I hate being wed in a fantasy world!

...what is that sound!? It sounds like something is exploding, something that shouldn't explode at all! Still...

It's somewhere behind me and it makes me worry!

Did they just launch some spell, that will find and kill me? Why now and not before... maybe because of the casting time?

Or did someone do a limit break and is now hasting in my direction, an unbeatable foe? Does breaking the limit make this strange noise?

However, while it makes me worry, I somehow don't want to know. If I never know what this is, I’d be okay with it, since that means that it won't get me!

Where are my chasers? Did they stop because of what happened? Is it Correo maybe, who just launched another big attack, this time to get Rine? Killing me would just be a bonus, right?

So many possibilities! Please, let me never know what that strange noise was!

On the other hand, this means I have a strange luxury of time. I tear the crossbow bolts out of my flesh, and the pain of it goes down to my bones. Then I put poultices on them and wrap them up. The bleeding stops, the pain is gone. Heroes and healing items, strange thing.

Time to escape through the hole in the barricade.

...shit. There is still that commander, he didn't move at all. Plus, he also has reinforcements. How many people does this town have?

Well, actually I saw most of them at one point or another. They are just moving around like me, though having these guys at one of the center points of defense, one with an easy lookout to several streets from the roofs, means that the ones chasing me right now are fresh reinforcements.

How long have I been at this? Maybe an hour? It feels like an eternity, since I’ve lost track of time, but it's still bright out there, so it can't be that long.

Can I climb up to the rooftops again? Nope, as I mentioned, there are lookouts, equipped with crossbows. Right now, I don’t feel up to the task of breaking through or sneaking through there.

Should I hide inside a building? Or will there be other inhabitants still in there, which try to wait out the whole situation?

Many possibilities, but somehow none seem really promising.

I need time. Time to clear my head, or better: Time to remove the armor.

Without the oni to shield me from [Judgement], I shouldn't risk any fights with Crusaders, especially that commandant. The spell comes from above, which means rooftops are a terrible idea... No, I’d better retreat.

I go into another narrow alley. I walk from one to another, they all look the same, but I hope to find something there.

Like I expected, I found 'something.' “Who are you?” They don't look like guards and even less like Crusaders, more like bandits.

“We're Orin's Shield! Give up, then we won't need to kill you.”

Mercenaries. Precious. So Goldbrunn has hired those as well. I should've known that they would do so because when shit's coming down on me, it's always plenty! Maybe the mercenaries are even taking over the whole chasing business so that Crusaders and the city guard can block my paths in the meantime.

I feel a surge of power welling up inside me. This boosts my confidence, even though these guys outnumber me ten to one. “You know this hood?” I tap my hood, which isn't the best way to conceal my identity, but still somewhat helps.

“A ranger with red armor makes no sense, fake.”

...What did you call me? I'm the only one, who can call fakes!

I so want to use [Skills], but I still need to hold back. Otherwise, I will have to kill them all to conceal my hero-status, and I'm not keen on that. I'll use them if things go too tight, but I guess one of my worse traits is showing: I want to have that perfect victory.

Ten people, five of them have melee weapons, two have swords, one has a club, and two have spears. One is holding a throwing knife in one hand while having several more in the other. Then we have four people, who may or may not be capable of using spells. It's not like every mage wears a self-explanatory hat.

No problem, I guess. If I get close enough to the five melees, then I shouldn't have to worry about AoEs. It's not like there is no friendly fire. Plus, I only have to fight two people at the same time, given the narrowness of this alley.

Thinking about it, even with this kinda third wind I'm somewhat skeptical about whether I will be able to do take them on my own. This looks more like a [Pikeman]-job, being narrow and giving many opportunities to get hit, [Ranger] is more about nimbleness in fights. However, changing classes would do more to reveal my hero-status than using [Skills].

They’re coming! I'm not ready yet!

Dammit, the swordmen are trying to pass me, I hold my spear horizontally with both hands and push it against those two, trying to block the alley. Here comes a spear, right to my head, I have to throw my head and upper body back to evade that, but now the swords use that opportunity to pass me.

If I were Rine, I could simply use this movement to make some kickass move, but I'm not. The club comes and smashes me once in the chest, it hurts and I lose air, but I regain my balance and get back up...

OK, now I'm surrounded and most likely done if I hold back.

I hate it! I had that plan, but the moment I show that I'm a hero, it won't work! But if I don't use [Skills], [Class Change], and all of that, then I will die. So there is no discussion, it's my only chance. But I hate it!

“[Power Dive]!” That's... not my skill.

Something swoops in from above. Three men, who are thrown against the alley wall hard, give a load groan. It seems to hurt. It doesn't stop there. The air makes noises, as a weapon is swung in swift succession, giving a head blow to the knife thrower, a thrust into the guts of one of the maybe-mages, and a strike under the chin of another.

It's Ara-san, and even though her face has the same basic expression as always, her eyebrows are a bit lowered, and her ears are standing straight up. She's royally pissed. “How dare you!” Her voice makes even me want to pee my pants, and I'm on her side!

Well, I use this moment to stab one of the swordsmen with my spear. The other one snapped out of his surprise after seeing the one beside him mortally wounded, and tried to attack me.

Hey, cut me some slack! I didn't aim for the vitals, you know?

He's not a bad fighter, but Ara-san is already finished with the rest, so she just jumps over the two of us and knocks him out from behind. “Kenta-kun, are you- wa?”

It’s no wonder that she's kinda bewildered. I just did something entirely untypical, something that she most likely didn't even imagine as possible. I have embraced her. “Thank you!” While whispering these words, full of gratitude. “Thank you!”

You gain 7 WP.

Being saved by your wife is great in itself, but giving your gratitude in an embrace makes it so much more heartfelt.

I'm not even bothered by this message right now.

Maybe I would have been able to handle this fight with everything I had, but who knows? I'm just glad to have her here, even though I know that I wouldn't have had any troubles if it weren't for the curse.

Given how scared I am, even someone like me can be delighted to have a person to rely on.

...why?

Why are you awakening, little me?

Just because I’m holding a girl, who has this nice smell around her, which reminds me of what I imagined the forest of a game world might smell like? Or because she may have a lower body temperature, but still feels plenty warm? Or the way she starts breathing heavily, which is so damn arousing!

I slowly push her away by the shoulders and her face is so damn sexy right now. Primal urges are coming up, which somehow resonate with my fears. Maybe it’s the wish to leave descendants in times of danger? Well, it’s not like I’ve never had this before!

“We should keep going.” To get away.

“I don't think this is the appropriate place or time to vent yourself on me.”

…

… …

“Ara-san, I'm not talking about that.”

“I see. I was just assuming, you being a human and everything.”

I don't even know if this was one of her jokes or if she's just covering up a dangerous assumption. Nonetheless, we need to keep going.

“How did you find me anyways?”

“Mostly due to the noises, even though it's hard to catch all of them. Then I used the curse to pin it down. Remember, we have increased the range of our [Increased Attributes], and the increase is strong enough to be sensible. I almost had you, but then you were away again, while I wrote a note to the others. By the way,” Ara-san pulls a piece of paper out of her belt, there are already words on it, and shoves it into her backpack. “Even though they should know by the ring message, it'd be better to inform them properly. Although given the number of people in these alleys, it'll be hard to find a hiding spot and wait.”

Could it be, that my second and third wind was actually Ara-san being within the range of [Increased Attributes]? I thought it'd be stuff like adrenaline and such. Well, I should have known better.

However, it’s a good reminder that I'm in a shitty fantasy world, equipped with a horrible game-like system. Even though this time, I may take a bet on it. Kyou-san got a [Spell] that was useful for her situation two times, [Torch] and [Exorcise]. So maybe it's not only about what you've done with [Skills] plus some randomness, perhaps there is sometimes the chance that you get the [Skill] you need.

I check my status, and my [Skills].

…

Found it. “Ara-san, let's go between these houses.”

“I don't think that you'll fit well through there. They narrow even further in, I think even I may have some problems.”

“I just need the widest part, while you keep watch.”

I got a bunch of new [Skills], but rather than my brand-new [Spear]-, [Spirit Magic]-, or [Perception]-skills, I'm more excited about the one, which will be of use here. It belongs to the [Armor]-ability and is called [Doff].

―○●○―

'I found him. Looking for a safe place, will report more details afterward. Ara'ainn.'

What a relief! Ken and Arako just collected some WP, but it didn't tell me much about the situation, and more importantly if it's already over. Especially, since there is something that already dealt massive damage to Ken twice, I observed his stats.

Even after considering that Ken and Arako are currently somewhat safe, we're still not out of this situation. At least now we are in a position to get out.

I put the note back so that Rine-chan can read it.

I'm still with the guards from before. The whole search could finally be organized after the chief captain of the Goldbrunn guards arrived. This is bad, since he placed his guards in order to block off the district and left the actual search to the mercenaries, so much manpower just to find Ken.

The chief captain also made the site of the 'hostage house' into an HQ, so that people can report any leads, to send reinforcements whenever a signal horn is blown, and to have a place to bring the wounded. I'm treating said wounded people, and another batch comes in.

“Here you go.” I don't use [Divine Magic], but [First Aid], so normal treatment instead of magic. I'm also in my [Priest]-class, as it also has the [First Aid]-ability, and an only slightly less [Persuasion]-value, but includes the [Conversation]-ability, which might support me here, though it lacks any skills right now. “Drink this, for the pain.”

“Thanks, Katsuragi-san.” Could you please not call me that? I know, I'm supposed to be Ken's little sister, but whenever someone refers to me as Katsuragi-san, I feel all these unpleasant emotions.

“Don't worry about it.” Still, no reason not to use a kind smile. “How did you get that wound?”

“Erm... I was hit by that red demon.”

“I see. Be careful, many were almost killed by that one.” I began asking these questions in order to get a hint at where Ken might be. Now I am doing it to keep abreast of the news. “I also heard, that it vanished somehow.”

“Good news.”

“Certainly.” I don't like it. How can the oni appear and disappear however she wants? How did she even get into the city in the first place?

It's time to move things along here as well. While Arako has found Ken, we still need to get out of this city and beat it just to be safe. I hope that Ken was smart enough to hide his face, so we will not be chased by Goldbrunn in addition to Feuerberg, the oni, and Correo's other goons.

If Ken did hide his face, then we might get it all. This may just be greed, but if my plan works, then we might create an opportunity.

―○●○―

“Ah, he's alright!” I put the note Ara wrote back into the backpack. “We still need to find him though.”

“We're still preparing, my princess.”

“But I want to see him!” I hope Kenta is not hurt too badly, even though his status says otherwise.

“I'm sorry, but we need to make an opening. Otherwise, it will be no good.”

“...buh...” I know that I'm pouting.

The men of Déjuma are helping me right now, not only in looking for Kenta but also in order to trick the Crusaders and guards. I didn't even consider doing that before.

“Princess.” Wranas, the dar, is coming closer. He moves very carefully because my healing spells were just enough to stop the bleeding. The effect of my spells on heroes is greater, I'm not that used to treating people either. “Is this good?” He shows me a suit of leather armor, which is dyed with blood, wine, and some fruits.

It almost looks like a genuine red armor, at least at first glance. How did he make it so good with almost nothing? “Looks good.”

“Thanks. José, wear it. Also, this would be the hood.” It's also dyed.

“Why do you even have a hood, Wranas?”

“It's bad luck to leave a building without having your head covered. I usually wear my helmet, but if I wasn't in armor, I used this hood.”

“When don't you wear your armor?”

“At weddings.”

“Dude!”

They are indeed good friends.

“Now that we got the false husband, the escape route is secured, and now we need the audience.”

“Thank you, Wranas. José, are you sure that you want to take this risk?”

“Don't worry, princess. I'm just glad to serve!”

“No, not serve.” I take both of his hands. “To help. We are friends now.”

“...YES!” He surely seems to be pumped.

“You remember that she's already married?” Enrico, the whip-user, asks.

“Shut up! It's admiration! And even though I've only seen that bastard once, if he's able to make a girl like her fall that hard, then he has to be great!”

I don't exactly know what they are talking about, but I think that Kenta just got praised.

Alej really has some great subjects. Even though they're 'just' bounty hunters, every country can be glad to count capable people like them as part of their citizens.

They want to help, and they have a plan. Kenta is with Ara now, so everything will be fine. If not, then I'll make it so!

―○●○―

“Wait!” A group of guards is approaching. There are even some who I’ve already encountered... shit, there’s also a Crusader!

“I need to get him somewhere safe.” Ara-san is trying to support me, but it's very taxing on her alfr body with its lack of muscles.

“Was he wounded by the guy in the red armor?”

“I think so.”

The captain of the guards and the Crusader look at me carefully. “I'm fine, it looks worse than it is.” They are looking at someone, who is wearing glasses and has a slight belly.

“Sorry, I just thought that your chin looked kinda like the chin of the red armor guy.” Of course, because it's the same. My face is now a bit more roundish though, and I have a bit of a belly. The glasses do their job as well. Wearing my hood before also made it harder to get a good look at my face.

“Excuse me.” The Crusader lifts my shirt, to see if what's below is genuine. “...you'd better go to the HQ with these bruises and cuts. It's down the road, ask for Katsuragi-san there. She is quite capable with herbs.”

So this one can't sense sinners? Lucky! “Of course. She's my little sister.”

“Ah, I see the resemblance. You've got a great sister there.”

“Don't let her fool you, she can be quite a bitch.”

“Like all young women, I guess.” The Crusader seems to be amused. “Do you know, where the man in the red armor went?”

“North.”

“Thanks.” The group starts marching northwards.

“I can't believe that this is enough to fool humans.”

“They saw someone athletic. I'm not.”

“Why did you say that Momo is your little sister?”

“To add something to make it believable.”

“Your spirit is exactly the same, even after your [Class-change].”

“Normal humans can't feel them.”

“I know, but I can hardly imagine someone not feeling that. Now, where should we go? To the HQ?”

“Kyou-san's there, isn't she? I just hope, that there will be no sinner-detector there.”

“This has to be a [Skill], and it may tell us if you're the only sinner, or if we are all considered as such because we're tied by this curse.”

“Ara-san, don't do any experiments on this!”

“What a pity. This might be our only chance to find out.”

She... she's joking, right? I mean, one little mistake can kill us and she still wants to get that data? ...actually, I can totally see her doing that. “Ara-san, if you do any experiments here, then I'll never talk to you again.”

“Because you'll probably die?”

“Exactly.”

“Then how about this: If someone cast this [Judgment]-spell, I'll shield you. Then we'll find out.”

“I don't recommend that. It hurts. It hurts bad. One of the worst pains I went through, and I have some experience by now.”

“Worse than when Momo kneed you between your legs?”

“...I don't know who told you this, but please don't make me compare the two. The memories of any single one of them alone already make me cringe.”

As we walk down the street, we are stopped two more times. Both of these stops were short and curt, and my 'disguise' is still holding quite well. I actually planned to slip through one of the barricades like this, but first I have to test this disguise.

Best case scenario, I should test it while being escorted by the guards.

Ah, the guys Ara-san and I knocked out are being carried here, the last victims.

“Momo, here he is.” There she is, Momokawa Kyou-san. She looks tired, vigorous, and pissed at the same time. For some reason, I'm kinda glad to see her. Strange.

“Are you alright?” 'Do we need to make the sister-routine?' Eye-language.

“Barely...” 'Yup.'

“Take a seat, Onii-chan.” 'Asshole.'

“Where is Rine?” 'Bitch.'

“Still out there. …” She looks at my wounds, and sees where I ripped off the poultices, but she's smart enough not to mention it. “Arako, please wrap some poultices over these wounds. I need to take a look at that other guy, it looks like some idiot stabbed him with a spear.”

“Good work, little sister!” 'It's not like I could help it. He tried to kill me, after all.'

She talks to the guards who brought them here. “...no vitals were hit, but it can still be fatal. I need to disinfect and sew it.” 'It's actually good, that he's in this state.'

...what is she scheming?

Well, it's Kyou-san after all, she's always scheming something.

“Hm... what's that?” She carefully inspects the wound. “Glass-spider venom.” Erm, what? “The venom of the actual spider isn't that strong, but if you add the right herbs and cook it for a while, then it can cause brain-damage.”

The only reason why I don't believe this lie despite her concerned looking face is the fact that Kyou-san often lies without even flinching. She has lied so much, that she became that good at it.

“Is there a cure, Katsuragi-san?” Of course, the guards are swallowing it.

“There are some antidotes. Let me check... here you go. These are for you, better take them now. It should last around two hours, so don't save it.”

Wait, is she just convincing these guys to take some sort of poison? “Thanks!” And they're buying it!?

“I got these ones covered. Please try your best to make the one who did it to them pay.”

“Yes!”

Kyou-san takes some disinfectant and starts treating the stabbed one, after smearing some paste under his nose. “So that he won't wake up.” She explains to me.

...I think I should seriously start to rethink if Kyou-san is not somewhat capable after all.

Seeing her sewing a wound without even a bit of hesitation... wait, I think she’s never had any real problems with blood. More like, she doesn't like it, but she's totally fine with it, even though her sewing seems to need some work. Well, I'm worse at it.

Kyou-san also puts some paste inside the nostrils of the other mercenaries. She washed her hands afterward, but even though she put her fingers inside those noses, she was not disgusted at all. Wait, back in the chasm she wasn't disgusted by much either... I get it. Kyou-san is someone who is at her best when things get ugly.

“Is something wrong, Onii-chan?” 'Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it.'

Just ignore it. “I want to find Rine as fast as possible.”

“I understand that, but I need to share the antidote first.” … I can't identify this look. What exactly is she trying to tell me?

It can't be important, Kyou-san begins to hand out some 'antidote.' I don't know what this will cause, but she's sabotaging everyone here.

...I hope I'll be able to eat her food after this, because I can't help but think about how easy it would be for her to poison me as well.

By the way, why is the HQ in sight of the building, where I took some people 'hostage' for a diversion? Ah, I asked the husband to bring the one in charge, so I guess that person came to diffused the situation, and ordered them to build an HQ here.

Signal horns? Why are there signal horns blown? I'm here! Or is it a 'lost him'-call?

What exactly is going on?

―○●○―

“Stop!” I run after José, who is clad in red colors. I try to play the part of the one who chases him, but after seeing me act, Wranas asked me to just say one word at a time. “Stop!”

“My wounds...” The dar holds his chest. I hurt him too much, right?

Enrico dashes towards José. “Just-” Yet Josè quickly turns and throws a knife at him. It doesn't hit, but that was close.

José steps onto a rain-barrel, and from there he jumps onto a low roof. He's quite agile. He climbs to a higher roof. Why is there a ladder there?

Ah, Pedro and Enrico secured an escape-route, right? That's what they were talking about. The ladder is used to climb onto the city walls, from a nearby roof! “Jo-”

“Quiet, princess!” Wranas is a bit rash. “Don't forget them...”

'Them' are the guards and two Crusaders. Ah, they're using crossbows! Is there something to throw?

“...” Wranas shakes his head at me. “Sirs!” He steps up to the guard. “Does anyone of you have a Healing Brew?”

“Wait, dwarf.”

“...what did you call me?”

“Sorry, sir, but... shoot!” Is it me, or are these crossbow bolts poorly fletched? Their aim wasn't good, but it was good enough, yet for some reason, the bolts arc in some strange way, which makes me think of lousy fletching.

Not a single one even got near José.

“Seriously, the pain is killing me!” Wranas grabs the Crusader.

“Alright, alright. I'll use magic.”

“You have my gratitude.”

“[Heal]!”

“Ah, that's better...”

“I knew that Wranas can be very distracting...” Enrico murmurs. “But that much?”

“He's great!” I whisper back. “I don't know how, but he did it! Wranas is great!”

What about José? He's on the wall, and guards are approaching!

No, he jumped! He will break his bones!

“Don't worry about him,” Pedro explains in a soft voice. “He once wanted to be a wizard, but was only able to learn the basics, since he had too little talent. So his father forced him to go to military school instead, as he was decent with the blade. He used the opportunity to learn some basic spells there, like [Slow Fall]. That's why it had to be him.”

José... thank you. Thank you!

“Princess, is there no way that you'll come with us?”

“No, I belong at Kenta's side.”

“Figures.” Pedro sighs. “Be careful. Many countries will put a bounty on you if they haven't already, some may even send men in order to capture you. Just get away as fast as possible.”

“Thanks for the advice.”

“One more thing... Could you please look at me and say that you like me? In a non-romantic way of course, but just say the 'I like you'-part.”

“Of course I like you, Pedro.”

“...best day ever.”

That was a strange request.