c41-c60 · 051-ch51

Chapter 51: All Alone　POV: Negomin

DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMM!!

The explosive sound pierces my eardrums, shaking my entire body. Flesh and blood splatter finely, covering my vision like a mist. The warmth of blood clinging to my skin, the sickening smell of a creature's insides that makes my nose curl, forces me to confront the reality of human death against my will.

The Chiffon before my eyes is dead. I don't understand the means or purpose at all—he just swelled up and exploded.

In the midst of this red rain, I reflexively grab Sister Rose's arm and undo the knot of her Life Cord. In this bizarre and complicated situation, because I could clearly sense ill will there.

"That's why I'm telling you, it's too late. The Life Cord won't work."

"...!"

A voice reaches me. Just as that voice said, my vision remains red no matter how much time passes. The Life Cord in my hand should have definitely activated, but.

The rain stops immediately, and as if timing it, a person emerges from nearby cover.

I stand before Sister Rose to confront the mastermind.

"There's this guy whose hobby is creating meaningless magic. We call him Professor, and this is one of his creations—a magic that disrupts the surrounding mana to the degree you'd find in deep layers. I seriously thought it was incomprehensible and useless, but who knew it had a use like this."

I gasp unconsciously at the unexpected sight. The face reflected in my eyes, the voice I heard—they're the same as the Chiffon who just died.

"Chiffon, you should be dead...!"

"Huh? Ah, that Chiffon is properly dead. If he hadn't died in such a flashy explosion, he wouldn't be human anymore. By the way, this magic isn't diffusive, so I mixed it into his blood earlier. He was going to die anyway, so it worked out perfectly. There, come on out, you too. Since you're here anyway."

"Eeeh, but I wanted to stay hidden longer."

When he calls out, another person with Chiffon's face emerges from the cover. He's using a slightly different tone, but his voice is the same too.

What is this, a hallucination... a bad dream...? Amidst the smell of death that's more real and thick than anything monsters could produce, just watching this is enough to drive me crazy.

"Let me reintroduce myself, I'm Chiffon... ah, I guess I should say I'm also Chiffon."

"Either way is fine. Nice to meet you! I'm Chiffon too."

The two Chiffons standing before me crush the bone fragments left on the ground, looking like they're enjoying it, and make this meaningless introduction.

I don't understand. I'm overcome with an impulse to scream and run away right this instant.

"What are you people...!? Why are there multiple of the same person...!?"

"Please don't worry about us."

As if to finish me off, yet another Chiffon comes from behind me.

"That's just how it is. We all have circulating blood, and if we don't eat properly, we'll die. Besides, this is more inconvenient than you'd think."

That Chiffon casually passes by me and stands beside the other two. In the blink of an eye, I can no longer distinguish between the three Chiffons.

Damn it, what the hell could these guys' objective be...?

I stare hard at the three of them, but I can't see any trace of complex magic cast on them.

Not magic. Then, a skill? Even so, can a skill create such realistic duplicates?

One of the Chiffons notices my gaze and looks at me with a cheerful smile despite the strange atmosphere.

"I imagine you're very confused, but anyone would be if they saw us. However, we have no intention of harming you."

"...If that's true, then can we go back?"

"That would be a problem. We went out of our way to guide Sister Rose here so she would stay. ...Right?"

"Don't ask me. If you don't know, I don't know either."

"I can't be bothered to remember, so pass."

"...You guys are in charge of here, right?"

They carry on a conversation as if it were a scene of family bonding. They're something incomprehensible, something outside the norm of humans that I know.

No good, Nego Kirika, don't engage with them properly.

"Answer me. What is your purpose?"

I tell them in a low voice. At my question, the three Chiffons stop their conversation and stare at me.

"Purpose? Hmm, I suppose I'm... the pinch hitter for places where hands seem to be lacking, I guess?"

"I'm the verification of the fake magic the Professor passed to me."

"My purpose and the purpose of the Chiffon who just exploded were to guide and isolate the target. For that purpose, I had asked this child to provide magical support."

"Don't call me 'this child.' You and I are the same, aren't we?"

"Eeeh, we're a little different though—"

What are these people. Something bizarre, something ugly enough to make me sick. I desperately try to maintain my sanity so as not to be swallowed by the floating air.

"...That's not what I'm asking! I'm asking why you brought Sister Rose to this 17th floor!"

"Whoa, you surprised me."

"Don't suddenly yell like that."

"No, it's not like we particularly wanted to call her to the 17th floor. It just so happened that the strategy to call her to the 17th floor worked out amidst various things. Originally, it was just supposed to be Sister Rose alone, but for some reason, you came along too."

They answer with deliberately off-kilter responses, as if to make fun of me. Every one of their reactions irritates me.

...I don't think for a moment that I can discern their true intentions through this kind of Q&A. But, from the words they let slip, I can infer a fair amount.

Probably, these guys would have been fine with guiding Sister Rose anywhere. Their intention is unclear, but conversely, that means if I can get Sister Rose to a safe place from here, whatever their objective is, I can interfere with it.

If that's the case, there's only one thing for me to do. Without the Chiffons noticing, I whisper in a small voice to Sister Rose behind me.

"Sister Rose, let's retreat from here for now. Fortunately, the entrance down is nearby. When I give the signal, run all at once..."

"..."

"...Sister Rose?"

No response from Sister Rose. When I turn around in a panic, there is Sister Rose, her eyes trembling in fear.

No way, why!? ...No, I see. Sister Rose became an explorer just over 2 years ago; she should have no experience of being attacked by a person.

Ill will clearly directed by a person is a different kind of thing from battle with monsters, and it stirs up fear more than you can imagine. And once stirred up, that fear robs one of freedom. Aah, dammit, Sister Rose is younger than me, why didn't I think of that!

...These guys were being leisurely and full of openings in their conversation because they knew Sister Rose couldn't move.

Not noticing my comrade's abnormal condition because of this strange atmosphere is disqualifying for an explorer. But, I can blame myself later. Get it together, Nego Kirika!

I put away the Life Cord I had been carefully holding and draw my dagger.

"...Earlier, you said it would be a problem if we left, but what do you intend to do if we try to leave by force?"

"That would... make our promise not to harm you a lie."

"Is that so? Then that's good. You may look strange, but I've realized you're nothing but evil."

3 against 1... no, it might become more than that. But, I don't have time to complain. I have to handle this alone somehow...!