Ch.50One Body, Two Souls (2)

My fingertips are tingling and my head is spinning. These are symptoms of mana exhaustion.

I told the engineer I needed to rest for a moment and sat down under an old tree. My vision was spinning due to dizziness. I quickly closed my eyes and began Mirkil.

We hadn’t found a suitable camping spot yet. I’ll gather just enough mana to light the luminous stone and then leave the forest.

That’s when the anomaly occurred.

“Aaaahh!”

The engineer screamed. I reflexively opened my eyes. I turned my head toward the fading sound. The engineer had been thrown far away.

Rustle.

Vine-like tentacles moved in an arc. The vines were connected to the Alraune’s main body.

“…Damn it.”

It didn’t take long to understand the situation.

Crack.

The lower body of the Alraune, which I thought was dead, split in half. Like a bud opening, a blood-covered flower emerged from inside.

[“Al, rau.”]

One stem with two heads.

[“Why did you die, why did you die. Why did you leave Rau behind and go first.”]

I sensed it immediately.

The previous two monsters were merely shells. This one is the main body.

[“It’s sad but it’s okay. Dead souls can be replenished. We are many in one, as long as I survive, you can be revived. Yes, absolutely.”]

“Damn it.”

I couldn’t help but curse.

My physical strength aside, my magical power is nearly depleted.

But so what? Do monsters show mercy when you’re hurt? This isn’t a sport. In the wild, a moment’s mistake leads to death.

[“Two pieces of meat?”]

I had no time to organize my thoughts. My legs moved reflexively.

[‘It’s coming horizontally from above.’]

[‘Duck your head.’]

Whoosh!

A large root passed over my head. It was a close call. If David and Kalon hadn’t warned me in advance, I would have been hit and sent flying.

[“Huh, why didn’t it hit?”]

I carefully avoided the flower monster’s attacks and reached where the engineer had fallen. I picked her up on my back and quickly fled.

[“Where are you going?”]

I didn’t look back. But I could tell the monster was following.

[‘The monster has abandoned its main body to chase us.’]

[‘It seems to want you and the fox engineer as new hosts. If caught, something worse than death awaits. You need to run.’]

I’m already running at full speed without being told.

But then.

[“Well, well, who do we have here?”]

A Dryad and her group blocked our path.

[“We’ve been waiting since we couldn’t enter Alraune’s territory… Look, the prey came to us on their own? How precious.”]

The Dryads giggled.

[“Just accept your death now. You’ll become part of the great nature.”]

[“Be obedient and let Alraune eat you?”]

[“To think your pathetic bodies could help with their revival, ah! What a glorious sacrifice!”]

[“Alraune, please eat the fox first. We’ll cook the mage deliciously for you.”]

They’re all insane.

[“Hehehe.”]

The Dryads removed the leaves covering their bodies. They approached, revealing their bark-like skin.

[‘By Jeriem’s mercy. Where exactly are those knotholes attached?’]

[‘How can they do such horrible things while wearing the disguise of trees? It makes me want to vomit like that iron ore I ate ten years ago.’]

[‘No time for jokes, David. Erich will die at this rate.’]

[‘We’re surrounded on all sides. Your mana is critically low. We have no advice to offer.’]

[‘Damn, if only that Dragon Rider and Holy Maiden were here…’]

The stones have done enough. I took a deep breath.

It’s not like there’s absolutely no way out. If I could fully recharge my mana, I might be able to break through somehow.

For that, I need to make a deal.

[‘Wait. What are you trying to do?’]

I just need to ask a demon for pure mana. It’s a kind of loan. The price will be outrageous, but…

[‘Don’t tell me you’re planning to perform a forbidden spell?’]

[‘No, that’s truly insane! Erich!’]

[‘You were so angry when we sent off the souls of our countrymen last time. Why are you changing your mind now?’]

They’re right. If I were alone, I wouldn’t have considered using a forbidden spell. I’d rather die than violate the Pledge of the Mage.

The problem is that the engineer is with me.

Though she’s injured, the engineer is merely unconscious. If we can escape the forest quickly and reach the Holy Maiden, she can be saved.

Even though she’s an enemy, even though she’s a beastkin… she’s still human.

She’s a person. Dignified, with human rights, deserving of respect. I don’t want the engineer to die because of me.

That’s why I hesitate. Whether to speak to a demon, whether to make a deal, whether to bend my beliefs as a mage for survival.

Come to think of it, isn’t the engineer an enemy? Do I need to go this far for an enemy? But then again, we have no real reason to be hostile toward each other. It was our nations that ordered us to fight, not any personal animosity between us.

Two thoughts swirl in my mind. It’s dizzying. No choice will allow me to perfectly maintain my morals.

-Your problem is that you’re too sentimental.

“…”

-During war, you shouldn’t get unnecessarily attached to others. Here, you must abandon your humanity to endure. Otherwise, you’ll break down.

Why am I suddenly remembering Admiral Dietz’s words?

David and Kalon have fallen silent too. As if they’ll respect my final decision.

What would Jeriem have done? Would he have forbidden offerings to demons even in this case?

And what would the Holy Spirit Kingdom’s goddess say? Would she condone a mage using a forbidden spell to save one of her followers?

[“Come on, everyone, let’s pounce!”]

Even contemplating was a luxury.

The naked Dryads rushed in. From the opposite direction, the flower monster charged with its massive maw open. Inside its mouth were grotesquely twisted pistils and stamens. It also had sharp teeth like a lamprey.

At the crossroads of life and death, I took a deep breath. Just as I finished my judgment and was about to open my mouth…

“———.”

A beam of light pierced through a Dryad’s head.

The Dryad screamed and collapsed. With subsequent flashes, the others began to fall one by one.

Simultaneously, two bamboo spears were thrust into the flower monster’s mouth.

Crack!

A woman appeared, parting the undergrowth, holding a stone spear.

“Goddess of battle.”

She thrust her spear while chanting.

“Sing your wrath.”

Overwhelming divine power struck the monster.

Concentrated Sephiron caused an ignition reaction. White flames bloomed like a lotus. Light began to burn away the darkness.

In that moment, I realized.

Ah, so that’s why their unit is called the White Lotus.

The Alraune let out a cry of despair as if about to perish. The smell of burning iron and protein stung my nostrils.

“Valkyrie!”

“Mage, get back! Stay behind!”

Whack!

The Valkyrie kicked the monster’s base. The Alraune’s head tilted upward. Her spear pierced the flower’s chin. Dark blue liquid and magic stones poured out.

The Alraune’s stem thrashed like a live fish. The Valkyrie paused her attack and took a defensive stance.

“Ms. Kasten!”

“Erich!”

The Holy Maiden ran over. Her eyes, illuminated by the Fire Sea Stone lamp, were purple.

“You held out well, Mage.”

“How did you find this place?”

“Traces of mana.”

The Holy Maiden wiped her eyes with her sleeve and looked up. Her eyes had already turned yellow.

“I told you, didn’t I? No matter where you are, I can definitely find you.”

There was no time for thanks. We quickly formed a formation.

“Major Brokenheart in front, the Holy Maiden and Mage in the back.”

I counted the mana I had gathered earlier. Still insufficient for powerful magic.

But it’s fine.

Now that our formation is complete.

“Mage, gather your mana. The Major and I will protect you in the meantime.”

***

Tiria and Rachel both sighed in relief.

Thank goodness they made it in time. If they had been just a little later, Erich and Riyo would have died. The two silently offered prayers of gratitude to the goddess as they faced off against the monster.

Plant monster, Alraune.

Tiria had seen a monster with exactly this form in the holy scriptures.

“…Could it be remnants of the Demon King’s army?”

Perhaps there’s a conspiracy in this archipelago beyond imagination.

“Major!”

“Leave it to me.”

Rachel lowered her stance and pulled her spear behind her waist. She slowly moved, observing the enemy’s movements.

[“LUWHERA TOHN ISUHAKUUM.”]

Although Rachel had been miserably defeated by the Ghoul before, the situation now was different.

She had comrades.

The Holy Maiden was here, and the Mage was here.

“I believe in you.”

The Mage sat down and began gathering mana. He held the unconscious Riyo in his arms and closed his eyes. The surrounding mana began responding to the Mage’s call.

[“GRHATHM!”]

“———.”

Vines wrapped in impure magical power poured down. Simultaneously, Tiria’s divine words took root in Rachel. Her mind cleared and her feet felt lighter.

Slow. To Rachel’s eyes, the monster’s attacks seemed too slow.

Rachel pushed her spear to smoothly deflect the vines. Following that path, she thrust the spear blade. Divine power slammed into the Alraune’s throat.

When one flower hesitated, another lunged forward. The target was the Mage. It seemed intent on devouring him first, ignoring Rachel.

Just as Tiria was about to swing her Baculus…

The spear shaft pierced through the flower’s ovary.

Divine power surged afterward. The base part was torn. The flower head couldn’t support its own weight and broke. Pop! The head burst, scattering petals. The remaining flower screamed.

Swish, Rachel shook the blood off her spear.

“Don’t touch the Mage.”

She took her stance.

“This one is mine.”

If it’s going to die, I’ll be the one to kill it.

I absolutely won’t let it be killed by a monster like this.

“Phew.”

Thanks to Rachel and Tiria’s help, Erich was able to gather mana steadily. Truly, he had escaped death.

In fact, he wasn’t the only one who had escaped death.

“Ugh, uugh.”

The fox girl cradled in Erich’s arms opened her eyes.

The girl’s ears twitched, and her tail wagged. The movement was unnatural. Her head felt hot. It hurt.

It hurts? Why?

She was certain she had died that day.

“Ugh…!”

The light is blinding. There’s a burning smell. She can hear sounds. She feels something firm yet warm.

Her body moves.

“Hey, are you conscious?”

Erich shook the girl.

“Are you okay? You’re okay, right? Huh?”

The fox girl slowly raised her hand and caressed his cheek.

A vivid, warm sensation.

How long has it been since she properly felt this sensation?

Miyo’s heart, borrowing her sister’s body, began to pound.