Volume 16 Chapter 7 Decision
After defeating Miss Miimo, we were able to proceed relatively smoothly. Finding the "loophole" in the barrier was a big help.
When I told Cirrul about Ravuri's situation after we safely reunited, Cirrul's expression turned shocked, covering her mouth.
"――Rav's cursed equipment..."
"Cil... sorry for keeping it quiet."
"No, I also kept quiet about being a 'Cursed User'... it's only natural."
"...yeah."
Although she nodded, Ravuri's face remained gloomy. Maybe she felt guilty about deceiving her friends.
"Anyway, what do we do now? We know we can fly through the barrier..."
"I think we should escape from the Holy Kingdom."
If we escape from the Holy Kingdom, possessing cursed equipment would be considered "illegal". The Inquisitor wouldn't be able to pursue us to other countries.
"Is that okay with you, Ravuri?"
"...that's..."
Her words trailed off, hesitant.
'What's wrong, is there something you want to do?'
"But, Rav... this place is dangerous, right? Even if you have something you want to do, wouldn't it be better to leave for now?"
"Then, but..."
Ravuri looked like she was trying to say something.
"If I run away, will Rav be free...?"
"...I don't know. But it's better than being killed without a question."
Of course, as a "Cursed User", just being alive would be a burden, and if we're internationally wanted, we'd have to live in hiding.
"This is unavoidable."
"......yeah, it is."
Ravuri nodded hesitantly.
We didn't have time to hesitate anymore. Before the Inquisitor found us, we had to escape into the sky...
"Cirrul, I'm counting on you."
"Got it."
Cirrul clasped her hands together in front of her chest, taking a praying pose.
Then, wings sprouted from her back, and in an instant, she transformed into a pure white dragon.
'Everyone, get on!'
'I'll be the first to ride!'
"Okay... Ravuri too."
I got on Cirrul's back and reached out to Ravuri.
"......"
Ravuri looked puzzled, waving her hand in front of her chest.
Then, as if she had made up her mind, she tried to touch my hand――.
"――You'll get in trouble if you do that."
With that one word, her hand stopped in mid-air.
Before I knew it, a man was standing beside Ravuri.
Under his hood, his one eye gleamed eerily, and in his hand was a book with a panorama model of the holy city... It was a guy I couldn't stand.
"Mars... ."
"What are you doing here? Glasses beam!"
I instinctively tensed up.
Mars glanced at me, then let out a sigh for some reason.
"...You didn't die, after all."
"That's not very nice, is it?"
"...Sorry if I hurt your feelings. My bad."
"You're being too honest all of a sudden."
'More importantly, what are you doing here? I'm listening!'
"...Well, don't be so cautious. I'm just here to pick up Ravuri."
"Ravuri..."
So, it seemed Ravuri and Mars were friends after all. I had suspected as much when Mars didn't attack Ravuri when she was defenseless after falling into the waterway...
"I'm grateful you protected Ravuri. But this girl has a role to play, so..."
"..."
Ravuri looked down.
'What do you mean by 'role'?'
"I don't have to answer that."
Mars shook his head with a sulky expression.
"......The assassination of the Holy King. That's Rav's role, you know."
Ravuri muttered under her breath.
"......What?"
The unbelievable words that came out of her mouth made my thoughts freeze for a moment.
"Hey, don't say unnecessary things!"
"But if we talk, we might be able to cooperate..."
"Not that again."
"Please, just give me one more chance."
"......Tch."
Mars clicked his tongue and shut his mouth tightly.
Ravuri looked at him, then seemed to make up her mind and gazed at us.
"Noo. Rav doesn't want to leave the holy city, anyway."
"...Are you trying to get killed by the Inquisitors?"
"But, Rav, after becoming a 'Cursed User', entered the Holy City, didn't I? You knew this was going to happen from the start."
"..."
That's right.
It's not like 'Cursed Users' just happen to flow into the Holy City.
I know that all too well myself.
"...Don't you understand, Noo? As a 'Cursed User', they're treated horribly. They're stripped of their freedom and hated by everyone. The reason they have to receive such treatment is..."
"Is it because of the Holy King?"
"...Yeah."
"So, you're going to kill the Holy King...?"
"...Are you saying we should negotiate or something?"
Mars snorts in derision.
"...It's a dead-or-dead situation, right? That's their motto."
"That's true, but..."
"...We're just ordinary humans, too. We don't want to kill people. But this is a necessary cost... an unavoidable thing."
"Noo, Cil... please, be on our side, Rav's friends..."
Ravuri begs, her voice trembling. I can tell how much courage she's mustering up to confess, since we've been together for a while now.
But my answer was already decided from the start.
"...Sorry, but I can't cooperate with that."
"What, why?"
"The Holy King is... an acquaintance of mine. I don't want her to die."
"...I see."
Of course, I couldn't persuade Ravuri with words like that.
"...Noo is kind, isn't he? He'll definitely try to protect whoever it is..."
Her voice sounds like she's about to cry.
And as if summoned by her voice, the dark, gloomy sky starts pouring down rain, drizzling down on us, making our bodies cold and wet.
"...Alright, if Noo says so, then..."
A single tear drops from Ravuri's downcast eyes.
"...Let's start, Hell Hell's Flute."
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