Leave a comment

“Hang in there, I have a healing scroll here…” Choobchoob hurriedly said upon seeing Lucas’ weak appearance. She seemed to have returned to how she usually was.

Lucas, however, shook his head.

“N-No need… It’s useless…”

“What? Is it that bad?” Rosdell asked in denial.

“After all… that’s the boss of those monsters we’re talking about…”

“Sorry, we shouldn’t have left you behind alone to bring up the rear,” Rosdell said regretfully. “If I had also stayed behind with you, perhaps things would have turned out differently.”

He did not expect they were going to lose a comrade this quickly. Not long ago, this guy was still so energetic, and now he was…

S̲h̲i̲t̲, didn’t people always say that scourge could survive for a few centuries?

“It’s not your fault…” Durance patted Rosdell’s shoulder. Though they were once enemies, the passing of a mutual comrade was still saddening.

“Listen to me…”

“You don’t have to say anything else. You have done enough…”

Durance, however, gently covered Lucas’ mouth and smiled. “Your merits shall be remembered by all of us. So now…”

He wiped the corner of his eye with his thumb. “Rest in peace…”

Rosdell lay Lucas flat on the ground. The latter however widened his eyes like saucers, as if shocked. With much difficulty, he propped himself up and tried to get up.

“N-No…”

“Look how strong a human’s willpower is. Even at this point, he is still struggling against death.” Watching this gave Durance strong feelings. “I think we should send him off,” he said emotionally.

“Let’s sing that song then… The Dirge of Humanity, in remembrance of our comrade who will be leaving us forever…”

Tears of despair rolled down Lucas’ face. Just when he was about to say something, he was interrupted by a song.

Durance, Rosdell and Choobchoob surrounded Lucas and joined hands with each other, then sang the dirge in unison.

It was a song that had been passed down from thousands of years ago, during the dark era. Back then, the human race was weak and helpless, yet they lived on strongly like weeds in the cracks of rocks.

After countless years of silence, a hero finally emerged. Then one after another they appeared. Together they marched on, leading the entire human race. Even if they should fall, they would make sure they leave a legacy for the people to follow in their footsteps.

Every time a hero sacrificed themselves for the future of mankind, their comrades-in-arms, family and the people they protected would offer up this dirge.

When the human race finally emerged victorious and conquered this continent, they were also recognized as one of the strongest races in the world. This dirge was then passed down generations as a farewell song that would be sung by every mankind, regardless of their nationalities.

“Ah~ O dear friend~ Even if you have left us forever~ We shall be reunited one day~”

Durance and the other three joined hands, swaying from side to side with the rhythm of the song. Even a stoic man like Rosdell was affected by the atmosphere and could not hold his hot tears back.

If that’s the case, then please… rest in peace… Lucas.

“I’M NOT DEAD YET! WHY THE HECK ARE YOU GUYS SINGING THAT!?” Lucas tried his best to prop himself up and roared at his three comrades. He could feel the veins on his temples throbbing.

As soon as he finished yelling, he jolted as though he was assaulted by sharp pain from his wounds. His eyes crossed as he winced involuntarily.

With the last of his strength, he flipped over. He propped himself up and stuck his butt high up in the air.

“Why the hell are you guys making the atmosphere so depressing?! I just want you guys to help me pull out a few thorns!”
“……”
“……”
“……”

Durance and the rest exchanged awkward glances, then turned around and started whistling like nothing had happened.

“What are you guys waiting for! HELP ME!” Lucas hissed, pointing at his battered little butt.

That successfully drew the attention of his comrades back to him again. However, the sight of long and white needles covering every inch of his butt shocked everyone. Did… Lucas twerk on a cactus or something?

Light flashed across Durance’s eyes as he quickly realized the peculiarity of those long needles… Were those… strands of hair?

“Gosh…” Lucas heartbrokenly ran his thumb over the cracked jade bracelet on his wrist.

This was a defensive magic weapon that His Holiness the Pope had personally bestowed upon him. In the end, it got wasted by Cornelia’s hair and did not shield him from getting stabbed like a pincushion. It was just the difference of being made into a sieve or being turned into a porcupine.

Now he finally understood how helpless and remorseful Diana must have felt when he heard her in the spectrum stone earlier…

Durance crouched down. He was about to pluck those fine, steel-like hair strands from Lucas’ butt while holding back his nausea when a thought suddenly struck him.

“Say…did we forget something?”

“Did we?” Rosdell scratched his head, but nothing came to mind.

Lucas kept urging, “Forget about it first, help me pull these out. If we wait around, that white haired sea urchin is gonna come after us…”

“So what if she does…?”

“What else? Of course we’ll beep her first, then beep her before finally giving her a good spanking. Hmph, a tiger that doesn’t roar gets treated like a sick cat. I was not in my best condition earlier. If she comes after us now, I swear I’ll teach her some manners!”

“Oh~ I am really looking forward to it ~”

“That’s right, watch me shine when the time comes! …Huh?”

Lucas trailed off halfway through his sentence and then froze. This voice… sounded like…

He turned his head around stiffly, only to be greeted by the sight of a white haired loli in a black dress standing beside him with a lovely smile on her face.

Shock rooted Durance and the others to the ground. They could only stare at Cornelia, who was suddenly in their presence, unable to utter even a single word.

“What’s wrong? This white haired sea urchin is right in front of you now. Why don’t you show me what you can do? Aren’t you going to beep me first, then beep me before finally giving me a good spanking and teaching me some manners~?”

“Ugh…”

Lucas appeared to be shell-shocked but in reality, thoughts were running through his brain at flying speed as he quickly developed a countermeasure.

Dangerous glint flashed across Lucas eyes when he saw that Cornelia had her guard lowered. Without saying a word, he took advantage of the situation and pounced on her… legs… like a starving tiger.

“Meowww~” He purred while rubbing his face against Cornelia’s perfectly shaped legs that were covered by white socks.

The playful expression on Cornelia’s face instantly stiffened.

“What are you talking about, Lady Cornelia, meow~ I’m just a harmless little kitty~ How could I possibly bring myself to do such beastly things to the beautiful and lovely Lady Cornelia, meow~?”

Under everyone’s shocked, perplexed and disbelieving gaze, Lucas shook his white and hairy butt.

He rubbed his face against Cornelia’s feet and purred, “Little Lucas is Lady Cornelia’s most loyal meow~ I’ll never harm you, meow~”