"Repent..."
The instant that word echoed through the air, tears started rolling down my cheeks.
"I'M SORRY! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!!! I'M SORRY!!!"
As I looked up to face her, I saw her click her tongue as she plunged my sword into the ground, barely leaving the handle over the ground, making it virtually impossible to pull out... And as I stared at the sword with fear for my life, she only worsened it, by leaving me with a final line with enough killing intent to make my heart feel like it was about to be crushed through fear...
"Never... ever... Talk down to someone... Understood...?"
I wanted to nod, yet I couldn't, and without waiting for my response, she turned to Callum and nodded...
"Ah... R-REIKA IS THE WINNER!!!"
Pietro and the Evenhide sisters seemed so distressed and even mad at what had just transpired... 'I'm sorry to disappoint you... But this was my mistake...'
Looking at me one last time with disgust, Reika started leaving...
3rd Person P.OV.
As Reika began to leave the room, nobody dared to say a word, yet 2 people weren't quiet for the same reason as the others...
Myria and Scarlet were standing in the audience quietly when Scarlet suddenly turned to Myria with a smirk...
"I win..."
Without much more said, Myria reluctantly passed what looked to be a pouch of coins to Scarlet who started jumping euphorically.
Without much more said, Myria, Scarlet, Kira and Callum followed Reika as she left the training grounds leaving behind a sobbing Haruto, an impressed harem and a fainted Pietro...
※
Reika's P.O.V.
As we had finally arrived at the adventurer's guild main hall, I heard a threatening feminine voice which made me freeze:
"...Reika〜"
I slowly turned around cautiously, only to be met with Myria's face looking at me intently... As tilted her head, she articulated words filled with an ominous tone, which contradicted the big smile on her face...
"Never do that again〜"
'...'
"Hehe〜 Did I take my joke too far〜?"
Answering as if I didn't know anything she only got closer to my face as a wicked aura began to form around her...
"Yes, Reika〜 Never do that again..."
Suddenly, a lot of killing intent blasted off at once, making me flinch, as she finished her sentence...
"Otherwise I might just 'accidentally' stop covering you〜"
*Gulp*
"U-understood Myria..."
In a split second, all of the killing intent was swept away as Myria returned to her cheerful outgoing self:
"Perfect then! Let's just leave the matters our problems to tomorrow's us. I don't think the other party is able to go on a quest today anyways〜 So let's head over to the castle already, I'm hungry!"
Saying that in a happy-go-lucky tone she started exiting the guild as Callum, Scarlet and me were left to smile wryly at her unending change of emotions...
"Hehe〜 Alright... Myria... "
I said confused as I waved goodbye to Callum and took Scarlet's hand before leaving...
Haruto's P.O.V.
After Callum came, back he informed me "The Curse" would come back tomorrow to help us, since they deemed us unable to continue for the day...
Yet it wasn't fake...
I could still feel my legs trembling, even after the Evenhide sisters had begun comforting me enough to stop my lamenting...
"Hero-sama, you must've been holding back right?" -Mia Evenhide
"Of course he was! He simply listened to Pietro-sama's request not to kill the slut!"-Eri Evenhide
"It is just like Eri says! Hero-sama would never lose to a lowly adventurer!" -Charlotte Evenhide
"..."
'It's not true... that girl... that girl held true power... I don't think even HE would be able to face her easily...' But even thinking about her triggered some strange previously non-existent reaction within me...
*Ba-Dump*
'What's happening...'
*Ba-Dump*
Her strength, her angelic beauty, her cold yet caring personality... She was perfect...
*Ba-Dump*
Staring at the beautiful midnight blue crystal my sword's blade was now made off finally made me aware... As I finally muttered my final thoughts carelessly into the air...
"Reika... Kasai... She's the one..."
*Ba-Dump*
※
Reika's P.O.V.
After arriving at the guild early again today...
We met with Haruto's party again...
And we were back where we started...
In the quest board...
Having Haruto pick a suitable quest...
"This one...?!"
"No..."
"That one?!"
"No..."
And of course...
"This other one?"
We were failing... horribly...
"No..."
'Can't this lame-brained hero pick something suitable?' Were my thoughts but 'Thinking about it, isn't he at least being more... agreeable? I guess I could use this?'
"Ummm, Haruto listen. Could you pick a B-rank quest? You see, we were tasked to protect and we want to be able to assure your party's safety. While I don't think you're weak (*COUGH* NOT TRUE *COUGH*) many things can go wrong on a quest of A-rank or higher...'
I had said this with the most sincere smile I could muster after having seen Callum do it so often... and I guess it worked perfectly! Because asides from him hiding his face immediately? he actually CHOSE A B-RANK QUEST!!! 'YESSSSSS!!!'
"A-alright... Is this one ok?"
I was in ecstasy as he talked bashfully for some reason, but I didn't care... him picking a B-ranked quest was more than enough to keep me satisfied:
"A B-rank Red Basilisk subjugation is just perfect! Let's go to the counter to get the full request, alright?"
"Y-yeah!"
Then signaling everyone to follow me, we arrived at Kira's counter who seemed to be relieved seeing us come to a consensus.
"Hey, Kira! Everidian's party will be doing this quest under our surveillance"
I said as I handed in the paper to Kira...
She looked happy as she saw the title of the quest and then happily replied:
"Oh, this is perfect! You can find the Red Basilisks in the 'Ellian Desert' north to the kingdom!"
But as she handed me the paper, she suddenly prevented me from grabbing it pulled me in as she whispered into my ear:
"Thanks for enduring it Reika! Hang in there!"
Letting the paper go, Kira gave me a warm smile as I felt my mood improving. 'Ah, someone knowing my circumstances really helps...' But as I signaled everyone to depart, I heard Kira once again:
"Oh yes, one more thing! Be careful, the Ellian Desert is somewhat close to demon territory, but everything should go fine!"
'Demon territory? Oh well, we just so happen to have the princess of the demons with us, so nothing should go out of control.'
"Got it!"
※
We had decided to take a carriage to the 'Ellian desert', but we hadn't made it all the way to the desert by nightfall, as such, in order to assure the Everidian party's security we had to wait out until the next day in a nearby village.
The ride had actually been quite comfortable with me talking mostly to Myria and Scarlet, yet Haruto was being quite endearing in the carriage? Also, a thing that caught me off-guard was his bashful questions about my person? Of course, I shut down most if not all of his questions, but he didn't feel like the same Haruto as the hot-headed one I fought yesterday at all... 'Well, I don't care... I'll never see him again after this quest anyways...'
After checking in at an inn and having dinner, I was now laying in bed trying to get some sleep...
"Hah〜 Today truly was an exhausting day... wasn't it..."
I said to myself as I stared at the ceiling of my room...
"I'm surprised to see Haruto suddenly being compliant to my requests, I guess a good beating is all he needed haha〜"
I then closed my eyes and kept muttering to myself:
"I guess beating all those jerks will make them finally recognize me for once... hehe〜"
But as I kept talking, I couldn't quite get sleepy...
"I wonder if I may have gone too far with my joke...?"
Some small beads of sweat started forming around my forehead...
"But, he really does deserve what I did to him... after all he has neglected... kicked me... bullied me... all that time back on earth..."
I don't know when, but I had actually started rolling around restlessly...
"All of them do... All of them need to repent..."
"Yeah! That's exactly it〜"
Hearing a voice call out to me was completely unexpected making me jump out of my bed, but what truly scared me, was the sudden pull I felt...
I felt as if I was being dragged, crushed and damaged as darkness grew on my vision...
'No... Not again...'
I could feel my body being pulled and stretched as darkness finally embraced my whole field of vision...
I tried struggling and calling out for help... but it was far too late...
In front of me in the midst of a completely dark horizon sat a cross-legged replica of me wearing a smirk...
"Hello Reiki, what a nice frustration you've got going on there〜"
'Her...'
She was the same impostor as last, time yet the atmosphere around her had only worsened since the last time I was here...
'I cannot be careless...'
As her smirk grew bigger, she stood up and began circling me as if I was prey while she asked different questions...
"Are you enjoying your life〜?"
"..."
"Holding your anger in〜?"
"..."
"Not going to answer〜? How rude〜"
"..."
'She's clearly toying with me... but I can't fight back... She's dangerous... I can tell just from the way she talks... I'm scared... but I need to endure it...' However, while I tried to hide my terror, she resumed speaking...
"It's surprising to see you forgive so easily〜 hehe〜"
...
"Why should I tell you?"
"Oh〜 I am so hurt by your words〜"
...
In the midst of the darkness, I could feel my emotions reverberating each second I spoke with her... I wasn't sure how long my sanity would last, while trapped here...
And as such, I finally decided to ask...
"Where are we...?"
The second I asked her, that 'monster's' expression suddenly changed as she answered ominously...
"Literally nowhere... A place no man... no god... not even yourself... should be able to reach〜"
As she finished her sentence, I was left with more questions than answers... however, before I could even open my lips to speak...
She disappeared from my sights...
And reappeared mere inches away from me...
Her grin gone, without leaving a trace and her ice-cold gaze, piercing my soul...
And finally, she spoke one final sentence...
"Now then... your time has lapsed..."