Chapter 110
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 110
Chapter Title: Scene 110: Even in the Next Life
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The joy of finding Wendy was short-livedI was utterly horrified.
Because the girl, swept up in the moment, had tried to take down the beasts with her in mutual destruction.
Wendy's death would mean my ruin.
If I'd been even a little later, it would've been game over.
The rain was intensifying.
I spread out the coat I was wearing beneath a tree that offered some shelter from the downpour.
Then I laid Wendy down on it.
"Cough..."
Saving her was one thing, but her condition was dire.
There wasn't a single part of her left unscathed.
Her shoulder had been pierced by a jagged bone, and her chest wound made even breathing a struggle.
"Count..."
"Don't speak."
This wasn't an injury a mere twelve-year-old girl could endure.
Seeing Wendy reduced to a battered mess ignited my "Wrath."
It surged like it could melt the chains of "Patience" in an instant.
'Those scum... I could tear them apart and it still wouldn't be enough.'
Even if they were her classmates, Wendy was the youngest.
I could never forgive the ones who abandoned her alone and fled.
But right now, saving Wendy's life came first.
I pulled a recovery potion from my pocket.
It wasn't some game item with instant, targeted healing effects.
If anything, it was barely better than a health supplement.
The reason I'd brought it was to use it just like the ointment.
Ever since entering the barrier, I'd been gathering mana and infusing it into the potion.
Just in case.
I hadn't expected to use it so soon...
I undid the front of Wendy's shirt and held the potion to her lips.
"Drink."
"Cough..."
Wendy parted her small mouth.
I poured it in little by little through the gap. Then I activated the mana I'd dissolved into it.
"Ugh..."
"It's bitter. Bear it and drink."
Wendy swallowed the potion as I'd instructed.
I focused, guiding the mana to seep into every corner of her body. I stroked from her throat down to her stomach, manipulating the flow.
The infused potion's effects exceeded expectations.
Color began returning to Wendy's corpse-pale face.
Her faint, barely audible breaths normalized.
Wendy seemed a bit more lucid now, gazing up at me steadily.
"Count..."
"What is it?"
"...It's embarrassing."
I wondered what she meantthen I noticed her white belly exposed beneath her torn shirt.
And my hand was stroking over it.
Wendy fidgeted, unsure where to look.
But getting embarrassed along with her wouldn't be like Tristan.
"Don't be shy."
"Y-Yes...?"
"That's an order."
I silently continued stroking her belly.
The soft sensation yielded under my palm.
Seeing Wendy's face flush, it seemed she'd recovered enough to catch her breath.
That meant it was time for the next step.
I glanced around.
With the rain pouring, the forest we were in was far from a clean environment.
After a moment's thought, I spoke quietly.
"Wendy."
"Y-Yes?"
"I'm going to pull out what's lodged in your shoulder now."
The jagged bone piercing her shoulder.
Without removing it, treatment would be impossible.
"It'll hurt more than you can imagine. So..."
I extended my arm to her.
"Bite down on my arm."
"...Yes?"
I didn't want her biting on some filthy twig.
Better she sink her teeth into my arm.
But Wendy shook her head.
"No... I couldn't possibly..."
"You might bite your tongue if you're not careful. That would undo all my efforts to heal you."
I met Wendy's eyes with a serious gaze.
Those clear eyes that trusted and looked only to me.
"Share the pain you'll feel with me from now on."
"......"
"When you're ready, bite down as hard as you can."
After hesitating, Wendy opened her mouth and gingerly took my arm between her teeth.
I pulled her into my arms and covered her eyes.
Then I took a deep breath... and yanked the bone from her shoulder in one swift motion.
......
Wendy bit down on my arm.
But her grip was pathetically weak.
She was clearly holding back.
Refusing to hurt her master's arm.
I whispered softly in her ear.
"It's fine. Bite as hard as you can."
"...!"
That was the signal.
Wendy's teeth sank into my arm. Unable to endure the pain, she let out a silent scream in my embrace.
The horrific agony her small body was suffering transmitted to me as well.
Pluck.
Finally, the jagged bone came free from her shoulder.
I quickly applied ointment to the wound. To minimize the time she had to endure the pain.
With all treatment done, Wendy's mouth fell open.
Her body trembled like a leaf in the wind.
"Haa... Haak... Hic..."
It must have been unbearable torment for a twelve-year-old girl. The kind that could scar her for life.
"You did well."
"Hic..."
I stroked the head of Wendy, who was crying from the relief of it all.
It wasn't a very Tristan-like action.
But in this moment, I wanted to comfort her, so I gently petted her head as kindly as I could.
"Cough..."
The emergency treatment was more or less complete, but I couldn't relax just yet.
We needed to get out and get proper care at a hospital as soon as possible.
Wendy was still criticalher body was as cold as ice.
I wrapped her in my coat and held her close to my chest. To share even a bit of my body heat.
Wendy, entrusting herself to my warmth, murmured.
"Count... Even if I die right now... I have no regrets. Cough..."
"If you die, I'll have plenty."
Regrets? I'd be in deep trouble.
...
But then Wendy said something absurd.
"I'm... sorry..."
"For what?"
"I failed... the exam. Couldn't beat the beasts... Couldn't save the students. And almost couldn't protect you..."
"...?"
Wendy spoke in a choked voice.
"I almost failed to uphold the honor of the Ruelverta family and the Count..."
Only then did I understand why Wendy had tried to save the students and go down with the beasts.
She'd prioritized me and the family's reputation over her own safety.
Realization hit, and a sigh escaped my lips.
"Such a small body... and you tried to protect that?"
What was the Ruelverta family worth?
What was Tristan worth?
Had this girl gone this far?
"...Foolish child."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"Compared to your existence, the family and my honor are worthless."
Wendy might not understand, but her life and death were directly tied to my fate. Naturally, her worth couldn't even be compared to my honor.
Whether she understood or not, Wendy smiled with her bloodless face.
"The Count... is so kind, after all. Cough, cough..."
Seeing that, I felt an ominous premonition.
Her face seemed to be losing its vitality strangely.
As if she were foreseeing our parting.
And... my instincts were right.
"I think... this is the end for me..."
Wendy squeezed out her remaining strength to tell me.
"Serving the Count... made me so happy. For someone like me... it was too much... Cough..."
Had the treatment come too late?
Her eyes were losing focus.
"If I could serve the Count... even in the next life... how wonderful that would be..."
"Don't talk nonsense... I need you. Only you."
With Wendy dying in my arms, there was nothing I could do.
Just hold the hand slipping away from her cooling body.
"Next life or the one after, I won't accept anyone but you as you are now."
"Count..."
"So don't leave me. Stay alive by my side."
"I'm sorry... I can't... anymore..."
In that instant, Wendy's hand went limp and fell.
My heart sank.
Wendy had closed her eyes.
As if merely asleep.
No...
I pulled her slack form tight against me.
"Open your eyes... Don't make me face a tomorrow without you. You foolish child..."
It might already be words she couldn't hear.
But in my despair, I had no choice but to speak.
Otherwise, I couldn't keep my sanity.
It was all over.
The despair of failure, the loss of Wendy.
I wished I could suffocate on those emotions and die.
That was when it happened.
"Snooore... Snooore..."
"...?"
A steady breathing sound reached my ears.
Wait. Could this be?
"No way..."
I held a finger under Wendy's nose she was breathing.
Faintly, but definitely alive. Realizing that, my legs gave out.
"Haa..."
Thank goodness. She was just asleep.
Probably exhaustion crashing down after pulling an all-nighter studying for the exam, her tension finally releasing.
Even so, I'd truly thought it was the end.
That all my efforts up to now had gone to wasteI'd been terrified.
As I let out a sigh of relief
"Chairman!"
I turned to see the evacuated students approaching.
Seeing them ignited my emotions.
But I calmly stood.
"Is she okay?"
"Yeah."
"Phew. Good thing. I was worried for nothing."
"See? I told you she'd be fine."
"Chairman, let's get out of here quick."
Watching them chatter among themselves made my neck throb.
I asked them flatly.
"I have one question."
"Yes?"
"Why didn't you fight?"
I had to give them a chance to explain, at least.
I secretly hoped they'd give me an answer I could accept.
"Uh, well..."
None of them could respond easily, sensing my intent.
In the end, the only male student among them answered.
"To conserve mana for escape."
"Conserve mana?"
"Yes. She was the best student among us. She could handle the beasts alone. But if we'd fought too..."
"You avoided wasting mana."
"Exactly. We were saving ours for the escape."
"...I see. Got it."
I nodded as if convinced.
Hearing their answer made it clear what I had to do.
"Good call."
I slipped on the ring from my pocket.
No hesitation as chairman remained in me.
And I unleashed my pent-up "Wrath."
"......!"
In that moment, the students froze in place.
The chilling "Wrath" engulfed them like it would burn them alive.
But none could scream.
Because I didn't allow it.
The students exchanged panicked, confused glances.
In my usual voice, I informed them.
"So use all that precious conserved mana... to escape."