Published at 20th of January 2023 9:41 pm

Volume 12, Chapter 304: Those who Stand Side by Side

This chapter is updated by NovelFree.ml

「Is God really so great, huh? 」

The Lord of Vice leaked fearless words while purple electricity shined in the dim darkness. However, the situation was far from perfect.

His feet were slightly wobbly, and his shoulders were moving up and down with an unimaginable speed. His body was full of wounds.

Apparently, the white blade that was stuck in his body was also pulled out by force. His body was profusely flooded with blood, and the bright green of his uniform was no longer visible.

He was at the abyss of death. Moreover, he was not in a state where he could reach out to people. The act of reaching out and helping was done by those who could afford it.

How could he land a hand to those in need of help? How could he do it when he was about to die from his wounds?

For Lugis, ignoring those in need wasn’t a bad choice. If there were people who threw all their might to help others, then that meant those people were broken as human beings.

Lugis once said such words. Then, why?

Caria was shocked and opened her silver eyes as she looked at Lugis’ back. As she watched the blood ooze out in front of her face, lots of words began to appear frantically in her mind.

“How? And why is he here? What a joke. What do you think I stayed here for? Run away, now, you silly idiot!”

Several words denying Lugis’ actions were lined up all at once in her head. Her lips rippled as she tried to say “get out of here now” again and again.

But in the end, all of those words were shoved down in the back of her throat before they even spilled from her lips.

“Rationally, I know. It’s impossible for someone who must be saved to come back and try to lick the grim reaper’s fingers again. It’s ridiculous.”

Caria’s thoughts repeated over and over again, but her lips closed tightly before she knew it. Her reason was clear.

“Oh, I’m a weak woman. What a foolish and despicable woman I am. I shouldn’t have hoped for even a fragment, such as making my loved one do a dangerous action to save myself.”

When she faced such reality, her cheeks flushed and loosened. She couldn’t even imagine how ecstatic her expression was. Perhaps, no one had ever seen it.

Then, Lugis spoke with his back turned to Caria.

「Hey, hey. Please give me a break Caria. If you die so easily, who will protect me? 」

Lugis spoke in his usual joking tone, even at a time like this. There really wasn’t any room for any kind of jokes.

“He is an undeniable idiot. Yes, he must be an idiot. However, I too am an idiot for letting my heart waver with such words.”

“Despite all that, I don’t feel bad at all.” Caria further rippled her lips. The many words that had been frantically kneading in her head until just now had all disappeared before she knew it.

「…You’re such an idiot. How can I die so easily? Even if you want me to disappear, I won’t leave you.」

Caria felt that her voice was slightly high-pitched. The corners of her lips distorted as if to chew on her embarrassment.

However, her sweet tone was soon blown away. Even though the deadly magic thread had been cut by the golden person, it didn’t show any feeble signs, and turned its gaze in this direction.

Her bright eyes opened wide.

「What a wonderful appearance. You look like a heroic knight. 」

Those words that praised Lugis had no weight at all. The golden person’s demeanor, after spitting words without emotion, was even more eerie.

The golden person waved its lips, continuing the words.

「So, what are you going to do now, Lugis. Yes, you whom they call Lord of Vice. After all, there shouldn’t be anything you can do.」

In a complete turn from the emotionless voice, this time it was a voice with quietness and pressure that made one imagine the bottom of the deep sea. Caria didn’t think it was a voice that spoke to people. It was a voice that made one feel a weird emotion.

Lugis shrugged his shoulders after hearing those words. Caria couldn’t see his expression.

「I wonder about that. I’m just trying to figure out if there’s a way to get rid of the annoying evil spirit that speaks so smoothly, Altius.」

After responding to Altius, Lugis tilted his purple blade. The treasure sword roared as if responding to its master and almost split the sky.

The God of Salvation, Altius. Lugis referred to the woman in front of him and addressed the name of the One God of the Great Holy Church. Was it a sarcasm held to the Saint, or was it the manifestation of the divine spirit that was truly there?

Caria didn’t know the answer and twisted her eyebrows. Her throat felt strangely heavy. Even though she thought his words were a kind of fantasy, her brain nodded as if they were so real.

After all, the Saint’s body defied her sword and did not fall down under the elf’s curse. Magic was only seen as a hindrance. Faced with such a monster, it was still easier to think of it as a god rather than a demon.

Altius accepted Lugis’ words and laughed.

「I see. Then, let’s think this over. I shall forgive you when your heart finally rots away. 」

The golden person opened its eyes. Her hair swayed in the midair, showing an elegant sparkle.

Then, a hard sound echoed. Altius stepped on the stone floor and approached both Caria and Lugis. That alone made Caria feel as if her hands were directly strangling her neck.

Her breath was heavy, and each breath was accompanied by a dull pain. Caria bit her lips while trying to move her body.

Was this the Saint’s hostility?

“Altius was acting like he was playing with a child when he received my sword. It’s not an enemy, but a play that lightly kills off the existence that it had been playing around.”

“But now, in Lugis’ presence, there is a certain hostility in those golden eyes. I don’t know the exact reason, but I can even see signs of his tongue getting wet.”

What emerged from that hostility was the dark vision of death. For Caria, it was a sense of intimidation, as if the world itself was falling down.

Altius called out to Lugis and took another step closer. Caria’s breath became heavier.

「I won’t kill you. Instead, I’ll let you rot. Your will, your dignity, even your thoughts…then I’ll show you that you have nothing.」

After receiving those words, Lugis said while swinging the treasure sword.

「Sorry, but I’m tired of a rotten life. If you like writing screenplays, I want you to bring me something brand new.」

At the words spoken by Lugis, Caria unintentionally blinked her eyelids. Her silver hair caressed her heavy breath softly.

Lugis spoke recklessly as he always did. But Caria had a strange intuition.

She could tell from the atmosphere surrounding his voice. Subtly, it told one thing.

Lugis turned his gaze to Caria’s silver eyes for a moment. Then, he whispered in a voice that only Caria could hear.

…I want you to leave this place. It’s just a little detour. So, go and open the way so that I can follow you later.

Lugis said to run away while he’d block the Saint. Hearing that, Caria understood that her own intuition was correct.

Lugis was surely prepared to die in this place. He would keep himself alive until he found a way to save his childhood friend.

Caria’s silver eyes distorted and narrowed rapidly. She felt like laughing out loud. Complex emotions were intertwined in her heart.

「…I refuse. I just told you. Even if you say you don’t like my presence, I won’t leave you. Besides, I’m not a woman who wants to cling to your back forever.」

Standing by Lugis’ side, Caria raised her cheeks without hesitating. Her gaze, which could be said to be vivid, pierced through Lugis and then Altius.

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