Episode 72 (Yuria’s POV): Liar
With a dull thud, the black dragon crashed to the ground.
The angle of its jaws shifted, and the black flame vanished into the sky above.
Right after that, a rain of light fell, wiping out every low- and mid-level monster around them at once.
“Fiine!?”
There was no answer. Instead, countless blades of wind descended on the black dragon.
Its scales were hard, but the repeated strikes still drew groan after groan from it.
(A rampage… isn’t happening…?)
Without Yuria having noticed, Fiine had risen into the air and was launching one spell after another at the black dragon.
Each blow was weak, but the unbroken assault left the dragon unable to move.
It was clear she wasn’t just attacking automatically whatever reacted to her magic. She was moving with a battle plan aimed specifically at the black dragon.
“Ah…!”
Blood was dripping from Fiine’s leg. The wound looked as though something sharp had been driven into it.
(Did she do that to herself?)
A moment ago, Fiine had been close to her limit in both magic and stamina, and plainly hazy.
Hurting her own body was, admittedly, an effective countermeasure.
But ordinarily, no one could bring themselves to do it.
(But doing exactly that is just like her…)
When Fiine’s attack paused for an instant, the black dragon opened its mouth to breathe fire.
She must have been waiting for exactly that moment. Kicking off the ground, Fiine charged straight at the black dragon.
Countering the black flame with water-attribute magic, she fired wind blades into the dragon’s mouth.
As the tormented dragon opened its jaws even wider, Fiine herself dove inside.
“Giiiiiiiiiiih!!”
With a scream like a death cry, Fiine emerged from the top of the black dragon’s head.
With its head destroyed, the dragon collapsed to the ground, and after a while it stopped moving.
Have herself disposed of, for Fiine’s sake.
Ever since she’d been revived as a magic doll, Yuria had been thinking about that the whole time.
She had kept putting it off out of concern for Fiine’s state of mind, but that wasn’t the only reason.
It was also because Yuria herself had enjoyed the days she spent with Fiine.
(When Fiine can live on her own, I’ll die.)
That was what she’d decided.
And now the time had come.
Since starting work at the magic doll shop, Fiine had changed, bit by bit.
She’d begun to be able to trust people again, the way she used to.
On top of that, this time she’d taken a request not as the magic doll shop, but as Fiine Fellner herself.
It was Yuria who had written to Burkhardt and asked him to “request something of her personally.”
Fiine had kept avoiding Burkhardt, but if he asked for her help, she wouldn’t be able to refuse.
Once she took one request, their relationship would likely improve, and Fiine would be able to feel more positive about using her own power.
So from the start, Yuria had meant for this request to be the end.
And yet.
“Don’t worry, Yuria. From now on, I’ll definitely be the one to protect you.”
Her fight over, Fiine came back to her.
Blood was pouring from her left leg, but she was smiling, to put Yuria at ease.
Black dragons were troublesome monsters, feared even by the Magic Corps. And Fiine had taken one down alone.
On top of that, while saving every resident of Mond.
(Fiine really is a genius.)
It had been that way since they first met.
She could have done anything on her own, even without Yuria.
The only one who hadn’t noticed was Fiine herself.
She used to say, with a laugh, things like “I’m hopeless without Yuria, aren’t I.”
(Not once did I correct her.)
Because she’d wanted to stay by Fiine’s side. Because she’d wanted to be needed.
Because she’d wanted the two of them to keep dreaming together.
(I decided I’d end it all. I’d made up my mind, and yet…)
Battered as she was, Fiine hugged Yuria tightly.
Small as her body was, she was always strong.
“…I’m so glad I could protect everyone…”
Even in this state, all Fiine thought about was other people.
In a situation like this, most people wouldn’t even come up with the idea of protecting every resident of Mond.
She was kind and strong, and also the person who could see ideals more clearly than anyone.
“…Fiine.”
At the sound of her name, Fiine swayed and fell. Yuria hurriedly caught her.
Fiine was completely unconscious. From far off, voices called out Fiine’s name.
Burkhardt and the others must have come back.
During this mission, Fiine had seemed to be enjoying herself.
Not only with Burkhardt, but fighting alongside other skilled mages as well.
She said she couldn’t communicate well with other people, but that wasn’t true.
Plenty of people took an interest in her, and she was perfectly capable of taking a real interest in them.
“…Hey, Fiine.”
Gently, she stroked her head. Letting out a slow breath, Yuria told a lie she’d lost count of telling.
“Honestly… you really can’t manage without me, can you.”
Fiine, who ought to have been unconscious, seemed to nod firmly.