Lai's Death
Click-clack. White long hair, blue eyes. A haughty-looking woman in a skin-tight dress that didn't suit a temple at all. Her striking looks and outfit drew the eye, but there was no time to appreciate them. My breath caught in my throat. Every step she took brought an overwhelming pressure.
"Whoa, you're holding up pretty well, huh? Most people would've crumbled by now."
The woman said that as she pointed at the floor. My gaze, fixed solely on her until then, finally shifted downward.
"Grrrk..."
The guy I'd kicked in the shin was drooling on the floor, plastered flat against it. He thrashed desperately to get up, but kept face-planting. It wasn't natural for someone with a broken leg—it was like something was crushing him flat. That had to be the source of the pressure I felt too.
"Who are you? You're no ordinary human."
"Huh? Me? You're seriously asking who I am?"
She switched her pointing finger from the floor to her own face, eyes widening like she couldn't believe it. I nodded. All the knowledge Lai had taught me covered history, culture, and national traits—nothing about someone I'd never met.
"I'm super famous, and you don't know me? Were you holed up in some mountain or what?"
"Yeah. I've lived my whole life in a cave in the mountains, so I'm clueless about the continent."
"Aha~ That explains it. Mind tossing that guy next to you over here?"
The one she pointed to was, of course, the fool facedown beside me. Iss or something? I remembered him as the son of some extra marquis. The leader of the jerks harassing Lai and Alicia in the liquor warehouse.
-Thud. If it had been one of the other knights, I wouldn't have listened so easily, but this trash was disposable, so I just booted him toward her.
"Puhah... Hng... Haa..."
Thanks to that, the idiot finally flipped over and could breathe easier.
"Human. You know who I am, right?"
The woman placed one foot on Iss's chest and looked down at him. It came off as arrogant at first glance, but paired with her confident demeanor and bold outfit, it had a fatal charm for certain tastes.
"Y-Yes, I know."
"Explain it to this dimwit for me? It's embarrassing to say it myself. Isn't it?"
"T-To this dimwit, I-I get to introduce Lady Siana—it's an h-honor!"
"Good. Do it. Get up."
The woman called Siana lifted her foot from where she'd been grinding it into Iss. At the same time, the suffocating pressure vanished—she must've withdrawn her power too. Iss stood, relief on his face mixed with a flicker of regret. I couldn't fathom why he'd look sorry to be free, but then I remembered what Alicia had done to him. Pain turned to pleasure, right? For him, getting stepped on was a reward.
"Ahem. Allow me to explain Lady Siana. Her full name is Siana Daybreak. Of the Dawn Clan, she serves as a swordswoman in Hero King Bain Slay's party..."
"The Hero—the one who beheaded the previous Demon King in that battle with the demon tribe?"
I wasn't really curious, but I kept tossing questions after each bit of his explanation to drag out the conversation. Even if I went all-out right now, beating her was impossible—not the point. I needed time to figure out how to escape this place, or even if I could.
"Siana's from the Dawn Clan? What's that?"
The key takeaway from Iss's long-winded spiel wasn't her name, but that the one who'd unleashed that devastating magic was actually a swordswoman. Someone who could mummify a person in an instant... if she was a swordswoman, that meant she was even deadlier with a blade. And I had to get through this crisis with Silvia on my back.
"Yawwn. Can't we get to fighting already? How long do I have to give you?"
"You knew I was stalling?"
"You're glancing around nonstop—only an idiot wouldn't notice."
"One last question. You're a swordswoman, but no sword in sight. Planning to fight barehanded?"
There was no sword anywhere, and her outfit left no room to hide even a dagger.
"Heh. Stalling right to the end— I like that. Since I like it, I'll show you my sword as a special treat."
With that, Siana approached Iss.
"What's our handsome knight's name~?"
"I-Iss! Iss Extrang!"
"Hng~ Iss, such a cool name~?"
"Th-thank you! Th-thank you so much!"
"I have a secret little request for our Iss~."
Siana pressed against him like she was hugging his chest, teasing it lightly with her finger. Iss stood rigid, unable to meet her eyes, but at her emphasized "secret," his face flushed to his ears.
"A-anything! I'll do anything, even stake my life on it!"
"Then... I'll make good use of that life~?"
"Y-yes? Wha—"
-Splurt!
Siana's teasing finger plunged into Iss's chest.
"It was hard to ask, but you offered your life so willingly—such a relief~."
Iss's eyes bulged in disbelief as he toppled backward. In Siana's hand was his still-twitching heart.
"Now, time to show you my sword."
She squeezed Iss's heart.
-Squelch!
Blood sprayed from the bursting organ, coalescing in the air. The dark red liquid gradually formed into a sword.
"Hmm... not the best blood, so quality's crap. But fine for a one-use deal."
Siana inspected the blade, then assumed a stance.
"Wonder what kind of sword your blood would make."
"How about listening to me and saving your life?"
As expected, I was no match for Siana. My body, which moved on instinct once the fight started, was useless. I could barely parry her flying strikes, and even that left cuts accumulating on me. Carrying Silvia was a handicap, but I'd prepared for that—no excuses.
"Bullshit. Haa... If I wanted that, I wouldn't have come to the temple. Haa... haa..."
"Heh. I really like you. Too bad to let you die here, right? Just hand over the Saintess, and I'll let you live."
"'Let you live' probably means leaving me a breathing corpse."
"What's wrong with that? Better than the afterlife, they say."
-Shing!
"Kgh!"
The area was soaked in blood from the earlier fight. Siana weaponized it into small projectiles, peppering me relentlessly. If only those weren't there... Blocking her sword left no gap before the blood needles came flying, stealing my breath. My stamina was hanging by a thread.
"Your eyes are half-closed— you know that?"
"Hero parties... fight with their mouths? Shut... up."
"Haa, I really like you—the part I like most is that mouth. Can't I have it?"
"That'd be... a problem. Got someone I wanna give my first kiss to."
"Whoa, pure love fan? I prefer harems myself."
My left leg was numb, and my right arm—cloaked in mana to deflect her sword—was shredded. It ignited killing intent at Siana's mocking cackle, but I was helpless.
"You're the first to last this long. I'll finish you with my ultimate move."
"Crazy bitch..."
Her sword reverted to liquid, splitting into a dozen small daggers.
"Since I like you, special deal: block all these, and I'll spare you. Living toys beat dolls. Guess that's what comes from being in a hero party—too merciful."
The daggers launched the instant she finished. "Spare me" my ass—that was a death sentence. Even in perfect shape, blocking them was iffy; with my wrecked leg pinning me and my arm done, it was over.
I sensed death.
'Dying like this? What happens if I die here—back to my original world? Maybe that's for the best?'
I closed my eyes, giving up.
"Cluuuuster!"
They say your life flashes before you at death. Instead, I heard the voice of that idiot I listened to every day. The guy who'd endured my nagging for two years without complaint, grinning like a fool at the slightest kindness. The one who'd earnestly begged me to save the world, face uncharacteristically serious.
'Sorry, Lai. Looks like I wasn't the guy to grant your wish.'
-Thud thud thud!
Daggers piercing flesh. No pain. Was death this empty?
"..."
Nothing happened for a long while. I slowly opened my eyes. A blurry black cross filled my vision. I blinked to clear it. The cross became outstretched arms.
"Heh... blocked them all... cough."
Dark red blood poured from the mouth of the figure with arms spread.
"La...i...?"
"Sorry... I'm late... Take care of... Silvia..."
Lai's collapse felt like slow motion. I dragged my useless legs to catch her.
"Lai! Lai, wake up! Lai!"
I held a finger under her nose. No breath.
"Hmph. Cheated, but you blocked 'em. Promise kept—I'll spare you."
"Uwaaaah!!! Siana!!!"
"Eek, no need to yell—I hear you fine. But what to do? I wanna play more, but the Hero keeps calling. Ignore him too long, and he'll scold me. Byee~"
I stared blankly as Siana leaped away. I'd never felt such powerlessness. I'd protected Silvia, but lost my one friend and benefactor, Lai. It was wretched. The helplessness against Siana twisted into guilt over Lai.
"Lai... sorry. Sorry I'm so weak... Sorry I was always mean..."
I hugged her tight, tears flowing endlessly.
"Lord Cluster..."
"Alicia... you're here too."
"This..."
Alicia offered a crumpled scrap of paper.
"Lady Lai said to deliver it to you."
"Alicia... wait, could you..."
"...Understood. I'll take Silvia to the inn."
I handed Silvia to her from my back. Once they were gone, my trembling hands unfolded Lai's note.
It was blank.
"...What the?"
Cough. "This body's over 500 years old—durability's shot. Figured I'd swing by the cave and save your ass while I was at it. You're welcome?"
"Ack! Don't scare me like that!"
Lai's eyes snapped open and she spoke, so I flung her from my arms.
"Ow! Be gentle! I feel like dying right now? Wait, I am dying soon?"
"Why're you alive then?"
"What? You were bawling sorry for nagging me, and now you're nagging 'cause I'm alive?"
"Ugh, seriously. Don't freak people out."
"Hehe. Scared I'd really die? Sad? Guilty?"
"Shut up."
"Hee~ Cluster's embarrassed too?"
Emotions had made me forget her cheat skill: respawning at home on death.
"Take good care of Silvia till we meet again. Got it?"
"Haa... When's that?"
"Probably a few years."
Can't gods just whip up a human body instantly?
"Why the sad face? Bummed? Miss me? Come to the cave anytime~"
"Miss you my ass. Thrilled to be rid of the whiner."
"Always so tsundere."
I grabbed her poking finger to snap it but held back. She was playing it cool to spare my worry, obviously in pain. Her pale face and bleeding holes aside, her eyes had been lifeless from the start. She was holding her dying body together by sheer will.
"What about this body? Can't just leave it."
"Don't worry—it'll auto-teleport to the cave in about five minutes. Hehe. See ya, Cluster."
Lai's body went limp. True to form, she went out her way. I waited the five minutes, then headed to the inn, looking forward to seeing her again someday.