In A Parallel World With Random Skills, I Reluctantly Become A Mafia Boss?

Chapter 13: Dragon

When I looked towards Dazel, I held my breath. He had his teeth grinding, fists digging into his flesh, bleeding out a stream of blood, and his eyebrows were as crossed as can be. I knew that he also knows that we could die if we didn't hand the feather to the knight. He's frustrated that he isn't strong enough. A dog's death was the only result of a reckless endeavor.

But.

He couldn't bring himself to hand it over. Even at the cost of his very life, he was determined to hold on to the feather. It seemed that this escapade was more than what meets the eye. If you look at it logically, this would be the stupidest choice a person could make. But you could also argue the fact that there was no guarantee that the knight wouldn't kill us anyway after obtaining the item. There were too many thoughts to consider. If I wanted to think this through, I needed more time.

I also wanted to run. If I thought about it, this didn't concern me in the least. Dazel and I were just in a give and take relationship. No special meaning to it. None at all. I might find a way to get to the next city all by myself, probably. If I left him here using <<Quicken>> and <<Instantaneous Movement>>, I could escape successfully without a hitch.

It sounded heartless, yes. But it was the logical decision to make.

Just as I steeled my heart and prepared to leave..

"Kyouya. Take this and run. Meet with my comrades and tell them I sent you. In the meantime, I'll hold 'him' off."

The red-haired youth that I was about to leave behind pleaded towards me, and handed me the case with the feather inside. When he said the last part, he gestured towards the knight who was leisurely waiting for our reply with both hands on the hilt of the long sword. Which in fact, was embedded into the stone floor.

The first thing I thought when he said this was, 'This was suicide.'

No way could Dazel hold this guy off. I don't even think he would last half a minute. This guy's strength was just that unreasonable. In any case, why did he entrust me with the item and didn't run away by himself? If I thought that this relationship was just built on mutual benefit, it was no surprise he would've thought the same.

Still, he abandoned the idea of giving up and escaping, but instead, let me have a chance to escape. Since in his eyes, I was far weaker than him. Well, that's only in my present state.

Seeing this kind of selfless act, I finally realized.

What an idiot I am. Surely the worst idiot around.

I was just about to leave a total stranger for my own benefit. I didn't even consider the fact that he would die as a consequence.

A coward. That's what I thought of myself.

It was not strange considering I was dragged into this strange new world, but that wasn't really a reason.

I just wanted to have an excuse that would not make me feel guilty about it.

I was no hero.

But I'm not scum either.

When someone was in danger right in front of my eyes, I could not afford to ignore them.

This wasn't an issue of right or wrong.

Nor was it a logical mindset.

There was no need to think about it.

"No, you need this right? You hold on to it."

I push back the case towards the dumbfounded Dazel and walk in front of him after.