Chapter 269: Chapter 269 Parune Island (3)

A woman stared at one spot with a cold gaze.n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

At the end of her gaze was a man’s corpse.

Guardweaver Drowus.

The trash who tried to escape from his past sins with a new name and live a second life.

Right, that must have been the case…

“Sister, what’s wrong?”

…but Amelia unconsciously bit her lip.

She didn’t feel as refreshed as she thought she would.

“Are you worried because his companions ran away? Hey, don’t worry too much. The other two went after them, right? They’ll catch them soon.”

Even her immature companion, who had been whining throughout the journey, was being considerate of her, but Amelia didn’t have the time to care.

[It’s my responsibility. You shouldn’t be involved. So go!]

The image of him sacrificing himself for his companions kept flashing before her eyes.

At first, she was dumbfounded.

What the hell was he talking about?

After betraying them?

And for people who didn’t even know what kind of person he was?

Crack.

She gritted her teeth.

If he could do that, why didn’t he do it for them?

“But we recovered the item, right? Even if they escape alive, our mission is a success.”

Amelia then dismissed her thoughts and looked at the jewel in her hand.

The legacy of Archmage Gavrilius, a treasure that had been passed down through the Lords of Noark for a long time.

Come to think of it, this was also a bit unsettling.

To be precise, the words she heard while taking it from him kept coming back to her.

[Amelia, you can’t change anything with this.]

To say that when he knew what this item meant to her.

“…….”

Amelia used the poison she had to melt the corpse away. And she put the jewel in her subspace pocket.

After all, the leaders of Noark had all left for the outside world, and communication was difficult.

She would be keeping it for a while.

She planned to find a way to use this jewel later when she returned, there was no need to rush.

‘I finally got it.’

She had finally achieved her long-cherished goal. Amelia shook off her unsettling feeling with that thought.

That’s when…

“But sister.”

…Carmilla, the team’s summoner and the one with the means to travel on the 6th floor, subtly approached her.

Her eyes were filled with curiosity.

“Is this really that item?”

It wasn’t a sentiment she couldn’t understand.

After all, this was an item that was only spoken of in legends within Noark, an item that was considered even more fictional than the ‘Stone of Resurrection’ in some ways.

Therefore, Amelia didn’t give her any room for interpretation.

“I don’t know.”

Of course, she knew.

That the stories about this item weren’t just made up, and that the item she had just put in her subspace pocket was definitely the real deal.

But there was a saying, ‘opportunity makes a thief’, right?

It would be foolish to create a variable by talking about it.

“Come on, sis. You were close to that guy, right? You must know whether it’s real or not.”

“I’m telling you, I don’t know. And it doesn’t matter to us whether it’s real or not. Our mission is just to retrieve what he had and return.”

Amelia drew a line once again.

And just as she was about to turn around…

“What, judging by your reaction, it must be real.”

…Carmilla chuckled.

“Wow, I can’t believe this actually exists.”

It sounded like a childish joke.

But Amelia, who had seen all sorts of things in her life, instinctively reached for her dagger.

That’s when…

Thump!

…she felt a burning sensation in her back.

“I apologize, Lady Rainwales.”

She had only been wary of Carmilla.

When she came to her senses, a warrior’s sword was piercing her stomach.

But so what?

Amelia made a judgment in the time it took to regret her mistake.

“Mister, good job!”

The blade was below her ribs.

“When are you going to call me brother?”

Although her organs were damaged, it wasn’t a fatal wound.

Therefore…

“What, you’re only half… ugh!”

…she quickly pulled out her dagger and thrust it forward.

Her target was Carmilla.

The woman she had wanted to kill countless times.

Whoosh!

Unfortunately, it was a bit short.

But it didn’t matter.

She had a trick she learned while fighting the barbarian.

Whoosh!

The missing distance was covered as soon as she imbued the tip of her dagger with Aura.

Thump!

“Aak!!”

The tip of the dagger pierced Carmilla’s eye.

“That’s a shame.”

She could have pierced her brain if it had gone in just a bit deeper.

Whoosh!

The sword that was embedded in her stomach was pulled out.

Her body staggered from the recoil.

But there was no time to rest.

“Damn it!”

The warrior’s sword swung towards her vital points.

Amelia extended her arm, judging that it would be difficult to dodge.

Because her arm wasn’t a vital point.

Slash!

The sharp sword severed her arm.

Although she saved her life, it was a huge loss in battle.

But it wasn’t a big problem.

If her body was damaged, she could just use a clone to fight.

Tadat.

Amelia used the Doppelganger’s [Self-Replication] to create a clone right behind the warrior.

And she immediately swung her leg towards his head.

It was a combo that most enemies couldn’t even react to.

“Be, behind you!”

An explosion occurred as the clone’s foot landed on the warrior.

Kwaaang!

It wasn’t the sound of his head being crushed, which was her target.

“Ugh!”

Her foot landed on his shoulder.

He had twisted his body to the side just in time after the warning.

Thump!

The warrior’s sword pierced her stomach again as punishment for her failed attack.

Although it wasn’t a deep wound because he had quickly pulled back to avoid her clone…

‘He might die.’

It was dangerous.

That’s when, as that thought dominated Amelia’s mind…

“What are you doing, take my arm!”

…the warrior rolled on the ground and picked up his severed arm.

It was the arm with the subspace bracelet.

Amelia, feeling a sense of despair, chased after the warrior with her clone.

But…

“Yongyong, let’s go!”

…she was three steps too late.

[Roar!]

The warrior got on the drake summoned by Carmilla.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The drake soared into the sky.

She could hear their conversation, buried beneath the sound of its powerful wings.

“…Amelia Rainwales. She’s a terrifying woman. I didn’t expect her to be so threatening even in that state.”

“Enough, give me a potion!”

“Let’s talk first. What are we going to do? We didn’t kill her properly.”

“Damn it, who cares! She’ll die anywa—”

That was all she could hear with her enhanced hearing.

They had completely disappeared into the sky.

“Damn it.”

Amelia cursed for the first time in a while.

But nothing would change by complaining.

The only way to save herself in a desperate situation was to act.

Thud.

Amelia had her clone carry her real body.

And she quickly left.

She judged that it would be the end if they came back down to confirm her death.

Thud, thud.

Amelia continued moving, not even knowing which direction she was going.

After some time…

…she was still walking, even though her Soul Power was depleted and [Self-Replication] was deactivated.

Thud.

Her body froze at the presence she felt next to her.

She thought she would live if it was her companions who went to chase the others, and that she would die if it wasn’t.

It was a life-or-death situation.

But…

“…Ainar? Ainar?”

…surprisingly, Amelia’s prediction was wrong.

“You.”

“Uh, uh…?”

“You’re Bjorn Yandel’s companion.”

She looked up.

Thud!

It was a cat.

_____________

“Ugh, what the hell?!”

Misha was confused.

Well, it was only natural.

Anyone would be if a woman with a severed arm and a hole in her stomach suddenly appeared and collapsed in front of them.

‘Uh, uh… is she one of the explorers who were fighting?’

“Po, potion. Right, potion first…”

Although the woman’s identity was unknown, Misha first opened her wet expandable backpack and took out a potion.

Whether this woman was good or bad…

No, in the first place, she didn’t even know if there was such a thing as a ‘good’ side…

[You’re Bjorn Yandel’s companion.]

…but the woman’s last words before collapsing made her decide without hesitation.

Right, she might know Bjorn.

Let’s treat her first.

Pop!

Misha opened the potion bottle and hurriedly poured it on the woman’s wounds.

But what was this?

Sizzle.

She didn’t hear the bubbling sound that was unique to potions.

The potion just flowed into the wounds as if it were cold water.

“Huh? I bought this from an authorized general store.”

Although she didn’t understand, Misha took out another potion from her bag, remembering the time she bought a fake potion in the early days.

But it was the same this time.

‘…Why isn’t it working?’

Don’t tell me this one was also fake?

Misha then poured a bit of potion on a scratch she got while falling into the water as a test.

Sizzle!

The potion was fine, judging by the intense itching.

But why wasn’t it working on this woman?

Although she didn’t know, Misha didn’t give up.

She learned from Bjorn that a barbarian’s spirit was to use their gums if they didn’t have teeth.

‘It’s been a while since I used this…’

Misha took out herbs and bandages.

First aid supplies she had been saving in case there was a situation where she couldn’t use potions.

“This might sting a bit… ah, she probably can’t hear me.”

Misha first cleaned the wounds with disinfectant and then applied herbs and wrapped them with bandages.

And she spread out a blanket on the ground and laid the woman down.

With that, the temporary treatment was over.

She had done everything she could, and the rest was up to this woman’s will.

“…She’s breathing well.”

Misha watched her for a while and then squatted next to the blanket after confirming that her breathing had stabilized.

And she sighed deeply.

“Ugh, I can’t just leave her here…”

If she was just unconscious, she would have carried her…

…but that wasn’t possible in her current state.

“Bjorn will be waiting…”

Misha made a sullen face.

But she couldn’t just leave this woman behind.

That’s when, after about 10 minutes…

Screech, screech!

…Misha turned her head at an unpleasant sound.

“Ah, what the hell is that…”

Monsters were crawling out from the shore.

___________________

Thud, thud, thud, thud.

The rhythmic sound of flesh hitting flesh continued.

It was the sound coming from my hands.

I couldn’t keep them still.

I kept twitching my fingers.

It was only natural.

‘2 hours.’

That’s how much time had passed since I arrived at the center.

Even if I arrived early, at least one of my companions should have arrived by now.

‘Why isn’t anyone here?’

I tried to have faith, but ominous thoughts kept filling my mind.

Misha, Raven, the bear-like man, Ainar, and Erwen…

Were they really okay?

I should have walked along the shore instead of coming to the center…

“Are you planning to stay here?”

The priestess asked cautiously as I was anxiously trembling.

She seemed like a cult member.

No, wait, she was the one who told me to have faith earlier.

“You’re a priest, and you’re giving up so easily?”

Although I grumbled…

…I knew deep down that her reaction wasn’t strange, even considering her profession as a priest.

Screech, screech!

As proof, marine monsters that only appeared during the event were starting to show up here and there.

They had walked all the way here at a pace that was less than half of a human’s walking speed.

‘This place will be filled with stronger monsters soon. The shore is probably already swarming with them.’

But no one had arrived yet.

“Ersina.”

“Yes?”

“We’re moving. Waiting isn’t my style.”

“It seems like you still have faith.”

What is she talking about?

She was the one who told me that was all we could do.

“If you were human, Viscount Yandel, you might have become a devout follower.”

Geez, a devout follower, my ass.

I felt a strange sensation as a proud modern atheist, but I didn’t say anything since her tone was closer to admiration than sarcasm.

“Stop with the nonsense and get up.”

“Yes.”

I helped the priestess up and got ready.

And just as we were about to leave…

Thud.

…a visitor finally arrived after almost two hours.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t one of my teammates.

He was a skinny man covered in minor injuries, as if he had just been through a tough battle.

He had a longbow slung over his shoulder.

And his green hair was covered in dirt.

“…Viscount Yandel.”

Enemy or ally?

It wasn’t difficult to tell.

He asked, looking at us,

“What did you do to Lady Rainwales?”

What a coincidence.

I also had a question for him.

I asked, ignoring the ringing in my ears,

“Hey, why do you have Raven’s subspace ring?”

You better answer properly.

Or you’ll die.