Chapter 37

Her legs wouldn't move in the sudden situation.

Her body had stiffened as well.

It had been thirty minutes since she touched the holy grail, so she couldn't expect any automatic defense from it.

Cecilia closed her eyes tightly, bracing for impact.

At that moment, someone pushed her away.

"Kyaa!"

Her body staggered. The shock of hitting the wall made her open her eyes.

There, Merlin was being crushed by a thick pillar.

"Are you okay!?"

Cecilia hurried over. The pillar that had fallen on Merlin was heavy, but she could lift it alone.

Cecilia moved the pillar and lifted Merlin's upper body.

Red blood stained the palm of her hand that was supporting Merlin's head. It seemed she had been cut. Given that Merlin couldn't move even with Cecilia's support, she might have broken a bone.

"Why..."

"...Because if you got hurt, it would be a big problem."

"Is it because I'm from a ducal family?"

Just because of that... The words slipped out from the thought. Merlin shook her head loosely.

"Of course, that's part of it. But you're Dante's friend. If you got hurt, he'd be angry at me."

"Friend?"

"What can I say? When he came back the other day, he talked about you happily. He said there was an interesting guy who dressed as a boy and went to school... "

Well, right after that, he said he was going to leave the organization. Merlin smiled wryly.

"Is it Cecilia? Leave me behind. I can't run properly anymore."

Merlin's head swayed as if she was about to lose consciousness from blood loss. Cecilia raised her voice to keep her conscious.

"I can't do that!"

"What are you saying? I'm the leader of the organization that kidnapped you."

"Even so, you helped me."

"Stop saying nonsense and hurry..."

Merlin fainted, leaving those words.

Cecilia looked around, holding Merlin's body.

"What should I do..."

The direction they had planned to go was now engulfed in flames.

(I have to do something...)

Cecilia carried Merlin on her back.

She was safe now because of Merlin. She couldn't leave her behind.

"---!"

As soon as her weight shifted, pain shot through her right ankle.

It was swollen and red, probably twisted when she was pushed away. However, compared to Merlin's injuries, it was minor.

Cecilia touched the holy grail again.

A barrier formed around her, including the body of Merlin she was carrying.

"Let's go to the back of the armory for now..."

She knew that continuing this way would only lead to a dead end. But to escape the flames, she had to move forward. Gilbert's holy grail only protected against physical attacks, not the heat of the smoke or flames.

Cecilia limped to the back of the armory, hoping there might be a window.

However---

"Are you kidding me..."

There was indeed a window. It was a square stained glass window for lighting, but if the stained glass was broken, it would be a suitable opening.

"But, this is impossible."

The window was incredibly high. Even if there were two Cecilias, it would be out of reach.

It was impossible to reach, especially with a twisted ankle and carrying Merlin.

"What should I do..."

Smoke began to cover the area.

Blood trickled down the shoulder where Merlin's head rested.

Cecilia pressed her handkerchief, which she had retrieved earlier, to Merlin's bleeding area. The blood seeped through and stuck to the wound.

"Cecil!"

At the sound of the voice, the stained glass above shattered.

Then, someone descended almost like a free fall.

"Huh? -- Dante!?"

There was Dante, holding a rope-like cord. His usual carefree smile was gone, replaced by a serious expression. He ran over when he saw Cecilia.

"Are you okay!? I heard our guys were being stupid and rushed over!"

"Uh, yeah. I'm fine, but..."

Dante's gaze shifted from Cecilia to Merlin, who was lying limp on her back.

Dante's face showed shock. To him, Merlin was like a mother, a father, and a sister. Seeing her bleeding and unconscious, he couldn't help but be shaken.

After a few seconds of shock, Dante turned back to Cecilia.

"Cecil, let's get out of here."

"Okay."

"Then, leave Merlin behind for now."

"Huh?"

"I can only carry one person."

Cecilia's heart sank. His expression was serious, and he didn't seem to be joking.

"Cecil, with your ankle, you can't climb this rope. I can carry one person, but not two."

"But!"

"...Unlike you, Merlin brought this upon herself."

Despite his words, sadness and regret lingered in his eyes.

He probably wanted to save Merlin too.

The castle grounds were quite large. If he left Cecilia first, Merlin's body would be engulfed in flames by the time he returned.

Dante had decided to leave Merlin to her fate.

"Isn't Merlin important to Dante?"

"...We won't die a good death anyway."

"But!"

"Hurry! The flames are spreading."

Dante's voice cut off her words, and he pulled her arm.

Cecilia instinctively pushed Dante's arm away.

(If I do nothing, it's no good!)

"Cecil!"

Cecilia bit her lower lip at the accusatory tone.

Life was precious.

That's why, the moment she learned her fate, she started working hard. She didn't rest completely, but for twelve years, she did everything she could.

All for the sake of living a peaceful life in the future.

But Cecilia didn't want to survive at the cost of someone else's life. If this was her fate, leaving Merlin to die would be like imposing her fate on Merlin.

That was something she absolutely couldn't do.

(And...)

She could understand Dante's affection for Merlin. She was his only family. If he left her to die, Dante would carry that wound for the rest of his life.

Cecilia forced a smile.

"Dante, please take Merlin first."

"But!"

"I'm fine because I have this."

Cecilia showed him the holy grail.

"As long as I have this, no one's attack can reach me. Of course, not even flames or smoke."

She mixed a little lie with the truth.

As a former theater club member, she didn't think Dante noticed.

"If you save me first, Merlin will definitely not survive. But if you save Merlin first, both of us can be saved."

She took Dante's hand.

"I'm fine, so please take Merlin first! I'll wait for you while protecting myself with this holy grail."

"Really?"

"Want to try hitting me? It will bounce back with quite a force, so it might hurt more than just a little."

Dante thought for a while, then slowly nodded.

"Alright. I'll take Merlin out first and come back to save you."

"Okay. I'll be waiting."

Dante took Merlin from Cecilia and carried her on his back. Then, he climbed up the rope with ease.

Cecilia leaned against the wall, watching until he disappeared from sight.

"I was so cool..."

She had no regrets, but fear remained.

If asked whether Dante would make it in time, she doubted it.

She couldn't expect help from anyone else. Even if someone came, no one would think she was trapped here.

If asked if she had given up, it wasn't that, but she couldn't do anything.

When she closed her eyes, a familiar yet unfamiliar, complex scene unfolded.

A movie theater engulfed in flames.

In front of her, her best friend, who was supposed to be saved, and the person she tried to save, lay together.

Her sleeve was on fire---

"Kyaa!!"

Cecilia instinctively swatted at her hand.

Of course, there was no fire.

After a moment of confusion, she hugged herself to calm down.

"So, I died in a fire..."

Her body shuddered so much from the fear of fire, which was unconsciously fueled by her past life's memory. Her legs wouldn't move, and her body trembled for the same reason.

The flames finally reached the armory.

Her body shook, and her knees wouldn't support her.

Perhaps this was her fate. She was destined to die in the flames.

(Just when I finally became good friends with Gil and Oscar...)

Smoke filled the air before the flames. Cecilia's consciousness began to fade.

She collapsed onto the floor.

"I wanted to live a proper life this time..."

As she murmured these words, her consciousness slipped away.