033 Conflict

The scenery blurred in a dizzying whirl, and the wind pressure was crushing.

It seemed the Magic Resistance covering my body had finally given out. I couldn’t even twitch a finger against the sheer force of the gale. I had managed to cast Flight Magic on Shari at the very last second, but that had drained the absolute last of my mana.

The only thing I could hear was the howling wind. Even keeping my eyes open was a struggle.

Even if I’d had an ounce of magic left, not even Carta could have pulled off a spell to handle the buoyancy needed at this terminal velocity.

In other words—I was dead.

Ah... why did I save Shari? I was supposed to be focused on avoiding my own ruin, so why couldn't I protect the most basic thing? My own life?

...I didn't know.

Memories and thoughts flooded my mind like a revolving lantern, flickering before vanishing into the dark.

In the original story, when Shari Elias died, I had actually shed tears even though I knew she was just a fictional character. It was painful and heart-wrenching. I’d felt so frustrated by my own helplessness. Some readers had written her off, saying a naive girl like her deserved to die.

But I never thought that. Not for a second.

She was lonely. I knew that particular brand of pain all too well. Despite everything, she had started to believe in the future. She had come to believe in equality. She had truly sworn to change the world.

But... I couldn't save her.

Why? Why is this the only route available? I was filled with a crushing sense of helplessness.

That was why I had been so happy when I first saw the two of them together. At the same time, as Weiss, I’d felt a tangle of complex emotions. I had been so conflicted. When I first heard about this trial, Shari’s fate had stayed stuck in the back of my mind like a burr.

I’d decided to defeat everyone head-on, yet I had been the one to break my own rules.

This was my punishment.

Hey, Weiss.

Trying to snatch everything for myself... that was a bit too much to ask for, wasn't it?

But this was probably for the best. Weiss would die, and Shari would survive. Could there be a better happy ending than that? It was the ultimate development—the one I had wished for back then.

"—iss—"

Huh?

"We—i—"

...Ha. Haha. What the hell is this guy doing?

"Weiss!"

Allen was there, hovering in the sky above me. He was desperately reaching out his hand, chasing after me as I plummeted.

Ha. What are you even doing? You protagonist bastard.

"Grab my hand, Weiss!"

God, he was noisy.

Why did he come here? What did he think he could do? Why... why did he come to save someone like me?

"Hurry up, Weiss!!!!"

Ah, that was right. I was Weiss. A villain, a piece of trash, a lazy, irredeemable scumbag. The Degenerate Noble.

"You want to live, don't you!!!!!!!!!!!!"

...Ah, damn it all.

I slowly reached out my hand.

You’re way too cool, protagonist.

---

I heard a crackling sound. It was warm. My heart felt strangely at peace.

"Sha... ri..."

I forced my upper body up, snapping awake. Looking around, I realized I was in a cave. The air was heavy and gloomy, but the bonfire made the atmosphere feel pleasant.

Then I looked down at myself. I was naked from the waist up.

...Wait, why?!

"Good morning, Weiss."

Allen appeared at the cave entrance, holding something that looked like a snake in one hand. He wore an innocent, boyish smile. Strangely, I didn't feel my usual irritation.

At that moment, my memories came rushing back. That was right—I’d saved Shari... and then...!

"You! What did you do—"

"I saw you falling and went after you. It turned out okay because there was a river at the bottom."

As he spoke, Allen skewered the snake on a wooden stick and started roasting it over the crackling flames.

But something was wrong.

"...Don't lie to me. There’s no river at the bottom of that cliff. Tell me the truth."

It was impossible. From that height, how could he have... wait, did this guy really...?

"Allen, you... when did you learn to do that?"

"...Learn what?" He sat down by the fire. It felt like a bizarre dream.

"Don't play dumb. Flight Magic."

"What are you talking about?"

"It’s the only logical explanation."

Allen tossed another branch onto the fire and then spoke quietly.

"Weiss... what are you hiding?"

"...Hiding?"

"The day before the exercise, I heard you telling Shari to withdraw. She said you were just pressuring her because she was in the way of you earning points, but I don't think that’s it. Weiss, I can't imagine you doing something so cowardly."

Ha... he acts like he’s clueless, but he actually thinks things through, doesn't he?

Still, it was weird. Even if he’d sensed something was off, how could he have found us at that exact moment?

"No... it’s exactly like Shari said. I pressured her so I could earn points more efficiently. If she succeeded, my relative score would drop."

"I see... Well, then I have nothing to tell you either. We just got swept away by the river after we fell."

"...Hmph."

I didn't like it. I didn't like it one bit, but...

"...For now, do you want to eat?"

Allen handed me the fragrant-smelling snake. The scent of the roasted meat was savory, even if the appearance was grotesque.

Grumble.

"Give it here."

"I'm not giving it to you unless you say you want it."

...What was with this guy? He was surprisingly high-maintenance.

But—.

"You’re too full of openings!"

"Ah!"

I snatched it away and bit into the head, munching down. I didn't want to show this guy any more weakness. I couldn't afford to.

"...Allen."

"What? Is it gross? I didn't have any seasoning, so—"

"Thanks."

"...Haha. You're welcome."

I had offered my gratitude—the one and only tradition of House Fanscent. It was a troublesome rule to live by.

Once I finished eating, I realized I hadn't heard any mental announcements. The exercise should have been over by now.

And wait... why had I been so hungry? Hungry enough to snatch food like a wild animal?

"Allen, how long was I out?"

"About half a day. It’ll be morning soon. Your clothes should be dry any minute now."

"Damn it, so that’s it..."

The announcement of the end must have played while I was unconscious. But that made things even weirder. Why were we still here? Or rather, why hadn't help arrived? It was unthinkable for the school to just abandon us, even if they assumed we were dead.

Leaving aside my own reputation, people like Lilith and Cynthia would have been searching for me frantically.

Allen spoke up again. "At first, I tried to move while carrying you. But I couldn't."

"Couldn't?"

"Yeah. Haven't you noticed? Look over that way."

I looked in the direction Allen was pointing. Sensing my mana had recovered, I activated Dark Eye.

My heart skipped a beat.

...What the hell is that monster?

"Unbelievable, right? Its magic power is likely interfering with everything. That’s probably why no one can pinpoint our location."

The sheer volume of mana was enough to make a man's entire body seize up with tremors. It was a monster, without a doubt, but the pressure it gave off was overwhelming. If we moved carelessly and got attacked... and I had been unconscious... I would have been a goner.

So that was it... Geez. You really are a protagonist.

"My strength and mana have recovered a bit. I should be fine now. Let’s head back."

"Normally I’d say you should rest more, but... well, if it’s you, Weiss, you’ll probably be fine." Allen laughed. It was a carefree, friendly laugh.

...Hmph.

"So, how did you really save me?"

"What?"

"Don't play dumb. I said my thanks. I have the right to know, don't I?"

Allen let out a long sigh. ...Is he actually going to tell me? This protagonist guy really is a good person.

"I have a Gift—"

At that moment, goosebumps erupted across my skin.

A scream unlike any I’d ever heard echoed all the way into the cave. It was an indescribable sensation of pure terror; my spine tingled, and my brain screamed a danger signal: RUN.

Allen and I locked eyes. The monster had woken up.

But something felt off. Because I was using Dark Eye, I noticed a faint trace of magic power moving. Allen noticed it too; I could see it in his expression.

Almost simultaneously, we bolted outside.

"GUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

A roar ripped through the air, sounding like it was being wrung from the very depths of the earth. The vibrations made my body shake uncontrollably.

Ahead of us, a monster covered in scales was literally howling at the sky. Whether it was enraged because its sleep had been disturbed or some other emotion entirely, it didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was the overwhelming bloodlust. I could feel through its mana that it possessed the power to level the entire region.

No, it was more than that. I knew this monster. I knew its stats, its level, and its terror.

"A dragon..." Allen muttered, his voice trembling. It was the first time I’d ever seen him look so frightened.

My own hands and feet were shaking. This dragon was effectively a boss that was supposed to appear only in the final stages of the story. It had astronomical magic and physical resistance, insane attack power, and a massive mana pool. Most terrifying of all was its ferocious nature—it viewed everything other than itself as literal trash.

There was no way we could win as we were now. In the game, you had to grind and polish your skills to the limit before finally facing this thing at the very end of the plot.

But—.

"Ky—Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Damn it! Wh-what is this thing?!"

I recognized those voices. They were underclassmen—a boy and a girl.

Damn it... were they stranded too?

The dragon’s bloodlust was fixed squarely on them. Once it finished its roar, it would attack. Their bodies would be torn to pieces, and they would be wiped from the face of the earth.

It was inevitable. They were just unlucky.

—However.

"...Allen, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to save them."

The protagonist was quietly flooding his body with mana, hand hovering over his sword.

The idiot. He doesn't understand a thing. No... he does understand. He understands perfectly, and he’s going to stand his ground anyway.

"You can't win. You can feel it, can't you?"

"...Nothing is impossible. Not in this world."

"You’re going to die. We can't beat that thing as we are now."

I knew the truth. We lacked the levels. We lacked the mana. We lacked the technique. We lacked everything. We were going to die.

"Even so, I won't run away."

...Ah. I know. I know you better than anyone else does.

A stupid, naive, do-gooder protagonist who only knows how to look forward.

"...Weiss."

"—I'm returning the favor. That’s the rule of House Fanscent."

Before I knew it, I was standing right beside Allen. It was strange, even to me. I knew for a fact we couldn't win. But everyone has thought about it at least once, right? What it would be like to stake your life while standing next to the protagonist.

"We move the second it stops roaring. We’ll create an opening and let them escape."

"Yeah—got it."

Ah... I finally get it now.

Weiss, you weren't just jealous. You admired the protagonist, Allen. You wanted to be like him. That was why you couldn't forgive yourself.

Maybe I finally understood how he felt. I felt the same way. You could struggle all you wanted, but you could never beat a protagonist this straightforward. Of course I was envious.

"Weiss—now!"

The moment the dragon's roar faded, Allen and I lunged forward together.