Volume 12 Chapter 41 When I Wake Up
When I woke up, I noticed that most of the pain I had before passing out was gone.
"All that's left are some minor wounds! I'm going to give him the medicine again, so lift his upper body a bit and open his mouth!"
As Toxy said this, Clay lifted my body and opened my mouth. Toxy then poured a liquid medicine into it.
After swallowing a few times, I coughed and sat up.
"Ah! Wade, you regained consciousness! Are you okay? Is your vision clear?!"
"Cough, Toxy..."
"How many fingers do you see?"
"Three..."
"Alright! It looks like the treatment was enough. I'm glad..."
After confirming that, Toxy collapsed on the spot. I blinked in surprise and looked down at my body.
Although my upper body was bare, my body was otherwise completely fine. I widened my eyes and muttered.
"Wait, did my Anahata chakra recover? Whoa, that's hot."
Inside my body, the fire of Lævateinn was burning the chakra. My body was fully healed, but it seemed it wasn't because of the chakra.
"...Toxy, you're really amazing."
"I'm so glad I could help..."
Toxy started to cry a little. When I gently patted her head and asked, "Why are you crying?" I noticed Ice approaching from the other side.
"Ah, Ice...?"
I was about to greet her normally when I realized Ice had a really intense expression, and I froze.
That expression was pure rage. It was the first time I had seen Ice so furious, and for a moment, I couldn't breathe.
Then, Sandra interrupted.
"Fenrir and the others have revived."
Ice stopped moving and looked in the direction Sandra was pointing. There, beyond the rubble, I could see the monsters, except for Loki, rising one after another.
"...Clay-kun. Can I ask you to handle the team from earlier...?"
"Yeah, got it. Can I leave Wade-kun to Ice-san? Toxy-san... you look tired. I think you should rest."
"Okay... ugh..."
Maybe my handling of the situation was too much for Toxy, as she nodded while still on the ground and then lost consciousness. The others also left to deal with the revived monsters.
So, only Ice (and the unconscious Toxy) were left with me. I was so tense from seeing that intense expression earlier that I couldn't move.
"..."
In that tense atmosphere, Ice quietly approached me. I squeezed my eyes shut in fear, wondering what she would do──
──when a soft feeling suddenly jumped into my chest, I was confused.
"...Ice...?"
I opened my eyes. Ice was clinging to me tightly.
"...Wade-kun...!"
Ice's voice calling my name was trembling. She was filled with the same intense emotions as before. But it didn't seem like she was scolding me for my reckless actions.
Not knowing what to do, I gently stroked Ice's back.
Ice opened and closed her mouth several times against my chest, searching for words, and finally managed to say,
"...I'm sorry...!"
Tears fell from Ice's eyes. I panicked, not understanding what was happening.
"Hey, why are you crying? Ice, did I do something bad to you?"
When I asked, Ice weakly nodded. I waited quietly to hear what she had to say.
Ice took a moment to find her words and then began to speak.
"I... I thought that if Wade-kun is happy, I don't need anything else."
Ice's hand gripped my chest.
"Wade-kun is an amazing person, and just being by your side makes me happy. So, I thought if I could make Wade-kun happy, then I could be next to you. I could return the happiness."
So, Ice continued.
"I kept thinking about how I could make Wade-kun happy. If I can't do that, then I can't be by your side."
"...Ice, that's not true."
"That's why I thought about what makes Wade-kun happy, and I realized that fighting is part of it. I understood that by getting stronger, I could be next to Wade-kun."
"..."
I suddenly realized something. The god-slaying in the slums. I had thought it was a strange obsession, but maybe that was what it was about.
Just then, Ice's words hit me hard.
"───Wade-kun is happy right now, isn't he...?"
"Ugh."
I widened my eyes and looked at Ice. She was crying and laughing at my expression.
"The fight with Loki is really intense and fun, right...? I looked into this Domain Control, but something feels off, and that's probably why Loki can't lose..."
I was just amazed that she understood that much. Unlike me, Ice, who fights with her head, can analyze things like this.
"But, but you know, I'm sorry...!"
Ice said.
"I don't want to see Wade-kun lose...!"
Tears streamed down Ice's face.
She had always smiled gently, even showing a motherly attitude, but now she was crying like a child.
"I'm sorry for being selfish...! Even though Wade-kun is having so much fun fighting, I don't want that, but..."
Ice continued, sobbing.
"I decided that I would make Wade-kun happy first...! Back when we passed the graduation exam, I was the first to make that decision...!"
Ice hugged me tightly.
"Even when I lost to Fenrir-kun, I wanted to say, 'It's okay to be strong!' Even if you become too strong and end up alone, I'll take care of it...!"
Her grip tightened, as if claiming that she wouldn't let anyone else have me.
"I don't want that...! I don't want Wade-kun to be happy with anyone but me...!"
Ice pleaded with me desperately.
"Be happy with me...! Don't be happy with Rollo-chan...!"
I was so shocked by Ice's possessiveness that I could hardly breathe.
The harem was originally Ice's idea. I think she said something about not wanting any discord in the party.
It was a story that was too convenient for me, but... at the same time, I felt a little lonely.
Ice didn't want to keep me all to herself. Even though she liked me, it was something she could easily give to someone else.
But that was wrong.
"Waaahhh... I'm sorry for being selfish...! But I don't want that...! I want to make Wade-kun happy...! Don't be happy with anyone else...!"
Ice cried like a small girl, full of possessiveness. It was her raw desire that she had been holding back.
She had been holding everything in. Even while holding back, she was trying to make me happy.
──And.
And as her husband, I couldn't just ignore that...!
"...Ice."
I called her name and gently wiped away Ice's tears.
"I understand. I'm sorry. I was being selfish. I was about to give in to Loki's temptation. It was really bad. I'm truly sorry."
"...Wade-kun...?"
"I had a feeling about what you and the others were thinking."
I continued with a wry smile.
"I can only live in battles. I can only feel truly happy when fighting strong enemies. So someday, when I become too strong, the end will come. ...And you all are trying to help me overcome that by getting stronger."
A future where I would fight against Ice and the others. That was the worst ending I could imagine. But if I couldn't find someone to fight, I would surely go crazy somewhere.
At that time, Ice would probably come at me. I would end up enjoying my last fun battle in life while shedding tears.
Loki showed me one answer to my curse.
To manipulate fate and create a situation where I can never lose, then kill after certain victory. If I die and become a Demon, I can escape the fate of my creator.
But I can't go along with that anymore. Ice has shown me so much love. I have to respond to that.
"So, I will win."
I smile gently at Ice.
"I'll beat Loki. Fighting her was fun, but── I feel bad for you guys."
When I shrug my shoulders, Ice hugs me tightly and says, "Wade-kun...!"
I hug back, and Ice continues,
"But how will you win against Loki? Because, with normal methods, it's impossible..."
"...Well, that's true. There is a way. It's a bit special, though."
"A special way...?"
I look up at the sky. I speak to the god of my magic seal, Newton.
"Please do it."
Then, the blizzard around us changed. For a moment, the wind clearly stopped only around us, and the snow fell quietly.
"This..."
"...Thank you."
I nod and place my right hand on my chest.
I take a deep breath. I focus my senses on the magic seal.
──In truth, all the magic should have already been released. It was just my selfishness that held it back.
I feel the magic seal stretching. The final magic enters me.
"...Wade-kun, that is──."
"Yeah. It's the final magic of gravity magic."
My body is covered by a magic seal. A god-like magic called the Seal of Completion is engraved within me.
"Don't worry. I've had enough fun already. From here on, I'm going all out to win. I won't make Ice cry."
Ice hates it when I get hurt. So, I won't fight in a way that puts me in danger.
At that moment, I suddenly looked up at the sky. I noticed the ship that had been floating earlier was now charging straight at us.
"Ice! Grab on!"
I picked up Ice and threw Toxy, who was unconscious on the ground, over my shoulder, quickly moving away from the spot.
Right after that, the ship crashed into the place we had just been. The claws of the dead that made up the ship scattered everywhere.
And then, from among the chaos, Loki appeared gracefully.
"Hey there, Master~♡ You took so long to come back, so I came to get you~♡."
Seeing Loki like that, Ice bit her lip, looking like she was about to cry, with a complicated expression that was hard to hate.
I gently patted Ice's head and then said to Loki.
"Sorry, Loki. I've decided not to have fun with you anymore."
"...Huh, why not~?"
Seeing Loki genuinely confused made me chuckle a bit, and I replied.
"My wife told me to settle this quickly. From here on, I'm going to do things calmly."
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