I am looking down at my own body. This is what I first thought after dying: am I having an out-of-body experience? Orietta is performing CPR on Christine, who is sobbing.
When I came to, I was standing on a staircase in the darkness. Looking up, light was shining at the top of the stairs, faintly illuminating their outline. Looking down, I could see Christine and the others in the darkness.
Huh? Priscilla and Alana burst through the door. What happened to Zivil Village? Sophia and Rufina aren’t here, are they okay?
I don’t know if there’s heaven beyond the light at the top of those stairs. It’s probably hell. Considering all the killing I’ve done. Well, I guess it can’t be helped.
It wouldn’t be so bad to go to the afterlife with everyone watching over me. It’s just a shame I had a few more things I wanted to say.
Christine, please don’t cry. It’s not your fault.
Orietta, please seal away the BC Weapon.
Alana, you’re always so cute. You need to fix that bad habit of yours.
Priscilla, I loved you. Despite everything, I love you more than anyone. Please tell Sophia and Rufina for me.
I started walking towards the light.
As I climbed the stairs towards the light and thought I was about to reach it, a sharp pain pierced my chest.
“Guh-eh!”
What the heck, is there pain even after death? Is a peaceful sleep a lie?! I was so close to heaven!
I fell to my knees, clutching my chest in pain, and looked back. I saw Priscilla delivering a heel drop to my chest.
Is this her way of performing CPR? Don’t mess with me! Anyone, even a dead person, would come back to life after that.
“Guh-eh!”
The second heel drop to my chest. I’m going to die, I’m really going to die. I’m dying even though I’m already dead. I writhed in pain, almost falling down the stairs. Does she want to throw me down the stairs and send me to hell! Not if I can help it! I sprinted down the stairs to heaven, taking three steps at a time.
“One more!”
*Thwack!*
Just in the nick of time, I stopped the demonic CPR with the full power of my left hand’s super vibration.
“Stop sleeping, you’re late.”
“Priscilla, heel drops are for skirts or hot pants, not carrot skirts.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Christine tripped Priscilla’s legs and pulled me close. You don’t have to cry anymore. Orietta, it’s okay now.
“What happened?”
“We can talk while we walk… Are Sophia and Rufina here too?”
“Yeah, I got a report from the shadows. Sophia’s in trouble.”
A report I didn’t want to hear. I somehow knew why. I informed Viscount Bingham’s subordinates of the Viscount’s death and declared that I would temporarily take custody of Koatotemites.
Fortunately, there were no noble-class individuals present, and in this situation, someone had to take charge and give orders. I had them bring the finest sword in this mansion.
“This is the magic sword Koatotemites.”
A short sword, single-edged, with a grip just right for me to wield. And it’s a magic sword, I might not want to return it later. Its name was given to protect Koatotemites, but I’ll add a little twist to it.
I explained the details to Priscilla and Alana as we walked. They seemed surprised, but Priscilla was angry, saying they should have stayed at Koatotemites. She must be upset about the epithet Orietta was given. Speaking of which, I was there too, but I didn’t get one.
I sent Alana ahead to the commander at the castle gate. The castle gate and walls are already in ruins, but we have to prepare for the next monster attack. If we gather people and weapons and defend against the next wave, we’ll win.
Dusk is settling in, but the town is bright. The magic streetlights must be programmed to turn on at a certain time, but there’s a place emitting an exceptionally bright… no, a vivid light from a window. It’s where we always stay. Sophia must be there. Ah, what a downer…
In the inn’s hallway, the light escaping from under the door forms a line, indicating its intensity. Turning around, Priscilla waved me on like she was chasing something away, “Go, go.”
I froze with my hand on the doorknob, but Priscilla kicked me from behind. I understand. I do understand, but it’s truly terrifying. I don’t want to evaporate and die.
Taking a deep breath, I forcefully opened the door and entered, but the light was so blinding I couldn’t see anything. Squinting my eyes slightly, I saw Rufina and Rossa lying naked on the floor. I rushed over, concealing my face from the light by casting a shadow, and Rufina finally spoke.
“I couldn’t do it. Sophia is a terrifying, terrifying woman…”
“It’s okay now, leave the rest to me.”
“I’m sorry… I’m so sorry.”
With those words, she didn’t die but fainted. I took Rufina outside and left her with Priscilla, then rushed to Rossa.
“Is… is my Lord safe?”
Rossa’s clothes were tattered, and she had gained weight. I’ve always told her to gain weight, but even as the Undead Queen’s power weakened, she gained flesh. With those words, she disappeared. Something truly extraordinary must have happened for it to get this far. She’s not dead, is she?
I squinted at the source of the light, searching for something “extraordinary.” In the back of my mind, I thought it might already be irreversible.
Sophia was sitting on the bed, naked. Platinum light emanated from her body. Religious people would surely exclaim, “A god!” and movie fans might say, “There was a movie with a rampaging cyborg like that.”
I am neither. I wish I were one of them. Sitting next to Sophia, I looked closely and saw a transparent, thin skin, from beneath which the light seemed to glow. This is god-level, isn’t it?
“Captain…”
Does Sophia understand her situation? aren’t you beyond human?
“Welcome back, Sophia. I would have come to pick you up when this was over.”
I was speechless. If I don’t make the right choice, it’ll be like a mini nuclear fusion or antimatter… Someone beyond human understanding is sitting next to me.
“Orietta defeated a Sand Dragon…”
This statement is
definitive. She has surpassed human limits, but she is still Sophia. One battle reward per Orc. Comparing the size of the Sand Dragon, she lost to Orietta and thinks she did nothing.
“Yes. It was a very large one, so it was difficult.”
Upon hearing this, her radiance increased, and the light itself seemed to have a pressure that pushed me outwards. Is this a rigged game?
“Tonight, a large army of Orcs and Trolls will attack Koatotemites. We will repel them and defend the town. I think we can earn a lot of score.”
Hearing this, Sophia’s radiance intensified, and she turned towards me. It was so dazzling I couldn’t look.
“I, I will do my best. I will kill, kill, and kill them all. So… so please don’t abandon me.”
No, no, no, no, why are we talking about “abandoning” me? How did the conversation twist this way? I don’t understand women.
“It’s impossible for me to abandon you, Sophia. I’ve always cared about you.”
I gently kissed her and pushed her onto the bed. No complaints! I can’t think of anything else. For an hour and a half until the light subsided, I used my precious stamina, Godspeed, and magic power to somehow return Sophia to her usual state. So, no complaints.
Let’s end the defense of Koatotemites tonight. Kill the enemy, kill them… It must be easier than paying wartime compensation.
Right, next time, I should ask Orietta if she can make me some sunglasses.
