– This... I'm tired...
His body almost gave up. He had been running for about ten minutes now, and it wasn't easy at all. In the past, he could have competed in running speed with the fastest guys in the class, but at the moment he won't be able to do anything against them. One of his legs is damaged so badly that he would have to walk slowly and carefully if not for the adrenaline rush, which will soon run out.
However, although the bodily pain was excruciating and felt new to him, the boy attached much less importance to it, because the main damage was caused by something that could not simply be seen. The inner world of the young hero with dark short hair and evil eyes was almost completely destroyed by this series of horrific events.
Everything was going so well at first. There were difficulties, there were obstacles, but over time they were overcome through clenched and cracking teeth from incredible pain. However, at this point in time, the assessment of the situation was prohibitive in the worst sense. The enemy is strong, smart and seemingly one step ahead. The boy's powers are scattered and constrained, they are so few. And there was even less time, and with each new turn of fate, this value tended to a smaller figure.
His main and most terrifying trump card, Return by Death, no longer played into his hands. In ancient times, with the help of this unwanted, but extremely incredible power, a boy, as a young man, was able to do amazing things, turning even the most terrible moves of fate into extremely prosperous ones for himself. And only occasionally there were hitches. But now...
This force acted against his will. Its meaning has not changed, the power has not changed, but something definitely turned out to be completely different. The cycles became shorter, the loops began to shift, although this had never happened before. Because of this, people around the boy were killed, and he couldn't do anything in spite of it. Everyone he tried to cheer up, tried to guide and protect... each of them died over and over again.
As a result, all their deaths, each of them, fell on the fragile shoulders of a boy who introduced himself as the heir to the Imperial family. He didn't even use his real name, because his name is...
– I can't do it anymore...
And when he was ready to fall and give up...
– Schwartz-sama!
Not far from him, a voice rang out of his field of vision.
Was it the First-Class Divine General Arakiya, known as the Spirit Eater? Was it Todd who tirelessly pursued him all these attempts? Or perhaps one of the island's guards is still fighting for a slim hope of survival.
However, all these answers turned out to be wrong, they shattered against the persistent stone of truth that appeared before the eyes of a young boy.
–T-Tanza-san?!
It turned out to be a familiar girl. Miniature, but quite strong, which had previously been thrown into the water due to its small mass. Such a conclusion can be drawn, given its appearance. She got soaked all over and even took off her favorite kimono, especially since one of her deer antlers is broken by about half. This is proof that she tirelessly fought for her life in the water against the witch-beasts living there.
– Oh, I'm so glad... you're okay, Schwartz-sama.
Putting her hand on her modest chest, the half-breed girl named Tanza breathed a sigh of relief. She was brought peace of mind by the fact that she met with a living boy, whom she had not been able to properly protect recently.
– If you are here, then Idra-sama and Hiain-sama...
However, she interrupted herself when noticed the answering look of the one she was addressing so respectfully. Schwartz looked at her with annoyance, loss and regret, after which he opened his parched lips with incredible difficulty.
– They are... Tanza-san, they died.
Realization immediately overtook her with those blunt words. The girl shook her head slightly and closed her eyes for a couple of seconds, as if expressing sympathy for the fallen comrades who probably gave their lives in a difficult battle.
– ... They died protecting me..!
He clenched his fists with hatred with the last of his remaining strength. But his hatred was not directed at anyone in particular from the outside. Yes, he hates, fears and despises Todd, but this case is not quite the case. Arakia doesn't like him either, as do the guards who took the wrong side, even if not of their own free will. Cecil, Gustav, many gladiators, at times they all tested his nerves for strength, but even so he did not hate them in any way, even this strange Cecil, who chose sides depending on his mood.
Right now, Schwartz hated himself more than anything in this life and in this world. For his weakness, stupidity, carelessness, short-sightedness, inability to oppose anything to a more powerful and intimidating enemy. But there is something else. Right now, at this very moment, he feels most of all the feelings of rejection and dislike for his own fear of death.
After all, for him over the past year and a half, this has always been the way out. He never stopped being afraid, but from time to time there was simply no other choice. Right now it's exactly the same case, when there are no other options except to go back and try everything again. But...
– I'm scared...
– Schwartz-sama...
He is afraid to die, afraid to see the deaths of his comrades again, which he cannot prevent. And the cycles of his posthumous returns began to change on their own, which had never happened before. Whether it was the Witch's will or old Man Olbart's fault, he didn't know and could not know.
– Anyway, we're still alive. Which means we have a chance to escape, right now.
Tanza tried to provide support to the psychologically crushed boy, but it was only a small step along a giant path of hopelessness, a drop in a huge sea of despair. However, Schwartz looked at her and the newly seen picture of a battered and wounded young girl did not please him at all.
– It won't work...
His brain began to involuntarily calculate ways to escape. The only effective one is a bridge that needs to be raised from the bottom of the lake. However, the mechanism is far away, it is not known whether access to it is now open, and even if so, the ascent and crossing of the bridge will still attract a lot of attention from the few survivors. Whether it's the guardians with the witch-beast, the few gladiators, the Divine General, or the monster Todd, they will all be able to notice changes of this magnitude.
– But we can try. There's still a chance.
– Even if we get there, even if we raise the bridge, we will be overtaken and killed...
He lost faith in victory with so many seemingly endless defeats. However, the girl with one full-fledged horn was not going to stop. She did not know or see what Schwartz experienced, so her judgment is very different.
– But this is not the time to sit here and do nothing. Did our comrades give their lives for this?
– Hk..!
They... They gave their lives, but for what reason..?
– Weitz-sama, Idra-sama and Hiain-sama.
– ...
They died, died in battle, because...
– All of them, each of them gave their lives for you, Schwartz-sama. Now come on, I can carry you...
– Damn it..!
He understood that. Of course it is. All because of his stupid plan, all because of this attempt to go the easy way with the least resistance. But as a result, the counter-metropolitan imperial current turned out to be much stronger.
– I lied! I am not the son of His Majesty the Emperor of Vollachia! My father is an amazing man, but he is completely far from the title of ruler.
And he poured out on her the cold truth about himself, which he had not been able to prove earlier. Now is not the time to talk about it, but there is no time for more. There is no longer that opportunity to explain something or turn in a different direction, because almost everything is already lost.
– This... Is that so..?
– It's more than that.
Tanza's voice became incredulous for a second, but she reflected on the situation and accepted it. Perhaps she thought that there was a discrepancy between the rumors about the rebel army and the fact that His Majesty the Emperor and Schwartz were in the same city for the same purpose. Probably, these thoughts were always present in the back of her mind, but this girl did not give them the opportunity to express themselves. However, the situation has changed now.
– Even so, Schwartz-sama...
– And the name Schwartz too! My name is Subaru. Natsuki Subaru.
In tears and snot, he even confessed to her that he had diligently kept a secret. But now, being in such a deplorable situation, Natsuki Subaru could no longer think about his safety as a knight of one of the candidates of the royal race of the neighboring country. He just wanted to talk, he no longer had the strength to keep all these secrets that were scratching at his soul like cats.
– Subaru... I understand that name.
– ...
However, contrary to Subaru's expectations, nothing happened. It didn't seem like Tanza was aware of who he really was.
– It doesn't change anything. Their lives were given for you as a human being, not the son of His Majesty Emperor Vincent Vollachia.
– ...
The tear-stained look of his unsightly eyes told sanpaku only one thing: Is this so? How can that be?
– I'll carry Subaru-sama on my back, just like I was going to.
– Huh?! Hey!
And then, without his consent, she lifted the barely resisting boy onto her seemingly fragile back, after which she quickly rushed forward across the island, just to get away from the danger zone, where the flames of the second most powerful Divine General of the Sacred Vollachia Empire are raging.