Chapter 517: The Reason to Risk One’s Life

The Reason to Risk One’s Life

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Pitiful.

Truly pitiful.

Just… pitiful.

That’s what I think… about this protagonist skeleton.

The god who should be taking responsibility has run away.

He’s left behind in the mortal world, pointlessly.

Bound by a curse, unable to move, no one will help him.

“…………”

I glance at the fort.

I don’t know how many there are, but—

If I can defeat all the skeletons there…

…Would this protagonist skeleton… also be freed?

“…Haa.”

This protagonist skeleton is pitiful.

But, you know…

I have no obligation to do such a thing.

I’m not nice enough to challenge a life-risking charity work with high risk and zero reward.

So, I’m leaving.

I’m leaving this fort.

I sighed, turned around, and turned my back on the protagonist skeleton.

I scratch my head.

I scratch, and scratch.

Irritated.

And it was at that moment.

The wind, which had been blowing, stopped.

『…………』

And then, from behind me… in addition to the clanking of armor…

I heard something.

“?”

It’s a faint voice, if you listen closely.

A voice… that the protagonist skeleton… let out softly… a voice he’s actually been uttering endlessly.

What is that voice trying to say?

When an undead mutters… it’s usually a voice of resentment, lamenting their hopeless situation…

But it’s different.

The words that this protagonist skeleton has been muttering to himself all along—

『Princess… I’m coming to save you now.』

It’s—

『My… beloved…!!』

…Words… of love…!

This protagonist skeleton has been muttering… endlessly… for five hundred years.

Words of love for the phantom princess…!

And while stuck against a wall… bound by that love… trapped in eternal frustration…?

What…

What kind of hell is that…!?

“Aaaaaahhhh…”

I’m so irritated, so irritated.

Anyway, I started to tear my head apart.

“…………”

I silently… stomped on the ground—DON!

Cracks spread across the ground, centered on my foot.

The wall that was hindering the protagonist skeleton’s movements… shook.

“Fuu…”

And then, I exhaled deeply, and glared at the fort.

Poof—

Jet-black smoke began to leak out from the joints of my armor.

…Hey, Extra-sama.

That protagonist skeleton is pitiful, right?

…I want to put him out of his misery.

Or… save him.

Are those… arrogant thoughts?

Extra-sama pondered for a moment, and then—

She said that.

Am I overthinking it?

Yes, I’m irritated.

The irresponsible god, the princesses who keep appearing, the strangely strong enemy skeletons, the pitiful protagonist skeleton, and so on.

I’m very irritated at everything about this fort!

As I shouted in my mind, driven by irritation, Extra-sama…

She said that cheerfully!

It was a very selfish argument, with no sense of justice or anything.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

But.

But that way of thinking!

It really clicks!!

“Alright…”

I rotate my shoulders, my hips, and clench and unclench my fists several times.

I swing my 【Black Tentacles】, extended from my shoulders, checking my condition.

And then, I glared at the fort again.

I release my mana with all my might—【Intimidation】!

And then!!

“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU ALL!!!”

After declaring war, in the loudest voice I can muster… I started walking towards the fort!

Now then… Get ready, undead!

The exorcism begins!!