"Unruly bitch. You were mine from the beginning... You should have dedicated your entire existence to me! And you... you dare to break our engagement! You of all people!?"

After about fifteen minutes I caught up with them and have been sneaking after them ever since. Well, I'm hiding at the moment because they stopped at some kind of small meadow. I was also correct in my fears. If I had hesitated for just a moment, it would probably already be too late.

However, intervening in this situation is problematic. I have experienced a lot of injustice in my life. But kidnappings and rescues are new to me. As far as I know, I don't really have any magical talent. I can handle swords, but I'm only second rate there.

"Shouldn't I have gotten help?"

Well, now it's too late. Actually, it's not like I have no chance at all. Since Roman Gottfried is in the same hand-to-hand combat-oriented courses as me, I am relatively familiar with his physical abilities. And they are atrocious.

His friend may not be as fat as him, but he doesn't seem to be physically strong either. I have no idea what his name is, but he must be one of the many henchmen who follow Roman wherever he goes. As if they were parasites that feed on their host's resentment and hide in its shadow. And he seems like a particularly well-fed parasite if Roman got him involved in this shit.

Still, the third one worries me. He definitely comes from outside because I've never seen him in the academy. The scars on his face and arms, the sword around his waist, and the well-used chainmail encasing his torso make me think he's a mercenary. A reasonably experienced mercenary.

ˋI don't know if I have a chance against him...'

With a sigh, I scan my hiding place, looking for anything that might resemble a weapon. Maybe some stick or branch? Or a stone? Looking back, I shouldn't have rushed like that and taken my sword with me. Then I wouldn't be in such a bad situation right now.

"Ah, this stick looks good."

— Rustle — Rustle

Damned! I must have hit the nearby branches while picking it up. That was just what I was missing. Let's just hope they didn't hear it.

"Show yourself!"

Shit.

I'm really out of luck, am I? Well, it would have come down to that either way. Just breathe in and out again. Briefly stretch your body and bring your facial muscles under control, which are irreversibly twitching.

"Phew, now it's getting serious." I whisper roughly, my hand pressed tightly around the stick.

"Now or never."

I carefully emerge from my hiding place and approach the group. If looks could kill, I would probably have fallen over dozens of times. My disruption seems to have put quite a damper on them.

Every second I get closer until I stop, about ten meters away from them. The mercenary is in the front line and seems to be carefully analyzing me. Judging by the looks on the others' faces, they just look stupid and seem a little perplexed.

"Dean?!" Ramon suddenly shouts.

"Um, hey... I seem to have come at an inconvenient time."

My entire presence seems to really piss him off. Now that I see Celes up close, she still looks unharmed, ignoring her slightly traumatized look. I can't tell whether she's happy about my interference or even more afraid.

Well, I can worry about that later.

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Nothing happens for a few minutes. Probably because each of us knows that things could escalate at any moment. The pressure around my stick is getting harder and harder.

"Hardening," I whisper as I gather mana in my grip hand.

While I don't have any talent for offensive magic, I at least have some support spells that can work wonders in situations like these. Besides, I don't think my stick has any chance to begin with against a forged sword. Now he should at least be able to take a few hits, hopefully...

"Mercenary, do what you were paid to do. Kill him."

Great. It was probably wishful thinking to resolve this issue peacefully.

"Today doesn't seem to be your day, boy."

He's probably right there.

"It never is... So come and convince yourself otherwise!"

He must have not liked my cocky grin because the pity in his eyes quickly turned to anger.

Bad luck for him.

I'll finish him... maybe.

Before I can even compose myself, our weapons clash and sparks fly into my face. Fuck, he's fast. I jump back a step to put distance between us, but he doesn't allow it and increases the speed.

I make an effort to avoid the attacks, but only with mediocre success. Because of the adrenaline in my body, I don't notice anything, but the drops of blood that fall to the floor at irregular intervals unsettle me.

He starts to attack again and again I just barely avoid him. This time, however, too close. He caught my arm and the sight is anything but pleasant. Half my arm was literally ripped apart. If I wasn't aware of it before, it's even clearer to me now. One wrong step and I'm dead.

"What am I paying you for?! He only has a stick!" shouts Ramon in the heat of the fight.

The mercenary, however, doesn't seem particularly happy about this provocation, because his blows suddenly become wilder. He's probably trying to vent his frustration on me. How mean. I should have just stayed in my bed.

I can't even remember how many blows I've dodged. In addition, my stamina is running out and every movement strains my exhausted body. I'm already finding it quite difficult to breathe and my vision also seems strangely blurry.

If I don't think of something soon, he'll send me to the afterlife. However, the mercenary no longer seems to be in top condition as well, because his punches have become slower. Still, he'll kill me if he hits me again.

One look at my stick is enough. Without hardening it would certainly have broken down into thousands of small particles already, but it wouldn't be able to withstand more than one blow anyway right now.

"I have to say, I'm surprised." the mercenary suddenly speaks.

"I thought you were just another one of those spoiled noble children. But look, you can do something. Respect. I may not be the strongest, but it takes a lot of skill to keep fighting with a stick like that." he continues.

"However, it also hurts my pride, so let's end this play."

I'm really at the end of my strength. I don't think I can achieve much with this body anymore. Should have exercised more, right? What was I even thinking? Did I want to be the hero? Do something good for once and prove that I'm not the Dean everyone thinks I am... And if so...

Exhausted, I sigh and point my crumbling stick at the mercenary. My trembling legs barely support my upper body and we don't even need to talk about my left arm. Nevertheless, I will fight until the end.

"You're right... We should stop this play."

His gaze hardens and his body moves into position. I don't move though, my stick still pointed at him. When he comes, I will face him.

"Sorry kid... you're really out of luck."

He sprints towards me with gigantic steps. However, my attention lies elsewhere. Celes's mouth moves and she looks sad. Dozens of tears roll down her red cheeks. Whatever she says, I don't hear her. Only the gentle pounding of my heart fills my ears. Is she crying because of me? That would be nice...

With this thought in mind, I close my eyes. Dean van Dehlen, died a hero? I could live with that.

However, one thing surprises me. Is he showing me mercy or why am I still alive?

Only when I open my eyes again does the answer or whatever I'm supposed to derive from it reveal itself to me. Everything around me is dark. I can't see the mercenary or the others anywhere. Maybe I really died and that was the place you find yourself after death.

[Error]

[Error detected in the scenario]

[Immediate intervention necessary]

"What the hell?"

Out of reflex, I hit the white writing that suddenly appeared in front of my eyes with my stick.

[Error]

[Interference failed]

[Looking for more options]

"What kind of interference and other options? Did I really die?"

[Option found]

[Initiate System]

"System? What the hell?"

[Failed]

[Retry]

[Initiate System]

"What's going on here? What kind of shit is this?"

[Failed]

[Looking for Errors]

[...]

[Subject: Codename D&@o% K@§g = Irregular]

[Searching solution]

[...]

[...]

[Error]

[...]

[Searching solution]

[...]

[Solution found]

I stare with wide eyes at the weird spectacle that unfolds before my eyes.

[Initiate Codename: Guillotine]

[...]

[Initiation Successful]

[...]

[Initiate System]

[...]

[Success]

Suddenly the environment around me changes and I find myself standing in the place from which I crawled from with my stick. However, not everything seems to be going the same here.

With slow steps I approach the people who are standing meters away from me. The closer I get, the more it scares me.

"Is that me?"

I drop the stick and grab the shoulder that looks like mine. But I reach through it as if it didn't exist. I'm really losing my mind. The copies in front of my eyes recreate what just happened to me. I see them fighting and me waiting for my fate at the end.

— Thrust

I can't remember that though. The mercenary pierces my doppelganger's chest with a powerful thrust. Blood gushes from the puncture site and he collapses before my eyes. Then everything goes black again.

[Repeat]

[...]