Chapter 35
Ahaha.
The sky is blue.
The snow has piled up so prettily, it really feels like winter.
Boom! Boom!
Explosions went off all around us.
Nearby snow and dirt shot high into the air.
Wow.
It looks like a scene from a war movie I saw once.
How fun.
Goddess of Eros.
Why am I so unlucky?
Is this part of Your divine plan, too?
That's too much.
Seriously.
Aria felt like she was losing her mind.
How did things get so tangled?
It wasn't as if she'd provoked her or insulted her personally.
Just as Aria was lamenting her misfortune, Ain said,
“I think our running away hurt that woman's pride.”
What kind of bizarre personality is that?
She wanted to grumble, but having seen all kinds of people in the military, Aria could understand.
“……You knew she was like that?”
“More or less?”
“Why didn't you tell me beforehand?”
“When Aria makes such an alluring offer, how could I refuse?”
If he whispered that sweetly right into her ear, it felt as if her eardrums would turn into lumps of sugar.
Aria shivered and took a deep breath.
She'd urged them to flee because she thought that if she and Ain, who were thorns in the girl's side, disappeared from sight, the girl's anger might subside a little.
Wasn't that right?
Two people who looked like sworn enemies in the same place?
It was obvious they'd try to fight each other.
But it takes two to clap.
If they prevented them from facing each other in the first place, they wouldn't fight, right?
Didn't even wild beasts sometimes get separated when their fights got too intense?
So Aria thought leaving was the best option.
Perhaps the avoidant thinking embedded deep in her psyche had played a part.
Right.
Aria had to admit her judgment had been naive.
She hadn't expected the girl to chase them this far.
“Fight me! Don't run away!”
But still, how could anyone not run away after seeing someone that furious?
Six fireballs were circling the witch, orbiting her body.
They looked like satellites revolving around a planet.
Wasn't it hot inside that ring of fire?
Cradled in Ain's arms, Aria stopped her carefree musings and ducked her head.
“I didn't think she'd chase us while she was that angry.”
What was she so furious about that she was still chasing them?
Aria couldn't understand it.
Ain, who was running, nodded as if he agreed.
“I think so too. Could it be that time of the month?”
“……Ain.”
“Sorry for saying that so thoughtlessly.”
Ain apologized quickly.
“No, I'm fine, but I think she'll get really angry if she hears you.”
Look.
The witch's complexion changed from moment to moment at Ain's words.
She turned red, then blue, and finally went white.
It looked like someone dying from oxygen deprivation, giving Aria goosebumps.
“That woman insulted you. Aren't you angry?”
Angry?
Aria shook her head.
“As long as Ain doesn't hate me, I don't really care.”
What did it matter how other people judged her?
The only one who mattered was you.
“Good grief.”
Ain rubbed his cheek against hers, as if he found her adorable.
They'd had this kind of physical contact so many times she ought to be used to it, but she reacted differently every time.
“Ah! Th-this kind of affection all of a sudden!”
“We've been much more hands-on than this. Why are you making a fuss now?”
“Th-that was because I knew we were doing s-something lewd, so I wasn't embarrassed, but this kind of casual touching is a little, um, different!”
Ain thought Aria's standards for embarrassment were really difficult to understand.
Women really were complicated.
“Yeah, I'll do it even if you say you don't like it.”
“I-I didn't say I didn't like it!”
“Sure, sure.”
“……B-but, Ain. Can you get away?”
As they talked, the scenery whizzed past.
It was proof that they were moving incredibly fast.
Ain was moving at an unbelievable speed, yet answered without even getting out of breath.
“I don't think it'll be easy. Should we just fight?”
Aria's expression turned stern.
“Th-then you can't! Why do you think I granted you two wish tickets…….”
“Then I'll use one of those wish tickets here. Let me subdue Azazel, Aria.”
This guy's got a good head on his shoulders.
She hadn't expected him to use a wish ticket in this situation.
Before Aria could say anything, Ain grinned.
“That's a yes, right?”
It was unfair, but there wasn't any other way in this situation.
Aria hadn't anticipated the girl would chase after them.
Suddenly, immense heat came from behind Ain and Aria.
Ain kicked off the ground and leapt.
Aria was simply impressed.
So high.
Just how many meters did he jump?
Boom!
A fireball exploded right below them, sending out a blast of heat and wind.
Their clothes fluttered wildly from it.
Aria felt like her heart had lodged in her throat.
“Hyaaah!”
Hearing Aria's cute, terrified squeal, Ain sensed danger.
He didn't look back.
But he knew.
This dense resentment made his skin crawl.
Azazel was serious.
Ain shifted Aria, whom he'd been holding in both arms, onto his back.
“Hold on to my neck.”
There was no time for a long explanation while they were hanging in midair.
So he kept it brief.
Aria did as he said without question.
Her thin arms wrapped tightly around Ain's neck like a scarf.
Ain drew his Holy Sword and swung it, twisting his body around in midair.
He cut through two fireballs closing in right behind him with the Holy Sword, and they exploded.
KABOOOOOM!
Ain's arms tingled.
The impact of countering the fireballs meant he could no longer stay airborne.
And so they fell.
Toward the ground.
“Waaah!”
Aria screamed at the terrifying sensation of falling and clung even tighter to Ain's neck.
Ain judged that his sturdy body might be fine if they fell like this, but Aria could be in danger, and said briefly,
“Aria, let go.”
Let go?
Did he mean let go of the arms wrapped around his neck?
She'd heard him in such a short moment that she couldn't fully understand.
But Aria trusted Ain completely.
You were the one who reached out to me in that hell.
If I didn't trust your words, whose could I trust?
Aria screamed aloud, answering in her heart.
I trust you.
Aria released her arms from around his neck.
Seeing that, Ain twisted in midair and tossed Aria upward.
His strength and speed were tremendous.
“Hwaaaaaaaaa!”
Aria ended up flying into the air while they were falling.
In contrast, Ain dropped toward the ground like a rocket shedding its booster.
There was no need to say which of them would reach the ground first.
Ain collided with the ground rushing toward him, bent his knees to absorb the impact, then leapt again.
An ordinary person would have shattered every muscle, bone, and ligament in their legs, but a Hero was by nature a superhuman.
Ain caught Aria in midair again and landed more easily than before.
It was an acrobatic feat worthy of a circus.
“Ughhh.”
Aria was in bad shape.
Her stomach had already been a mess from the carriage ride, hadn't it?
It wouldn't be strange if she threw up.
‘At least she doesn't seem to be hurt anywhere, so that's a relief.’
Ain looked up at the sky.
There, the girl who was his nemesis floated arrogantly.
“That was a bit much.”
He had no intention of going easy on her.
She'd already gone too far.
Ain focused mana into the Holy Sword.
That familiar black energy condensed around the blade.
The same technique he'd shown before.
The witch, Azazel Anaid, glared at Ain with bloodshot eyes.
What a troublesome woman.
“I'll teach you a lesson.”
A black flash shot toward the witch.
It was a surprise attack, imbued with speed and explosive destructive power.
Azazel seemed to counter with the fireballs circling around her.
But she had no chance.
The strike pierced through the fireballs and continued toward the witch.
She belatedly conjured a barrier, but it shattered like glass, and the attack hit her squarely.
Since he'd lowered the output, her body didn't vanish like Ronin's had.
But perhaps she'd been knocked unconscious by the impact; she plunged toward the ground.
“Ain.”
Hearing the voice, he turned his head.
Ain looked at Aria.
She'd be in danger if she fell like that.
That was the look on her face.
You want me to save her?
Me?
He didn't bother asking.
Sure, if that's what you want, I'll gladly do it.
The Hero sighed and moved toward the falling witch.
* * *
I opened my eyes.
I saw a ceiling.
It seemed to be the ceiling of an inn.
How did I end up like this?
I retraced my memories.
Right.
Ashtein got me.
“Ugh.”
My body felt heavy, like cotton soaked with water.
My ears were ringing, too.
I was in terrible shape.
What kind of swordsman shoots beams?
Isn't that unfair?
I tried to move my arm, but it wouldn't respond.
I wasn't paralyzed.
It was just that someone was holding my hand tightly.
“Are you awake?”
A refined voice.
It seemed to soothe a person's tangled heart.
Maybe that's why I asked in a relatively calm tone,
“Who are you?”
“I'm sorry for the late introduction. I'm Aria Rameld, the Saintess of the Erotic Cult.”
Saintess.
That woman who'd been stuck to Ashtein's side?
Did she help me?
An unpleasant feeling rose in me.
It was pride, the refusal to accept help from someone else, mixed with envy and jealousy toward the Saintess.
Who asked you for help?
How dare you hog all of Ashtein's attention?
That's ridiculous.
My insides churned.
“What is your name, Witch?”
“Why do you need to know?”
The words that escaped my lips were sharpened to a razor's edge.
There was no way anything nice would come out.
To me, that woman was a whore who'd stolen Ashtein from me.
Yet she calmly replied, as though she weren't even offended.
“Knowing someone's name is the first step toward building a positive relationship with them.”
“I have no intention of building some bland relationship with you, whore.”
“……I don't sell my body for money.”
“Ha, so you gave it away for free? You like being by Ashtein's side that much? You slut?”
Despite hearing the vulgar insults, her expression barely changed.
Was she used to being insulted?
A Saintess, no less?
If so, that was pretty funny in its own way.
“Azazel, it seems you still haven't come to your senses.”
His voice was cold enough that it wouldn't have been surprising if all the blood in my veins froze.
Azazel Anaid's body stiffened.
A voice cut in, as if chiding Ashtein.
“Ain.”
Ain?
That guy's name is Ashtein.
Then I heard something unbelievable.
“……Sorry. She's always like this.”
Sorry?
You're sorry?
Ashtein, did you just apologize?
You, who always act like you're so great?
You, who never apologized when you were with me?
“You don't have to be so threatening. Who would like that?”
“If we're talking about who started off threatening, it was her.”
“Ain.”
“Ugh, I said I'm sorry.”
I couldn't believe it.
Wasn't he a man who never compromised?
Wasn't he the kind of man who couldn't even notice the tiniest kindness?
I thought he was a block of wood.
I thought he wasn't interested in women.
But what was this?
What was this supposed to be?
Are you treating people differently now?
Why is only this woman special?
You're clearly different when you're with me.
A surge of emotion rose in me.
My emotions threatened to boil over, but I skillfully suppressed them.
Then I answered gruffly.
“Ha, now that I see it, maybe you're the one who's that woman's pet, not her, Ashtein?”
His black eyes turned toward me.
They were filled with anger and indignation.
Yes, just insult me instead.
Look at me.
“I can't exactly say that's wrong.”
What?
My insides rotted away.
That wasn't what I wanted to hear.
I wanted you to deny it.
Say that you aren't that woman's pet.
“That's too harsh. He's not some kind of pet.”
The denial came from someone else.
From a woman named Aria Rameld.
From the Saintess.
She didn't mind being insulted herself, but couldn't stand anyone insulting someone dear to her?
Ha, what kind of farce is this?
A farce that wasn't even funny.
You two are so in love.
My guts twisted.
My face contorted, too.
“You don't look well.”
I slapped the Saintess's hand away and glared at her fiercely.
“I never asked you to……….”
“I know. I just wanted to.”
I was annoyed that she cut me off mid-sentence.
How repulsive.
Did she want to act so self-righteous?
Ah, I get it.
So she was acting all kind to get Ashtein's attention, huh?
Crafty bitch.
I got out of bed and grabbed the gnarled wooden staff leaning against the wall.
My body was trembling, but I didn't let it show.
“It won't be good for you to stand up right now. You should rest……”
“Get lost before I burn you.”
Ain started to move.
Yeah, come at me.
Go ahead and beat the hell out of me.
At least it'll ease this miserable feeling inside me.
But he didn't come at me.
Because the woman named Aria Rameld gave him a look.
Seriously, he's turned into a damn dog.
Aria Rameld looked at me.
“………Could we resolve this through conversation, if possible?”
Conversation?
There's nothing I want to talk about with you.
Don't make me feel even more miserable.
I walked away without replying.
Ashtein didn't say a word or even look at me until I opened the door and left.
What the hell? You could've said something to me at least once.
……Do you hate me that much?