Chapter 36 The Broken Seal
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Martina’s POV)
After finishing in the restroom, I stepped out of the bushes to head back to the carriage when… suddenly, I felt dizzy.
(Am I… seeing things?)
For a moment, the scenery around me looked distorted, so I instinctively shook my head.
The forest view spread out as if nothing had happened.
(Huh?)
The carriage where everyone is seems far away. Was it that far?
I hurriedly started running toward the carriage, but… the distance wasn’t getting shorter. The scenery around me was flowing by.
”This is strange… ‘Detection’.”
Feeling that something was off and that there was some kind of danger, I checked my surroundings.
(Behind me!)
I gripped the dagger I always carry on my right hand and held the dagger in my left hand, ready to turn around.
(A guard? …I thought he was a spear user…)
The man who appeared from behind the trees wasn’t holding any weapons. He didn’t seem like he was going to attack.
”What do you want?”
I asked without lowering my guard.
”…You’re definitely a good-looking woman…”
(Huh? What is this guy saying?)
In that instant, the spear-wielding man closed the distance quickly. No, it was different. His whole body was dark, and his arms and legs were unnaturally long. He raised his long right leg and then suddenly lunged at me.
”Ugh!”
I barely deflect the attack with my dagger held in reverse grip. But just a moment later, another strike comes from below.
”!”
I flip backward to dodge it.
”A tail!?”
Once I create some distance, I finally see my opponent clearly.
Their face still resembles a spear user, but they have unusually long fangs.
Their body is completely black, with long limbs. And behind them, something that looks like a tail writhes.
”…A demon…”
I remember the monsters I learned about at the training center in the royal capital. Among them, the most troublesome are the demons known as ‘youma.’ They can use magic and are also skilled in martial arts.
(Considering the strange situation earlier… a youma that uses ‘illusion’…)
”An incubus… this is troublesome…”
I check my condition. My left arm, which deflected the attack with the dagger, is fine. I managed to dodge the second attack from the tail, but my left thigh is throbbing with pain.
”That’s a nice body you have… Don’t worry. I like your body. I won’t kill you; I’ll make you my woman…”
My skirt is torn up to my waist, exposing my left lower body. The tail must have grazed my left thigh, as blood flows from a red wound.
”…I’ve messed up your beautiful legs.”
The incubus lifts the tip of its tail to its face and licks it with a pointed tongue.
”Blood has an exquisite taste. This is a dilemma. I was going to make you my woman and imp***ate you, but maybe I’ll just violate your body and then eat you…”
”Who would do that!?”
I leap into the incubus’s space. I feint left and right as I approach, then crouch down and sweep their legs.
”Ugh!”
The incubus loses balance and falls. Following through with the leg sweep, I spin and slash at their arm with my short sword, then stab my dagger into their chest.
I quickly jumped back, creating distance between us.
Suppressing the fear of facing a monster for the first time, I successfully landed a series of attacks, utilizing my ‘Thief’ agility.
However, a moment of relief was all I had before an unpleasant sensation spread throughout my body, as if something was touching my heart.
”Not bad.”
The incubus said, standing up. His chest wound began to heal, and as it did, the dagger I had plunged into him fell to the ground at his feet.
”Re… ge… ner… ation…”
I clutched my chest and throat, fighting the sensation of wanting to vomit as I glared at the incubus.
”Soon… I’ll release your seal and see what secrets are revealed…”
The incubus’s eyes glowed red.
”NOOOOOOO!”
Various images flashed through my mind, like a kaleidoscope—
The rain-soaked mansion in the night… the door creaking open with a “creaakk”… the impact to the back of my head and the fresh blood on my palm… the countless red glows in the darkness…
(I remember…)
”What! You were a goblin’s plaything!”
The incubus laughed, “Hee hee hee hee.”
”And a high goblin’s member was already inside you! That must have been a memory you wanted to seal away! But don’t worry, mine is better than a high goblin’s member. I’ll drown you in carnal desires and bring you to the pinnacle of pleasure!”
The incubus laughed loudly again, but suddenly, his laughter turned into a scream.
”Eeeekk!”
The scream changes.
I’m being sucked into the whirlpool of memories I want to erase, and my consciousness is being dragged along…
(Ah… Big Brother Hiroya…)
The image of Big Brother Hiroya beheading the demon and sheathing his beloved sword, Ōwakizashi, appears before me…”
”(Just like that time… he saved me…)
In the overflowing memories, just before reaching the most important thing… I sank into a deep whirlpool of darkness…
I let go of my consciousness.
* * *
(Hiroya’s POV)
”That’s ridiculous! I can’t… regenerate?”
The fallen demon’s head groaned.
”…What did you do… to Martina… what did you do to Martina!”
I knew this guy did something terrible to Martina.
”She was… sealed… I just… opened the door…”
”!”
Fueled by my intense anger, I drove my Ōwakizashi into the demon’s head at my feet.
”Ugh…”
The demon let out a small groan and died.
I sheathed my Ōwakizashi again and rushed over to the fallen Martina.
It looked like she was hurt on her leg, but it wasn’t deep. The bleeding had almost stopped. The problem was…
(It’s her heart… she has a pretty deep wound in her heart…)
I cradled Martina’s head and kept calling her name.
”Martina… wake up, Martina…”
* * *
(Martina’s POV)
From the bottom of the deep darkness, I heard a voice that seemed to reach out and pull me up.
(Ah… it’s the same as ‘that time’…)
I focused my ears and felt that person’s voice in my heart.
──gently
My heart was lifted.
I opened my eyes. …There was ‘that person’ from ‘that time.’
”Ah… Big Brother Hiroya…”
In the night forest. Even in that darkness, his tears shone beautifully.
”I got saved again…”
I finally remembered. That night, the nightmare that happened to me… and why I could love him so much.
I reached out to him as he shook his head while crying, and hugged him tightly to my chest.
”Martina… I’m sorry… I guess I’m late again…”
Big Brother Hiroya whispers while sobbing into my chest.
”That’s not true. Big Brother Hiroya always helps me. …Even that night…”
”…You remember everything after all…”
Big Brother Hiroya pulls away and looks down at me.
”…Yeah… and I felt like I was sinking again. But you know──.”
I smile at Big Brother Hiroya, whose face is all scrunched up from tears.
”──you pulled me back up again. This time, I came back with nothing left to lose. I won’t forget. I want to remember everything, even the bad things…”
”Martina…”
Even while crying, he looks at me with worry.
I wipe his tears with my fingers and hug him tightly again.
”It’s okay… my heart… won’t break…”
That’s right. As long as I can be by Big Brother Hiroya’s side, my heart won’t break anymore…
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.