THAT DAY I BECAME A STAR

"It would seem you still don't understand who is able to decide here, miss hero." 

Romas comes to me and brings out a small bottle of the Longinus blood. Ah, shit, not again. Romas opens the bottle and let one droplet falls on my leg. As soon as it touches me, a sound can be heard in the room. The same sound as when acid drops onto you or when you fries something.

"Oh, very good. You aren't screaming." 

"Tatiana already did her part so I am used to it." This freaking hurts!!!!

"Tatiana?....Wait, ah!! I see who you are now. But where is Thando?" 

"Can't you guess?" 

"He is dead? Seriously? I thought he was stronger than that since he helped greatly when we captured the heroes. Well, he must have been tired or careless." 

"He isn't dead, sir." The man behind Romas speaks with a low but audible voice. He is longinus, right? He must be the same as the one from that time.

"Where is he then?" 

"he fled outside the dome and is currently outside of Mercuria. Do you want him to be brought back here?" 

"No, if he fled then he lost and is therefore weak. But I wonder. How did you defeat him, hm?" 

Romas lets another droplet fall at the exact same place and the pain just goes op exponentially. Still, I won't cry.

"Stop hurting him!! Please!!"

Lanuvel starts begging him from her uncomfortable posture. Unlike the others who have their hands tied up together, each of her hands are tied up alone. Her neck is tied up to the wall with those roots like things as well and her hair looks like somebody pulls them hard and even torn some of the fibers apart. What has he been doing here?

"Hmph!! Why would I listen to the words of a whore like you? You went and prostitute yourself with…wait, you are the guy, right? You are the one who stole her from me."

"Yeah, so?" 

"Ahah…AHahahahahahahaha!!!!" Romas pushes a scream which looks like a laugh and it sounds so horrific I might get the chills from it. Then he pours out the whole bottle he is holding down my leg and thigh.

"Argh!!!!" 

"Kevin!!!" 

"Stop it!!! Stop already!!!" 

"You fucking psychopath!!" 

Everyone reacts as I scream but this time, I wasn't able to hold it in. The pain was too much. 

"Ahaha!!! Oh my god!! Can you believe it? Do you know how stupid you look right now, Lanuvel? Do you know what this guy did?"

"Shut up!! Argh!!" 

Romas presses his foot on my wound with a huge smile then looks at the hero.

"This guy over here destroyed Nargil."

"W-what?"

***

"What?"

"No way!!" 

"You won't trick us, douchebag!!" 

"Oh, so not only did he manage to trick the stupid and foolish heroes, but he even convince all of you guys. You all really are cute right now."

"Ugh…" Samson wakes up as well but the Longinus immediately goes and grab him by the neck.

"Ack!! Ack!!" samson's eyes immediately turn red from the lack of breathable air so he starts punching and kicking the Longinus's arm. But nothing changes.

"Stop. I have found a better candidate. Put him with the others."

"Yes, sir." 

"Stop!!! Please, Romas!!! Don't kill him!! I will do anything you want!!! Please!!" 

Lanuvel begs from the deepest part of her heart but Romas just smiles while looking at me. 

"Do you want me to tell the truth before or after I kill you?" 

I see Samson being pinned to the wall like the others by the Longinus. So that was his doing, huh. Romas turns his head to Lanuvel and at the same time, the longinus has his head turned as well, busy with Samson.

Dilt said that the ring he gave me had the previous Saintess's script in it, right? I hope she was strong because this is the time to shine. I rapidly bring it out of my bracelet and grab it. I could use it now but I don't think this is the right time just yet.

After I have hidden the ring in my hand, Romas turns to me again then starts walking around me while looking at everyone in the room.

"You see, this guy over here has been quite the nuisance." 

"Nuisance? Humph!!"He kicks my face as I speak. How was I a nuisance? I didn't do anything to him until he approached Lanuvel.

"Shut up. I hate being interrupted."

"And I hate being stepped on by nosy guys so why don't you shut up?" 

"Hm…" He kicks me again then continue walking. It didn't work it seems. 

"As I was saying. This ugly piece of shit has been a huge nuisance for Master Veronica. Because of him destroying Nargil, the project to develop the pillar we are using now got delayed a lot. Master was really surprised when she received the news, you know?" 

What? Veronica was surprised? No way!! She knew everything that was happening since she herself ordered my as well as Excafol and Selene's death.

"Do you think we will believe you?!!" Farner doesn't seem to be done with him though

"Doesn't the fact that he isn't protesting give good enough answer?" 

"Kevin!! Tell us he is lying!" 

"…"

"K-kevin?" I am sorry, Farner. The truth is out already.

I tried to flee from it for too long. I tried to hide and was afraid of the consequences. Even though I said I would face the consequences of my choice. Even though I said I would never falter and do what has to be done. I kept being afraid and as a result, Anriette died. Frank and Claire died. Thando turned into a Longinus freak. Lanuvel cried and got deceived. Too many people have suffered because of me.

"No, this cannot be true…" 

"So you were the ones who killed all those innocent people…" Roxcia's voice sounds even more oppressing than usual. I am sure I would be dead already if she was not tied up.

"Fufufu. That's right, heroes. He is the one who killed all those juicy experiment pigs. Ah, all the things we could have done to them. But I have been wondering: how did you know? Did Mark spilled the beans before you killed him as well?"

"Mark?" 

"AH, you really know nothing, do you? I thought the heroes were just naïve but it seems you guys are actually stupid."

"This is the second time you have called me stupid." Suddenly, the room shakes a bit. Farner is trying to break her restraints but immediately, the Longinus jumps to her and punch her so hard the shockwave sweeps us all.

"Argh!!!" 

"Farner!!" Damn, it is time to do something!

"Mark Grandcross was Lanuvel's father. And this guy killed him as well. The guy was in Nargil that day so one would say that he was the unlucky fellow for sure ,right?" 

Romas had stopped walking after he was done with his round trip and since he is right in front of my head, he kicks me again. This time, it was so hard my left eye gets punctured.

"Oops, my bad. I didn't mean to pierce your eye." I would believe you if you didn't have that smile on your face.

"N-no…" 

"How could do such a thing?"

The heroes, no, everyone reacts with an ice-cold stare that they give me. I can't see everyone but I can feel their gaze. Their cold gaze.

"See, this is the guy to whom you gave your heart. How does it feel, huh?!!! You fucking whore thou-"

"I already knew." Lanuvel's voice somehow breaks the cold atmosphere that was settling.

"W-what?" 

"I already knew that he killed my father since he told me. But even so, I chose to forgive him. I don't know why he did it and I don't want to know. But I know one thing: I love him and you can't do nothing about it." 

"Ahahaha!!! Excellent!! This is why I wanted to do this all this time!!" 

Romas grabs the tip of the roots that are trapping me to the ground and like I don't weight anything, he lifts me up using those roots.

"W-what are you doing?"

"I will show you. The true despair that you should have felt. Initially, it was under my request that your mother got kidnapped. I wanted you to fall into despair as your father would slowly abandon you over his duties. But then as your father discovered that, we had to threaten him."

Romas walks slowly to the pit of Angas while talking like some sort of kings. If only, if only someone was free right now. I could use the ring then…Suddenly, I see a small light shining from the place where I came in. A diz'kar really has the best timing.

"You won't believe how happy I was when I heard that he died. I knew at that moment, that you were mine to do as I see fit." 

"Please, don't do that!!!" 

Right as he stops speaking, I am above the pit. Below me, the miriad of colors are like a song, like they are calling for me.

"Please ,wait!!! Take me instead!!" What are you saying Farner? I would never accept that!!

"Don't worry, hero. You guys will be next. With him being consumed, this pool should have the right amount to absorb you as well. Then I will be the first to drink and savor the taste of your molten body and soul and become an immortal." 

"Wait, so that's your objective?" So everything he has done was only for this? Wow, I am surprised.

"What would a simpleton like you understand? This is something that is beyond your understanding." 

"Please, don't do this!!"

"Stop!!!" 

Although they were all looking coldly at me, everyone starts begging for my life. There is no need for you guys to worry. I smile while looking at Lanuvel whose tears are flowing on her bruised face like crazy.

"Don't worry. Everything will be okay."

"No, please!!"

"Hey, Romas." The black wall starts turning white. Good, it is time.

"That name shall be pronounced with respect. Though I wi-"

"You want to know something that is beyond your understanding?" 

"There is nothing a vulgar simpleton like you could teach me."

"Oh yeah? What about this then?"

I fire three bullets. The first at Romas 's face.

"Argh!!!" 

And it hits properly. The guy releases me while the two other bullets go to the Longinus that is near Farner. As it blocks them and they explode, the wall explode as well and the hero of the day, the demi-god, the Diz'kar: ALPHONSE HIGHLANDER, makes his entry.

I launch the ring at him before falling. You will know what to do I am sure.

"Kevin!!!" 

"Noooo!!!!" 

Sorry guys. I will see you in a bit.