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I can barely stand. That one attack was enough to make me almost faint. Rine-chan is fighting against Gottfried-san, and Arako watches the wizard, who in return observes us. Is there any way for us to break through?

Arako makes her move, she leaps at the wall, using it to make an even higher jump, as if she wants to prove that this wall wouldn't be a hindrance, if she really wants to escape. The wizard hurls [Dirt Sling]s at her, but his aim is bad. “Try practicing with moving targets,” Arako taunts him, while she begins to shoot her [Fountain Gun] midair at him, making the wizard jump back in shock. While he dodges the spell itself, the ground it hits shoots up in mud, dirtying his robes.

“[Stamina]!” I use my spell on Rine-chan, who rapidly loses her SP, as she pushes herself further than ever before. I can't even follow the movements of her and Gottfried-san, they both appear as blurry blobs that flash occasionally, so I can only cast at Rine-chan when she's distancing herself from him to start a new assault.

Arako uses her spells' propulsion to jump back and forth, using her aerial angle to rain down spell after spell at the wizard, who is now hiding inside his [Watershield], though suddenly it begins to boil: “[Steam Jet]!” Of course it doesn't hit Arako, but the deadly looking steam jet begins to fan: “[Cold Cranes]!” It transforms into a swarm of icy birds that assault Arako from different sides!

“[Stingfall]!” She just escapes by shooting at the wizard with her staff first. The birds crash into each other, breaking and creating an icy mist!

“[Earth Shield]!” He blocks the attack with another spell!

“Have fun!” Arako says as she turns around and attacks Gottfried-san out of all things! She thrusts her staff into the blurry blob, and it suddenly turns into three people, as Rine-chan and Arako are pushed back, though both fall on their feet. “Katarine-san, I can provide you with support.”

“Together, we will do it!”

“Don't ignore me! [Stone Bullet]!” The wizard opens his shield to attack with parts of it, but Arako doesn't even move and the spell hits nothing.

“Your magic is impressive, your aiming not so much,” she says to him flippantly.

“Wannabe,” Gottfried-san now comments on this: “Let them. Stay on alert until we know whether Meldorn got the boy or not.”

...so Ken is facing Meldorn? I look at his status. When we separated, he already had several injuries that only got some first aid, but I can see how he has several bleeding statuses, and his [Stamina] and [Health]-values have decreased.

Suddenly, his bar changes. At first it looks like he has regained HP, from below half to little more than half, but I quickly notice that his maximum [Health] has decreased greatly. It takes another hit, this time he's also below a quarter, despite the ever decreasing max. [Condition] after [Condition] are added, causing my field of view to be overwhelmed by the number of [Conditions] that start to clutter it, as they need time to order themselves.

The few words I can read make my face lose all its warmth. [Cracked Skull], [Broken Limb: Left Leg], [Broken Limb: Right Leg], [Inner Bleeding: Severe], [Ruptured Organ: Liver]... what... “No... no! NO!” This can't be! HP-bar, go up! No, no, no, no! Don't drop to zero! [Health], which is the maximal value shows 3. His [Health Points] are just 1. The bar may say he has a third of his HP, but this is a lie!

A new [Condition] takes up my screen... [Dying]. He's bleeding out! Ken... help! HELP!

Arako and Rine-chan haven't noticed, as they haven't made their status screens grow, so Ken's bar is only the tiniest speck of color at the border of their fields of vision. “RINE-CHAN! KEN... Ken is...” My voice breaks, as I can't put the terror I feel into words.

Arako reacts immediately, she jumps to the wall, trying to escape that wall, but Gottfried-san makes his move... the same cut that has separated Ken from us is now acting as a slanted ceiling of this prison, the one that creates a barrier of sharpness. The alfr let herself fall down to the ground, knowing that the only way to circumvent it would either be to break through the thick earthen walls or by passing Gottfried-san.

“UAAAH!” Rine-chan makes an attack, but Gottfried-san jumps feet-first and catches her sword between them, then he spins in the air to yank at the weapon and disarm Rine-chan, who just lets go of her weapon, looking like she wants to kill Gottfried-san with her bare hands.

“Tch.” Gottfried-san uses his free hand to push himself from the ground and makes a sword strike from below, aiming at Rine-chan's ring. The attack is so powerful that it pushes Rine-chan back. “You lost your focus.”

“LET US OUT!” She cries in anger and despair: “KENTA NEEDS US!”

“Does he?” Gottfried-san asks, his words even sharper than his blade, “I assume that you somehow know that Meldorn got him. Why is he in this position in the first place? Has he decided to kidnap the princess or was it an idiot that didn't know her place that stuck around?”

“Tha-that's not-”

“Do you claim to have been brainwashed by him? Do you really think I could cross swords with you without learning that there is not a hint of mental alteration? Anger, yes. A tint of guilt as well.”

Tears are welling up in Rine-chan's eyes, but she jumps forward, even without a weapon, she won't give up, and Arako stays behind her, ready to do whatever. Gottfried-san makes a sidestep though, evading Rine-chan's strike by letting her pass by, and hits Arako in the face. “Uff!”

“STOP!” Rine-chan turns around to elbow her instructor, but he hits it with the grip of his sword, right into her crazy bone, which makes her squeak in pain while stumbling back.

Gottfried-san then sweeps Arako from her feet and hits her in the stomach... no, Arako! “[Protect]!” Thanks to this spell combined with [Empower], Ken was able to endure--- Ken! His status hasn't changed, but it gives me grim and horrifying pictures.

“STOP HURTING HER!” Rine-chan jumps at her teacher, yet she suddenly flies through the air, as Gottfried-san continues to kick my friend, who is on the ground. I wish I could be angry, but I feel only an icy cold.

I realized. Gottfried-san will make Arako and me suffer. He will make us suffer, as this will hurt Rine-chan more than anything else. This man wants her to give up, to make her cease all resistance, by breaking her resolve, her desires, and everything she can still lose.

The moment I step in, Gottfried-san will also attack me, hurting me, which will make Rine-chan feel even more anguish. So I can only act from afar: “[He-aargh...” I don't even know what hit me, but I slam into the earthen wall, intense pain runs through my entire body, my back feels like the skin there swells thrice as thick, and while I gasp for air, I feel my tears running down my dirty face.

“KYOU! [SWE-!” Rine-chan flies through the air again, landing on her feet like it's nothing, but I feel a shadow above me. I'm scared! He will hurt me, and he will do so again and again, not even injuring me lethally, as I'm just a means to an end.

“Hyaaaargh...” A cold pain runs through my shoulder, as warm blood gushes forth. He... he stabbed me! No, this blood, don't leave me! I can hardly breathe, as every motion hurts, and the terror and shock makes my breath ragged.

Suddenly, my head clears up again, though I'm still scared. Is this my survival instinct? Or the hero-system? I need to heal myself, but as long as Gottfried-san is here- “This is enough, Kati,” Gottfried-san says, his sword still inside my shoulder. He sounds tired, and he even uses Rine-chan's nickname, trying to talk to her on a more emotional level. “Give up.”

“NO!” Rine-chan is still enraged and is about to attack again, but Gottfried-san twists his blade... don't cry, don't cry me! I won't give him that satisfaction! Yet it's enough to make Rine-chan falter.

Then suddenly, Gottfried-san retracts the blade from me and something drips on my face... I see barefooted feet, nice laces there... blood...

No... NO! Horror makes me forget the pain I underwent just a few moments ago, as I recognize the dangling feet of Arako, stabbed through the stomach, her bright red blood flooding out, covering my face.

―○●○―

Hiaaa. Aaaah... U... Hyak... Jk... Uaaaaaa...... ...ierrrr... shee... Unable to form a coherent thought, at the bottom of a cliff between the trees there lies something that does just barely resemble a human in shape and mind. Warped by circumstances, it lies there, tortured by pain, and if it could think, it would go mad.

A red line marks the path the creature took downwards, covering the rocks on the cliff's wall in big red splashes, while the creature itself lies in a pool of it, and if it could feel anything beyond agony, it would feel coldness, underlined with even more pain.

Hk-hk-a-a... How does it breathe? How does it wince? Looking at the inhuman creature some may ask these questions. Could it move? Could it see? The answer is no, though a morbid curiosity may want to put it to the test

Yet the creature doesn't care, as it couldn't care about anything, not even its own sorry existence. In this moment, in this beautiful moment, the creature was a being that just is, with no needs, no wants, no desires. Someone could steal from it, and it wouldn't mind. Someone may hurt it, and yet it won't feel any more pain. Someone would kill it, and it would say thank you.

Because if it could speak, it would ask for mercy of death.

―○●○―

Anger is welling up, I charge Sir Gottfried once more, he may be my instructor, but right now, he's also my enemy. Not an opponent anymore, an enemy!

Ara must have attacked him, because she couldn't see him torturing Kyou anymore, and while he speaks like he's tired of this, like this has been a game that went for far too long, his actions show how merciless he will become if he sees the need. Like impaling my friend.

This is not a game! This is something Kenta would--- I fight back my tears, as I need to concentrate on the thing at hand, but my thoughts wander back to Kenta, who seems to be really, really hurt. He's dying and I can't help him!

However, I can help Ara! My courageous friend surprises me by clutching the blade that goes through her stomach out of her back, as if she's claiming it. She...

Without a shred of hesitation anymore, I use [Swishstride] for a new attack angle. She's doing it to limit Gottfried's actions, so I need to make it work! I have no sword, so I will kick him!

“Stop it,” says the supposed knight to me, not to Ara. He pushes up the blade a bit—alfr included—and my friend begins to wince in pain, as her arms begin to loosen and all of her limbs are threshing around like the limbs of a doll in the hand of a small child. I have never heard this heart-rending sound from her before.

This is wrong. This shouldn't happen. Sir Gottfried may be rude, but he was kind. “A---A---A---” The strength in my legs weaken, and tears run down my face, unable to say the name of my friend, who suddenly tries to grab the old man's face, only to be thrust away once again, so much that her body runs alongside the blade a bit. What is her plan? It's Ara, she has to have a plan.

She doesn't. She's desperate. She let go of her staff when she was stabbed, and now just uses her bare hands, because she has no other choice.

Sir Gottfried sighs, as she makes a next attempt, then he punches her face from the side, more blood splashes from her torso and her unusually high cheekbone is where it shouldn't be, as her pupils roll upwards and she loses consciousness.

“You see?” Sir Gottfried looks like a giant to me, a giant with a tiny Ara on his sword. A giant who looks down on me, like I was just a child.

At this moment, I have a revelation. Something clicks. Kenta was right all along, people are complicated and can have many motives for their actions. The intent is as important as the action itself.

Sir Gottfried was rude, he was kind, but he was also merciless, when he's on a battlefield. We talked hours about what mindset I should have in battle, and he embodies all of it. Why did I never consider that he would push all his kindness aside, even though this was like lesson three?

Ara is smart, but she's also lazy at times. She knows how to put effort, but does it only for her own interests. She also feels a kinship to us that is foreign to her, though she complained about how she starts to rush into battle because of these feelings, which made her end up like this. She may be in control most of the time, in her own unique way, but she hasn't learned how to control this new side of her.

Father may be a just ruler, but he's also a kind father. However, when he gets angry, he's really scary, and when he sets his mind on something, then he becomes stubborn, and only a few can bring him down and so he can be open-minded again.

I learned how selfish I really am. I learned how people are not always as they say or seem. I knew that I put everyone in danger. Yet while I knew it in my head, my heart didn't accept it, it was as stubborn as Father.

Kenta, Kyou, and Ara. All of them are suffering because of me. This is all my fault.

All the strength in my legs falter, and I land on my butt, as tears are flooding nonstop out of my eyes. Hot guilt pierces me through the heart, sending icy cold waves from my heart to the rest of my body.

“Stb, pws stb!” I beg him to stop. While I may be the one responsible for this, only he can end it. Because I'm still a child, because I could never stand on my own.

It's time to become an adult. Accept my duties and forfeit any fun I had. And what fun I had, every day was a bliss. Side by side with friends I never had before, being a girl in love, experiencing great battles and adventures.

But I'm a princess. The moment I was born, I had some freedoms nobody had, but I also had my duties. Today marks the day where I stop playing games.

It hurts. It hurts so much, but this pain is nothing compared to what Ara is feeling. Or what Kenta is experiencing, and their pain hurts me more. I just have to give up my daydreams to save them, it's a small price to pay.

If my friendship and selfishness is the cause of all that suffering, I don't need it. As long as they're safe, I don't need to be happy ever again.

Sir Gottfried hears my plea, and his answer is as short and direct as it can be. “Give up, and I let her go. Your selfishness has been going on for too long.”

Thank you.

In relief, my sobbing intensifies. I'm so happy I can only nod in agreement, smiling from eye to eye: “Un...un...un...”

“Alright,” Gottfried looks at Ara, who still lies unconscious on his arm. “I should have avoided all her inner organs... though thinking of it, I don't know elven anatomy. Nonetheless, it's something that the pontiff can fix.” With a sudden movement, Arako flies from his sword, landing in the sand, like a puppet with cut strings. “Wannabe-archwizard, you open your walls, pontiff, take care of the elf.”

While he may have handled her very rough, I'm thankful. The pontiff kneels down and puts both of her hands on Ara. “[Heal]!” Her outer wounds close, and the pontiff seems to be impressed how much this spell alone did. Yet he's not finished with his treatment. “[Rejuvenate]!” He emits an aura of light, which was transferred to Ara, but then bounces back into the human, again and again, until my friend lies there, pale with her skin slightly bluish, but I can see through her bloody dress that the wounds not just closed, but there is new skin as well. This seems to be a very powerful healing spell. However, the priest is out of breath, sweaty from head to toe and wobbly on his knees.

Thank you.

“You there,” he says to Kyou, who is still down and looks pale, clutching her shoulder wound: “You come with us as well. Understood?”

“...yes.” Kyou accepts this calmly.

I want to object, Kyou should be left alone. “Wo, plb-”

“You be quiet now, Kati.” With a single order, I'm reminded of how thankful I am. Who am I to question his decisions anyway, as I never did a decent one in my life?

The earthen walls, our prison, begin to sink back into the earth and I see the huntsman waiting. He just nods to Gottfried-san, but the old knight asks: “Is he still alive?” Is he talking about Kenta?

“Barely. He fell down the cliff and is currently bleeding out. I couldn't find a path to him within the time-frame.”

“I see. Well, we have what we want, and killing him was just a bonus.” So will they leave Kenta alone?

“P-p-” I need to ask the pontiff to get to Kenta as well, to heal him! He has to be saved, and a person like me shouldn't even try it.

“Stupid Disciple #1, stop your wailing and stand up.”

“Un.” He's right. Kenta is better off when we leave him alone... I'm standing up, doing as I'm told is so easy.

“You as well, girl,” he says to Kyou, who also follows the order, though it seems like standing is really painful. “Pontiff, take care of her as well.” Yay, he's kind!

“What about her?” The wizard asks while pointing at Ara, who still needs to regain consciousness.

“We leave her here. There is no reward, and I don't care about her.”

This is for the better. Ara will take care of Kenta. They're much more capable than me, and without me, they won't be in trouble anymore. They can go to Zethtrin and remove the curse-

You've been separated from your husband. You and your sister-wife Momokawa Kyou have been kidnapped. You must escape from your captures and reunite with your husband. He will be worried sick. If you don't, the curse will first inflict your husband again and then fall back to you and your sister-wives as well! Hurry!

No, curse. You got several things wrong. I'm not kidnapped, I'm just returning home. Kenta isn't worried about me, he will be glad that I'm gone. No more Correro, no more oni, no more other heroes, he will have no enemies anymore.

If they're fast, they may get to Zethtrin in time and get the curse removed. Now that I think of it, we have a pontiff here, so maybe he knows how to remove or at least delay the curse?

This is for the better. Kyou, Ara, Kenta... I'm sorry. Because of me, all of you suffered. Kyou, I'm sorry that I'll continue to make you suffer for a while. Soon, all of you will be happy again.

Because you were able to make even someone like me truly happy for the first time in her life, a happiness that surpassed any fun, any joy I had before, just by being with you.

Thank you.

―○●○―

...shit. Here I am, at the bottom of a cliff, lying in my own blood, vomit, and feces, broken, in great pain, and alone. This may be the third time, but this is the first time it was literally.

Those who may believe that physical pain may be bad, but nothing can beat the torture and agony of mental and/or emotional pain, I’d like them to break both their legs. Right now. I suffer that and much more, and the only reason why I'm still even conscious is because my body knows that the moment I lose consciousness, I'll die.

For better or worse, the torturous pain I feel makes me stay awake, though it's scary how numbing this burning, ice-cold sensation of having every bone, every nerve of your body choked by barbed wire is. I may only feel the tip of the iceberg, and every other second I'm driven back into insanity for a moment, unable to even form a coherent thought, becoming something less than human.

Whenever I'm aware, I try to figure out the current state.

One of my eyes won't open, the other one feels like someone put acid into it, but even through the veil of tears and blood, I can see how my right arm is in front of me and makes some way-too-sharp turns, and has too much bone to offer.

Unlike my mouth. I can only guess how many teeth I have left, I may have lost part of my tongue, and moving the jaws sends me into another hell of pain. I would like to check my torso, seeing how much my sides cave in right now, but I can't move, and staying awake becomes more and more of a chore.

How did I come into this situation? I mean, the irony is hard, though the rocks I hit were much harder. How much brain-damage did I suffer?

I hear sirens in my head, I can't help it, I start to see that face, start to remember everything, and if I die, I'll do so while thinking about it. I don't want that.

Yes, this is it, a bit of resistance, this will help me. Let's see... I guess my left arm is somewhat functional, at least it moves when I tell it to, though it feels like ants are eating up my flesh, while someone pushes hot wires into my nerves.

Ahhhhh! There it is... Through the veil I see a thing that's most likely my hand. Something shimmers on it. Ouch! Blinking hurts! Tears are flowing, not sure if it's because of the pain or dust though. Well, this arm is all I have, so I guess I need to work through the pain. Why bother though? I mean, I've done it, so I can rest now, right?

For two seconds, my eyesight becomes a tad less blurry, and I look at the shimmer. It's a ring.

…

How do I open my status again? Looking straight while concentrating on the bits at the border of my field of vision.

Open. Open! “Phwwwwww!!” It's almost inaudible, but my sighs let me shudder in pain, which makes everything ache even more!

Why does something I usually do without a thought have to be so difficult this time? Probably because I'm less whole than a hundred-year old rag.

Something else pops up though.

You've been separated from your wives. Momokawa Kyou and Katarine von Stolzherz have been taken away from you! You need to rescue them! If you don't, the curse will reactivate in increments, until it's back to its full power.

Well, at least they're still alive, and probably better off than me. What about Ara-san? As I can feel the directions of where the girls are, I guess the single one would be her, while the two in the same direction are Kyou-san and Rine.

Yep, they got Rine, and it seems Kyou-san is with her as well. That was unavoidable, I knew that resisting would only bring harm, but couldn't help it, and now everything goes how it's supposed to be, just worse.

How stupid of me. Even more stupid than Rine's expectation and optimism, that we would be somehow able to get away, or that she can win, if she puts her mind into it. Ha, she smiled as stupid as always, without a hint of doubt.

...shit.

Guess, I need to do it after all. I just wish I could switch off the pain, though I think my brain did the best it could do. Tears are still falling from my eye, blood is leaving my body, and I feel thirsty, despite the feeling that blood is running down my throat.

Well, I have an arm left. Let's aim for one centimeter (less than half an inch) first. My finger moves, trying to grab the hard ground. Oh, it's grass on top of it.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Alright, now let's slowly grab the grass.

HYYYAAAAAAAAK!

Not too shabby. Now be a bit greedy and try to pull the body that one centimeter.

WUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRGHHHH!

...too greedy. Let's aim for a millimeter next. Oh, what is this? My spear. Hey spear, you're less than a meter away from my hand, the pole is also broken at two points so that only some fiber is holding it together, but would you mind jumping into my hand right now?

…

Guess, I need to make the detour as well... First, one millimeter.