Her face was soft and pale, not yet touched by the sharpness of maturity. Her eyes, usually so gentle and bright, were now dull and full of fear.
Sunny hesitated, then drew his sword and turned his back to the abyss.
"...Don't be afraid, my lady. I'm with you."
He said those empty words, knowing full well that it was a lie. He was just one man… he was not even an Awakened. What could a mundane swordsman like him do against this foe?
The girl, young as she was, knew that he was lying, too.
A few moments before the first of the pursuer appeared from the darkness, she grabbed his forearm and looked at him with desperate resolve.
"You… don't let them... don't let them take me alive, sir. Please…"
Sunny gritted his teeth, remained silent for a second, and then slowly nodded.
His heart hurt... it hurt so much. The pain was almost blinding.
A second later, a mightly black stallion appeared in front of them, bearing an armored rider on his back.
The rider jumped down, moving with a speed that no mundane human could ever hope to match. He unsheathed his own sword and glanced at Sunny, his eyes hidden behind a visor of a menacing black helmet.
His voice sounded like a voice of an ancient monster:
"...Step aside, warrior. We only need the maiden. You can still walk away alive."
Sunny laughed.
Ah, why did his heart hurt so much… dying was already painful enough.
He looked at the Awakened hunter in front of him, then at the young girl he had sworn to protect…
'Why does this nightmare never stop?'
...And then, he lowered his sword, and stepped aside.
Both of them looked at him, the pursuer with dark amusement, his lady with shock and disbelief. Her voice trembled:
"Sir, what… what are you doing?"
Sunny remained silent for a few moments, then sighed.
'Why is this world so insane?'
"I am very sorry, my lady. Please, don't hold a grudge against me. But, you see… how do I say this…"
He looked at her, then in the direction of the Awakened hunter. Then, he shook his head and said:
"I am pretty sure that you are not real…"