The Power of the Protagonist

(Act 4)

“………Meaning, this is how it is eh?”

The head of the Ranieri family Sofia, after receiving the message, deeply exhaled the smoke from her mouth.

“Our carriage was captured, and taken over. The daughter of the Calvinos fought bravely and put her body on the line for the sake of one of our family prostitutes.”

“Y-yes, Family head.”

Having given this report, the two subordinates stood back up with completely straight backs from the sheer nervousness and tension they felt. Sofia crossed her legs, and then leaned her back on her chair.

“——–and then the missy fell down the cliff and is now missing?”

“Yes…………”

One of the subordinates nodded, and explained all the info he had to Sofia.

“Currently, the members of Aldini, Calvino, and Serranova families are all searching for her together. Since there is a chance that she may get kidnapped after the fall, the Aldini head has asked for permission to look for her across a much wider range around the entire forest as well……..”

“Of course. Tell them they have the permission to go and look wherever they want.”

“Thank god you said that, boss. Umm…….”

As Sofia tilted her head, the subordinate looked at her with deathly pale face as he explained.

“The Aldini head, even though he had a poker face, his aura felt almost inhuman…….it seemed like, if we refused, he would have declared war on us there and then so…”

“………Aldini huh.”

The missing daughter of the Calvino family was the Aldini’s fiancée.

From having seen them yesterday, it was very clear that Aldini treasured her quite dearly.

“Tell all the guests about the search and the circumstances and to cooperate as well. If we promise them to make up for this on another day in the best possible way, I’m sure they’ll understand.”

Today, most of the guests that were in the forest were long standing associates, and other than the Savini head, most would be pretty reasonable with their request. While already planning ahead for everything, Sofia continued to give her orders.

“I will not forgive these scoundrels who dared intrude inside our forest, understand? But we will chase them once we have confirmed the missy’s safety. Tell all our members to help with the search as well.”

“I had a feeling you would say that so I have already made the arrangements in advance.”

“Perfect. Also, tell all the prostitutes to prepare a warm bath and a change of clothes, will you?”

Sofia gazed out of her window. Outside, it was noon yet quite dim and cloudy.

The slight drizzling rain from before had very quickly turned into a downpour. After falling down the cliff, even if she had somehow survived with minor injuries, this kind of rain would certainly weaken her even further.

“If we find her near us, bring her quickly and warm her up. Even if it is August, losing all body temperature can be very dangerous.”

“Understood. I’ll get to it.”

The subordinates quickly left. Left alone in the room, Sofia once again held the cig in her mouth.

“……..The storm’s not ending anytime soon.”

Outside the window, and towards the horizon, she could see a bunch of darker clouds fast approaching with thunder flashing within.

***

“Haaah…….”

Under the pelting rain, Francesca was breathing heavily.

At the bottom of the cliff, she had taken cover under a projected piece of large rock to try and protect herself from the rain even if a little bit. As the rain splashed all around her, Francesca couldn’t sense anyone near her within this misty forest.

(I hope the lady was alright in the end. Everyone must be so worried about me, I’m sorry……..)

Even while feeling guilty, she couldn’t help herself from worrying over the safety of other people.

(but still…..)

Francesca looked down at her own body, and muttered to herself.

“………the power of the protagonist really is amazing huh……..”

The cliff Francesca had fallen from was decently high.

And while she had managed to break her fall somewhat, she was resolved to take some heavy injuries. The possibility of her suffering a huge injury and being needed to be taken to the hospital [like in the game’s scenario] flashed through her head as well.

But in the end, she ended up crashing through a bunch of trees on the way down that slowed her fall constantly, and basically reached the ground basically unhurt.

(I have a bunch of scratches here and there, but it doesn’t even hurt much anywhere either. Even though the fall was large enough that it wouldn’t be strange to even die from it.)

The only worries she had right now were, the rain, and how to climb back up, nothing more.

( I do want to find a place where I’m better protected from the rain than here but, it’s not a good idea to move to far away from the place I fell. And there’s a chance lightning might strike if I take cover under a tree, so hiding under this rock is probably my best option.)

Francesca looked around restlessly, before calming and then psyching herself up again.

(Even in the still images from the scenario, the rain was coming down hard during this scene. But, it did stop around night time if I recall correctly! I need to save my stamina until then, and then return once I can move around again.)

Her body had begun to feel a little cold. Even if it was midsummer, if the rain keeps going on like this, it was bound to happen sooner or later.

(………If only I could return back so quickly that I didn’t make anyone worry, and act like nothing major happened.)

While she was pondering that, Francesca hung her head.

(Even when I went out of my way to create a situation where I was alone, that lady got dragged in as the [second person] anyway. When I tried to protect someone, someone else gets into danger instead……..Even if I can [solve] the scenario, can I really never [avoid] it completely?)

She had been able to somehow stop the lady from getting shot.

But, Francesca was aiming for a scenario where no one has to get shot at in the first place.

(Whenever I try to go against the scenario, if a similar tragedy occurs anyway, could it be that no matter what I do, I can’t save Graziano’s father? Perhaps…)

The sound thunder cracking echoed. Francesca flinched and reflexively hugged herself tighter.

(There’s even a chance someone else might die in his place as well…….)

Her body was beginning to shiver from the cold. She wanted to remain calm, but the sapping heat of her body won’t let her do so.

(No, I can’t think of such strange things. I must avoid a bunch of events that will come towards us, and I will save all the people that die as well. As repentance for running from the original scenario, if I do that then…….)

Perhaps such thoughts were all meaningless, but she didn’t want to believe that. And yet, Francesca crouched down, and muttered in a small voice.

“……….I’m scared..”

The rain became much stronger, and the rumbling thunder only grew louder and louder.

(I’m the protagonist, I can’t die until the scenario is over.)

This fall from the cliff had only strengthened her belief of that fact.

And, there was a different possibility as well

(………I’m the protagonist, so will I always end up dragging everyone into the events of the game as well……?)

Such thought appeared, and made her heart ache.

Francesca shut her eyes tightly, and the next instant, another loud rumble echoed, raising her head back up.

(This sound, this wasn’t the lightning.)

She turned to look back up, towards the cliff top from where she fell.

The rock that was projecting out from the cliff was keeping Francesca safe from the rain. But this sound was coming from the cliff further behind it.

And the very next instant, the rock that Francesca was looking up towards, felt like it slightly tilted towards her direction.

“Uwaah……..”

The cliff was about to collapse.

She instantly knew but, even if she ran away now, she won’t make it away in time. Francesca quickly held down on her mouth with both hands, and tried to make sure that there was just enough space in front of her mouth to breathe in case she gets buried underneath.

It happened right at that moment.

“………..!!?”

A large lightning flashed in front of her and a wall of ice appeared out of nowhere.

The entire cliff began to crash down but, the wall of ice held it back. Francesca’s eyes opened with shock, and turned around to look at the person standing there.

“Leonardo!!”

Leonardo standing there, looked at Francesca expressionlessly with narrowed eyes.

(He came, to save me.)

Francesca quickly ran towards him.

Even though her fingers were shivering from the cold, and she was getting drenched from the rain, she didn’t care.

“Leonardo. I’m sorry, and than—-“

Leonardo spoke no words, and while still expressionless, tightly embraced Francesca.

The strength in his arms was a bit too much, which made Francesca stare in shock. Leonardo pressed his forehead against the side if her neck, and slowly and quietly muttered.

“………You’re alive….”

“!”

His voice was so hoarse that it sharply pierced Francesca straight to her heart.

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