How To Live As An Academy Extra Villain

117 – Ellie (3)

“…go… out…”

“…yes…”

Ellie weakly commanded. Edda showed reluctance but soon lowered her head and followed the command.

As Edda stepped back and closed the door, the room was swallowed by complete darkness, as black as pitch.

“Anyway… even in this situation, you remain loyal… cough… cough…!”

Eli’s cough contained a strange texture, as if pieces were mixed in. The pronunciation was unclear and there were indistinct parts.

At the same time, an unpleasant stench mixed in the air was also noticeable. I had smelled a similar odor before.

From the decaying corpses hanging upside down on the gallows in the village where the psychic had hidden.

“Hello, Ed.”

“Hello.”

Eli greeted me belatedly. Her voice, which had always been cheerful, now sounded dry and lifeless. She struggled to open her mouth and barely responded.

“It’s a bit dark, isn’t it…? Sorry… I’m not feeling well right now… I didn’t want to show you an ugly side of me…”

A bitter smile formed on my lips as I listened to Eli’s words. To have such concerns even in the midst of a life-threatening situation…

“I’m fine, really…”

“I thought you would answer like that… but you can’t… because it’s embarrassing…”

“…”

I couldn’t tell Eli the truth. It meant that she could clearly see that even in the darkness thanks to the effect of night eyes.

Eli buried the lower half of her body in the blanket and leaned against the headboard of the bed. And the actual condition of Eli far exceeded my expectations.

Eli was wearing a sleeveless dress and had both arms exposed. However, the contrast between the colors was stark, like heaven and hell. The left arm was spotlessly clean, but the right arm was as black as a lightning-struck tree.

The darkness that consumed Eli did not stop at her arms. It infiltrated slightly visible shoulders, neck, and even the lower half of the right side of her face.

There were oozing fluids in the cracks of the skin, and even when Eli opened her mouth, that half did not move properly. The Basilisk’s poison ate away at Eli’s body like a plague.

Seeing that, my chest tightened with unease. On the other hand, a slight anger flared up. It was foolish to try to bear this pain alone.

“…Why didn’t you say something earlier.”

“I didn’t want to worry you… and I thought I would get better soon… Hehe…”

“…It’s fine. But Ellie, first…”

“Ed. Did you hear about my condition…?”

“…I heard.”

“…I see…”

Upon hearing my response, Ellie’s expression noticeably lightened.

“Ellie, I brought some medicine. Just take this for now…”

“…Thank you. But it’s okay. I’ve already tried all kinds of medicine… but there seems to be no cure… I can’t even use my power…”

This wasn’t the kind of conversation I wanted. I wanted to give Ellie the elixir and restore her back to her normal self.

But Ellie refused to listen or acknowledge my words. She straightened her posture and stared firmly in my direction.

“Ed, there’s something I want to say before the end…”

“…What is it?”

After hesitating a few times, Ellie cautiously spoke as if confessing a sin.

“I don’t like you. I’ve never thought of you as a friend… not even once.”

“…”

“I followed you to take advantage of you. I thought it would be

Contrary to the words that came out of her mouth, Ellie’s shoulders trembled as if she had been stabbed in the heart.

“Edwin. You were just a convenient pawn for me. Nothing more, nothing less…”

“Ellie. Do you know? Your voice always rises when you say things that you don’t really mean.”

“…That doesn’t make any sense…”

“…See? You’re doing it again…”

“It’s…not…making any sense…”

Ellie couldn’t continue speaking any longer. There was no need to add more words here.

As she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes and streamed down her face.

“Sob…sob…”

After a moment of silence, a soft sob started to echo through the quiet room.

“Sob…Ed…sob…”

“Ellie…”

“Ed…I don’t want to die…I’m so scared…sob…”

Her sobs turned into a sorrowful cry.

“Sob…What is this… I don’t want to die like this…sob…It’s too soon…I haven’t even kissed…sob…”

Ellie continued to shed tears. She couldn’t deceive herself any longer. Tears surged forth incessantly like a burst dam.

“Sob…sob…”

Ellie cried alone for a while. Her cries gradually subsided after the tears dried up.

Once she regained her composure, Ellie spoke with a weak voice.

“…I’m sorry. You had to see me like this…But I feel much better now that I’ve cried…”

“…Ellie. You can live.”

“It’s okay now. You don’t have to comfort me anymore. Really…”

“It’s not words of comfort. If I take the potion I brought, I can really save you.”

He didn’t want to see Ellie filled with sadness anymore. Once she drank the elixir, she would immediately notice the change in herself.

But Ellie, drenched in tears from a moment ago, seemed even more fragile and vulnerable.

“… No, I can’t live.”

“Eli…”

“You idiot!! I said I can’t live!! Sniff… Sniff…!”

Eli interrupted my persuasion and muttered softly. Suddenly, the candles in the room lit up brightly, revealing Eli’s darkness completely. Eli, who looked at me, had a slightly surprised expression.

“… Aren’t you surprised?”

“Not really…”

“… Fool…”

Eli sighed softly and laughed bitterly.

“… Ed. Can you see how I look? This corpse that is decaying while still alive…”

“…”.

“… I haven’t felt sensation in my arm in a long time. I can hardly see with my right eye now. Even a breeze closing the door feels like being stabbed by needles. My skin peels off even when touched by the softest silk. See this? Yesterday, it was just up to my neck, but today it reached my face.”

Eli struggled to turn their body and showed their right side to me.

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“Tespiera Eldin even shook their heads and left. Ten high priests poured their divine power until they collapsed. But still, not a single speck of skin turned back…! Yet you! What can a mere countryside noble do…!!”

“Eli…”

“You fool, Ed… Stop telling me to give up… Don’t you know that it will only make it harder for you later… Sniff…”

“Sigh…”

I no longer wanted to waste any more time. Even if there were still three days left, not everything goes as planned. Besides, the recent crying had further drained my strength.

But Eli was even more stubborn than I thought. It seemed almost impossible to persuade Eli with words alone.

Then, I’ll have to use force and make Eli drink the elixir if necessary. I can ask for forgiveness later. There is nothing more important now than making Eli better.

I gathered my determination and walked towards Eli. Seeing my actions, Eli was taken aback and stepped back. However, there was nowhere for Eli to escape in this room.

“What… What is this…”

“Just stay still. This is a very valuable medicine, as you can see.”

I approached the bedside and took out the bottle containing the elixir.

“Just… I told you to give up…”

“I can’t give up. Stay still. If you keep resisting, I have no choice but to force-feed you.”

“…Force…”

Finally, Ellie showed a hesitant expression. She lowered her head and mumbled her words. Surprisingly, is Ellie weak when it comes to something strong? I shouldn’t have wasted time and done it like this sooner…

“…What kind of medicine is this?”

“…That’s a secret. But it can quickly heal the Basilisk venom or something like that.”

“…”

Ellie didn’t respond. After a moment, she barely spoke in a hesitant voice.

“…I’ll drink it. But please do me a favor…”

“What is it?”

“My… mouth…”

“Mouth?”

“That… with my mouth… directly…”

“…Sigh…”

After hearing my sigh, Ellie shouted out in frustration.

“…It’s my last wish…! It’s unfair to die without even being able to kiss… So, if it has to be you…”

“Ellie. I already told you. I can get better soon, right? If not, how am I supposed to see your face later…”

“…Then at least feed it to me with your finger… your finger… directly…”

“…”

“Why… what… uh…”

Even while coughing, Ellie firmly shut her mouth. I even considered forcibly opening it to feed her, but well, it’s just a finger…

I decided to grant Ellie’s wish. If I could give her the medicine, I could withstand any amount of embarrassment.

I turned the cap of the bottle containing the elixir and opened it. Then, to make sure that it wouldn’t spill on the floor, I very gently dropped a tiny drop onto my finger.

The slightly viscous golden liquid formed a round droplet on my finger. I pressed my finger against Ellie’s mouth.

When Ellie saw my finger, her eyes widened.

“I… Is this… for real?”

“Quickly open your mouth. I might drop it if you don’t.”

“Ah… Ahh…”

Elli opened a small gap between her lips. Around the fingers that penetrated the gap, a warm and moist sensation could be felt. Elli’s tongue, like a cat’s, tickled my fingers incessantly.

…

Seeing Elli slobbering on my fingers, a strange feeling came over me. I tried to suppress the constantly rising impurities.

Now diluted by the fear of death, Elli will soon realize the demands she made.

Our bizarre act lasted for several minutes. Feeding her by dropping food onto my fingers couldn’t provide a large amount at once.

About half of the elixir bottle had been consumed, and finally Elli stopped licking my fingers and looked at me.

In her eyes, there was a relieved smile as if she had achieved enlightenment.

“…It’s okay now… I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t kiss… But this isn’t bad either…”

…

“As a final gift, it was actually quite good. Thank you, Ed. I… I will never forget it even in death…”

“Elli. Can you turn your head and let me see your right arm?”

“…Silly. I’m speaking to a person, what’s the point of that? Instead of looking at that scar, I will look at your face as much as possible…”

All along, Elli’s gaze was fixed only on my fingers. So it seemed like she didn’t notice the changes happening in her own body.

Upon hearing my words, Elli pursed her lips and slightly turned her head. And there, a miracle occurred.

-Squeeze…

“…My arm… My arm… What…?”

Elli felt her own arm and stammered. The darkness that had stained Elli about to eat her had suddenly vanished without a trace. The skin that had been oozing had regained its smoothness and elasticity.

Her lifeless eyes and the side of her mouth that hadn’t moved properly also regained their original functions. The sound of something evaporating from the tip of her fingers was the only reminder of the existence of the poison.

“I can see… and my fingers can move… no coughing and I can speak…”

“Elli. I told you I would get better. Do you believe me now?”

“…Am I already dead…? Did I come to heaven…?”

*Sigh…*

“Maybe… It might be that… Well, it does sound unbelievable…”

“Elli.”

“Uh…?”

“Look at me. If you were dead, would I be here right now?”

“…”

Elli couldn’t say anything more. She simply bowed her head towards the ground. Soon, her small shoulders began to tremble slightly.

“…Then…really…”

“Yeah. Really.”

“Sob…really…?”

“…That’s right…”

“Sob…sniff…Ed…Ed…”

“Elli…stop crying…”

“Sob…but…”

“Just wait a moment. First, tell your maid…”

-Thud!

When I realized it, Elli was already throwing herself towards me, who was sitting in the chair.

I could easily catch Elli like that, but the old wooden chair couldn’t bear the weight of both of us.

I fell to the floor. The worn decorations on the ceiling came into view. I could feel Elli’s presence right above me.

“…Elli. It’s dangerous. Even if you’re all better…”

I turned my gaze to check Elli’s condition. But I couldn’t finish my sentence. It was because of the elegance that didn’t match the old inn room.

“…I hope you can call me by a different name, not just Elli…”

The girl with brown hair and green eyes no longer existed. Her dazzling hair tickled her face like a harvest field. The two golden eyes were staring at me intensely.

“…Alcmene…”