Ch. 4: Sticky Situation
Lied and I had left the café and were walking around the town when…-
Village Girl: “Kyaa!!”
We heard the sudden scream of one of the villagers.
Looking, a man with a broad back was rampaging towards us.
Village Girl: “Catch him! That guy’s a thief!”
Thief: “Move it!”
The thief was brandishing a knife as he ran.
Lied: “This way.”
Lied grabbed my arm and veered to the side of the road to avoid the thief.
Or so I thought…-
Thief: “…!!!”
I had thought Lied was turning towards the side of the road, but he stuck his foot out at the thief.
The thief fell hard.
Thief: “You…you bastard!!”
He must have hit something when he fell, because a painful-looking red swelling appeared on his forehead.
In that time, the townspeople who had been chasing after the thief caught up.
Lied: “Things don’t seem to be doing too well here in this country either…I wonder if Stimma’s okay.”
Thief: “Damn…!”
OO: “Eh…-“
The thief took a fleeting glance at me and looked as if he was about to rush towards me…
And in the next instant, the thief had his arm around me.
Lied: “…!”
Thief: “Don’t get any closer!”
He pressed the blade to the base of my neck, and the cold sensation made my back go rigid.
Lied: “This is quite the sticky situation…”
Lied let out a deep sigh.
Ch. 5: The World is Even Now
The lazy town in the early afternoon had suddenly turned into a flurry of commotion by the shout of a thief…-
Thief: “Don’t come any closer!”
OO: “…”
My body began to tremble at the blade pressed to the base of my throat.
Lied: “What a problem. For the time being, that person is an important guest here.”
Thief: “Wha…!?”
Lied walked towards me and the thief with an air of composure about him.
Thief: “I-I said don’t come any closer! Don’t you care what happens to her!?”
Lied: “That’s why I said this was a problem, see? So do this for me. I’m a prince and all.”
Thief: “Wh….”
At that moment, the thief’s eyes went round and…
Lied grabbed onto the blade at my throat with his bare hand.
OO: “Lied!!”
Blood started to flow from his palm.
Thief: “…!!”
Lied: “Ah, well, I don’t really want to be a hostage. I know, how about taking my head and selling it? I’m pretty sure it’ll be quite profitable for you.”
Thief: “A-are you nuts!?”
Lied: “It’s fine, I don’t mind. I don’t really have a reason to keep living anyway.”
Saying it with a smile, Lied took the blade and turned the point to his own throat.
Lied: “Here, right here. I would like to decline any pain, so make sure you aim and cut properly.”
OO: “Lied, stop it!!”
Thief: “Ah…”
The thief clearly had no idea what was going on, and the hand holding the blade started to tremble.
OO: “…!”
Seeing an opening, I mustered up all my strength and pushed away from the thief.
As soon as I did, the townspeople grabbed hold of the thief, and the incident was resolved.
OO: “Lied! Lied…are you ok!?”
I rushed over to Lied and wrapped a handkerchief around the wound on his palm.
Lied: “I’m fine…though I’m relieved. More importantly, you aren’t hurt right?”
The bleeding wasn’t stopping and the handkerchief was turning red.
OO: “I’m fine but the bleeding…!”
I tried again, my eyes blurry with tears when…-
Lied: “It hurts, but, well, it means I’m alive.”
Lied rested his other hand on my head.
OO: “Lied…?”
Just like that, Lied gently stroked my head.
Lied: “I wonder if the world will continue today too…”
OO: “It won’t end. It’s not ending, so please take better care of yourself…”
Lied: “…I don’t really like when you make that face. So, at least for now, there’s a reason for the world to keep spinning a little longer.”
He said it with a troubled smile, but his hand on my head was very warm.
END