Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 135

I carefully performed emergency treatment on Pieta.

The flute embedded in her side was the biggest problem.

If it was just a knife or spear stuck in there, leaving it alone would be best, but since this was a flute with holes, blood kept flowing out.

Moreover, it was probably coated with paralyzing poison, so leaving something like that stuck in there seemed even more dangerous.

It would take several hours to reach the Order’s hospital….

If she was an ordinary person there would be no way, but fortunately Pieta was a strong hunter.

“This will hurt a bit.”

I took off my glove, had Pieta bite down on it, and carefully pulled the flute out from her side.

“Hnngh…!”

With a groan, the flute came out and I stuffed the wound with bundled bandages.

“…!”

The sound of leather gloves being torn could be heard from Pieta’s mouth.

But this should do for now at least.

I secured the bandages tightly with rope so they wouldn’t fall out, then took off my coat to make a stretcher and placed Pieta on it.

“…Watch and learn from this too.”

While doing this, I gave what would probably be my final teaching to the trainees.

“One person each at the front and back to carry the injured person like this. Never drop them, and make sure everything is properly secured first.”

“Instructor, about that deal you mentioned earlier….”

“Enough. Don’t ask.”

“But….”

“…I’m just doing what needs to be done.”

I sold myself to Margarete in exchange for releasing Pieta and not chasing after the trainees.

It’s not that I particularly love Pieta, nor do I have suicidal thoughts.

I just had to do it because no one else could.

…I’ve done something cruel to Hilde.

There are plenty of other people who come to mind too.

But… I had no choice.

To protect everyone, I had no choice.

Rather, if I could save everyone with just myself… that wouldn’t be so bad.

The only thing that bothered me was that I might end up harming colleagues or innocent people in the future as a witch’s slave.

However… if it’s someone weak like me becoming an enemy, that might be fine too.

Even Margarete would have a hard time making someone like me, limited to being a lower-ranked hunter, stronger than a high-tier Beast.

After all, I desperately lack magical power.

…Who knew my lack of talent would be useful in this way.

“…”

After finishing Pieta’s emergency treatment, Gerda gently grabbed my sleeve and looked up at me.

“…I’m sorry.”

Seeing those sad eyes, that was all I could say.

“…You should go back now.”

I stood up and turned toward Hameln.

“Really… really won’t you come with us? We could still run away now…”

“The enemy has more numbers than what we saw. If they chase us, not all of you will be able to escape. This is better. And….”

I grabbed the hunter’s identification tag hanging around my neck.

“And….”

I probably should give it away.

Since hunter Eugene will end here, it would be right to have this identification tag hung among the seniors and colleagues buried back there.

But….

“…Stay safe.”

But I let go of the hand holding the identification tag.

Though my end surely awaited ahead, I wanted to keep it until the very last.

And so I left everything behind and walked toward Snow White.

* * *

“Welcome.”

Margarete’s clones lined up on both sides at Hameln’s entrance as if welcoming me.

Not a particularly happy welcoming ceremony.

“I thought you would come back, but seeing you actually here makes me so happy.”

“…Just keep your promise. Don’t touch those who are running away.”

“Who do you think I am? I wouldn’t do something so undignified. Once you’re in my hands, I don’t care about those others at all.”

The Margaretes drew closer.

Fear, and the chill emanating from Snow White’s very being, made my body want to tremble unconsciously.

Still, I won’t show any weakness.

I don’t want to at the very end.

“Are you ready to serve me eternally? It’s an honor far beyond your station. You’ll remain my first servant until the end of this world. And you’ll be the first to witness when I create the new world!”

Snow White’s servant….

Me… becoming such a monster….

Beyond the approaching crowd, I could see Kai still standing motionlessly like a doll.

Will I become like that too.

Will I… will I….

Such things… I really hate it….

“…Nonsense.”

I gritted my teeth.

“What?”

“That won’t happen.”

“Why do you think so?”

“The end of the world won’t come. A hero will definitely appear and finish you off.”

Such a cliché line.

Even I think it’s ridiculous.

“…Pfft!”

Ah, see this.

As expected, Margarete laughs too.

“Ahahahahah! Ha, hahaha!”

“Puhahahahaha!”

“Kyahaha! Hehe, heheheheh!”

Countless laughs struck my ears and heart.

But I can’t waver.

Believe.

“Aah! Really!”

Margarete’s hands wrapped around me.

What should I do?

Should I just blow myself up with a bomb?

Is this… is this really how I end?

“How adorable! Those are your final words?!”

“A hero?! Surely you don’t mean Belle?!”

“She’s the worst villain and sinner in this world more than anyone!”

“If only she hadn’t killed Him in the first place, none of this would have happened!”

Winter’s hands gradually tightened around me.

No, I made a promise.

If I break it, the people fleeing toward the Order will surely die.

Accept it.

“For you who fought so desperately… to say such cute things at the end….”

My vision gradually grows hazier.

I can’t even feel the cold anymore.

And everything becomes white… white….

For an instant, a truly brief moment, my whole life flashes before my eyes.

When Chris died.

When I met Blanc.

When I met Hilde.

When I alone survived after losing everyone.

Some child… a girl my age who had severe burns….

And… the moon… blue… eyes….

“…Huff!”

Suddenly, like being pulled from underwater, my held breath burst out.

My knees, no, my whole body lost strength and I collapsed, falling down.

What… happened…?

“Ohohoho….”

Winter’s laughter could be heard.

Am I already a servant now?

Am I being controlled while still conscious?!

Please… please anything but that!!

“Don’t worry. You’re still human.”

“Ah….”

“I changed my mind.”

“Changed…?”

“Of course I’ll keep my promise. You’re my possession after all. But, I can’t help it. Since you said such adorable things.”

“What are you talking about?”

“A hero appearing to finish me off, how cute. So unlike you, too cute. So I want to… tease you a bit.”

Margarete’s cold hand touched my cheek.

“I’ll give you a little reprieve. Let’s see if Belle really can kill me or not, watching directly.”

Then… she won’t take me away right now…?

But Belle?

I was talking about Hilde….

“Look forward to it. I’ll bring Belle’s severed head before you. Until then, stay alive a bit longer. I won’t forgive you dying.”

Margarete grabbed my cheek and lifted my face to look directly into my eyes.

Her blood-red eyes began turning purple.

I need to close my eyes…!

“Not a chance. This is a promise!”

But other hands grabbed me and forcibly kept my eyes open.

With no strength left in my body, I couldn’t even resist.

“I want to give you the Mark right now but… that would give us away, wouldn’t it? So I’ll just prepare it.”

A red apple appeared in Snow White’s hand.

Exactly like what I saw in Blue Paper Moon.

If you betray the Order and side with Snow White, she gives the protagonist trials.

After passing all the trials, she gives the protagonist an apple exactly like that one, and the quest ends when they eat it, gaining Snow White’s Mark.

The protagonist becomes Snow White’s eternal kin, no longer human.

“Ugh…!”

Even when I tried to cover my mouth, other hands forcibly opened it like before.

Snow White took a bite of the apple and it broke with a crunch.

Then she took that piece from her mouth and pushed it deep into mine.

I could clearly feel something alien sliding down my throat and entering deep into my body.

“With this you’ve become my possession, if only a tiny bit.”

When everything was done, Margarete released me.

“Uh, uuh… ugh!”

What went into my stomach suddenly felt like a ball of fire as my stomach started hurting.

“Grrgh…!!!”

“Can you feel it? My curse flowing through your soul?”

“Shut… up…!”

No, it’s not my stomach that hurts.

Something that could be called my center hurts.

It hurts so much…!

“Ohoho, you endure well as expected? It must be incredibly painful and agonizing. Hard to bear isn’t it? Since it’s not your body but your very existence being subjected to pain.”

Damn it, damn it, damn it…!

I’ll tear that damned woman’s mouth apart!

Before that I want to split open my stomach and get that damn apple out…!

“Show me more. Show me more of your suffering.”

“Don’t be… ridiculous….”

“The others just kept fainting so it wasn’t fun.”

Other… ones…?

Right…. It’s not just Kai.

Originally there were 7 servants, no, with me interfering there should be 6 more boys.

All those kids must have gone through pain even more horrible than this….

This… this kind of thing….

“You… witch!!!”

I grabbed Margarete’s ankle as she giggled before me and pulled.

“Kyaah!?”

“Who do you… think you are?!”

I straddled the fallen Margarete and strangled her neck.

“Ugh, urk…!”

“Someday you’ll realize your mistak-!”

My vision flashed as my head shook.

* * *

“Hah, hah….”

Snow White’s clone broke out in cold sweat watching Eugene collapse on top of her.

“…Truly amazing.”

And another clone who had struck Eugene’s head with an ice club spoke.

“He must have been in such pain he could barely move, yet he still got up and fought back. As we saw in that city too, his fighting spirit is incredible.”

Other clones approached and pulled Eugene off, laying him on his side.

“…”

The clone that Eugene had attacked still couldn’t take her eyes off him.

“What’s wrong?”

“…A strange feeling.”

That clone touched her neck where Eugene had strangled her.

“What?”

“It was a bit similar to what I felt from Him.”

“That’s impossible.”

Though Margarete’s clones had the memories and personality of the original, they couldn’t share sensations and memories formed after their creation with each other.

“Or… was his intensity just that overwhelming?”

“When I share my memories and sensations with the original, you’ll all understand.”

However, it was possible for clones to share memories transmitted back to the original which could then be distributed to all.

“This human will definitely be mine, Snow White’s. You’ll all understand why…. I won’t give him to anyone else….”