Be Careful When Agreeing to Terms and Conditions

2. Liyue Ascending (10)

Long ago, there was a girl.

She was a lonely girl. Her adventurous parents often left her alone. They were good parents who loved and cherished their daughter, but only to that extent. No one was by the girl’s side, and the more she felt that, the more she found herself unable to socialize, reading books in a corner of the library.

For the girl, books were a world of their own. She filled the empty space in her heart with the stories within the books. The girl in the books was strong and beautiful. So, even in loneliness, she didn’t feel hurt. Because the princess was strong, the owner of “Yuya’s Resolve.”

Since that day, the girl became ‘Fischl.’ When she turned 14, she gained the ‘Eye of the Deity’ and obtained the alias ‘Oz.’ Joining the adventurer’s guild in Mondstadt through her parents’ introduction, she quickly distinguished herself. Oz’s ability to fly provided a powerful advantage in tasks such as reconnaissance and exploration. Fischl soon removed the label of ‘Junior Adventurer’ and became a ‘Senior Adventurer.’

However, Fischl was still lonely. Those who approached her did so only after seeing the power of ‘Oz.’ The more this happened, the tougher Fischl’s shell became.

Stronger and more aloof. That’s how she believed she wouldn’t feel lonely. Fischl lived with that conviction until the day she met a certain young man.

Meeting him was like any other day. The mission was ‘escort,’ and the destination was ‘Liyue Harbor.’ It was common for adventurers to take escort missions during times when the Anemo Archon’s winds were strong. Especially with Oz’s ability to scout potential threats in advance, Fischl was highly sought after for escort missions. It was fortunate for the other party that she had just finished her mission and was available for escort duty.

The first impression of the young man was not bad. On the other hand, it wasn’t exceptionally good either. He looked quite decent, though not a remarkable handsome man; still, his face was one anyone could find likable. Despite his slightly sharp gaze giving off a fierce impression, his immature actions and gentle gaze indicated he was a kind person from birth.

His name was ‘Xiu.’ Fischl couldn’t help but think he was from Liyue. Like any other person seeing her for the first time, he sighed deeply upon hearing Fischl’s self-introduction. Expecting him to be just like everyone else, Fischl decided not to pay much attention to him from the start.

However, as time passed, Fischl found the young man quite amusing. Despite knowing that he could easily tease her if he wanted, considering her weakness, he still made jokes. Though she inwardly frowned at the sensitive topic, she couldn’t say anything to him. Perhaps it was because his teasing had no malice, but Fischl felt a strange sense of relief in his attitude. His demeanor wasn’t that of someone dealing with an adventurer. It was more like handling a little kid of Fischl’s age. Originally, Fischl should have received the treatment she deserved.

Moreover, the young man was surprisingly good at cooking. In fact, it wasn’t just good; it was exceptionally well done. Fischl always looked forward to mealtime with him. What menu would be served today? Pretending not to care, Fischl enjoyed the food the young man made. Although she acted like it didn’t matter, Fischl liked that he paid attention to what she liked and disliked. Only one person had ever cared about Fischl’s preferences, and that was him. That’s why Fischl preferred when he cooked. Being cared for by someone was a rare experience in the girl’s life.

Above all, the young man didn’t give up on talking to Fischl. Most people, after attempting to converse with her, eventually gave up and talked to Oz instead. Fischl’s words were so obscure that ordinary people couldn’t understand them. But this young man was different. He didn’t give up, tirelessly initiating conversations with Fischl. Not with Oz, but directly with Fischl, making an effort to interpret her cryptic words.

It was a first. Someone’s heart delving so deeply into Fischl’s embrace.

When Fischl made a mistake and got hurt, instead of blaming her, the young man expressed concern. He even said that not everyone needed to be strong. Fischl heard those words and felt a revelation. It seemed as if the young man understood the lonely girl hidden deep within Fischl’s heart. Despite that, Fischl liked that he still looked at her as ‘Fischl.’ Yes, it was from that moment.

“Uh, ah…”

Fischl woke up with a groan. Her head felt clouded, and her body trembled. What happened? She couldn’t recall the memory clearly.

The one who brought Fischl’s hazy memory back to life was the voice of a woman.

“Oh my, Fischl. You’ve awakened?”

Upon hearing that voice, Fischl instantly snapped back to consciousness. The situation right before she collapsed unfolded like a panorama in her mind.

Peasle forced her immobile head, with the paralysis still lingering, to lift and confirmed the owner of the voice.

“Heh, Hailey? W-why…? But, more importantly, Xiu, where’s Xiu?”

Her tongue didn’t roll smoothly, and her consciousness wasn’t fully intact. Yet, Peasle recalled a man’s name. Xiu was in danger.

She tried to bite back the pain and rise, but it didn’t go well. The only movement she could manage was a feeble twitch of her fingers or a slight wriggle of her body.

Seeing her in this state, Hailey burst into laughter.

“Ahahahaha, Peasle. What’s that, trying to imitate a bug or something?”

While saying that, Hailey knelt down. Peasle’s blurry eyes turned towards Hailey. Hailey paid no mind and chuckled.

“Peasle, we’re friends, right? Just one request.”

Peasle’s head, still partially paralyzed, was the only thing she could lift. Hailey decided to alleviate Peasle’s pain that seemed ready to break at any moment.

Hailey grabbed Peasle’s blonde hair and pulled, forcibly lifting her head.

“Ah, ugh, it hurts…!”

Peasle was still not in her right mind. Despite the pain, she looked at Hailey with a slightly furrowed brow, as if unable to comprehend why this was happening.

It didn’t matter. Hailey asked Peasle.

“The cargo, where did you hide it?”

At those words, Peasle’s blurry eyes slightly widened.

“Snezhna informed me. There’s a bit of a lead. Where did you hide the 500 million Mora you have? 200 million in cash and 300 million in cargo, she said?”

Peasle’s eyes briefly glanced down. Perhaps something was coming to mind.

“Tell me, Peasle. We’re friends, right? I don’t want to hurt you.”

Only then did Peasle seem to grasp the situation. Slowly, a glimmer returned to her eyes. She seemed to be silently guessing the unfolding scenario, then spoke.

“…No.”

Hayley chuckled. Peasle’s hazy emerald eyes glowed brightly.

“Never, don’t say it.”

Sighing deeply, Hayley released her grip on Peasle’s hair. She stood up and spoke with a weary voice.

“Peasle, there’s an easier way. Why do you always choose the difficult path?”

And then, in the next moment.

Peasle screamed in pain as she felt a sharp agony in her fingers.

“Ah, ahh!”

Hayley was stepping on Peasle’s fingers mercilessly. She showed no remorse. The pain from her fingers, slowly regaining feeling, traveled straight to Peasle’s brain.

It felt like a surge of white lightning. Of course, Peasle was not accustomed to torture.

“Peasle, to be honest, you’ve never really been my favorite. Right?”

As she said that, Hayley stopped stomping on Peasle’s delicate fingers. Instead, with her foot, she forcefully kicked Peasle’s abdomen.

Thump. Peasle swallowed her breath. She couldn’t breathe. The dull impact shook her insides.

With her diaphragm struck, Peasle could only wheeze and gasp for air.

“To be frank, you were just lucky, weren’t you? How did you end up with the Eye of God, and how did you end up with that strange raven? But you’re a senior adventurer, and why am I a junior adventurer? We joined around the same time. Why?”

Hayley’s voice, which was once calm, was gradually filled with emotion. Peasle was still struggling to breathe, in pain. Tormented. Those thoughts filled her mind.

“Ugh, ah, ugh….”

“And what was it? ‘Princess’? Ha.”

Saying that, Hayley laughed as if she couldn’t believe it. And then, she moved her foot that had been still for a moment.

“…You damn b*tch, I’ll show you!!”

With Hayley’s emotions erupting like a scream, she brought her foot down forcefully.

Thunk, and Pisel’s body was stepped on. There was no time to scream. Thunk, thunk, thunk, thunk. A series of emotionally charged kicks rained down on Pisel’s body.

“Kyah, kyaaah, ack, ack!”

“Is the world so amusing to you?! Just because people treat you well due to your good luck, you think you can be anything?! You’re nothing more than a weak, pathetic woman who should be stepped on as much as she deserves, unless you have the eyes of a god! You damn b*tch!!!”

As Hayley stomped on Pisel indiscriminately to vent her anger, she eventually grew tired and stopped, gasping for breath.

Pisel crouched down, trembling. Pisel was terrified. In such a powerless situation, it was terrifying to face the hatred spewed by someone she had known, and to be exposed to violence. She felt like she could burst into tears at any moment.

Siwoo, Pisel murmured the man’s name with a trembling voice. But she knew better than anyone that he couldn’t come. Pisel felt miserable.

At that moment, Hayley, who had been catching her breath, spoke again. Her voice was gentle.

“…Pisel, huh? No matter what, we’re still guild mates, adventurers, right? So, so tell me. Then I won’t bother you anymore. You don’t like being hurt either, do you, Pisel?”

She had to speak. Pisel thought so. There was no hope left. She didn’t know where Siwoo was, and as a paralyzed victim who had lost the eyes of a god and fallen under the paralysis poison, Pisel had no chance of resisting Hayley. Above all, Pisel was in so much pain and fear. If she could somehow escape from this situation, she felt like she could do anything.

As Pisel, who was about to say everything, remembered the conversation she had with Hayley. The conversation they had while sitting around a campfire, burying their faces in their knees.

That day, Pisel thought. Even the weak can appear strong. Those who can admit their own weakness are undoubtedly strong. Siwoo had said that.

So Pisel hesitated. She wanted to tell everything right away, but at the same time, Siwoo’s words were stuck in her heart and wouldn’t let go. Pisel hesitated, hesitated again, and finally closed her eyes tightly.

“…N-No, I don’t want to.”

Hayley let out a deep sigh. It was a sigh mixed with annoyance.

“I-I absolutely won’t. I won’t speak.”

It was a trembling voice, words soaked in tears, but they contained a strong determination. Of course, speaking up now could be the best way to save Siwoo. But there must be a reason why Hayley was asking Pisel instead of interrogating Siwoo. If Pisel confessed everything, there was a risk that Siwoo would become useless and be dealt with.

So she had to endure. It was for her friend. It was a matter of life and death for the person who treated Pisel as Pisel for the first time. With a trembling heart, Pisel made up her mind.

“Well, fine… In that case, well, I can’t help it.”

Saying that, Hayley looked down at Pisel and calmly spoke.

“Pisel, from now on, I will torture you. Do you know what it feels like to have your flesh gradually sliced with a knife? How it feels to be pierced with a red-hot iron rod? There are many other ways to make someone suffer, Pisel.”

Peasle’s body trembled violently. It was terrifying to even imagine. Tears seemed ready to burst forth at any moment.

“Now, even if you cry and beg, I won’t show any mercy. I’m a bit angry right now. So, Peasle, please. Don’t tell too early, okay?”

Peasle forced his already immobile body to cower even more. He didn’t want to show a crying figure even if he died. He simply thought.

Anyone, please, if only they could get out of this situation.

And then, it happened. Peasle tightly closed his eyes, recalling the face of a man.

A sound echoed, a sharp noise piercing through human flesh.

It wasn’t Peasle’s body. Then who? In that moment of thought, Peasle suddenly lifted his head and confirmed Hailey’s figure.

Hailey’s chest was pierced by a blade. Wide-open eyes expressed disbelief about Hailey’s feelings.

Could it be? Even with such thoughts, Peasle looked at Hailey’s back with a blurred vision. A man stood there. A familiar silhouette.

His clothes were torn in various places. Bloodstains adorned him. Disheveled hair, gasping breath, bloodshot eyes indicated that he was not in a normal state.

However, his eyes were calm. With a fierce gaze that suited a fierce voice, he spoke.

“……Peasle, I mentioned it at some point.”

With those words, Siu put more strength into the arm holding the sword. His muscles tensed, revealing a manly curve.

Then a sound, the blade that penetrated Hailey’s chest was heard. Hailey’s breath became rough as if he was about to pass out. Hailey pleaded.

“S-save….”

“For the weak.”

Siu didn’t even flinch. A dagger appeared in his left hand. It must have come from the ‘backpack.’

And then the next moment. The dagger cleanly pierced Hailey’s throat. It was a swift and neat strike, like thrusting a knife into a watermelon, without hesitation.

“…The weak have their own way.”

Hailey’s form crumbled. Pierced through the chest and throat, he naturally died. Only then did Siu exhale heavily, twisting his body. It seemed forced.

Peisel couldn’t understand the current situation at all. It was simply good. That Siwoo was alive, that Siwoo had come to rescue her, and just that. It was good.

Tears that Peisel had been holding back welled up in her eyes. Her mouth opened on its own.

“H-How…?”

Siwoo, who had been stumbling a little, rushed towards Peisel as if he had suddenly regained his senses.

Siwoo’s hands were trembling from the shock of the murder. The undeniable sense of guilt was oozing out from the depths of his pupils, but Siwoo tried his best not to show any signs.

“Peisel, it’s okay now.”

He just held Peisel in his arms to comfort her. Peisel burst into tears, sobbing uncontrollably. For a long time, in Siwoo’s embrace.

The first and final crisis situation of the Reveal Upward Chapter had ended like that.

***

That night, Siwoo had a feeling that he would have a nightmare.

It was fine until he finished tidying up the thugs. There was no need to kill them. It was just difficult to keep them from going out because if they went to Hailey and gave her the news, Peisel could be in danger. As a result, he ended up with a few scratches, feeling a bit tired. That was all. Although it was possible that the thugs who were injured during the process might have died, Siwoo had no intention of killing them at least.

But Hailey was different. She was close to Peisel, and it was obvious that she would be more skilled since she was the one who took care of the thugs. In order not to harm Peisel, he had to choose the most certain method.

While his mind was distracted by interrogating Peisel, he would attack her from behind and kill her. It was the first act carried out with the clear intention of “murder”.

Siwoo’s hands were still trembling. The light of life that faded away in his pupils, and the feeling of piercing through the neck, ignoring the plea to spare her.

It was the worst feeling, far worse than killing the Chuchu tribe. He vowed never to kill another person. If possible, he wanted to avoid it as much as possible. For Siwoo, a civilian, the experience of murder was too terrifying.

And it was Peisel who awakened Siwoo from his thoughts.

Siwoo, who was preparing to sleep in the tent, raised his head. Why was Peisel here at this hour?

Peisel’s face was still pale. That was to be expected. She had been betrayed by someone she trusted and even tortured. Siwoo could understand that much.

But what Siwoo couldn’t understand was why Peisel was holding a pillow.

With a flushed face, Peisel tightly clutched the pillow.

“Oh, just for tonight… Can we sleep together?”

Siwoo let out a bitter smile. Oz had become even more vigilant after yesterday’s attack. Currently, he was thoroughly scouting without distinguishing between sky and earth.

So, now, at the campsite, there were only Siwoo and Piseul. As someone who had suffered severely today, Piseul had no one else to ask to sleep together but Siwoo.

Siwoo, as if reluctantly, patted the space next to him.

“Just for tonight?”

The tent was too narrow, so Siwoo casually added that as a joke, but Piseul didn’t respond at all. She simply lay down quietly next to Siwoo.

Sighing, Siwoo averted his gaze. Despite treating Piseul like a younger sister, her body was maturing. He wanted to avoid unnecessary contact, but Piseul unexpectedly stuck close.

Well, it’s just for tonight. Siwoo thought so and lay down.

Piseul, who had maintained silence, spoke only after some time had passed.

“…I must be weak, that’s why, right?”

Siwoo didn’t say anything. He heard her. He just thought he should listen to her story a bit more.

“I’ve kept up appearances, acted arrogant, pretended to be strong, but without Oz, I’m just a weak girl. So, Siwoo, you had to suffer so much because of that, right?”

It was a trembling voice. Siwoo turned to face Piseul around this time. Tears were welling up in her emerald eyes.

“Silly me, acting tough like that… In the end, I’m just a kid….”

Seeing the tears drop one by one, Siwoo fell silent for a moment. He couldn’t guess how she felt.

Then, Siwoo eventually spoke. It was the best thing he could say.

“Piseul, thank you.”

Upon hearing those words, Piseul, who had been shedding tears, stopped for a moment. Her wet eyes stared at Siwoo with a sense of questioning.

“You didn’t say a word until the end. It must have been scary and difficult. You thought about me.”

Upon those words, Piseul swallowed her breath. Come to think of it, Siwoo had probably been watching. To ambush someone, you had to wait for the right moment, after all.

“I actually don’t know why you want to become stronger. But you’re already strong enough. It’s natural for someone who isn’t afraid of pain to endure it, but it takes extraordinary courage for a coward to endure something terrifying. So, today, you were strong enough and cool.”

Peisul quietly stared at Siu with emerald eyes. Those eyes seemed to capture the image of Siu speaking like that right now.

“And you can continue to brag as usual. That’s also ‘Peisul.’ In fact, it’s a bit cute, and your current appearance is cute enough.”

While looking at Siu, who was chuckling, Peisul thought.

She couldn’t figure it out at all.

Why her heart started pounding, why Siu’s words stuck in her heart like thorns that wouldn’t go away, why her heart fluttered when Siu laughed, and why, even so, Peisul couldn’t meet Siu’s eyes directly. Blushing, Peisul lowered her gaze.

“So, don’t worry too much. I like the usual Peisul too.”

“……Yeah.”

Peisul quietly replied to Siu. It was a strangely docile attitude. Siu briefly questioned that fact but soon dismissed it. Maybe it’s because the demon died today. Who knows.

Meanwhile, Siu, as if suddenly remembering, asked.

“Come to think of it, Peisul, is that your real name?”

“……Huh?”

Peisul, feeling embarrassed, twitched and trembled. Siu added, as if it was nothing special.

“No, just. Your name stood out too much. I wondered if that’s also a pseudonym.”

Peisul felt her face turning red. Siu’s words hit the mark.

That’s right. Peisul wasn’t her real name. She had just discarded her old name. She wanted to break up with the fragile girl who was trapped in the library and suffering from loneliness.

She had thought she would never bring up that name again. Peisul had never revealed that name to anyone.

But why?

“No, well. If it was nonsense, I’m sorry….”

“…Amy.”

Siwoo didn’t want to hide anything from Amy. Hearing her real name after a long time, Piseul felt a sudden rush of embarrassment. She buried her face in the blanket, hiding her flushed cheeks.

Siwoo remained silent for a moment. Then, he burst into a light laughter.

“…It’s a nice name, Amy.”

Upon hearing those words, Piseul’s heart raced once again, and she couldn’t look at Siwoo properly.

Again. It was just Siwoo calling her by her name, but why did her heart beat so fast? Piseul couldn’t make sense of this feeling, something she had never experienced before.

In truth, Piseul knew deep down.

Siwoo didn’t blame her and looked at her honestly. He had become someone precious in Piseul’s heart, someone who told her that it was okay not to be strong even though she always tried to act tough.

And he proved it through his actions. Despite being weakened, he struggled to save himself and Piseul. Even though his hands trembled from the shock of murder, he made casual jokes to comfort Piseul.

Siwoo found the lonely girl hidden deep in Piseul’s heart and accepted her with positivity. He was a good person. With his kindness, Piseul finally broke down the walls around her heart.

She had seen it in a book a long time ago. When you see someone, your heart races, and you want to be with them for no reason, and yet you feel shy and can’t look them in the eye. The name of that emotion.

Uuhh, Piseul let out a sound that could be a groan. Defining that emotion was too embarrassing for her.

Siwoo had already closed his eyes and fallen asleep. Unbeknownst to the girl, his affection for her deepened along with the night.

For girls of that age, it was the way they fell in love for the first time.