Some would think it's nonsense. Everyone dies someday, and everyone will experience loss at least once in this life. It was an all too common tragedy. Some would even be surprised that this cold-blooded woman was heading towards destruction just because she was unable to get over the death of a family member. Some would consider her weak because, for twenty years, she was unable to overcome something that everyone else could. Amelia thought they were right too.
Stab.
However, her sister would have told her while brushing her hair, since Amelia was younger and required more care: «It must have been very hard for you».
Leaving behind the pity, leaving behind even the reprimand of why she had done such a thing, her sister would have hugged her tightly, telling her that she had done it right. Although everyone in the world considered her uncomfortable and pointed the finger at her, calling her a cold-hearted woman, for Laura she would only be her crying little sister. She was the only person in the world who would treat her like that.
Yes, I definitely would have...
«Sorry...»
«Who do you apologize to?»
Amelia closed her eyes, ignoring the pain radiating from her abdomen. «Laura...»
In the end, he achieved nothing. Although he had accumulated his strength over the past twenty years to this day, it was not enough to defeat that man. Although she tried to talk to him to clear up the misunderstanding, that she was not part of the Order of the Rose, the man would not listen. In the end, a battle broke out, and she desperately bought time for her sister to escape. But that ended here.
«What, have you seen a hallucination?» The man sneered and twisted his sword. A burning pain arose from the wound. «Did you think I would let them escape?». The vivid pain brought her back to reality. «You have to see what I've had to go through».
Then the sword slid and Amelia collapsed, and the man dragged her forward by the hair. The events that would unfold from now on were very clear.
«This way I can show you what it feels like to lose something».
This man would kill his sister before her eyes, like that day.
Splash!
Every time he took a step, his heart fell. His consciousness became cloudy and every time he opened his eyes, the landscape in front of him changed.
«As expected, they didn't get far», the man murmured.
«L-Laura...»
«You go first! I'll take care of it...!»
The conversation also occurred that day.
«Amelia...!»
The sword was pointed at his younger self.
Stab!
Her older sister hugged her.
«Laura...!»
The man's sword pierced his sister's chest just as it did then.
In the end, I didn't change anything...
That's when Amelia realized it was the result of twenty years of hope. The happily ever after of these two girls only existed in a fairy tale. In reality, there was only one stupid, weak human woman.
«What a nice look».
Stab!
Then the man took out the sword that was embedded in his sister's body. At the same time, his consciousness faded and the scenario changed again. The dark sewer reeked of blood.
Kwaaang!
Along with a roar that filled the passage, he felt a warmth on his cold skin.
«Gosh, why are you crying? It's not over yet».
Not finished yet? What could that mean? I couldn't know.
«You did well. Now leave it to me and get some rest». With those words, the tension in his body disappeared and his eyes closed on their own. «When you wake up, it will all be over». That was the last scene that his conscience allowed him.
***
At the same time that Amelia was losing consciousness, I shouted: «What are you doing?! Grab your sister and run!»
It was a shout out to Amelia Fetus-Amelia F for short.
«Ah, ah...!» Amelia F seemed confused by my instructions for a moment before surrounding her sister with her small body and running.
Ugh, then I can leave the rest to the old man...
I moved my gaze.
«You...!» Lüchenprague could not hide his confusion and looked around. It seemed like I was trying to see if the Knight of Light was with me.
This bastard is very funny.
«Then run. Why did you come here?».
He didn't answer my question, he just avoided my eyes with a strange expression.
«Did you... end up here trying to find the exit?». I asked this just in case, even though I knew it couldn't be the truth.
To that, he gave a short answer. «...Fate guided me».
«Ha, fate, shit».
I laughed like that was ridiculous, but now that I think about it, I realized that fate wasn't such a wrong description. If things went as planned no matter how hard you tried, how was that different from fate?
While I was thinking that, the guy asked me a question. «Anyway... have you come alone?»
«Yeah.» The Knight of Light and I weren't even friends to begin with. I stated it, since it wasn't something to hide anyway, and asked him why he was curious. «Hey, let me ask you one more question. Why are you so obsessed with that woman?».
«...You don't need to know.»
«Feisty», I said and moved only my eyes to check on Amelia. His wound was recovering quickly enough to be discernible with my eyes, thanks to me tearing up one more binding scroll before intervening. Simply put, with the three of them united, Amelia was no longer affected by the Annulment.
It would have been easier if I had been awake.
It was a little disappointing, but what could I do? If it was for the right to recruit a clanmate (SSR), this wasn't even a problem.
«Move If you abandon that woman, you...»
«Move. If you give up on that woman, you...»
«What are you saying, one-trick pony?» I made a gesture with my finger. «Shut up and fight with me».
This would be the last battle of this time travel.
***
Huff, huff...
The girl running down the sewer was snorting hotly. His overheated muscles showed no signs of cooling, and even more heat radiated from his wet back.
«L-Laura...e-Are you okay...?» Even as she ran at full strength, so much so that she couldn't even breathe properly, Amelia kept talking to Laura behind her back.
He got no response. However, Amelia ignored the ominous sensation and moved her feet. But was it because he had reached his physical limit carrying Laura on his back?
«Ugh...!» Amelia was galloping when she lost her balance and fell. His foot didn't catch on something, his legs just lost strength. «L-Laura! You feel well? Hey?» Faced with her sprained ankle, Amelia checked Laura's condition. He wondered if the injury had been made worse by the fall.
His sister seemed to have woken up from shock. A voice escaped Laura's mouth. «Amelia...»
«L-Laura! Nothing happens. We are not far away anymore. Don't talk and...»
«Your own...» The weak voice didn't come at the end, but Amelia knew what would have come next. I was probably telling her to go alone. If she had had energy, she surely would have added all kinds of reasons, saying that she was already finished and that it would be more reasonable for her to go alone.
«Sorry, I don't know what you're saying». Amelia pretended not to hear and held Laura's limp body. Laura, who was six inches taller than her, felt especially small. Maybe she's wrong, but Laura also felt lighter than before. It was impossible that his resistance had recovered already.
«Blood...»
It was because of the blood he had lost. By escaping the weight of life that once filled Laura's body, her body had become much lighter. Amelia leaned her sister's body against the wall and took off her clothes to apply pressure to the wound. Then he poured out all the potions he had. It hadn't occurred to him to do it before for the sole idea that he had to escape from that place, but it was something he should have done a long time ago.
Why am I so stupid?
He felt ashamed. If she were his always quiet sister, she would have done exactly what needed to be done even in a situation like this.
«Ugh...!» When the potion began to heal her wound, Laura writhed in pain. Thick veins stood on his forehead and neck.
«L-Laura! Please hold on...» Amelia carried Laura's body again. But just as he was about to get up, the passageway shook with a loud noise.
Kwaaaang! It fell apart.
The roof collapsed and rocks fell. At the same time, Amelia's body staggered forward. Someone had pushed her from behind.
Boom!
As she fell, Amelia hurriedly turned around. He saw his sister. The sight of his beloved sister's lower body crushed under a giant rock was too unreal.
«Amelia...»
«L-Laura...» Amelia approached her like a possessed woman. When he did, Laura slapped his hand away. «W-what are you doing?!»
Simultaneously with Amelia's scream, Laura's open eyes turned weakly towards her. «I once resented you...»
«I know. Even you would have felt that way. But, stop being stubborn and...»
«Listen!» At Laura's scream, Amelia bit her lip. Her voice sounded pasty and couldn't even be called a scream, but Amelia froze at the pressure that felt unstoppable.
Faucet.
Laura put her hand on Amelia's cheek and, unlike before, spoke in an overly kind voice. «You... wanted it. Always... you wanted it...».
Hearing those words, something flowed down Amelia's cheeks. I couldn't tell if it was sweat or tears, but one thing was certain.
Boom!
Amelia's heart began to beat rapidly, as if it were broken. Even if his mind tried to deny it, in the end he knew it.
«W-Why... do you say that?». Laura's words missed themselves as if this moment were their last. «L-Laura...don't give up. You had a potion, right? We just have to go a little further...N-don't worry about the rock. I'll clear it soon. I'll make sure to do it... Huh?».
At Amelia's plea, Laura pursed her lips in pain. Of course, it was only for a moment. «Forget... all the painful memories here. A normal life... finally begins for you». Laura strained her clenched jaw muscles and smiled happily.
Everything happened in an instant.
Faucet.
Laura reached out and took out the dagger that Amelia was wearing tied around her waist, then inserted it into her own neck.
Stab.
«N-no...!» Amelia hurriedly took out the dagger. He poured the remaining potion over the wound and pressed it with both hands to somehow stop the bleeding. «N-no. No no...»
It was not enough. The blood coming out of her stopped.
Chhhhhh.
The same was true for the blood that reacted to the potion with a boiling sound. The heat flowing through his fingertips disappeared. The blood was sticky, but no longer hot.
«Ahh...a-ahh...»
Amelia realized that her sister was no longer there.
«Ahhhh!» Amelia let out the most terrible scream and hugged Laura's upper body. Just then, the roof collapsed once again, spilling rocks.
Dddddd!
Amelia saw him but didn't avoid him. His intention was to stay with Laura like this until the end. However, the cruel world did not even allow it.
«...Ugh!» Her body fell backwards as if someone had pulled her by the back of the head.
Boom!
The back of his head seemed to have hit the wall because Amelia's vision blurred. As her consciousness drifted further and further away, Amelia looked at her sister buried in the rubble.
One step.
He heard a step somewhere. Reflexively, Amelia turned to the source of the sound. An old man was walking towards them.
«Who...?»
At Amelia's murmur, the old man looked at her without changing his expression. When she looked deeper, he seemed worried about something. After a moment of silence like that, he sighed and then opened his mouth. «Ugh, how many requests. Auril Gavis. That's the name of this old man».