Only I know that this world will end – 123 | Sousaku – 創作

Believer

Arthur watched Ayaka leave the store.
After that, he waited long enough to be sure that Ayaka had left. Finally, he exhaled deeply, as if letting out the breath he had been holding.

"Now, Olivia. Let's get started. We'll have to kill the young lady before Hanayagi comes back."

As if in response to his words, Olivia slowly appeared, floating upward.
Arthur gently lifted Nao, who was asleep. Carrying her to the back of the bar counter, he quietly laid her body down.
There was no sign of Nao moving. She was sleeping so deeply that she didn't even notice when someone lifted her body.
Seeing her unresponsive state, one might suspect that Ayaka, who was sleeping face down on the bar counter, had also been drugged by Arthur.

"Now, Olivia. Like always, crush her."

Arthur muttered as he looked down at Nao lying on the floor.
At those words, Olivia moved her mouth as if to say something.

"……Oh, you mean the scream? Sure, if we kill her here, there'll be a scream or two. As you say, that could cause him to wake up. That's why I asked Hanayagi-kun to cast 『Silence』 on her to prevent that from happening."

Arthur replied to Olivia's words.

"The effect of her 『Silence』 is to eliminate the sounds emitted by the subject and the sounds that reached the subject. Do you understand? In other words, the young lady is now in a state of complete silence. Even if she did scream, no one would hear her, and even the words we are speaking now cannot reach her ears. So there's no need to worry."

Olivia nodded slightly at Arthur's words.
Then, with a thoughtful expression, she asked Arthur a question.

"Yes, you're right. Certainly, if we crush her as usual, it will be immediately apparent that we were responsible. I want Hanayagi-kun to take the blame. …………If that's the case, let's change the way we kill her. Olivia, can you lift his sword? Yes, that sword."

Olivia nodded at Arthur's words and pointed one hand toward the Iron Sword of the Pig-headed Demon leaning against the wall. Then, the iron sword floated up.

"With that sword, cut off her head so that the young lady will not suffer needlessly."

Arthur spoke quietly.

Following his instructions, Olivia moved the iron sword and aimed the tip at her neck.
And then, all at once.
Olivia waved down her outstretched hand――――

"...! ! "

――At that moment. Akira jumped up as if propelled by a spring, shook off the sleepiness that was consuming his body, grabbed the hatchet he had placed beside him, and ran off at full speed.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh! ! "

Instantly closing a distance of several meters.
Akira jumped over the bar counter and swung his axe with all his might at the iron sword that was being brought down on Nao.

――A loud clang.

The two weapons clashed, making a loud noise and sending sparks flying.
The Hatchet of the Raging Bull, combined with Akira's strength, chipped away at the Endurance of the Iron Sword of the Pig-headed Demon.
As the sparks scattered and disappeared, the blade of the iron sword snapped in half and flew through the air, spinning.

"Wha-! ? "

He probably didn't think Akira was awake.
Arthur's eyes widened in shock, and he stopped moving for a moment, speechless.
Akira did not miss that opportunity.

"Fuu! "

With a short exhale, he kicked off the ground and jumped toward Arthur's chest.
Akira rushed forward, grabbed Arthur by the chest, and threw him toward the wooden door leading out of the bar.

"Guh! "

With a short squeal, Arthur slammed his back into the door, breaking it down and rolling out.
Once he was sure that there was enough distance between them, Akira quickly approached Nao and called out to her.

"Nao-san, Nao-san! ! "

Akira raised his voice and shook Nao.
Then, she must have been awakened by the shock.
Nao slowly lifted her eyelids and gazed blankly at Akira's face.

"Thank god."

That sight made Akira smile involuntarily.
Nao gazed blankly at Akira's face and moved her lips slightly. At that moment, she must have been surprised that she couldn't speak. With a look of confusion or surprise, she widened her eyes and let out a soundless cry.

"Calm down. Please calm down. You are currently under the influence of a skill, Nao-san. Because of that you can't talk."

Akira said slowly, looking at Nao.
However, Nao didn't seem to hear those words.
Even more panicked, Nao grasped Akira's shoulder and opened her mouth wide to say something.
Seeing this, Akira finally understood what Arthur had said.

(……Damn, I see. Is this the effect of 『Silence』 that Arthur was talking about? In that case――――)

Akira quickly took out his smartphone and typed a message. Then, he showed Nao the screen displaying the text he had typed.

『Don't worry. Trust me and stand back.』

Short, concise words.
With that, Nao looked back and forth between the screen and Akira's face.

"…………"

And then, she nodded.
Nao nodded seriously to Akira and quietly stepped back.

"――――Oh, I knew it. I thought you had noticed. I had a bad feeling when I heard you said your unique skill was 『Return from Hell』."

A voice came from behind the broken door.
When he looked up, he saw Arthur accompanied by Olivia slowly walking toward him.
It must have been the impact of being grabbed by the chest and thrown by Akira. The black shirt he was wearing was frayed and disheveled, with buttons torn off the front.
Akira's gaze, which had been directed at Arthur, suddenly stopped. It was because he saw the pattern visible on his neck, exposed by his disheveled clothes.

"That mark is……"

A tower pattern resembling a chess rook, with large eyes.
It was the same mark that Kashiwaba had drawn on the ground in his previous life. That meant, in other words――――

"Arthur, you…… Are you a follower of Lilith Laila?"

Lilith Laila.
A cult group that believes that their wishes will come true by offering high-ranking blood to the demon king Vine.
The mark on Arthur's neck was undoubtedly the one Kashiwaba had shown him, indicating that he was a member of that group.