"Cough, cough... cough!!"
Fureiko's eyes snapped open, followed by uncontrollable coughing and trembling.
Everything she had just experienced felt like a nightmare, and even upon waking, she was still engulfed in deep fear.
She instantly sat up from the bed, enduring the sharp pain as she felt the back of her head for any wounds.
Naturally, there was nothing.
Yet, she still vaguely sensed a phantom pain tearing at her skull, something cool and present there.
Something cold, soft, and thin, but slightly wider than a hairband.
A familiar sensation washed over Fureiko, and she instantly understood; it was another flower.
A flower blooming at the site of the phantom pain. Was this the embodiment of her suffering?
She thought self-mockingly. So far, those flowers had only occupied Fureiko's left arm and the left half of her face.
But now, another flower had appeared elsewhere.
"Another one?" Little Flower, who was by her side, also noticed the flower in this peculiar location.
Fureiko nodded. This feeling was truly unpleasant.
She really didn't want to feel this way again, but...
"Fureiko, please don't go there anymore." Little Flower's eyes welled up with tears. Seeing Fureiko tormented like this, it couldn't bear to watch.
"Little Flower..."
"I..."
Fureiko paused, hesitating before saying, "I want to see Sans again."
"Please don't go."
Little Flower pleaded, "I don't want to see you get hurt because of him again."
"Little Flower, it's alright."
"I don't blame him."
Having gone through what just happened, Fureiko keenly noticed that only Sans seemed to have never used magic on her.
Was it because he couldn't?
Fureiko certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to think that. After all, his brother was Paparis. Sans, who appeared harmless, was only like this because his boundaries hadn't been crossed.
Therefore, he could maintain his composure and converse with her normally. Of course, that was only to a certain extent, as he had no reason to help her.
"But don't worry, I've mostly recovered."
Seeing Little Flower's continued insistence, Fureiko gave it a reassuring smile, then picked up Little Flower, preparing to rush out of the inn. "We can leave now!"
"Fureiko, haven't you noticed?"
Little Flower, cradled in her arms, wore a look of deep worry and a hint of reluctance. "You've already coughed up blood."
"What!?"
Fureiko wiped her lips and then opened her hand. Only then did she notice that some blood remained on her hand from her coughing earlier.
Her physical condition was worse than before.
"Mmm..."
Off-screen, Mo Zhi tightly covered her mouth to stifle her sobs, though the tears in her eyes were undeniable.
'This is killing me!'
'Fureiko is too miserable! Ever since leaving the ruins, she's been on the verge of death!'
'Spirit Realm, I underestimated you. Your chosen works only get better and better. Such a sharp blade!'
'Quick, continue!'
'So eager to get the pain?'
...
"I suggest you check your body for changes."
In the game, Little Flower whispered.
Sensing that something bad was about to happen, Fureiko forced a smile to brush it off. She knew that more flowers had bloomed on her body.
"I'm fine. We can definitely get through the barrier."
Fureiko raised a confident smile. "I don't know how, but I believe we can!"
After composing herself, she left the inn, carrying Little Flower.
Upon exiting the inn, Little Flower suggested they take a different route, as Paparis and the others were completely helpless against it.
"Don't worry, Little Flower, I won't be so reckless."
Fureiko suggested, "How about... we go see Sans again?"
"..." Little Flower shook its head like a rattle. "I don't recommend you go find him."
Due to his brother Paparis, Little Flower now harbored a significant prejudice against Sans as well.
"But we have no other choice right now, Little Flower."
Fureiko looked pleadingly at Little Flower. After her persistent soft persuasion, Little Flower finally couldn't resist and capitulated, agreeing to the suggestion.
When she arrived at Sans's post, Sans's attitude had changed slightly. "Hello, sweetheart."
"I..."
He looked at the frail and pale Fureiko before him, slightly tempering his usual flippancy. "Hmm... you look a little different than before. I remember you had fewer flowers on you previously."
Had he noticed?
Fureiko's expression flickered, then quickly returned to normal as she replied, "Yes, there are a bit more than before."
"Regardless, if you want to break out of the forest, I don't recommend it, because my brother is nearby."
He got straight to the point. "If he sees you, he will attack immediately."
"I know."
Fureiko not only knew but had also experienced Paparis's deadly attacks twice. The memory still caused a slight throbbing in her head. "Perhaps this is not wise, but I have no other choice. I think I must go."
"Wait a moment."
Sans reached out and stopped Fureiko, asking, "Can you come somewhere with me first?"
"I promise it won't take too much of your time."
"I don't mind."
Fureiko gave a sweet smile. "I feel very safe with you."
"That's great!" Sans showed a rare emotion beyond his usual indifference.
Huh?
Mo Zhi, who was weeping uncontrollably from the emotional blows, suddenly had a misconception: Why did these two have such strong CP vibes?
"Tasting sugar from the blade's edge?"
"Is this AU this wild?"
It wasn't just Mo Zhi; the viewers in the livestream also seemed to sense something amiss.
'Damn, no way?'
'As a CP fan for ten years, I can guarantee that there's definitely a story between Sans and Fureiko!'
'Observant viewers have already learned to actively sift through the tons of emotional damage for a sliver of sweetness.'
'If it's not tasting sugar from the tip of the blade, I don't agree (doge)'
'My heart hurts so much, why is there so much pain?'
'The perspective and storytelling ability of this work make it easy to empathize, so some of the painful moments stand out particularly glaringly.'
'Even a tiny bit of sweetness can heal many wounds.'
......
Mo Zhi didn't join the audience's act of "tasting sugar from the blade's edge." Glancing at the comments, she refocused her attention on the game.
At this moment, Sans had led Fureiko back to town.
Interestingly, when she was with him, Fureiko noticed that other monsters always avoided her gaze when they saw them.
Was it because of Sans?
I think so.
Regardless, when I'm with Sans, I feel very safe.
Fureiko's inner thoughts were very active.
"Sans, can I ask you a question?"
"Hmm, go ahead."
"Can you come with us?"
Whether it was due to her reliance on a sense of security or because Fureiko truly had no other choice, she wanted Sans to accompany them.
"...Are you serious?"
Sans's white pupils widened slightly, a look of disbelief on his face. "You actually want a monster like me to stay with you all the time."
"Have you considered what would happen if I killed you while you slept?"
Comments: (How did you know I'd say that here?)
......