Chapter 71
He came a little closer to me.
“Why is this dangerous egg, which is clearly a Monster's, so friendly only to you, no matter how I look at it? It's too strange. Besides, how did you know how to break through the flow of Mana? Why did you hide the reason and help me?”
Kaiden narrowed his eyes and scanned my expression, as if he would see through all my thoughts.
“Well…, everyone looks at me suspiciously, so I didn't bother saying unnecessary things. But, wait. Kaiden, we don't have time for this. The sun is setting.”
I quietly pointed to the sky. As I said, Noel was setting. It was the time when Monsters appeared.
“I'm fine. How about you? Shall we spend the night here together? I'm not really afraid of dying.”
Kaiden tilted his face towards me. The madness in his eyes made it seem like he would really stay here until I told the truth.
“It's been strange all along. It wasn't just one or two things. Margaret, tell me what you're hiding.”
Kaiden said again. I tried desperately to pull my hand out of Kaiden's grip, but it wouldn't budge.
'Should I take out the Flares? I think I can distract them for a moment and run away.'
I thought about that and put my hand on my crossbody bag. At that moment, I met sharp eyes and a gaze over Kaiden's shoulder.
“Are you trying to run away alone? You're only thinking about running away, aren't you? You were planning to abandon us from the beginning.”
“W-wait a minute.”
I was so surprised that I tried to push him away, but he held me tighter, telling me not to play tricks.
Kaiden gripped my hand tightly.
Then, the shadow of a Monster emerged from the forest.
“It's not that, behind you…!!”
Kaiden followed me and turned his head to look into the forest.
Just in time, a long, hairy leg stretched out from between the bushes. It gave me goosebumps.
A Tarantula boasting a huge body emerged, pushing through the bushes. It seemed to be at least three times the size of my body.
I met the gaze of eight eyes attached to the black fur-covered body. My hair stood on end. I was frozen in place with tension and couldn't even move.
“What is that…”
Kaiden was also looking at the Tarantula monster with a bewildered expression.
Then, the Tarantula quickly moved its body in Kaiden's direction.
“Dangerous!”
I pushed Kaiden away with great force, then took out a Bomb from my pocket and pulled the pin.
Then, I took aim at the Tarantula's body and threw it.
Kwaang!
The huge Tarantula's body shattered, and its legs collapsed and slumped to the ground.
The problem was what came next.
Dada dada dada.
Spiders about the size of the giant Tarantula's midsection began to swarm in.
“I'm screwed.”
I took another step back with a desperate feeling. That was definitely the Tarantula that Yuanna and the others had encountered.
Kaiden took out a Dagger, grabbed my arm, and pulled me close to him. I couldn't move any further back because we were standing on a cliff.
I opened my crossbody bag and took out a Bomb. Then, I checked the number of Bombs left. There were only two left.
It was a pity that I couldn't bring many Bombs because the crossbody bag was small. Fortunately, I had brought all the Flares bullets.
“Don't come out, it's dangerous.”
Kaiden stood in front of me, blocking me, and readjusted his Dagger.
There were a total of five spiders surrounding us, passing the corpse of the giant Tarantula.
The Tarantula's long legs were covered in fluffy fur. They twitched, looking around as if they were about to come out.
Beneath the body, which was densely packed with black eyes, a sticky-looking liquid was dripping from its open mouth. Sharp pincers that looked like poisonous needles clashed, tap, tap, as if they were smacking their lips.
'Damn it. I want to pass out. I hate spiders so much.'
I grabbed two Bombs in both hands and pulled the pins with my teeth.
Kaiden looked at me with a face that guessed what I was about to do, readjusted his Dagger, and lowered his stance. It was to deal with the spiders that would be thrown out after the Bombs exploded.
Ah, but what if the cliff collapses if I blow them all up? But if I stay like this, I'll become Monster food.
'What should I do….'
After agonizing for a very brief moment, I finally made up my mind.
“I don't know, whether I die like this or like that!”
I threw the Bombs one by one at the spiders.
Kwaang-!
Kwang!
Some of them were hit directly by the Grenades, and fragmented bodies and a green liquid presumed to be blood were seen spraying in the air.
One was staggering and getting up below, and one looked perfectly fine, as if it hadn't been damaged at all.
There were still two left alive.
The ground vibrated from the aftermath of the Bombs, and the floor began to crack. I probably wouldn't be able to hold out for long. Sweat filled my palms.
With a tense face, I took out a Flares from my crossbody bag, loaded the bullets, and pulled the charging lever. My hands were trembling.
“How have I survived until now? It doesn't make sense to die here.”
That's what I said, but my trembling voice didn't calm down easily.
The spiders looked around and approached little by little. I watched their movements with a tense posture, but they suddenly raised their front paws and spewed out a thread-like spider web.
“Crazy!!”
Several strands of spider web continued to be pulled out and wrapped around my wrists, and soon wrapped around my waist.
“Argh! Why do they always attack me!”
I immediately fell to the ground and was dragged towards the spider.
“Margaret!”
Kaiden grabbed my wrist tightly and used his Dagger to cut the spider web. However, the one who continued to pull out the thread aimed at me again. I quickly got up and took out the Flares.
Then, I aimed at the body of the spider pulling the spider web and pulled the trigger.
Tang!
My body bounced back slightly from the recoil, but Kaiden caught me in his arms, so there was no tragedy of falling off the cliff.
My ears were ringing because I fired the Flares from too close a distance.
The problem was the other Tarantula that was staggering and approaching. It was already close at hand.
Its long legs rose high into the air. Kaiden rolled on the ground to avoid the legs that were about to plunge straight down.
Kung!
The power was so great that the floor was deeply dug. Then another leg launched an attack.
“Damn it.”
Kaiden cursed, pulled me back, and swung his Dagger.
Ssak! The leg was cut off lightly. I cringed at the sight of the thick green liquid flowing from the severed leg, eugh…….
The spider writhed, screaming as if in pain.
The problem was that its long legs were swung around in the process, and I was hit directly by them and bounced away.
It really felt like that moment was flowing slowly, like in slow motion.
I was hit by the spider's leg and bounced off the cliff, floating in the air and looking down.
A river was flowing below.
Sh……it?
“Margaret! No!!”
Kaiden screamed and leaped from the edge of the cliff, reaching out his arm to me. He put me in his arms and hugged me.
We immediately fell off the cliff.
Thud!
Even as we plunged deep into the river, Kaiden held me tightly in his arms as if to protect my body and wouldn't let go.
I thought. Kaiden is no ordinary madman either.
The hand he reached out to me, even though he might die, was without hesitation.
He was making a miserable expression as if the world had collapsed when he saw me being pushed off the cliff.
I couldn't believe that he was the same person who had been suspecting, wary of, and cornering me until just a moment ago.
Wasn't he distrustful of me?
And yet, he's selflessly giving up his life for me.
I really don't understand Kaiden. I don't know what he's thinking at all.
Of course, I didn't have the mental capacity to think any deeper. I was breathless, and I lost consciousness from the impact of hitting the river.
