“Please⋯⋯come back. Without getting hurt. Okay?”
“Sure, I’ll try my best.”
“Promise.”
“In case we don’t come back, just wait until time runs out. There’s no need to risk unnecessary death.”
“⋯⋯Stop with the ominous talk!”
Tara looked at Bennett with concern, then straightened out his crooked collar. However Niolle's eyes saw much more than just that.
Blushed cheeks, trembling eyelids, hesitant hand movements, passively closed legs that seem concerned about exposure, a posture that unconsciously emphasized the chest, lingerie underwear that was slightly lowered to stay slightly askew, and a pink hue blooming in her eyes.
On the other hand…
Bennett seemed calm, but his cheeks were tense with anxiety about the future, a subtle burden he felt as Tara got closer than usual, his gaze lowering at several points as if he was beginning to recognize the lady in front of him as a member of the opposite sex, but he still looked at her as more of a relative than a person of the opposite sex with stars twinkling in his eyes.
Once all that information was contained in Niolle’s eyes.“Hey, Bennett. When you come back, I have something to te⋯⋯."
Niolle put her hand between Bennett's sides, hooking her arms around his. Then, she pulled him towards her forcefully. Bennett's upper arm was lightly pressed against the side of her chest. When Tara saw this, Niolle noticed a complex chemical reaction taking place in Tara's eyes.
In the favorable gaze towards her colleague, a bit of suspicion and jealousy quietly blended in.
Let's go, Bennett.
Niolle mouthed her words.
"⋯⋯Alright.”
She felt like her heart was being stabbed. Niolle was sabotaging Tara, but she couldn't figure out why she was doing it. As if driven by an anxious impulse, she half-instinctively blocked Tara.
On this path taken for the sake of setting everything right, Niolle agonized over this confusion she had never experienced before. All while tightening her grip around Bennett’s arm.
===============================================================
The road to the meteorite pit, where countless people had walked to sacrifice themselves, was full of silence and peace. The reason was simple: there was no one left to scream.
On the ground, you saw a human leg sticking out of the ground upside down. A person who became one with a tree because he teleported into the tree. Corpses who died in all sorts of bizarre ways littered the streets.
You’ve seen many corpses already.
You lived in a world where monsters roamed the streets, wars spontaneously broke out, and individuals could take on nations. So you weren’t unfamiliar with blood and violence.
You’ve seen more gruesome corpses. The human body would literally explode if you got hit directly by an ogre’s bat. However, even though dying like that was terrible, it wasn’t as grotesque.
Drip. Drip, Drip,
You felt a small rumbling beneath the ground. That weak vibration passed through the sole of the shoes, traveled up the tip of the toe, and reached your brain. The sound that you normally wouldn’t even have noticed was felt especially loudly today.
Perhaps a person who was teleported there randomly.
Niolle assumed that there might’ve been people buried alive down there, screaming and pounding the dirt for help. She didn’t know how many people might’ve been buried in the concrete down there.
This was because it blurred the line between reality and illusion, evoking a rather unsettling sensation.
Bennett opened his mouth to try and distract himself from their dark reality.
"⋯⋯Do you think it will be possible to prepare the magic circle?”
[Yes. I'm going to use Isaac's original magic circle. I plan to use the Goddess' Crystal as a power source.]
“It might be partially damaged. We went around and damaged the surrounding magic circles.”
[Including that, we need to add a little reinforcement to it.]
Step. Step.
The two people walked down the empty street and talked about their plans. Bennett decided to handle any interference from the fanatics, and in the case that they had insufficient output, they decided to use the corpses in the pit.
Although it was disrespectful to the deceased, they hoped that they would understand if it meant saving the world.
There was no mention of the possibility of the ritual failing.
Meanwhile, Niolle was still having unresolved doubts in the corner of her head. Bennett and Tara were both good people. She clearly liked them both.
Yet, something felt off.
Whenever Bennett and Tara stuck close together… Whenever they tried to get even closer, something inside of her felt increasingly cold and uncomfortable. That was why, without realizing it, she found herself getting in their way.
Niolle thought. After we finish our objective and return safely, I have to apologize to Tara.
Even though she understood Tara's feelings long ago, Niolle was in a dark place in her own heart, weighed down by guilt and unable to reflect on it.
If only she had a little extra time, if only she had time to look in the mirror, the observant girl would’ve confronted her feelings.
However, their situation was bad. She was constantly on edge, and the battle that could decide their fate was right around the corner.
At that moment, the stars started whispering to her.
===============================================================
In this world, there is an emotion that only one person can have.
It is very small and precious, yet capable of tremendous force. It can become a lethal poison that you can’t stop breathing, or the Holy Grail that provides infinite happiness.
.
It’s called love.
Are you surprised? Don’t worry Niolle. Bennett won’t be able to find out about your dirty secrets as long as you don’t blush or your delicate body doesn’t shake.
Ah, I understand that you’re surprised by that sudden insult. But it's true. Look back at yourself. Tell me who went and sabotaged Tara's confession every single time.
Niolle.
Even if you say you didn’t know⋯⋯ you just didn’t want him to be taken away from you, right? You reached out your hand unconsciously. The subconscious can contain a lot of information. This is what you wanted. Stopping Tara from achieving her love.
Then taking her place.
Tara is pretty and comfortable with showing off her body.. I don’t think I could count the ways that she is superior to you, who only has just a lump of fat. Because I don’t have enough fingers.
But right now, she lost her Divine Power and has become an empty shell. This is your chance. That's right, Bennett needs strength, and you have it. Of course, I don't mean by killing Tara.
How could anyone do such a thing? Killing an innocent person just for love?
You can kill innocent people to save the world, but of course, you can't do that for love. Right. I respect your hypocrisy. Niolle.
You ignore your conscience for your own self benefit. And, I think your friend will meet her fate soon as well. In order for someone so full of worthless failures to achieve love──.
===============================================================
Smack.
Niolle hit herself on the forehead with the grimoire.
Each time a wound formed in her heart, the stars whispered in her ears, twisting her thoughts with its words.
Niolle thought of a bonsai. Picking up a pair of shears and trimming it, the branches in the way screaming as they were cut off. After the long and painful process, a wonderful bonsai would emerge.
She felt similar to the bonsai.
Cutting her morals one by one for a purpose. Snipping and discarding the values that she once considered important, piece by piece. It was the star's voices that pushed her, but it was her who made the final choice.
To help the party. To not repeat their failure. That’s why she gave them up.
But, what if.
What if I fail even after casting aside so much? What if only the branches are cut off, leaving only a bare, unsightly bonsai behind? What if I become completely swallowed by the voice? What will become of me?
She was scared.
Bennett was walking half a step ahead of Niolle. Niolle reached for his hand. Bennett looked back, leaving his hand to her without saying anything.
Niolle wrote her thoughts on Bennett’s palm.
[I’m scared.]
“Of what?”
[I’m scared that I’ll fail. Scared that my mistake could end the world.]
“It’s not your fault.”
Niolle's stopped walking. Bennett followed suit and stopped.
[Is it really okay to think that way?]
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
[You know, Bennett. I feel like my soul is being chipped away. I don't know if it's because of the grimoire⋯⋯ or if I had such bad intentions from the start. In the past, I thought I could save everyone, but not anymore. Even one person is enough.]
As Bennett tried to say something, Niolle extended her index finger and pressed it against Bennett's lips. Then she shaped with her mouth. ‘Please listen a little more.’
[Now, maybe, I can kill innocent people. For someone more precious and valuable. But sometimes, I hardly recognize myself. Do you feel this way too? Have I changed that much?]
"⋯⋯You’re…”
[I know. And, I know I’m going to change in the future too. But, I don’t know⋯⋯how much. Bennett. After being whittled down too much, maybe I’d become a terrible villain.]
Niolle looked into Bennett's eyes and slowly blinked her eyelids. When her ideals were torn apart by harsh reality, only the feelings of guilt, love, and friendship filled with gratitude remained.
From the moment he was shot while trying to cover for her mistake, it has been building up little by little. Her feelings only intensified each time he shone brightly.
And the bonds they built while traveling together. Her friendship with Tara, who had her back. They’d fought together, grieved together, and laughed together.
The star’s voice dug into that small gap between them. It said that in order to get Bennett, she had to cut off the friendships she had now. So.
Before her weak self fell for their tricks and pointed a knife at her friend.
[So⋯⋯ Before I fall into a dark place… Before it is too late… Will you make sure to take my hand and pull me out?]
"⋯⋯I will.”
[Pinky promise. Here.]
Niolle offered her pinky, smiling faintly like moonlight. Bennett linked his finger with hers and promised.
Niolle decided to use this promise as a guiding light. The whispers of the Outer God were still echoing in her ears. Although the voice was tempting her by saying that she just needed to throw away her feelings so she wouldn't get hurt.
When she breaks down, just like he did when he saved Tara.
Niolle believed that he would also save her.
After the promise, Niolle walked ahead in a much more excited mood. It felt like the weight on her shoulders had suddenly become much lighter. It felt like everything was going to be ok.
Then they arrived at the meteorite pit.
Activate the ritual, repel the Outer God, and save the world.
“I’ve been waiting.”
The one who stood in the way of Bennett and Niolle, who came to the pit for a single reason, was the leader of the Order of the Silver Twilight.
===============================================================
The Cult Leader, who was using the corpses of a family as a chair, stood up and brushed the dust off.
"How⋯⋯."
“‘How, you ask? God has informed me. That heretics will come here and disrupt His descent. After all, He is omnipotent and omniscient. Everything happens as He wills.”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Bennett drew his longsword. Looking around, there were no other fanatics to be seen, nor any civilians still alive. That meant that there were no living sacrifices.
The Cult Leader's barrier cost living sacrifices to cast.
Then, the Cult Leader should be⋯⋯ defenseless right now. He must be.
But his animalistic instincts were telling him to flee. We need to run away from here right now. It's not something that humans can beat. We can't win.
The Cult Leader looked at Bennett's clammy, sweating face and lightly applauded him in praise.
“You’ve noticed? You have pretty good senses.”
"⋯⋯What did you do?”
“God himself has entered my body. It’s truly⋯⋯a blessing. I am now one with Him.”
S-Snap.
The blood vessels in the Cult Leader’s neck swelled to the point of bursting. Eventually, it couldn't withstand the pressure and burst, but no blood spattered.
Squeaak. Squeak.
The wounds were gone, as if time rewinded itself.
The sight of his entire body bursting apart here and there, before healing repeatedly seemed almost like watching the pulsation of a star. As his figure was crushed and repaired in rhythm with the palpitations of a heart, his form gradually transformed. And…
“‘2%’⋯⋯He said.‘Are you watching?’He said. ‘How! Could! They! Possibly! Stop! It!’HE SAID-!!”
.
Crackkkkkkkk.
The grotesquely bloated figure looked like a bloody giant with four tentacles. The Goddess' Crystal sparkled urgently as if it was warning them of danger.
“⋯⋯We have to kill it! If it doesn’t have a barrier, our attacks should work!”
[⋯⋯⋯⋯!!]
"⋯⋯NIOLLE-!!”
Bennett looked back at Niolle with chills running down his spine, and what he saw was her stomach, being pierced by a spear made of bone and muscle.
It was a spell that Niolle frequently used, a spell used by borrowing power from the Evil God of the cosmos.
Of course, against the entity that lent her that power… Against the monster in front of them── it wouldn’t work.
Niolle, who had tried to assist Bennett with the bone spear, ended up being impaled by her own spell.
***
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