Return (5)

“There it is! There is light!”

Red light shining through small cracks in rocks.

It was very faint, but it was clearly sunlight that penetrated the red energy of the demon world.

“Everyone, please step aside.”

When Kayla deployed a magic circle and caused an explosion, the stone wall in front of her collapsed.

At the same time, a cool breeze passed through my entire body.

“Haaa…”

As I took a deep breath and let it out, the tension went down a little.

Of course, my heart feels stuffy, perhaps because of the fog of the demon world.

I was barely able to get out of the cave, but it was still too early to relax.

I caught Tyria, who was trying to step forward with a bright expression.

“Everyone, don’t scatter. The Demon King’s army may be lurking.”

“Oh, yes!”

At my words, Tyria quickly took a step back and stepped behind me.

I was finally able to get out of the cave, but the problem starts now.

I still don’t know where Catalina and Malcolm are.

There was no food to return to the garrison right away.

Celica even collapsed from exhaustion. It is a burdensome situation to fight properly.

“First, let’s go to the entrance of the cave. Catalina may have escaped.”

“Yes. “I will find a way.”

As I made my way through the collapsed stone wall, I was able to find the monster’s corpse.

A corpse with a faint heat and traces of blood. It means that a battle took place a little while ago.

In this situation, it was highly likely that the people fighting were Catalina and Malcolm.

I felt relieved that the two people were alive.

Maybe they too are wandering the forest looking for us.

If we weren’t careful, we could have just scattered and wasted time.

“Catalina! Malcolm! “Answer me when you hear me!”

There was a risk of inviting nearby monsters, but I decided to take it.

Anyway, if you don’t meet Catalina, you can’t leave the forest.

I decided that it was a priority to join them even if I had to face monsters.

My colleagues follow me and begin looking for Catalina and Malcolm.

Soon, I was able to find people from afar.

“… !”

A small but clear human voice. It was definitely answering our voices.

“Here! Come this way!”

As I walk in the direction of the voice, the voice gets closer and closer.

Finally, the other person came into view and I could hear their voice clearly.

But it wasn’t Catalina or Malcolm who answered me.

“Seohyun! “Can you hear me?”

I could definitely hear Max’s voice, who should have been at the station.

Could it be that he came this far?

As the distance gradually got closer, we were able to identify Max and his group.

Max, who saw me and my colleagues, rushed over to check our condition.

The knights also looked at our complexions.

And when he saw Celica on my back, Arne’s face turned white.

“Are you all safe?”

Hex, one of the knights, brought healing and antidote.

Rack and Alec were each carrying Malcolm and Catalina on their backs.

“If anyone is injured, please tell us quickly… ?!”

While Arne was checking our complexions, a look of confusion crossed his mind.

And her eyes were focused on Kayla.

Unlike before, Kayla was not wearing a robe.

Likewise, my colleagues’ clothes were torn and the perception-impairing magic disappeared.

The black horns on her head were revealed.

“…”

Kayla seemed to have noticed too, but she avoided eye contact and quietly hid behind me.

People around her were already shocked to discover her identity.

“Ah… Serika, are you okay!”

But Arne quickly turned his attention to Celica.

I was surprised by Kayla’s identity, but now I had to think carefully.

Celica was riding on my back. She couldn’t open her eyes while riding on my back.

I opened my mouth to calm Arne, who was looking at me with concern.

“Celica was only briefly exhausted. “I’ll wake up when I get some rest.”

“Are you hurt anywhere? ?”

“Are you okay. “There were no serious injuries.”

But her expression showed urgency rather than relief.

And I could immediately see why.

The two people Rack and Alec are carrying, Catalina and Malcolm.

I immediately realized that the two people were not in very good condition.

“Could it be that Catalina and Malcolm are hurt…?”

“Both of them were poisoned. “The antidote stopped the poison from spreading, but the wound is opening up.”

“Then the treatment… “

“I tried to get help from Serika. But…”

Arne couldn’t finish his sentence and just spilled it out.

Even though I poured the potion, the wound didn’t heal.

At this level, it means that he needs to be recuperated at the capital’s Shinjeong right away.

In other words, the only person who can heal the two people in the current situation is Celica.

‘Damn it… ‘

Because Celica, who could heal the two people right away, was asleep.

If they are not careful, both of their lives could be in danger.

At that time, Celica, who was on her back, began to move her body carefully.

I thought I had fallen asleep, but it seems I was awake before I knew it.

“…Seohyun.”

“Cerica… !”

“Please. Please drop me off…”

Celica asks me a favor in a hushed voice. After learning about the situation, I tried to take action myself.

Considering her condition, I shouldn’t have allowed it, but since the situation was urgent right now, there was no way.

“You don’t have to push yourself too hard. But…”

“…”

“Can I help you just once?”

Then, Celica hugged my shoulders with a faint smile.

“Yes. Just trust me…”

When I slowly lowered Celica from my back, I managed to get up on my shaky legs.

He held onto her staggering body and guided her to the front of the two people.

Then Tyria approached holding Celica’s staff.

“Cerica. It’s really okay… ?”

“Huh. I’m fine…”

Celica slowly raised her head, her expression full of fatigue and exhaustion.

Tyria handed over the wand with an expression full of worry.

I held onto her hand, which was so precarious that it felt pity just to look at it.

“Sorry. “I’ll just ask you once.”

“Yes. Please leave it to me…”

Serika smiles a little at what I say.

He had Malcolm and Catalina lie down on the floor and then began to recite a prayer.

“Goddess… Bless this place…”

A voice even quieter than Pyeongbo. The brightness of the healing light has also decreased slightly.

At the same time, the knights began pouring potions on Catalina and Malcolm.

They let out an exclamation as their wounds slowly healed.

“It’s healing…!”

Celica continues to pray with her eyes closed with her frail body.

The sight of him kneeling and leaning on his staff was earnest and reverent.

At that time, light began to come down through the dark fog, and instead of a reddish light, I was able to see bright sunlight.

Such divine power that even the fog of the demonic world retreats. It was no exaggeration to say that it was truly a miracle.

As a mesmerizingly beautiful sight unfolded for a moment, Max muttered with an expression of admiration.

“Even the saint’s power can’t reach this level…”

Celica is in danger as if she will fall to the floor at any moment.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him for even a moment because he was straining himself to the point of putting all his strength into it.

Finally, Catalina and Malcolm’s wounds healed and their complexion returned.

It was only after pouring all the potion that I was able to overcome the serious condition.

“Serica. It’s okay now!”

When Arne finally stopped her, Celica barely opened her eyelids.

As soon as my words fell, the staff fell into her hand.

As soon as I confirmed that Catalina and Malcolm had recovered, my body collapsed.

“Ah…”

“Cerica! It’s okay now!”

At the same time, I grabbed her body and hugged her.

Only then did I notice the surprisingly high body temperature and the cold sweat flowing all over my body.

I can’t believe we continue to pray even in such a dangerous situation.

It was impossible to guess how excessively she poured out her divine power.

Celica seemed to have lost consciousness, unable to move, and her breathing was considerably weakened.

“Celica…!”

Also, white light was flowing from Celica’s body.

Light flowing from Celica’s body like an aura.

When Max saw her, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut with a shocked expression.

“No way… !”

I tried to ask if there was a problem with Max’s surprised reaction, but Celica came first.

After slowly putting her on his back, he stood up.

When the situation was finally resolved, Max made a quick decision.

“Everyone, wake up! Let’s go to the nearby cave first!”

Because they were walking around raising their voices to each other, there was a possibility that monsters would flock in.

Since the fire was put out immediately, I decided to get out of the place first.