My Childhood Friend the Demon Knight Hates Me - Episode 21: King's Landing
21 King’s Landing
Translator: Lioness
Editor: Arya
Why is she here?
To begin with, it was strange that Marina, the daughter of a nobleman, was walking alone without any escort during the night in such a manner. Not only that, even from my distance and position, I could observe that she was in a daze, and that something was obviously wrong with her. She was usually a kind girl.
Beyond her eyes — a black butterfly.
The spirit of light pointed at Marina and said, “Help her!” It pointed to Marina again and appealed, “Help her!”
For the third time, it pointed to Marina and pleaded, “Help her!” It seemed that ‘she’ was Marina.
Even though I enjoyed the cool night breeze, I could feel the unpleasant stream of sweat running down on my cheeks.
In an instant, various options swept up to my mind.
‘Do I look for someone?’
No. I’m afraid she’ll disappear as soon as I take my eyes off of her.
‘Do I call out loudly from here?’
I’m certain she won’t respond. Her consciousness seems messed up.
‘Should I ask Uur to stop her?’
The spirits of light suddenly said, ‘We can’t get near her. Maybe the black butterfly is acting as a medium through which the demon’s power is working. It seems that the weaker spirits can’t even get close to her.’
I asked myself several questions in a blink of an eye, and came up with one answer.
Time was essence.
It seems that I have no choice but to put aside those thoughts.
“…… Oh, my God!”
―――― I was left with no choice but to go here!
I pull up my light fabric skirt, which was my indoor wear, and with a gulp, I place my feet on the window sill. I was barefoot, but I didn’t care.
I’m rather good with heights. Some knights once called me “crass,” but it was when I was a kid, and was good at climbing trees.
If I were to jump from this second floor now, I would certainly be injured. Although it was not that high, it would display how extremely stupid I was if I broke my leg.
So.
“Uur! Can you make something under this window like that blister? Big enough to catch me! See, you’ve done it before! You know, the one we tried in Sue’s room a long time ago…”
‘Make a water bed? You mean the one we tried in Sue’s room a long time ago? When Sue jumped in, the water gushed out then flooded the whole room, and Sue’s mother was very angry?’
“That’s it!”
That’s it! It was a piece of black history from the time when people were still mischievous, but it would negate the shock.
If I could ask a wind spirit like Rick to help me, I could use the wind to slow my fall and land slowly. Unfortunately, I can’t use that technique.
But there were plenty of ways to perform it with Uur.
Besides, if I make a loud noise, someone might come to me.
—————Currently, Marina was chasing a butterfly.
“Uur!”
“Leave it to me!”
Hmmm, Uur puts all his energy into his body, a lot of blisters gather under his eyes and hurriedly converge into one.
The water hardens into a plump, flat dome, as fast as wind, a transparent cushion was formed.
“Okay, ready? Uur, as soon as I jump down, go call someone. Even if it’s Wraith, Lore, or another apostle. Grab me properly!”
“All right!”
When I heard the reply, I immediately kicked the window sill with the sword I am holding. The treasure sword was for self-defense anyway. It might be useful for something.
A momentary sense of floating sensation hit me.
I missed the feeling of my core cowering.
The mass of water catches me well, and within a beat of my heart, it disperses with a bursting sound.
I am soaked by the impact of the water, including the whole area around me. But I don’t care, I lifted my skirt, dragged my sword in one hand, and ran, putting away the hair out of my face.
To be honest, I was instinctively afraid of getting close to that black butterfly, however a sense of mission, somewhat similar to impatiens pushed me back: “I’m the only one who can do something about this right now.”
And Roa-kun said that as a spirit princess, I possess the “Queen’s blessing”.
I don’t know how that works, but…by any chance, even if I get involved as it is, I’m sure it would be much better if I am close to Marina.
‘It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay!’
That was what I told myself, then moved my feet.
I feel the earth on my soles.
The moon was almost full, far above my head.
“Marina-san!”
I made my way through the flowers and grass on the flowerbed, slipped my arm between the iron fences, and barely managed to grab Marina-san’s thin, supple wrist.
“Oh my God, …? Where are we? Sue, Leah?”
“Pull yourself together, Marina!”
“It’s weird … There is someone who came to my house and wanted to talk about something discreet… so … What did you do? Yes, that person … oh ”
Marina, who still had shade in her eyes who seemed like dreaming suddenly pointed at the black butterfly and smiled.
“Yes, I’m here. My lover.”
I was horrified to hear her say this with a smile and with a mellow look on her eyes.
Is she hallucinating?
Did the black butterflies create an image of her lover?
“I’m sorry, I’m going because he’s calling.”
“W-wait! No, don’t go!”
Marina tried to shake off my hand gently, in return, I desperately held her back with one hand. For a moment, I thought I had brought her back to her consciousness, however she was still in that demon’s dream.
‘Are the reinforcements still not here? They’re late!’
While asking in my mind, I put strength into my hand while grabbing Marina-san. I can’t let her go there. I call her name over and over, trying to wake her up to her senses.
However, the black butterfly seemed to recognize that my presence was a hindrance.
The butterfly slipped through the iron fence then leaned closely to me.
I thought I made a mistake and tried to dispel it with my sword, but it was too late. It was the last time I saw the drops, falling from my hair and being sucked into the ground.
In the end… my consciousness was swallowed by the darkness.