“We’ll Definitely Come Back to Save You!” — It’s Been Three Years Since I Was Left in the Most Difficult Dungeon, Isn’t It About Time for Help to Arrive...? - 36-37

Chapter 36: Over Capacity

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“Ah, Athos…?”

Though she was slightly shaken by having her hand grabbed, that alone wasn’t enough to stop Midi’s spell. If I let her cast it like this, both Hel behind me and Midi herself, the caster, would be in serious danger.

Damn it, what should I do…!?

I could try dissolving it with the power of Corrosive Touch, but the spell was so massive that it would likely go off before I could fully melt it. I couldn’t let it activate, but interfering with the magic directly wasn’t an option either. Desperately, I searched for any choice I could make to save her.

…If it’s come to this, then it’s all or nothing…!

To stop Midi, I tightened my grip on her hand to draw her attention.

“Midi, listen up! Do you really still think I’m dead!?”

Then I pressed her hand firmly against my chest.

“…Huh…?!”

Midi’s body flinched. To keep her from pulling away, I drew her in against me. My heart beat hard and fast, transferring warmth to her cool, trembling skin. The heat must have reached her, because her pale face turned bright red in an instant.

“Snap out of it already! There’s no reason for us to be fighting! I’m not some Demon Lord or whatever! I’m not even dead! I’m the Athos you know—so—!”

“S-So close… Athos…! M-My head… I can’t think…”

Midi’s eyes swirled and her lips moved wordlessly like a fish gasping for air. Steam rose from her forehead, and her legs wobbled unsteadily.

Thump!

Eventually, it seemed she hit her capacity limit, and like a statue toppling over, she leaned her forehead against my chest and collapsed. The magic, cut off from its source, instantly vanished into mist.

“…Huh? Wait, this isn’t how I pictured this going…”

My intent had been to let her hear my heartbeat and realize the contradiction in the lie that I was dead. But… This was a far more unexpected conclusion, and I couldn’t hide my surprise.

“Midi? Hey…”

She didn’t respond to my call. I gently shook her shoulder, but she remained frozen.

“…Hehehhh…”

Her eyes were open, but unfocused and vacant, as if her soul had left her body. Her ears were red, her fingertips trembled—unmistakable signs that something inside her had just exploded.

“Uh… You okay? Come on, snap out of it…”

I cradled the stiffened Midi and gently seated her on the ground, tapping her cheek lightly. She gave only a weak murmur—“…nmmgh…”—like she was talking in her sleep. Just as I started worrying that I might’ve overdone it, Hel came walking up from behind.

“…Target neutralized. Looks like she’s still conscious, so Corrosive Touch should function properly now.”

“O-Oh, good… That’s a relief… By the way… Hey, Hell…”

“Yes, what is it?”

“The miasma that’s leaking off your body right now… Where exactly is that coming from…?”

Dark haze billowed around her, but it was supposed to be something only I could produce. There was no way Hell should have had access to it.

“Oh, don’t mind this. I’m just a little irritated—no, let’s say… I’ve simply exceeded my personal limit. That’s all. Anyway, Master, please hurry and restore her.”

“R-Right…! You’re right!”

I turned back to Midi and began channeling the power of Corrosive Touch into her. My consciousness blurred, and it felt as though I were slipping into a dream.

“Good luck, Master. …Also, when this is over, we need to have a little chat.”

“Eh…? Wait, hang on—what kind of chat—!?”

Leaving behind a massive parting gift, I let go of reality, carrying unease and dread into the mental landscape of the girl sitting silently before me.

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Chapter 37: The Most Valuable Kind of Love

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What lay within Midi was a lie as thick and suffocating as “mud.” That stagnant falsehood clung to the surface of her heart, blurring its edges and stirring up murky emotions from its depths with every beat.

“Athos is dead.”

“He’s never coming back.”

“The Demon Lord must be defeated.”

These false memories became a swamp that bound her, robbing her of her freedom. Yet, within that swamp lay her true heart, fragile and delicate like glasswork, quietly holding its breath.

    * * *

No one had ever needed her.

“You’re a useless child.”

She still remembered those words, spoken without hesitation by her mother, who worked at a brothel, in a dim room reeking of cheap alcohol. It had been over ten years, and yet the words still echoed in her memory.

Born small and quiet, with a poor knack for socializing, she had never become the source of income her mother had hoped for. No—perhaps her mother had given up even hoping for that.

Once she had judged that Midi held no monetary value, her mother’s attitude had turned completely indifferent. Even though they lived under the same roof, they rarely spoke—rarely even made eye contact.

She left home shortly after realizing she wasn’t wanted. The catalyst had been overhearing her mother mumbling about selling her off to some eccentric noble just to get rid of her.

Clinging to a dream of warmth that might have been, she had walked under the cold sky with nowhere to go. She lived simply to pass the time, day by day, for years. Eventually, she became an adventurer, and it was only then that she finally discovered her own value as a wizard.

Magic always showed her the possibility of what she could be. Especially when casting high-level spells, she could feel something valuable—magical energy—flowing through her. And when that power translated into real-world results, like slaying monsters, she couldn’t help but feel joy.

At first, things went well. Many adventurers needed her abilities, and she gladly lent them her strength.

But no matter how much she grew or how skilled she became at magic, the fact remained that she was small and physically weak. Those traits inevitably diminished her value as an adventurer. Combined with her quiet, shy personality, coordination within parties gradually became more difficult.

“You’re using way too much magic. And you’re slow. It’s not easy to cover for you, you know?”

“Why are you always doing such dangerous stuff? Can’t you be more aware of what’s around you?”

“There’s a thing called balance, you know… Forget it. You’re making the job harder by being here.”

Even if they say that… this is who I am. This is all I have…

She knew they weren’t wrong. That was exactly why she stuck to being herself. At the very least, she wanted to believe in herself—to reaffirm herself.

And maybe, just maybe, someone out there—not her—would need her exactly as she was. Somewhere deep in her heart, she had always wanted to believe that. With that hope alone, she continued being an adventurer—and then, she met him.

    “—I’m Athos. Nice to meet you, Midi.”

At first, she was wary. People who seemed nice at first usually became the cruelest once they lost patience. But he was different. Even after seeing how she fought, after learning what she was like—he never changed his attitude.

“…Why you’re not making a disgusted face at me?”

Before she knew it, the words had slipped from her mouth. She’d finally met someone who might recognize her for who she was, and yet she’d said something unnecessary. She remembered deeply regretting it at the time.

But he replied.

“I can’t use magic at all, you know? That’s why you cast spells for both of us and I’ll fight on the frontlines for both of us, since you’re not great with a sword. See? We balance each other out.”

He continued on. 

“Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and sometimes it’s about compatibility. So there’s no need to force anything. We can just help each other as we are. That way, we’ll become a better party in the long run. Don’t stress it out, okay?”

At that moment, it felt like sunlight finally shone into her closed-off world. It might have been just a sliver of light to him—but to her, that warmth was a treasure beyond all measure.

“By the way, your magic is amazing, Midi. How’d you get that strong?”

“…Hehe. You really want to know? Well, that’s…”

It made her happy to be praised by him. She grew to like the version of herself who could work hard for his sake.

…And because of that, sometimes she felt jealous—of those who were praised more than she was.

“—Wow, Ripley, that’s incredible! You’re even faster than before, huh?”

“—Thanks, Eishia. With you around, I can charge ahead without worrying!”

They had things she didn’t have. That was why Athos praised them. That was all there was to it—yet her heart couldn’t help but drown in anxiety and unease.

…What if they kept outperforming her? …What if he added a more talented wizard to the team? …Would Athos still look at her?

No… I don’t want to lose him. Not to anyone…

That buried desire in her heart became the bait. And with it, the lie took shape—exposing itself as raw, unfiltered obsession.

Yes… I’ll take Athos with me somewhere far away… Get rid of all the distractions… Make it so he only ever looks at me…

If she didn’t do that… Athos would surely

“Idiot. Is that really what you thought? …Don’t worry. You don’t have to do any of that. My feelings for you won’t change.”

Suddenly, a warm and familiar voice filled her chest. At the same time, a strange sensation surged through her. It was black, slimy, a little eerie—and yet it felt like it truly understood her. She surrendered herself to that mysterious presence without hesitation.

The black something gently enveloped her heart, swallowed up the suffocating mud, and vanished into the void. And when it had swallowed the last drop of the mud…

Her heart, for the first time in her life, began to shine. It transformed into something that could be described as the most valuable kind of love. 

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