Ch.125125. Plague Wind (7)

“You’re saying Junon can escape on his own? How?”

“He might be impressive, but he can’t use magic right now. Because of this.”

Noel taps the bracelet dejectedly, as if it’s absurd.

However, unfortunately, Cain was right.

“Huh, what…?”

“What’s going on? Hey! Say something!”

“Just as I thought…!”

The magic power rising from Junon’s hand vividly took the form of the alien magical armor familiar to the three of them.

“I can get out as Cain said. If I use this to tamper with the magical devices inside this basement.”

“That’s great! Then we can immediately go outside and bring the others…”

He probably wanted to say that they could escape from this basement.

But unlike John and Noel who were cheering, Junon had doubts about this simple answer.

“Noel, haven’t you thought about why the Sirens helped us?”

“Well, maybe they were in danger too…? We took care of those Scourge creatures.”

Wrong. They were already keeping the rats at bay using this barrier.

They couldn’t drive them away completely, but they could hold out on their own.

Then John interrupts with a suggestion.

“Maybe they’re planning to use us as shields to buy time if things get desperate? That could be why they locked us in the basement.”

That’s wrong too. If they had planned to use them as shields and then escape, they would have abandoned them and headed north from the beginning.

The fact that they didn’t means John’s theory is also incorrect.

Now for the last person.

Cain, who had been thinking hard, finally spoke.

“…You’re saying you have something in mind, brother. If the Sirens hadn’t helped us, we would certainly have been the ones to die.”

“That’s right.”

This was closest to the correct answer.

The Sirens had no reason to accept humans no matter what.

With their hatred for humans, they could have watched with satisfaction as humans died, or they could have diverted the monsters’ aggression toward the humans and fled, telling them to go to hell.

But they saved the humans.

Not only did they help them escape from a great crisis, but they also brought them inside a barrier that the rats couldn’t penetrate.

Moreover, although it was confinement, they clearly had some intention in providing a resting place for them to rest comfortably.

At the center of it all was undoubtedly Senia.

She was currently with the Sirens, to the extent that she could be considered the only bridge connecting to them.

There was one remaining clue. Whatever method was used, the fact that the bracelet had been tampered with to allow one person to act freely meant something.

‘If that person is me…’

Junon got up and destroyed one of the magic circles that was activated by the magical armor.

“Junon. So what should we do?”

“Are we all going to escape and try to persuade them? What is it? Tell us!”

Junon walked to the door and immediately closed it. And then,

Click.

“N-no way…”

“You didn’t lock it, did you…?”

With a sinking feeling, they grabbed the doorknob, but all they heard was the sound of a magically locked padlock being secured from the outside.

Without a doubt, Junon had locked it again.

“You stay here.”

“Whaaaat?!”

“Don’t cause trouble and stay put. I’m not abandoning you.”

“It’s really locked! Hey, hey! Junooon!!”

“Why are you doing this to us, seriously!!”

“…”

I leave John and Noel, who are screaming, to you.

…Good luck, Cain.

Meanwhile, Senia, Nella, and the Elder were gathered in one place.

They needed to discuss the rescue of the humans, their subsequent handling, and the loophole in Chir’s impulsive behavior.

Of course, the Elder hasn’t said a word since gathering here. Senia also seems to have noticed why he’s not speaking.

Only the conversation between Chir and Nella fills the room.

-Chir…

“No, Chir! If you don’t stay still this time, I’m really going to scold you!”

“…”

Chir, seemingly unable to stay still, struggles before deflating after Nella’s stern reprimand.

“Nella. It’s fine, you can send him to me.”

“But… then Sister Senia…”

“Just feed him a little. They say humans can’t forget the taste once they eat meat after only eating plants. It must be the same for Chir.”

-Chir!

See, it’s fine! As Chir’s spirit lifts at this apparent endorsement, Nella hesitantly releases her tight grip on him.

The lizard, who had been dejected until just now, happily wags its tail and jumps toward Senia’s thigh.

As Senia releases a bit of magic power to feed him, the lizard appears more excited than ever.

“Chir, you’ve eaten a lot, now come here.”

-Chir!

“What is he saying?”

“He’s being stubborn. Says he wants more.”

Chir does eat meat, but not in large quantities.

Whether it’s vegetables or meat, he only nibbles, and the amount doesn’t increase, which was perplexing when they first discovered him.

Then they learned after meeting Senia.

Uniquely, Chir was a child who ate magic power to grow. This little one, first discovered at the lake where they initially settled, had grown to the length of a human thigh.

But this situation, this scene.

It has never happened even once for the Sirens who raise Chir. He only responds this way to Senia alone.

He only responds this way to Senia alone.

Yes. Chir doesn’t react this affectionately to anyone except specific individuals.

One conclusion drawn by the Sirens who have observed Chir for a long time: Chir’s response is limited to Kalyx.

‘So we need to watch.’

There’s no guarantee that the Kalyx will only help other species. In other words, the purpose of this waiting is a test.

***

─Hey, how much time is left until mealtime?

─Huh? You’ll have to wait a bit longer. You barely eat anything usually, did you suddenly get an appetite today?

─It’s not that. One of the humans is shouting loudly.

Is it that Siren who was talking with John earlier? He seemed to be on guard, but it’s still ambiguous for someone who should be vigilant.

If there’s something that doesn’t add up, it’s the vague placement of guards for the basement.

This area is close to a village within the Sirens’ barrier. But if they’re imprisoning people there, they should be guarding the basement entrance and the surrounding area like a fortress.

Those who sprang into action swiftly to face the monsters—why are they so lax around the basement where they’ve imprisoned humans they consider enemies?

This was true from the beginning.

The bracelets on the others worked fine.

If you confine them in a space that restricts magic and physical strength, they become helpless.

But for some reason, mine doesn’t work.

Is this carelessness? Or some kind of luck?

There were many options. I could escape from the Sirens alone and head to the empire to report the facts, or as John and Noel suggested, take everyone from the basement and attempt an escape.

But can I really conclude that this started from carelessness or luck?

I… at least didn’t think that was the right answer.

─Then I’ll head back with that in mind.

─Come on, you’re alone and bored, why not stay for a drink and chat? Everyone else won’t be back for about 30 minutes.

─I have things to do. No time for drinks. Take care.

The conversation has ended, and the man’s footsteps fade away.

Time is running short now.

If that man returns to his post, he’ll certainly notice I’m gone. At that moment, the Sirens will be in an uproar.

But this is enough.

‘…Now I understand clearly.’

It’s true that the basement security was vague. But is there no vigilance at all? That’s not the case either.

Then the person I need to meet is someone other than these guards, someone who orchestrated this situation.

I need to find the leader of the Sirens, not Senia.

The path wasn’t far, and with the loose security, hiding wasn’t difficult.

Yes. This was a kind of test directed at me.

It’s right ahead.

The person who gave me this test, the leader of the Sirens, is right in front of me.

With the determination to hear exactly what intention led to this problem, I opened the door handle.

And I…

-Chir!

“Whoa!!”

…first encountered a lizard rushing to greet me.

What on earth is going on?

***

“Ugh… could you stop licking and get off me?”

-Chir! Chirr!

Here, Chir was in high spirits after eating Senia’s magic power.

But suddenly, he perked up his ears and flew toward the door.

When the door opened, Chir had already pounced on Junon.

Senia speaks to the Elder with a triumphant tone.

“What do you think, Elder? I was right, wasn’t I?”

“…Yes. It seems so.”

The outside hasn’t become chaotic or noisy. He truly came here quietly, without causing any problems, extracting only himself.

As Senia said, he didn’t try to harm the Sirens or escape to the empire.

If he had done such a thing, the guards would have immediately restrained him and thrown him in prison.

‘Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve seen him rush to someone other than Senia.’

Or perhaps there’s something special about both Senia and this man.

That could be possible. He’s likely a Kalyx.

“Nella. We need to talk, so could you bring Chir here?”

“That person…”

“Is there a problem?”

“Ah, no. Chir-! I told you not to pounce like that!”

Has he also formed a connection with Nella? He’s a man with many questions to answer.