Only I Am Human (7)
The surveillance detail assigned by the knight captain seemed to have abandoned their post. No surprise, given the circumstances.
The room was quiet. Beyond the window, the flames I'd set were devouring the village, but this rundown house remained a pocket of peace.
Maybe it was the sodden cloak, but a sticky unease kept welling up inside me.
It was something I no longer needed. I shrugged it off without a second thought and tossed it aside.
I looked in the mirror.
Blood-splattered face in a total mess. Silver hair matted, red eyes gleaming eerily.
And yet, she was beautiful. A decadent beauty, don't you think?
No turning back now. Tonight, I'd settle things for good.
I twisted my lips into a smirk, and the girl in the mirror mimicked me. But that smile trembled ever so slightly.
I opened the drawer.
The moment I gripped the dagger the protagonist had given me, the firelight from outside flashed coldly along its blade.
I pocketed the dagger and opened the door.
Screeech. The moment I stepped outside, acrid smoke stabbed at my nose.
The village was already a hellscape.
"Put out the fire! Bring water, hurry!"
"Where are the knights?!"
"Run! That house is collapsing too!"
"Aaaah—! My leg—!"
"Somebody help over here!"
Buildings crumbled one by one. The NPCs scattered in blind panic, dashing through the streets.
The clamor buzzed in my ears.
Right in the middle of that chaos, I strolled leisurely. No one paid me any mind.
Even better.
Come to think of it, "outsider" suited me perfectly. The only real one among fakes.
Thud, thud. My footsteps were light as I walked the street.
"Ailin!"
A familiar voice made me turn. Someone was rushing toward me through the smoke, desperate.
The protagonist. Right, the protagonist of this world. Ethan, Ailin's childhood friend. The future Hero. He panted heavily as he blocked my path.
"You're safe! I thought you were still at home—I was so worried…!"
He let out a sigh of relief as he approached, his eyes full of genuine concern.
But then his gaze fell on my clothes. The white dress stained vivid red with blood. And the dagger in my hand.
"Ah, busted."
"…Ailin?"
Not that I had any intention of hiding it anymore.
I drew up my mana. Shadows surged from my toes.
"Bye, protagonist."
I swung without hesitation. I'd send him off painlessly. A reward for all the kindness he'd shown me… or rather, the original Ailin.
Shadows coated the dagger as it shot toward his throat.
"…?!"
But maybe protagonists are just built different. Or perhaps my strike lacked true intent.
He instinctively drew the sword at his waist and blocked my attack.
Claaang—! Sparks flew with the sharp clash of metal.
Ethan looked utterly flustered. No wonder. Your childhood friend suddenly coming at you with killing intent—who wouldn't lose it?
"Ailin?! What the hell?!"
"…."
I answered with a relentless barrage.
Shadow dagger and protagonist's sword clashed without pause. Fast, sharp.
Ethan could only defend, backpedaling as he parried, sweat pouring down his face.
"Snap out of it, Ailin! It's me, Ethan!"
"I know. That's why I'm killing you."
"…What?"
"Don't resist."
His pupils shook at my words. A gap. I aimed for his throat again, lunging in one breath to end it painlessly.
Drip.
"…Ugh?"
Suddenly, my arm froze mid-air.
Like hitting an invisible wall. Or someone yanking my arm from behind.
My right arm began trembling wildly. The dagger's tip quivered right before Ethan's throat. The shadows had long lost their form.
I had to advance, to slash—but my body wouldn't obey.
"What…?"
Why. Why now, of all times.
Now…?
Ah. So that's it.
The resistance from deep within—it was Ailin.
The person I'd thought was dead. The owner of this shell of a body was desperately blocking me. With that flimsy will to protect her childhood friend, holding out just for this moment.
"Nngh…!"
A groan escaped my lips.
One eye burned with murder, the other welling with tears. Must've looked grotesque.
Ethan seized the opening and retreated. Putting distance between us, he stared, breathing ragged. He saw Ailin's trembling hand, my agonized expression.
"…Ailin?"
His eyes changed. From bewilderment to suspicion, then certainty.
"Ailin… you're not yourself. And that hesitation just now…."
He gripped his sword tighter, glaring.
"Who are you."
"Ha, haha… nothing…."
"I said, who."
Ethan's voice dropped low. The air grew heavy.
"Give Ailin's body back—NOW—!!!"
Blue light poured from Ethan's body. Mana. Pure, immense—nothing like mine.
Oppressive pressure crushed me. Was this the protagonist's awakening? Power surging from sheer resolve to save Ailin. Made me feel like the villain.
Ethan kicked off the ground. Fast. On a whole other level.
Kaaang—! His sword slammed my dagger. Shock jolted through my wrist. Even blocking, I was pushed back.
Move. Dodge.
My mind knew, but my body lagged.
Ailin's resistance intensified. Limbs heavy as shackles. Controlling this defiant body against my will burned through my mana.
Chaaang—! Clack—! Boom!
Ethan's onslaught continued.
"Ailin! Hang on! I'll save you!"
The situation sucked. Brute force wouldn't work. With Ailin interfering, I couldn't unleash my full strength.
Only one way. If I couldn't fight it, I'd use it.
"Ugh…!"
I deliberately dropped my guard and staggered.
His sword grazed my shoulder. Flesh tore, pain sharpening the smoke's reality.
I collapsed, clutching my chest. Groaning in agony, I looked up at him with exhausted eyes.
"E-Ethan…."
A choked sob.
"Please…."
Ethan froze at those words from Ailin's mouth. The blazing blue mana faded.
"Kill… me…."
"Ailin…! No, what are you saying!"
"Ethan… sorry…?"
"I'll save you! I won't abandon you! So please—!"
I reversed my grip on the dagger. Aimed straight for Ailin's heart. Yanked with all my might.
Ethan's eyes widened impossibly. He dropped his sword. Threw everything into lunging at me.
Wide open. Full of holes.
As he reached for the dagger, I met his gaze.
The tears in my eyes dried in an instant.
"Thanks."
I whispered in his ear. Then flipped the dagger to a proper grip.
Shunk. Flesh parting, raw and vivid.
"…Ah?"
Ethan's body stiffened.
He stared down at me in disbelief, his fading eyes reflecting my impassive face.
"…A, i… lin?"
Even as he fell, he didn't push me away. Instead, his hand reached for my cheek. Bloodied fingers caressed my face.
"…Sorry…."
He mumbled through blood-flecked lips.
"Couldn't… protect you…."
"…."
"When you come back… be happy…."
To the end, he worried for Ailin. Even with his heart pierced by his enemy.
His hand fell limply to the ground.
Thud. A taut string inside me snapped.
The suffocating weight on my chest vanished.
"…Ha."
A hollow laugh escaped. I kicked Ethan's corpse aside and stood.
I yanked out the dagger; blood gushed, but I ignored it.
"Too damn nice to the end. That's why you die."
I spat coldly.
I glanced at the dagger. Far more useful than I'd thought. Would serve me well ahead.
"…Tch."
But I drove it reverse-grip into the ground before his body. Felt wrong to take it.
Leaving the dead protagonist, Ethan, behind, I walked into the burning village heart.
Erasing the fakes was the sole right of the only real one in this world—me.