Pioneering the Apocalyptic World - Chapter 102
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Chapter 37: The frustration of waiting
The next day… Or rather the day after it, just before noon.
It seems that I got up several times to eat and used the bathroom, but I honestly don’t remember. Before I knew it, more than a day had passed. And I was surprised.
And when I thought my right arm was cold, it seems that I was moved to the edge of the bed and my arm was put in a bucket of holy water placed on the table. …… Should I make hot holy water before the winter? No, I don’t have to do that, I just have to warm up some normal holy water.
When I checked my status, it was still [Contamination: Level 4]. Is my items too weak, It was a level 4 which was almost strong as a level 5, or is there a big difference between 3 and 4?…… Unuuu.
While frowning at the pain in my arm, I sat up and ate a light meal while asking Fricka how the thing were while I was sleeping.
“… What about the earth god?”
“I have checked on her several times, but there seems to be no particular problem so far. She is recovering slowly.”
It seems that Fricka was taking care of her while I was sleeping. I was saved.
Of course, it’s no good leaving her alone, and it would have been too bad if I didn’t rushed in a case of an emergency situation even though I had said, “Please call me if something happened.” Well, as expected, I think that if a serious incident occurred that I was needed, Fricka would wake me up.
“Thank you, I never thought I would sleep this long.”
“No, the earth god was also mostly resting… It was not a big deal.”
It seems that she didn’t go out (she didn’t have the physical strength to go out), so she just stayed at home and Fricka didn’t have much to do.
Well, her seal has just been released, and the miasma contamination still remains, so she’s probably going to be like this for a while.
It seems that Uru and Regulus have explained the general story to her the other day.
That the miasma was being abnormally gathered in Zephyrus. That the monsters were being gathered. That the surrounding areas had become a disaster zone due to the miasma. Even so, I was driven by a sense of crisis that ‘If I turn back here, it will be over.’ and forcefully rushed in. And that this led to the very important result of releasing the Earth God before she was completely polluted by miasma, so it seems that Uru said to her “Don’t get angry at Rion, okay?”.
“Well, um, hmm, sorry for making you worry.”
“… You don’t have to apologize.”
She made bitter smile as if she was in trouble.
But I think I would act in the same way if I was in a similar situation again. I don’t regret it and I have no intention of changing, so this may be a mere empty apology. Hmm, even if it’s about myself, I wonder what I should do.
Regulus told her about the battle from the entrance of the abandoned village to Zephyrus, and Uru told her about the battle against Zephyrus.
Though she was stunned by the fact that I created arrows and magic stones with both holy and lightning attributes.
“Well, it’s Rion.”
“It can’t be helped.”
It seems that she was convinced by the words of the two, and replied with a “… That’s right.”. Oh, okay.
It seems that the same words were said about Zephyr. …… That part is not my fault, is it?
“Speaking of which, how is everyone else doing?”
“Regulus-san has returned to Grosso village. Zephyr was restless, so Uru-san said, ‘Don’t disturb Rion’s sleep!” and took him to hunt together with Fin.”
Unlike the time when I was struck by lightning, I was able to get up and was eating normally (although I don’t remember doing it), so Uru seems to be able to spend the time without being nervous. That’s good. It was tough back then…
Zephyr is… Well, he’s like a child, so I wonder if he can’t be sit still.
If it’s inside the base, it’s fine, but if he’s going to make a mess outside, I’ll have to discipline him hard.…… When I was thinking that, I was asked by Fricka in a serious tone.
“… Rion-sama.”
“Yeah?”
“… Zephyr is really a dragon… No, he is even a monster?”
From what I hear, Zephyr normally sleeps at night, wakes up in the morning, and is active during the day. Seriously?
Monsters are rarely active during the Creator god’s time. If it’s a strong monster, it can move during the day, but… Even being so small, Zephyr can be considered a strong monster for being a dragon, or he does have a special power… I don’t know.
“If something goes wrong, I will take the responsibly and handle it, so for now, can you wait and see?”
“…… Yes.
After I finished talking about what I wanted to ask, my bandages became loose, so I had to change them for new ones and I asked Fricka to put the new bandage on me.
When I them peeled off, It maybe looked a bit better? That being said, it was still in a terrible state.
It hurts just being like that, but when I look at it, it feels like my pain is increasing, so I obediently entrusted my arm to Fricka as I looked away.
We fell silent, and all I could hear was the rustling of bandages.
Before long, I felt the tightness of the bandages, and realized that the change of bandages was finished.
“Phew… Thank you…. Fricka?”
When I turned my gaze back, Fricka was still holding my arm and was not moving.
She’s looking down… I wonder if she’s holding back her nausea because it was too gross…?
“Are you okay? Did you feel sick?”
Right after I asked. In the palm of my hand, something warm fell.
…… Huh?
“W-Why are you crying…?”
When I changed my posture to peer in… Fricka was shedding tears without letting out a sound.
D-Did I showed her such a gross thing…!? I was in panic, but it seems that the reason was completely wrong.
“… Rion-sama, every time that something happens, you come back with a serious injury, it’s painful to see.”
“Ugh…”
Even though I’m a miko, my physical abilities aren’t that different from those of a normal hyuman.
That’s why I try to prepare equipment and items as much as possible so that I can advance in battle in an advantageous manner.
For the most part, I am able to resolve with just that, but… When it comes to a big situation like this, I have no choice but to cut myself to win. Rather, this time it was in the range that could be said that it was good to get off with only this much damage. Of course, I don’t like to feel pain, so I’m doing things like training my body, but… It doesn’t happen overnight, and I am not in an RPG that the enemies are designed to show up according to the growth of the main character, so I’m sure that this kind of thing will happen many times in the future.
In any case, the main cause is that I am weak. But Fricka shook her head.
“No. I’m not blaming Rion-sama.”
“…?”
“I can’t help you in battle like Uru-san, and I don’t have the power to heal injuries… I feel pathetic for my lack of power.”
She was blaming herself for that.
…… Wrong. That’s not right.
“What are you saying. Your holy flame magic was very useful. Without it, even if I didn’t lose the battle against Zephyrus, I might not have been in time to save the Earth Goddess.”
“…… But–”
Since she was still trying to argue, I grab her cheek with my hand to block it.
“Even I can’t imitate Uru’s movements, and even I can’t heal this injury. Even for me, there are many things I can’t do.”
So that’s why… It’s not like I’m saying that for that reason.
“I’ve said something similar to Uru. I don’t have any intention of blaming you for what ‘you can’t do’. Rather, I know that you’re doing your best and trying to increase what you can do, even if there are times that I’ll praise you, I’ll never say that you are pathetic.”
“??”
After hearing my words, Fricka blinked her eyes a few times and fell down without saying anything.
… But you still want to say something, aren’t you?
As I waited patiently as if to urge her, eventually she gave up and spoke.
“… Just waiting in a safe place… No, it’s not…. I just… Maybe I was just lonely because I couldn’t go with you.”
“Ah…”
I don’t say it, but if I was asked if it would had been easier if Fricka was there, I’d come to the conclusion that it wouldn’t be.
The person herself must be aware that she would just drag us down, and because she is aware of it, she must be feeling even more powerless. Even for me, if Uru tells me “Stay back!” even if it’s true, I’m sure I’ll be stabbed in the chest.
It not like I don’t know how she feels, so if she says that she want to go with me, I’ll try to take her as much as possible, but… I can’t guarantee that I’ll take her if we end in a similar situation.
“… I’m sorry. I was being selfish.”
Fricka seems to have realized the same thing, so she tried to walk away.
The look on her face, it was like she had given up on something.
… So I involuntarily caught her arm before she left.
“… Rion-sama?”
“Ah… Well, huh…”
I want to tell her something, but I can’t express it well.
After mumbling in frustration, I pulled her arm lightly and hugged her, telling myself whatever happens, happens.
Perhaps because what I had done was too unexpected, Fricka froze in place. As if to loosen her up, as if to soothe her, I patted her on the back.
“It’s okay to be selfish once in a while.… Well, it’s difficult to grant everything. Even so, it’s much better than force you to swallow it, to have you hold that inside you and make you cry when I was not looking.”
“…”
“I don’t want make you endure it, I don’t want you to feel uncomfortable. That’s why… I think you should do more as you please.”
How did she accept what I said. Fricka stiffened and replied.
“… I’ll do my best.”
…… How modest you are that at just at that level requires you to do your best? Or maybe it was just that much of a confined life you lived… Hmmm… Well, let’s hope you come out sooner or later.
Fricka, who for a while had rested her forehead on my shoulder, spoke.
“… Come to think of it, I asked you to hug me when the matter with Zephyrus was over.”
“Ah… Is this enough?”
“… If possible, please count this separately.”
…… Her fast selfishness(?) made me laugh a little .