noveltune Chapter 304
Chapter 304
“Ugh, my body is disgusting...!”
After defeating the Witch of Lust and obtaining a sacred relic, I desperately ran back through the body of the giant centipede.
I had asked the hunting squad to hold on for 30 minutes.
However, the issue was that I had wasted much more time than expected due to the Witch’s powers.
Feeling anxious, I even considered detonating the centipede’s body with flames to escape, but I couldn’t execute that plan as I was unaware of the situation outside.
Even now, as I could feel the centipede’s body shaking violently, it seemed fierce battles were occurring, and I was afraid that innocent people might get caught in the flames.
So, all I could do was hope that the promised 30 minutes hadn’t passed and run for my life.
“An exit...!”
Putting all my strength into my run, I soon caught sight of the entrance I had squeezed through earlier.
The mouth of the centipede was almost blocked, having been crushed, yet it still possessed some strength to barely hold itself closed.
But as I approached the exit, I realized something and couldn’t help but shudder.
“Why... is it so quiet?”
Having nearly reached the outside, there should have been sounds of battle or the hunting squad preventing the centipede from moving, but I heard none of that outside.
My mind was filled with ominous thoughts.
Wait, am I... late?
Could it be that the hunting squad retreated without me because I couldn’t make it back in time?
With the interior of the centipede, which had been writhing violently just a moment ago, now quiet, that possibility seemed quite likely.
What if I’m truly left behind?
I didn’t particularly resent the hunting squad for leaving me.
If I was indeed late, they couldn’t have waited indefinitely for me.
After all, I was the one who caused the time loss by being careless while fighting the Witch of Lust.
But it was still a serious matter.
I felt my face drain of color.
Not seeing any water coming into the centipede’s body usually indicated that it wasn’t submerged, but the fact that the hunting squad had withdrawn hinted that it might happen soon.
The problem was,
“I can’t swim...!”
The problem lay in the fact that I didn’t know how to swim at all.
Due to my circumstances at home, I never had the opportunity to learn anything like swimming.
If someone like me were left alone in the ocean...
What to do? I’ve heard that people float in water, but do witches float too?
Back in the Middle Ages, they used to say that if a witch sank after being thrown into a lake during a witch hunt, she was truly a witch—meaning she wouldn’t float, right?
I don’t know, but I was sure I wouldn’t have the confidence to swim to the surface.
At this rate, I would become a water-affinity witch instead of a fire one...!
“I don’t want this...!!”
Filled with the fear of being left alone in the ocean to drown, I urgently detonated the centipede’s head with flames and escaped outside.
The moment I emerged, the scene before me revealed the darkness of a cave that seemed to have transformed due to whatever had transpired.
“......The answer to that will be given if I make it back safely.”
“......Okay.”
For some reason, Flone and Dwight were clinging behind a massive pillar at the cave’s entrance, creating a strange atmosphere.
Upon seeing their faces, I couldn’t help but murmur.
“......What are you two doing?”
Why did they seem to be in a boy-girl atmosphere, as if they were the only two people left in the world?
In a fluster, I asked them with a blank expression.
“......Huh?”@@@@
It seemed they were even more startled than I was, gazing at me with disbelief before quickly shouting.
“Eeek?!!! Scarlet’s out!!”
“What the...! Let’s escape! Scarlet! Don’t just stand there, get out quickly!!”
“Uh? Uh...!”
The strange atmosphere from a moment ago had vanished, replaced by the urgency in their voices.
Seeing Dwight, who I had never seen so anxious before, I instinctively recognized the dire situation and dashed toward the cave’s exit without a second thought.
Just then, I thought Flone and Dwight were following me out when Flone shouted, looking at the pillar she was grasping.
“Wait! This thing is wedged in the ceiling, and if I let go now, the cave might collapse...!”
Hearing that, I realized that what Flone was holding was her weapon, not the pillar.
Its name was probably the “Girl Detector,” right?
A type of weapon that grows larger the more force is applied.
It seemed Flone had been holding it to support the cave’s structure.
The taste of salty seawater began to touch my tongue as the water towered much higher above us.
At that instant, I felt it.
Ah, we’re done for.
We’re getting swept away.
We’re getting swept away.
We’re getting swept away!!!
“Gyaaaaaa!!!”
“Wahhhhh!!!”
“Heeek!!!”
Everyone felt it and screamed,
And with that scream, the ocean engulfed us.
.
.
.
I thought it was the end, but,
“......Huh?”
When I came to my senses, we were already on the surface.
Dazed, I looked downward, and there it was, the ocean had frozen in place, leaving just a tiny gap.
When I turned to my side, I saw Marin, who had arrived slightly earlier, floating on Sylvia’s flight spell.
“......I feel like I’m going to die from exhaustion, please don’t make it too difficult for me.”
The pale-faced Marin was muttering that and then slumped like a deflated doll.
It was Marin who had stopped the water just before it finished swallowing us.
Oh, I trusted you...!
Just as I was filled with gratitude, suddenly,
Whoosh!!
The sea returned to its natural state, and the water rose up from the shock, splashing over us.
“Eww... it’s salty!!!!”
“Ugh, yuck!!!”
In an instant, we became soaked like wet rats and complained about the salty seawater.
-■, ■■■■■■■!!!
-■■■■■■■!!!
But that commotion was nothing compared to the reaction of the enraged demonic beasts.
They were flailing about as if they’d just been slapped, their quaking forms producing silent screams that were quite a sight to see.
Then, suddenly, someone burst into laughter.
“Pffff, ha ha ha!!”
“Ah hahah! Haha, ha...!”
And just like that, everyone began to laugh uncontrollably.
I laughed too.
It was just a spontaneous laugh.
The reason everyone was laughing was probably not only due to the demonic beasts’ reactions but perhaps for the same reason.
As the laughter from the group gradually subsided, I lowered the people who had been clinging to my legs onto Sylvia’s constellation and jumped onto Ari’s back.
Then, raising the sacred relic hanging around my neck, I spoke.
“Everyone, thanks to all your efforts, we successfully retrieved the sacred relic. We also defeated the Witch of Lust. While it’s wonderful to complete our mission, there’s even better news. Sylvia?”
As I gestured toward Sylvia, she nodded and began to speak.
“Yes. During the battle, there were some injuries, and Marin sustained significant internal damage by pushing herself, but...”
As Sylvia said this, Marin, who had been lying with her head on Sylvia’s knee, waved her hand to indicate she was okay.
Seeing that, Sylvia smiled and addressed the group.
“There were no casualties. Thank you all for your hard work.”
Cheers of “Waaah!!” erupted from everywhere at the mention of “no casualties.”
Whenever any incident occurred, we had always resolved it through someone’s sacrifice.
However,
For the operation to subdue the Witch of Lust and retrieve the sacred relic,
Seven were injured.
But none had died.
In this moment, when we could celebrate our success without mourning or sorrow,
I was happier than ever before.