The Protagonist and Heroine Must Stay Together (3)

Tatatat! "House! Where to, where should I go?!"

Click. —Straight ahead. The deepest part of the mansion. The stairs leading underground.

"Got it~!"

Tatat!

"Priestess! You must stay by our side!"

"It's dangerous!!"

"Forget my safety—we need to catch Arty before she escapes!"

"That won't do! Your safety comes first!!"

An unexpected chase unfolded inside the empty mansion of Lord Richard. Neither Arty nor Lily Cubus were professional combatants, so their running speeds were evenly matched.

The real problem was that Arty's condition kept deteriorating under the influence of Attachment. Thanks to that, Lily Cubus—who ignored the murderous presence of Tiasia chasing from behind—steadily closed the distance.

'The plan has gone off track, but it's fine. Arty doesn't seem like the type who can fight, so I should be able to catch her on my own.'

Having quickly revised her plan, Lily fixed her gaze on Arty's light-pink hair, which was drawing closer.

****

'At this rate, she'll catch me...! What do I do? I don't have the strength to run any faster...!'

Arty could feel the intense presence right behind her and knew she was moments away from being caught. Yet there was nothing she could do now.

"H-House..! Are we still far..?!"

Click. —Suggestion. Ascend to the second floor from the end of the corridor.

"Eh?! The second floor?! Weren't we supposed to go underground?"

—Affirmative. But also negative.

"Th-then where exactly are we going?!"

—Second floor.

"Okay!"

Following House's instructions, Arty gathered what little strength she had left and began climbing to the second floor instead of descending underground. Seeing this, Lily's expression turned puzzled, but she continued the pursuit.

'Why the second floor...? Even if there are stairs leading underground from there, she can barely keep running as it is...?'

Arty's figure vanished from view as she took the final step onto the second floor, already looking utterly exhausted. Lily arrived shortly after, still unable to comprehend her actions.

****

"I-I can't go anymore...! My legs... my legs..."

By the time Arty reached the second floor, she already regretted climbing up. Yet through her exhausted, wavering vision, she spotted several people waiting for her.

"Oh, you really came."

"Luna, Neisila. Please."

"[The Hand of Curia is equally warm to all. Recovery.]"

"Mugido! Stop making that dumb face and get down already."

"Huh..? Luna?"

Waiting for Arty on the second floor were Luna and the rest of Rion's party, who had come to Neveiria together. As if they had known she would arrive, Mugido immediately hoisted her onto his back like a doll while Luna cast recovery magic and Neisila applied various buffs. They began running at once.

Lily arrived on the second floor moments later and let out a dry laugh at the unexpected sight before sprinting after them.

"Everyone, how did you..."

Still bewildered, Arty turned to Rion to understand the situation.

"It was House. He told us how to enter the mansion. There were no guards except at the main gate."

"House...? No, that's not the issue. Why are you helping me...? Aren't you a priestess of the Curia Church, Luna?"

"Arty, you don't have to overthink it. We each have our own way of deciding who to help."

Rion added to Neisila's words.

"I have an intuition that tells me which side is good and which is evil."

"I-intuition??"

"Yes. It's a skill called Intuition."

Rion casually showed Arty his status window.

Rion had always shown goodwill toward the supporting character ever since the hospital because of this very skill. Even though the supporting character was a necromancer who had killed many people, from Rion's perspective he was righteous. That was why he could always act to help him faster than anyone else.

After checking Rion's status window, Arty still wore a worried expression.

"But opposing Neveiria is dangerous..."

"You're in far more danger, Miss Arty. Don't worry. We're not idiots—we have no intention of fighting the Church's holy knights. We'll just buy you time to escape..."

"[Stop right there!]

Twitch!!

Lily's sharp voice rang out from behind. Mugido and Rion's movements froze instantly.

An invisible notification window appeared before Lily. Neisila smacked Mugido's shoulder and scolded him for stopping. However, neither Rion nor Mugido showed any sign of moving.

"H-haha... I thought it would be fine as long as they didn't see my face..."

"So this is Priestess Lily's ability that House warned us about. I thought I had some resistance to mental ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠magic, but to think it would work this well even when I know it's brainwashing..."

"[Bring her here.]"

When Lily's voice rang out again, Mugido and Rion hesitated, their bodies beginning to turn. Panicked, Arty tried to climb down from Mugido's back, but Neisila stopped her and—smack!!—slapped Mugido's cheek with all her strength.

His face swelled red in an instant. Mugido stared at Neisila in a daze.

"Mugido, if you react to that woman's words one more time, it's over. Don't even think about seeing me again for the rest of your life."

"......"

Neisila glared at him with murderous eyes while making a sincere threat. Her lover's brutal slap was enough to weaken ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠even Stage 2 brainwashing.

"What? That's ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠ridiculous!"

"I'm sorry, Priestess~!! But I have to think about my future!! If I break up with Neisila, my life is over~~!!"

Regaining his senses, Mugido shouted as if having a fit, then dashed off alone at full speed while carrying Arty.

"[W-wait...!]"

Lily desperately tried to stop him, but her voice no longer reached Mugido, who had already disappeared into the distance.

"Rion! You run too! We have to go to Mugido anyway if we want to take Arty!"

"R-right!"

"Luna, keep casting purification magic on him. We need to break the brainwashing even a little!"

"Yeees...!"

Rion, Neisila, and Luna soon resumed their escape following Mugido. Their speed was on a completely different level from the exhausted Arty, and Lily lacked the strength to chase veteran adventurers.

Left behind like a dog chasing chickens, Lily bit her lip in frustration.

'I didn't account for a breakthrough, so there's no one guarding the entrance to the Abyss. Tiasia is still coming after me from behind, and no one is listening to my requests...'

Lily Cubus could not think of any way to turn the situation around. However, the "story" must go on.

Tap!

"Priestess! Leave it to me!"

There was one person who would gladly risk his life for her—one who understood her ideals and knew that capturing Arty was more important than her own safety.

"Lord Richard..?"

"I will definitely bring that woman to you, Priestess!"

Lord Richard, who had been commanding the guards, decided it was no longer necessary and returned to the mansion. After assessing the situation, he immediately rushed to Lily.

"My Lord!! Please!! You must catch her!!"

"Yes! Even if it costs me my life!"

Lord Richard vanished from Lily's sight at tremendous speed, just as he had appeared.

****

Richard Lu Neveiria. Lord of the great city of Neveiria. Unmarried in his mid-forties. A man captivated by Lily Cubus. And a former A-rank adventurer.

Specializing in fighting humans—thieves and bandits—rather than monsters. A peculiar adventurer whose skills were exceptional enough to aim higher, yet who stubbornly insisted on solo play and never rose further. Turning him into an enemy would be extremely troublesome in the current situation.

Despite being well past his prime, he sprinted through the mansion corridors at incredible speed. In less than a minute, he caught up to Rion's party.

"You ruffian adventurers aiding an evil necromancer!! I shall pass judgment upon you in the name of God!!"

Lord Richard leaped from afar and delivered a rider kick toward Mugido and Arty.

"[Mana Shield]!!"

Having anticipated the attack, Neisila chanted the spell, and a translucent barrier appeared.

Crack-crack-crack!

The shield blocked Lord Richard's kick for a brief moment before shattering. He landed perfectly, regained his balance in midair, and instead of charging at Arty again, rushed toward Luna and Neisila nearby.

'When facing multiple humans, prioritizing mages and priests is basic tactics!'

As Lord Richard's hands reached for Neisila and Luna with rational judgment, they recoiled in shock. To protect them, Rion quickly drew his sword and stood in Lord Richard's way.

"How dare you! I am the lord of this city! Do you even realize what atrocities you're committing?!"

"Even if you're the lord, we must stop wrongdoing!"

"Wrongdoing? How absurd for an ignorant adventurer aiding a necromancer to say such things! I am here to deal with the necromancer with Priestess Lily's help!"

"His combat abilities may lean toward necromancy, but he is not a bad person!"

Rion's defense was useless against the completely brainwashed Lord Richard.

"How dare brats who don't understand the greater cause try to lecture me!"

Though Rion was a ten-year veteran adventurer, his experience and skill were far inferior to Lord Richard's. The lord overwhelmed Rion, Neisila, and Luna simultaneously with ease.

Realizing after only a few exchanges that Lord Richard was no ordinary opponent, Rion urgently called for Mugido.

"Kuh! Mugido! I can't hold him alone!"

"Ha?! What do you want me to do now?!"

"B-but really... Kuhk!"

While calling for Mugido, Rion left an opening. Lord Richard drove a fist into his abdomen. Rion was sent flying backward and dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach in pain.

"Rion! Damn it! You weakling! I told you to train your muscles!"

With Rion temporarily out of the fight and Neisila and Luna in danger, Mugido had no choice but to set Arty down.

"Your name was Arty, right? You've got all the buffs, so you can move now!"

"Y-yeah!"

"Then you can go to your boyfriend on your own!"

"E-eh, b-boyfriend..."

"We'll hold him off somehow! Run! Go to that guy quickly!"

Without waiting for Arty's reply, Mugido charged at Lord Richard, who was attacking Neisila.

"You bastard! How dare you lay your wrinkly hands on her!!"

"Hmph! Adventurers these days have no manners at all!"

Only after Mugido joined the battle could Rion's party barely hold Lord Richard back. Arty's face flushed briefly at Mugido's words, but she quickly regained her composure and ran again, following House's guidance with her much-improved condition.

****

Tap. Tap!

A single set of light footsteps echoed through the mansion's long corridor.

"Haa... haa...!"

Arty ran toward the supporting character almost on instinct.

'Supporting character... where are you...? Where on earth are you... I'm so tired... I want to see you~~'

Though they had only been separated for three or four hours, the extreme situation—where she might never see him again—had worn down not only her body but also her mind through Attachment, preventing her from thinking clearly.

'I want to see him soon... I want to hug him tightly... Aaah~ I wish he'd roughly pull me into his arms like he did at the guild during the day... I want to sleep together in a warm bed... Just like before, in that narrow bed... Why didn't I stop him when he said he was leaving? We absolutely shouldn't be apart... It was so happy when I was touching the reactor in his arms...... As the Saintess said, if I make it a fait accompli, this kind of separation won't happen, right..? I'll become his wife, not just his lover...! Then I won't have to leave his side for the rest of my life. No, for eternity...!'

Thanks to her normal sense of ethics, she didn't show it outwardly. But inside, she was completely unhinged.

Click!

—Descend to the first floor via the stairs ahead, then enter the shabby door in front. Proceed underground.

The sounds of battle between Tiasia and the holy knights ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠echoed from nearby, while Rion's party fought Lord Richard behind her. Yet nothing blocked Arty's path.

If she continued following House's directions, she would safely reach the Abyss where the supporting character awaited.

A large, shabby door came into Arty's view. She pushed it open with all her strength, revealing a seemingly endless staircase. Smiling at the thought that she was almost there, she hurried down the steps.

'Just a little more... Supporting character... he's there!'

After descending for over ten minutes, her eyes adjusted to the darkness and she could see the end of the stairs and an unkempt door.

Click!

—The Abyss entrance shows signs of battle. Exercise caution.

"Haa..! Haa..! I can feel him... I can feel the supporting character..!"

Click?

—...Suggestion. I recommend reducing your speed.

House urgently called out to Arty as she continued running down, but having sensed she was close to the supporting character, she failed to register the signal and reached for the door.

'I'm really here..! If I just hand over this reactor to the supporting character, everything will be solved..! And after that, we'll go back to the lodging together...!

"Using the method the Saintess told me... I'll make the supporting character mine...!!"

Arty Stria Jewel Heroine—her body soaked in fatigue, her mind unhinged—failed to notice what she normally would have realized.

Strangely, misfortune had not befallen her.

Thud.

"Uwah?!"

As Arty stepped down the final stair, she tripped on a small stone fragment lying on the floor. Unable to resist the momentum from running down the stairs, she pitched forward and crashed into the door.

Bang!

"Ouch!"

The neglected, flimsy door could not withstand even Arty's light weight and collapsed inward—toward the sheer cliff of the Abyss rather than the stairs on the left.

"Eek, kyaaah?!"

Her misfortune struck her in the worst possible form.