I Have Decided to Protect My Fiancé from the Heroine

Chapter 37: Regret

It was like time had stopped. 

Her detached arm was still hanging in the air, on its slow descent to the ground. I had to rush to her side, but my body wouldn't do as I wished. I wanted to shout and scream, tell her that I was coming to save her. But I didn't.

Instead, my arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Come on, Miss Clara. We must leave right now. That thing is getting closer."

I hear my voice say those words, but my mind is trying to say otherwise. Turn around! I scream, but nothing comes out. It takes everything in my power to turn my head around; I almost wish I hadn't. She was on the ground, stretching her remaining arm towards me. She was screaming for help.

I cursed the god of this world. Had I sinned? Why am I just standing here, walking away? Why can I not control my own body? Why?! 

For the first time in my life, I felt a wave of anger towards the world. It felt unjust. 

It is unjust.

. . .

At that moment, something snapped. Whatever it was, the power that controlled Ren was now gone.  It allowed him to turn around and run towards the princess with tremendous speed. 

He swiftly swooped her up from the beast's clutches and sprinted back inside. The beast had already gotten to her right leg, but she was still alive. Liliane was unconscious, and her breathing was shallow. Tears swelled in Ren's eyes as he desperately ran towards the basement, where the safehouse was. 

Clara called from behind, chasing after the boy, but he could no longer hear her calls. Whatever was connecting the two of them is gone, and Ren was finally free. 

"Sir Darius, are you there!?" Ren shouted as he bursts through the doors of the safehouse. Some students looked his way, but quickly turned away in distaste seeing the state Liliane was in. Ren himself was covered in her blood, looking like he was wounded heavily as well. 

"Ren, is that you? What is the ma-" Darius stopped mid sentence when he saw Liliane in his arms. He rushed over. 

"Can you- can you save her?" his voice hitched. 

"I'll do what I can." Darius replied. He carefully took Liliane from Ren's arms, and swiftly carried her to a corner of the safehouse. There, there were many other students and some teachers with heavy injuries. Most seemed to be at rest now, thanks to Darius' and other light-type mages' healing. Darius started his chants, carefully and quickly stopping the blood coming from her arm and leg. 

After a long arduous 3 hours of healing, Darius finally let out a deep breath.

"She might have some difficulty, but she'll live." Darius said, allowing Ren to also release a long breath he didn't realize he was holding. Darius quickly went to treat other injuries after assuring Liliane would recover after plenty of rest. 

Ren sat beside Liliane, his eyes puffy from crying. He took her left hand, intertwining his fingers with hers.