Pretending To Have A Girlfriend?

"...? What's that sound?"

As soon as the leader of the B-class party, ‘Rex’, entered the gate, he was startled by the peculiar screams that reached his ears.

Though not distinctly clear, he surmised that the simultaneous echoes must have originated from at least three women.

-"GET UP!! STARCHIS!!"

A surge of alarm coursed through him. Their desperate cries carried an undeniable sense of urgency, sending shivers down his spine.

"Where are those screams coming from?"

Confused and concerned, Rex set off to locate the source of the screams.

However, the echoes bouncing off the jungle's foliage made it challenging to pinpoint their exact origin.

Just when he felt a pang of helplessness...

“Guys, come over here!”

A party member who had stumbled upon a handsome man lying unconscious, with three weeping women by his side, urgently called out to Rex.

****

Hearing a man's shout, Vienna, Luss, and Lily raised their heads, their attention drawn to the approaching party of five.

Among them, the man who appeared to be their leader gently pushed aside the crying women and knelt in front of Starchis. With a firm grip on Starchis' shoulders, he shook him.

"Hey! Hey!"

Getting no response, he pressed his ear against Starchis' chest.

Everyone held their breath for a moment.

Vienna, Luss, and Lily also forcibly covered their mouths.

Straightening his upper body, Rex, the leader, spoke.

"...He's alive... barely."

His gaze then fell upon the injured area.

Noticing Starchis' pierced arm, he exclaimed, "Why isn't it bandaged yet...! Ah!"

As he raised his head to voice his concern, his eyes met Lily, who held the demonic sword, and he swiftly assessed the situation.

"Please...! Please help us!"

Luss pleaded. Desperation was evident on her face.

"Shane!"

Rex called out to someone.

One of the remaining four party members, a priest named Shane, stepped forward. He knelt beside Starchis, joining Rex.

"Shane, can you help with this?"

"I can."

"Please help quickly."

"...Rex, purifying isn't an easy task. If I purify this, my energy will be greatly depleted. We might have to give up on this quest and go back. Are you okay with that?"

For a moment, a flicker of concern crossed Rex's face.

There was no logical reason to give up on the quest for someone they had never met before.

"I...! I'll give you this...! So please save him...! Sob.."

Fearing the possibility of losing the chance to save Starchis, Lily tried to hand over the demonic sword.

In the end, if Starchis perished, the sword would hold no significance anyway.

Touched by their desperation and driven by his own experiences of loss, Rex made up his mind. 

He shook his head.

"This sword is too much... Shane, proceed with the purification."

"Understood."

With closed eyes, the priest Shane began purifying the remaining demonic energy within Starchis' arm.

As the demonic energy slowly dissipated, the wound started to heal, eventually closing up.

"Haah... Haah..."

Shane let out heavy breaths, exhausted from the purification process.

"He… Haah… needs treatment. Haah..."

Shane said, placing his hand on Starchis' back, channeling vitality into him.

Hearing him, Rex lifted Starchis onto his back.

Meanwhile, Rex's other party members supported Lily, Vienna, and Luss.

Addressing the three women, Rex said, "The demonic sword was something you got after risking your lives, so I didn't accept it. But it doesn't mean I don't desire compensation... Who's the leader of this party?"

Luss pointed to Starchis with her trembling hand.

"Um... I know this might not be the best time to say it, but... if by any chance your leader wakes up, tell him to find 'Rex' at the mission hall. And, if he doesn't make it... you.” He pointed at Luss, “You come and find me. I'll charge you a high price for it."

Luss nodded her head, and together with the others, she hurriedly headed toward the gate.

****

On the third floor of the medical center, in the designated room for critically injured patients, the members of the party 'Maenbal' gathered, including Starchis.

He lay peacefully on the bed, his complexion pale and his lips dry. Though faint, he continued to breathe, as if in a deep slumber.

Silence enveloped the room, and everyone stared blankly at him.

They had no intention of leaving his side, their commitment unwavering. The scent of blood clung to them, just as before. Their equipment and the demonic sword were placed aside in one corner of the room.

No words were spoken; they held their breath, their eyes fixed on his every inhalation.

If they didn't witness his breath for a while, their hearts would sink, only to be relieved when they observed the rhythm of his breathing returning. This routine had continued for some time now.

Even with the assistance of a man named Rex, without whom Starchis would have perished on the spot, they couldn't ease their anxiety. They knew that Starchis hadn't fully escaped danger yet.

Knock, knock.

The sound of someone knocking on the door startled the three women, causing them to jolt upright.

"C-Come in," Vienna managed to say.

-Creak

The door creaked open, and two women entered, one in a doctor's uniform and the other in a saintess' robe. Several young saintesses followed them. Perhaps due to Vienna's connection to the patient, their faces were filled with concern and worry.

"Vienna... Are you alright?" the middle-aged female doctor asked.

Vienna couldn't manage to nod, instead, she asked the question that burned in her mind.

"...Can you treat him?"

The doctor, gazing at Vienna, took a deep breath before responding.

"Vienna, you've encountered many patients like this, so you should know..."

"He'll be okay!!" Vienna shouted in frustration.

The doctor and the saintess, who had only witnessed Vienna's kind side until now, were taken aback by her intense reaction.

Clearing her throat, the doctor spoke.

"We can't."

"Oh..." Lily's legs gave way beneath her.

"He doesn't have much time," the doctor's words carried a chilling weight.

Upon hearing those words, Vienna also sank to the floor.

Two saintesses rushed to Vienna's side, gripping her shoulders.

"Vienna... Ah... I don't know what to say..."

"Vienna... You have to stay strong during times like this..."

But their words failed to reach her.

Because Starchis' time was running out.

"I-It's a lie... A lie... It can't be true..." Luss muttered dazedly. "It's a dream... It must be a dream, right? Chis...?"

Yet the doctor's callous words persisted, "I don't know how that young man is still holding on. He has lost too much blood. We lack the means to treat his condition in our medical center..."

Vienna wished to scream and plead. She was willing to offer her heart if it meant Starchis wouldn't die.

As long as Starchis lived... she would give everything. But...

It was an impossible wish.

Knowing the doctor's track record, Vienna realized that every time she uttered such harsh words, the patient's fate was sealed.

And now she had declared that Starchis would die... So, he would.

Realizing that no matter what she did, nothing would change, Vienna didn't even have the strength to make a fuss.

"Vienna... Everyone... Please say your farewells," the doctor reluctantly suggested.

"... Farewell...?" Lily cackled, her mad laughter resonating throughout the room.

However, their attention was abruptly diverted by the commotion that pierced through Lily's manic laughter, emanating from outside the door.

They wondered how such a loud disturbance could occur in a medical center that was typically quiet on the second and third floors.

Thump, thump, thump.

The sound of numerous individuals ascending the upper floors of the medical center reverberated through the air.

The clamor of the crowd grew louder with each passing moment.

-"Get away, you bastards!!"

A woman's sharp voice echoed.

But the murmurs persisted.

-"S-Stion! It’s Stion!”

-"Stion! Is it really Stion?"

-"The A-class party leader, Stion?"

-"Why is that monster here..."

-Thud!

-"Oh my!"

Suddenly, the sound of someone falling down the stairs echoed, yet the commotion remained undeterred.

-"Stion? The Survival King Stion?"

-"Hey...! Be careful with your words, or you might lose your life... Heok!"

-"What did you say!?"

Once again, a woman's voice erupted with fury.

But immediately after, a deep, resonant male voice that sent shivers down everyone's spines silenced the medical center.

-"...Everyone, shut up."

The place fell so silent that Lily felt as though a spell of absolute silence had been cast upon the entire building.

The silence was broken by the steady footsteps of a single person.

-Thump... Thump…

Not only Lily, Vienna, and Luss, but also the saintesses and the doctor turned their gaze toward the door.

As the footsteps drew nearer, the doctor hesitated and slowly closed the door, hoping to avoid involvement.

Though unaware of who this 'Stion' was, she held a glimmer of hope that he had come to see another patient.

-Click

The door closed, and the doctor resumed her position. But before she could utter a word...

-Bang!!

The latch snapped, causing the door to swing open, and splinters of wood fell from the man's hand as he entered.

The man who stepped inside slowly scanned the room, turning his head from left to right.

He possessed a commanding presence that would make anyone think twice before meeting his gaze on the street.

His expression was remarkably stern, resembling that of a hunter, while his aura seemed to take the shape of a formidable beast.

Soon, his eyes settled on Starchis, having surveyed the entire room.

In an instant, the man's stoic countenance crumbled, and he rushed to the bed in a frenzy.

"Ah...!"

Gently, he caressed Starchis' face with one arm.

His once stern expression gave way to sorrow, despair, hatred, resentment, self-loathing, guilt, desolation, and anger.

Struggling to contain his frustration, he stuttered, his voice unable to hold back, eventually transitioning to a tone of soothing a child.

"...Starchis... Hyung is here..."

But Starchis remained unresponsive.

"Wake up, Starchis... No, why are you so cold?"

His hand, which had been stroking Starchis' head, clenched into a fist and pressed against the bed.

"...You promised you’d come back. You said you'd follow me..."

Leaning over him, he poured his heart out.

"Hyung has come, Starchis... wake up."

Stion closed his eyes, swallowing his pain.

Tears threatened to fall, yet he forcefully held them back.

After pressing his forehead against Starchis' for a while, Stion straightened his upper body and directed his gaze towards Lily, Vienna, and Luss, his expression transforming once again into that of a wild beast.

"Are you... Starchis' party members?" Stion inquired, his gaze sweeping across them. 

In response, the three nodded silently, their mouths sealed shut as they had an inkling of who he was.

"I'm Starchis' older brother, Stion."

He looked at the three women whom Starchis had often complained about.

"And you... Luss, right?"

Stion began his questioning with Luss, who had always been referred to as a long-time friend. 

"Yes. I'm Luss. Starchis... Ah... Really... I'm so--"

“--I don’t need an apology.”

Stion's words sliced through the air like a blade. 

Although fear would be a natural response in that situation, Luss' heart, already immersed in the depths of despair, held no room for such fear. She even entertained the notion that it wouldn't be unfavorable if Stion's anger erupted and she met her demise.

A deep sigh escaped Stion's lips. "Merely receiving empty apologies won't alter anything. And, well... I suppose you all must be enduring hardships as well." 

He took another deep breath, repeating the action a couple of times before scratching his head.

"I'm sorry. Was what I said earlier a bit harsh? But seeing Starchis like this... It's hard to keep my composure."

Stion, too, had experienced the loss of party members, so he knew how painful it was.

Survival King Stion. That nickname didn't come without reason.

Moreover, Stion suspected that these three might be in love with his brother, which made him feel how much his actions just now might have hurt their feelings, albeit slightly.

"No... I would have done the same."

Lily replied.

Stion acknowledged again that he had behaved immaturely. But...

"..."

He shifted his gaze, closely observing the three women. 

Apart from a few scattered bloodstains, their bodies remained unscathed—no serious injuries, wounds, or even minor scratches. 

While it was a relief that no harm had befallen them, an indignant heat welled up inside him, seeing their untouched bodies while his brother teetered between life and death.

It felt as if Starchis had borne all the injuries intended for them. 

At the very least, if there were even minor scratches...

He wanted to hear his heart and turn everything upside down, but because they were the party members of his brother, Stion held back and tried to find out what had happened.

“Could you guys... Can you explain to me what happened?” Stion inquired, only to be interrupted by a female doctor.

"Um! I'm sorry, but while you're engaged in this manner, the patient's condition is worsening...! Please say your final farewells--"

"--Shut up," Stion interjected, his gaze turning towards the female doctor. 

Meeting his eyes, she recoiled under the weight of his presence, her legs threatening to give way.

She stammered, "Hu... Hic...!"

The saintesses beside Vienna were at a loss, unsure of how to respond. 

Stion's gaze lingered on the doctor for a while, and as her complexion paled, he averted his eyes.

Relieved, the female doctor took a deep breath, hastening to compose herself.

"Final farewells... Hah, just try saying that again."

But it was a challenge she refused to accept. The female doctor, terrified, didn't say anything further and quickly left the room.

"You, explain to me," Stion demanded, his agitation causing him to forget his previous respectful tone.

Luss, the one singled out, had no choice but to speak, as he was Starchis' only family member and deserved to know the truth.

Recalling the harrowing memories threatened to overwhelm her, but Luss recounted every detail without omission.

She described how they discovered lifeless bodies stripped of their armor, the sudden appearance of seven monkeys donning the missing armor, their triumph over all but the chief monkey, the shocking revival of the supposedly deceased chief monkey who employed a magic scroll, and, most importantly, how Starchis had shielded them at the cost of being stabbed by the demonic sword.

And everything that happened afterward.

By the end, Luss’ voice was trembling uncontrollably.

But it wasn't only Luss who trembled.

Stion, too, trembled as he posed the question, his disbelief palpable, "... What the fuck... is it true?"

– – – End of Chapter – – –

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