I’ve never killed someone before, but that’s not entirely true. Rather, I’ve done it quite a lot. Back when I was at Drax’s Place. People approached me with sexual intent, and I used my abilities against them without mercy. It would be a lie to say I felt nothing while killing them, but every time, I thought to myself, “These people are criminals. They tried to rape me. They deserve to die.”
As I stained my hands with blood, one, two, I stopped hesitating to kill. Perhaps unconsciously, I thought this was a world from a novel, and they were just puppets with strings. I became so accustomed to killing that I believed all my aversion to murder had completely vanished.
But that wasn’t the case.
“…Ah…”
Before my eyes lay a man who could die at any moment. He had fulfilled my unreasonable request for a duel. From beginning to end, he had respected me as an opponent. I didn’t want to accept that his injuries were because of me. But it felt as real as it was not a dream. The chilling sensation from when my hand pierced his chest still vividly remained, making it impossible for me to reject reality.
Thud-
I lost strength in my legs and collapsed to the ground. I felt like I was going insane. I was terribly afraid that this man would die just like that.
“Th-There must be a way…”
I recalled the contents of the novel, hoping for a solution within. But no matter how much I dug up the original knowledge, there was no way to save him now.
How?
What should I do?
I heard that a healer was on the way.
But could they really treat injuries of this extent?
What if it’s a priest?
No, he would die before we reach the church.
Potions?
It wouldn’t help unless they brought an elixir.
I looked at him with trembling eyes. The amount of blood he had already lost had long surpassed the limit.
I knew in my head that it was already too late, but my heart didn’t want to accept that.
While my heart was darkening…
A hand of salvation came down.
“What’s all this ruckus?”
A familiar voice came from behind.
I didn’t want to see her before, but now, her voice was desperately needed. She might be the only one who could save the man here.
As I turned around, I saw her.
She approached with golden mana radiating brightly around her.
“Hera… You…”
She looked at me with wide-open eyes.
Without hesitation, I rushed to grab her clothes and begged earnestly.
“Ah… Athena! Please save him…”
But it seemed she didn’t hear my plea. A frown appeared on her face as if she was angry.
“You… who did this?”
Placing her hand on my cheek, she spoke in a low, calm voice.
“What… what do you mean?”
“This handprint. Which bastard did this?”
She didn’t spare a glance at the dying man.
Her gaze was solely fixed on me.
“This isn’t the time for that!”
“This is the most important thing. Hurry up and tell me. Who did this?”
I couldn’t understand her.
What does it matter that I was slapped when someone was dying?
Desperately, I gripped her hand and said,
“Please, Athena..! It’s urgent…”
She looked at me silently for a moment, then sighed deeply. She turned away from me and walked towards the man.
My heart raced.
If she couldn’t solve this either, then there would be no hope left.
Athena approached the man.
She placed a hand on his body and closed her eyes, beginning to chant something.
Instantly, the blood from the man stopped.
“Protagonist..! Can you save him?”
The captain of the knight order cautiously asked Athena as he stepped closer.
“No. I can’t save him.”
Thud-
Her words made my heart drop.
“So, what…?”
“We’re taking him straight to the temple. He needs treatment there.”
“…! Thank you, Protagonist..!”
After a brief glance at the thankful captain, Athena wrapped the fallen man in her mana.
“Ah.”
“I’ll give you a warning.”
As her words finished, an indescribable tension enveloped the area.
“Gasp!”
With a fierce expression, Athena pointed at me.
“Anyone who lays a hand on that boy will suffer a pain worse than death. Be careful.”
As the knights around her struggled under her aura, I tapped the captain on the shoulder, who was kneeling on the ground.
“Then, I’ll leave the cleanup to you?”
And with that, Athena vanished with the man.
Once she disappeared, the ominous pressure that weighed down on everyone lifted instantly, leaving only a chilling silence behind.
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