In the midst of this chaotic situation that made my head spin, my gaze was firmly fixed on Ruvlian. I forgot the fact that I needed to distance myself because of the curse, and as if entranced, I looked him over. The moonlight pouring through the broken ceiling made his hair shine even more, and beneath his long, straight eyelashes, in his ocean-like eyes that shattered finely in the sunlight, a subtle radiance swirled.
He didn’t look thin anywhere. For someone who had traveled through fifteen worlds, he was in such immaculate condition that if God hadn’t told me, I would have thought he’d found me in one go.
“Sihyeon.”
My name flowed out from between his red lips. His resonant voice that pierced through was overflowing with affection—no, it was practically dripping. My ears felt strangely ticklish. To the point where I wanted to scratch them gently.
As I hesitated without being able to answer, a soft, squishy sensation touched my earlobe. From an ambiguous distance that seemed to touch yet not touch, a languid voice advised me.
“Honey. You need to snap out of it. Want to see the brat cough up blood again?”
“……Is that something you should say?”
Parallel World Ruvlian, who had drawn my attention to make me look at him, laughed as if to say ‘so what?’ I know, but his personality is nasty.
But he’s right. At this rate, I’d have to see Ruvlian coughing up blood again. Because the curse hasn’t been lifted.
“Let go.”
“You’re trying to run away from me? Honey, you can’t do that, not after thinking about the night we spent together.”
Parallel World Ruvlian, who deliberately drew out his words, put more strength into the arm holding me and languidly lowered his eyes. His face, simultaneously decadent and gorgeous, looked confident as if he’d spoken only the truth.
I was dumbfounded. Here, every bit of my disbelief was stripped away. It was clear that even if I shook myself out completely, there wouldn’t be any disbelief left.
“Wh-what kind of nonsense is that!”
In the atmosphere that had become even more frigid in an instant, the first to speak was Parallel World Montrio. He looked at me, conveying through his eyes the words ‘That’s not true, right? It’s a lie, right? There’s no way, right?’ His face became murky with denial, betrayal, and the feeling that he’d failed to protect me.
Does he believe that? When I looked at Ruvlian, he was maintaining a smiling face while holding back his anger. He must have clenched so hard that nail marks would form on his palms.
[Sihyeon. That world-destroyer wants me to tell you. He took care of the curse himself, so you don’t need to worry about it.]
It was a voice clearly reluctant to relay this, but that wasn’t what was important right now.
‘He took care of it?’
[Yes. He went to find someone well-versed in curses and cast the same curse that was on you on himself, only changing the designated person to you.]
Then…. My gaze went upward. Parallel World Ruvlian looked relaxed as if Ruvlian’s appearance couldn’t affect him at all. When I lowered my gaze back to the front, Ruvlian was also smiling with raised lips.
……Do they think the same because they’re both Ruvlian? How is it that both of them cast the same curse? One that steals the designated person’s—Baek Sihyeon’s—life force the closer they get.
‘Did you tell Ruvlian that Parallel World Ruvlian cast a curse on himself?’
[No? I was being threatened, so I didn’t have time to say that much…. *Sniffle*.]
God sniffled as if feeling wronged again just thinking about it. However, seemingly remembering that this place was already a mess and I was at the center of it, God didn’t cry loudly. The quiet sniffling at regular intervals was even more distracting.
‘I’ll apologize. So could you please stop sniffling?’
[Do you have a headache? *Sniffle*. Then I’ll go cry over there, so call me if you need me. *Sniffle*.]
The sniffling sound grew distant. Rather than continuing to sniffle and just give me a headache, it seemed better for God to just go, so I didn’t bother stopping them. More than that, it was far more important for me to hold onto my sanity right now.
This crazy bastard was skilled at making situations favorable to himself. Seeing how relaxed he is, I couldn’t rule out the possibility that he’d already pulled something and was waiting for me to fall for it.
“Sihyeon! Why aren’t you answering!”
Montrio urged an answer as if he couldn’t wait any longer.
Ah. Because God suddenly relayed a message, I forgot to answer. Ruvlian, who knew of God’s existence, seemed to know that God had relayed his words, and Parallel World Ruvlian was staring holes through me as if trying to extract something. The longer time passed, the more persistent and sticky his gaze became. If I stayed with this bastard any longer, God’s existence would be discovered in no time.
The reason he didn’t know about God’s existence seemed to be because the God managing this current world and the God managing my world were different. Normally, what God would leisurely watch subjugations while filling someone’s head with their voice?
“Can’t you tell from how he’s not answering, Montrio? How about training your perception instead of sword training? That seems like it would be more useful.”
“It’s not like that, so stop asking. And you, stop talking nonsense.”
I spoke to the thieving bastard who was trying to stamp the nonsense as truth as soon as I connected my thoughts for a moment. It was a level voice clearly familiar with this kind of situation.
“And let go.”
I put strength into my hand and removed one of Parallel World Ruvlian’s arms from my waist. Then, from close distance, a deeply resonant voice quietly brushed against my ear.
“Why? Going to that brat with the curse on him if I let you go?”
“He has a curse on him?”
I immediately questioned back, playing dumb. Looking at me like that, the crazy bastard whose head spins unnecessarily well carved a slightly deeper smile on his lips. It was an ambiguous gaze, difficult to know whether I’d been caught or not. This is troublesome.
“Yeah. Since the brat is me too…… I think he probably thought of the same thing, but too bad. I have no intention of letting you go.”
“By whose authority?”
His sharply honed eyes were half-hidden by his folded eyelids. His face, both leisurely and elegant, showed no signs of crumbling. I could glimpse the confidence that everything would go his way. But I knew well that it wasn’t baseless confidence.
My luck really needs to run out in moderation. In any case, Parallel World Ruvlian had no intention of letting me go. Then the best plan was to take off these shoes and create distance.
I wasn’t a princess waiting for a prince to rely on Ruvlian or the trio. I was closer to escaping through self-reliance.
I wasn’t particularly pleased that Ruvlian came at this point either. Seeing him unharmed put me at ease, and seeing his face made me happy. However, unsolved questions were piled up like a mountain. After unraveling all of that and using this world’s companions, I could escape sufficiently.
Bang!
When I dodged an attack flying past the side of my head, the wall collapsed. I pushed aside all the thoughts I’d had in that short time and looked at Alli.
“Why is everyone just standing there! No, snap out of it and attack!”
Alli shouted as if frustrated. Her feeling of not understanding was earnest. I wasn’t unsympathetic. After all, we were in an adversarial relationship.
However, what she failed to notice was that Deadrian was looking for an opening while watching the situation unfold, and Montrio was looking for an opening while waiting for Deadrian’s words to fall. Even though the atmosphere was somehow strange, a battle of nerves that hadn’t surfaced was already underway.
“Hmm. I heard from Montrio, but it’s still fascinating?”
“Besides, Sihyeon is caught over there—what if we just attack and he gets hit! Right now he can’t even use Divine Power!”
Deadrian played innocent as if he was just watching an amazing spectacle, and Montrio revealed his sincerity. I wondered what kind of relationship I’d had with him before time was turned back for him to harbor such devoted feelings.
“Ugh! So you’re saying we should just leave it like that? Besides, even if he can’t use it, there’s Deadrian!”
“What if he doesn’t let him go without being hurt? Alli, excluding personal feelings,”
“If I exclude personal feelings, there’s no reason to attack that bastard Belitent either, you know?”
She was right. No one here had feelings that could be divided into public and private. Montrio made a face like his words were completely blocked, and Deadrian stopped them both. It’s a complete mess.
“If they’re going to be like that, they should’ve been clowns. Even circus troupes would be disappointed. For missing such suitable talent.”
A leisurely voice rang out not quietly. The three’s movements stopped dead.
Unable to overcome her anger, Alli summoned a spirit again. As the air’s waves changed, a whirlwind formed in mid-air. Soon, that whirlwind took the shape of a bird. It was a high-ranking Wind Spirit.
Deadrian smiled benevolently, and Montrio drew his sword from its sheath. Whether it was because of me, he didn’t rush forward. I’m confident I could dodge even if attacked—he’s looking down on me too much.
Meanwhile, a sharp wind cannon flew over. Parallel World Ruvlian blocked everything without moving. The way he moved Mana freely and used magic without any strain was amazing to the point of being sickening. The true balance-breaker was right here.
Ruvlian never once took his eyes off me. His clear eyes that distinctly captured me were contemplating. Whether he should come, or I should go. As if choosing one of those two.
It would be better if I went instead. Since this wasn’t the original world, unlike me, who strangely didn’t become more powerful, Ruvlian would have become stronger. However, the opponent was a crazy bastard who even turned back time. Who knows what I’d suffer if I approached recklessly?
Having thought that far, just as I was about to take off my shoes and calculate the time needed for my severed leg to regenerate and the time necessary to escape from Parallel World Ruvlian.
Bang! Bang! Crash! With loud sounds, innocent walls crumbled away. Alli summoned even high-ranking Water and Fire Spirits and launched a coordinated attack, but it was because the bastard behind me blocked it nonchalantly. The deflected attacks destroyed the ceiling, side walls, and everything here and there.
Even if they’re the Hero’s companions, they’re prodigies or the best in their field. Alli was young, but she was someone who had risen to the top with innate talent. Parallel World Ruvlian, who blocked so easily, wasn’t normal.
……His head wasn’t sane either, and his ability stats must have gone crazy too. Even if I escaped from here, at that level he’d catch up to me in no time. The fundamental issue wouldn’t be resolved, but deciding to think about that later, I took off my shoes.
“Urgh!”
At that moment, bang! With an exploding sound, flesh splattered everywhere. It hurt like crazy. I quickly used my released Mana to make myself unable to feel pain, and with Divine Power, I regenerated my leg.
As soon as he heard the exploding sound, Ruvlian swiftly approached and began confronting Parallel World Ruvlian in close combat. Meanwhile, having slipped to the side, I looked at my leg regenerating faster than expected and thought:
No, what crazy bastard says it separates prettily when blood spatters and flesh explodes and flies around?
