Story Reader / Affection / Lamia: Lost Lullaby / Story
Com—man—dant, are you hurt?
A Construct's head peeks over the cliff edge, shouting down to the two caught in the net.
The refugee camp has been secured. The operation is going smoothly.
The commotion you created successfully diverted the guards' attention. Thanks to that, we were able to take control before they got to harm the hostages.
But...
The hostages had been given injections or oral medications for a long time, probably as a way to control them.
Those medications have significantly damaged their brains and nervous systems, and it's likely irreversible.
Lamia senses a slight tremor in the human's hand.
Let me check...
You...
Shouldn't you have them send down a rope to pull us up first?
Lamia's voice emerges weakly, her spirits struggling to keep up with the overwhelming series of events.
You've worked really hard. It must be tough.
Lamia "sincerely" expresses her "gratitude" to the human.
Commandant, give me your hand.
With the help of the human's teammate, the two get to set their feet back to solid ground.
Commandant, you can feel free to take off the stuff on your face now.
With the bandages and faux skin removed, the face that Lamia has glimpsed only a few times but remembers vividly is unveiled before her.
(Seems to have lost some weight?)
In contrast to Lamia's recollection, the human before her appears noticeably thinner, their cheekbones prominent and jawline sharply defined.
I'm glad to see you alright. You really shouldn't have taken on such a dangerous mission right after your recovery.
But going undercover without carrying weapons or communication devices was still too dangerous.
Thankfully, we were able to assess your safety every day through the signals you sent using sunlight reflecting off a mirror.
How did you come up with that?
Noticing the commandant's lack of interest in the topic, the Purifying Force recruit turns his gaze toward Lamia hiding behind.
This is...?
Due to the limited information transmitted through reflected sunlight, the recruit was unaware of Lamia's existence beforehand.
Elene... My name is Elene.
Lamia hides behind the Gray Raven Commandant, completely avoiding the Construct's gaze.
Those bastards! They even got their hands on children!
The Construct raises his fist in anger, throwing a few punches into the air.
Then, where should we settle her for now?
The nearest one is 20 kilometers from us, and we can reach it by land.
I'll go drive the vehicle over.
The human turns around, crouching down to eye level with Lamia, who is disguised as a child.
[player name]...
(I've known this all along...)
Seeing Lamia's awkward smile, the human before her clears throat softly.
It's okay.
(After all, I did the same to you.)
Commandant, the vehicle is ready.
The Construct recruit peeks out from the vehicle.
A hand, revealing distinctly jointed fingers and faint blue veins without the bandages, extends toward Lamia.
Alright.
Despite Lamia's initial intent to flee, an inexplicable urge compels her to reach out and grasp that hand.
Perhaps it was due to the solace and embrace under the stars.
Perhaps it was due to the gentleness she felt during the past few days.
Or perhaps it was due to the unwavering protection it offered regardless of the physical toll it went through.
At this moment, Lamia feels a surge of covetousness—an unusual desire for something she has never felt before. This impulse overrides her typical indecisiveness, compelling her to yield.
(I'll follow for now and look for a chance to escape later.)
Where are we going?
You're in luck, little lady. The nearest medical depot is in the Clean Zone. You'll be absolutely safe there.
To the Clean...
(Huh???!!!)
Misunderstanding Lamia's reaction, the human begins to explain in simple terms that a child can understand.
An area completely free of the Punishing Virus, monitored by several large outposts at its edges.
It can be considered the safest area on Earth... for humans.
(I know it too well!)
(What should I do? If I enter the Clean Zone, I won't be able to control the Punishing Virus, and my disguise will completely fail.)
(Then I'll really become a fish on their chopping board.)
Actually... I still have some things left behind at the camp...
Don't worry. We will carefully organize and store everything that remains in the camp.
After all, there might be something that can be used as evidence. You can claim it after we regroup with the main force.
As long as there's no evidence that needs to be retained, we'll return it after inspection.
Though we're all new recruits, you can trust us to handle things.
The Construct leans on the car window and gives Lamia a thumbs-up.
You're so reliable... Ah-haha...
Lamia forces out a dry laugh.
(Should I remove my disguise here...)
Lamia looks up, meeting the gaze of the human who still wears a caring and attentive expression.
If she were to reveal her true identity at this moment, the gentleness and care she sees in the human's eyes, which was born from falsehood, would likely vanish.
For the first time, Lamia's thoughts extend beyond mere survival. She desires to live, yet she also feels the weighty hesitation over shattering the fragile illusion.
Faced with this dilemma, she instinctively starts to step back.
Suddenly, a deafening clash of rocks and steel reverberates through the air, and the black cliff rocks start to break apart.
The pile driver holding the net went haywire?! Punishing? How come it suddenly shows up here?!
In just a moment, Lamia loses her footing. Succumbing to the accelerating force of her fall, she closes her eyes.
If unable to make a choice, she will resort to an escape, just like she always does, marking the definitive end of this lie.
The mermaid, bound by her inability to reveal the truth, is destined to dissolve into foam and return to the sea.
(It'll be fine, just like before...)
Once she falls into the sea, she can disappear without a trace, becoming an insignificant passerby in that person's life.
The commandant will probably feel guilty for a long time for not being able to find her. As Lamia ponders this possibility, a sense of unease takes hold within her.
However, Lamia's fall is suddenly halted as a hand tightly grips onto hers.
The hand before her appears so fragile, and all she needs is a gentle squeeze to crush it.
But it also possesses an unbreakable strength, never letting go, even with all the bones crushed.
Why do you have to go to such lengths...
However, the human remains silent, perhaps because the loud sea wind has blurred her words.
Or perhaps because all their focus is on the protruding rock clutched tightly in their right hand, the only support against gravity for both of them.
Drip, drip...
Bright red blood drops from the human's palm, splattering onto Lamia's face.
Along with it fall the overburdened rock and the two, now without a foothold.
