My Gacha System: Starting with a Divine Talent Tree.-Chapter 30: The Ravencourt Town [7]

It took Eden a while to get a hold of himself as he leaned back against the wall.

His body screamed in pain, but he could have been in worse shape.

’...Thanks for the help, Seraph.’

Eden thought, closing his eyes as he was really grateful.

Things would have been really difficult if not for her interruption.

≤Just don’t die.≥

’....’

He nodded wordlessly as his gaze fell on Reina helping Abel stand back on his feet.

"Argh."

Abel groaned in pain, holding his patched-up temples.

Eden looked at them for a long second as his gaze fell on Reina.

"Shouldn’t you be concerned about your friend?" He asked, pointing at the girl who lay in the middle.

Reina’s eyes widened as she gently let go of Abel and moved toward her friend.

Abel groaned, moving forward until he was close to Eden.

He leaned against the same wall, breathing heavily.

Eden turned his gaze up, his expression screaming tiredness.

"You alright?" Eden asked his brother.

"Yeah..." Abel nodded his head. "I will live."

"...Good," he muttered. "Because I’m not carrying you."

Abel huffed a strained breath that was almost a laugh. "Wouldn’t trust you to anyway."

Eden didn’t laugh, his gaze still on the girl who was treating her friend’s wounds.

"I don’t trust her." Eden said, glancing up at Abel. "She doesn’t feel like someone you could trust, Abel."

Abel turned his gaze back to his brother, annoyance clearly etched on his face.

"Don’t be like that, Eden." He said, pushing himself off the wall. "I have known her long enough to know her nature."

"...."

Eeden didn’t speak as he watched Abel walking back to Reina.

’....What the hell is their relationship?’

He couldn’t help but wonder as he pushed himself up with trembling hands.

He rubbed his throbbing ribs, the pain ringing through his entire body.

’Did I get my ribs cracked?’

He wondered, kicking Yerrick’s dead body as he walked past him.

"You did great." Tosin’s voice echoed within his head. "Killing someone higher rank than you isn’t easy."

"....Yeah." Eden thought, smiling slightly. "I will look for your daughter soon."

"...Thank you."

Eden nodded as Tosin’s face vanished from his shadow.

His ribs throbbed as he walked, stopping beside Abel.

’Yep... definitely cracked.’

Reina had her friend propped up now, whispering something Eden couldn’t hear.

"How’s her friend?" Eden asked, fighting the urge to wince.

"I don’t know." she said quietly, brushing hair from the unconscious girl’s face. "She might wake up soon, or maybe after a while."

"I see." Eden mumbled, squinting his eyes at the girl once again. "...She doesn’t look too hurt."

Abel shot him a warning glance, as if reading his mind.

Eden ignored it.

Reina stood fully now, wiping her hands on her torn dress. "Thank you," she said gently. "For saving us."

Eden ignored her as well as he pointed at the girl. "Are you going to carry her?"

"Eden." Abel said in a warning tone.

Eden walked toward Yerrick’s body and began to search for any weapon.

"Mirth knows we escaped," he said firmly. "That means more guards are coming."

He found a dagger that he threw at Abel, who caught it with one hand.

Reina grasped her friend’s wrist, panic creeping into her eyes.

"We can’t stay here," she whispered. "The upper rooms lead to the courtyard. If we reach it—"

"Then we can leave," Abel finished.

Eden inhaled sharply, his ribs protesting the motion.

"Alright," he muttered. "Let’s fucking move."

’...I still need to find Tosin’s daughter.’

He tightened his grip on the nearest chain-axe and stalked toward Reina without slowing.

She stiffened.

He didn’t bother softening his tone.

"Pick her up," Eden said, chin tilting toward the unconscious girl. "If you can’t, say it now."

Reina’s throat bobbed. "...I can try."

"Trying isn’t good enough."

"Eden," Abel snapped.

"What?" Eden shot back, walking past him. "We’re not carrying dead weight when Mirth already knows where we are."

Abel clenched his jaw but didn’t argue further.

Reina bent, slipped her arms under her friend’s shoulders...

Her body shaking with effort, and managed to lift her halfway before her knees buckled.

She silently lowered the girl back down, face pale.

"...I can’t," she whispered.

Eden sighed, a long exhale through his nose.

He walked back, crouched, and gently hauled the unconscious girl onto his back with a grunt.

His ribs throbbed in pain, but it was still bearable for him.

He turned to the girl. "Lead the way."

She nodded and began to move first.

Abel followed just after her, and Eden was the last to move.

They walked out the way they came inside and Reina immediately began to take them away.

They walked inside a different long path that was carved and reinforced.

Reina kept walking straight down the path and Abel followed her without a word.

But Eden immediately found something amiss.

’Seraph...?’

≤She moves like she knows this place.≥ Seraph murmured. ≤Not like a prisoner who stumbled here once.≥

Thought so.

He tightened his grip on the chain-axe in his free hand.

"Stop." Eden said, walking past Abel who tried to stop him. "Where are you taking us, Reina?"

"What are you doing, Eden!"

Abel snapped, but Eden completely ignored him.

"Tell me, Reina!"

The girl sniffled at his sudden anger as she meekly looked up. "To the exit."

"Exit?" Eden frowned. "And how do you know there is an—."

"Enough, Eden." Abel barked, pushing him back as he came in between them. "What are you even trying to do?"

"Are you fucking blind, Abel!?" Eden snapped at his brother. "Can’t you see there is no damn exit here!"

"And how do you know that?" Abel asked, folding his hands. "Have you been here?"

"...."

Eden cooled down immediately as he looked at Abel blankly.

’...Is he really questioning me for that girl?’

Their relationship wasn’t a good one, Eden had no doubt about it.

....But it wasn’t this bad.

Taking in a deep breath, he looked at him. "Try to understand the situation—."

"Um, guys." Reina said meekly. "Are you hearing it?"

Eden frowned but immediately quieted down.

And it wasn’t long before he heard it.

....Footsteps of hundreds of people rushing toward them.

Eden quickly put down the girl from his back as he gripped the axe-chain.

’We are surrounded.’

He thought grimly as his heartbeat quickened once again.

The footsteps echoed from both sides of the long pathway.

And before long... they came into Eden’s view.

"...."

Hundreds of girls with blank expressions.

Their heads tilted in unnatural angles, necks slack... jaws half-hanging open as if their minds no longer controlled their bodies.

’Merith’s puppets.’

"...Abel." Eden said, his voice low as he gazed back at his brother.

...Only to find him standing in front of the two girls.

’...Fuck him.’

He thought as his gaze shifted at a synchronized sound.

His breath immediately hitched as he saw long needles in the hands of every girl around them.

’...No, no, no. Fuck!!’

The world stilled for a split second as Eden felt his heart stop.

"AHHHHH!!!"

With one synchronized scream from every girl present...

....They rushed toward them with the intent to kill.