Chapter 70: A dying fire

I sighed in relief, seeing the injured student being treated. If it weren’t for the timely arrival of the other students, I’d be…disposing of a body.

“Thank you for healing her.”

“It’s my duty, as a servant of the Goddess.”

I thanked the pretty student, her entire being radiating a gentle, holy light. Her warm smile made the room feel brighter. She seemed genuinely kind, a rare sight at Lily Academy.

A faint citrus scent emanated from her light pink hair, and her amber eyes sparkled with curiosity. She smiled sweetly and asked,

“Could I…examine you as well?”

So, she was a pervert after all. Such a blatant request… Was there anyone normal in this academy? I hid my disappointment.

“I’m sorry, but…I’m…seeing someone.”

“I see. Well, be careful.”

Was that a warning? Perhaps she meant to be careful at night.

I left the… overly friendly healer and returned to the girl I’d… apprehended.

“Hee…”

She was smiling? I glared at her.

So, she’d enjoyed witnessing my humiliation? I would have laughed too, if I weren’t the victim.

“…Stop laughing.”

“Ha ha ha, sorry. But it was…funny.”

“Ugh!”

I wanted to wipe that smirk off her face.

She seemed to sense my murderous intent and quickly stopped laughing, her expression turning serious.

“S…sorry.”

“Wh…who’s laughing?!”

Sniffle.— I wiped my eyes, her words making me strangely self-conscious. An awkward silence followed.

She broke the silence.

“Why did you…save me?”

I looked at her. The mockery in her eyes was gone.

“You could have left me. It was dangerous, and I’m…not worth the trouble.”

Her words hinted at a hidden vulnerability. I avoided her intense gaze.

Why had I saved her? I’d been ready to…hurt her earlier. It was a simple question, but I couldn’t answer it.

I’d wanted to fulfill Sister’s request, maybe. Or perhaps I wanted to interrogate her. But there was another reason, a bigger, yet…trivial reason.

“Just…”

“…What?”

She looked at me expectantly, then scoffed at my incomplete answer.

“I didn’t want the wolves to eat you.”

Right. She didn’t deserve to be…monster food, even if she was a horrible senior who’d attacked me earlier. And I…liked rescuing people, like rekindling a dying ember.

She stared at me, dumbfounded, then burst out laughing.

“Ahahaha!”

“Wh…why are you laughing?!”

Her laughter drew unwanted attention. I glared at the onlookers, embarrassed.

“What?! What are you looking at?!”

They started whispering amongst themselves, intimidated by my outburst. A few yelped, suggesting I’d gone a bit too far. I should…tone it down next time.

Her laughter subsided, and she wiped away a tear.

“Haa… I haven’t laughed like that in ages. Thanks.”

“I’m not amused.”

“Well, I have to go.”

“Wait, you’re just leaving?”

She ignored me and walked away, disappearing into the crowd. I stared after her, then suddenly remembered.

“Sister…!”

I couldn’t waste time on this…ungrateful person. I pushed through the crowd, worried about Sister.

The eastern gate was chaos.

“Aaaaaah! They’re coming!”

“Get Jin! Call for backup!”

Boom!—

A drake crashed to the ground, hit by a spell. Students were running in all directions, some fleeing, some fighting.

Most of them were probably just onlookers, curious about the commotion. And they were clearly overwhelmed by the sudden monster attack.

They could handle wolves, maybe. But drakes, who could tear down walls, and giant spiders…that was a different story.

I climbed onto a pile of rubble, trying to get a better view. Finding Sister in this chaos was difficult.

Where had she been last time? I scanned the area, looking for her, when I noticed a cluster of monsters, swarming around… something, their attacks relentless, a barrage of bites and venomous stings.

A shimmering, translucent barrier was barely visible amidst the flurry of attacks. I recognized the familiar glow.

“There!”

I saw Sister, her red hair a beacon in the chaos, desperately maintaining the shield, which was cracking under the relentless assault.

“I have to…help her…”

“Where do you think you’re going?”

A hand grabbed the back of my shirt, the sudden pressure making me choke.

“Gah, cough! What are you—?!”

I clutched my throat and glared at Sara. She’d grabbed me so hard it hurt, bringing tears to my eyes.

“Trying to sneak away again…? Planning something reckless?”

She was usually polite, even when mocking me, but her blue eyes were cold and sharp, her tone devoid of its usual amusement.

She looked…genuinely angry. Though I wasn’t exactly happy either.

“Let go. You’ll regret this.”

She’d seen Sister’s predicament; how could she stop me now?

I glared at her, my fists clenched, silently threatening to attack her if she didn’t move.

A spark ignited in my chest, a flicker of flame escaping my clenched fist. I was…on fire? I couldn’t remember ever…

Sara watched me, then raised her hand, a white light gathering in her palm. She slowly opened her hand, a long, sharp icicle forming, a gleaming ice sword.

“Fine. Let’s do this.”

I lunged, ready to attack, but my sword was…gone. I held out the broken hilt instead.

“Here. You’ll need this more than I do.”

“Uh…what?”

I thrust the icy hilt into her hand. She looked surprised, then, as if remembering something, quickly wrapped a soft cloth around it. The hilt felt warm and…comforting.

She just smiled when I asked what it was, then glanced at her bare legs, a detail I decided not to comment on.

“I’ll cover you. Go.”

“Hmph. I appreciate it…a little.”

I gave her a grudging nod of thanks and ran towards Sister, the blade of the ice sword igniting as I ran, thankfully not melting.

“Haa!”

I sliced through a giant spider’s leg, a deep gash appearing on a drake’s flank, ignoring the swarming wolves. I reached Sister quickly.

“Ellie!”

Sister, her face streaked with sweat, saw me and smiled, a flicker of relief in her eyes.

Crack—

Then, her face paled. The drake’s teeth had finally pierced her shield. It had lasted longer than I’d expected.

“No!”

I ran, but it was too late. I was about to throw my sword when a voice echoed in my mind.

Do you want to save your sister?

A seductive whisper tickled my ear, my mind.