Chapter 4 Jessica and Her Best Friend

Fires were rising from here and there, and I could hear wails and roars. While watching the bright flames from the window, Tilea-san and I stood still in a daze.

Ha-! Timu!

Tilea-san exclaimed like she suddenly remembered. Right, Timu-chan should have been by the gate. In this huge disaster, there might have been vampires gathering by the gate.

Aaah, how could this happen! Shes definitely trembling somewhere in fear.

Lets hurry.

We began to run, but my legs wouldnt hold out. And so I collapsed to the ground.

Its no good. Maybe because of the accumulated damage, but I cant move as I like. Even though Timu-chan is in a race against time

At this rate, Ill just slow Tilea-san down.

Sorry. Please pay me no mind and go ahead.

Get on.

Tilea-san bent down, and took a piggy-backing pose.

Is it really fine?

Hurry! Theres no time!

Y-, Yes.

Threatened by Tilea-sans attitude, I stood up and leant onto her back. The very moment that she picked me up, she began dashing all the way to the main gate.

Tilea-sans speed really is amazing.

We arrived at the gate with the speed of a gale.

But still, Tilea-sans waist is so slender. I could feel from my position on her back that she was toned. Shes powerful and quick in her judgements and reactions, and even compared to an expert adventurer, she isnt any worse off. And whats more, she has a chest too, and shes a beauty, and if she became and adventurer, Im sure shed be popular just like Maira-san. Even though she has this much ability, shes a chef?

Aahh, dammit. I messed up. If I knew this was going to happen, I should have left Myuu as Timus guard.

Myuu? Whos that? I could hear her mumbles as she ran.

Urgh, I shouldnt have left her with (a) Pervert(Nielsen).

A-, A pervert? Should I take that at face value? Tilea-sans words and behaviour are cryptic as usual, but I could at least tell that she was feeling regretful about something.

U-, Umm, Tilea-san, Myuu-san

Tsk, at a time like this.

For the first time, Tilea-sans speed eased. Why? I looked over her shoulder.

Vampires!?

Something like hundreds of vampirised former-humans were prowling for prey.

What should we do?

Jessica-chan, do you have any kukanomi?

No, I dont.

Yeah. Of course you wouldnt so conveniently have any.

Ah-, but if you threw some rocks instead, then,

I told you! It doesnt work like that!

B-, But

Jessica-chan, sorry. Close your mouth for a little? It wont do if you bite your tongue.

Eh-!?

Hold on tight.

Tilea-san ran back into the academy at an incredible velocity.

I-, I cant breathe. T-, Too fast!

I didnt see her use any body reinforcement magic. Or rather, even if you used reinforcement magic, these speeds would still be impossible.

C-, Can a human really run at these speeds?

Aah, Im going to fall.

I clung desperately to her, but I couldnt feel my hands anymore. And eventually, my hands parts from Tilea-san.

Im going to crash to the ground.

Aa-, aah, Im done for.

The moment I thought that

Oop, be careful, okay?

Eh?

With one hand, Tilea-san caught me, and then pulled me in tight. I could finally breathe again. And then in an instant, we arrived back at the dining hall.

-wheeze- Hahh, hahh, hahh, hahh

I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath.

Haha, to think that the person being carried would be the one with rougher breathing

While I was resting, Tilea-san headed into the storage room and began stuffing kukanomi into a huge sack.

E-, EH!? Theres enough going into that sack for the entire school. While I was watching, the sack got bigger and bigger, and turned into a weight that would take a few strong men to carry.

T-, Tilea-san, no matter how much you need them, thats too much!

Dont be so stiff! This is an emergency, right! Timus life is at stake, so give me a break about the money.

No, thats not what I

Ill compensate the nation later, okay?

With a slightly off-kilter reply as always, Tilea-san picked up the entire sack.

S-, She managed to lift it!? And she makes it look so easy. Really, just who is Tilea-san?

Now then, lets go.

Y-, Yes.

With the sack in one hand, Tilea-san gave me a piggy-back. And then just like that, she started running for the main gate. The moment we left the west exit, a crowd of vampires came to attack us.

Glancing around, I counted one, two more than ten now.

With the kukanomi sack in one hand, she started pelting vampires with the other.

Take this, HADOOOOKYUUU!

GUGEGHHHH!

Hit with a kukanomi, the vampire was sent flying.

One more! HADOOOKYUUUUUU!

GUGEHEGHH!

Amazing. She was making weird cries, but each kukanomi sent dozens of vampires flying. But still, does Tilea-san have endless stamina or something? She duelled with a demon, and even now shes running around while attacking vampires without losing a single breath.

Aahh, there are too many! At this rate the kukanomi wont last!

Tilea-san, youve been saying kukanomi this, kukanomi that, but I think youll be fine even without them, you know?

Y-, Youre right. Ive been a bit too fixated on the kukanomi havent I.

Tilea-san, do you finally understand me?

Right. Amongst the weaknesses of the vampire, there are also crosses and wooden stakes, arent there.

Crosses? Wuu Densteiks? Im really not getting through to her.

Jessica-chan, do you have a rosary with you?

A rosary? No, I dont. Only priests or really religious people would have something that expensive on them.

Eh-, really? Damn.

If youre okay with a wooden imitation, I do have one though.

I handed over the thing I bought at a market stall.

Mn, mn. Thisll do. It looks just like a cross.

Is that so. Although I still dont quite understand what you want to do, how is this thing used?

You use it like this. HAHHHH!

Tilea-san held up the wooden cross to the vampire. But there wasnt any change.

It doesnt look like anything is happening, you know.

Thats weirdd~ Hmmm

Tilea-san folded her arms in thought. Its probable, no, its almost certain that Tilea-san is misunderstanding something.

Tilea-san, you wont be able to beat a vampire with a toy like that.

That shouldnt be the I know! Ive got it, Jessica-chan. I dont have any holy powers, so even if I hold it out from afar, nothing will happen.

I-, I think that theres a more fundamental issue here, but

Just watch me. It should be fine as long as you use it close-up, like this.

Gripping the cross, she punched a vampire, hard.

GUGEEHH!

Amazing!

It really does just look like youre hitting it.

Vampires were being mown down left and right. But rather than the power of the cross, I could only see it as the force of her fist doing the job.

Umm, what if you forgot about the cross, and just hit them normally?

No way. My punches wouldnt work on a vampire, you know? Its only because of this cross that I can fight them.

Arent you just gripping a cross? Its the same as punching normally. I dont get it. Why did Tilea-san come to these conclusions? Anyway, Tilea-san isnt an ordinary person. If shes not an adventurer, then shes probably a heros descendent.

Tilea-san, could it be that youre a heros descendent?

What the heck are you saying? Geez, I told you that I was a chef.

But, a chef who can do something like this

Jessica-chan, you cant make tasty food unless you train your body every day, you know?

B-, But,

Jessica-chan, we dont have time to chat. We have to hurry to Timu.

I-, Im sorry.

Why is it common sense for her that her strength comes from being a chef? There are a mountain of things I want to comment on, but its true that Timu-chans wellbeing comes first. Swallowing what I wanted to say, I zipped my mouth shut.

And so, while vampires were being mown left and right, in a short time, we made to to the gate. But even though I didnt think we took long, Timu-chan was nowhere to be seen.

Timu isnt here.

Perhaps she ran away somewhere?

Aahh, its all my fault. If only I quickly came back here.

Tilea-san held her head in agony.

I wonder where Timu-chan went.

I dont think the time loss was as big as Tilea-san is saying, but

Maybe because of all the vampires popping up, shes running around somewhere?

Wahhhhh hic-, where did you go, Timu?

Tilea-san

Even though she was so reliable before, large tears started to run from her face as she sobbed. It was painfully obvious just how important Timu-chan was to her.

Tilea-san, its okay. We have the Public Safety Force, and we have adventurers as well. Timu-chan is definitely being sheltered somewhere.

Hic Ghh Ngh Timu. Timu. Where are you? Where are you?

While shedding tears, Tilea-san ran off, half-crazed.

W-, Wait, Tilea-san.

Its no good. I dont think she could hear me. Ill bet shes crazy worried about Timu-chan. Without hearing my words, in a blink of time, she had run far off.

Tilea-san, running about by yourself is dange

No, Tilea-san will be fine. With such monstrous strength, even adventurers would be weaker than her. The one in trouble right now is actually me.

This is bad. Ive separated from Tilea-san. And my stamina is at my limit.

Should I return to the dorm for now?

No, the situation wont permit it. I cant tell what place is safe and what place isnt. Itd be good if I could meet up with somebody in the academy, but

While I was considering my future measures, I heard footsteps from behind me.

Is somebody there?

When I turned around in reflex,

Hii! Edim!

standing right there was my former best friend.

Jessica, you were in a place like this? Ive been looking for you, you know.

Edim started closing in, step by step. Unlike the soulless expression from earlier, I could see anger on her face now.

S-, Stay away.

Even though I even thought of making you one of us

No. No. Help-

I turned around to run, but Edim grabbed my arm.

Ow! Hii!

I know, you know? While looking for you, I went to the dining room after all.

Then, it cant be

Yeah. I saw him. Arcyune-sama! Aahh So pitiful To be left in such a tragic state

W-, Wait, Edim.

HOW DARE YOU HOW DARE YOU HOW DARE YOUUU! HOW DARE YOU KILL ARCYUNE-SAMAAA!

Her face warped with rage, Edim bore her fangs and attacked me.

S-, Stop, Edim!

Ill kill you! Ill take every last drop and kill you!

Its no good. With this incredible strength, its impossible for my arm to even budge. So Edim really did gain more strength. And I basically have no strength left in me.

Y-, Youre wrong, I didnt

Thats right. With your strength, you couldnt have killed Arcyune-sama. But your companion did. Am I wrong?

P-, Please. Were best friends. Even you dont really want to be doing this, right!?

Best friends? Are you still spouting that garbage? Im not a human anymore. Im a demon. A vampire.

Dont say that. Well look for a way to change you back.

Hmph. The good girl as always, arent you.

Please, go back to the old you

Edims grip slackened. Could it be that she remembers our friendship!? A faint hope rose in my chest.

Jessica You know, Ive always, always HATED YOUUUUU!

GAHH-!

With inhuman strength, Edim gripped me by the collar.

H-, How come? Why? Why are you doing something so cruel?

Jessica, with her indiscriminate kindness, and her adorable appearance. The favourite of our class, and the girl who even Mark and John were obsessed with.

Eh?

Huhu, even though youre always so sharp, its only in this area that youre slow. Is that also one of the secrets to your popularity?

Mark and John Arent those the names of the boys that Edim told me she liked!?

I-, Im sorry. I, didnt know

Well, that doesnt matter now. At this point, I dont have any attachments to humans anymore.

I-, It cant be.

Huhu, do you understand now? Were not friends. Ive hated you all this time!

After saying that, Edim started to squeeze my neck. It hurts. My throat was being constricted, and my consciousness was starting to fade.

Ka-, huu-, E-, E dim

Anyhow, Ill kill all of Arcyune-samas murderers!

W-, Was that really how Edim felt? Or was it because her heart went mad from becoming a vampire?

I dont know. But I dont want to believe, that she always hated me.

Aahh, but what I do know

Is that the best friend that I loved doesnt exist anymore

It might be better that I die.

As Edim did as she pleased to me, my consciousness slipped away.

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

*imouto*

Take this, HADOOOOKYUUU!

Hadouken means wave fist and hadoukyuu means wave ball.

http://princeoftennis.wikia.com/wiki/Had%C5%8Dky%C5%AB