwen?" Although it couldn't be said that they had a good relationship, the question carried a genuine sadness from the very depths of her heart.
"No, it was her sister who died. She shielded Erwen in the end and protected her from the explosion."
"...Then what about Erwen?"
"I heard she would have died if she had been treated any later. I don't know if 'fortunately' is the right word here, but she's unconscious right now. I worry how her mental state will be once she wakes up."
"I see..."
Missha listened as he filled her in on the status of the rest of the team. Raven had also lost consciousness and Ainar had woken up early on, heading off to find Bjorn.
"Don't go, though. I wanted to stay by his side, too, but the priestess kicked me o—You're not going to listen anyway, huh. It's that way."
Missha asked Abman for the right direction and headed off. Now that the battle was over, Goblin Forest was very bright thanks to the flames floating everywhere.
Step, step.
Missha walked and walked through the adventurers. She saw some sitting on the bare floor to rest, and others crying. Some were gleefully gulping down alcohol, and others were busy carrying motionless corpse soldiers and tossing them into the flames.
"Oh! It's the cat lady from Yandel's team!" As she walked along in silence, adventurers struck up conversations with her.
"Are you going to see Yandel? He should be over there."
"Hmm, I would advise you not to go, though."
"Yes, you must be worried about your teammate." Some made strange comments.
On the other hand, some spoke with ease. "Oh, don't worry. That guy can't possibly die."
"Bjorn, son of Yandel is immortal!"
"I heard he half-killed Corpse Collector too. And that if it weren't for Fallen Scholar, he would've won. He's going to be incredibly famous once he's outside."
All kinds of adventurers acknowledged Bjorn's greatness. The more she heard, the faster Missha's feet moved. Before long, a tent appeared. Several other adventurers were gathered there too.
"Ah, Miss Karlstein is here." The first thing she spotted was Ainar arguing with Kyle Pevrosk in front of the tent. "Please excuse me for sitting down. In truth, even being awake is overdoing it right now."
"Why won't you let me in!?"
"I told you. The priestess is even risking her life to save him. So please lower your voice if you really want to help him."
"But...!"
"Ainar, stop it!" Missha hurriedly moved to stop Ainar. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it was clear Ainar wasn't helping.
"M-Missha! You're awake!" Ainar excitedly greeted her, but Missha rushed to Kyle to ask about Bjorn's condition.
It was terrifying just hearing about it. Apparently, the poison had been sprayed all over his face and his eyes, dissolving everything in its path. "It seems the poison melted his bones and has slipped a little into the brain."
She felt suffocated and dizzy. The whole world seemed to swim before her eyes like she was drunk.
"...You may come in now." The priestess came out of the tent sporting a pale complexion.
Missha stepped inside, not able to even say thank you. "Bjorn..."
She spotted him asleep on top of a makeshift bed made of several layers of sleeping bags. Outwardly, he looked fine. Although he had been left with burn-like scars on his face, none of it looked serious at least.
"The scars will gradually fade with time. I didn't have enough power for that..."
"Truly... Thank you..."
"It's nothing. Compared to what he did, I did nothing. Anyway, I should go rest now..."
The priestess left and Missha knelt next to Bjorn. She stroked his face. For some reason, she was reminded of the time they had been chased by the Lord of the Third Floor, but this was completely different from back then. Back then, he'd slept comfortably, as if he had done everything he'd set out to do. She remembered thinking he looked like a hero. After that day, there had been a lot of the same. Bjorn accomplished many things and was acknowledged by new people accordingly. There were times Missha was rather pleased and proud of that.
"Why do you..."
But his face right now? It looked sad and distressed. It seemed like he was blaming himself.
Squeeze.
Missha clenched her fists, unable to finish her sentence. She thought she already knew the reason for that expression of his. She couldn't possibly not know, since she had been by this man's side, watching him, for a long time now.
Erwen... He probably thinks it's his fault.
Slide.
Missha removed her hand from Bjorn's body. He hadn't even regained consciousness yet, but each time her hand touched his skin, his body flinched like he was convulsing. How much must he have suffered for this iron-like man to be in this state?
"Now..."
Missha closed her eyes and prayed fervently. God had never listened to her prayers, but she brought her hands together and prayed nevertheless that the man lying before her never got acknowledged again.
***
When I opened my eyes, the whole team was gathered. As we greeted each other, the priestess came in and checked how I was doing. I could see well. My sense of smell was also normal. But the rest of my body wasn't able to move all that well. My nerve endings were all alive, but strength didn't come properly to my arms and legs, and if I forced it, they started to shake.
"Ah, Miss Karlstein is here." The first thing she spotted was Ainar arguing with Kyle Pevrosk in front of the tent. "Please excuse me for sitting down. In truth, even being awake is overdoing it right now."
"Why won't you let me in!?"
"I told you. The priestess is even risking her life to save him. So please lower your voice if you really want to help him."
"But...!"
"Ainar, stop it!" Missha hurriedly moved to stop Ainar. She wasn't sure what was going on, but it was clear Ainar wasn't helping.
"M-Missha! You're awake!" Ainar excitedly greeted her, but Missha rushed to Kyle to ask about Bjorn's condition.
It was terrifying just hearing about it. Apparently, the poison had been sprayed all over his face and his eyes, dissolving everything in its path. "It seems the poison melted his bones and has slipped a little into the brain."
She felt suffocated and dizzy. The whole world seemed to swim before her eyes like she was drunk.
"...You may come in now." The priestess came out of the tent sporting a pale complexion.
Missha stepped inside, not able to even say thank you. "Bjorn..."
She spotted him asleep on top of a makeshift bed made of several layers of sleeping bags. Outwardly, he looked fine. Although he had been left with burn-like scars on his face, none of it looked serious at least.
"The scars will gradually fade with time. I didn't have enough power for that..."
"Truly... Thank you..."
"It's nothing. Compared to what he did, I did nothing. Anyway, I should go rest now..."
The priestess left and Missha knelt next to Bjorn. She stroked his face. For some reason, she was reminded of the time they had been chased by the Lord of the Third Floor, but this was completely different from back then. Back then, he'd slept comfortably, as if he had done everything he'd set out to do. She remembered thinking he looked like a hero. After that day, there had been a lot of the same. Bjorn accomplished many things and was acknowledged by new people accordingly. There were times Missha was rather pleased and proud of that.
"Why do you..."
But his face right now? It looked sad and distressed. It seemed like he was blaming himself.
Squeeze.
Missha clenched her fists, unable to finish her sentence. She thought she already knew the reason for that expression of his. She couldn't possibly not know, since she had been by this man's side, watching him, for a long time now.
Erwen... He probably thinks it's his fault.
Slide.
Missha removed her hand from Bjorn's body. He hadn't even regained consciousness yet, but each time her hand touched his skin, his body flinched like he was convulsing. How much must he have suffered for this iron-like man to be in this state?
"Now..."
Missha closed her eyes and prayed fervently. God had never listened to her prayers, but she brought her hands together and prayed nevertheless that the man lying before her never got acknowledged again.
***
When I opened my eyes, the whole team was gathered. As we greeted each other, the priestess came in and checked how I was doing. I could see well. My sense of smell was also normal. But the rest of my body wasn't able to move all that well. My nerve endings were all alive, but strength didn't come properly to my arms and legs, and if I forced it, they started to shake.
"This is a common phenomenon for those who suffer brain injuries. If you take it easy for about a month, you will be fine."
"I see. Thanks."
"It's nothing. Now that you're awake, I'll bring Sir Pevrosk in."
While the priestess left to find Kyle, my teammates filled me in on what had happened in the aftermath of my collapse. There was less than one hour until the end of Day Seven now.
"Any ambushes?"
"None."
They told me that Fallen Scholar and Clown hadn't returned while I was unconscious. Well, what would they be able to do on their own? It'd take time for them to recover, and the corpse soldiers Clown had left behind had all been burned with fire, so they lacked numbers. Also, it was hard to call for reinforcements since it took a day just to get up to the third floor from here. Going up and back down again would take two days.
Fallen Scholar, with his personality, wouldn't go in the first place no matter how much Clown insisted. He's not someone who acts out of vengeance.
No, wait. As I was talking with my teammates, I remembered something I had forgotten. Why hadn't I remembered this until now?
"Ah! Erwen. What happened to Erwen?" I hurriedly asked, and a moment of silence followed. My teammates stared back at me with grim looks on their faces. "...So she's dead."
"No, her sister was the one who died."
"Her sister?"
I heard the details from Mr. Bear, a short recounting of Daria using short-range teleportation just before the explosion to sacrifice herself for her sister. The weight of death touched me again. This was truly a fast-moving world indeed. It had all happened in an instant. No one could have stopped it, and Daria hadn't even been able to leave a will at the moment of her death. It was a good thing I'd heard it in advance.
"Where is Erwen right now?"
"...She's there."
"There?"
"Yes. There."
I wanted to go there, but the moment I tried to raise my body, my strength faltered.
"Give me your arm."
Eventually, with the help of Mr. Bear, I managed to leave the tent. As if on cue, Kyle appeared. "You're awake."
While speaking with Kyle, I slowly moved to where the battle had taken place. "There are a lot of people here, what happened?"
"These are people who came up after the battle. About a thousand people in four separate groups."
"A thousand...?"
"We left marks along the way, remember? Once their teams were formed, they followed us east and then the rest of the way."
I see. I wish they had come a little earlier. If they did... What are you thinking right now?
I continued walking, shaking off my regrets and resentment. What was the use in getting bitter over the past?
"Oh, it's Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
As I walked with Kyle, adventurers recognized me and came up to speak to me. They wanted to go out and have drinks later, or pay back debts on behalf of their clans. Some even promised to be the first to aid me when I was in trouble and thanked me. But none of them offered a single word of consolation.
"...Don't think too badly of them. They say heroes aren't the type to be comforted by others."
I hadn't known that such a proverb existed in this world too, but I didn't think badly of them anyway. They had all made a lot of sacrifices too. It was because they were hurting that they could laugh as they spoke.
"This is a common phenomenon for those who suffer brain injuries. If you take it easy for about a month, you will be fine."
"I see. Thanks."
"It's nothing. Now that you're awake, I'll bring Sir Pevrosk in."
While the priestess left to find Kyle, my teammates filled me in on what had happened in the aftermath of my collapse. There was less than one hour until the end of Day Seven now.
"Any ambushes?"
"None."
They told me that Fallen Scholar and Clown hadn't returned while I was unconscious. Well, what would they be able to do on their own? It'd take time for them to recover, and the corpse soldiers Clown had left behind had all been burned with fire, so they lacked numbers. Also, it was hard to call for reinforcements since it took a day just to get up to the third floor from here. Going up and back down again would take two days.
Fallen Scholar, with his personality, wouldn't go in the first place no matter how much Clown insisted. He's not someone who acts out of vengeance.
No, wait. As I was talking with my teammates, I remembered something I had forgotten. Why hadn't I remembered this until now?
"Ah! Erwen. What happened to Erwen?" I hurriedly asked, and a moment of silence followed. My teammates stared back at me with grim looks on their faces. "...So she's dead."
"No, her sister was the one who died."
"Her sister?"
I heard the details from Mr. Bear, a short recounting of Daria using short-range teleportation just before the explosion to sacrifice herself for her sister. The weight of death touched me again. This was truly a fast-moving world indeed. It had all happened in an instant. No one could have stopped it, and Daria hadn't even been able to leave a will at the moment of her death. It was a good thing I'd heard it in advance.
"Where is Erwen right now?"
"...She's there."
"There?"
"Yes. There."
I wanted to go there, but the moment I tried to raise my body, my strength faltered.
"Give me your arm."
Eventually, with the help of Mr. Bear, I managed to leave the tent. As if on cue, Kyle appeared. "You're awake."
While speaking with Kyle, I slowly moved to where the battle had taken place. "There are a lot of people here, what happened?"
"These are people who came up after the battle. About a thousand people in four separate groups."
"A thousand...?"
"We left marks along the way, remember? Once their teams were formed, they followed us east and then the rest of the way."
I see. I wish they had come a little earlier. If they did... What are you thinking right now?
I continued walking, shaking off my regrets and resentment. What was the use in getting bitter over the past?
"Oh, it's Bjorn, son of Yandel!"
As I walked with Kyle, adventurers recognized me and came up to speak to me. They wanted to go out and have drinks later, or pay back debts on behalf of their clans. Some even promised to be the first to aid me when I was in trouble and thanked me. But none of them offered a single word of consolation.
"...Don't think too badly of them. They say heroes aren't the type to be comforted by others."
I hadn't known that such a proverb existed in this world too, but I didn't think badly of them anyway. They had all made a lot of sacrifices too. It was because they were hurting that they could laugh as they spoke.
"Mister..." When I arrived at my destination, I saw Erwen. She was on her knees, clinging tightly to her sister's body, which was stiff and covered with burns. Her cheeks, full of blood and dirt stains, had clear marks of something flowing down them.
"Come here."
Erwen shook her head.
"It's almost time to go down. Are you going to stay here alone?"
"I'm... not alone."
Removing my arm from Abman's shoulder, I staggered toward Erwen and patted her on the back. "Listen to me. I am your guardian now."
"...Pardon?"
I told her about the will Daria had imparted to me. It wasn't a long one. That woman had asked that I take care of her sister in the case of her death. For reference, she told me this before the royal guards had even escaped through the portal, but she might have had a hunch even then that something like this would happen.
"Mister... my sister, my sister is...! She isn't moving anymore. She can't speak. She's cold, and hard. And I-I haven't done anything for her yet..." Soon, Erwen threw her arms around me. "What do I tell my little sister, that kid? That after mom, even our big sis is dead? A-And because of me?"
I stood still and listened as the words fell out of her. I didn't console her and say it wasn't her fault, or that Daria chose to do what she did. I just waited until she was done. I wasn't sure how long we were there.
"Yandel, we have to go now."
It was time to go down to the first floor. Together with Erwen, I recovered her sister's body. It was better than with Dwalkie. At least this time, there was a wizard around who could use distortion magic. The funeral could be held in the city.
"Let's go home."
I led Erwen back to my team. Missha and Ainar, who were not on good terms with her, said nothing. They seemed like they wanted to approach her but couldn't out of fear that it would hurt her.
I've never seen Ainar like that.
Soon, we stood in front of the portal in the center of Goblin Forest. It was 23:50. The clock was pointing to the end of a long journey.
"Come on, let's go home!"
"Woahhh!"
Starting with the teams in the center, we headed down to the first floor one by one. Even though Berzak was scary, I was sure it wouldn't appear within ten minutes.
"Yandel! I'll see you in the city!"
"Do you remember my name? I'll definitely come find you again."
The adventurers in front of me entered the portal, and then it was our turn.
[You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor.]
The cave seemed even more eerie than before. Even as I moved forward to allow adventurers behind us to come down, I continued to check the time. Only one minute left until the labyrinth closed. It didn't feel real. Was it really over?
Thump!
Yes, it had to be over. With one minute left now, what could Berzak do?
"Goddamn royal bastards."
"Once I get back, I'm not even going to piss in their direction."
Anger toward the palace erupted from the mouths of adventurers who were convinced of their survival.
Uh, you should still watch your mouth.
"You guys, don't say anything weird even after you get back." I cautioned my team members not to curse the emperor in front of anyone.
[The labyrinth is now closed. You are being transported to Rafdonia.]
A pure white light appeared beyond my eyelids, the light of the outside world I'd longed so desperately for.
Thump!
Soon, the light disappeared and a clear sky came into view. I studied my surroundings blankly.
They're really all dead.
Dimension Square, which was always crowded, was unprecedentedly empty. Wow, how many people were dead?
"Woahhh!"
Even as I listened to the cheers erupting around me, my gaze naturally slid in one particular direction.
"It's a portal!"
"Damn, you bastards!"
In the center of the plaza where the portal had opened, hundreds more were opening, and those who had abandoned us appeared one by one. All of them looked exactly as they did days ago. With the way time worked in the labyrinth, even through separate portals, everyone came out at the same time.
They will never be able to imagine what we've been through.
At the sight of their all-too-normal appearances, I let myself vent some of my grievances. And at that moment—
Shaaaaa!
A huge magic circle bloomed in the center of the square where the portals had opened.
"Uh—huh?"
For a moment, time seemed to pass in slow motion. But in truth, it all happened in an instant.
Thump!
Sensing something strange, bewildered knights, clan elites, and top adventurers quickly tried to put distance between themselves and what was to come.
Baaaaaang!
An explosion.
Shaaaaaa!
A gust of fire slammed into me and pushed me back. Falling to the ground and quickly raising my head up, I saw a red-hot pillar of fire soaring into the sky. It was like watching the end of the world.
Suddenly, a voice played in my head, the last words Fallen Scholar had said to me. "Congratulations. On being the sole victor."
"Mister..." When I arrived at my destination, I saw Erwen. She was on her knees, clinging tightly to her sister's body, which was stiff and covered with burns. Her cheeks, full of blood and dirt stains, had clear marks of something flowing down them.
"Come here."
Erwen shook her head.
"It's almost time to go down. Are you going to stay here alone?"
"I'm... not alone."
Removing my arm from Abman's shoulder, I staggered toward Erwen and patted her on the back. "Listen to me. I am your guardian now."
"...Pardon?"
I told her about the will Daria had imparted to me. It wasn't a long one. That woman had asked that I take care of her sister in the case of her death. For reference, she told me this before the royal guards had even escaped through the portal, but she might have had a hunch even then that something like this would happen.
"Mister... my sister, my sister is...! She isn't moving anymore. She can't speak. She's cold, and hard. And I-I haven't done anything for her yet..." Soon, Erwen threw her arms around me. "What do I tell my little sister, that kid? That after mom, even our big sis is dead? A-And because of me?"
I stood still and listened as the words fell out of her. I didn't console her and say it wasn't her fault, or that Daria chose to do what she did. I just waited until she was done. I wasn't sure how long we were there.
"Yandel, we have to go now."
It was time to go down to the first floor. Together with Erwen, I recovered her sister's body. It was better than with Dwalkie. At least this time, there was a wizard around who could use distortion magic. The funeral could be held in the city.
"Let's go home."
I led Erwen back to my team. Missha and Ainar, who were not on good terms with her, said nothing. They seemed like they wanted to approach her but couldn't out of fear that it would hurt her.
I've never seen Ainar like that.
Soon, we stood in front of the portal in the center of Goblin Forest. It was 23:50. The clock was pointing to the end of a long journey.
"Come on, let's go home!"
"Woahhh!"
Starting with the teams in the center, we headed down to the first floor one by one. Even though Berzak was scary, I was sure it wouldn't appear within ten minutes.
"Yandel! I'll see you in the city!"
"Do you remember my name? I'll definitely come find you again."
The adventurers in front of me entered the portal, and then it was our turn.
[You have entered the Crystal Cave on the first floor.]
The cave seemed even more eerie than before. Even as I moved forward to allow adventurers behind us to come down, I continued to check the time. Only one minute left until the labyrinth closed. It didn't feel real. Was it really over?
Thump!
Yes, it had to be over. With one minute left now, what could Berzak do?
"Goddamn royal bastards."
"Once I get back, I'm not even going to piss in their direction."
Anger toward the palace erupted from the mouths of adventurers who were convinced of their survival.
Uh, you should still watch your mouth.
"You guys, don't say anything weird even after you get back." I cautioned my team members not to curse the emperor in front of anyone.
[The labyrinth is now closed. You are being transported to Rafdonia.]
A pure white light appeared beyond my eyelids, the light of the outside world I'd longed so desperately for.
Thump!
Soon, the light disappeared and a clear sky came into view. I studied my surroundings blankly.
They're really all dead.
Dimension Square, which was always crowded, was unprecedentedly empty. Wow, how many people were dead?
"Woahhh!"
Even as I listened to the cheers erupting around me, my gaze naturally slid in one particular direction.
"It's a portal!"
"Damn, you bastards!"
In the center of the plaza where the portal had opened, hundreds more were opening, and those who had abandoned us appeared one by one. All of them looked exactly as they did days ago. With the way time worked in the labyrinth, even through separate portals, everyone came out at the same time.
They will never be able to imagine what we've been through.
At the sight of their all-too-normal appearances, I let myself vent some of my grievances. And at that moment—
Shaaaaa!
A huge magic circle bloomed in the center of the square where the portals had opened.
"Uh—huh?"
For a moment, time seemed to pass in slow motion. But in truth, it all happened in an instant.
Thump!
Sensing something strange, bewildered knights, clan elites, and top adventurers quickly tried to put distance between themselves and what was to come.
Baaaaaang!
An explosion.
Shaaaaaa!
A gust of fire slammed into me and pushed me back. Falling to the ground and quickly raising my head up, I saw a red-hot pillar of fire soaring into the sky. It was like watching the end of the world.
Suddenly, a voice played in my head, the last words Fallen Scholar had said to me. "Congratulations. On being the sole victor."