Chapter 63

The gaping box spewed pitch-black smoke. Its target was clear.

Snap!

“Kekekekekek!”

♩♬♪♩♬♪♩♬♪

The inside of the box, wide open like a mouth, was filled with sharp teeth, and a tongue flicked about wildly.

The moment Daddy was finally caught—

“Alexa!!”

I grabbed Alexa’s shoulder tightly.

“Throw me over there!”

“Wh-what?!”

“I said throw me!! Are you just gonna let Daddy die like this?!”

Alexa’s eyes changed.

She knew.

To her, who had spent countless years by his side and respected him more than anyone, the former commander mattered more than a newly-met pope candidate like me.

Which is exactly why I knew she’d do as I asked.

“Agh, screw it. If Sir Derek comes after me later, you better save me!!”

Of course I’ll save you.

No way I’d just let it slide.

With the overwhelming strength befitting a holy knight, Alexa threw me like a shot put.

Oof—wind…!

Whoooosh!

Flying through the air, I wasn’t afraid. Because I knew exactly where I was going.

Daddy was nearly swallowed by the black smoke.

Whump!

The moment I crashed into him, sharp pain surged through me—but I held it in.

‘Daddy… being low-level is so hard, huh? So many enemies…’

That’s why…

I have to live even more boldly.

I won’t just go down like this.

At the last moment, I turned my head.

“…!! Pope candidate!!”

“Stop her! Grab her now!!!”

I burned every face and feature I could see into my mind.

Those bastards—I memorized your damn faces.

As the holy knights turned pale and ran toward me…

Still holding tightly onto Daddy, my vision went dark.

* * *

Right after Nemesia was swallowed into the paranormal event—

Silence, like death itself, filled the underground chamber.

“Ha, haha… Insane…”

Alexa let out a dry laugh, then finally realized what she had done. She buried her face in her hands.

‘Am I out of my mind?’

No matter how desperate it was, no matter how she asked—how could she throw that small, fragile child straight into danger?

She ran off like she had a plan… but did she really?

…If Nemesia never returns, she’ll suffer from that guilt for the rest of her life.

“Ooh, impressive. Rushing in without hesitation. Don’t you think so?”

A relaxed voice spoke beside Alexa. She turned her head slightly—and saw Antonio.

“Do you think she really had a plan and trusted you to throw her? Or did she just plan to die with him?”

“…Do not insult the pope candidate, Sir Antonio.”

Alexa ground her teeth.

“…I know you are not the real Sir Antonio.”

Of course, Alexa didn’t know Antonio was a royal spy.

But she had met the real Holy Knight Antonio before.

At her words, Antonio paused. Then he smiled slyly.

“Aw, don’t glare like that. She’s one of the smartest candidates, right? Who knows~ maybe she’ll work a miracle~!”

He clapped his hands.

Then spun on his heel.

“Looks like I’m the only one who can handle cleanup here. Should I ask around~?”

The smile slowly faded from his face.

Antonio raised his hand and peeled back the bandages wrapped around it. Bright yellow eyes glared at the remaining holy knights.

“That’s… something a fanatic only uses after going berserk. A very dangerous item…”

The holy knights visibly tensed. One of them looked especially pale.

“Why… did you all use it so recklessly, like you had some secret agreement?”

Not yet. The Order can’t fall into chaos over something like this.

Not yet.

The spy grinned wide.

* * *

I opened my eyes in the dark.

‘Looks like I made it, right?’

It really hurt when I crashed into Daddy, but the pain was gone now.

‘Hmm, been a while since I was in here. Well—only in the game, though. It’s my first time for real.’

To a berserk holy knight, being trapped in a sealed disposal unit like this is the worst nightmare imaginable.

But this space has one huge flaw.

“Ah!”

I spotted Daddy right away.

“D-Daddy… huh?”

The moment I ran toward him, the space twisted and shifted.

‘This place is…’

It was the underground room from before.

Daddy was now tied to a chair, and several people stood around him.

One of their faces stood out to me.

‘The holy knight bastard who dragged Daddy off…!’

Daddy wasn’t just tied up—his mouth was gagged, too.

That knight bastard, Joshua, held a tool in his hand and smirked.

“Let’s see if this’ll finally trigger your berserk mode. Oh well, even if it’s unfair, there’s nothing to be done, is there? You’re the eternal shame of the Order. A ticking time bomb we never know when will go off.”

“…”

Daddy silently endured everything, no matter what they did.

My eyes widened.

‘…I expected this. But still. These absolute scumbags.’

I bit my lip.

“Daddy, what if… just in case, we get separated? Then… they’re definitely gonna try to force you to go berserk.”

“I understand.”

“For us, try to hold on a little. D’you… think you can?”

The conversation I had with Daddy flashed through my mind.

I admitted it.

I still hadn’t fully come to grips with the weight of this reality. Deep down, I’d been taking it all too lightly.

“Sorry. I’m still not ready… just saying stuff.”

“Don’t say that. I…”

I remembered Daddy’s choked-up voice that day.

“Just the fact that trash like me can do something… gives me more strength than you know.”

“…You’re not trash, I told you!”

“Right. And the fact that this means protecting you… that it’s such an honor and a purpose—I say this because I do know.”

“…”

That day, I made a promise with Daddy.

Even if we were separated—we’d find our way back to each other soon.

“No matter the situation, don’t apologize. Even if I get hurt.”

Daddy had known exactly what might happen to him if we got separated.

“Why? Because Nemesia’s the Pope?”

“Even if you weren’t the Pope… I think I’d still follow you.”

Yeah… I’d been so stunned by those words that I couldn’t think straight. Blushed like an idiot, too.

My vision blurred, and heat rose to both cheeks.

I clenched my eyes shut.

I had to… I had to remember all of this.

“…Tsk. Damn, you’re stubborn. Not even a scream, huh? You’re no fun.”

Daddy was a wreck in front of me. Just like when I’d entered the underground chamber.

“So boring.”

Joshua, still holding the tool, grimaced in disgust.

Then sneered.

“Oh, right. I should tell you something important, shouldn’t I?”
 

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Translator: Japchae