Chapter 269: Farune Island (3)

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 269: Farune Island (3)

A woman was glaring at a particular spot. At the end of her line of sight was the body of a man, Guardweaver Drous—a piece of trash who had tried to avoid karma and live a second life under a new name.

Or at least, she should have been glaring.

"Amelia, why do you look so down?"

Amelia bit her lip involuntarily. This didn't feel as therapeutic as she thought it would.

"Because his teammates ran away? Come on, don't worry so much. The other two went to look for them, right? They'll catch them soon." Even her immature comrade, who had spent the entire journey complaining, was now tiptoeing around her, but Amelia did not have the presence of mind to care.

"This is my responsibility. There's no reason for you all to get involved. So, go!"

The image of this guy sacrificing himself for his comrades kept lingering in her mind's eye. At first, it was ridiculous. What the hell was this guy saying after betraying them like that? And for people who had no idea what kind of person he was?

Her molars ground together. If he had been capable of that this whole time, why hadn't he done it for them?

"Still, we got our stuff back, right? Even if those guys escape alive, our mission is a success."

Only then did Amelia clear her mind and shift her gaze to the jewel in her hand, a legacy of the Great Sage Gabrielius, and a treasure protected by the castellans of Noark's castle for generations. Come to think of it, she was unsure about this thing, too. To be precise, she kept thinking about what Drous had said as she took it away from him.

"Amelia, this won't change anything."

How could he say that when he knew what this object meant to her?

Amelia used some of the poison in her possession to dissolve the man's corpse. Then she placed the jewel she was holding into sub-space. All of Noark's leaders had left for the outside world and couldn't be communicated with, anyway. She would be the one to hold onto it for the next while. There was no rush, so she planned to go back and find a way to use the gem later.

I finally have it.

Regardless of any uncertainty, her long-cherished dream was nearing fulfillment. With that thought in mind, Amelia shook off her unease.

"But, Amelia." Carmilla, the team's summoner and also the woman who was in possession of their mode of transportation on the sixth floor, latched onto Amelia's side. Her eyes were full of curiosity. "Is this really it?"

It wasn't that Amelia couldn't understand how she felt. This item was talked about like a legend within Noark, and in some ways, it was considered more fictional than the Stone of Revival. That was why Amelia didn't want to confirm anything.

"I don't know."

Of course, she knew that the stories about this item were not simply made up and that the item she had just placed into sub-space was unmistakably genuine. But to see something was to covet it. It would be foolish to tell Carmilla the truth and invite trouble.

"Ah, don't be like that. You knew who that man was too. I'm pretty sure you know whether that thing is real or not."

Amelia once again shut her down. "Again, I don't know. And whether this is really that item or not is none of our business. Our mission was only to reclaim what he had on him and get back to the city."

Just as she was about to turn around, Carmilla grinned. "Judging by that reaction, I guess it really is that thing? Wow, I didn't think it really existed."

The words might sound like a lighthearted comment to some, but having seen all kinds of ugly things in her life, Amelia instinctively reached for her shortsword. And at that moment—

Stab!

—warmth began to radiate from her back.

"I'm sorry, Lady Rainwales."

It had been a mistake to only be wary of Carmilla. By the time she came to her senses, the warrior's sword had penetrated her stomach. But, so what? In the time it took to reflect on her misstep, Amelia made a decision.

"Good job, Mister!"

The blade was buried under her ribs.

"When will you start calling me Brother?"

Her organs were damaged, but it wasn't an instant-death kind of injury.

"Whatever, we're only half-related!"

Amelia quickly pulled out her shortsword and thrust it forward. Her target was Carmilla, the woman she'd fantasized about killing time and time again.

Whip!

Unfortunately, her reach was a bit short. Of course, that didn't really matter. She'd picked up on a little trick while fighting that barbarian in the past.

Whooom!

As soon as an aura was imbued on the tip of the blade, it could compensate for the gap.

Stab!

"Aaagh!"

The tip of the shortsword punctured Carmilla in the eye.

"Pity." If it had just gone a little deeper, it could have stabbed her brain.

Pluck!

Before she could feel disappointment, the blade in her stomach was pulled out. The recoil made her stagger, but there was no time to rest.

"God damn it!"

The warrior's sword immediately swung for her vitals. Judging the attack too difficult to avoid, Amelia raised her arm. That was because her arm wasn't vital.

Slice!

The sharp longsword cut through her arm. She managed to preserve her life but suffered a great loss. This wasn't all that big a problem, either. If her main body was busted, she'd just have to fight using clones.

Dash.

Amelia used Doppelganger's Self-Replication, created a clone right behind the warrior, and immediately aimed a kick at his head, a combo most enemies couldn't even react to.

"B-Behind you!"

The clone's foot came into contact with her opponent and an explosion sounded.

Bang!

But the sound didn't come from her target, the head.

"Ugh!" Her foot had landed on the warrior's shoulder. The timely warning had allowed the warrior to twist his body out of the way.

Stab!

The price for her failed assault was the warrior's sword sinking into her stomach once again, although her clone's interference made it so the sword didn't dig in too deeply.

I could die if things keep going like this.

This was dangerous.

"What are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠you doing?! Grab the arm, quick!" The moment the thought popped into Amelia's mind, the warrior rolled onto the ground and picked up her severed arm. It was wearing a sub-space bracelet. Frustrated, Amelia used her clone to quickly chase the warrior down.

The words might sound like a lighthearted comment to some, but having seen all kinds of ugly things in her life, Amelia instinctively reached for her shortsword. And at that moment—

Stab!

—warmth began to radiate from her back.

"I'm sorry, Lady Rainwales."

It had been a mistake to only be wary of Carmilla. By the time she came to her senses, the warrior's sword had penetrated her stomach. But, so what? In the time it took to reflect on her misstep, Amelia made a decision.

"Good job, Mister!"

The blade was buried under her ribs.

"When will you start calling me Brother?"

Her organs were damaged, but it wasn't an instant-death kind of injury.

"Whatever, we're only half-related!"

Amelia quickly pulled out her shortsword and thrust it forward. Her target was Carmilla, the woman she'd fantasized about killing time and time again.

Whip!

Unfortunately, her reach was a bit short. Of course, that didn't really matter. She'd picked up on a little trick while fighting that barbarian in the past.

Whooom!

As soon as an aura was imbued on the tip of the blade, it could compensate for the gap.

Stab!

"Aaagh!"

The tip of the shortsword punctured Carmilla in the eye.

"Pity." If it had just gone a little deeper, it ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠could have stabbed her brain.

Pluck!

Before she could feel disappointment, the blade in her stomach was pulled out. The recoil made her stagger, but there was no time to rest.

"God ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠damn it!"

The warrior's sword immediately swung for her vitals. Judging the attack too difficult to avoid, Amelia raised her arm. That was because her arm wasn't vital.

Slice!

The sharp longsword cut through her arm. She managed to preserve her life but suffered a great loss. This wasn't all that big a problem, either. If her main body was busted, she'd just have to fight using clones.

Dash.

Amelia used Doppelganger's Self-Replication, created a clone right behind the warrior, and immediately aimed a kick at his head, a combo most enemies couldn't even react to.

"B-Behind you!"

The clone's foot came into contact with her opponent and an explosion sounded.

Bang!

But the sound didn't come from her target, the head.

"Ugh!" Her foot had landed on the warrior's shoulder. The timely warning had allowed the warrior to twist his body out of the way.

Stab!

The price for her failed assault was the warrior's sword sinking into her stomach once again, although her clone's interference made it so the sword didn't dig in too deeply.

I could die if things keep going like this.

This was dangerous.

"What are you doing?! Grab the arm, quick!" The moment the thought popped into Amelia's mind, the warrior rolled onto the ground and picked up her severed arm. It was wearing a sub-space bracelet. Frustrated, Amelia used her clone to quickly chase the warrior down.

"Let's go, Yongyong!"

She was three steps too short.

"Kwaaaa!" The warrior got on top of the Drake Carmilla summoned before the clone could reach him.

Whoom! Whoom!

The Drake soared up into the sky in an instant. She could hear the conversation the two were having under the loud flap of its wings.

"...Amelia Rainwales. She's a terrifying woman. I never thought she could be so menacing even in a state like that."

"Whatever, just give me a potion!"

"First, we need to talk. What now? We couldn't even kill her properly."

"Ugh, what does that matter!? She's going to die anyway..."

That was the extent of the conversation she could pick up on with her advanced hearing because they had completely disappeared into the sky.

"Damn it." Amelia let out a curse for the first time in a while, but it changed nothing. Taking action was the only way for her to save herself from ruin.

Trudge.

Amelia used her intact clone to carry her main body and quickly left the area, judging that if those guys decided to come back down and make a confirmed kill, that would really be the end of her.

Trudge, trudge.

Amelia continued to move, not quite sure which direction she was headed. A while later, she was sent sprawling after her MP bottomed out and Self-Replication came to an end.

Tap.

She froze at the sound of a nearby presence. If it was one of her comrades, she would live, but if it wasn't, she would die. It was an either-or situation that would decide between life and death.

"...Ainar? Is that you, Ainarrr?"

Surprisingly, both of Amelia's predictions were wrong. "You."

"H-Huh?"

"You are Bjorn Yandel's comrade." She lifted her head, and a glance at the sides of the woman's skull confirmed her suspicions.

Slump!

It was a cat.

***

"Ahhh, who is this lady!?" Missha was confused. That made sense. Anyone would have been if a woman with a severed arm and a hole in her stomach collapsed in front of them. "U-Uh... is this one of the adventurers who were fighting? P-Potion. Yeah, potion first..."

The woman was unfamiliar, but Missha opened her water-soaked expandable backpack anyway and pulled out a potion. Whether this woman was good or bad... No. There was no intel as to whether there had been any good people here in the first place.

"You are Bjorn Yandel's comrade."

But the woman's last words before she collapsed removed any hesitation Missha may have felt. Yes, she might be acquainted with Bjorn. Missha decided to treat her before anything else.

Pong!

Removing the potion's stopper, Missha hurriedly poured it on the woman's wound.

Rumble.

She didn't hear the characteristic hiss of a potion boiling on someone's skin. The potion just flowed down the wound like cold water.

"Eh? I bought this from an authorized general store!"

It was confounding, but having had the misfortune of purchasing counterfeit potions in the past, Missha took another potion out of her bag. The same thing happened again.

"Let's go, Yongyong!"

She was three steps too short.

"Kwaaaa!" The warrior got on top of the Drake Carmilla summoned before the clone could reach him.

Whoom! Whoom!

The Drake soared up into the sky in an instant. She could hear the conversation the two were having under the loud flap of its wings.

"...Amelia Rainwales. She's a terrifying woman. I never thought she could be so menacing even in a state like that."

"Whatever, just give me a potion!"

"First, we need to talk. What now? We couldn't even kill her properly."

"Ugh, what does that matter!? She's going to die anyway..."

That was the extent of the conversation she could pick up on with her advanced hearing because they had completely disappeared into the sky.

"Damn it." Amelia let out a curse for the first time in a while, but it changed nothing. Taking action was the only way for her to save herself from ruin.

Trudge.

Amelia used her intact clone to carry her main body and quickly left the area, judging that if those guys decided to come back down and make a confirmed kill, that would really be the end of her.

Trudge, trudge.

Amelia continued to move, not quite sure which direction she was headed. A while later, she was sent sprawling after her MP bottomed out and Self-Replication came to an end.

Tap.

She froze at the sound of a nearby presence. If it was one of her comrades, she would live, but if it wasn't, she would die. It was an either-or situation that would decide between life and death.

"...Ainar? Is that you, Ainarrr?"

Surprisingly, both of Amelia's predictions were wrong. "You."

"H-Huh?"

"You are Bjorn Yandel's comrade." She lifted her head, and a glance at the sides of the woman's skull confirmed her suspicions.

Slump!

It was a cat.

***

"Ahhh, who is this lady!?" Missha was confused. That made sense. Anyone would have been if a woman with a severed arm and a hole in her stomach collapsed in front of them. "U-Uh... is this one of the adventurers who were fighting? P-Potion. Yeah, potion first..."

The woman was unfamiliar, but Missha opened her water-soaked expandable backpack anyway and pulled out a potion. Whether this woman was good or bad... No. There was no intel as to whether there had been any good people here in the first place.

"You are Bjorn Yandel's comrade."

But the woman's last words before she collapsed removed any hesitation Missha may have felt. Yes, she might be acquainted with Bjorn. Missha decided to treat her before anything else.

Pong!

Removing the potion's stopper, Missha hurriedly poured it on the woman's wound.

Rumble.

She didn't hear the characteristic hiss of a potion boiling on someone's skin. The potion just flowed down the wound like cold water.

"Eh? I bought this from an authorized general store!"

It was confounding, but having had the misfortune of purchasing counterfeit potions in the past, Missha took another potion out of her bag. The same thing happened again.

...Uh, why isn't this working?

Was this one fake too? Missha then poured a little bit of the potion on a cut she'd gotten after falling in the water.

Chhh!

Seeing as it itched like crazy, the potion was ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠fine. So why wasn't it working on this woman? She had no way of knowing, but Missha didn't give up. She'd learned from Bjorn that the barbarian way was to chew with your gums when you didn't have any teeth left.

I haven't used these in a long time...

Missha took out herbs and bandages. These were first-aid supplies she'd kept to use on the off chance she ever ran out of potions.

"This is going to sting a little... Oh, you can't hear me, anyway."

Washing the wound with an antiseptic first, Missha applied the herbs and bandaged it. Then she laid a blanket on the ground and laid the woman on top. That ended her first aid. Since she had done all she could, the rest was up to the woman.

"At least she's brrreathing all right..." After taking a moment to observe, Missha confirmed the woman's breathing had stabilized and squatted down next to the blanket. Then she let out a sigh. "Ugh, I can't just leave her herrre..."

If she were just unconscious, Missha would have carried her, but because her condition was so grave, that was impossible.

"Bjorn will be waiting..."

Missha sulked, but she couldn't leave the woman like this. She passed about ten minutes pouting.

Squeak, squeak, squeeeak!

Missha turned her head at an unpleasant sound. "Ugh, what's going on now?"

Monsters were crawling out onto the shore.

***

The sound of flesh colliding with flesh rang out periodically. I just couldn't keep my body still, so I kept messing with my hands incessantly.

Two hours.

It had already been that long since I'd arrived at the center of the island. No matter how fast I got here, one of my clanmates should have shown up a long time ago.

Why is no one coming?

Even if I tried to have faith, dark possibilities kept filling my head. Missha, Raven, Mr. Bear, Ainar, and Erwen... Were they really okay? If I knew this would happen, I would have searched the coast, not come to the center.

"Do you intend to stay here?" the priestess asked carefully as I vibrated with anxiety. To me, she looked like a fucking cult member at that moment.

You told me to have faith earlier.

"You're a priestess. Why are you so quick to give up?" I grumbled, but I knew in my heart that even taking her class into account, her reaction wasn't out of left field.

Squeak, squeak, squeeeak!

As if to validate that, marine monsters that only ever showed up after the event started began appearing here as well. They had walked all the way over here from the shore, at a pace less than half the walking speed of a normal person.

In a little while, this place will be filled with stronger guys. The coast will already be riddled with them.

Even still, no one arrived.

"Ersina."

"Yes, go ahead."

"We're moving. Waiting really doesn't suit my personality."

"Looks like your faith hasn't faltered."

What was she saying? She was the one who told me that all we could do was have faith.

"If you were born human, you might have been a great religious figure."

A religious figure, my ass. That felt strange to hear as a proud modern-day atheist, but her tone was closer to admiration than sarcasm, so I didn't argue with her.

"Enough nonsense. Get up."

"Okay."

I pulled the priestess to her feet and prepared to leave. Just as I was about to go, our first visitor in two hours arrived.

Unfortunately, it was not one of my team members. His skinny body was covered in minor injuries, probably from an arduous battle that took place just a short while ago. A longbow was slung over his shoulder. Even his green hair was covered in dirt.

"...Lord Yandel." Friend or foe? It wasn't hard to figure out, considering the question that left his mouth the second he spotted us. "You two... What have you done to Lady Rainwales?"

This was all very coincidental.

You see, I actually had a question for you too.

Ignoring the sudden ringing in my ears, I asked, "Hey, why do you have Raven's sub-space ring?"

You'd better have a good answer, or else you're dead.

...Uh, why isn't this working?

Was this one fake too? Missha then poured a little bit of the potion on a cut she'd gotten after falling in the water.

Chhh!

Seeing as it itched like crazy, the potion was fine. So why wasn't it working on this woman? She had no way of knowing, but Missha didn't give up. She'd learned from Bjorn that the barbarian way was to chew with your gums when you didn't have any teeth left.

I haven't used these in a long time...

Missha took out herbs and bandages. These were first-aid supplies she'd kept to use on the off chance she ever ran out of potions.

"This is going to sting a little... Oh, you can't hear me, anyway."

Washing the wound with an antiseptic first, Missha applied the herbs and bandaged it. Then she laid a blanket on the ground and laid the woman on top. That ended her first aid. Since she had done all she could, the rest was up to the woman.

"At least she's brrreathing all right..." After taking a moment to observe, Missha confirmed the woman's breathing had stabilized and squatted down next to the blanket. Then she let out a sigh. "Ugh, I can't just leave her herrre..."

If she were just unconscious, Missha would have carried her, but because her condition was so grave, that was impossible.

"Bjorn will be waiting..."

Missha sulked, but she couldn't leave the woman like this. She passed about ten minutes pouting.

Squeak, squeak, squeeeak!

Missha turned her head at an unpleasant sound. "Ugh, what's going on now?"

Monsters were crawling out onto the shore.

***

The sound of flesh colliding with flesh rang out periodically. I just couldn't keep my body still, so I kept messing with my hands incessantly.

Two hours.

It had already been that long since I'd arrived at the center of the island. No matter how fast I got here, one of my clanmates should have shown up a long time ago.

Why is no one coming?

Even if I tried to have faith, dark possibilities kept filling my head. Missha, Raven, Mr. Bear, Ainar, and Erwen... Were they really okay? If I knew this would happen, I would have searched the coast, not come to the center.

"Do you intend to stay here?" the priestess asked carefully as I vibrated with anxiety. To me, she looked like a fucking cult member at that moment.

You told me to have faith earlier.

"You're a priestess. Why are you so quick to give up?" I grumbled, but I knew in my heart that even taking her class into account, her reaction wasn't out of left field.

Squeak, squeak, squeeeak!

As if to validate that, marine monsters that only ever showed up after the event started began appearing here as well. They had walked all the way over here from the shore, at a pace less than half the walking speed of a normal person.

In a little while, this place will be filled with stronger guys. The coast will already be riddled with them.

Even still, no one arrived.

"Ersina."

"Yes, go ahead."

"We're moving. Waiting really doesn't suit my personality."

"Looks like your faith hasn't faltered."

What was she saying? She was the one who told me that all we could do was have faith.

"If you were born human, you might have been a great religious figure."

A religious figure, my ass. That felt strange to hear as a proud modern-day atheist, but her tone was closer to admiration than sarcasm, so I didn't argue with her.

"Enough nonsense. Get up."

"Okay."

I pulled the priestess to her feet and prepared to leave. Just as I was about to go, our first visitor in two hours arrived.

Unfortunately, it was not one of my team members. His skinny body was covered in minor injuries, probably from an arduous battle that took place just a short while ago. A longbow was slung over his shoulder. Even his green hair was covered in dirt.

"...Lord Yandel." Friend or foe? It wasn't hard to figure out, considering the question that left his mouth the second he spotted us. "You two... What have you done to Lady Rainwales?"

This was all very coincidental.

You see, I actually had a question for you too.

Ignoring the sudden ringing in my ears, I asked, "Hey, why do you have Raven's sub-space ring?"

You'd better have a good answer, or else you're dead.