"Ha—!"
It was that sensation of being forcibly jolted awake—the feeling that always accompanied a Return by Death.
No matter how many times I experienced it, I could never get used to it.
"How far back was I sent!?"
I scanned my surroundings as the thought raced through my mind. Behind me lay the mangled heaps of Bugbear corpses.
"Haa... haa... haa... haa..."
My breath came in ragged gasps. The physical exhaustion alone was proof that the battle had only just ended.
"...No. You've got to be kidding me."
I didn't want to believe it. Was it possible that the months I’d spent with the Vampire Eudite had been completely wiped away?
Desperate to confirm the truth, I summoned my Status Screen.
▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽▽
〈Kiska〉
Skill 1: Save & Reset
Skill 2: Provocation Lv1
Skill 3: None
Skill 4: None
Skill 5: None
△△△△△△△△△△△△△△△
Just moments ago, all five slots had been filled with skills. Now, they were gone.
"No... No, please..."
I didn't want to accept it. The idea that all the effort I’d poured in over the last few months had been reduced to nothing was unbearable.
"Ah... Aaaah..."
For several minutes, I stood there in a daze, sobbing.
What had all that time been for? A kaleidoscope of the moments I’d shared with Eudite flashed through my mind, only to be swallowed by the realization that it had all returned to zero.
"...That’s right. I have to go see her."
I pulled myself together and began to walk with unsteady, staggering steps. I had to see the Vampire Eudite. Maybe, just maybe, she would still remember me.
I found the Vampire Eudite in the middle of a dungeon corridor. She had a table and chairs set up and was gracefully holding a teacup.
Losing my skills was fine. Even losing the mountain of Skill Points I’d accumulated from hunting monsters was something I could endure. If only she still knew who I was.
"My, how rare. To think an intruder would find their way into this place."
The moment she looked at me and spoke those words, the truth hit me like a physical blow. She had forgotten everything. The months we had lived together meant nothing to her now.
"Lady Eudite, it’s Kiska. Don’t you... don't you remember me?"
I clung to a sliver of hope as I spoke. I thought that if I told her my name, maybe a spark of recognition would flicker in her eyes.
"I’m afraid you’re mistaken. I have no memory of an acquaintance like you."
Reality was cold and heartless. She simply tilted her head, her expression vacant and polite.
"Ah... ugh..."
The moment I realized there was no hope left, tears spilled from my eyes uncontrollably. I was back at square one. I had to do it all over again.
"Ugh... hng..."
My spirit felt like it was snapping. A crushing sense of lethargy washed over me, making me want to just give up and let go of everything.
"...Are you all right?"
I looked up to find Lady Eudite standing over me. Her eyes were full of suspicion, yet she looked like someone who couldn't bring herself to ignore a person in distress.
"Um... Great Vampire Lady Eudite. I have a request."
I gritted my teeth. I’d done this before. I’d been broken countless times, and every time, I’d forced myself back up. I couldn't afford to stop until my revenge was complete.
I would start over from scratch. As many times as it took.
"Please... make me your apprentice."
I bowed my head low. I didn't know how she would react. She might decide to kill me right here and now. But even if she did, I would just keep coming back.
"............"
Silence stretched between us for several seconds. When no answer came, I grew uneasy and raised my head.
"Eh...?"
Blood was geysering into the air. Someone had stepped out from the shadows and decapitated the Vampire Eudite with a single, swift stroke.
As Eudite’s body slumped to the floor, a figure emerged from behind her. Ageha stood there, her eyes hollow.
"I won't forgive you if you get together with another woman."
She whispered the words and swung her blade at me. My life was cut short before I could even scream.
"Damn it all!"
I spat the words out as soon as I returned.
What was I supposed to do? What the hell was that supposed to mean—"I won't forgive you if you get together with another woman"? None of this made any sense.
"Fine. I'll clear this dungeon on my own."
Don't lose sight of the goal, Kiska. My purpose is to break through this dungeon and slaughter every last villager. That is my revenge.
The Vampire Eudite was just a means to an end. With the experience I have now, I should be able to navigate this place alone, even without her power.
I stopped looking back. I would only think about the path forward.