NOVEL NEXT Chapter 38: A Bigger Fool
This... This is bad...
The forest is in flames, the boy is suffocating and what's more, there is a God standing before us.
"Scout me?"
"Yes. That is what I've just said. Naturally, you'd come, right?"
The Creation God Loboros stares at me with such intensity. The pressure from his gaze alone was enough to pin me in my place as I struggle to move a single petal on me.
This God is dangerous. But even so...
"I refuse." I told him that.
Loboros was naturally not happy with my response.
"I had told you that I'm not taking no for an answer, didn't I?" His eyes then turned to the boy. "Though, I can see why you would refuse." he said.
At that moment, I'd realised his intention and quickly turned to the boy.
"Boy, run—!" I yelled. But before I could even finish saying those two words, Loboros leaped in a flash, drop-kicking the boy right in the abdomen as they both went flying with the God standing on top of the boy by the end of their flight, while the boy was pinned to the ground by the God's foot, with blood flowing from his mouth.
"Let him go!" I shouted at Loboros, whipped out some vines and was about to attack the God. When suddenly, his companion stepped in and stopped me at claw point.
"Don't move." the God's companion named Dagon spoke. His hand had turned into that of a dragon's, with his claws wrapped around my neck. Then, multiple heads grew out of his neck, as he revealed to me part of his true form.
A hydra. That was the only name of the creature which came to my mind, as I recognised its description from one of the books that the boy had shown me.
The snake which had turned into a dragon. That is who the man named Dagon was.
"Now then, Queen Alraune..." Loboros started talking to me again. "Will you follow me willingly and let your beloved Human live, or will you still refuse and let him be crushed by my foot, which I will then take you with me anyways? Choose wisely."
"Khh... You bastards..." I cursed at the God.
I want neither of them. I wanted a third option. One that would make the God and his companion leave us the hell alone. But of course, such a thing could only happen in a dream.
Nonetheless, in my moment of desperation, I responded to the God.
"Are you sure about that?" I said to him. "You're the Creation God, aren't you? You're the being the boy believes in. Are you sure you want to kill a believer of yours?" I asked, hoping that the boy would be spared for being a believer of the God who is stepping on him.
But alas, that was only a wishful thinking of mine.
"And?" Loboros said. "Why should I care about some puny insect?" he stated ever so bluntly, making me realise what sort of being the Creation God is.
No... To be more precise, I already knew what sort of character he was, the moment we met. I had simply came to accept that fact now.
"No, wait..."
"Huh?"
Suddenly, the God began speaking to himself.
"To call them 'insects' would be wrong of me." he said, staring down at the boy while holding his own head. "After all, it was weaklings like these that created the AD weapons to begin with. And it's not just the Human race. The High Elves, the race that I once belonged to, the Dwarves, and all of the other races that no longer exist. Because of them, this world has gone to shit." Loboros then looked at the sky, as if he was having an epiphany.
"Yes... Yes... 'Insects' is the wrong term to call them. 'Parasites' would be more fitting, don't you think so?"
He looked this way, as if he was asking me that. But even if he was asking, I didn't know what to reply with.
To begin with, what in the world was he talking about?
I doubt asking him would help me understand.
But I do know one thing and that is the fact that he will die. If I don't make a decision, the boy will die.
Such a thought... Why does it frighten me so?
"Now, back to the topic at hand... Queen Alraune, I'll give you five second to decide. Starting from now." said Loboros, beginning his countdown.
"Five."
Calm down... Calm down... What I should be doing is to calm down first.
That's right... Why should I care? Why do I even care if the boy dies or not? What I should focusing on is how to escape from these two fucks, is it not?
"Four."
In the first place, he's a Human and I'm a monster. Our relationship was never meant to be. If that's the case, then it should be fine to end it here, no?
"Three."
I do not care. I do not care. I do not care!
As a monster, it's only natural that I should priortise myself before anything else. It's natural that I'd be selfish. That is why... yes... That is why I will run. I will leave the boy and run. That is what I should do. That is what I must do to survive.
"Two."
The countdown will soon reach zero. But before that, I will run. That's what I have decided, so... why? Why do I feel so pained in my chest?
"One. Are you done pondering?"
"I— I..."
My mouth wouldn't speak. My body won't stop shaking. And my mind is in disarray. Why... Why...!?
"My... queen..."
Then, I heard the boy's voice. And all of a sudden, my body stopped shaking and my mind became clear.
"My queen... please... run..." he said, coughing out blood. "Leave me... and run... please..."
Ah. What the fuck were those unnecessary about?
That's right. From the very beginning, the answer was clear to me.
"Zero. So, have you made your decision?" Loboros lifted his foot and hovered it over the boy's head, ready to crush it depending on my decision.
"I have." I answered the God's question and looked at him in the eyes.
"I'll go with you. So let him go."
"...Very well."
Loboros then lower his foot onto the ground, whereas Dagon released me from his grasp.
Now that he's got what he wanted, Loboros extended his arm out to the side and opened a portal a few meters away from himself.
"Well then, after you." he said, gesturing me to enter the portal.
"No. Not yet." I said however and pointed at the forest fire he's caused.
"Fix this problem you'd caused first. And let me heal the boy as well."
"Are you ordering me?"
"Of course. You caused this, you fix it. Or can the Creation God not resolve a simple forest fire?"
I must be out of my mind for demanding such a thing from him. However, what Loboros wants is me. Therefore, I was willing to bet that he won't kill me or cause harm to the boy after I have given my word to him that I will go with him.
"Fine." the Creatiom God sighed. "I have nothing against nature after all. And you have already made your decision. Just be quick about it."
"Sure."
Then, I approached the boy. While Loboros approached his companion.
"Dagon, extinguish the flames."
"Understood."
One of Dagon's heads began blasting water from its mouth to the sky as the water then fall onto the fire as rain, quelling the flames.
Meanwhile, I was checking on the boy's condition while controlling my vines to gather whatever's left of the garden of medicinic flowers and herbs, to concoct a potion for him.
"My queen... please... don't..."
"Shhhhhh... It's all right now. Don't talk."
Using the knowledge that the boy had taught me, I was able to create the potion for him in no time, as I slowly fed him its contents while holding his head up.
"Drink, boy. Take it slowly."
After he had drunk the potion, the boy's cough became least severe amd his condition seemed to have become better.
Good. The potion is working. Then it's time for me to leave.
I propped myself up and turned to Loboros.
Without saying a word, he knows that I was ready and head towards the portal with his companion, Dagon. I followed suit soon after from behind.
However, I felt a tug on my body then and looked back to see the boy on the ground, grabbing tightly onto one of my petals.
"My queen. Please, don't go." he begged me in desperation.
"I'm sorry..." was my only reply as I gently released his grasp from me and head towards the portal.
"My queen! Wait! Please... don't leave!"
The boy began shouting as the distance between us increased.
This is fine....
With this, you will be able to live. With this, you will be free. You no longer need to dedicate your body and soul to me. And that is why... this is—
"I'LL BE WAITING!"
Suddenly, those words of his made me stop for a moment.
"My queen, I'll be waiting! Whether if it would takes years, decades, or centuries, I will wait here for you!"
...Please.... don't....
"Even if I die, I will reincarnate and continue waiting for you here!"
Don't do this... please....
"That's why, please, my queen! Say that you will return to me!"
Ah... Boy... You truly, truly are....
At that moment, right before entering the portal, I turned around and looked at the boy once more.
And with a smile on my face, I said to him.
"You truly are a fool, aren't you?"
And I am a bigger fool for falling in love with you.
"Farewell, Nicolas. Please forget about me."
And that was the last time I ever saw him.
