Erica - When a Friend is Obsessed With Me

Chapter 21

Slap!

Slap!

"How could such a thing as you be born!"

"What kind of family is this Count's family? How dare you be so dirty!"

Have you ever been so unhappy?

Have you ever felt so powerless, so weak?

The blood of the venerable Count of Herais.

An illegitimate child, neglected by her father, the Count, and abused by her stepmother, the Countess...

Those memories were nothing now.

If she could, she would have drained every drop of half noble blood from her body.

It was enough to forget.

No one would ever know.

Not even Pechenik.

She was the only one who knew. If she went to her grave alone, no one else would know.

The occasional headache from the memories, like this one, was a regular occurrence.

So it wasn't trauma, it was just. It was okay.

Thud!

"Ugh...!"

Shurin?

Suddenly jolted back to reality, Erica saw Shurin being hurled into a corner once again.

Tap-tap-tap, she dashed over and delivered a swift punch to the assailant.

Thud!

"Ugh, g-gasp!"

Pressing him against the wall, she drove her elbow into his abdomen, forcing him to double over.

"What... what's happening!"

"T-That's Erica!"

"That's Erica, she's from the Pechenik Mercenaries... ugh!"

Whack!

Seizing him by the collar, she hoisted him up and slammed him to the ground.

Thud!

Utilizing momentum, she extended her leg, knocking another assailant off balance.

She pinned him down, leaving him momentarily incapacitated, then hurried to Shurin's side.

"Shurin, are you alright?"

"Cough, cough... E... Erica..."

Shurin wheezed, struggling to speak.

Leaning closer, Erica strained to hear her words.

"...You should've waited until after I was dead."

"...Huh?"

"I didn't expect to be beaten so badly... I was terrified, thought I was done for. Why did you come now, cough!"

"Why scold me? I actually came earlier than planned."

"...Are the wyverns taken care of?"

"Yes."

"Then... Can you deal with them now?"

Shurin smoothed her disheveled hair, assessing the damage.

"They're probably here for the master key, tsk. No matter how many times I deny knowing, they won't listen."