A Resplendent Era (9)

Blood was visible, but no accompanying pain. It wasn’t her own wound.

And this wasn’t an unprecedented occurrence either. Her assessment was swift.

Gunshots, screams, and blood. As Freugne inadvertently recalled a fleeting scene, she immediately checked on Edan.

More precisely, as she turned to look at him, she couldn’t see clearly as she was shoved aside, but:

“Passing through for a moment.”

Thwack!

Zzzap, crackle!

“Got him, ugh, aaargghh…!”

At the periphery of her vision, she saw Edan shoving her with his uninjured arm, followed by a Demonic Tribe member convulsing from electrocution after letting out a death rattle.

Regrettably, this was due to the greatest advantage and disadvantage of electric magic: its indiscriminate area-of-effect nature, oblivious to allegiances.

While the world resembled a game in some respects, it wasn’t so devoid of realism that one could simply phase through walls.

Whether the Demonic Tribe intended to spare Freugne or merely tried altering its trajectory to incapacitate her at the last moment was unclear.

However, banking on the latter carried far too much risk.

Edan’s judgment was swift.

After initially interposing his arm to obstruct the blade’s path towards his neck, he directly discharged electricity into the Demonic Tribe’s exposed flesh before they could fully slash him.

Thanks to that, he ultimately survived.

Survived, but…

“…Ah, urp. Could’ve used something to eat right about now.”

Droplets of blood mingled with the rainwater, splattering onto the ground.

The dim streetlight obscured Edan’s expression from view.

“Freugne, why were you…?”

“……”

“Never mind, let’s go quickly.”

Edan seemed to abandon his intended query, settling on clamping his mouth shut and running in silence.

Initially, he tugged at her hand, but upon realizing she couldn’t match his pace, he swiftly hoisted her onto his back, covering them both with his thick coat.

The very coat he had mentioned purchasing extravagantly since traveling abroad radiated warmth, apparently waterproof. Her shivering body, chilled by fear and the cold, gradually stilled under its comforting warmth.

“Are you alright?”

“Y-Yeah, but your arm, Uncle-“

“It’s fine. I’ll be good as new after a hearty meal and some rest.”

With that, Edan fell silent.

Only the crackle of sparks, the patter of damp footsteps, and the occasional flash of electricity illuminated the night streets.

His current thoughts were evident.

He likely presumed the Demonic Tribe had targeted her to hold her hostage, thereby luring him – his persistent avoidance of eye contact confirmed as much.

It wasn’t an entirely incorrect assumption. She had indeed foreseen a future where she was taken hostage, so she couldn’t refute it.

However, one additional facet:

He likely remained unaware that Freugne herself was also partly the objective.

‘If I remain silent now…’

She would only be perceived as a victim of the Demonic Tribe’s attempted abduction, and Edan would misunderstand, moving past this incident.

In other words, maintaining the status quo was the safe choice.

If questioned about how she had recognized and evaded the Demonic Tribe, she lacked a credible excuse. But Edan, assuming her predicament stemmed from her own missteps, would undoubtedly refrain from forcibly prying.

Yet even if temporarily avoiding the issue, relationships built upon deception inevitably crumble.

Rather than allowing an unsightly collapse after repeatedly postponing, it was far better to conclude matters with her own hands.

‘I should tell him.’

Freugne realized the moment was now.

Even amid their frantic circumstances, Edan had draped his coat over her.

Momentarily setting aside his tender gesture, she tugged at his sleeve to capture his attention, meeting his gaze squarely.

“Uncle. I have something to tell you.”

“F-Freugne. Now’s not the time, pant. We can talk later.”

“You needn’t respond. I’ll just speak, so… feel free to listen as we go.”

The number of pursuing Demonic Tribe had swelled from six to ten.

Or perhaps ‘swelled’ was inaccurate – they had likely been following her from the outset.

“The Demonic Tribe are targeting me right now.”

“Yeah, I know, huff. No need to dwell on it too much. If we examine the reason, it’s because of me-“

“No. I’m saying it’s not because of you, Uncle.”

She confessed to prevent him from harboring such notions.

Was her trembling due to the chill, or trepidation at venturing into uncharted territory?

“I… can see the future.”

---

To be honest, I couldn’t claim to be entirely unsurprised.

“I… can see the future.”

What expression was I currently wearing?

Likely a contorted, fatigued visage from the exertion, but at least my thoughts weren’t transparently displayed, which was fortunate.

This was no mere “revelation of a secret” – her statement simultaneously implied numerous realities.

My once-useless gaming knowledge, aside from the fact that the Demonic Tribe had invaded humanity.

It immediately explained why Freugne occupied such a pivotal role there.

“I can see the future.”

“I see.”

But enough rumination.

“You’re not… surprised?”

“I am surprised.”

“Then, do you have anything to say?”

“Nothing comes to mind right now. Is it alright if I think about it later?”

Seeing the future is, of course, remarkable. Now I understand why the stock profits in the account I provided were so astronomical.

“But that doesn’t suddenly make you a different Freugne from the one I knew.”

“……”

“Right?”

Regardless, more pressing issues demanded attention.

The night was chilly, our bodies thoroughly drenched, and our stamina waning.

Judging by the unfolding situation, aid would likely be delayed. And our adversaries clearly had no intention of relenting until utterly defeated.

Being the capital, I had encountered at least thirty civilians during my circuitous wandering, yet not a single glance was spared for them as we were doggedly pursued. Evidently, even reaching the bustling downtown would prove ineffective.

Amid my meandering, I vaguely recalled witnessing a seemingly off-duty civilian, hastily dressed, being promptly decked by a Demonic Tribe’s punch after intervening.

His hat resembled a police officer’s, so he was likely a cop leaving work.

While admiring his bravery, realistically, a ragtag group of underprepared individuals would struggle against the Demonic Tribe’s elite forces.

I had also glimpsed a couple of police stations, their locations differing but sharing shattered windows and extinguished lights.

At the very least, it was evident that more Demonic Tribe lurked within the city than initially apparent, having conducted considerable groundwork.

Thus, a decisive course of action was required.

“…Freugne.”

“Y-Yes!”

“You said you can see the future? Can you do so now?”

“Well, I think I could manage it once…”

“Then could you ascertain when the police, military, or anyone responsible for maintaining order will arrive?”

Carrying Freugne with one injured arm was becoming increasingly arduous.

Not only were my movements restricted, but I couldn’t freely employ magic. As the distance between us narrowed rapidly, I would need to temporarily set her down somewhere before concluding this confrontation.

‘If no one has taken it, it should still be around here somewhere.’

As I scanned our surroundings, Freugne hesitated briefly before replying:

“My ability doesn’t work that way. I can only glimpse a specific person’s future within a defined timeframe. At best, I could only discern what you’ll be doing at this exact time tomorrow.”

“Then could you at least determine if the police will be surrounding us in an hour’s time?”

“That… I can see. But the likelihood of me passing out is high. No, it’s certain.”

“It’s fine. Tell me.”

Fortuitously, I had found what I needed.

A few appeared to have spilled, but likely due to the chaos, the fruit basket remained largely intact on the ground.

Freugne slightly raised the arm draped around my neck and gently caressed my cheek. In that instant, I felt a sudden surge of tension in her arm.

“…Don’t do it.”

“Do what?”

“I, I know.”

“If you know what I intend, then you must also realize I have no viable alternative. Isn’t that right?”

“No. Surely, if we just go a bit further…”

“So, you’ll be safely rescued?”

“……”

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

Even a lowly mutt can recite poetry after three years of tutelage. If even insignificant creatures possess such intuitive vibes, how could a person lack them?

I’ve known Freugne for nearly a decade. So I’m aware that her refusal to answer signifies an unwillingness to either lie or affirm.

And while I harbored doubts, her claim of foresight did not appear to be mere bluster.

Crack!

“Stay inside until I open it for you. Should I tuck you in with a blanket?”

Since you seem to know what I intend.

True to her words, Freugne lost consciousness. The arm around my neck went limp.

I promptly broke the doorknob of a nearby dilapidated house, gently placed her beyond the threshold, and closed the door once more.

I couldn’t simply abandon her midway. Judging by the Demonic Tribe’s brazen activities, seeking immediate aid aside from the metropolitan police headquarters would prove futile.

So what choice did I have?

I would have to personally stand guard.

Endure until reinforcements arrived, or singlehandedly defeat these Demonic Tribe – whichever came first.