Chapter 14

Parsed with an automated reader. The content accuracy is not guranteed.

Content Warning: Suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, and graphic depictions of violence.

20 years ago, I was an orphan. I stole from adventurers, fished around in the trash, and begged for food, but it was still my life to live.

Then he came into the picture.

He gave me money, a place to live, and power. “I saved you because I want you dead,” he said. “We will meet again when the time comes, boy.”

Then, he left.

Back then, I didn’t know what he meant but it didn’t matter to me. I hired people with the money, built an organization with my house as our hideout, used my power to get all the small fry in town to bow down to me, all to create my own world to rule.

A decade later, when I’d long forgotten about our deal, he appeared out of the blue and said: “It is time for you to die, boy.”

I was shocked by his audacity. At the same time, I felt scared and angry. I went crazy and attacked him. But when he caught and stopped my hammer with one hand, he said, “Are you afraid to die, boy?”

Tch, of course, I was.

“Then why are you so terrified?”

I still wanted to enjoy my future. I didn’t want it to end, this comfortable life I’ve always dreamed of.

“In that case, I will give you a second chance. If you can shoot your nemesis with these curse bullets, your life will be spared. But if you miss…” he chuckled. “I don’t suppose I need to tell you?”

He pulled out something from his waist and gave it to me. The moment my fingers touched it, I instantly, mysteriously knew how to use this black thing, seconds later knew what it was called: a “pistol”.

“… Who are they?” I asked.

“She’s a mage with brown, short hair who you will meet tonight,” he replied. “She will take her two companions to your hideout at midnight, where you will be killed.”

Normally, I didn’t believe in predictions of the future. But this time, I wasn’t taking any chances with my life on the line.

“Do I kill her?” I ask.

“You cannot,” he said. “There is only one way for your salvation, and that is to shoot her with those bullets. That is all. Just one bullet and I guarantee your life.”

And then he disappeared right before my eyes.

I started preparing my organization for it. I hired talented adventurers and gathered them all up in the hideout. After all, I heard this mage was just small fry, and the adventurers told me she was no threat. To get a clean shot, however, I needed to stop her buddies and seal up her magic.

“Well, this seems to be the perfect opportunity,” I thought.

Despite the fact that my life was on the line here, I was very confident in this fight, what with all my minions around me.

But what’s going on?

How did this happen…? She should have been laying on the ground now!

This isn’t happening.

This isn’t happening… this isn’t happening. I’m not going to die yet! I still have so much more to do! If I kill that pathetic “nemesis”, I’ll save myself.

That’s the way. Even if he told me to use the pistol, I should kill her myself anyway. It’s easy. It’s nothing I can’t do.

“I’ll make sure you’re dead!” I thought as I rushed to that little girl.

“Sonia!” Lilia shouted.

Sonia collapses before me.

I don’t know what is happening. I take Sonia into my arms, find she’s uninjured, no blood, no obvious wounds. But why…?

Why isn’t she breathing?!

I put my hand to her chest and can’t feel a heartbeat. It’s clear she’s dead. My eyes burst into tears.

This is all… this is all my fault.

If I hadn’t put my shields in front of Sonia and Lilia, she wouldn’t have taken the shot for me. She would have been alright. But because I left myself open…

The guilt is crushing me. The Boss is rushing towards me—I seem to be his next target.

No more. No one will mourn me if I die here. Lilia is fast enough to escape on her on out. Now… I’ll just give up.

I laid down to die beside Sonia.

This is the third time. I have no fear or hesitation. In fact, it almost feels like salvation, where my death will make up for Sonia’s. I don’t deserve to live anymore.

I look at the Boss’s giant hammer coming down on me. But before it connects, a shield blocks the blow.

“Haruka! Now! Kill him!” Lilia shouts.

Without thinking, I picked up Sonia’s longsword and thrust it into the Boss’s chest.

“What the… fuck…?” he gasps before he vomits blood and collapses. I stare at sword lodged in his body, the blood flowing out of it, the pool forming on the ground.

“… Are you alright?” one of the minions says as he holds out his hand. He doesn’t seem to be hostile anymore.

“… I’m alright…” I whisper as I look at Sonia.

Her face looks as if she’s just sleeping.

“Why…?” I whisper as my tears spill again, the skin of my face turns red. “Why did you do this for me…?”

“Could someone please help get out of this rubble?” Lilia asked.

Her legs were trapped under the remains of the building. Several of the former minions join together to lift it off with a wooden pole for leverage. Lilia saw me stroking Sonia’s head, she came over without a sound.

“This is the life of an Adventurer,” Lilia said solemnly. “Death is always around the corner. We took you with us to get used to human death. Don’t you think this is for the best?”

“Sonia died because I didn’t think when I put up shields in front of you, I wasn’t aware of my surroundings, so she was forced to sacrifice herself,” I whispered. “I created a scenario that didn’t have to happen. I killed Sonia.”

It was all my fault.

However, Lilia shakes her head. “It was the Boss who killed Sonia, he was the one that wanted her dead. You aren’t in the wrong at all, Haruka, to shield your helpless allies is rarely a bad move. I didn’t consider the possibility of him having a ranged weapon, and that was my mistake.”

I know she’s lying. Who was in the wrong was obvious to everyone. Still, her words make me feel a little better.

“… Thank you,” I whisper.

“… Ah.”

Silence falls between us. It breaks when a man shouts:

“Hey, that girl over there! She’s still alive!” says a tall, blue-haired man coming before us with a blindingly dazzling smile.

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