The Munchkin Disciple Wants To Stop Being Obsessed Over

2 – Daphne (1)

I asked first. Answer.

…Camel…

Not your name, your identity.

…?

Cocking my head, I retorted internally. That’s what I want to ask.

‘Who on earth is she?’

The force that downed a higher beast in one go.

Even compared to the rumoured-to-be beautiful heroines in the game where you have to eat the faces of female characters, her superior looks didn’t falter.

Even if I racked my brains, I couldn’t remember. Was there such a character in the game?

‘No, there wasn’t.’

Certain. Looking at a character I, who knew even the names and appearances of insignificant supporting characters of the game in addition to main characters like Fran, had never seen before.

What are you surviving alone for? Why did you kill him?

The woman asked, pointing her chin at the debris of the follower of chaos who took his own life.

I’m not sure. Also, I didn’t kill that person.

You want me to believe that?

“Really…”

As I replied, the woman slightly tilted her head and closed her mouth for a moment.

I was just as confused.

Because, like her, I was in a situation where I didn’t know who the owner of the body I was in was, either.

Despite having played the game for so long, Camellia was a name that was new to me, and the term Hyacinth was similarly unknown.

“In any case, we…”

“…?”

“Shouldn’t we run away first?”

In the midst of my anxiety, I cautiously suggested to her as I saw a group of monsters steadily approaching in my field of vision.

“Just stay here quietly. Don’t think about escaping.”

Only then did the woman check our surroundings and, saying this, extended her right hand to me.

“No… “

We should run, I tried to assert. However, the moment a small magic circle was drawn in her palm, my surroundings were enveloped in a translucent barrier, and my power of speech disappeared.

Boom! Bang!

Involuntarily, I swallowed. The run of the monsters was that intimidating.

‘Is she planning to deal with them by herself?’

From the look of things, she now held a sword in each hand, so it seemed likely.

No way. With that slender body that looked ready to snap from a single blow, she planned to face those superior monsters…?

“Huh?”

As I wondered this, she charged into the monsters at an unbelievable speed swinging the sword in her right hand.

Slash!

Following the sweeping path of her sword, a blue streak as deep as her eyes was drawn.

“…!”

From that streak erupted a chillingly blue flash.

My vision shimmers, and an icy wind blows.

“… “

My hair… it was long.

Struggling to open my eyes, I saw that my pitch-black long hair was wildly blowing about, obscuring my vision.

“Wow… “

In the midst of brushing away annoying hair from my face, my mouth fell open.

It’s not surprising. All the monsters in the path of the blue streak were either slashed apart or frozen in place.

Whoosh.

While I was still unable to close my mouth, this time I could see flames soaring in the corner of my vision.

“Sigh… “

The source of the flames roaring with an intensity that could devour the world was the sword in the woman’s left hand.

She, with graceful spiral motion, drew a red line with the sword in her left hand.

Slash!

From there, a bloody flash erupted, and an enormous fire demon began to rampage.

The fire quickly turned into dragon’s breath, skyrocketing to the sky, and the woman continued to swing her sword, disregarding it.

“Amazing…!”

Watching her sent chills down my spine.

A constant spectacle of blue and red flashes exploding without cease.

Ice and fire beautifully embroidered the void.

Her graceful swordsmanship, delicate and elegant movements.

The landscape the woman was painting was so beautiful and astounding, it seemed as if it were a picture itself.

-Clank.

In the moment of awe, the swords that seemed to be flying endlessly, slipped back into the sheath on her waist.

“It’s not over yet…!”

There were still monsters left, but as I saw the solid lines engraved on their bodies, I stopped my outcry, and had to open my mouth again.

-Flash!

A quiet but sharp sound echoed.

This time, a pure white light began to cover the world.

My vision flickered once again.

****

“So…”

Daphne, who revealed her name, let out a sigh and continued her words.

“When I came to, I was being dragged along. I can’t remember anything before that, apart from my name and age. The guy who was controlling those monsters killed himself. Is that what you’re saying?”

“Yes.”

“And you want me to believe that?”

Despite all my passionate talking,

Daphne still wore an expression of disbelief.

“If it’s a lie, you should brace yourself.”

She asked, staring straight into my eyes.

Her blue eyes gradually being dyed with gold.

Is this some kind of mental skill? It feels like bugs crawling all over my body.

“…”

How much time has passed? The strange feeling gradually faded, and Daphne cocked her head, making a strange expression.

“What should I do with you?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m wondering. Should I kill you, or not?”

“Why would you…?”

“Because…”

Tap, tap. Daphne prodded the edge of my heart with her finger as she spoke.

“You may not know, but there’s a very bad energy seeping in here.”

Is she talking about my trait?

“If I let you go as you are, you will bring great calamity to the world, regardless of your will.”

Looks like she’s right. I don’t know how she’s not wrong, but this is quite a dilemma.

Given the circumstances, it appeared that the chaos sect intended to harboring the seven deadly sins within me.

The seven deadly sins could easily annihilate a kingdom.

From Daphne’s perspective, it would make sense to kill me before I become the seven deadly sins.

In other words, I’m worth little even if I die.

‘Why me?’

Of course, that doesn’t mean I’ll just die.

Having finished my contemplation and made my decision, I opened my mouth to her.

“I have no intention of doing that.”

“I’m sorry, but…”

As she reached for her sword, I grabbed her hand and shook my head.

“That’s not your decision to make.”

“Then, let Daphne decide.”

“…?”

“Please take me with you. I can prevent the disaster.”

Did she find my firm words interesting, or was she resentful?

Daphne started to look at me with a hand on her waist.

“I understand that my body is different from others. That must be why I survived them.”

“Go on.”

“But… as I said earlier, I have no intention of causing a disaster. If it were the other way around, I don’t know.”

“I see.”

“Didn’t you confirm earlier that my words were not a lie?”

“Hmm…”

A sparkle flashed in Daphne’s eyes.

“I’m not sure what kind of person you are, but I think you should know this.”

“What?”

“If you swing that sword now, it would just be a meaningless act of murder.”

“That might be true. But wouldn’t it also be true that I stopped a disaster in advance?”

She chuckled lightly, then bent her knees and asked me while bringing her face close to mine.

“That’s right. But, if you can prevent disaster without killing this innocent child, shouldn’t you?”

“How?”

“Just take me with you. And you watch me to prevent me from causing a disaster. Wouldn’t that be good for both of us?”

“What’s good for me?”

Daphne asked, tilting her head.

“Firstly, by taking me with you, Daphne, you won’t have to feel guilty about killing a child.”

“Guilt… I’m not sure if I have such emotions.”

Her disturbing remark came out, but I showed no reaction and continued my words.

“Secondly, if you kill me here, Daphne, they will undoubtedly try to create another being like me. I’m not sure how important I am to them.”

“That’s not an easy task.”

She answered, looking into my eyes with interest.

“Even if it’s not easy, do you think they will give up easily after losing me as an option?”

“Well.”

“If there’s no choice, it’s human habit to create one. But what if there’s a chance to reclaim what was made difficult?”

“Hmm.”

As I asked intentionally, Daphne simply groaned, without responding.

“They won’t necessarily choose the hard path.”

“Go on.”

“Thirdly, by keeping an eye on me, Daphne, you can continually prevent disaster.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those people. They tried to use me for something, right? Then, someday, not today, they will target me again. But if I stay by your side, Daphne?”

Upon my final question, Daphne responded with a peculiar expression.

“They can’t take you away.”

“Yes. Exactly. And if that happens, Daphne, you can constantly prevent disasters.”

“You… are 10 years old, right?”

Though I passionately made my point, Daphne started staring at me sharply, asking a totally unrelated question.

“Yes.”

“Impressive.”

After an intense eye contact, she chuckled, crossing arms.

Her smile was quite destructive and I reflexively bowed my head, thinking,

‘I have to follow her no matter what.’

At the end of my plight, that’s the conclusion I came to.

Possessing a child’s body, I currently have nothing.

I obviously do not know how to return to reality, and it is incredibly frustrating to be targeted by followers of the Chaos.

And then, she showed up.

A woman who single-handedly swept off high-ranking monsters.

If such a Daphne were to take me, at least I won’t be taken by followers of the Chaos.

‘And if I could learn swordsmanship or magic, even better.’

I don’t know who Daphne is, but one thing is certain.

I have never seen such a strong character in more than 10,000 hours of gaming.

If I were to learn swordsmanship and magic from such a character?

Not only would I be able to protect myself, but I may lead a better life than in reality, becoming stronger than the main characters in the game.

“So…”

With newfound certainty, I flashed her a smile, clearly conveying my determination.

“Please save me.”

It might appear a bit pathetic, but I had no choice.

I would have to survive first to consider what’s to come.

“Your name was Camel, right?”

I felt a soft sensation on my chin, and a voice slowly began to resonate.

“Hmm…”

The sudden sensation of her breath; my head involuntarily started to bow down, but my seized face remained motionless.

Daphne, her face close to mine, began to scrutinize me carefully, turning my face this way and that.

The vision that had been obscured by a black line of thread lightens. It’s because Daphne had swept away my unkempt bangs with her other hand.

Black hair with red pupils. Even the point of trying to escape from a predetermined fate…

“Remarkably similar. I wonder… is this purely coincidence?”

What did she mean by that? Daphne’s eye corners crinkle like a crescent moon as she murmurs words that I cannot comprehend.

“Interesting.”

She releases my jaw and rises from her position. Her eyes swirl with indiscernible emotions.

“Do you wish to live?”

“Yes.”

“Then let’s leave, for now.”

Daphne extended her hand to me, and I instinctively grasped it.

That’s when a massive magic circle began to form under our feet, radiating a white light.

A humming sound filled the room. Not a moment later, we were engulfed by a beam of light.

What?

This was a new sensation. My surroundings seemed to be inversing.

Could it be… is this magic?

The 9th circle magic, teleportation, only existed theoretically, never duplicated by anyone.

As I was pondering, a familiar notification popped up.

[Tutorial completed.]