The Worst Death
It was the worst death imaginable. I had no idea how many more times I would have to die, but I doubted anything could be more agonizing than this. And then there was Saren's red eyes, gleaming in the moonlight. The tears pooling in those wide pupils caught the crimson hue, making them look like drops of blood.
“Hoo...”
This really is one mountain after another.
You have achieved the Top Entrance Student accomplishment. Reward: Synchronization with Serion Elsia will begin. (Current synchronization progress: 10%)
Synchronization. Does that mean I’ll start resembling the original Serion from before my possession? At least this time it wasn’t a save point. That left me unable to tell whether I’d failed to reach the church or died before hitting the save location. In the end, I had no choice but to head back to the church again.
“Hey.”
Yes, Savior?
“Am I really Saren’s savior? It doesn’t feel like it. This time, she killed me.”
Everything that occurs in that place is beyond my authority. All outcomes are determined by your choices, Savior.
My choices, huh.
“Then is it okay to just let Saren die?”
I am merely a guide. I have no right to interfere with this story.
“Did you already know? That she’s a crazy bitch?”
I am merely a guide. I have no right to interfere with this story.
What a rigid bastard.
“Hoo… Then can I rest for a bit before we head out? I need to organize my thoughts.”
Understood, Savior. Call for me whenever you wish.
I crossed my arms in midair and closed my eyes. Let’s organize the situation so far.
1. This time, I’ll start from the back gate of the mansion again. The stable route is definitely wrong. I’ll head straight for the church once more.
2. Absolutely no contact with Vivian. Whether it’s during camping, resting in the shade, or both—Saren was awake. She got lucky and killed me first this time, but if she had killed Vivian first… I don’t even want to imagine it.
3. In this life, Vivian doesn’t know I’ve been possessed. That means I’ll finally be able to tell whether her claim that we were lovers from the beginning is true or false.
And most importantly—
4. I need to uncover Chloe’s secret. I have to find out whether the Chloe killed by Saren truly vanished from this world forever, or if she’s simply a different Chloe. Even if I die pointlessly, this is something I must confirm.
To do that, I need to reach the forest where I first met Chloe. The church is north of the mansion. The meeting with Chloe was to the west. That means I’ll have to take a long detour. It’ll be troublesome, but there’s no other—
Ah, damn it. No response. If I walk from the mansion, I’ll already be far past the point where I encountered Chloe. So I’ll have to wait along the path from the western forest to the church. If she really is Vivian’s sister, she’ll definitely head to the same church.
“I’m ready now.”
Understood. Then I wish you a pleasant journey this time as well.
“……”
A pleasant journey? The absurdity of it left me unable to even laugh. Just not dying would be a blessing.
To the Beginning
With the system’s voice, a pure white light enveloped me. When I opened my eyes, I saw the familiar back gate of the mansion and Saren standing beside me. In the distance, Vivian was running toward us clutching a white bundle.
“Huff… huff… Young Master, Miss! Imperial soldiers are outside right now…!!”
I didn’t even glance at her as I opened the gate.
“Follow me.”
“What? W-where…?”
“……”
I kept my mouth firmly shut. It wasn’t that I didn’t trust Vivian. I desperately hoped the love we’d shared in the previous life wasn’t a lie. But right now, such trivial emotional games weren’t my priority.
“Vivian.”
I called her name while staring straight ahead.
“Yes?”
“Vivian Criatis.”
“W-why are you suddenly using my full name…?”
Her voice carried clear bewilderment.
“Is Chloe doing well?”
“Doing… well?”
“Just wondering. It’s been a while.”
While we spoke, we passed through the rear garden and exited through the gate. Originally, Saren should have stopped me before we left and suggested the stable, but that line never came. Maybe my serious tone made her skip it.
“My sister passed away the moment she became a saint. Have you forgotten…?”
“Ah, right. Sorry.”
“……”
Just like last time. That meant it was time to confirm whether the Chloe Criatis I met in the western forest was the real one.
“Saren.”
“Yes, Brother?”
Saren. My sister who had brutally murdered me. She simply tilted her head with an innocent expression and said nothing about the stable. It seemed the flow changed once the timing passed.
“And Vivian.”
“Yes?!”
“We’re heading to the path between the western forest and the northern church. Don’t ask why—just follow.”
“……?”
The two women exchanged puzzled glances.
“Let’s go. We don’t have time to dawdle.”
“Ah!!”
I snatched the white bundle from Vivian’s arms and started walking. No matter what, it looked heavy, so I might as well carry it.
“Y-Young Master!! Please let me carry that!!”
“……”
I ignored her. Vivian fidgeted anxiously beside me. The sight was somehow endearing, yet it brought back memories from my previous life and made my chest ache.
…I can’t waver. This isn’t the time.
“Brother.”
I turned my head slightly to the left to look at Saren.
“Is something troubling you? Your expression and voice have been so heavy since earlier…”
Trouble. Trouble, she says.
“No.”
“Ah, I see…”
Maybe my curt reply was to blame. Saren’s voice grew noticeably gloomy.
“I-if ever!!”
“Hm?”
“If there’s ever anything I can help with… please tell me anytime…”
Why was this insane murderer acting so shy? In the past I might have found it cute, but now it only filled me with disgust. All I could do was force the corners of my mouth upward into a smile.
“That’s reassuring. Thanks.”
“Ah…! N-no, not at all…”
Her face flushed bright red as she bit her lip and lowered her head. The more she did so, the darker the shadow on Vivian’s face grew. Had she looked like that in the previous life too? But I couldn’t acknowledge it or ask about it. Knowing the future yet having to stay silent about the present left me feeling suffocated, as if something was lodged in my throat.
*
We walked and walked. Even as the sun set and twilight arrived. Even as twilight faded and the moon rose. We simply kept our mouths shut and continued onward. Saren kept falling behind, probably because of the medicine, so from evening onward I carried her on my back.
“Hoo… Is the path still far?”
“Yes. At this pace, we’ll need at least two more days.”
Vivian answered my question.
“Then let’s camp here for tonight. Vivian, set up a barrier.”
“Huh? Ah… Yes!”
Vivian looked slightly flustered before clasping her hands together and closing her eyes.
“I, Vivian Criatis, invoke peace upon this place in the name of God. In nomine Dei, lumen meum protegat et custodiat.”
With the incantation, a pure white curtain enveloped the surroundings before vanishing from sight.
“Thanks. You sit and rest next to Saren too. I’ll go gather some firewood.”
“I-I’ll go instead!!”
Just as I laid Saren down and turned to leave, she urgently grabbed my wrist to stop me. But I gently removed her hand and replied.
“Rest.”
“……Y-Young Master.”
Was my behavior toward her that unfamiliar? It was the first time I’d seen tears well up in her blue eyes. Seeing this made me think we really might have been secret lovers, but—Saren was undoubtedly listening with her ears perked up even at this very moment. I couldn’t afford to respond to her tears.
I gave Vivian a small smile before heading alone into the dark forest. In truth, my goal wasn’t firewood. There was something I wanted to test.
“This should be deep enough.”
It’s strangely quiet. The moment that thought crossed my mind—
BOOOOM—!!!
Something struck my head, accompanied by a massive explosion.
“…Hm.”
[Grrrrrrr…]
It was the undead wolfman that had killed me before. The monster that had pounced on me. I couldn’t tell if it was the same one or a different one. I smirked.
Thanks to the Chloe’s Blessing title, I felt no pain at all.
[Krrraaaagh!!]
The wolfman roared and slammed its massive fist into my abdomen. At that instant—
Shing—
A very thin barrier formed around my body and nullified the attack.
“Oh?”
So this is what the blessing looks like. I smiled faintly and drew a dagger from my pocket. I didn’t know how to wield a blade, nor could I use magic. Still, I wouldn’t die from getting hit. Maybe I could at least put up a fight.
A surge of uncharacteristic confidence filled me.
“Hah!!”
I poured all my strength into the dagger and stabbed deep into the wolfman’s hide, but—
Clang—
The blade shattered miserably, and the fragments lodged into my face. The burning pain made me grimace.
“Damn it…”
Of course. There was no way I’d get stronger just from 10% synchronization.
[Krrraaagh!!! Krrraaaagh!!!]
The undead, now furious, began pounding me mercilessly while howling. But I paid it no mind. I simply pulled the shards from my face and sat down heavily on the ground.
“Hmm.”
How do I kill that thing now? I can’t exactly bring it back to Saren either. But maybe Vivian, who uses holy magic, could take it down?
It was then.
Shhh—
[Krrraaagh!!]
“…?”
A golden ring suddenly appeared in the air and instantly wrapped around the undead. Hssss— The sound of burning flesh rose as smoke billowed, and the creature began to melt away.
[KRRRAAAAAAGH!!]
“What the…”
Before I could even be surprised, I sensed a presence behind me.
“Do you happen to enjoy getting beaten up?”
“……!!”
I swallowed hard without realizing it. A familiar voice. A familiar tone. I slowly turned my trembling head to face the owner of that voice.
Pink hair and pink eyes. And a black saint’s robe covering her entire body.
“……Chloe.”
“Oh my, do you know me?”
It was definitely Chloe.