Arc 30: Fairy Slayer

Chapter 574 Parting

Rocking and faint clattering roused me from sleep.

A wretched awakening—my whole body was gripped by the crushing exhaustion and lethargy that follow fighting to one’s limits and then having the last drop of mana drained away.

“Damn it… they got me…”

I was lying on a soft bed, yet this wasn’t a sick-room. From the sounds and sway I could tell I was inside a carriage—no, not an ordinary one but a dedicated ambulance coach for the wounded.

Wide enough to hold an entire bed with room to spare and built for the smoothest ride money can buy; it’s expensive to hire. This was my second trip—the first time was when Fiona spared no expense to get me from Selene to Avalon’s Great Temple.

Now I was—destination unannounced, but beyond doubt—being carted back to Spada.

Sunlight slanted in through the little window. By now the date must have rolled over to New-Sun Month 21. Judging by the light it was morning already—perhaps even noon.

“Awake, Master?”

The face that bent over me—a skull mask so sinister you’d mistake it for a grim reaper—belonged to Hitsugi clad in Tyrant’s Armor – Maximilian. Seeing that first thing after waking is a bit of a shock.

“Hitsugi, let me out—no, give the armor back. I’m returning to Avalon.”

If I wore Maximilian I could force my right arm and leg to move. Run the suit itself and, by extension, the barely reattached limbs would move too. Bad for the healing, sure, but if I ignored that I could even fight.

With the boosters at full output I could be back in Avalon in no time.

“…I am sorry, Master. I can’t obey that order.”

“What? Explain yourself.”

Hitsugi had never refused a command before. She’s supposed to be a mere tool—no, let me admit it: Hitsugi is a magical creature born of a curse, and thus has her own will.

And that infuriated me. Don’t get in my way. If I don’t get back to Avalon at once, something irreversible—

“Let’s go home to Spada, Master. Hitsugi thinks doing as Lady Fiona said is best.”

“D-don’t be ridiculous… I can’t accept that!”

“Even if Master could move, you still couldn’t stop Lady Fiona.”

“I have to stop her by force if I must! Don’t you understand, Hitsugi? At this rate—”

I already knew the worst was happening—no, I’d been made to understand.

“—Fiona and Lily will kill each other!”

It was last night. I’d held out for so long, but driven by Fiona’s eagerness we ended up in the temple bed together. From that moment she’d already set her plan in motion.

I only sensed something was wrong some time after we began.

“W-what…? My body… won’t move…”

“Hah… looks like the drug’s finally taking effect.”

Deleted / redacted

“I’m truly sorry. Still—please understand. Accept me again. Please forgive the Fiona who is going to kill Lily.”

Driven mad by jealousy, Lily wanted to eliminate everyone and live in a world with only me.

Standing against that was Fiona, who said she would kill Lily to protect me—my freedom, my will.

I had no idea what to do—how could I, in this fogged-over head?

“If you can forgive me… then let’s get married.”

At that point thought ceased entirely. Consciousness and reason vanished.

I could see only Fiona standing before me. I want you—only you—

“Ah, Chrono—I love you.”

And when I next awoke, here I was.

Bundled into a coach, being shipped off to Spada. Fiona, invitation in hand, had gone to Lily.

“Damn… damn it all…”

The object of my resentment wasn’t Lily, who’d gone off the deep end, nor Fiona for acting on her own, but myself—powerless, unable even to lift a finger. Why won’t my hands move, my legs move?

Stand. Stand and run and chase them down and stop the two of them by force—you can do that, can’t you? You’re a Rank-5 adventurer, the man who defeated the Seventh Apostle Sariel, who gathered six Demon-King blessings—the black nightmare berserker hero of Spada!

“Damn iiit…”

And yet I can’t even keep two girls from fighting. How useless—how utterly worthless am I?

“M-Master…”

“Please, Hitsugi… return the armor… let me go… I have to stop them—stop Lily and Fiona…”

“I-I’m sorry, Master—so sorry…”

And so, helpless and pathetic to the end, I was carried back to Spada.