34 - Chapter 31: 31[D-day 3-2 Rampage Phase 1]
"Do you know what kind of magic it is?"
"This is..."
"Why? What kind of magic is it?"
"Hypnosis? No, um... is this Cognitive Impairment Magic?"
"On herself?"
"Hmm... I find it hard to be sure. Ella is the expert at this kind of reverse calculation."
"Well, then, should we ask at the Church?"
"Hmm, that's a good idea, but let's ask her first, since she's clearly conscious."
"That's right, Aria?"
"Yes?"
"Could you tell me what kind of magic you cast on yourself early this morning?"
"It's... Memory and Sensation Sealing Magic."
"Huh?"
For what reason would she use such magic on herself?
"Aria, can you tell me why you used that magic?"
"I... can't say."
"Then do you want us to undo that magic?"
"Ah, no... no!"
"Alright, I understand."
I don't know what happened to her, but there's no need to do something she doesn't want.
"Then Aria, you look terrible right now, so why don't you go to the Church and rest?"
"Then will Yuria come with me?"
"I'm too tired, so I plan to rest for today."
"Th-then I'll stay in this room too!"
"Huh? Are you sure you don't need to go to the Church?"
"Yes, of course! I recover automatically when I'm next to Yuria!"
Aria forces a smile.
I'm not some kind of healing totem.
And if I kick her out, she'll get angry, right?
"Alright, I understand."
"But shouldn't you two wash up a bit?"
"That's right."
Come to think of it, we hadn't washed after sweating so much yesterday. We must reek.
People usually can't smell themselves, but I bet we still reek a little.
"Then I should go wash up."
As I stood up from the desk,
"Ugh..."
I'd forgotten my body's condition, and the moment I tried to use my muscles,
I fell straight down.
My body was in a terrible state too.
Haa...
"Are you okay, Yuria?"
"Ah, uh, I'm fine."
"What's wrong? Is it because of the Curse?"
"Ah, no, it's not that."
Strictly speaking, it might be true, but there's no need to worry her unnecessarily.
"It's just simple muscle pain."
"Simple muscle pain, my ass. You can barely walk."
"It's nothing serious, so you don't need to worry too much."
"Even so, can you even wash yourself?"
"It'll be a bit tough, but I can manage."
"I... I could help you."
"Huh?"
"Shall I help you wash?"
"Eh? Cynthia, you?"
Eh, what is she talking about?
How can a woman... a man's...?
"Hmph, never mind. Just follow me."
She grabs my hand and drags me in.
"Ah, no."
"What do you mean, no? Haa, Aria, you need to wash too. Come on."
So Cynthia drags me and Aria into the bathroom.
"How much did you two roll around yesterday?"
Cynthia seems to have a rough idea of what we did yesterday.
"Ugh, indeed. If only you had been a little more moderate..."
Cynthia, sighing and taking off my clothes,
"Hey, you..."
She was speechless, seeing my body completely red.
Hickeys...
No, these red marks were so numerous, they were beyond just hickeys.
"What on earth happened yesterday...?"
"Um, sorry, could you not ask?"
"Uh, right..."
"Aria, you take yours off too."
"Ah, yes..."
Aria also naturally takes off her clothes.
"Hey, wait, I'm here too!"
"What are you talking about? Haven't we already seen everything there is to see?"
"That's true, but..."
"Then what's the worry?"
So Cynthia helps Aria take off her clothes.
"What's this?"
As she tries to take off her panties,
Cynthia's eyes catch sight of golden threads inside the panties.
"Ah, that's..."
Snap!
She didn't pay it much mind and pulled the panties down.
Then, a sound like something breaking was heard.
"Huh?"
"What's that sound?"
As Aria's pure white panties were completely pulled down, Magic Circles were revealed.
And with the connection accidentally broken, they began to collapse.
"Uh, uh...?"
"Heh?"
"Why is there a Magic Circle here?"
I don't know the specifics, but the magic circle was definitely undone.
"Um, Aria, are you okay?"
"Gasping, choking?"
Aria, unable to speak properly, could only let out choked sounds.
"Uh, um, I think I touched something wrong..."
Aria suddenly shrugged, making a strange sound.
"Heh-heh, th-that's right, that's right, h-hoohit."
"Hey, what's wrong, Aria?"
"Yuria, where is Yuria?"
"Aria? I'm here..."
Bang!
"Uh...?"
Before I knew it, I was pinned against the wall.
"A-Aria...?"
"Haaah... Yuria, it's Yuria."
"Cynthia, I think something's wrong with Aria?"
"Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria Yuria"
Her repeated voice filled the room.
"Haa, fuck, we're screwed."
Whoosh!
Cynthia quickly lunges and rescues me from Aria's embrace.
"Uh...?"
"Yuria is gone?"
"Where is Yuria? Yuria?"
"Haa, I really messed up. Can't even blame anyone else. Yuria, can you escape?"
"Uh-huh."
"Yuria, you were there."
"I'll try my best to stop Aria, so run away to a safe place quickly!"
"Uh-huh."
I hurriedly grab my clothes and burst out the door.
But my thoughts were a tangled mess.
Why did she change like that?
What happened yesterday?
No, more importantly, where should I go now?
My comrades are no longer in the Capital,
and the place I can rely on is...
None.
I wouldn't have left any connections in the Capital in the first place.
What should I do?
First, let's get away from the room.
Crash! Bang! Boom! Thud! Crash!
Terrifying sounds continuously echoed from above the building, and windows shattered, sending glass falling to the floor.
"YURIAAAAAAA!!"
Aria's shouts even reached my ears.
Damn it... where, where should I go?!
All the comrades I could rely on had left,
am I this helpless?
Me?
I grit my teeth.
I can't give up here.
Think of a way, a way.
Cynthia was trying so hard to stop her.
I have to think of a way. I can't let her efforts be in vain.
A place to escape.
A safe area.
A safe place?
The Church?
But...
That's Aria's territory.
A system where it was no exaggeration to say everyone was Aria's direct subordinate.
But there was one person.
A person who could be free from Aria's commands.
I need to find His Holiness the Pope Jude Herace.
Let's go to the Main Cathedral.
Thud.
I heard the sound of something heavy falling.
"Yu. Ri. A?"
Aria's voice from behind.
My whole body was chilling with goosebumps, yet
I didn't stop running.
Afraid that if I looked back, my feet would freeze in terror,
without even daring to look back,
I hastened my steps in fear.
Although not at top speed due to my broken body,
I was squeezing every muscle in my body to move.
I don't know what will happen if I'm caught, but
I don't know,
and that's why I was more afraid.
Why did Aria change like that?
That's why I was even more terrified.
What will happen to me if I'm caught?
"Aria, stop!!"
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
From the sound alone, it seemed Cynthia had shot arrows.
She probably hadn't aimed at Aria, but used them to obstruct her path.
Crack! Splinter! Snap!
The sound of a giant tree breaking.
"Move quickly! Yuria, you'll be caught!"
She was shouting from behind, but
I could tell even without her shouting.
In my current sensitive state, I could feel it.
The sound of the ground shaking.
Thump, thump, thump.
The fact that she was almost upon me.
The feeling of her footsteps getting closer and closer.
Please, legs, move faster, please.
Then, a voice echoed in my head.
"What? What's going on now?"
That voice... it was Ella?
"Ella?"
"Ugh, I don't know what's going on, but you need to get away from that rampaging Aria, don't you?"
"Uh-huh, that's right. I need to get to the Main Cathedral."
"Then just stay still there. I'll prepare the Magic Formula."
"But if I stop..."
"Do you think I'd botch even that calculation?"
"Don't you trust me?"
"Can I trust you?"
"Well, you might not trust me, but you trust my abilities, right?"
"How can I be sure you're helping me?"
"Well, if you don't trust me, then just get caught like that."
"You have about 5 seconds left. After that, I can't help you either."
Really?
Trust Ella again?
But there was no other way.
If I'm caught like this,
No! My instincts screamed that I mustn't be caught.
A chill, as if I might die if caught, rose to my throat.
"Ah, alright, I'll trust you, just..."
"Alright, stop right there."
Thump.
Believing her words, I stopped my endlessly running footsteps.
Thump, thump, thump.
I could feel her footsteps getting closer and closer.
Gulp.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
Please.
May Ella's calculation not be wrong.
"Yuria, who were you talking to?"
Aria's voice, coming from right behind me.
"Um, ah..."
At that moment, my vision flipped.
Whoosh! Flash!
Thud.
A miraculous instant.
The moment I thought her fingers touched my hair,
my body was transported to the Main Prayer Room inside the Main Cathedral.
And Ella's voice echoed in my head.
"Well, I'm off."
"Uh-huh, thank you."
No matter how much I disliked and resented Ella, I had to thank her.
"Between lovers, this is nothing. Well, I'm going now."
It seems she already has it in her head that we're lovers.
Haa...
Now I need to find His Holiness the Pope.
To make the time Cynthia and Ella bought me meaningful.
I hurried to find the Main Cathedral.
I ran towards the Pope's Office.
"Excuse me, do you have an appointment...?"
"I apologize. I am Hero Yuria. May I see His Holiness the Pope?"
"Ah, of course. I will guide you."
"I'm short on time, so I'll go myself."
Leaving the dumbfounded guards behind, I ran inside.
Hoping I wasn't too late.