The monsters’ control broke.
The worms, freed from the man’s control, scattered in all directions. But the agitated worms still surrounded Neil and Fina.
I hurried back to them.
—Please, be alive!
I entered the swarm of worms surrounding the two. Suppressing my impatience, I broke through a thin spot in the encirclement.
There they are, thank goodness! Both of them are standing firm and fighting!
“Are you alright!?”
“Katia! Are you safe too?”
“Yes!”
I’m so glad, really.
Both of them had sweat on their brows and looked exhausted, but they didn’t seem to be injured.
“Katia-san, you defeated that guy!”
The man who controlled the monsters, I killed him. I cut off his head.
“…Yes. So the control over the monsters should be broken.”
“…?”
“Ah, the worms’ movements have slowed down!”
“You two, you can still move, right? Let’s push them back!”
“Of course!”
“Yes!”
“Let’s go!”
The battle is coming to an end.
The worms, having lost their control, are weak, and their dissolving liquid is no longer a threat if they just spit it out randomly.
Most of the worms fled without a fight, so there aren’t many left.
This is the last one!
“Deyaa!”
The worm collapsed, its bodily fluids spilling out.
It’s finally over.
“Phew, it’s over. Thanks to you, Katia, we made it. We’re alive!”
“That’s right. Good work, Katia-san. …Katia-san?”
“Ah, yes. What is it?”
Oh no, I wasn’t listening.
Was it because the battle was over and my tension was released, or was I just tired?
“What’s wrong, Katia? Something’s off, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. Why aren’t you sheathing your sword?”
“Huh?”
I hadn’t noticed.
I was still gripping the sword in my right hand.
And now, my hand started trembling—.
I could see Neil and Fina exchanging glances out of the corner of my eye.
“…Neil, could you go and check the area where that man was?”
“…Yes, Fina-nee. About Katia-san…”
“Yeah. Leave it to me.”
Neil left. Fina gently took my right hand.
“!!”
My body stiffened.
“It’s over now, Katia.”
“B-But, my hand is shaking.”
It won’t stop. My own body won’t listen to me.
“I’m sorry I made you carry this burden alone. But it’s something we three should carry together. Don’t you dare take it all on yourself.”
She seems to have already realized what happened.
But.
“I, I!”
I did it on my own. It’s not something the two of them should feel responsible for!
“I think I would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes, Katia. If that happened, would you just leave me alone?”
“That’s… that’s not fair…”
“So, tell me. Why do you look so pained? Why do you look like you’re about to cry?”
Saying that, Fina embraced me. Softly, like soothing a child.
The sword slipped from my hand and clattered to the ground.
“I feel sick.”
“Yeah.”
“The feeling of cutting off his head, the feeling of ending a life, it’s still in my hand…”
“Yeah.”
“The look on his face right before I cut him, it keeps flashing in my mind over and over.”
“Yeah.”
She gently stroked my back.
She didn’t give me any special responses. She just listened to my meaningless murmurs.
Why is my heart so parched? Why is my heart so worn down?
“Fina-nee, as I thought…”
Neil seems to have returned.
“…I see. Thank you.”
I can’t think of anything.
Oh, somehow, my consciousness is fading—.
“—tia-chan! Katia-chan! Hold on!”
“What’s wrong, Fina-nee!?”
“I don’t know! She suddenly went limp—”
I can hear voices.
Huh?
Did I always know this many words? I can put my feelings into words.
Where did this knowledge come from?
“Katia-chan! I’m so glad you’re awake. You scared me!”
Who is this? This older sister.
A person with beautiful blonde hair and emerald eyes.
“Katia-san! Are you hurt anywhere?”
Another person I don’t know.
A kind-looking man with brown hair and eyes.
“Katia-chan? Somehow, the atmosphere is different from usual—”
Did I… survive?
My father and mother died, and then I was swept away to a dark place.
And then, that’s right!
What about that older brother?
The older brother who said he would protect me.
I jumped into his chest, and then—.
“Ah, my head, my head hurts!”
My head hurts like it’s splitting open!
Something is flooding in, a huge amount.
Unable to bear it, I crouched down.
“Katia-chan! Hold on! Magic!”
“Fina-san” casts healing magic on me.
The pain subsides.
…I see, I understand.
Older brother, you kept your promise properly.
I’m happy.
No, right now, it’s older sister.
It’s kind of funny, hehe.
What I’m feeling now is memory.
The memories of this body, up until today.
It seems I can also use the body’s knowledge.
“Thank you, Fina-san.”
For the time being, I stood up to show that I was okay.
Wow, I’m, tall, aren’t I?
I can see far away.
And, my body feels heavier in the front than in the back.
I have to straighten my back to keep my balance.
“Y-Yeah. Are you alright now?”
“Yes, I’m fine. Neil-san, I’m sorry for worrying you.”
“Y-Yes.”
Protecting these two, the older brother’s heart became tired and fell asleep, it seems.
So until the older brother wakes up again, I’ll pretend to be him so they won’t find out.
I don’t intend to say that this body is mine anymore. If the older brother hadn’t come at that time, I think I would have died.
Because I had almost given up on living. So, this body is already the older brother’s.
But, I’m sure the older brother would say to return the body. It’s troubling because I understand what kind of person he is through his memories.
My only wish right now is to talk to the older brother. But somehow, I know that it’s impossible to be awake at the same time as him.
So, someday. I hope it comes true someday.
And then, I hear a sound from the blocked entrance.
According to my memories, help might come if we wait. So, I’ll try saying something appropriate like that.
“It seems the rescue has arrived.”
“That’s right. But, isn’t this vibration bad?”
She answered me normally, so is this okay?
“T-This is…”
Since they’re trying to do something about the fallen rocks, it’s natural that there’s a big tremor. And, attracted by that, a presence? is approaching.
“Worms are coming!”
“Oh, no! But, this is really the last time, right! We’ll leave the rest to the other soldiers.”
According to this body’s knowledge, they are sensitive to sound and vibration, it seems.
About twenty giant earthworm monsters, worms, are approaching. What should I do, I can’t use a sword like the older brother!?
“Katia-san? What’s wrong, you have to get ready!”
“Neil-san, I’ll use magic!”
“Magic, you mean fire magic?”
“This cavern is wide, so we won’t suffocate. But Katia-chan, can’t you only use intermediate level magic?”
“That’s right. With intermediate level, you can only burn one at most!”
Mmph, don’t underestimate me!
This body’s aura talent belongs to the older brother, and the magical talent belongs to me.
So I can’t use a sword well, but magic is different!
It’s just that the older brother, who can also use magic reasonably well, is too versatile.
“Just watch!”
I release the hot power within my body, a great amount from both hands.
Burn everything!
The fire swirls, rising up from the ground in a spiral.
The worms were engulfed in a crimson pillar of fire that reached the ceiling of the cave.
“Wh-What”
“This isn’t intermediate! Maybe it even surpasses advanced—”
Ah!?
I’m supposed to be pretending to be the older brother, I shouldn’t use magic like this!
I regretted it after the worms had all turned to ash.