Gacha Kingdom Building

Agatha accompanied me to Mia's room, but we stopped at her door.

She had already told me everything I needed to know about Mia's condition, and I didn't think Mia would be too comfortable with too many people like Licia and Claire were.

However, before asking Agatha to return to the infirmary, I needed to thank her for everything she did.

Miwen: "This time you really saved us... I swear to return the favor, no matter what you want."

Agatna: "Just... don't make me watch and help someone kill themselves. You'll never hear from me again if this happens a second time. You can do anything else, I don't care... But this... I want you to promise me."

I could understand her feelings.

She was forcibly put into a difficult position, and it seems like it struck a chord in her.

Miwen: "Don't worry, I feel the same."

Seeing her agitated about it was shocking, but fortunately, I could reassure her.

I was already planning on having a word with Licia about this anyway.

As such, after she made me promise it, she left for the infirmary, and I knocked on the door, waiting for Mia to open it.

I heard a few steps coming close, almost by the door, her soft voice asked me...

Mia: "...Are you alone?"

Right...

Mia could definitely tell how many people were coming towards her room, and I also had no doubts that she heard me send Agatha back.

However, there are a few girls who are harder to tell.

I had already asked Cassandra to stay with the girls, and Raella was definitely not about to leave their side. As such, there was only one other...

Miwen: "...Lana?"

Lana: "...I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

Her figure slowly emerged from the shadows.

I had no idea when she got inside my shadow, but if I had to guess, she was with me from the moment I left the South.

Miwen: "It's fine."

She knew to leave before I said a word.

Lana: "...I was wrong about you."

She only said it after she had created a small shadow corridor to dive on, and her voice was so low, I almost couldn't catch it.

Miwen: "I'm alone."

A few seconds later, I heard her steps again, but unlike the first time, she was distancing herself from the door.

Miwen: "...Yo."

Mia: "...Hey."

I heard she briefly checked on Claire and Licia before locking herself in their shared room...

She had a few bruises and cuts on her body, and maybe even a few broken bones.

However, she refused to receive treatment, saying she was doing fine.

Agatha decided not to waste time arguing against her and focused on the others' conditions first.

Because of this, I thought she would be resting, but...

She sat by the bed's head, tightly grabbing one pillow to hide her face while using another to support her back.

The sheets were too tidy for someone who spent the night sleeping, especially in pain.

...I approached the bed, sitting by the side and facing away from her, but then...

I felt her poking my back.

Miwen: "...Can I come closer?"

She didn't say anything in return, but she moved a little more to the side, making room for me to sit by her side, allowing me to take a better look at her injuries.

They were pretty much like Licia's, except for more bruises and inflammations instead of the cuts Licia had.

I also noticed she was trembling a little.

It was reminiscent of the first day she spent in the Kingdom, and it made me think that perhaps the pillow wasn't meant to hide her face.

Carefully, I reached for it.

Once I lowered it, I confirmed it was drenched in tears.

Her face was swollen, it had many more cuts than her arms, and she had tear marks still on it, her eyes red and her expression exhausted as she looked me in the eyes.

As I thought, this wasn't the type of thing she would want to show someone else.

Not the girl whose strength is on par with Claire's... The girl who is always doing her own thing, unbothered by what's around her...

The girl who is reliable until the very last moment...

I'm the only one who has seen this side of her. Well, maybe Elizabeth has seen it once too during our battle, but...

After living with her... Being by her side for so long...

I know exactly how hard it is for this to happen.

Only when she experiences the worst... When she can't see a way out... Those are the only times when her spirit breaks like this.

It's not something I thought would happen again...

Mia: "...Hah. You can really do anything, huh?"

Miwen: "...I can try."

I extend the palm of my hand close to her face, casting [Healing Magic] to heal some of the bruises.

Raella and Angelica could definitely do a better job than I, but I knew how Mia would react if I said that.

Whenever I belittle myself, no matter how true it might be, she always clicks her tongue and retorts.

Mia: "I thought... You would come here and mess with me... Say I was making a big deal out of nothing..."

Miwen: "You know better, Mia. And so do I."

Mia: "I think... I would've preferred that... It would be easier..."

Miwen: "Take your time..."

After healing her face, she approached me more, using my shoulder to rest her head.

I took the opportunity to lay my hand on her arm and started healing it too.

We stood there in silence for a while, my hand went lower with time, eventually reaching hers.

She intertwined our fingers, her hand didn't seem like it had much strength left, so I held it tight.

Mia: "When their army approached... I sensed a familiar smell..."

By itself, this wasn't extraordinary.

She always seems to know when her tribesmen are near, and given that most of them were enslaved by Hamperlon, she was bound to meet them in battle.

I tried to prepare her and the Wolves of the Kingdom as best as possible for it...

And because of their first battle, when they successfully fought, defeated, and liberated a few of their people, I knew something like this wouldn't get in their way too much.

Unfortunately, this meant that...

Mia: "I couldn't believe it... But... It was my mother's smell..."

.....

Miwen: "...Are you sure?"

Mia: "I wasn't, but... I had to know... I... I lost myself for a second, and before I knew it, I was already facing her... Miwen... It was everything... Even the way she fought... I have no doubts..."

Slowly, the tears started falling again, and the hand I thought had no strength left began to tighten its grip.

Licia and Claire said that their opponent, the Black Knight, had a lot of different abilities, of which many were probably a Gift...

Only one comes to mind when I think of someone in this world with so many different Gifts.

Normiyu, the strongest prince in this Kingdom, and the man Melissa sought to defeat before her death...

Of course, he was also proclaimed dead during the invasion of Maides Island...

Suddenly, things make a lot of sense.

I was sure Melissa was the only one who could defeat him.

Yet, I didn't gain any levels from his death, even though he was high-level enough for it.

As I thought, the experience I gained was from some weaker soldiers Melissa defeated, which luckily was enough for her to level up after killing one of their Generals...

This tormented me quite a lot.

Things didn't make sense.

Only Melissa could have defeated him, but everything pointed to her falling in that battle.

Mia: "...wen?"

With so many healers there, I doubted she could inflict enough damage for him to die right after her...

But if the battle was close enough... Someone who can bring back the dead could see an opportunity to get rid of the prince...

Perhaps the only one they'd ever get, considering his strength...

They'd also get one of the strongest pawns this world can offer... Actually, if everything went right, they would get two...

However, the one who would benefit the most from this would have to be the Third Prince, now Hamperlon's King, Gerbil.

The idea of killing one's own family... For what? The throne?

Mia: "...Miwen."

He was third in line...

Killing Normiyu alone wouldn't make him the crown prince.

If I assume he did do it, though... it would explain the sudden deaths that came after.

His other brother, the First Prince, and then his father...

The Seven Rainbow Miracles was also executed after the invasion, since even though they succeeded, she was blamed for allowing the death of a prince...

If she was accompanying them, she was probably the only one who knew what happened on the Island...

It would make sense to have her executed, and even if he didn't do it directly, I'm sure he had the means to make it happen.

...If they are right and Gerbil has the power of necromancy... If he has resurrected Melissa and Normiyu

Then I-

Mia: "Stop."

Ouch.

It felt like she was going to break my hand.

Mia: "You... I don't like it when you're scary..."

Oh...

I didn't even notice it, but... My blood was boiling over the thought of him using Melissa like this...

I had a lot to consider regarding this, but I'd need to consult with Elizabeth first.

When the first Merchant showed me her last moments, I saw she had a necromancer in her army, so she should have some answers for me.

More importantly, now wasn't the time...

Miwen: "Sorry, Mia... But I need to know one thing."

Mia: "...?"

Miwen: "If you are right about Melissa... Or, even if you aren't... How do you feel about this world? Do you hate it?"

She slipped her head down from my shoulder, using my lap as a pillow...

Mia: "I do... I hate it from the bottom of my heart. If I could... I would get rid of it!"

I don't know what hurt me more. The fact that she felt this strongly about it, or that it still didn't measure up to the hatred I had for it.

This event... It's testing me until the very end...

And I feel like I'm this close to failing.

Even though I don't know what they want from me... I'm almost sure that if I fail myself, it won't matter.

It'll be their victory...

Miwen: "You know... If I said I was going to-"

Mia: "I wouldn't want that. I don't want to hurt you more than this... I don't want you to do something you'll regret because of me..."

Miwen: "...I see. Then, what is it that you want? I'll do anything for you."

Mia: "Tonight... Can you stay by my side? I'm scared, and I hate being alone."

I feel silly.

Out of all the things she could've asked...

Of everything I was considering...

This is what would make her happy.

I still had a lot to grow to become the person they wanted me to be, but...

At least this I could do.

Miwen: "Don't worry. I'm here for you."

As we lay on the bed, I felt her hands behind my back, hugging me tightly.

Her body pressed against mine, and I hugged her as gently as I could.

Mia: "Miwen... I don't know what to do... I hate this... Why did it have to be her? Why couldn't they leave her alone?"

I didn't know how to answer that.

Their motives were obvious, but... She knew it better than anyone.

All I could do was comfort her...

Miwen: "We'll find a way..."

Mia: "We can't win, Miwen... She's too strong, and I... I'm too weak..."

Miwen: "That's not true. You're stronger than you realize."

Mia: "Don't do that... I know it... I don't have anything... Look at my body... It's frail, weak... It's not even attractive... It's just a waste... I hate it... I'm sure she hated it too... I'm sure she would do anything to have another daughter or son... Someone who could actually help her..."

Miwen: "...I didn't know much about Melissa."

We didn't spend much time together, after all.

Miwen: "But if there's one thing I knew about her, it was how much she cared for her tribe..."

Even when it was hopeless, she chose to fight for them until her last breath.

Miwen: "And yet, there was only one thing she cared about more than it. She tricked me to protect you, Mia. If I hadn't appeared... I think she would've run away with you. She would've abandoned everything to make sure you were safe. So don't say she didn't love you. Don't belittle your body, your appearance, or your strength. Not a single one of these things is true. Okay?"

Mia: "...You're only saying that because-"

Miwen: "Because I love you? And because I care for you? So tell me... Am I the first one to tell you this? Or has there been someone-"

Suddenly, the room echoed with her sobbing.

I didn't mean to make her even sadder, but perhaps I went a little too far...

Still, I didn't regret it.

Even if it was a painful realization, she needed to know she was loved, and that she still is.

It took her an hour or so to calm down.

I reassured her as much as I could during that time.

Even if it hurt, I kept telling her the truth.

I wasn't going to let her think otherwise. I couldn't let those thoughts win even for a moment.

And while I knew she was strong enough to defeat them, as she had already done in the past, I was also aware that I was the only one she counted on to help her in such a moment...

Once she finally gave up belittling herself, she fell asleep.

But even while sleeping, her body never relaxed, and she kept holding me as much as she could throughout the entire night.

Sometimes, she would tremble and cry. In response, I would pat her head, bring her closer, or whisper reassuring words to her.

It was a long night, but eventually, she stopped almost all of it.

She only continued to cling to me, her breathing now slightly calmer, and I could even hear her speak a little in her sleep.

I couldn't tell what she was dreaming about, of course, but... From the few fragments I got, it seemed lovely...

I never thought the day would come when she would be the one forcing me to hug her like this, but... If only this situation were different...

I'd be jumping out of joy...

Still... I didn't mind this too much.

I just wish we could do this again.

Maybe under happier circumstances...

Seeing her smiling instead of sobbing...