SGB: Episode 143

Episode 143: Awakening (6)

In survival, choice and focus are important.

What to give up, and what to choose.

The more rationally you solve this dilemma, the higher your survival rate.

But this time, I failed to do so.

“Keugh, keuheok!”

Three injured people and one top-grade potion.

The best course of action was to give the entire bottle to Rotmiller.

I should have revived him as quickly as possible to get the potions in his [Treasure Vault].

Then I should have treated myself with the high-grade potion and given the remaining top-grade potion to Dwarkey.

However…

‘If I had done that, Dwarkey would have died.’

It was difficult to make a rational choice.

Although I knew it in my head, my body gave half of the potion to Dwarkey without a moment’s hesitation.

As a result…

“Both of you, please hold on! We’re going to get out of this damn place alive!”

…the certain future disappeared.

Because I couldn’t give up on Dwarkey, I could no longer guarantee Rotmiller’s life.

Half a potion would have been enough if I had given it to him right away, but the problem was that I was too late.

In short, it’s high risk, high return.

I made an irrational decision that could lead to the death of the entire team because I wanted everyone to survive.

“Bjo, Bjorn…”

I approach Rotmiller.

And I keep checking his pulse and breathing.

I hope he holds on.

If this man dies, all five of us will die.

‘10 minutes.’

That bastard Dragonslayer will also wake up in about that much time. And right now, the only one who’s in good condition is the dwarf.

If he can’t hold him back, it’s game over.

“Ah, right! The stone chamber! Bjorn, what was that stone chamber?!”

The dwarf, who was watching over Dwarkey, looks at me. And he asks about the identity of the stone chamber that we spent 12 hours searching the labyrinth for.

His words are filled with hope.

“Elixir? Potion? Is that what’s inside? Ah, if that’s the case, you would have taken it, right? Then could it be a healing spring or something like that?”

“…That stone chamber isn’t for something like that.”

“Then what is it! We searched so hard to find that place! There must be something there!”

The dwarf asks, hoping for an answer.

I know that it’s best not to answer this kind of question…

…but after a brief pause, I open my mouth.

“That stone chamber is a trap room.”

“Trap room…?”

“Yes, if you open the chest, you’ll be sent back to the starting point.”

I was planning to use it to escape through the portal if the bastard and the priest appeared at the same time.

Because there’s no chance of winning in that situation.

“Ye, yes! Then! Let’s use it to go back! That would work!”

“Hikurod Murad, get a grip. Even if we can go back to the tower, nothing will change.”

Potions won’t magically appear just because we go back to the tower.

And in the first place, even going back is impossible.

If it were just a matter of looting an empty room, it might be different…

But to head towards the portal while injured?

It’s suicide.

The priest of Karui, who’s probably changed his class to a high priest with divine power, will be guarding it.

“Ah, right! The priest! Wasn’t there an old man who looked like a priest with that guy? Let’s find him.”

“Stop it.”

“I think that guy was also following that man out of necessity. If that’s true—”

“Stop it, Hikurod.”

“How can I stop! Two of them are dying, we have to do something!”

The dwarf shouts in despair at his own helplessness, and I say calmly,

“There’s nothing we can do now. We can only watch.”

“Really… is that really all we can do?”

“Yes.”

There are three possible outcomes.

Either everyone lives.

Everyone dies.

Or someone dies, and someone survives.

Seemingly eternal seconds pass.

And…

“…What… happened to him…?”

Dwarkey regains consciousness.

___________________

“Dwarkey! Don’t talk!”

“Yeah, just stay quiet. We’ll give Rotmiller a potion as soon as he—”

Dwarkey asks again, looking at us as we shower him with words.

“He…”

“…?”

“What happened to him?”

As if it’s more important than his own life…

…he repeatedly asks about it as soon as he opens his eyes.

I hesitate for a moment.

Should I tell him the truth?

My contemplation doesn’t last long.

“He’s not dead.”

“Ah…”

“But thanks to you, we overcame the immediate crisis. Leave the rest to us and get some rest.”

“I, I can’t do that.”

Dwarkey shakes his head desperately.

“Ti, time… we don’t have ti, time…”

“Didn’t you hear me? We’ll give Rotmiller a potion as soon as he—”

“Th, this… can’t be he, healed with… a po, potion…”

A brief silence falls, and I calmly accept the reality.

“…I see.”

I don’t know what method Dwarkey used.

But it’s Dwarkey who knows his condition best.

It’s Dwarkey who desires life more than anyone else.

So there’s no point in denying it.

“What do you mean! It’s a, a top-grade potion!”

“That’s right! You, you know, right? What kind of item this is. So, so stop saying weird things—”

“Miss Misha.”

Dwarkey opens his eyes and looks at us.

“Hikurod, and… Bjorn.”

He just calls out our names one by one.

But I, who spent my childhood in hospitals and witnessed countless deaths, can tell…

…what Dwarkey is about to do.

“Tell me. I’ll convey it to Rotmiller.”

“…Thank you.”

A candle that has burned out flickers.

As if wanting to leave something behind in this world.

As if wanting to become a memory.

Emitting the brightest light at its final moment.

“I have something to say to you guys.”

The tremor in Dwarkey’s voice disappears.

_____________________

My mother loved the sea.

An unknown thing that I had only heard about, never seen.

I couldn’t understand it when I was young, but I gradually learned as I grew older.

“There are things that… you want even more because you can’t have them.”

There are things like that in the world.

Because I don’t know, because it’s not allowed to me…

…it appears even more dazzling.

“You guys were like that to me.”

I was lucky.

More than I deserved.

I met good people, and I explored.

We shared many stories and comforted each other. The empty space that I thought would never be filled was finally filled.

Therefore, I had to say it.

“Thank you all… for being my companions.”

Words that I couldn’t say because I was embarrassed.

Words that I always put off, promising to say them later.

But words that would be buried in my heart forever if I didn’t say them now.

Swoosh.

Dwarkey looks ahead with blurry eyes.

“Waaaaah! Don’t say that! Please, Dwarkey…”

The woman he loved is crying.

That’s not what he wanted.

Swoosh.

He shifts his gaze to the side.

“I’m the one who should be… thanking you for being my friend. For joining… the team I made.”

His precious friend is smiling at him.

He’s grateful for his friend’s sincerity, even though his beard is trembling as he smiles.

And he feels sorry.

They promised to visit the blacksmith’s together someday.

He won’t be able to keep that promise.

Swoosh.

He shifts his gaze again.

“Liol Wobu Dwarkey.”

Lastly, it’s his rival and the companion he admires.

The warrior who always fights until the end and protects everyone, unlike himself, the coward.

He’s looking at him with calm eyes.

“I apologize. I misjudged you. You were a better mage and companion than anyone else. And the choice you made was noble and honorable.”

The warrior, who was always stingy with praise…

…the warrior who never spoke empty words…

…says,

“It was an honor to be with you.”

He feels overwhelmed with emotion and a sense of relief.

He was acknowledged by him for the first time.

He was told that it was an honor by the great warrior who lived a heroic life.

He, who was just a half-assed mage.

He was a part of his journey.

This is enough.

Yes, it should have been enough…

‘But why…’

He feels frustrated.

He feels wronged.

He feels scared.

He feels empty.

‘Why…’

That’s what death is.

Being erased from someone’s next page.

“Do you have anything else to say? I’ll leave you alone if you want.”

The warrior speaks, and Dwarkey finally realizes the reason for this emotion.

“Waaaaah! Dwarkey! Don’t die! Please!”

There are people who shine in this world.

To me, that person was you.

He hasn’t said those words yet.

But…

‘It would be greedy.’

He tries to suppress his selfishness.

Although he knows that this might be his last chance…

…her journey doesn’t end today.

He shouldn’t become a dark shadow in her life that continues. If he truly cares for her, that’s the right thing to do.

Therefore, Dwarkey opens his mouth.

“Bjorn.”

“…Do you have something to say to me?”

“Yes.”

The only thing someone who’s leaving can leave behind.

“You’re… perceptive. Please don’t ignore it anymore.”

The warrior doesn’t ask back.

He probably already knows what he means.

He’s too smart and wise to be called a barbarian.

“An, swer me…”

“Alright.”

Dwarkey smiles brightly, having finally received an answer.

But is this all the time he’s allowed?

“…He’s awake.”

The warrior’s eyes turn cold.

His fading heart pounds at this.

Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.

A being he couldn’t defeat even at the cost of his life.

However…

“Can… we win?”

“Don’t worry, I’ll save everyone and get us back.”

At those words, Dwarkey lets go of all his anxiety.

He also dismisses the worry that his death will be meaningless.

If this reliable warrior said so, then it will definitely happen.

So, let’s just let go of everything…

Swoosh.

…and close his eyes.

Sounds fade away, and the darkness deepens.

As his thoughts slowly fade, he thinks to himself…

If he had lived a heroic life…

…and if his life were to be recorded in a book, even briefly…

…what would be the last sentence?

A rather fitting phrase comes to mind.

Although it might not be a very suitable expression for a mage’s death…

‘It’s not bad.’

Liol Wobu Dwarkey, the mage of Team Misfits…

…after protecting his precious companions from the Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos, a member of Orculus…

…died a heroic death.

「Achievement Unlocked」

Condition: First companion character death.

Reward: Mental stat permanently increases by +1.

_________________

There is no paradise where you run away to.

Dragonslayer, Regal Vagos.

This thought became stronger after learning about his identity.

He’s a member of Orculus, a group that even looks down on the King. Although we didn’t exchange names, it wouldn’t be difficult for him to find us.

I judged that even the city wouldn’t be safe if he wanted to retaliate.

Therefore…

New Plan A.

I made a plan to defeat him.

While the ‘Guardian of Balance’ was active.

I judged that this was our only chance.

But what was the result?

Thump!

My warrior’s heart beats faintly.

New Plan A has failed.

We still have to fight him, but I couldn’t save everyone.

There was no paradise even where we ran to.

I knew it.

That there’s no such utopian place in this world.

Thump!

Unlike my faintly beating heart…

…this guy’s heart is no longer beating.

But…

“Hikurod, we need to prepare to fight.”

“I know.”

I use the mace as a cane and get up.

Those who are left behind have their own roles to fulfill.

I catch my breath and look towards the passage.

He’s getting up from between the petals of the shell that opened wide.

“…….”

It’s time to end this goddamn fight.

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