Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 148

Maia tumbled to the side with the knife still stuck in her neck.

“Huff…!”

As the magical power binding was released, I immediately took a deep breath and sat up.

Thumbelina.

The image of a giant monster with only a head remaining flashed through my mind.

When I turned to look at Maia, she was slumped against the wall.

At least she’s not exactly like back then.

That level of mutation hasn’t occurred yet.

But perhaps traces of Thumbelina still remained.

“Are you alright?!”

Gerda stood in front of me as if to protect me against Maia.

Though the dagger was still stuck in Maia’s neck and Gerda was now unarmed, she hadn’t lost her fighting spirit.

“I’m fi-“

Before I could finish speaking, Maia pulled the dagger out of her neck and an enormous fountain of blood erupted.

It wasn’t just trickling – blood sprayed in all directions from the hole in her neck like a whale spouting water.

“Maia!”

Could it be a fatal wound!?

“…I smell the swamp.”

Maia lifted her head and looked this way.

She was smiling.

Not a fatal wound….

“Wh-what is this…!”

Gerda looked around in confusion.

The blood that had sprayed from Maia’s neck spread throughout the room as if consuming it.

And where the blood passed, the area turned dark green as moss, mushrooms, and various flowers began to bloom.

This is… exactly like that pit in Spider Castle.

Already this far advanced… what could be the reason….

Just then, a cold night wind blew in from the window.

The blue moonlight seemed unusually bright.

The magical phenomenon…!

“Maia!”

I lunged toward Maia who had slumped down.

“Snap out of it!”

I grabbed Maia’s shoulders and shook her hard.

But I felt a strange sensation where I held her and quickly pulled my hands back in shock.

Though I had clearly grabbed her body, it was like plunging my hands into a swamp with a squelch….

When I carefully placed my hand on Maia’s arm again, I could see it sinking inward.

Not only that, but even Maia’s skin was gradually changing from its usual ivory color to a green reminiscent of Thumbelina.

What should I do?

What can I do?

Should I call for help?

But looking at Maia’s condition… surely….

“…”

Maia is dangerous right now.

She herself is in danger, but more than that, if Thumbelina were to appear here again, I couldn’t guarantee the lives of the other hunters in this dormitory.

And behind me is Gerda, who has talent rivaling Hilde’s.

The image of Gerda dying while pouring out her resentment toward the world in Blue Paper Moon flashed through my mind.

I can’t let such a tragedy become reality.

“Brother, what should we…”

“…Gerda.”

I got up, pulling away from Maia.

“Yes!”

“Let’s go out through the window.”

“Understood!”

Gerda immediately went to the window and I stood behind her.

Then I wrapped my arm around Gerda’s neck as she tried to open the window.

“Huh?”

It wasn’t just simply choking her.

Pressing the right pressure points can make someone lose consciousness in a few seconds.

Of course, a hunter could probably resist in those few seconds, but Gerda was likely too shocked to respond.

And as expected, rather than resisting, Gerda’s body froze stiff.

After about 5 seconds, Gerda’s body went limp.

“I’m sorry.”

No one can find out about this situation.

Because surely Maia would be charged with heresy and terrible things would happen.

Not just execution, but vivisection while still alive and all sorts of experiments would be carried out.

I can’t let that happen.

But I also can’t put Gerda in danger.

I tore off the bed sheet to quickly make a rope and tied it around Gerda’s body, placing her by the window.

I need to ensure Gerda at least can escape at any time.

“Now…”

Just doing this much had consumed nearly a minute.

Looking at Maia, her body had completely turned green and parts of it seemed to be melting.

Not Thumbelina.

I grabbed Maia’s shoulders again, ignoring how my hands sank in.

“Do you know who I am?”

“You’re the kind hunter, right?”

“I’m Eugene.”

“Eugene?”

“Yes. Eugene. And who are you?”

“I’m Thumbelina?”

“Maia. Your name is Maia.”

“Maia?”

“You’re Maia. Not Thumbelina, but Maia the sorcerer from Swamp Island.”

“Swamp… Island?”

“You came all this way saying you’d paint the moon green, remember?”

“The moon…?”

I don’t know if this will work or not.

All I can do is try to make Maia remember who she really is.

I just have to believe it will work.

It’s an irresponsible and absurd strategy, but it’s all I can do.

Mad Hatter’s clock is gone now.

“T-the… moon… paint…?”

Maia’s smile disappeared completely and she made a contemplative expression.

Is it working?

But during this time, my body was sinking deeper into Maia’s.

The hand gripping her shoulder had already sunk up to the elbow.

At some point my chest area had come in contact with Maia.

Am I going to be devoured alive like this?

…Whatever.

Maia becoming Thumbelina is my responsibility.

Rather than abandoning a friend and running away, I’d rather die together.

“D-d-don’t know. I don’t know such things. I-I-I am… aah…!”

Maia’s body began shaking violently.

When a fellow hunter lost their mind and had seizures like this, what did my senior do?

How did that person who tried to send me away in that cave 7 years ago calm me down?

“…”

I said nothing and just hugged Maia.

I could feel my body being sucked in while still alive.

The sensation of sinking into an enormous swamp.

Surely heading straight toward death.

But I’m not giving up.

I just hope my sincerity reaches her.

“Ah… Eu… Eugene?”

I heard Maia’s voice.

“W-wait. Get away. I-I am….”

“It’s okay. It’ll be alright.”

“No! You’ll…! Ah…!”

“It’s fi- Urgh!?”

A sharp pain shot through my shoulder.

Maia had bitten my shoulder.

Something cold and slimy entered through my shoulder.

A chill spread throughout my body like being injected with ice water.

“Uh, uuh…”

I can’t speak.

I can’t move my body.

And when whatever had entered my body touched near my heart, an enormous force pushed me backward.

“Hah, hah….”

Maia appeared with a bewildered expression in the position of having pushed me away.

Her skin that had turned green like mud and eyes that had been stained black were gradually returning to normal.

“Maia….”

I barely regained control of my body.

“I-I… didn’t mean to….”

Maia’s pupils trembled as she looked at her hands.

Beyond simple confusion, she was… she was afraid of something.

“Why…”

Maia touched my blood that was smeared around her mouth.

Then she lifted her head to look at me again.

“Eugene….”

“Are you alright now? Are you feeling…”

“What exactly are you…?”

“Huh?”

I froze at her unexpected words.

“I was preparing to prevent this from happening…. But, but today suddenly you… came to mind….”

“I-it’s okay. That can happen…”

“You… shouldn’t exist in this world!”

“What…”

Though it must be words spoken in delirium, somehow, strangely, those words pierced my heart.

“It’s all your fault! It’s your fault! Everything’s becoming strange because of you!”

Because of me?

Everything…?

I just… did what I could….

“Die! Just die already!”

Maia glared at me with a fierce expression.

But….

But why…?

…No, maybe Maia is right.

I’m not originally a being that belongs in this world after all.

Because of my useless past life, I….

“You’re this world’s curse!!”

Maia charged at me with killing intent.

I….

…Should I give up now.

I lowered my head and waited quietly.

“…”

But no matter how long I waited, the end I expected didn’t come.

Finding it strange, I lifted my head and the sight before me made me forget even despair.

Someone covered entirely in white was standing in front of me.

Maia had retreated backward in shock like a vampire seeing sunlight.

“Most kindred witch to us.”

Belle spoke.

“M-move aside! I have to kill Eugene! If I don’t kill him and get rid of him, the other witches…!!”

“You came to know too much.”

“…! Yes… it was you! You were behind it all! Just what are you thinking?! What are you thinking protecting Eugene!? No, what are you thinking keeping him alive!?”

“I bear no ill will toward you. But… please sink beneath the world.”

Belle slowly pointed at Maia.

“Ugh!!”

As if being strangled by invisible chains, Maia’s neck crumpled.

“Kh…khh…!”

Maia’s eyes rolled back.

Though I’m not sure exactly, Belle seems to be trying to kill Maia.

“…Stop.”

Forgetting all questions about this situation and the Order’s laws, the words burst out before I knew it.

“Why?”

Belle asked.

“You tried to save her. Yet after receiving such salvation, she tried to kill you.”

“How would I know! Just stop right now!”

I desperately grabbed Belle’s arm seeing Maia about to lose consciousness.

“Ah…!”

Belle pulled back in shock.

“Huff! Hah, hah….”

At that moment Maia collapsed, gasping for breath.

Did whatever was choking her disappear?

“Maia!”

I pushed Belle aside and ran to Maia.

“Maia, are you okay?! Can you breathe?!”

“Ugh, urk…!”

Maia looked at me and groaned with tears welling up in her eyes.

“Get away!”

Then she roughly pushed me away.

“Why… when it’s all… your fault….”

“I-I don’t know what it’s about but let’s solve it together. First calm down and…”

“No! I said no!”

Maia wiped her eyes with her arm while sobbing.

“I didn’t want to be like this either…. But….”

Huge wings like those of a Vale sprouted from Maia’s back.

“…I’m sorry.”

Then she ran to the window and threw herself out.

“Maia!!”

I quickly went to the window but Maia was already flying far away.

The unusually bright blue moonlight clearly illuminated Maia’s retreating form.

“…”

Why did it turn out like this?

What exactly is going on?

“…Explain.”

I spoke through gritted teeth.

“Explain everything!”

Then I turned back and grabbed Belle’s collar, approaching her.

“…Why.”

Belle said.

“What exactly is happening here?!”

“Why do you this time too….”

Belle’s veil shifted slightly to the side, revealing her eyes.

Blue eyes.

I was momentarily struck speechless by the sadness contained in those eyes.

The emotion was so large and vivid it felt like I could grasp it.

“Wh-what are you saying…?”

“Why do you never… look at me? ■■….”

What did… Belle just say?

“I was your first…!”

At that moment, Belle wrapped her hands around my neck instead.

A gently tightening touch.

It feels like I’m about to remember something.

Ah….

…I’m sorry, Belle.