My Servant Is An Elf-Knight From Another World

Chapter 27

The pain was ever-constant now. Every part of my body was flooding with it.

If I had known back then that this was what would have awaited me, would I still have agreed to come?

To save Ash... would I allow myself to bear with this much suffering?

Some part of me would love to play the part of the brave, noble, chivalrous hero and say I would definitely have.

Deep down though, I didn't know.

I might never have come.

So it was a good thing I didn't know. I'm glad I didn't know.

Maybe sometime in the future I can look back at this moment and say to myself it wasn't that bad.

Provided that I leave this place alive, that is. For now, I needed to escape.

The ropes grinded against my skin.

Pulling, writhing, doing all I could do to make the table give way. With every force of effort, the table would quake, teetering closer to the edge of collapsing outright.

Meanwhile, the two sisters were still at odds with one another.

Frail as Adalia was, her resolve was that of iron. Anybody else would have faltered under the intense gaze that was instilled onto her. Even as the Matriarch yelled herself hoarse and her eyes glowed ominously with a dangerous glint, Adalia took it all, her expression never once wavering.

"You only have tonight, Adalia! You will not live to see another! Okay - it doesn't have to be him, just pick one! Anyone! You need blood..."

"Let him... go," Adalia whispered, her body becoming as feeble as mine. "Terestra will... save me..."

Beneath their notice, I moved again. The table gave a creak.

"You would take his word over mine? He's lying, Adalia! He won't be able to save you, why can't you just believe me? How long have we - "

"Amelia..." Adalia's voice was growing faint, as was her breathing. "I... insist..."

A second heavy nudge and the table began to slant.

"You... insist?" The Matriarch, Amelia, took a step back. "After everything I have done... everything I've sacrificed - for you! And you still... insist?"

"Trust... me..."

Another push, another loud creak, going unheard as Adalia had suddenly collapsed to her knees, clutching her chest with a quivering hand.

"Adalia!"

The Matriarch spurred after her sister, cushioning her fall with her hands wrapped around her. Much of the scene was out of view from where I was, but from the little I was able to see and hear... I could tell it wasn't good.

Her veins were now starting to protrude out of her grey skin, her eyes were darkened and bloodshot, and loud grunts of discomfort were starting to slip past her paling lips.

"No, no... not yet, not yet - please!"

For the first time, fear had broken through anger and rage. For the first time, I heard the Matriarch plead, cradling her sister and clinging to her close.

"A...me..lia..." muttered Adalia, her voice barely a whisper. "Not... late."

Amelia clung onto every word, her voice teeming with pure unbridled desperation. "Stay... please stay."

But Adalia wasn't looking at her sister, not at all... I saw, as I gave a final thrust, as the table finally gave way, her dimming, murky eyes staring back into my own.