CHAPTER 3 - DIZZY LIZZY WENT FAINTING FRENZY

It sure did took a while before I managed to bring her to my apartment. It was already afternoon and the sun was about to set. Dragging my bike along while carrying the woman on my back made me sluggish like an old man, and now I’m completely tired, thirsty, and hungry.

When we reached my apartment, she was already conscious. I immediately treated her with my first aid kit; made her drink some painkillers and bandaged her wounded shoulder. We did all these things in my living room which is quite messy with books, notebooks, and other school materials.

While wrapping her wounded forehead with a bandage, I felt that her body temperature is quite high.

“Hey, are you feeling okay? I think you have a fever.” I muttered. 

“No, it’s okay.” Lizzy gently pushed me back. “I’m fine now.”

“You’re not fine,” I said. I grabbed a paracetamol tablet from my medicine box and filled a glass of water. “Here, drink this.”

Lizzy was hesitant at first, but she grabbed the medicine and drank it like a good girl. After that, she stood up and prepared to leave.

“Thanks for your help. I need to go now.” She hurriedly said.

“Are you sure?” I asked. I really don’t want her to leave since the sunset is about to give complete darkness. “Where are you going? I can accompany you.”

“Thanks, but no thanks. I don’t want to get smacked to a tree branch again because of your stupidity.” Lizzy said. “Besides, you don’t need to get involved with me.”

“Ahahaha… You’re quite savage, you know that?” I faked a laugh and scratched my head.

As Lizzy started to exit the place, a loud roar echoed around the living room. At first, I thought it was a ghost… but then I realized that Lizzy is holding her stomach and she’s having this embarrassed blush on her face.

“E-Eh?” She cried. Then she looked at me with her teary eyes. “I-It’s not me! It’s you! I-I’m not hungry!”

I chuckled a little and briefly opened my fridge. As expected, there was still a six-eighth of a pizza that was stuck in there. I was reserving this snack for a movie marathon for my girlfriend (Edit: Ex) tonight, but I guess it would be better to feed these to that hungry tsundere girl.

“Here. Pizza. You want me to heat it up?”

She didn’t want it heated up. She devoured the pizza not caring that it’s slightly frozen. She chomped it down as if she hadn’t eaten for days.

When she realized that all that’s left on the box is a single slice, she pushed it to my direction, silently saying that I can take it. How thoughtful of her.

“You can eat it if you want. I’m reheating my own meal.” I said as I pointed my hot pockets in the microwave.

“Hmph.” Lizzy turned away. “I’m stuffed now. If you don’t want it, you can just throw it in the trash.”

Throwing away food is not on my agenda, so I took up the offer and ate the last slice. While slowly munching down the food, I tried to open up a conversation with her.

“Hey, where do you plan on going after this?”

“Nowhere.” She briefly answered. 

“Ah, right. It’s not my business. I’m sorry.” I said.

“No, not that.” Lizzy looked at me with her golden eyes. “I have nowhere to go.”

“What? Are you like a fugitive or something?”

“Yes.”

There was a short silence. When Lizzy realized that I’m staring at her with skepticism, she immediately followed up. She blushed while curling her hair.

“A-As I told you, it’s none of your business. But thanks anyway for the food and the medicine. I have to go now.”

On her final attempt to exit my apartment, her eyes swirled once again and her head went merry-go-round. She fell flat on the floor with her face first, making a loud thud! 

“Whack!”

“L-Lizzy!” I cried out loud.

I immediately went to her aid. I checked her temperature which seems to be a lot higher than before, which means her fever is getting worse. It’s sixty degrees celsius, which was impossible for a human to have. Her ragged breathing is already producing smoke even if the air in the surroundings is not cold.

I laid her to my bed for her to rest. I put a damp cloth on her forehead to absorb the heat. At this moment, I wanted to call an ambulance because I don’t know what the fuck should I do. It's better if we get to see a doctor.

But when I was about to reach my phone, Lizzy stopped me.

“D-Don’t.”

With her command, I put my phone back in my pocket. I sat on the bed beside her and wondered why she is holding my hand.

“I’m… I’m so helpless aren’t I?” She chuckled. “I always give the best of me, but nothing turns out to be alright. Nobody has ever praised me. Nobody has ever helped me. And yet, this keeps on happening to me. I’m so pitiful, aren’t I?”

Honestly, I was awestruck. I don’t know what the hell is she talking about, and I don’t even know what to reply to either. So I just spoke to call her name.

“Lizzy…”

Mustering all the strength she has, she raised her body and pressed her face closer to mine. I felt her extraordinary warm breath. I saw her beautiful reddish face up close. Her golden irises gave out an affectionate light to my eyes.

“Would you want to be my Archon?”

Lizzy whispered loud enough so I can hear.

All of a sudden, blue circuits of light glowed from her arms, hands, all the way to her fingers. The circuits connected to my skin which sparked the nerves to my brain.

A message popped out from the from of my sights.

[Would you want to install Archonlight System?]

I don't know what I’m feeling right now. This lady whom I just found in the grove has a lot of secrets to unfold. I don’t have any idea what she’s talking about, so I’m hesitating.

“This… is the only way… to save me… Please take it…” Lizzy weakly muttered.

My eyes widened in shock. I never would have thought that the life of this woman is now on my hands. I have to accept this thing she's offering to me.

[Would you want to install Archonlight System?]

The voice and the text inside my brain repeated.

With a cemented resolve, I gave out an answer.

“Yes.”