Leave a comment

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

“Spit it out!! Spit it out, now!! What the hell are you doing?!”
“Come on, puke! Don’t eat nasty stuff like that, you’ll get sick!”
“Nope, no way, impossible! I already swallowed it! You’re not getting it back now!”

I grabbed Momo by the collar and shook her violently, though it was painfully obvious that no amount of shaking would make her regurgitate the dragon gem.

What was this situation even supposed to be? What was I supposed to do with a human who’d swallowed a dragon gem whole?

More importantly—why would she swallow it in the first place? Was she an idiot? No, she was an idiot. This idiot was a bona fide moron.

“I should be mad, I really should… but this is so ridiculously stupid I can’t even come up with the words to insult you properly!”
“I totally get ya. Nobody could’ve seen that coming… it’s beyond what any sane person would predict…”
“Wait, are you two mocking me?”

Was she seriously playing dumb at a time like this?

Still, the fact that she could joke around meant she wasn’t feeling unwell. Somehow, despite the dragon gem being tainted by the ghost ship’s curse, it didn’t seem to affect her.

“Maybe her stomach is as unnervingly sturdy as its owner…”
“I’ve heard idiots don’t catch colds. Guess that applies here.”
“Did you two suddenly become friends while I wasn’t looking?”
“We’re just united in our exasperation. Keep it up, and I’ll smack you.”
“That’s so cruel!”

The crackling discharge in the air fizzled out entirely, along with the tension of battle.

In a strange way, ruining the enemy’s fighting spirit might have been the most effective way to deal with the Thunder God’s believer. Of course, there was no chance Momo had planned this—it was undoubtedly just dumb luck.

“So… do you still want that thing (Momo)?” I asked.
“Yeaaa… nope…” Ranga answered.
“Why am I being treated so horribly?! Hey, answer me!” Momo wailed.
“Ugh, stay away! I want the dragon gem, not you, Pinky!!”

Shrugging off Momo’s tearful pleas, the girl leapt onto a nearby rooftop and bolted. Her movements were impressive. It was clear she wanted nothing to do with taking Momo along, even if it meant losing the dragon gem.

“Damn it, this sucks! The dragon gem isn’t exclusive to Claxton anyway. I’ll let you off the hook for now, but don’t forget this, you idiots!!” She yelled at us.
“Wow, that’s practically the textbook example of a petty villain’s parting shot,” I shot back.
“You! I’ll make you cry someday, just you wait!!”

With a final shout and a flash of lightning, the girl vanished. She left no lingering traces of her magic gate and wasn’t hiding anywhere nearby. It seemed she’d genuinely lost interest and left.

“Ah, she’s gone… Who was that girl, Ragna, anyway?”
“No idea. She was like a storm, here one moment and gone the next. But more importantly, are you really okay, Momo?”
“Yup, I’m perfectly fine! I’m actually feeling great! Now we just need Mr. Axio to help me cough it back up, and everything’s solved!”
“Ah, so that’s his handiwork… That man’s always full of surprises.”

The moment relief washed over me, the magecraft supporting my body wavered, and my vision tilted sharply.

“M-Master?!”
“Ah… looks like my battery’s dead. Handle the rest, will you? I’m… going to sleep for a bit…”

✦✧✦✧✦

“…Oh, good morning. How are you feeling?”
“The worst… It feels like my entire body’s been submerged in lead…”

As I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was the Saint gazing down at me. It seemed I was resting on her lap. Though I wanted to move away, my body felt so heavy that the idea of doing so seemed laughable. My head throbbed painfully, and the thought of weaving any spell was utterly exhausting.

“You’re experiencing symptoms of anemia. The injuries you sustained during the battle with Claxton must have taken a toll. I can’t restore blood myself at the moment, so please rest for now,” she advised.
“It was mostly just scratches.”
“Even if they weren’t fatal, blood still flows when there are many wounds. And you said it – mostly. There were still some injuries that could’ve been dangerous if left untreated.”
“I could’ve cauterized them to buy myself enough time. I trust your healing skills at least.”
“That attitude of wizards… I can’t bring myself to like it.”
“Likewise. What’s the situation?”

Turning my head slightly, I scanned my surroundings. I seemed to be lying in an improvised emergency tent. Around me, several other injured people lay scattered about, while Ascles devotees frantically worked to treat them.

Outside the tent, the sounds of men’s voices and debris being cleared echoed. Judging by the noise and activity, the city had suffered significant damage from Claxton and the girl’s attack.

“There are some serious injuries, and a few might suffer lasting effects. However, whether it’s fortunate or not, there were no fatalities,” she explained.
“What about that girl’s identity?”
“Unclear. At the very least, her level of physical reinforcement suggests blessings on par with a high-ranking priest.”
“If she’s at such a high level, it’s odd that you don’t know her. The Thuru are your archenemies, aren’t they?”

“Yes, I’m familiar with their Saint as well. Even so, I’ve never heard of that girl called Ragna.”
“A lot of mysteries there… Well, no point overthinking now that the danger’s passed. So, where’s that troublemaker?”
“Oh, as for her—”
“Masshhteeerr! I’m shoo gwaaaad you’re aliiiveee!”

Hearing our conversation, Momo pushed aside the tent flap and crawled in. She was tied up in multiple layers of rope, resembling a caterpillar as she wriggled her way inside.

“Well now, Momo, you’re looking particularly entertaining today.”
“Exactly, Master! Listen to me!”
“Ah, the hero awakens. Quite the scene we’ve made, haven’t we?”
“And you’ve taken a fair beating yourself, Axio. Are you the one who put strange ideas into Momo’s head?”

Following Momo’s caterpillar-like form was Axio, his broken arm wrapped and secured in a sling. Considering he was the one who had asked me to buy time, I wasn’t sure whether to be annoyed or amused by his battered state.

“Now, now, her little stunt was unexpected even for me! The moment the dragon gem was removed, she bolted. I ran out of magic and couldn’t chase her.”
“I rushed there because Master was in trouble!”
“I’ll smack you. Axio, get that gem out of her body again. It’s a waste in her hands.”
“Ah, well, that’s the thing. Turns out… I can’t remove it anymore!”
“……Excuse me?”

Support Us

Unlock Early Access ------- Select Project ------- Project Gender Bender Project Necro ∴ Support your favorite series and unlock chapters before the public release.