Chapter 85: Wakey Wakey

’Why is he so heavy?!’

Sure, he was big... ’But this heavy?!’

Yulis had begun pulling the sled without deliberation, leaving it to Peace to drag Volkar.

They could have made a second stretcher for him, but that would have been not only a waste of time but also a waste of resources.

With Ralph’s armor busted, he’d need the new set.

’Will it even fit him...?’

In the game, Peace had never really questioned whether an armor drop would fit his character, focusing more on the drop itself. After all, there had never been any restrictions on what someone could equip.

’How does that work?’

Peace was curious, but decided to put his curiosity on the back burner.

With his arms hooked under Volkar’s rancid armpits, Peace slowly dragged him along as he asked:

"Got a plan or are we just winging it?"

Yulis gritted his teeth and steadied his expression as he pulled the sled along.

"Kill them."

Peace rolled his eyes.

"Wow... what a wondrous plan."

Yulis glanced to his side, away from Peace.

"It’s not like we have any other options."

"Well, yes... but I was thinking more along the lines of, y’know, a strategy discussion on how to kill them, you brat."

"Don’t call me a brat... you’re only two years older."

Peace replied only with a wry smile.

’I’m at my wits’ end... and my end in general.’

Dragging the gigantic lump of flesh was beyond burdensome on his right leg and arm. Worse, he had no idea how they’d kill the patrol other than through chance and dumb luck.

’Hopefully one of the hopeless wakes up.’

Though Peace doubted they’d be much help, anyway.

’I mean... if they haven’t woken up from what Yulis and I have been doing, they’re out out.’

Peace grunted as he dragged the bleeding Giant along.

’What in the world can we exploit?!’

Peace caught sight of one of the flickering torches in his peripheral vision.

’Ah... I never really questioned it...’

Why did these monsters worship ’the Light’?

And...

Were they worshipping light itself?

’Surely not.’

Or an idol associated with light?

The second seemed more likely to Peace.

The answer wasn’t something Peace knew from his time digging through the game’s lore, nor was it something he could figure out in the moment.

Though the answer wasn’t necessarily what he was looking for.

Rather, he wanted to know how one went about worshipping it.

If they could somehow become practitioners of ’the Light,’ the Temple Knights would leave them alone, ’right?!’

But Peace quickly scrapped the idea before it ever left his mouth, his gaze falling on the three unconscious party members, none of whom could exactly devote themselves to a religion in their current state.

However, it was something he’d keep in the back of his mind if they made it through this ordeal.

After much arduous effort, the two managed to drag their unconscious companions just outside the patrol’s aggro range.

Setting Volkar down with a huff, Peace slid down the wall and slumped, clutching his knee as he did.

While Peace hung his head and groaned in pain, Yulis’ shaky voice reached his ears.

"We can’t win..."

"...huh?"

"You heard me, we can’t win. So, I’ll distract them. While I do, take those three to the other side."

Peace raised his eyebrow.

"Uh, I didn’t ask to be saved, jackass. Especially by you... do you think this would be some sort of atonement?"

Yulis shook his head and adopted a stern tone.

"No."

Peace scoffed.

"Seriously... you don’t win some award for dying a noble death. Besides, it sounds more like you’re giving up than giving us a chance to live."

Yulis’s ocean-like eyes turned away from Peace’s piercing red ones.

"..."

"You seem pretty set... must have been on your mind for a bit."

Yulis set down the sled’s rope and studied the thick edge of his sword.

"It’s not that... I have nothing to return to, unlike you three."

Peace tilted his head to the side, a smile touching his lips.

"You’re really that unloved? Nobody gonna miss you?"

Snapping his gaze down at Peace, Yulis stomped his foot as tears began to flow down his cheeks. He looked about ready to scream as he rasped:

"Is this really the time to be an asshole?!"

Peace lowered his voice.

"Yes... I think it’s the perfect time to stop your dumbass from doing something stupid."

Yulis clicked his tongue.

"Is there some better option?!"

Peace’s eyes focused on the end of the corridor.

"Well, your awful suggestion did give me an idea. We bought some thirty minutes or so by moving here... if we can wake one of them up so they can move on their own, I do see a way out of this."

"What...? What’s your grand plan?"

"To use you as a distraction..."

Flabbergasted, Yulis stared down at Peace with an incredulous expression.

"You tried to dissuade me from doing just that... and now you’re asking me to...? Is there a limit to your shamelessness?"

Peace smirked.

"Don’t be dumb, you were trying to sacrifice yourself... I’m only asking you to keep their eyes on you for... mmmm, two minutes or so. Maybe three."

Yulis sighed, then palmed his forehead.

"Can you elaborate, please?"

’A ’please?!’ How sweet!’

Peace laughed to himself, but didn’t mock him outwardly. There was such a thing as going too far.

"The stairs... from what my teacher told me, things in this place won’t ever go to different floors, other than the Worshiper itself. If we make it there, they should leave us alone."

"What if your teacher is wrong?"

"She’s never wrong."

Yulis stared blankly at him for a few moments before turning the blade in his shaking hand.

Despite having calmed his voice, his body betrayed him. He was still only a kid doing what he thought was best.

After a brief respite, Peace closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Prepare... I’ll wake one of them up."

"How are you even going to do that...?"

"Don’t concern yourself with that. Focus on preparing."

Opening his eyes, he looked toward Ralph and Maura.

The question was...

’Who?’

Volkar, despite his burdensome build, would have been the most practical choice. If he could carry his own weight, the time spent getting to the stairs would be cut in half.

But he simply wasn’t in a healthy enough state.

’The same could be said of Ralph...’

Though Ralph looked like he’d be able to at least shuffle.

In any case, the only real choice was Maura, who seemed to have sustained little physical damage other than head trauma.

Which was perhaps the worst damage one could sustain...

’But if her body moves, her body moves!’

Inching over to the side of the stretcher, Peace began to drag Ralph off it, followed by Maura. Finally, he hauled Volkar onto the makeshift stretcher.

’Perfect!’

Now, getting Volkar to the stairs should be easier!

Granted, that was assuming the reins didn’t snap.

As for why Peace felt confident enough to rearrange them in advance...

Digging into his pocket, Peace fished out the stimulant.

’I really hope this doesn’t kill you.’

The only reason Peace figured she’d be fine was the healing Resonance she possessed. More specifically, it was the Class she’d acquired through that Resonance. The Healer Class had a passive that increased natural regeneration and regulated bodily abnormalities. It was mostly used for detoxification...

’But surely it’ll work to regulate blood pressure and whatnot.’

Especially after Peace artificially spiked it...

But first...

’I’d rather not have to use it unless necessary.’

This close to her face, Peace couldn’t help but study her scars.

’They’re quite old... must have gotten them as a kid.’

Either way...

Peace lightly slapped her cheek.

"Wakey, wakey."

He gave it a few seconds. When that didn’t work, he tried again.

"Come on... wake up."

’Tch...’

He could splash water on her face, but that was one of the last resources he could afford to waste at the moment.

When that failed as well, he resorted to the only other ethical method he could think of... pulling up her shirt to expose her midriff, he began tickling her sides.

Yulis’s face twisted in horror. He seemed almost ready to turn his blade on Peace.

"Hey, watch it, you creep."

’Alright, enough. This isn’t working.’

Concealing the needle in his sleeve, he continued pretending to tickle her, jabbing it into her abdomen as he did.

’Aha! Success!’

Almost instantly, Maura’s eyes shot open.

’Fantasy concoctions are truly superior to anything back on Earth!’

Her eyes snapped straight to Peace, whose hands were still pressed against her stomach, his fingers squirming.

’Oh. Oops.’

He was still tickling her...

For the first time since he’d met her, he could clearly make out the emotion behind her amber irises. Her mask of indifference had been ruthlessly ripped away by Peace’s antics.

Her cheeks flushed slightly.

Maura spoke hoarsely:

"Do you... want to die?"