"Finally the pieces fell into play, huh Reiki?"
As I carbon-copy of myself spoke in with a sinister grin spread out on her face I could only think to myself...
'It's her again...'
As I was becoming wary of her very presence, I began thinking: 'Last time I was here, it was due to my emotions running rampant when I met Haruto... Guess that's the only possible reason this time...'
But something about the atmosphere didn't quite feel right...
That monster's grin for some reason wore more malice than the usual amount in her teasing... and besides... those words...
'...the pieces fell into play...?'
Just what is she talking about...?
But as her grin only became more sinister, I realized something that immediately made me wary...
'I can't move...'
I struggled... yet... I couldn't move a muscle...
I felt a drop of sweat run down my forehead as that monster began drawing closer to me...
"Heh〜 It's such a shame isn't it Reiki〜?"
She had walked very slowly yet she was now a foot away from where I stood quite literally... petrified...
I couldn't even move my mouth to articulate a response, but as my face contorted from my anxiety about being in such a situation, that monster kept talking...
"I can't believe everything would go this smoothly〜!"
As she kept talking, she began caressing my arms as she spoke seductively, yet so maliciously... I felt my heart beat skyrocketing from the uncertainty as she kept saying things I didn't understand...
"I don't know why〜 But I'm happy all of this happened〜"
'This is bad... if she hurts me again... I might actually die...'
As tension rose to unimaginable levels in my subconscious, she finally said something I could somewhat understand... yet I wish I wouldn't have...
"Reiki... I have to thank you〜 Your very actions... have set everything... I... have ever hoped for... in motion〜"
I stood there questioning what she was even referring to... yet for some reason... I felt I knew the answer...
'Just... what did I do... What is going to happen?'
But, as questions began racing through my brain, and uncertainty made every single one of my senses become restless...
All of a sudden a strange sting came over my abdomen...
'Argh...'
Immediately responding to the pain, I looked to see my abdomen which didn't seem hurt at all yet...
I felt strange... and it had hurt... yet from that point onwards... the pain only went haywire...
'AGH!!!! What's happening?!'
The sting... had become throbbing...
'Ugh...!!! This... hurts...'
The throbbing... had become pain...
'It hurts... It hurts... so much...'
My thoughts were becoming clouded as the pain blocked my comprehension...
The pain had become torture...
But as I managed to catch a glimpse of that monster... grinning... I felt enraged... Trying my very best... making my body hurt incomparably... I could barely articulate:
"Argh... what is happening... to me..."
But as she kept grinning cynically she spoke once again...
"Hmmm, too much pain for you〜? Guess our time is up once again〜 I'll be seeing you around sometime soon〜!"
"..."
'WHAT?!'
While I did in fact, feel intimidated by the overpowering amount of pressure she placed on me I was enraged by my thoughts. And she used such lovely and innocent words... despite her actual tone and voice being so full of sarcasm, teasing...
But even then... that wasn't the thing that enraged me the most...
'Every... single... time...'
Yes... Every single time I managed to learn something new... or saw an opportunity to cease my suffering from this monster... she would just wave me goodbye like a fly...
I felt angry, but I was able to do nothing as my consciousness faded away...
※
As I came to, I was under a familiar roof...
A nice pristine, chiseled marble roof with paintings along the walls...
"I'm... back at my room... in Myria's castle...?"
...
...
...
'I can talk with no effort at all?! And I don't feel any pain in my abdominal area!?'
I was shocked by both of these surprises, as I had expected some sort of damage to have been done since my time in that wicked place...
Moving my head a bit, I managed to make out my uncovered abdomen...
...
...
...
There was no wound...
'Wha...? How long... has it been...?'
I was staring in disbelief at my now healed abdomen... I didn't know what to think... For one, I was glad there was no longer a huge gaping hole in the middle of my body... Yet on the other hand... seeing how big my wound was...
'How much time was I back in the void...?'
However, something caught my attention immediately as I tried to touch my abdomen...
*rattle* *rattle*
I was chained up to the bed...
'Wait, what?! Why am I chained up?!'
I shook my arms in order to escape...
I finally realized what I had been laying upon...
My bedsheets were torn into pieces...
My pillows had bite marks all over them with stuffing pouring out...
And worst of all...
My entire bed was filled with ash...
Even my chains... seemed to have been incinerated by something...
I was at a loss... My whole room was in a detrimental state, filled with ash and turned into mayhem...
"Just what happened while I was out...?"
*Creak*
However, just as I was voicing out my thoughts my door opened...
And standing at the door was a beautiful girl with red waist-length hair, brilliant yellow eyes and the softest skin I could picture. While next to her, stood a boy of around 18 years old, with combed brown hair and enticing blue eyes and was about 5.8 feet.
It was none other than Myria and Haruto who stood at my door with pleasant smiles...
They had not yet noticed I was awake...
But I made my state known as I realized there was no one else coming to greet me...
"Where's Scarlet?!?!?!"
Both Haruto and Myria immediately looked at me and teared up...
I was left a little confused by their reactions, yet I kept persisting...
"WHAT HAPPENED TO SCARLET?!?!"
However... I was ignored once again... But in this case, both, Haruto and Myria ran up to me and hugged me tightly...
'This reaction... is not... normal...'
Both Myria and Haruto were too enthusiastic about me waking up... I was uncertain and even scared of a response... yet I asked... '...I need to know...'
"What... happened... while I was... asleep...?"
Myria immediately welled up in tears as she released me and began explaining...
※
According to Myria... I had apparently died...
...
...
...
Yes...
...died...
My duel with the demon king had apparently happened just barely 2 days ago... yet... what Myria told me... was more than enough for an entire lifetime...
Apparently... When I fainted, the wound on my abdomen began taking over my body at an alarming rate, while deteriorating any chance for survival...
And at some point...
My body just gave up...
...
...
...
Yep, I had died again...
I cannot properly describe how much anguish Myria went through after losing both of her friends in such a short period of time... however, it did not end there...
For some unknown reason...
Last night, my body started having strange spasms...
Both Myria and Haruto were incredibly surprised when they found that the wound on my abdomen had completely disappeared leaving no trace behind...
But as they began cheering for my sudden miraculous revival... it came with a price...
As soon as my body healed itself, strange blue flames started emerging from my hands and body alike, burning anything on its way...
Seeing this, Myria was forced to take precautions in order to prevent anything similar to 'the incident' from happening again...
As such, Myria decided to keep me locked in my bed using [Union]...
But even that... had not prevented me from releasing hell inside my room...
In the end, everyone was advised to remain wary of my room until further notice...
But just when Myria and Haruto were about to do my hourly check... they found me awake...
...
...
...
I'm happy I did not remain dead...
...
...
...
But the rest of the news wasn't pleasant...
...
...
...
Up to now, Scarlet was still missing...
I was, of course, saddened by this, but I was forced to put my feelings aside when I was proposed something...
Haruto had seemingly... concocted a plan to save Scarlet...
But this was a plan I did not agree with at all...
※
"Reika we can't do this alone! You know that!"
Right now, Haruto was severely scolding me, after refusing with absolute determination, his proposal... All the while, Myria was simply watching, disappointed...
"I won't do it! We can do it alone! If we actually work together properly, I bet that demon king will not be able to hurt us, now that I'm all healed up!"
I was never going to allow THAT to happen... I will not allow it from the bottom of my being... ONE IS ALREADY MORE THAN WHAT I CAN TOLERATE!!!
"Reika, you DIED when you fought the demon king last time, having support is necessary!!!"
"THAT'S FINE! WE CAN RECEIVE SUPPORT, JUST NOT FROM THEM!!! PLEASE!!!"
Yes... what Haruto had proposed, was, to get support from none other than...
"Reika! Stop being childish, the summoned heroes from Everidian will be arriving tomorrow! It is such a short window of time! We can perfectly fight the demon king with their support!"
...Yes...
Haruto had called his friends from the Everidian kingdom somehow...
and with some convincing and rewards by the Litherm kingdom...
They had accepted to aid us in our quest...
"NO! I ABSOLUTELY REFUSE!!!"
'There was no way I would allow myself to fall prey to those bullies once more... I won't suffer any longer... I won't hurt any longer... I will save Scarlet without them...'
"I can do this alo-"
"-REIKA!"
I was left silent as Myria completely prevented me from continuing with my argument...
"I don't want to lose another friend... Please... just allow the heroes to help us... Please... I don't want to lose any of you..."
For some reason... Myria's voice felt hurting... I was completely against Haruto's proposal... yet.. Myria ultimately forced me...
"Fine... We'll save Scarlet with their help..."
...
...
...
But there was no way... I would accept that...
※
In the middle of the night...
I grabbed a cloak...
Equipped Boukyaku...
And after grabbing enough supplies...
I walked to the exit of the castle, with enough skill to go by unnoticed...
And as I left through the main gate under the moonlight...
I muttered to myself...
"I'm sorry... Myria... Haruto... but... I will save Scarlet on my own... This was my fault..."