[A Reckoning: The End of Selfishness]

Skill Description: Shatters the mental state of an unforgivable party member. 

Reduces their magic, vitality, or holy power to zero and makes it impossible for them to recover. 

Mental collapse is a given.

Flavor Text:

“There’s no way. I have to break this world apart.”

What kind of skill is this?

At the time, there had been no time to scrutinize it as they were being chased by a succubus, but now that there was a moment to breathe, it was clear that this was no ordinary ultimate skill.

Moreover, the flavor text suggested that the skill had been crafted by the mage Tigria, judging by the tone. 

Lin was poring over the skill scroll, trying to decipher the goddess’s intent.

Incidentally, even though Lin had reincarnated into a game world, he couldn’t summon a status window or any cool, useful UI. 

He had tried more than a dozen times after awakening to his past life, but to no avail. 

Instead, as befitted a porter, he possessed the unique ability to view item descriptions. 

Thanks to this, he could recall forgotten skill effects and histories, but this skill, 

Reckoning: The End of Selfishness, was the first to include flavor text.

The skill scroll had been found in the goddess’s sanctuary, so it was bound to be useful later on. 

But if the description was accurate, it ominously predicted the need to shatter a party member’s mind in the future.

Lin found the idea unsettling, but as he mulled it over, he realized it wasn’t entirely unreasonable. 

Lucy had recovered, but she had been betrayed and dismembered by the hero’s party.

Lucy, who had clung to Lin to survive, had been driven by obsession and a desire for revenge.

“If I recover, should I destroy the empire?” she had mused.

But then Lucy had shaken her head.

“I ended up like this because of thoughts like that.”

Lin had been moved by her reflection.

“Instead, I should skewer those bastards and hang their heads. Leave their limbs intact.”

Despite the grim punishment plans, Lin had kept his composure.

If she was to face the final boss, reuniting with the hero’s party was inevitable. 

Even if Lin suggested it, Lucy was likely to refuse. 

He might need to use this skill to soothe her, and the thought made Lin sigh.

“Haah.”

“Lin, are you feeling unwell?” Lucy, who was nestled against him, looked up at him upon hearing his sigh.

“No.”

“Then why are you sighing? Is it because of me?”

“No, it’s not that.”

“Then why?”

Ironically, having recovered her limbs, Lucy’s obsession and dependence on Lin had intensified. 

Upon regaining consciousness after drinking the elixir, the first thing she saw was Lin’s lifeless body. 

Since then, she had clung to him constantly.

“Lin… Lin…!”

On the first night they slept apart, Lucy, now with a complete body, was tormented by new nightmares. 

She couldn’t even scream, whispering his name in a strangled voice. 

By the time Lin, deeply asleep due to his physical state, woke up and roused her, she clung to his neck and wept.

“Lin!”

“Lucy, what’s wrong? Another nightmare?”

“You were dead… You told me to live well and then you died… No matter what I did to save you, you wouldn’t wake up. What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? Without you, I’m…!”

“Lucy, I’m right here. I’m alive and well.”

She reached out to touch his face.

“Really?”

“Yes, you prayed to the goddess and saved me.”

“Oh…”

Clinging to him tightly, Lucy whispered, “Don’t leave me. Always stay where I can feel you.”

“Uh, Lucy, your body is fine now, so that’s a bit…”

“Lin.”

Her voice dropped, heavy and menacing.

“If you ever disappear from my side, I’ll tear this world apart to find you and bring you back.”

“…Okay.”

“Can I hear your heartbeat?”

“Well…”

“Please?”

Despite threatening to tear the world apart, she looked at him pleadingly. 

Reluctantly, Lin nodded, and Lucy buried her face in his chest, smiling brightly.

“Lin… my only ally, my best companion, my Lin.”

Since then, except for when absolutely necessary, Lin was forced to stay close to Lucy. 

He couldn’t even think alone without her constantly watching his every move.

Lucy wanted to know and share all of his thoughts.

“I think we should head to the city soon.”

“I don’t want to. There are too many people.”

Given their current situation, her reasoning was sound. 

But they had another issue.

“We need to figure out where we are.”

In a panic after experiencing Lin’s death and resurrection, Lucy had used her immense strength to carry him away to their current location. 

It was a densely forested area with a nearby stream, still partially covered in ice and snow. 

They knew they were far from Epaltair, but nothing more.

“I hate cities.”

“Why? Because of the people?”

“…Because there are other women.”

Lucy muttered, looking away.

“Lin is mine, and I don’t want other women approaching you.”

“No, no one’s going to approach me.”

“You don’t understand, Lin!”

Lin had no idea what she saw that made her insecure. 

He wasn’t a playboy, nor did he have the looks or personality for it. 

And he wasn’t Lucy’s property, despite her constant claims. 

Her unfounded possessiveness was becoming a headache.

How was he supposed to deal with her obsession and dependency?

“Lucy, there’s a major problem.”

“No, there isn’t. Everything is fine as long as you’re with me, and I’m with you. No problem at all.”

“No, listen to me.”

“I won’t listen unless it’s a love confession.”

“It’s not that.”

“Then I won’t listen.”

She turned her head away, but he could see her stealing glances at him. 

Lin sighed, knowing he was trapped.

“I love you.”

As a comrade.

“I love you too, Lin.”

She burrowed into his arms, pressing her ear to his chest.

“Can I talk now?”

“Yes, I’m listening.”

Lucy was listening to his heartbeat, not really paying attention to his words.

“Um, it’s a bit awkward to say this, but…”

“Anything is fine as long as it’s not a breakup.”

That’s a problem. 

He would have to say it eventually.

“Lucy.”

“Yes?”

“Why aren’t you wearing underwear?”

Lucy blinked her wide eyes.

“I haven’t worn any since my limbs were cut off.”

“Things are different now.”

“But I carried my underwear with me. I haven’t had any spare since we fell off the cliff. The ones I was wearing burned up when I drank the elixir.”

According to the official setting of Arrogant Saga, drinking an elixir causes a rapid rise in body temperature, burning away one’s clothes. 

It was just a buildup for Lucy’s nude CG.

In the heart of the scene, the meticulous care poured into the depiction of Lucy’s fully restored, naked body was palpable. 

The CG, a testament to the detail, highlighted the areas where the party members had torn and cut her, marked by white, delicate stretch marks like seams.

“And I wash every day, and Lin’s clothes are bigger, so they’re comfortable, right?”

“That’s quite fortunate. If you’re comfortable, there’s no need to cling to me all the time, right?”

“Absolutely not.”

Lin had long since given up hoping for consent. 

During their travels together, Lucy had rarely heard a positive word from Lin. 

This had been true both before and after her betrayal. 

It was perhaps the only thing that had remained unchanged.

“If Lucy, a grown lady and an aristocrat, were to cling to a strange man, what would people say?”

“Lin isn’t just a stranger. He’s the best companion. And who would say anything?”

“Well, for one, I’m saying it right now.”

Lin’s mouth tasted bitter, as if bile were rising. 

“Whether before or after saving the world, you’re still an aristocrat, so you’ll eventually get married.”

“…That’s true.”

At the mention of marriage, Lucy’s expression grew serious. 

It seemed that, despite her fixation and dependency, the significance of human relationships kept her grounded.

“It’s a bit awkward to say this myself…”

“If Lin says it, then it’s okay except for breaking up.”

“…Anyway, I heard that a bra supports and shapes the breasts so they don’t sag. Is that right?”

“Who told you that?”

“Hmm?”

“Who told Lin about that?”

Oh dear, it seemed I was getting judgmental looks just by bringing up words like underwear and breast shape with my plain face. 

Thankfully, Lucy’s sharpness wasn’t due to that reason.

“Is it a woman? It must be a woman, right?”

I picked it up through hearsay. 

Rather than talking to someone, I overheard it while they were discussing it among themselves.

“…Yeah.”

“I see.”

Lucy leaned her ear against Lin’s chest and briefly closed her eyes before opening them.

“Hmm, it doesn’t sound like a lie.”

Lin had never lied, so how could Lucy discern the sound of a lying heart? 

Lin was curious about what such a sound might be like.

“I want to get married.”

“Yes, Lucy will eventually get married, too.”

It was unusual for Lucy to stick to the main topic. 

Seizing the opportunity, Lin took a deep breath and spoke calmly.

“But men don’t like sagging breasts.”

“What?”

“No matter how big the breasts are, if they’re sagging, the moment a man sees them, his interest will cool.”

“No matter how big?”

“Exactly.”

“Even if they’re as big as a watermelon?”

“That’s just a sagging watermelon.”

Was this really a high-level conversation in a hero party? 

Lin felt a pang of self-loathing. 

It seemed ridiculous to be concerned with buying underwear for a hero.

On the other hand, Lucy was serious.

“Sagging breasts aren’t desirable…”

Since it came up, let’s clarify: Lucy’s breasts were quite large. 

Within the party, Arsil had a slight edge, but the sensual curves hidden under her armor, especially now that she wasn’t wearing any underwear, were impressively prominent.

But what did it matter? 

No matter how large they were, if they sagged, it was undesirable.

Lucy’s mind began to work.

1. Lucy would inevitably marry Lin in the future.

2. Lucy had considerable confidence and size in her body, including her breasts and hips.

3. However, Lin said that no matter how big the breasts, if they sagged, his interest would cool.

4. Not wearing a bra increases the likelihood of the breasts sagging in the future.

5. Sagging breasts would not be loved by Lin.

6. She needed to buy and start wearing a bra immediately.

So engrossed in her thoughts, Lucy remained seated in a fixed position until Lin finished cleaning up the campsite and was ready to move. 

With her own self-derived logic and conclusions, Lucy gathered her strength and looked around.

To buy underwear, she needed to go to the city.

It wasn’t in sight.

Let’s try squinting more.

Let’s try hard enough to see the talons of that bird flying over there.

Still not visible.

Let’s try harder, enough to see the antennae of the bug stuck in the tree.

Then,

“I found it.”

A smile spread across Lucy’s lips.

“Lin!”

“Yes, yes.”

Expecting a hug as usual, Lin opened his arms. After a warm embrace, he’d follow her without a word.

But this time was different.

“Hm?”

Lucy wrapped one arm around Lin’s torso and tucked him under her side.

“Lucy?”

“I found the city, Lin.”

“That’s great. We can move right away. Can you put me down?”

“About five times? If you jump, I think we’ll get close.”

“…??”

That wouldn’t work. 

Even a single leap had the destructive power to obliterate everything around. 

And the impact wasn’t just on the ground but also on Lin’s body, which Lucy was carrying. 

The explosive force and turbulence from the air, combined with the shock upon landing, were too much for a mere porter like Lin.

And five times?

“L-Lucy, that’s too hasty…”

“You said you didn’t like sagging breasts.”

“I just meant you should wear a bra…”

“No matter how big they are, you said you didn’t like sagging breasts.”

“Lucy, the concept of sagging applies only if they’re large enough.”

“In the end, it means you don’t like sagging!”

Boom—!!

With one powerful takeoff, the previously harmonious landscape and thin ice were torn apart. 

The cracks widened into streams, instantly dirtying the surroundings with dust and muddy water. 

As the resting place that had seen its first true rest after the demon king’s defeat began to crumble into a point, Lucy shouted with determined resolve.

“Lin! I will strive to become a woman who is loved!”

Before that, couldn’t she become a woman who listens to others?

Lin squeezed his eyes shut.