Falling: How to Survive as a Cannon Fodder

HTSCF CH 055 Ray & Ark

Two men, one dark-haired and the other blonde, stared at each other. It had been a very long time since the villain, Raven Gravadain, had been "conscious." Although his awareness had always been present, his control was never 100% there the last few years. The things he did—killing other Swords—wasn't his intention.

As for the protagonist, Aurelius Gravadain, battling his half-brother, wasn't his intention. Though they had different fathers, they shared the same mother, and as the younger brother, he hoped to convince Raven to change his way. Their last confrontation was not within his control. His corruption had reached a breaking point, but no longer was that the case and Aurelius could deduce Raven was completely free from his corruption as well.

Aurelius wondered which Shield from his party managed to accomplish that. Sofia Magdalen or Violetta Valerie? Or was it both of them? Where was his team anyway? Maybe they were outside the bedroom, waiting for him. Nodding at Raven, Aurelius reached for the door. They would talk later, after he spoke with his party members first to learn what happened after the two of them clashed.

But what awaited Aurelius beyond the bedroom was sheer disappointment. His party members were nowhere in sight and there were two unfamiliar people, a little girl, and some man.

Ophelia excitedly ran over to Aurelius's side. "Sir Gravadain, you're awake!"

The little girl seemed to know him, but he wasn't exactly an unknown person in the continent of Decim. "You are?"

"It's me, the little girl you rescued two years ago!"

Remembering the little girl he entrusted to the mayor of Town G, Aurelius smiled. Judging by her liveliness and healthy glow, the mayor seemed to have kept his word. "I remember you. How have you been?"

"Great ever since I left Town G with Teacher! You know, you really shouldn't have left me with that mayor..."

And so, the protagonist was swiftly slapped in the face by the little girl.

"What do you mean? Are we not in Town G right now?"

"No way!" Ophelia denied. "Right now we are in... We are in..."

"Slumbering Woods." The one who spoke was the only other person in the room, and the voice was unexpectedly young for an old person, even pleasantly sounding to the ears, clear but with an airy quality.

Jun turned around and Aurelius was once again slapped in the face. Instead of an old person, it was a young man with short, fluffy, white hair. In this world, young people with white hair were disdained by others as a sign of evil. Jun didn't realize he was a double "Dark Omen."

Neither did Ophelia, who carried on with merriment. "Oh yeah, Slumbering Woods."

"Oh." Aurelius was dismayed to discover he was still in the same forest where he and Raven fought. Disheartened, he scanned the room for a familiar face.

"What are you looking for, Sir Gravadain?" Ophelia asked.

"My party members, have you seen them?"

Jun assumed they were probably dead if they weren't around when he found Aurelius, but he kept silent. Some things were best left unsaid.

"When Teacher and I found you, there was only that other person."

"Teacher?"

Ophelia gestured at Jun. "My magic teacher, Jun..."

"... Ainsley." Jun finished for her. Strange, he had always believed himself to be "Jun Travis" but now he felt the name "Ainsley" was the true one.