Reunion (4)
It took time to get out of the citadel.
Every time Adelaide turned a corner in the corridor, she stopped, pricked up her ears, and scouted ahead. I just hung off her shoulder, focusing on breathing.
I couldn't steady my body properly, so I kept tilting to one side. If she hadn't been holding my waist with her arm, I would've fallen at least three times.
Before, I'd been the one dragging her around. Now it was the opposite.
But the fact that it didn't feel bad was the real problem.
“……No one's following us from behind?”
“No. One of the demons is handling cleanup in the central hall, so the rest will head that way.”
“……You know your stuff.”
“I was a knight.”
“Right. Vice-captain of the Royal Guard.”
“That was in the past.”
“……Yeah.”
There was no more conversation for a while. As we passed through the lower corridors, I spotted a demon soldier slumped against the wall.
Blood was flowing from his abdomen. Rebel or ally—I couldn't tell.
The soldier looked up at me with effort. His mouth opened, then his head drooped.
……I didn't know this guy's name. Just one of the demons Sahadin reported as numbers.
Gartia had a name. So did Sahadin and Livaton.
This dying soldier probably had one too.
“……How'd you know about this spot?”
“Checked it on the way in.”
“Even the escape routes while entering?”
“Basic in enemy territory.”
Finally, outside air hit my face. The surroundings were quiet, so the rebellion's chaos hadn't reached here.
Standing with the citadel at my back felt strange. I'd spent what felt like three months locked inside.
This had been the Demon King's castle—soon to be mine—yet right now, it felt like unknown ground.
Adelaide quickened her pace, clearly aiming to put as much distance as possible between us and the citadel.
“Slow down a bit……”
“No.”
“I'm really hurting—”
“We need to get far before their encirclement is complete. Bear it.”
I gritted my teeth and followed.
We weaved through rocks, crossed dry hills. My weight on her shoulder grew heavier, but she didn't complain.
I couldn't think of anything to say as we walked. Even though it was three months since we'd been side by side.
……Actually, words overflowed. I just didn't know where to start.
I missed you? I waited?
All bullshit. No right to say that after killing all her subordinates.
Through her shoulder, I glimpsed her profile. Eyes fixed ahead. Not once glancing back.
……She came to kill me. So why carry me and run?
How long did we walk? Adelaide stopped at the base of a weathered cliff.
A hole between the rock faces—a cave, basically. Deep enough to block wind, floor mostly flat.
“We'll rest here.”
“They could come from behind.”
“If they had the manpower to track us, they wouldn't have rebelled. No one's coming.”
“……How can you be sure?”
“You're talking too much. You'll collapse if you move more.”
“I won't col—”
Words cut off. Adelaide yanked my arm without warning.
I ended up leaning against the wall, gasping. Pain surged in. All from Gartia's hits, probably.
Adelaide leaned against the opposite wall. Narrow space—two steps apart.
She set the holy sword beside her but kept the dagger at her waist.
Seeing it twisted my gut every time. Initials of her vice-officer engraved—the relic of someone I killed.
……She'd carried it for three months. It pissed me off for some reason.
“I need to see the wounds.”
“I'm fine. It'll heal with rest—”
“Lift your clothes.”
It was an order. Before, I'd have been the one commanding, but oddly, it didn't feel bad.
Was this my taste all along?
I carefully rolled up my hem. Left side bruised purple, blood trickling in spots.
Ribs swollen red. Adelaide's brow furrowed.
“Might be cracked. Not broken, though.”
“You a doctor? Or priest around here?”
“Fought long on battlefields as a knight. I know this much.”
“……You're a regular know-it-all.”
“Shut up, Ailin.”
Ailin. That name sent a chill through me for some reason. Meanwhile, her hand approached the wound.
Faint golden light bloomed from her palm, and when it touched my skin, searing heat engulfed me.
“……Ah, this…… really hurts……”
“Bear it. Can't have you dying.”
“You came to kill me—why's that a problem……!”
Adelaide didn't answer. Why's it a problem? Why heal me? Why bring me this far? I want to hear it from you.
But if her thoughts differed from what spilled from my mouth, I'd shatter. So I swallowed it.
“The Demon King's body isn't taking it properly.”
“Ugh……That's why it hurts so much……?”
“Your mana is repelling it.”
“……Then leave it.”
“It'll pierce your organs.”
“Doesn't mat— ughhh……!”
“Be quiet.”
After what felt like forever, the light faded. Sweat beaded on Adelaide's forehead. Breathing ragged.
Treating the Demon King's body must take a toll.
But I was worse off. I didn't show it, but it hurt like hell.
As I shivered, she added softly.
“Shouldn't be life-threatening now.”
“……Thanks.”
“……Never thought I'd hear that from you.”
“I said it before too.”
“……That was sarcasm.”
“……”
Adelaide fell asleep soon after.
A Hero dozing off in enemy territory with the Demon King beside her, defenseless.
She must've judged I wouldn't harm her. Fair enough—if I could, I'd have killed her during the three-day battle.
First time seeing her sleep since Istius.
Back then, I'd slept first while she watched over. Now reversed.
Her sleeping face lacked its sharpness. I didn't like that.
Faint shadows under her eyes—not fatigue, but chronic sleep debt.
……How many proper nights in three months?
Even sharing a room in Istius's inn, she slept poorly. Late to bed, early to rise. Always before me.
……Insomnia, probably. Next to her captor.
“……Sleep well.”
I stared at her face for a long time, then turned to the cave entrance.
Outside was dark. Pointless to distinguish day and night in the Land of Darkness, but it felt like evening.
Adelaide woke soon after. Without a word, she headed to the entrance.
While I waited blankly, she returned arms full of dry wood scraps.
Stuff grew even here. She knew more than me, the Demon King.
She struck the stone floor with the holy sword, sparking a fire.
……A Hero using her holy sword as flint. Absurd, kinda.
The campfire lit the cave. Crackle, crackle. Reminded me of past-life fire-gazing.
I knew I had to say something.
Fingers fidgeted on my knee. Opening my mouth felt impossible.
“……Sorry.”
Smaller than expected. Nearly drowned by the flames.
Adelaide's gaze lifted from the fire.
“……What?”
“—Nothing. What'd I say? If you didn't hear, fine.”
“I heard.”
“……….”
My chest tightened.
“……Not something I can accept.”
Her voice was calm. No anger, no sadness.
“……But I heard it.”
Heard it.
I buried my face in my knees, arms wrapped around, forehead pressed down.
I killed all her subordinates. Tortured some in experiments. Only confessed after getting caught.
"Sorry" doesn't fix that. I know.
Burning the village, killing Ethan, the knight captain—I never regretted once. Not after.
They were NPCs. A game. Only I was real.
……Lies. I'd known for a while but pretended not to.
Admit it, and I'm a murderer. Not "processing NPCs"—killing people.
Now I know each had meaning. Lives of their own. I erased them all.
Too late to dwell. They don't come back.
“I'm not an NPC.”
“……I know.”
Now, I know all too well.