Chapter 13: Majority – 2
The pond in the swamp was so murky that I couldn’t even guess its depth just by looking down.
I tied a stone to the rope from my backpack.
Then I threw it into the pond.
Judging from the length of the rope when the stone touched the bottom, it seed to be about five ters deep—roughly estimated, of course.
Both of their faces turned hopeless.
Especially Arlia, who lowered her head deeply and said,
“I truly have no excuse. I shouldn’t have spoken so rashly……”
“I thought it would be this deep from the start. It’s not called a swamp for nothing.”
“What did you say?”
“Even if our feet touched the ground, crossing would still be impossible. There could be beasts like crocodiles lurking underneath, and even if not, the exhaustion would’ve been too much.”
“Then why did you follow along quietly?”
“Because I had another way in mind to cross.”
Aina interrupted with a doubtful look.
“Don’t tell you’re planning to fly over or sothing?”
“Sothing like that.”
“I knew it from the start—you’re completely insane.”
“Pardon . More importantly, lend your dagger.”
Aina looked very reluctant but eventually handed it over without a word.
I took out the rope from my backpack and wrapped it tightly around the dagger.
“Might be a bit short. Your Highness, do you happen to have a rope as well?”
“Yes.”
“Seems they gave one to every participant. Then Aina, hand yours too.”
Without a word, both of them passed their ropes.
I tied my rope with Arlia’s and Aina’s, securing them firmly together.
Once the three ropes were connected, the length was quite sufficient.
“This should be enough.”
“What exactly are you planning?”
“Could you throw this dagger to the other side? More precisely—throw it so it’s fixed securely. Tie it around a rock or a tree trunk or sothing.”
“That much I can do, but… don’t tell you’re thinking of crossing the swamp hanging from a single rope? I could do it, but it’s impossible for you two.”
“It’s not that, so just throw it first.”
Aina snatched the dagger decisively.
And without any apparent preparation—
“Haaah!”
She hurled the dagger toward the opposite side with terrifying force.
It pierced straight into the thick trunk of a massive tree on the far side.
My jaw dropped open.
“You’re a monster.”
“I did exactly what you asked, and that’s what you call ?”
“That was a complint. Anyway, next step…”
After saying that, I looked around.
The tallest tree nearby caught my eye.
After quickly calculating, I said,
“Let’s climb that tree.”
Without further explanation, I started climbing first.
I thought I heard the sound of soone following from below.
But by the ti I reached the top, Aina was already looking down at .
“When did you overtake ?”
“You’re just slow. Anyway, I think I get what you’re planning.”
“Do you?”
“If it works, we’ll all be able to cross safely. I’ve thought this before, but you’re pretty clever.”
Aina said that and took the rope’s end from .
Then she tied it carefully and tightly around a thick branch.
When she finished and dusted off her hands, Arlia climbed up, panting.
“Huff… huff… I thought I’d at least be first when it ca to climbing trees.”
“What good would it do if Your Highness was first at tree climbing?”
“Anyway, thank you both. Especially you, Mason—you’ve helped yet again.”
Arlia seed to understand my plan as she looked at the secured rope.
I said,
“I’m sure neither of you needs an explanation, but I’ll say it anyway.”
“……”
“We’re going to glide from this treetop to the other side of the swamp. Using the rope.”
Before I even finished explaining, Aina had already torn a part of her clothing and wrapped it around her hands.
Then, hooking the fabric onto the rope, she spoke,
“I’ll give you a demonstration as thanks for thinking this up. Watch and learn.”
And with that, she zipped across the rope to the opposite side.
It was a picture-perfect glide.
Arlia watched her go, dazed, then spoke.
“Can you do it, Mason?”
“Yes. It’s my plan, after all.”
“……”
“What about you, Your Highness?”
“I-I can do it.”
“Please answer honestly.”
“……I think I can.”
She didn’t sound confident, but there was nothing to do but trust her.
“She managed to cross even with heavy baggage, but Your Highness, you should leave everything behind when you go. It’s dangerous.”
“But—”
“There’s not much ti left anyway. If a fight breaks out, Aina will handle it, so you don’t need weapons. If you’re that uneasy, just keep a few strips of jerky in your pocket.”
“Understood. Whew.”
anwhile, Aina had already reached the other side.
I took a step forward.
“I’ll go next.”
“Be careful.”
“Yes, don’t worry.”
I rummaged through my bag.
I wasn’t sure if I should be thankful or not, but Magireta had packed so bandages for .
I’d torn my own clothes to make a torch earlier just to save supplies, and now I’d be using the bandages like this.
I hooked the bandages onto the rope and said to Arlia,
“See you on the other side.”
“Yes.”
Then I jumped.
I hadn’t ant to scream, but the sound burst out on its own.
“Uwaaaah!”
It lasted only a few seconds, but it felt like an eternity.
[See? I told you. You do have a fear of heights.]
“Shut uuuuup!”
“Who are you yelling at?”
By the ti I ca to my senses, I was already on the other side.
Aina was looking at with an exasperated face.
I answered, keeping as much composure as I could,
“I was replying to the voice inside my head.”
“Yeah, you’re definitely insane.”
I was just being honest, though.
Then, from across the swamp, I saw Arlia hooking her clothes onto the rope.
She began sliding down rapidly.
She seed determined to maintain her dignity, but just like , she couldn’t stop a scream from escaping her lips.
“Kyaaaaah!”
“Hmph. Not a very princess-like scream.”
“You were even worse.”
Then—
Whish!
Aina suddenly threw her dagger at an astonishing speed.
Startled, I turned to look at where it flew.
‘No way—don’t tell she’s trying to kill the Princess now?’
But the dagger didn’t strike Arlia’s heart, nor did it cut the taut rope.
The dagger landed at—
Grrrk.
A massive crocodile suddenly surged up from the swamp.
It opened its huge jaws wide toward Arlia.
But the dagger struck precisely through the crocodile’s eye.
Grrr? Grrraa!
The creature thrashed, and by the width of a sheet of paper, Arlia barely escaped its maw.
I stared at Aina in shock.
She avoided my gaze and muttered,
“What are you looking at?”
“Ah, um… it’s just unexpected.”
“That woman’s mory is practically supernatural. Even I got tired of hearing about it.”
“……”
“I’m only keeping her alive because there might be a ga later that requires brains.”
I couldn’t help but let out a short laugh.
Then Arlia, having barely escaped death, approached us gasping for breath.
With a radiant smile, she spoke to Aina.
“Aina, truly… thank you. If not for you, I’d have beco crocodile food.”
“Whatever.”
“As a token of gratitude, may I hug you once?”
Aina smiled faintly and replied,
“Of course—if you want to die.”
Without taking even a short rest—
We chewed jerky to suppress our hunger as we ran, and endured every physical urge with inhuman willpower.
Finally, we managed to make up for the day we’d lost.
“Huff… huff…”
“We… we’re here.”
Just as written in the Future Diary, after three days, we arrived before the rock.
Magireta sat leisurely atop it.
She waved at us cheerfully.
“You all look completely ragged. You’ve been through a lot.”
“……”
“But it’s not over yet, you know? You have to touch the rock to pass. Hurry up.”
We didn’t move at her words.
Instead, we looked beneath the rock.
There were…
“One, two, three.”
“Four… five. Six.”
The ones who had already arrived were avoiding our gaze.
We carefully counted each one.
And we realized there were exactly fourteen people gathered.
“…Ha. Damn it.”
Aina scratched her head roughly.
“Passing limit was sixteen, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Fourteen are already here.”
“Right.”
“And there are three of us.”
I turned my head toward her.
“You don’t need to spell it out. It ans one of us is definitely out.”
“……”
“How about rock-paper-scissors?”
At those words, a vein popped on Aina’s forehead.
“Why the hell would I do that? I could just kill one of you and go.”
“……”
“Actually, I don’t even need to. If we just race to the rock, I’d win easily.”
“Then why haven’t you done it yet?”
She didn’t answer.
Then Arlia spoke in a calm tone.
“Let’s fight.”
“…What?”
“I wasn’t talking to you, Mason. You’re definitely passing.”
“What are you—”
“I owe you far too much. It’s only right I yield here. Instead, Aina and I will fight. The winner gets the last spot.”
I gaped, speechless.
“Why do you keep saying things that sound like you’re trying to die?”
“You think I’ll lose?”
“Yes.”
“…Heh. I think so too.”
She gave a faint smile.
“Honestly, I know it would look better if I just stepped aside and let you both go. But I still want to struggle until the end.”
In the Future Diary, Arlia had yielded the final spot to .
It must’ve been because of the trauma from having to kill her nanny herself.
Now that her beloved nanny had survived thanks to , that old resignation had turned into a will to live.
With a dignified expression, she said to Aina,
“Please, fight properly—with swords, not assassination tricks.”
“Hmph. Did you forget I saved your life? Why won’t you yield to ?”
“I see this duel as a form of yielding. I could never defeat you, even if heaven split in two.”
“Then just give up quietly. No need to spill blood.”
“As I said, I want one last struggle. Think of it as your chance for revenge.”
Aina bit her lip hard.
Arlia continued softly,
“I don’t want to die by Magireta’s hand, Aina Noel.”
“……!”
“Magireta has no reason to kill besides her amusent. If I must die, I’d rather it be at the hands of soone who truly deserves it.”
Aina didn’t reply imdiately.
anwhile, I was racking my brain desperately.
‘There has to be a way. If both of them survive, the last page of the Future Diary will change.’
My thoughts raced faster and faster.
I glanced toward Magireta.
She looked brimming with anticipation.
She wanted to savor the murder about to unfold.
‘…No. That’s not all.’
There was sothing else in that expression.
Under her hood, I could see her lips.
A smirk curling only one side of her mouth.
I’d seen that mocking smile before.
‘When we were summoned for the second quest.’
The exact sa look she had when she reminded us that the ga only began after the bulletin appeared.
How foolish.
That’s what her face seed to say.
I strained my thoughts desperately. I was missing sothing.
Clink.
Aina drew her sword.
Arlia pulled out her dagger as well.
“I won’t hold back.”
“You’d have no reason to, anyway.”
“You make the first move.”
“Alright. Sorry, but I will.”
Taah!
Arlia kicked off the ground with force.
Clang! Clang!
Their blades collided violently in a deadly exchange.
Even to my untrained eye, Arlia’s stance was surprisingly solid.
At least, it wasn’t the movent of soone holding a weapon for the first ti.
But it still wouldn’t work against Aina.
Aina’s body twitched several tis, as if she were forcing herself to suppress the instinct to strike at every opening.
‘But she can’t keep holding back forever.’
I looked up at the sky.
The rock’s landmark light was glowing brightly.
And beside it floated the bulletin board.
Within one week from now, all must regroup beneath the rock ahead.
Passing and elimination will be determined by order of arrival.
Among those present here now, the first half to arrive will pass.
Once half have passed, the quest ends. Those not yet arrived are eliminated.
Even if fewer than half arrive, anyone who fails to gather within a week is eliminated.
What was it? What did I miss?
Then, a sudden flash of realization struck through my mind.
At the sa ti, Rule 3 burned into my eyes.
Among those present here now, the first half to arrive will pass.
Those present here now.
Here.
I shouted with all my strength—
“Both of you, stop!”
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