Chapter 140

“U-Um, Big Sis…?”

Luca grabbed at my hem as if trying to stop me.

It was no use, no matter how tearfully she stared at me.

Noah rummaged through the storage room and brought back a reasonably sized glass cup.

I accepted the glass, opened the faucet, and collected the water.

Amidst the splashing sound of water, the sound of people swallowing could be heard from all around.

Though the group hadn’t said much, they must have been terribly thirsty.

Well, running around all over the place and shouting at the top of their lungs had exhausted their stamina, so it would be stranger if they weren’t thirsty.

‘This is getting way too much attention.’

I had actually intended to secretly slip a potion into the contaminated drinking water to purify it, but the group had trailed along behind me like ducklings following their mother, leaving me no chance to do so.

‘Well, can’t be helped.’

Let’s just brazen it out.

I pulled out the potion I had summoned from my pocket.

“What is that…?”

Gazes filled with curiosity poured over me.

Well, seeing it once is easier to understand than a hundred words.

I poured the potion into the glass cup.

The purple potion mixed with the water and immediately turned transparent.

“Huh? The color changed!”

“R-Right? Belita, how did you do that?”

While Luca and Noah let their excitement show and were purely delighted, Drott narrowed his brows and stared at me.

“Ha. Did you go and learn how to brew potions somewhere?”

Drott swept back his bangs and made an expression like he was losing his mind.

-Exactly. How did you do that?

[ “I used to do things like drug development in my original world.” ]

The only common thing between what I actually did and drug development was that it fell under the natural sciences, but the day Belita would ever know that was never going to come.

-If that’s true, that’s genuinely amazing. Anyway, if it’s trustworthy, why don’t you drink it first, Mister? Even if it’s contaminated water, I can endure a bit, so even if it’s not properly purified, you won’t die.

I was only surprised that she trusted me, and since Belita’s body would apparently be completely fine even if she drank contaminated water, that was quite a relief to hear.

Even if it looked purified with the naked eye, I couldn’t be certain that the actual effects of drinking it had vanished.

-If you feel an unpleasant sensation like a sticky aura settling in, then it’s contaminated.

I was suddenly about to become a food taster.

By the way, had Belita ever eaten contaminated food before?

She knew about it in quite a bit of detail.

“I’ll drink it first.”

Before I could even stop myself, I gulped the water down in one go, causing the companions standing next to me to drop their jaws in shock.

They must not have really expected me to drink it.

“Hey, hey! Are… well, it’s probably fine, but are… you okay…?”

What on earth does that even mean?

Well, since Drott knew Belita’s true identity, I could roughly guess what he wanted to say.

To sum it up, I was perfectly fine.

It even felt as refreshing and nutrient-packed as if I’d drunk a vitamin drink, sliding smoothly down my throat.

There was none of the unpleasant sensation Belita had mentioned.

-Then it’s purified properly.

As expected, the potion’s performance is always flawless.

“I’m totally fine. You guys drink up, too. You’re thirsty, aren’t you?”

Drott still wore an expression of lingering distrust, and Luca was fidgeting anxiously.

The two of them still didn’t seem to have the courage to drink.

Meanwhile, Noah, who had been staring at the glass cup with a burning, fierce gaze, finally shouted as if he had made up his decision.

“Screw it. Lita, I trust you!”

Gulp!

Snatching the water cup from my hand, Noah squeezed his eyes shut and heartily chugged the water down.

Drott and Luca also swallowed hard as they watched this.

“Kwah… Now this is living…”

Wiping his lips with his sleeve, Noah let out a refreshing exclamation of admiration.
Then, with not a single change in his complexion, he looked around at each of us and said.

“I-It seems fine?”

“I told you so.”

“How on earth did you do that?”

Aren’t you guys tired yet?

If you’ve confirmed it with your own eyes, I’d like you to trust me a little.

“Trade secret.”

“No, seriously.”

“I developed it myself.”

“Really…? If that’s for real, you’re going to be sitting on a mountain of money, man.”

It seemed that medicine capable of purifying demonic energy was the ultimate, unsolved conundrum for modern humanity in this worldview.

Was this on a similar level to developing a cure for hair loss back in our world?

Later on, when my shop points get abundant, maybe I should try running a potion business.

Well, in a situation where I never knew when expensive items might get updated, I couldn’t just recklessly drain my points, though. I just imagined it.

Having secured our safety, we decided to pack as much water as we could carry.

“This should be enough, right?”

Noah found a leather water bottle that held about two liters and was easy to carry around.
After packing about twenty bottles, both bags and hands were completely full.

“Immediate survival problems are solved, at least.”

Drott, who was tearing into the jerky we brought along with the water, swallowed his food and said.

“So, what are we going to do now?”

Then he suddenly crumpled his face.

“You’re not seriously telling me we’re going to keep living in that cramped little room for a whole week, are you?”

“No. I was planning to search for survivors starting now.”

“Survivooors~? You think there are any? In this state?”

His sarcastic tone slightly rubbed me the wrong way.

“You never know. Since we’re already out, let’s quickly sweep the area.”

Drott exaggeratedly dropped his chin down.

“Oh, man. What are we going to do if we get ourselves killed doing that, huh?”

And then he shoved Luca right in front of me.

“See? We’ve even got a minor tagging along!”

This bastard. Surprisingly, he really knows how to hit the nail on the head.

“H-Huh? Dragging them into the meat grinder just for your own greed!”

-If you want to find survivors, couldn’t you just leave these folks in a safe place and go?

[ “How are we supposed to find a completely safe spot around here?” ]

The fortress is still crawling with magical beasts. Who knows what might happen once we step outside the range of the holy artifact.

Not that Belita has any way of knowing that, of course.

It’s frustrating enough to drive me crazy.

Should I just tell them everything honestly? That I have some weird ability that lets me do all sorts of things.

I don’t know why I keep making up self-imposed restrictions and suffering for it.

…Still, even if Belita is also experiencing bizarre phenomena, it’d be hard for her to swallow my outrageous story. A moment ago, she reacted like she didn’t believe me when I mentioned I came from another world.

Rather than getting treated like a crazy person, mysticism is the way to go…

-If that’s your worry, we can just clear out all the surrounding magical beasts.

…?

-While we’re at it, why don’t we just wipe out the beasts in the fortress ourselves?

What?

-I’m sick of watching my own body cower in front of magical beasts anyway. I’ll teach you.

If she’s going to explain how to operate Belita’s body firsthand, this is an opportunity I couldn’t possibly ask for.

However……

[ “I’m not quite mentally prepared yet….” ]

-If not now, when are you going to do it? It’s a great chance to search for survivors and clear out the beasts at the same time.

That is true.

It’s terrifying, but procrastinating doesn’t make it any less scary.

Let’s summon some courage.

-Hmm. Then I’d better get ready for the lesson. Mister, why don’t you go find a room suitable for those people to stay in?

[ “Uh-huh…” ]

Is it just my imagination that she sounds excited?

That aside, I obviously can’t keep the group waiting here forever.

I first led the party toward the central staircase.

Creak!

Creak-creak-creak!

“…That thing isn’t going to collapse, is it?”

The gorgeous chandelier hanging from the ceiling creaked uneasily.

The group climbed the stairs, giving the chandelier as wide a berth as possible.

“Belita, don’t tell me we’re heading to the Duke’s room?”

Since it was a familiar path, Noah guessed my destination right away.

That’s right. With the master having run away anyway, there’s no reason for us not to use the best room available.

This ought to shut even that grumbler Drott up.

“We’re going to the room the Duke used? Oh, wow~ Now we’re talking!”

As expected, Drott cheerfully chimed in upon hearing our conversation.

Arriving on the 5th floor, I led the group and entered the room where Robert had stayed.

Click.

“It’s totally intact!”

As befitting a room used by the fortress commander, this place boasts top-tier, thorough security.

Steel frames are sandwiched between the walls, making it tough enough for even a golem to smash through, and the windows and terrace are equipped with a system that can completely seal them off with iron doors.

With a layout featuring a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom each, it might feel a bit tight for four people, but each space is quite spacious, so it’s not a problem at all. On top of that, there’s even a pantry set up for storing simple rations.

There couldn’t possibly be a more perfect room for us to stay in.

“We should’ve just come here in the first place!”

Well, still, it’s not safer than being inside the barrier.

I made that choice because I had my own reasons, you know.

Leaving the group behind as they excitedly looked around the room, I moved toward the door.

Because I’ve got to go attend class now.

“I’m going to step out for a bit, so just stay quietly in h–”

“Big Sis! The bed is super fluffy! Come lie down here!”

Luca suddenly popped out, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me toward the bed.

Since it was a feeble tug, naturally I didn’t budge an inch.

Meanwhile, Drott, who had been sprawled across the living room sofa, bolted upright.

“Hey! The bed is mine, you know? What’s wrong with a brat of a commoner losing her mind!”

That unwillingness to make concessions even to a kid—his personality is truly consistent to an admirable degree.

In every way, he’s a human with a remarkably thick skin.

“T-Then where is Big Sis supposed to sleep?!”

The problem is that Luca is also quite bold.

If these two start bickering, there’s no end to it.

“On the bare floor, obviously! Or hey, this sofa is pretty nice too, right? She can just sleep here.”

“Argh! I was told a proper gentleman should yield to a lady!”

“I’m done being a gentleman~ Besides, nobles are allowed to do that, you know? If you’ve got a problem with it, become a noble yourself~”

“What does social status matter in this kind of situation?!”

“You little runt! Where do you get off not yielding an inch to an adult?!”

‘Sigh….’

Amidst all that, Noah was already laying out extra bedding on the floor….

‘Where on earth did he even dig that up?’

Noah had already figured out his position and was taking appropriate measures.
As expected, the practical experience he gained working all the way up to the Duke’s direct servant is no joke.

“Mister, we all know you’re relying on Big Sis too, right? Big Sis needs a good night’s sleep for our sake, too! So this bed belongs to me and Big Sis!”

That’s a fair point.

Drott seemed at a loss for words, stuttering and stammering.

However, I have no intention of sleeping.

I remember how the protagonist, Arianne, and Ilian took turns pulling all-nighters back in the 1st loop.

If a seasoned knight can manage it, Belita should be able to just as well.

Since I’m at it, my goal is to learn as much as possible while waiting for Jeffrey’s reinforcements.

[ “Belita, how long can you hold out without sleeping?” ]

-If you have the physical stamina and mental training, you can easily last a week. Fortunately, since the body is mine, the stamina will back us up. Mental strength is probably the tricky part.

I was a modern person plagued by the obsession that I had to sleep at least six hours a day, having suffered from chronic sleep deprivation and fearing I’d fall apart in my thirties at this rate.

I could try pushing through with the mindset that you don’t die just from missing sleep, but I’m not sure if it’ll work.

Let’s just give it a try.

“I have to keep watch, so I’ll just catch power naps whenever I can.”

“Big Sis. Living like that is bad for your health!”

Luca shouted in a sharp, scolding tone.

Drott wore a triumphant smile and waved his hand.

“Phew~ Go worry about someone who actually needs it~ In that case, the bed is mine!”

Did he really think I was just going to stand by with both eyes open and watch a scene of child abuse?

“No. The kid should sleep on the bed. She’s at an age where she’s growing fast.”

“Wh-What?”

“Aren’t you already lying down on the sofa anyway? You look comfortable enough, so just sleep right there.”

“Nooo~! It’s not comfortable for sleeping!”

Drott pointed at his own legs sticking out over the edge of the sofa and spoke like he was about to cry.

“I can’t even stretch my legs out straight, how am I supposed to sleep here? Wouldn’t it make moral sense for the short little squirt to sleep on the sofa?”

“Then you can just sleep on the floor.”

“Whoa~ Fine, I’ll just sleep curled up, you guys are so petty!”

“I’m going out to patrol, so stay right here. Unless you want to die.”

“Hey, wait a minute!”

“Do not come out under any circumstances.”

A clattering sound of someone wiping out echoed, but I left the room without a care.

-Then, Mister. Let’s go!

At Belita’s lively voice echoing the moment I closed the door, I let out a small sigh.