I Will Not Fall For the Villain’s Flirtations - Chapter 4 Part 5

Exceeding a certain dosage of pentil could lead to hallucinations, so it was risky. For now, holy power was the only option left.

Of course, there was no guarantee that I would do it well. But I thought it would be better than not doing it. Especially since Peidos was also pouring holy power into the barrier.

“…….”

For some reason, he took a long time to consider.

As I contemplated whether to suddenly retract my proposal, I felt regretful for suggesting something so absurd. He finally gave a delayed answer.

“Well then, please.”

His words carried a faint smile. I calmed my excited heart and cautiously held his hand.

Honestly, I had no idea how to transfer holy power. All I had learned was how to release holy power, nothing more.

Still, I thought that holding his hand might facilitate a better transfer than not holding it. Of course, there was a small part of selfishness involved.

“How about now? Can you feel it?”

I observed his reaction as I gradually let my holy power flow. His relaxed gaze remained the same as before.

“Yes.”

But his response was positive. I was nervous, but I tried to use it to send more holy power. At one point, his smile seemed to deepen.

“It’s a gentle energy, very much like you.”

“…….”

He had said something unintelligible in between. Although they were not words that I wouldn’t dare attribute to the leader of the holy knights, when interpreted literally, they sounded somewhat heretical.

I guess different people feel differently about holy power?

Since I haven’t experienced receiving someone else’s holy power, I don’t know for sure. It wasn’t anything negative, so I was just happy.

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

I squeezed his hand with a slightly excited tone and gave it strength. Peidos silently stroked my head again.

This time, there was neither a gentlemanly apology nor anything else. But to me, his touch felt simply affectionate.

Feeling the heartbeat thumping softly against my chest, I closed my eyes. Being homeless for the first time in my life was incredibly romantic.

* * *

“Miss Duna!”

A scream rang out as if boiling with rage. I jerked awake and looked around in a daze.

“Uh, excuse me!”

Then I realized a beat too late that I was leaning and sleeping on Peidos’s shoulder. It seemed like I had fallen asleep just like that after sharing some holy power while talking about trivial matters.

How embarrassing!

“Miss Duna!”

The voice calling for me was closer than before. I turned my head, following the voice that desperately searched for me, and there stood a familiar face in front of the cave.

The young knight who had shown favor to me.

“Oh, Sir Kassel.”

“…It’s Karel.”

He responded somewhat sadly and waved his head, then came closer.

“Are you hurt…?”

“Karel Oski. Am I invisible to your eyes?”

Hearing Peidos’s cold voice, he finally straightened himself and shouted with great determination.

“I apologize! Is the Commander alright?”

“…You didn’t see me.”

He shook his head erratically and glanced towards where Prim was. Seeing Karel’s arrival, Prim, who had woken up, was now standing and straightening her crumpled clothes.

Each touch of her palm on the fabric made a dull sound. It was a deliberate action that seemed as if she was hitting it with force, as if venting her anger.

As I blankly watched her, our eyes met suddenly. Prim, who had been coldly glaring at me, finally left the cave without a word.

…What the hell.

“Let’s go.”

“Ah, yes.”

Peidos, who had already prepared to leave, called me. Having also tidied my appearance, I quickly got up to follow him.

But just as I took my first step, I felt a sudden dizziness rush over me.

“Huh?”

Why is the ground getting closer again?

“Miss Duna!”

I noticed Karel, who had been ahead of me, running back towards me. And then I realized that my vision was also blurred.

I struggled to find focus, stumbling with a hazy view as if covered in a misty fog. Peidos, who caught me just before I fell, shook my shoulders and asked.

“Duna, can you hear me? Duna!”

“I can hear you, but…”

Even as I responded to his words, it felt like strength was leaving my lips.

Ah, it seems something is wrong with my body.

“It’s Wolfven’s poison.”

With those words, chaos ensued. I immediately received the magician’s assistance stationed there, and we traveled from Luticia to the capital in one day.

In truth, I wasn’t awake for much of the journey, so I don’t know exactly how long it took. But when I barely regained consciousness, I found myself in a temple, surrounded by healers and Peidos.

“It hasn’t been more than a day. How did it worsen so rapidly?”

Peidos’s gloomy voice resonated in my ears. I struggled to lift my eyelids to assess the situation.

“That’s how Wolfven is. While it’s not particularly difficult to deal with the demon, the poison on its claw is unusually lethal.”

“…….”

“If we treat it within a day, she’ll suffer less than a cold, but if that time has passed, it will be unstoppable.”

The healer’s explanation came through faintly. Unstoppable? What does that mean? It sounded like I was poisoned, but could it be that there was no way to cure it?

“If she were an ordinary person, it wouldn’t have escalated to this point, but in the case of this novitiate, there are traces of her using her holy power. You know, Wolfven’s poison and holy power are extremely antagonistic.”

“…….”

Peidos quietly raised his hand and covered his eyes. The atmosphere was so grave that it felt like someone had already died, and I couldn’t just stand there anymore.

With a groan, I raised my upper body.

“Um…”

“Duna!”

The Peidos, who heard my groans, rushed to me immediately. Holding onto my dizzy head, I looked around at the people nearby.

“Wolv… Is the poison spreading throughout my body?”

“I will find a way somehow. Don’t worry.”

Peidos handed me a glass of water and whispered softly. But judging by his worried expression, he didn’t seem very confident.

Meanwhile, the attending healer who had been observing the situation touched his forehead and asked.

“You must have been in considerable pain. How did you not notice it after getting to this point?”

To say it had gotten to this point… I scratched my cheek nervously and answered in a small voice.

“I ate pentil…”

Since I had been quite melodramatic since I was young, I chewed on pentil leaves the whole time we were preparing the camp.

I didn’t think I had overdosed since I didn’t experience hallucinations, but it seems like I consumed enough for the pain in my arm to subside, worsening it instead.

“Ugh.”

“……..”

The sound of a deep sigh seemed to indicate just how desperate the situation was. Although my body felt heavy as if I were submerged in water, I didn’t feel like I was dying at the moment, so I still couldn’t grasp the reality.

Peidos mumbled with a dark expression.

“It’s my fault.”

“…Huh?”

“I should have first checked that you didn’t have any injuries from the Wolven. I should have prevented you from using your power…”

He seemed to blame himself for the fact that I gave him holy power yesterday. Startled, I interjected.

“Ah, no! I didn’t say anything! And besides, I must have used my holy power to fight the bird anyway…”

Among the three of us, my injury seemed the least severe. At least, that’s how it appeared at that moment. Unlike Prim and Peidos, who had suffered more traumatic injuries, it was just a scratch for me.

Besides, it had already happened. What was more important to me than the cause of my current condition was how I could make up for it.

“Well, then, the treatment…”

“A priest can’t cure you, you need to drive away the poisonous energy with pure magic, without any holy power.”

“……”

In other words, it seemed like they needed to call a separate healing magician. As soon as I thought of that, Peidos, who was by my side, turned to a priest who I assumed was an aide.

“Get in touch with House Carmel. Ask them to provide a magician.”

House Carmel would probably have excellent soldiers. Surely among them, there would be exceptional magicians.

Just as his expression was about to brighten, the healing priest, who had only sighed earlier, shook his head.

“It’s useless. It has already spread, and a very intricate procedure is required. The magician who can do that would most likely be someone from the Magic Tower. No, even in the Magic Tower, I wonder how many there would be…”

“But still, we should try what we can do!”

The man, who was not at all intimidated by the raging Peidos, replied dryly.

“If we make even a slight mistake in controlling it, it could awaken her internal strength and lead to certain death in an instant. It would be better for her to spend her remaining time in comfort…”

“Just a moment.”

As someone who heard his final sentence, I couldn’t help but stop him.

“Remaining time… are you saying that I’m going to die now?”

“…….”

He responded with a sigh. His lack of response was a confirmation in itself.

I stood there with my mouth agape, taken aback by the shock.

Really? I suddenly have a limited time to live like this?

This wasn’t even in the original story, was it?

“No, um… are you saying that I’m really going to die? It’s just a scratch, right?”

“…I’m sorry.”

His bitter answer was painfully devoid of reality. How could this be possible?

Then Peidos tightly grasped my shoulder and spoke with determination.

“I will find exceptional healers. Not all skilled individuals are on the Magic Tower. I’ll find a way to spread the word, so don’t give up.”

“No…”

To give up, you need to accept, but I haven’t even reached the stage of acceptance yet. Perhaps reading the confusion on my face, Peidos spoke with an even more resolute expression.

“I’ll make sure to come back.”

“……”

All I could do was nod my head in response, as if I was under a spell. In fact, I had no other choice.

I couldn’t see my own reflection in the mirror, but I felt like I probably looked similar to how Peidos looked right now. That’s how unpleasant his expression was.

I couldn’t bring myself to cry, burdened by the guilt that covered the knight’s face. If I cried, I had no idea how this already struggling man would react.

He’s carrying so many lives on his shoulders, not just mine. There’s no guarantee that I’ll die one hundred percent, so I don’t have to burden him as much as I already did.

But as everyone else stepped back, leaving me alone, the realization of my lifeline began to sink in.

If we classify Wolfven poison, it’s like a neurotoxin that slowly paralyzes the body. I received an emergency treatment spell that delayed its effects as much as possible, but it was only temporary.

And the magic that saved my life also brought immense powerlessness. It was so difficult to move my body. Even the simple action of lifting the blanket caused cold sweat to pour down.

Needless to say, it took me an hour to get to the nearest restroom, so there was no need to mention it. Only now did I understand why the priest always told me to keep the communication stone in my hand all the time.