Chapter 21
[You have become the target of the stigmata ‘Instigation’ of Carl.]
[Skill ‘Big Data’ is analyzing the stigmata ‘Instigation’.]
[Critical Hit!]
[Stigmata: Instigation (E) proficiency has reached 100%. You have acquired Stigmata: Instigation (E).]
‘Thank goodness.’
If a critical hit hadn’t occurred here, it might have been tough to persuade them.
And now, with a fitting skill gifted to me just in time…
‘I’ll use your skill properly to escape.’
Seeing Carl look at me with a curious expression, I raised my hands as if to show I had no intention of resisting and approached.
“Fine, let’s do it. But I have a condition.”
“A condition?”
The mention of a condition made his eyebrows twitch.
“You think you’re in any position to make conditions?”
I expected that expression of disbelief and displeasure. I smiled lightly and shrugged.
“It’s a simple request, so don’t worry. After all, we, as mere spirits, can’t harm the esteemed Rulers.”
[Stigmata: Instigation is activated. The speaker’s words become more persuasive.]
The notification of the skill activation appeared. The man, furrowing his brows slightly, gestured for me to continue.
“First, hand over the two daggers you have to the two of us.”
“What?”
“As you can see, we don’t have any weapons to harm anyone.”
I shrugged, showing my empty hands, and Carl, after a moment’s suspicion, nodded reluctantly.
“I’ll lend you one. If I give both, then we’ll be without weapons too.”
‘Tch, so they’re not complete fools.’
Well, that’s fine. This much is acceptable. After all, the key is the second condition.
“Alright, one is enough. And there’s one more condition.”
“…Speak.”
Looking bored, he scratched his ear as if listening was a bother, giving me an arrogant look.
“While we take care of these two, you should create a perimeter a bit further away.”
Pointing to the bushy area where we had set traps, I spoke calmly.
“That thicket and the pathway should do.”
“What?”
“If we mess up and fail to kill them in one strike, they might escape, right?”
As I played along with their mocking tone and flashed a wicked smile, they chuckled and nodded.
“Fine! We’ll do as you wish. Now, are you satisfied?”
I nodded lightly.
“Here, take it.”
He tossed one of the daggers he had, the older-looking one, to me and took a step back.
I bent down to pick up the weapon, then glanced at the kids who were trembling.
“If I had known it would come to this, I wouldn’t have come here!”
Celestine’s face was filled with hatred.
“I’ll kill you.”
Sylvester shared the same expression.
“Sister.”
Lyria stepped in front of the two, trying to shield them.
“No matter what, this isn’t right. I don’t like it.”
“Y-yeah. Even if they helped us before, this is….”
Their words felt like needles pricking my heart.
But the goal was in sight.
As long as they fall into the traps set by Eden and Sylvester, we’re good.
“Shut up, unless you all want to die together.”
I needed them to see me as a madwoman blinded by self-interest.
You must deceive your allies first before you can deceive your enemies.
“Or do you all want to die too?”
Only then would they let their guard down.
“Hey, you! Take your positions so I can focus on killing them.”
“Thorough, aren’t you? Fine, I like that. Everyone, cover the thicket and pathway!”
As they acted according to my instructions…
“It’s enough…”
The moment Carl, who had shouted loudly, positioned himself at the spot I pointed to.
“Ugh! What is this!”
Carl, who had stepped into Sylvester’s trap, let out a shrill scream.
“It’s a trap!”
Derek, whose ankle slipped into a hole dug by Eden, pointed angrily at me.
“Damn, you crazy witch!”
Only Hins, who hadn’t fallen into a trap, was frantically trying to help his comrades out of the pit and trap.
“What are you doing, damn it!”
Now’s our only chance.
“What are you waiting for! Run!”
I grabbed Celestine’s hand, who was frozen in place.
“Huh, uh…?”
With one hand holding Celestine’s and the other pulling Sylvester, I started running.
Yeriel was already leading Lyria and Eden, holding their hands, as he ran ahead.
“…Why are you doing this?”
Celestine, struggling to keep up, finally spoke through her heavy breaths.
“Do Yeriel and I look like people who would abandon kids like you?”
I flashed a grin, and a look of admiration filled Celestine’s eyes as she stared at me.
Good, that’s another trustworthy ally in the making.
“…I.”
Sylvester, who was running alongside, muttered under his breath.
“I never believed… that you really meant it when you said you’d kill us.”
I know. I know that they didn’t really mean their words either.
People always say their biggest lies when they’re in the direst situations.
So, their words were likely born out of the fear of death.
And anyway.
“I wasn’t afraid for a second that you two would try to kill me.”
“…….”
“So, it’s okay.”
You don’t need to apologize. Just repay me later.
Instead, when we get out of here, be part of our team.
That’s what I was going to say.
“Wendy!”
A scream echoed not far off.
And with it, an arrow came flying.
The arrow was aimed straight at Lyria.
It all happened in a split second.
So, my action was more of an instinct than a thought.
“I hit her!”
Thunk!
The sound of something sharp piercing flesh.
Along with it, a wave of numbing pain spread through my body.
“Ah….”
A chilling sensation spread across my back.
“Hah…!”
The searing pain felt like a hot iron branding my bones, making it hard to breathe.
‘It hurts.’
Damn, it hurts more than I imagined.
Not that I’d ever been shot with an arrow before.
“Sister!”
“Savior!”
“I’m fin….”
Fine, my foot.
It hurts like hell.
So much that I’d rather just pass out from the pain.
The agony radiated from my spine and quickly spread throughout my entire body.
“Stay still. If you suddenly pull out the arrow, you might die from excessive bleeding….”
“Pretty sister, hang on a bit. If you lose consciousness here, we’re in big trouble….”
Yeriel’s voice, along with the twins’ voices, sounded like faint echoes.
[Stigmata: Sniping (D) proficiency has reached 33.3%.]
Amidst all this, gaining proficiency—should I be pleased or call it exasperating, given it’s exactly as I expected?
Through my blurred vision, I see Hins with a smug expression.
“Not the target I wanted, but hitting one is still a success.”
Come to think of it, one of them was an archer.
‘How foolish.’
I’d forgotten and felt relieved after disarming him.
“Maybe I’ll use the last arrow to kill the pink-haired brat.”
Humming, Hins slowly aimed his bow at Lyria.
At that moment, a figure stepped in front to block him.
‘Yeriel?’
What is this foolish man thinking?
All he has is healing power.
“Step aside, Yeriel. Either way, I’m… cough, I’m going to die.”
This level of blood loss can’t be fixed with just a few Pisari Flowers. Maybe if there were Salvati Flowers.
And right now…
“We need bait to stall them.”
What we need is something to keep them occupied.
My body’s too wounded to escape.
“And I’ll be that bait.”
It’s better for me to become the bait.
Not that I want to die saying something so reckless.
‘If it really gets desperate, I can invest all the favor I’ve earned into recovery potions.’
I have a total of 20 favor points left.
I don’t know how much blood I’ll recover with 20 lowest-grade recovery potions.
Once I heal a bit, I’ll try using the Blunt Sword technique I learned from Xenon.
Hins only has one arrow left.
If I can endure this one attack, we might survive.
Even the opinions in the comment section are on my side.
—President of the Romance Fantasy Association (romxxx): What’s going to happen to Wendy…?
—Owen (dowxxx): I’ve grown to care about her, don’t die.
[You have gained favor from 9 observers.]
[Total Favor: 29]
Gaining favor, increasing proficiency.
‘This is a win-win, isn’t it?’
But this man is a problem.
“Wendy, don’t say that. I will make sure you…”
He’s such a foolishly kind man.
“…I will definitely save you.”
And he’s even on the verge of tears.
I’m grateful that Yeriel is worrying about me.
‘If only this wasn’t the situation.’
If I had more time, I would have revealed my entire plan.
But time was not on my side.
So, I had to resort to saying something I really didn’t want to—something that felt like a threat…
‘No other choice.’
In this situation, I had to be firm.
“Yeriel, run away.”
“…What?”
“I saved your life, so listen to me.”
“…….”
“What’s the point if we all die like fools?”
If I sacrifice myself, others can survive.
And he, of all people, understands the weight of life best.
“Go.”
“…….”
“Before I get angry, hurry up.”
I think he got the message.
He hesitated, as if gathering his thoughts, before slowly speaking.
“…I will protect Lyria, no matter what.”
Watching him, Hins shook his head as if he’d seen something pathetic.
“What a touching friendship.”
His grip on the bow tightened.
“If you want to die so badly, I’ll grant your wish.”
The bow bent as if it might snap at any moment.
“I despise melodramatic scenes like this.”
Hins’ arrow shot straight toward my heart.
“I’ll end you in one painless strike.”
Fast and forceful.
This time, he aimed to end my life for good.
So I had to act quickly.
[Would you like to purchase ‘Half-Remaining Lowest Grade Recovery Potion’? Select quantity: 29.]
[Purchase complete!]
[Total Favor: 0]
I quickly bought the lowest-grade recovery potions and pressed the button for simultaneous use.
[The effects of 29 ‘Half-Remaining Lowest Grade Recovery Potions’ are applied simultaneously!]
A rush of energy came over me, and I could feel my wounds slowly starting to heal.
My choice was the right one after all.
Even for the lowest-grade potions, this recovery power was impressive.
If I could take the hit while using the Blunt Sword technique, I might at least survive.
‘Blunt Sword swings and deflects. It should be good enough for protecting myself.’
Closing my eyes, Xenon’s voice echoed in my mind.
Even if I used Blunt Sword, it would still hurt.
I might not die, but the pain would remain.
Who in their right mind would enjoy getting hit by an arrow?
‘Still.’
If there’s a moment when you have to act.
Even if you’re scared or reluctant, when that moment comes…
I wouldn’t hesitate.
Because it’s the path I chose.
Bracing myself for the sharp pain of the arrow piercing my heart, I squeezed my eyes shut.
Ping!
With the sound of an arrow being deflected, a stone flew through the air.
The arrow that had been slicing through the air fell to the ground, utterly harmless.
A shiver ran down my spine.
It felt like there had been a time when someone had saved me like this before.
“Wendy Porcelain.”
A low, rough voice echoed through my dazed mind.
A voice carrying immense, contained fury.
“This time, you owe me.”
My heart began to beat faster at that voice.
“So live, and pay me back.”
Through my blurry vision, I saw jet-black hair and a broad back.
The savior who had thrown the stone.
The person I had been searching for.
“You’re late, you bastard….”
It was Xenon.
—
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