~Chapter 124~
Before I could even hold my breath, water rushed over me, swallowing both my nose and mouth.
The violent current slashed across my face, my outstretched hands pushing uselessly against the torrent.
“…!”
My lungs burned with pain.
The rushing water blurred my vision and filled my ears with deafening noise, but one thing remained clear—the hand gripping me tightly.
“Bianca…!”
The moment my strength gave out, a firm arm wrapped around my waist again.
“Keugh!”
I coughed, spewing the water I had swallowed, and buried my face against someone’s shoulder.
I wanted so desperately to breathe, but the air that reached my nose burned like fire.
As I fought to stay conscious, a new sound pierced the chaos—the shrieks of the Dremua.
Floodwaters surged through every narrow alley like a canal, and the monsters that had emerged were dragged back into the whirlpool.
The ground itself quivered and twisted, buildings losing their foundations and being swept away like debris.
It wasn’t something human power could resist. It was like a natural disaster.
While I gasped for breath, a familiar voice reached me.
“You’ll be fine.”
Even within the storm of magic and water, his voice was steady, calm, unshaken.
And somehow, I believed him.
…Yes. Idette is safe—that’s what matters most.
Ricardo had jammed his sword deep into the cracked wall of a tower, holding onto the hilt with one hand while supporting me with the other.
Wasn’t he basically choosing death for us both? The thought made my gaze drop downward.
“If you’re thinking of letting go, don’t.”
Ricardo’s whisper was low, yet resolute.
“I have no intention of letting you go.”
I had no time to answer.
“…!”
He suddenly wrenched his blade free. My stomach dropped as we plunged downward, my mind going blank.
This time… I really might die.
But then—his sword sliced through the air, carving a streak of light. The edge split the surging water infused with Idette’s magic.
I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for impact… but none came.
There was no crash, no pain.
Cautiously, I opened my eyes.
My body trembled faintly where I had collapsed against him.
“….”
It was a bizarre sight. The water had parted to either side, rubble floating silently in suspension.
It felt like we were standing in a pocket of space carved out between worlds.
Splash.
Thin water touched my fingertips.
“…Slowly.”
Ricardo’s voice was strained. Only then did I realize—I wasn’t breathing.
I tried to answer, but my lungs ached too much.
He held me carefully, raising me upright, and patted my back gently.
The warmth of his touch melted the cold that had seeped into me.
“Cough! Cough—!”
I choked violently, coughing over and over until at last I could breathe again.
“….”
Everything was eerily silent. Clouds drifted peacefully in the moonlight above, but the world itself seemed frozen.
Is the wall of water blocking out all sound?
Clinging to his shoulder, I forced out,
“I-I was just… too startled.”
“….”
“Haha, you were scared too, weren’t you?”
I tried to lighten the mood, but his arms only tightened around me.
Before I could say more, Ricardo spoke.
“What must I do…?”
His voice faltered, then continued softly.
“You’re so kind. That’s why I couldn’t help but love you.”
I stiffened.
“But sometimes… I wish you’d share that kindness with yourself too.”
His gaze locked on mine, unrelenting, as though trying to read my heart.
“Is helping me truly what you want?”
And what about you? The question hovered on my lips.
“Or are you only moving because of something I said before?”
“If you put it that way, Ricardo, you’re no different from me.”
At my quiet reply, his eyes narrowed.
“Why don’t you reflect on yourself? Right now, who’s really—”
“Unlike you, I have nothing more to say.”
“…Heh.”
I let out a dry laugh. Ricardo brushed the water from my face with a cold hand and went on,
“This is what I chose. So if you’re helping me only out of guilt, put that aside.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I mean stop thinking about others and think only of yourself.”
“….”
“Or do you need me to teach you how to be selfish? I’m an expert at that.”
His fist clenched.
“You shouldn’t have let go of her hand. You should have found another way to survive.”
“The situation—”
“If you planned to come to Tyrannian, you should have told me.”
I cut him off.
“Helping you is purely my choice.”
He tilted his head, unconvinced. I rushed to add,
“O-of course, I do feel responsible for you! But that’s not the only reason I’m here.”
“….”
“I also have promises to keep.”
His eyes bored into me, making my face heat with embarrassment.
Maybe that’s why I blurted out,
“I’ve also grown curious about the world you want to show me.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
…What did I just say?
Ricardo’s eyes widened in disbelief.
Have I finally lost my mind?
But strangely, I didn’t want to take the words back.
Even if they were just blurted out, they were still true.
Realizing that, I quickly covered my mouth with my hand.
It was a truth I hadn’t admitted even to myself.
“…Did you really just say—”
Ricardo’s stunned voice reached me, but then his face blurred.
“Bi…anca?”
Suddenly, a searing headache hit.
Everything doubled, overlapping like a poorly flipped set of photographs.
What’s happening to me?
Ricardo’s face lagged, his grip on my shoulders moving a beat too slow.
The world wasn’t flowing naturally anymore—it was shattering like broken glass.
“…!”
I clutched my forehead, dizziness overwhelming me. My hand felt real, too real, while everything else looked like a scene, a picture.
The wreckage floating around us, even Ricardo standing before me, all felt like images… while I alone remained in reality.
…Or maybe,
the unreal part is me.
Nausea rolled through me. The fear was sharp, real, too real—proof that I didn’t belong here.
Every time I moved, the world fractured further.
“…!”
And then—warmth touched my lips.
