Ruler Vol 1 Chapter 25
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Author: Anit666
【Chloe’s POV】
The world was darkness.
Darkness surrounded me. I did not even know where I was. I couldn’t make a sense of where was up or down or left or right. I couldn’t even see anything, but I could still make out my arms and legs. I tried moving my body, but I couldn’t. My body wouldn’t listen to me. No, I couldn’t feel my body. I couldn’t even feel myself.
Do I even know how to move my body? Do I even know……… who I am?
I did not know where I was. I was just floating through the darkness without any purpose or direction. But I found this peaceful. However, suddenly, I felt like I was being pulled by something. Feeling returned in my body, but I still couldn’t move it. A warmth spread throughout me, which drove away all uneasiness.
Suddenly, a gentle voice resounded in that darkness.
“I’m back, Chloe.”
The voice declared.
I recognized this voice, but I couldn’t remember who it belonged to. But hearing this voice made my chest warm, and it somehow made me ecstatic. It felt that something dear which was lost, finally came back to me.
“But I must apologise, because this is our last meeting. Well technically, we might be able to meet again, but it won’t be like now. So yeah, this is my last farewell.”
The voice told me flatly.
Honestly speaking, I didn’t properly understand what he meant, but the moment he said this, I started feeling a sense of terrible loss, and my heart sunk in sorrow. It seemed that the thing I had regained would once again be stolen from me.
The voice continued growing distant. I tried to raise my voice to stop it, but nothing came out of my mouth. I tried to extend my hands to stop him, or run after him and go with him, but my body wouldn’t listen.
Work damnit!
The voice continued growing distant. The sense of loss intensified, and despair swallowed me. The darkness surrounding me started to engulf me. The warmth, the feeling in my body vanished, and my consciousness became fuzzy. It seemed my world was ending, along with everything and everyone I loved.
I tried to shout, to plead, to make him stop.
No! No! Please don’t go! I’ll do anything, so please don’t leave me alone. Come back-
“SAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!”
“What the fuck?!”
I suddenly heard a scream in the same voice which was speaking earlier, and it was close to me now. In fact, it came from beside me. I tried to turn my head to look in that direction. My body obeyed my instructions this time, and there was Sam at the end of my sight. But……… he was hiding behind the sofa, with only his head and right hand visible. The hand was holding a gun, and it was pointing towards me. In a slightly frightened tone, he asked.
“W-What happened, Chloe…….? I am right here, so why did you shout my name?” (Sam)
I didn’t notice earlier, but we were currently in my room. I was in my bed in my nightwear, while Sam was hiding behind the sofa for guests.
But why am I here?
Ah! I remember! I was fighting with the demon that attacked the castle, and I got a life-threatening injury. Just as I thought that I was about to die, Sam fell from the sky. I lost consciousness after that.
“How… How am I still alive?” (Chloe)
“Well, I have a friend that can use some pretty good healing magic. It’s all thanks to her that you are still alive.” (Sam)
“Is that so?” (Chloe)
“Yes, it is.” (Sam)
“So? How are you feeling? Does it hurt anywhere? Are your memories intact? If it still hurts then I will go call the doctor immediately. For now, just rest. Don’t worry about being Hero and such. I’ll handle all of it. In fact-” (Sam)
“Ok ok geez! You worry too much! I’m perfectly fine!” (Chloe)
Did he always care so much about me? Well, he probably only cares for me as a friend. Nothing more.
But there is still no explanation for the emotions I felt in that darkness.
It’s now clear that the voice speaking in that darkness belonged to Sam.
But why……… why was I so happy when I heard his voice, and why did I fall into despair when he started leaving? I should have no connection with him other than being a friend, so why was I filled with joy when I found him at my side after waking up? Maybe Sam knows something.
“Hey Sam, I want to ask you something.” (Chloe)
“Yes?” (Sam)
“The first time we met should be when you and Jack transferred into my school, right? But………. have we met before that?” (Chloe)
Sam’s shoulders twitched a little after listening to my question. But that was all.
“Maybe. But I don’t think that meeting was impactful enough to make us remember each other, because I have no recollection of meeting before transferring. But why do you ask?” (Sam)
He answered with perfect composure. But the answer was almost mechanical, as if he had already practiced for it. Moreover, his tone while asking that last question contained a certain degree of wariness in it. It was as if he was afraid of something.
I can tell because I have always been sensitive to what other people thought of me. And one way of knowing this is to pay attention to their tone while talking with them.
“No particular reason. I just thought that maybe I had met you somewhere.” (Chloe)
“Oh, okay.” (Sam)
His tone was now relieved.
Just as I thought, he knows something but is hiding it from me. Though I can’t force him to answer, can I?
“Anyway, since you’ve woken up, I should go and inform the others. Jack, and particularly Liera were pretty worried about you.” (Sam)
He stood up after saying that and exited the room without even waiting for a response. It seemed as if he was running away. So suspicious!
But…. Sam said that his friend healed me. I stood from the bed and stood in front of the mirror. I took off my top, and saw the reflection of myself in the mirror. I checked my chest, especially the area where my heart is supposed to be, but there wasn’t even a scar there. It was if that hole in my chest itself was a lie.
Just who could have healed me to such a degree, and with such perfection?
Suddenly someone knocked on my door.
Looks like Liera and the others are here!
I hurriedly put on my top and got into my bed.
“Come in.” (Chloe)
The door opened, and the first one to enter was Liera, followed by Jack, two woman and finally Sam. Liera rushed to my side as soon as she came in, and almost shouted.
“Chloe! Are you Okay?! Do you feel pain anywhere?!” (Liera)
Please don’t shout in a patient’s room like that!
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. The injury has been completely healed, and I don’t feel any pain.” (Chloe)
Liera sighed in relief after hearing that.
“Ah, that’s good. I’m glad that you are fine. The next time I meet that bastard, I’ll make sure that he feels a thousand times the pain you felt!” (Liera)
She had a really ferocious expression on her face while saying that. Even I was getting scared by it.
Jack, who was standing beside her, now spoke up.
“I’m really sorry Chloe. You got hurt because I wasn’t paying attention.” (Jack)
He bowed after saying that.
Wow. So, he also cares about me, huh. That certainly makes me happy. But he can’t be blamed for my own incompetence, can he?
“You don’t need to blame yourself for that, Jack. Our opponent was just too strong. You might have been killed if you’d tried to protect me. And what about you? You aren’t hurt anywhere, right?” (Chloe)
But before Jack could speak, Liera spoke up in an angry tone.
“He might have been killed if he had tried to protect you, you say? You are completely wrong, Chloe. This bastard was holding back his power. In fact, when Sam entered the battlefield, Jack came to fight the demon that I was fighting with. I thought that he’d act as a support, but……. 15 seconds. That was all the time he took to defeat one of the Four Commandments.”(Liera)
“What!?” (Chloe)
He was holding back, and to such a degree!? That means that if he had fought seriously then I might have not gotten hurt! It’s all his fault!
But…….
Haah…. what am I even doing? How can I blame him for my own weakness? I should have been stronger. But… he still could have saved me, right? Why didn’t he do that? Does he hate me after all?
Just as I was about to feel depressed once again, Sam spoke up.
“Ah, don’t worry about that. I’m sure that he would learn from this mistake, right?” (Sam)
“Of course. In fact, I really regret not using my power to end it earlier. That way, Chloe might not have gotten hurt. I’m really sorry, Chloe.” (Jack)
He turned to me and bowed once again. His face was full of regret. Looks like he doesn’t hate me after all.
“Well, it’s fine as long as you take care next time. Though there won’t be one. Because I’ll get strong enough to defeat that damned demon on my own!” (Chloe)
“Yes, that’s the spirit! Let’s go train right now!” (Liera)
No, isn’t that a bit extreme?
“What are saying? Let her rest some more.” (Sam)
“O-Oh… Yeah. We should let her recover first.” (Liera)
Whew. Good save there, Sam!
I now looked towards the two unknown woman who were in my room. One of them is an elf with Silver hair and golden eyes, and she’s very beautiful. The other is a human, with glossy, black, waist length hair and crimson eyes. But this one…. she’s insanely beautiful! Her beauty is almost blinding damnit!
Sam, who perhaps noticed me gazing curiously at those two women, spoke.
“Ah, I haven’t introduced them, have I? This elf here is Cornellia, and this woman is…. Drache. Both of them are my comrades. Oh, and Cornellia was the one who healed you.” (Sam)
“Drache? What’s that? And if you’ve forgotten I’m- mufu!” (Drache?)
Just as Drache was about to say something, Sam hurriedly covered her mouth, and then whispered something into her ears.
Why are they so close? How suspicious!
She nodded after hearing that, and then spoke with a smile on her face.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Drache, Sam’s friend.” (Drache)
“Good evening. And I’m Cornellia El Lucent. I’m also Sam’s friend.” (Cornellia)
It’s only been one day since Sam left. So how did he befriend such beautiful women?
“I’m Chloe Evans, also Sam’s friend. Nice to meet you two. And thanks a lot for healing me, Ms. Cornellia.” (Chloe)
I bowed in gratitude.
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