Chapter 418 – Where Lightning Grazed.

– Sararak

The wind passing by my ears as I slightly lifted my hair and opened my eyes blankly to reveal the pitch-black darkness. A pure white butterfly fluttered its wings in the air, attracting attention. If you follow the tail of the butterfly, you will land on top of a flower that shines red.

Looking around blankly, before I knew it, numerous flowers boasting gently curved petals and sharp stamens were standing on a field in full bloom. When I realized that I had been to this place several times when the touch of the soft petals brushed past me even if I stretched out my hand just a little.

I found a small shadow that shimmered in black.

[…

Instinctively approaching In-young of a girl who was looking at her silently from the edge of the field, In-yeong noticed it and trembled startled and turned away from him and started running.

“Hang on!”

Usher shouted involuntarily, and he too was running after the girl. I kick the ground as hard as I can because I feel like I’ll miss it if I’m even a little late at the small back figure that’s blurry with noise and seems to be dispersing at any moment like morning fog.

Fortunately, the little In-young’s back is getting closer little by little, but her nervousness keeps growing. So when he caught up with her girl, he couldn’t overcome the momentum he was running and attacked her face.

“Got it!”
[Yes!]

The girl who was pushed by him and fell among the red flowers, Usher grabbed her by the wrist and climbed on top of it. The girl was already under him, but she didn’t struggle to get out. Even so, Usher squeezed her wrist tightly, not wanting to let go of her. If he didn’t, even though she was now captured by him, it seemed that the blurry figure would disperse like a mist over her.

“Erika.”

When the girl’s name was called, the blurry noise disappeared and her figure was revealed. The ebony hair, which seemed to have been spun out of the night sky, was spread out over the field, and the hair infused with the light of white gold that shimmered like stars.

Her features were as detailed as those of a small doll, and her crystal-grey innocent eyes looked like they were transparently looking at her. Even her fluttering clothes with exceptionally wide sleeves showed off her skin as clear as pure white porcelain.

Eventually, the girl who revealed her true self was still looking up at him, her gray eyes quivering pitifully.

“Erika, you…”

Usher stretched her free hand toward her face. Her trembling hands touch her girl’s cheeks every time she touches her soft cheeks. It wasn’t just a fantasy or a dream. It was Erica who was really in front of him. She looked up at him touching her cheek for a moment, but then she slipped her head away to avoid her gaze.

[Usher, don’t you resent me?]

A trembling question, as if it were strange that it was not so, as if the conviction that it was supposed to be so was shaken.

[Is that so?]

When she shuts her mouth, the girl’s voice is bitter self-help.

“Really… Was that really the only way?”

That’s why she couldn’t control her overflowing emotions. Even though I knew the reason why such a delicate girl had to go so far, even when compared to other knights, she couldn’t get away from him, who had no power.

[Yeah, because that person definitely intended to kill Usher.]

Even though I knew that such an answer would come. Wizards were absolute beings that could not be defeated at any cost. No matter how old he was, he couldn’t beat a wizard. Unless it’s just the two of you, the same wizard, or a special witch like Belka and Erica.

Moreover, if it wasn’t for the dragon king.

[Sorry. Because I am such a selfish country.]

The white hand that reached out toward Usher touched his cheek as if it were following his touch on mine.

[So Usher, it’s okay to blame me like this.]

The girl’s voice whispered sweetly to blame herself. Perhaps it is a fatal temptation that one cannot dare to refuse.

[Did you say Helena?]

Her heart sank at the sound of that name, and she looked at Erica, but jealousy as black as her hair was reflected in her innocent gray.

[I heard from Verdi. I don’t think it would be bad for her to be with him.]

It was resignation blurred with tears.

“That…”

Finally, when he couldn’t stand it and opened his mouth.

“Are you awake?”
“Ah.”

When she opened her eyes, what she met were Helena’s pupils. She was looking down at him, neatly dressed in her clothes. His eyes went to her chest, which was blocking her view, but that was only for a moment.

“!!”
“…!”

Even though the heavy rain was still pounding, I could catch a glimpse of the voices of people shouting so loudly that I could hear them inside the carriage. Looking out the window, it was hazy because of the dark clouds, but a light that was brighter than morning signaled that it was around noon. I wondered if it was time to serve food, but there was no need to make such a fuss about it.

-Doo-doo-doo-doo

In addition, there was even a sound coming from the carriage as if something was running in droves.

“What happen?”

When asked curiously, Helena glanced at her and opened her mouth.

“I heard Hildisviny’s warning.”
“Are you Hildisbini?”
-Puuuuu!

A distinctive warning sound terrifying to hear from him. They felt more than just that moment. Usually, Hildisviny will only warn you once, no matter how dangerous. As long as the warnings are given in order from the front to the back like a procession of wagons, it may not be possible, but if they are gathered, there is no need to warn them more than once.

“Are you thinking of going out?”

As soon as Usher put her shields on her limbs and chest, he heard Helena’s voice.

“I don’t know what’s going on, so it’s better to leave it to the knights…”

She tried to stop herself, but Usher shook her head, took one last look for her sword and shield, and opened the carriage door. He was even given a wagon because he was a paladin, but he didn’t want to be alone like this.

-Shoot it!

The first thing that greeted him was the still pouring rain. At least it was not so much that I couldn’t see because my momentum had decreased compared to earlier, so I immediately closed the carriage door. It took some time to find the place where the sound came from passing through the rain.

On the other side of the island, I saw knights riding Hildisebini and looking somewhere. Not only that, but also the soldiers who didn’t ride Hildisbini, the humans wearing light armor, the Cait Sith, and the Harpies.

Each of them was standing beside them holding a weapon or busy carrying things. After that, the Paladins rode Hildisbini and roamed around their respective districts, commanding them.

“Is the sling ready!?”
“It’s raining so much that it’s hard at this rate!”
“I can’t help it! If there’s any signal, shoot right away!”

Among them, I confirmed that the place where Rachel was was the closest, and as I approached, I noticed Usher in a Hill Dis beanie gurgling and nodding her head, and she looked down at him with surprised eyes from her saddle.

“Are you feeling okay? If you used that much strength, it would be okay to rest a little longer…”

Usher could tell that it was a consideration for the situation where he had just used magic, but apart from that, he felt a little uncomfortable. She spoke bluntly, thinking that even to her, she seemed to be nothing more than something she needed to protect.

“I don’t need that, so what happened?”
“That…”
“Hildisbiny is arriving soon!”

Kayaba’s voice, heard from a distance before Rachel, informed them of the situation. Looking in the direction they were facing, I could see why Hildisbini had beeped twice. A spray of water rising from not far away.

In addition to the wall made by the knights standing in a row, I couldn’t see it in detail because of the rain, but the Hildis beanies with white feathers were running towards this place, spurring the pouring rain.

“What about the rider? Can you see the rider?!”

Rachel also hurriedly shouted at Usher at the sight of them approaching nearby. That’s when everyone stopped moving as if they were guessing.

“There are no riders! It seems to be a wild species!”

At the words someone shouted, the knights and others seemed to be slightly relaxed. The white-feathered Hildis Beanies that came nearby also slowly stopped running as if they noticed their presence.

“Fortunately, I don’t think anything big will happen.”

Listening to Rachel talking as if relieved by her appearance, Usher looked at the Hildisbinies.

“These feathers are white. What species was the white one?”
“You’re my friend. That tricky thing.”

The voices of people groaning as they looked at the Hildis Beanies who had stopped near them.

“Of course it’s Chin? They’re still hard to tame.”
“If it’s a different species, do you think you can tame it? Branta kills even if you just attack, and they say that Answer will beat you up if necessary.”
“Ah, that’s what it says.”

Most of them belonged to the soldiers who were holding weapons next to the knights. They seemed to want to approach Hildisbini, but they just watched as if they were paying attention.

“Chin is on the docile side, but if someone he doesn’t like approaches, he can kill people like Branta.”

As I watched them wondering why they were doing that, Rachel got down from the saddle and talked. Although her Hildis Beanie also had white feathers. Just in case, she says, she will have to keep the standoff for a while until the Hilldis beanies back off.

Usher continued to look at Hildisbiney as he listened. He was called a paladin because he could use the magic of a paladin, but strictly speaking, he was not an official knight.

Donard and Krikaliev said that if you want to be recognized as a knight wherever you go, you must tame Hildisviny. So, Usher stepped out to the place where the Hill Dis beanies were gathered.

‘Are you going to be satisfied with just that?’

Remembering Krikaliev’s voice pushing his own back.