Chapter 172 : Chapter 172

Chapter 172: Alternative

Cold ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍sweat ran down the leader’s back.

Warning ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍signals kept sounding in his head, but in truth, there was not much he could do.

As ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the bastard had said, running away would be a waste of time, and this time, even if the two of them attacked together, he was not an opponent they could beat.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍leader glanced at the half-wit standing behind him.

......Did ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he hear the half-wit speak?

If ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he still did not know the half-wit was a candidate for leader, then could the bastard escape?

The odds were low, but among the options he could think of, it was the one most worth trying.

“Kkwek......! You came because you need the leader’s neck, right?”

“......Yes.”

When he raised his voice to hide how tense he was and asked, the human answered with a face that still did not reveal what he was thinking.

“Kkwek...... Then you came to cut off my neck.”

This human probably did not yet know that the leader’s position was incomplete.

The leader finished calculating that if he could deceive him into believing the position had fully returned to him, he could save the half-wit.

“Kkwek. You insolent human bastard. If you need the leader’s neck that badly, then attack me. Kkwek. This time, I will kill you for sure.”

The leader stepped forward on trembling legs.

If the half-wit ran away while he bought time, there would be no reason to chase him down.

So long as the bastard had not noticed the half-wit’s lie.

Ratel’s face was emotionless as he looked at the leader’s eyes, where vain hope and unease were mixed together.

His silence deepened the leader’s anxiety.

“Kkwek!! I told you to attack!!”

Unable to endure the impatience, the leader shouted, and only then did the human finally open his mouth.

“I’m a little too busy right now to humor your lie.”

The blade gripped in the human’s hand gleamed in the darkness.

Behind the human, a black shape was gradually taking form.

The sight gave the leader a strange chill, stopping him from moving rashly, and the human took one step toward him.

“Starting now, I need you two to kill each other.”

Only then did the leader realize that his lie had never worked from the start.

“Kkwek. What are you talking about right now......?”

“I said I’m busy.”

The leader’s attempt to play dumb first only brought the opposite effect.

“Or do you need help?”

What the bastard meant by help was soon revealed.

Because all the leader could do was watch with wide eyes as the sharp blade drove toward his one remaining arm with frightening force.

“Kkwek!!!”

The half-wit’s scream struck his eardrums from behind, but the leader could neither dodge the sword nor counterattack, so he squeezed his eyes shut.

But he felt no pain.

Puzzled, the leader opened his eyes.

A green body filling his field of vision was panting for breath.

***

This crazy protagonist bastard. How strong is he?

I had only barely blocked a single attack, yet I shook out my numb hand and stepped back.

Ratel clicked his tongue and drew back as well, but his eyes were still fixed on the leader.

“Wh-where is this?”

Ria, who had arrived late, looked around in every direction and trembled with unease.

“Kkwek. The center of the orc burrow.”

To the three orcs, it was their nest. To me and Ratel, it was the target we had to destroy. And in the end, it was where the root of all this began.

The only thing different from before was that something was flowing out from the smooth, sunken center.

What it indicated was clear, whether it looked like mist or a liquid with slightly more density.

The holy object had already begun digesting its offering.

“Kkwek. Looks like it started.”

When I muttered without realizing it, Ratel ground his teeth and picked up his sword again.

I could feel impatience in the bastard’s steps as he approached the two orcs.

“Did you not hear me? I said kill each other.”

The leader, who had hidden the half-wit behind him, shook his head.

It seemed he was trying to buy time again, or somehow escape the situation, but the current Ratel had neither a reason to pretend not to know that nor the leisure to wait.

Ratel, having lost his patience, thrust his sword without hesitation.

I barely managed to grab the bastard’s arm before the sword cut off the leader’s arm.

“Kkwek. Stop calming down. Killing him here won’t do a damn thing.”

“Of course I shouldn’t kill him. I haven’t lost my mind that much.”

Ratel, who had obediently admitted that he had lost his mind to some degree, roughly pulled his arm free.

“Kkwek. Yes, you’ve lost your mind exactly that much.”

Any further than this, and the whole thing would be ruined.

Before the protagonist's bastard's patience hit bottom, we first had to stop that damned curse, even if only for a moment.

The problem was that to use the fastest method, we needed blood of the Imperial Family.

“Kkwek. Did you not see the other one?”

When I asked Ria, who had been watching us with a pale face, confusion appeared on her face.

“The other one?”

“Kkwek. The squirrel that followed me around. Kkwek. He’s the kind of bastard who would follow anywhere even if Ria didn’t go out of her way to look after him.”

“Ah, that squirrel......”

Judging by that reaction, Ria had clearly forgotten El even existed.

That meant it had been quite some time since the bastard vanished.

While I wondered what the bastard had been plotting by acting alone again, Ria seemed quite shocked by the fact that she had forgotten El’s existence.

“I’m sorry, Ran. I was so out of it that I didn’t even realize your friend had disappeared.”

Perhaps belatedly remembering El was quite a shock, because the color began draining from Ria’s face.

“Kkwek. No, I’m not blaming you. Kkwek. And he isn’t my friend either.”

Yes, Ria had no responsibility here.

After all, disappearing and appearing whenever he pleased had always been that bastard’s specialty.

The problem was that he had disappeared at the moment we needed him most.

If we did not have that bastard’s blood, the only remaining method was to try using my blood.

I looked down at my rugged green hand.

Even when I had been human, calling me Imperial Family had been ambiguous, but right now, I had even transformed into an orc.

It was unknown whether the curse would accept the green blood currently flowing through my body as blood of the Imperial Family.

At the very least, if I had a human body, the odds would be higher.

There had never been a moment when I desperately wanted a human body more than this one.

But even if I was not certain it would work, there was no reason not to try.

Whatever my appearance, even after I had transformed into an orc, Sierra’s remaining power had continued speaking to me.

At the very least, that meant it recognized me as an Imperial Family.

When I lifted Sierra’s Sword, which I had taken from Ratel, and cut my palm, green blood welled up.

Before my body could begin regenerating on its own, I clenched my fist, and the sticky green liquid flowed between the black shapes.

Now all that remained was to hope this would buy us time.

I took a deep breath and raised Sierra’s Sword.

“Wait, what are you doing right now?”

“Kkwek. I told you. Kkwek. To destroy the holy object, we need the blood of the Imperial Family.”

After answering Ratel roughly, I gripped the blade.

Then I watched as the green blood running down the sword touched the black curse.

Even in this state, is the fact that I am Imperial Family unchanged?

It should be.

If that blood is important enough to be revered as divine, then it shouldn’t lose its power just because my appearance changed a little.

Yes, so even if it cannot do more, it should at least be able to stop the curse for a moment.

......Please work.

Since entering Ran Abalan’s body, the number of good points I could count was small.

Even those were only things that went back and forth between advantages and disadvantages like two sides of a coin.

Damn it, still, shouldn’t it at least be useful at times like this?

Fortunately, Ran Abalan’s body proved it still had something useful left.

Because a small change occurred where the black cloud and my blood met.

The black mist, which had been wriggling together and taking the shape of a living creature’s arms and legs, collapsed.

“It worked! Ran, the mist is scattering!”

At Ria’s relieved voice, I quietly nodded.

I saw Ratel, who had been quietly watching the situation beside Ria, draw in a small breath.

“Thank goodness! Then we stopped Jing from being used as the curse’s offering now, right?”

“Kkwek. We haven’t completely stopped it yet. Kkwek. We can’t relax until the holy object spits Jing out.”

“Then we should hurry and find a way. Why are you standing there like that? The time you went through the trouble of buying will be wasted.”

Perhaps noticing that I was staying still, Ratel approached me with a suspicious face.

No, he tried to approach.

“Kkwek. Don’t come close yet.”

At my firm voice, Ratel’s expression slowly crumpled.

Immediately after, the bastard completely ignored my warning and narrowed the distance between us.

Ria also sensed that something was strange and followed behind Ratel.

As the distance from me grew smaller, the distance between their brows also grew smaller, and I swallowed a sigh.

“......Ran, please tell me that thing under your feet is also part of the picture you expected.”

What Ria pointed at with a trembling voice was my foot, which had been hidden by the black mist.

Well, to be precise, it was the trace where my foot had been.

“Kkwek. Unfortunately, this is outside my expectations.”

Judging that there was no point in hiding it anymore, I lifted my leg to check my missing foot.

It was not a very good choice.

Because it only displayed to the two of them the sight of everything from my leg to my calf scattering into black powder.

I calmly lowered my leg again.

At the same time, I had to lose my knee.

......Good. It is certain that not moving is the best option.

“Kkwek. I don’t think I can last very long.”

“You call that something to say right now......!”

Ratel, who had been glaring at me the whole time with a face that looked ready to commit murder, finally could not endure it and raised his voice.

“Ratel, hold back! If you shock Ran right now, he might turn into powder and disappear just like that!”

Ria shouted while clinging to Ratel as he stepped forward.

“Kkwek. Thank you. Kkwek. Keep holding him like that.”

When I expressed gratitude for her composure, this time Ria shot me a look filled with resentment and tears.

“......Does it hurt?”

“Kkwek. Not particularly.”

“......Ran, are you going to be eaten by the holy object too, like Jing?”

Ria asked while swallowing tears.

“Kkwek. No, I don’t think that’s it. Kkwek. If that were the case, I would have been swallowed whole and disappeared at once, like Jing.”

The moment I finished speaking, this time the part from my opposite ankle to my knee decomposed.

At this rate, I’ll be too scared to even open my mouth.

“Then what are we supposed to do? If we get rid of the holy object, can we bring Jing and you back?”

Ratel asked urgently, but there was nothing I could tell him with certainty.

This is a rule that never appeared in the original work.

Sprinkling Imperial Family blood on the place where the curse remained was definitely a device like a hidden quest for the protagonist to gain power before cutting off the monster’s head.

So there was no reason for me to disappear like black ash like this.

No, am I not disappearing?

I raised my hand and rubbed my index and middle fingers with my thumb.

CRUMBLE.

This time, my fingers turned into powder and scattered into the air, mixing into the black mist.

Yes, this was not disappearance, but the process of becoming part of the mist.

There was no pain, but the visual shock was not light.

What made me even more uneasy was what state my consciousness would be in after my entire body was crushed.

The worst case would be if only my consciousness survived, and nothing else moved according to my will.

Then I would have to simply watch helplessly as an orc was born before my eyes, using Jing as nourishment.

In contrast, the best case would be that my consciousness remained intact, and that I was given the ability to exert it.

If the direction the future flowed depended entirely on luck, there could be nothing more unfair than that.

I lowered my head and looked at my crushed torso.

The way to regain direction in a moment of wandering was not to forget the objective.

And the owner of the objective that had to be considered here was not me.

“Damn it, is this really the time to think about something else? You kept singing about how much you don’t want to die. Was all of that a lie too?!”

At the voice forcibly dragging my mind upward just as it was about to reach its final conclusion, I slowly raised my head.

When I lifted my gaze, I saw the protagonist breathing roughly.

And Ria beside him, glaring at me with equally fierce eyes.

“Kkwek. Calm down. Kkwek. Anyone who saw you would think I was dying.”

“What nonsense are you spouting when you already look half dead?”

I looked at Ratel, who was trying not to raise his voice but could not calm the anger in his eyes.

It was that expression again.

An expression similar to when he had grabbed me as I first jumped off the boat.

Though the difference was that if he did that again this time, even the rest of my body would shatter into pieces.

The bastard clearly did not like this situation.

He glared at me with his mouth firmly shut, but when our eyes met, he turned his head away.

Ria, who was only looking at the floor, was probably thinking similarly.

I opened my mouth with a sigh.

“Kkwek. I was planning to cling to you two because I want to live.”

The moment I finished speaking, both of their gazes focused on me.

Their gazes were intense enough to be burdensome, but it was still better than them looking more like death than I did.

“Does that mean there’s still something we can do?”

Perhaps she had cried again in that short time, because Ria approached me with eyes shining with tears.

“Kkwek. Don’t come too close. Kkwek. Right now, even a puff from your nose could blow me away.”

At my warning, Ria, who had unconsciously been about to enter the black mist, hurriedly pulled her foot back.

Watching Ria keep a suitable distance, I used my remaining thigh to push Sierra’s Sword, which had been rolling on the ground, outside the mist.

The price was that my lower body completely crumbled.

“What are you doing right now!”

Ratel, who had been silent all along, finally opened his mouth with a shout.

“Kkwek. What do you think? I’m begging you to save me.”

Contrary to my expectation that he would feel refreshed by that rather servile plea, Ratel closed his mouth again.

What, does he need me to kneel and beg to be satisfied?

Unfortunately, because my lower body had just disappeared, I could not show him enough groveling to satisfy him.

There was no time for that either.

“Kkwek. I’m in a bit of a hurry. Kkwek. It’s something I can’t do without your help.”

“......What do I have to do?”

Fortunately, a positive answer came back.

“Kkwek. Cut the half-wit with that sword.”