No Way in Hell
"Ugh..."
"Aren't you pushing it a bit too hard?"
I watched her down drink after drink for a while before murmuring the question in a low voice.
"This much is fine... I haven't even hit a fraction of my limit yet."
"Doesn't look that way to me. Your face is way too flushed."
When I pressed her, her eyes already a little glassy, she smiled and replied.
"It's just hot."
"It's night—pretty chilly out, actually."
"Just... let it slide tonight, okay?"
With that, she reached for her glass again. Her hand, which had been trembling so badly earlier, was steady now. Guess booze really is the best medicine for a troubled heart.
"So, what do you think of the canary? You like it, right?"
As that thought crossed my mind, Clana pointed at the canary perched on my shoulder and spoke up.
"........."
"Don't say you hate it. That'd make her pretty sad."
She was watching me carefully, so I sighed and gave in.
"It's not bad to look at."
"Phew, good."
She looked relieved at my half-hearted answer.
'No way.'
Something about her expression jogged a memory from the previous loop. It couldn't be... but the look on her face was too similar.
"Oh? In the mood for a toast?"
As I reached for my glass, lost in thought, Clana extended hers toward me.
"Cheers to us."
"...Sure."
Our glasses clinked in the middle, sending gentle ripples across the surface.
"...Urk."
I stared at the waves for a moment before knocking back the drink. My face twisted involuntarily. I'd sampled every liquor out there, and with my sky-high mental resistance, nothing ever got me drunk. But this stuff? It was vicious.
"This is what you've been chugging?"
"Yeah. Needed some liquid courage for something."
"And what would that be?"
"Serving you because of that oath... It's brutal without something this strong to lean on."
Her expression was serene as she spoke, her once-shaking hands now resting calmly on the table.
"........."
But something felt off. Like the sea just before a storm sweeps everything away.
Definitely weird.
Clana was acting strange tonight. Calling me out for drinks in the dead of night? At a bar full of old memories? And she'd definitely been trembling earlier—which meant she'd regained a good chunk of her trial memories.
So why the calm face?
Like someone who's tied up all their loose ends before a long trip.
It could be my imagination. But she'd gifted me that canary made from her solar mana. And asked me to take good care of it? No matter how I sliced it, it matched the bad ending our ancestor warned about in the prophecy book. The saddest one, at that.
"It's late. Time to head back to the dorms..."
"It's just midnight. Not late at all."
"Midnight?"
"Yeah. The empire's biggest scumbag wouldn't call midnight 'late,' would he?"
She pointed at the wall clock, and sure enough—it was exactly 12:00. The day had flipped to a new one.
And that meant...
"Ha."
The cooldown on the Mind Reading skill I'd used on Perloché had reset.
"Haha... hahaha..."
"...Frey?"
I let out a hollow laugh, and Clana tilted her head, staring at me.
"Ha......"
I met her gaze, sighed deeply, closed my eyes tight, and...
No wonder she gave me the canary.
...began recalling the previous loop. The last memory of her tilting her head in front of me, and me.
"Frey Raon Starlight. If you truly wish to prove your loyalty to me, carve out her heart with your own hands and manifest Hell itself."
The imperial palace, trampled by the Demon King's army and reduced to rubble. Soldiers slaughtered mercilessly. Blood and shredded armor scattered everywhere—the remnants of the Imperial Knights. And you, sitting on the crumbled throne, eyes closed, quietly cooling.
I never imagined the girl who always burned with radiant light could grow so cold.
Carrying her to the magic circle the Demon King had set up, a canary fluttered around—familiar, like something I'd seen before. Your already-cold body chilled me to the bone, and that bird circling only made it worse.
But I couldn't stop. Gritting my teeth, I pressed on to the circle.
Finally there, I drew the knife from my robes to pierce Clana's heart—
"Tweet!"
"...Ack!"
The canary pecked my eye. Blood streamed down my face. Panicking, I swung the knife wildly.
The canary darted up, perching on the ceiling ornament, gazing down at us—as if committing the sight of me manifesting Hell to memory.
Back then, I thought it was just her pet bird mourning its owner.
Pfsh!
I couldn't look up again after stabbing her heart. Only after the canary's chirps faded—assuming it'd flown off—did I begin the ritual. Blood from my eye now thinner, flowing freely.
I'd brought Hell to the empire.
"Frey."
"...Huh?"
Snapped from my reverie by Clana's voice.
"You seem to really like that canary?"
"What're you on about?"
"You're petting it right now."
I blinked and took stock—ridiculous. I'd set the canary down on the table from my shoulder and was gently stroking it.
"I'm so glad you like it."
Clana smiled serenely again.
"One more bottle here..."
Poke!
As she raised her hand for another round, I prodded the molting canary.
"...Eek."
Her reaction was... intense.
"Something wrong, Clana?"
"N-No, nothing."
I asked softly, but she averted her eyes, mumbling evasively.
"Hmm..."
I tapped the table thoughtfully, then reached for the fresh bottle the server had brought. Pouring carefully, I spoke.
"Still not drunk?"
"...Says the guy who should be sloshed by now. Your tolerance is supposed to suck."
Clana was breathing harder now—tipsy, maybe.
"You... you're tickling the canary, aren't you?"
I eyed her steadily as she asked in a flustered tone. I replied with a sharp gaze.
"Yeah."
"W-Why? Why would you..."
"You gave it to me as a gift. I can do what I want with it, right?"
She bowed her head quietly.
"So... you'll keep tormenting it from now on?"
"Maybe when stress builds up?"
"But you won't hit it, right?"
"Can't promise that."
I downed another shot. She was chewing her lip.
"You said you don't care about animals."
"True. But my pet? That's different."
"How so?"
"Who knows..."
I trailed off and tickled the canary again. Clana started trembling.
"Hnnng..."
"You can see, can't you?"
I smirked. Head still down, she suddenly chugged drink after drink.
"Doesn't matter."
"What?"
"It's your gift. Do what you want."
"Even if I do anything?"
I asked coldly, but she just smiled.
"Whatever you want."
I stopped tickling, picked up the canary, and set it back on my shoulder.
"You're drunk."
"No, not yet..."
"Breathing's ragged, face is red. No more excuses."
As her hand reached for her glass, I grabbed it. She froze solid.
"U-Uh..."
"Clana?"
"Uhhh...!"
She let out a dazed whimper, then paled, yanking her hand free.
"D-Don't touch my hand."
"Clana?"
"B-Before it's too late... I want more time with you... ugh..."
Clutching her head, trembling, she finally whispered.
"Limit's approaching."
"What?"
"Let's go. Can't end it here."
"........."
"What's wrong?"
She stood, face ashen. I murmured softly.
"...Nothing."
"Good. Hurry up, then."
She'd heard somehow and urged me, rising slowly.
"So, where to now?"
"Hmm..."
I asked our next stop. She smiled faintly.
"I had places I wanted to see, things to do."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. But... no time left. Shame."
A flicker of sorrow crossed her face.
"Thought I'd hit that dessert cafe again, some shops, cat cafe too..."
"And?"
"...It's late. No point. Straight to the end."
I scowled. She grabbed my arm, leading us out.
"Right there."
"...There."
A place we both knew well.
"...The forest where we made the oath."
"Yep. Where two idiots made their reckless promise."
"Why there?"
As we walked slowly, she explained.
"That canary flower you tried to give me last time."
"...You remembered that?"
"Regretted not taking it. Deeply."
Ignoring my question, she glanced back.
"Give me a new one."
"...Shops are closed."
"That canary flower's fine—we did it. I want dawn flowers from there."
"Dawn flowers?"
She nodded softly.
"...Gotta make peace before I go."
"What?"
"We've come this far."
With that, she turned and headed into the forest.
"Ha......."
I watched her go, then...
"No way in hell."
The moment the clock struck, I activated it. Staring at the skill window hovering before me, I muttered.
Clana Solar Sunrise's Current Emotions:
Love / Self-Sacrifice
"...That's my specialty."