Chapter 100 – Truth (8)

There were about 20 mages who came out of the Magic Tower, 22 to be exact. These were combat specialists who had received specialized combat training at the Magic Tower, and were in fact the core military force of the tower.

Just by seeing these mages, who were of a completely different caliber than the mages who went out yesterday, it was clear how seriously the Magic Tower was taking this matter. However, Carsilla was simply fascinated by the combat mages’ modified robes, which were designed for better mobility.

Aren’t mages supposed to wear long, flowing robes? These guys are… something else.
Regardless of Carsilla’s puzzled gaze, these combat mages were created as a counterexample to the common mages who struggled with the weakness of being static when casting spells.

They were constantly moving and engaging enemies with a variety of simple and quick spells. Even their attire was not the usual long robes, but more active ones. The modified robes were tight and reinforced with iron plates, and they even carried weapons, making it ambiguous at first glance whether they were mages or warriors.

After leaving the Magic Tower, a tense atmosphere continued. How long had it been? As they approached the main street that ran through the city, the mages scattered and soon divided into several small groups.

Carsilla tilted her head in bewilderment. A few simple words were exchanged above her, and based on that, she guessed that this plan had probably been decided before they left the Magic Tower.

Seeing them naturally grouping into threes and fours, it seemed that the number of people in each small group had also been predetermined. As she watched them quickly regroup, a middle-aged mage, who seemed to be the leader, emphasized.

They were to scatter and investigate the identity of the enemies attacking the city, the whereabouts of the mages who had gone ahead, and how the other Magic Towers, the city’s guards, and the city’s nobles were acting. They were to gather back here in two hours.

Carsilla was at the very back of the group, watching this scene with a blank expression. In the grim situation of the city, the mages were busy with their respective tasks, and no one paid attention to the young child. So, as the small groups split up one by one, Carsilla could only stand there dumbfounded.

As she watched the number of mages dwindle, a sense of crisis finally dawned on Carsilla’s small mind.
What should she do? She was worried about her grandfather if she waited at the Magic Tower. Knowing how the non-mage Andrew Jackson was treated at the Magic Tower, Carsilla doubted when she would be able to find out about her grandfather’s whereabouts if she just stayed put.

So, she thought she should take the initiative to find the old man…
But even though she had come out with the Magic Tower, Carsilla had no ability to even take care of herself, let alone find the old man in a city under attack by unknown enemies. She had been fine following the combat mages, but what should she do if she was left alone?

As Carsilla was wearing a gloomy face full of worry, the kind mage who had tried to dissuade her from coming along at the Magic Tower approached her.

“I told you not to come because I thought this would happen. Sigh, I guess there’s no helping it. Kid, follow behind us. We’ll protect you to some extent, but you’re responsible for your own safety. Got it?”
“…Yes. Thank you.”

The young mage smiled and patted Carsilla’s head before starting to talk to his colleagues. A colleague with a displeased expression, a colleague who just nodded with a blank face, and a colleague who shrugged.

Even through the eyes of a child, Carsilla could tell that the colleagues were not very friendly. She was intimidated and cautiously followed behind them. They were moving quite quickly, so Carsilla’s pace naturally had to quicken as well. As her back became damp with sweat, she felt a hot heat along with screams in the distance.

“It’s close. Shall we go?”
“No, we’ll go straight ahead. The support unit will take care of that area. If we go, we’ll just overlap with the support team. We’ll go and complete our mission. Move.”
“Hey, Carlson. How long are you going to keep that kid with us? You’re not thinking of having her tag along the whole time, are you?”

The kind mage, Carlson, glanced back, and his eyes met Carsilla’s. After looking at her trembling eyes for a moment, Carlson turned his head forward again.

“She’s keeping up pretty well. As long as she can keep up with our pace, it won’t interfere with our mission. I’ll take responsibility, so don’t worry about it.”
“That guy’s always sticking his nose into other people’s business. It’s not like your sister will come back to life…”
“Omuro!”
“……Sorry.”

The other colleague shouted in horror at the grumbling colleague’s words. The grumbling mage apologized, but Carlson just glanced at him and looked away.

‘……Uncomfortable.’

The atmosphere was cold. At the end of the group, Carsilla, who was trailing behind, saw the grumbling mage glaring at her.

Is the atmosphere like this because of me? …I want to go home. I miss Papa. Mom too, and my red-haired idiot sister.

She clutched her leather pants tightly, but her churning heart did not calm down. Suddenly, Carsilla felt warmth in her chest.

‘Knuckle?’

The first gift Papa had given her. The hope that she could become stronger. And the knuckle that her grandfather had polished felt warm.

Carsilla cautiously followed behind them. The screams and the hot air could be felt in the distance. The cold gaze of the grumbling mage, who occasionally turned back to glare at her.

But her heart was not as anxious as before. Carsilla took out the knuckle that was hanging around her neck and fiddled with it. The warmth she felt in her hand seemed to comfort her.

‘I miss Papa.’

* * *

“Run!”

At the mage’s urgent shout, Carsilla reflexively started running. After one of them died in a sudden attack, Carsilla, who had been holding her breath so as not to disturb the mages’ sharpened nerves, let out a rough breath.

“Collapse!”

It was then. A blue light stretched out from the grumbling mage’s hand as he ran ahead, and it wrapped around the brick walls on either side.

The brick walls surrounded by the blue light crumbled at the mage’s gesture. It was to stop the monsters chasing them, but was it a coincidence or intentional that it also created an obstacle in Carsilla’s path as she ran at the end? Carsilla thought about that in that short moment.

But whether it was intentional or not, what was important now was to run while avoiding the falling bricks. As she twisted her body this way and that to avoid the falling bricks, her speed naturally slowed down, and the back of the mage who had broken the wall at the front was getting further and further away. Her heart was pounding as if it would burst, and her breath was coming out in gasps.

“Krrr.”

Carsilla’s run quickened as the low beastly sound sent a chill down her spine. Her rough breathing was not regulated and came out in gasps, and the feeling in her aching feet disappeared.

“Ouch!”

In her haste, she failed to avoid a falling brick and hit her forehead. The world spun for a moment, but she gritted her teeth and forced strength into her weakening legs.

“Kid!”
“Carlson! Stop being an idiot! It’s impossible to fight those many monsters! It’s better this way. That kid will buy us time, so let’s run away in the meantime!”
“Shut up, Omuro! She’s still a child! A child! Are you saying we should abandon that young child, no, throw her away and run away! I can’t do that!”
“Is… is it like your sister will come back to life if you do that!?”
“Everyone, stop it! Is this the time for us to fight each other? Carlson! Stop being stubborn! Act like a leader!”

The kind mage and his colleague were arguing. The sound of their ragged breathing mixed with metallic sounds reached her ears. Carsilla wished that the kind mage would just abandon her and leave.

It’s because of me… It’s because of me that the kind mage is getting scolded. Again… again, because I’m weak… If I wasn’t weak, this wouldn’t have happened.

“Carlson!”
“I’m fine, so you guys go! Force Arrow!”
“Kieeeek!”

Something flashed in the corner of her vision, and she stopped in surprise. A blue arrow flew and pierced the head of the monster right next to her. In Carsilla’s wide eyes, the grotesque monster slowly collapsed.

“Run! Run, kid!”
“U-uh, okay.”
“Carlson!”
“Come here! Be careful not to fall!”

The kind mage was running towards her, shooting blue arrows. His neat blond hair was disheveled and flying everywhere. Carsilla forced strength into her legs, which felt like they would collapse at any moment, and ran.

Just a little… just a little more! Their faces got closer, and the kind mage’s magic brushed past her ears again and headed behind her. A bone-chilling scream was heard right behind her, but Carsilla didn’t look back.

She was overwhelmed with the anxiety that something would grab her shoulder and wrap around her neck, but she held it in. Her stomach was churning as if she would throw up, her side was aching, and her thighs and calves were burning.

“Carlson! Above!!”
“…U-Uwaaaah!!”
“Carlson!!”

Something… something appeared in front of her. A grayish-white grotesque monster was sitting on top of the kind mage, who had been about to hug her with his arms open.

…Where is the mage? Where did he go?
Was it because the scenery was moving slowly? She couldn’t think straight. Until just now… he was right in front of her. He was going to hug me… he had his arms open… Where did the mage go?

“You son of a bitch! I told you to stop sticking your nose into other people’s business! Uwaaaah, you damn brat!”
“Omuro, let’s go! Carlson is too late! That bastard, he was acting all nice by himself, I knew this would happen.”

In the corner of her vision, two mages were moving away. Uh… why are those mages just leaving? The kind mage… he was definitely here…

“Krrrk!”

With a splash, the floor she looked down at as she took a step was stained red. What is it? Where did the red water… Following the red water that was flowing down, her gaze reached a trembling hand.

“R-run… krrk.”

Ah. The mage. The kind mage… but why is he lying down? Why… is the monster on top of him? Why is the monster’s head inside the mage’s stomach?

“…Ah. Mage? Mage?”

Her eyes met his unfocused blue eyes. The movement of his trembling hand, which had been reaching out towards her, had stopped at some point.

“Ah… ah, because of me, because of me…”
“Krrrk?”

The monster, who had been buried in the mage’s stomach, lifted its head, and its single-lidded eyes met her gaze. In Carsilla’s dazed gaze, she could feel the monster’s sharp claws approaching.

‘I wish… I wish I wasn’t here… If there wasn’t a kid like me, wouldn’t everyone have survived? Am I really bringing disaster? Papa… I’m sorry.’

Thud!
A dull thud. The monster’s claws that were approaching were crushed. The monster, wriggling on the floor, looked ridiculous.

“Oh my. Kid. Who said you could die on your own? Have you already forgotten the gift your sister gave you?”