DTBTHS Chapter 26

Since she was eight years old, the protagonist was currently twelve.

After witnessing his only family member—his adoptive father—being devoured by monsters right before his eyes, he was wandering alone during this period.

In a Blighted Region, relying on a single worn spirit lamp, with a sword stained with his adoptive father's blood as his only weapon, a twelve-year-old boy would be making his way through monsters.

After meeting and contracting with the fire spirit beast Aeon Flare, his position would change to that of hunter, but until then the protagonist was prey at the bottom of the food chain.

'It must be hard.'

The novel recorded that process in detail.

Even after becoming a Spirit Knight of Aeon Flare, he was still just a twelve-year-old child.

Deceived, exploited, going through countless hardships, he would become an adult and a hero.

Even after becoming a hero, he would repeat death and continue regression, never resting for a single moment but striving and striving again.

And what he would face after all that was a bad ending.

Suddenly the protagonist seemed heartbreakingly pitiful. At the same time, she let out an empty laugh.

'Now that my own life has improved, only now do I think of the protagonist.'

She felt self-loathing.

Originally, she had planned to meet him by volunteering for his subjugation force when Axel Valentine first challenged the Great Labyrinth.

During that first challenge which, according to the original, would result in everyone's annihilation with only the protagonist surviving and returning—making him humanity's hope.

'I planned to intervene then and succeed in conquering the Great Labyrinth in one attempt.'

Thinking about it now, leaving Axel alone until then was a selfish act.

'If I'm going to use all the information he obtained, but not help him at all while he suffers...that's too much.'

Changing the ending was also for her own sake rather than for the protagonist's. She felt guilty.

'If I interfere too much, I might hinder the protagonist's growth. I don't have the power to control all variables, so to some extent I need to let things flow according to the original.'

Even so, was there a way to help the protagonist?

While she pondered, they arrived at the western tower annex where Erich was confined.

Veronica stopped just as she was about to knock on the door.

"Miss, just a moment."

"Hm?"

She made Ariadne step back slightly.

"Iron Horse."

At the quiet whisper, black powder poured from her. It formed a horse whose entire body was made of steel. Veronica's spirit beast.

'Iron Horse—what a straightforward name.'

"Excuse me."

Veronica, who had mounted the spirit beast, lifted Ariadne with one arm and seated her in front of herself.

"Did Veronica name this spirit beast?"

"You can call me Nica...The moment I encountered her I called her Iron Horse...so that became her imprinted name. Up."

Veronica easily controlled the horse without reins.

Despite its heavy appearance, Iron Horse leaped lightly and landed on the annex roof. The roof tiles crumbled beneath Iron Horse's hooves.

"Oops."

Veronica, looking down at the tiles, made a dismayed face.

"Why?"

"Because I broke the tiles...I'll get scolded again. Tons of nagging about how stairs exist to be climbed..."

"Don't tell me you brought out your spirit beast because you didn't want to climb stairs?"

"That's part of it...actually, I also wanted to take this opportunity to hold you, Miss..."

Veronica, who mumbled her answer with a slightly reddened face, urged the spirit beast forward.

Iron Horse kicked off the roof, leaped up, kicked off the western tower's wall, and leaped again. Pivoting gracefully in midair while kicking the wall, Iron Horse quickly landed on the terrace at the tower's top.

Thud—when a heavy sound rang out, the silver-haired boy who had been looking through a telescope in the corner of the terrace fell backward in surprise.

"Ahhh!"

"Coward."

"Hey! Anyone would be startled by that sound from behind!"

Erich, who had bristled at Veronica's casually tossed words, shouted loudly.

"I wouldn't be startled."

"Am I the same as a monster like you?!"

"Our knight order people...nobody gets startled."

"Of course they wouldn't. They're all Spirit Knights! Don't compare Spirit Knights with ordinary people!"

"You're...a mage, at least."

"At least? At least? You must not have met many mages, but I get called a genius until I'm sick of it, you know? And mages' bodies are exactly the same as ordinary people's, you know?"

"...Childish."

"You started it first! Ugh!"

Erich, who had been fuming, belatedly discovered Ariadne. His face turned pale.

"Nica, don't tell me you put that fragile skeleton on your brutish spirit beast and jumped up the tower? Are you insane?"

Erich, who rushed over in a fluster, tried to pick up Ariadne.

Before his hands could reach her, Veronica, who lifted her first, made the spirit beast disappear.

"Iron Horse, dismissed."

She set Ariadne down on the ground and glared at Erich.

"Skeleton?"

"Hey, skeleton, are you okay? Not dizzy? Her driving is really brutal."

"I'm fi—"

"Skeletonnnnn?"

Veronica, interrupting Ariadne's words, unfastened her sword from her belt, sheath and all.

"That doesn't...mean the young lady, does it?"

"What's wrong with calling a skeleton a skeleton?"

Erich snorted as he retorted. Veronica closed her mouth and swung the sheath.

"Ah! Ow! Who are you hitting right now, how dare you! Ah! Have you finally lost it?"

"Commander, gave permission."

"For what! Ah! That hurts! Stop hitting me!"

"Even if I have to beat you, I'll make you mature."

"Ah, Mother, seriously!"

While Ariadne stood there dumbfounded, Veronica thoroughly thrashed the young count's back before sheathing her sword.

"Every time you say something like skeleton...to the young lady...I'll hit you."

"Wow, even so, don't you have any awareness that I'm a young count?"

"If you're dissatisfied, fire me."

"Ugh, why did God give talent to someone like you..."

"That's...what I want to say."

"Earlier you didn't even properly treat me like a mage, and now you're saying I have talent? What remarkable progress. Thank you sooo much for the compliment?"

Erich grumbled but approached Ariadne and checked her condition. Ariadne quickly waved her hands.

"Ah, I'm fine."

"You, last time too you were fine and then that happened."

"A priest came and healed me. I'm really fine now."

"Divine power isn't omnipotent. Stupid skeleton—ow! Hey!"

"Watch your words to the young lady."

"Ugh, damn. Anyway, skeleton, divine power is—ow!"

"I said watch your words."

"Because she's like a skeleton—ow! Skele—ah! I'll call her what I want!"

"Too childish and rude...I'm embarrassed for you."

"What! Why! Whatever I do, why are you embarrassed?!"

Erich, who had been hit repeatedly on the back of his head, ground his teeth in rebuttal, then flinched and turned his head when Veronica expressionlessly raised the sheath. Veronica openly sighed.

'Whatever else, they seem close. They're like children.'

Ariadne couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh—pfft.

Seeing her laugh, both Veronica and Erich froze.

"Oh."

"Sh-she laughed. She smiled. What do I do, even cuter...!"

Veronica, covering her mouth with her hand while looking at her, grabbed Erich's shoulder and shook it.

"Look, look, someone so cute, what did you call her?"

"Well, uh, what, for a skeleton she's reasonably cu—urk!"

"Stubborn to the end...Miss, don't give anything...to someone like this. It's a waste."

Veronica, who had grabbed Erich's collar instead of his shoulder at some point, said coldly.

Ariadne suppressed her laughter and waved her hand.

"Let the young count go, Nica."

"Over the terrace railing...?"

"...No, inside."

Veronica, who looked at the terrace railing with regretful eyes, released Erich.

Ariadne took out the Elixir bottle and handed it to him as he coughed.

Discovering the ribbon with his name written on it attached to the glass bottle, Erich's expression became strange.

"What's this?"

"It's a gift. It's the first potion I made."

"You made it? A tiny, weak thing like you making potions...what kind of potion is it?"

"Ask Grandfather."

"What, what is it? Is your experiment related to this?"

"By the way, why did you say it was your fault?"

"What?"

"When I collapsed, I clearly said it wasn't the young count's fault. But you still said it was your fault?"

"Th-that, well. That's—"

"They said you were reflecting. What were you reflecting on?"

"Uh..."

Erich, who had been mumbling, clamped his mouth shut. A face that didn't know what to do.

Apparently he'd belatedly felt guilty about picking a fight with her, who was much younger, out of misplaced inferiority.

'Is it because he's young? Compared to the Erich Weaver from the original...he's somehow transparent. Unexpectedly kind.'

Ariadne prodded him slightly.

"Were you perhaps sorry to me?"

Erich immediately bristled.

"Hey, what did I do wrong to you that I'd be sorry? I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Then why were you reflecting?"

"Damn, Mother, right? Mother told you all that?"

"You said you disliked me, but actually the young count doesn't dislike me that much."

"Th-that..."

The ears visible between his silver hair turned bright red. Veronica watched with interest.

Erich looked back and forth between Veronica and Ariadne, who was staring up at him calmly, then suddenly shouted.

"Who said I don't dislike you? Don't talk nonsense! Someone like you is disgusting and annoying, so get lo—ahhh!"

"Watch your words."

"I didn't say skeleton!"

"Rude."

"Damn it, you're both annoying! Get out!"

Erich, who squawked, went inside the terrace and slammed the door shut.

Veronica frowned.

"See, Miss. He didn't even say thank you...the gift isn't worth giving."

Ariadne looked through the glass door of the terrace.

She could see Erich's retreating figure stamping his feet as he walked away. In one hand he clutched tightly the glass bottle she'd given him.

"No, I'm glad I gave it."

When Ariadne answered with a smile, Veronica made an unconvinced expression.