Ch.5252. Osoftera Defense Battle (4)

As soon as she received Muniher’s instructions, Dalia headed to Levrant Academy without a moment’s rest.

It would be much safer to arrive with her squad members, but that wasn’t possible.

-‘Dalia, you need to get there quickly, even if you’re alone. You understand what I mean, right?’

Muniher had explicitly advised Dalia to reach the academy first, even if her squad members were delayed.

That’s why Dalia was now mobilizing everything at her disposal to reach the academy as quickly as possible, even if she had to go alone.

“I understand why you said that.”

Judging by the traces left by the magical beasts that had crossed over the Lilkran Mountains in western Schütt Province, Muniher’s urgency undoubtedly stemmed from his prediction that Osoptera had already reached Levrant.

The traces along the path showed the movement of countless creatures.

Making a cold assessment, the number of Osoptera hadn’t decreased at all. There was no significant difference from the numbers she had seen in Lemtert Village.

It meant the garrison troops hadn’t engaged them at all.

“If they withdrew all the garrison troops… then the students…”

She tried to imagine the situation of the remaining students, but couldn’t envision a positive outcome.

Her husband Muniher had said that such blockheads would be lucky if they didn’t end up as mere prey for the Osoptera.

Although she had already descended to the foot of the Lilkran Mountains in advance, shortening the distance, it would still take several dozen minutes at best.

It was the worst possible situation.

“All I can do is pray there are few casualties.”

In the midst of this, the bracelet Muniher had given her in Lemtert Village began to glow.

Kiing-.

“Wait, this is working now?”

Muniher had told her that this object would send a signal if there was a problem at the academy.

It was an object that could locate the target in times of crisis, relay their status, and allow for the urgent use of magical power stored in a pair—the effect of the Bluschuar Arc.

The fact that it was working meant that someone with the other half was drawing on its magical power.

This could be interpreted as a sign that the situation was dire, but conversely, it might also mean that they could hold out a little longer since they were only using it now.

“Just hold on until the light goes out. Just until then.”

The location was the main entrance of Alcaide Hall at Levrant Academy.

.

.

.

“Huff… huff…”

“Ju, Junon…”

“Are you really okay? Even a low-level healing spell…”

“I told you not to use it and just wait!”

“B-but you…”

“You’ve been holding out alone for minutes… asking us to just watch…”

“Silvia!”

“…I’d appreciate if you all did as Junon says. Everyone.”

“”…””

He knew his limits, but he couldn’t stop.

The defensive vanguards, let alone the offensive ones, had no strength left to hold their weapons, so how could they dispel the magic?

The moment this barrier was lifted, the Osoptera would invade Alcaide Hall and slaughter and devour the helpless humans inside.

He knew perfectly well what would happen, so how could he dispel it? There was absolutely no way he would release his unique magic in this state.

The magical power remaining in the Bluschuar Arc was completely depleted, and all that was left was to endure to the limit with his own pure strength.

In the midst of this, good news arrived.

─Hold on for just one more minute in that state!

‘They’ve finally arrived…!’

As expected, the reinforcements who could reach them the quickest had arrived. Probably Professor Dalia.

“Did you hear that? One minute, they said. Can I trust you with this?”

Junon, who had been panting heavily, turned slightly and said this.

His voice sounded like he might collapse at any moment, but his face showed relief at last.

Watching him, the last team gathered their remaining strength to reform their formation, preparing to rotate with him who had been holding out alone for several minutes.

Junon rotated with the remaining team who had been desperately holding out. The white barrier dimmed and then disappeared.

Though they had only rested for a few minutes, it was enough strength to hold out for the one minute the woman who had arrived outside had asked for.

The Osoptera gathered at the main entrance of Alcaide Hall began to collapse one by one, their nerves paralyzed, after about a minute.

“Is everyone alright?!”

At last, she arrived, ending the siege. It was Professor Dalia.

Though the siege had lasted only a few dozen minutes, for them it had been a long, bloody battle that felt like hours.

***

The students were utterly exhausted.

Having held out against such numbers, it was understandable.

“We’re fine. But…”

“Inside, there’s someone with the most urgent injuries.”

Even these students were not unscathed after fighting with all their might.

Some were trembling from their first encounter with magical beasts, while others were hugging themselves and crying.

It was heartbreaking just to see them, but one student who had managed to maintain their composure seemed to have gathered courage.

Dalia, sensing the gravity of the situation, asked in the gentlest tone possible.

“How badly are they injured?”

“Well…”

Everyone turned their heads away and even squeezed their eyes shut. This meant they were reluctant to speak about it.

“I’ll… take you there.”

Following a student inside, she found two people who had collapsed, completely unconscious.

The student who had led her to the patients retched once and then immediately apologized before returning to the entrance.

Seeing the pool of blood that had collected, it was understandable.

“This blood… it’s not from this child.”

One had pink hair completely soaked in blood but no wounds. It was mana exhaustion.

Then who did this blood belong to? It was from the female student lying next to her.

Dalia cut away the cloths that had been tied to stop the bleeding and examined the wound.

“…”

A completely penetrated abdomen. Something sharp had pierced through it and was only removed later.

Knowing that pulling it out hastily would cause more blood loss and hasten death, they had waited—a very appropriate decision.

‘I don’t know who did this, but it’s why she’s still alive.’

No wonder the students’ reactions were so extreme after seeing this.

Stopping the bleeding from the punctured intestines and casting a continuous regeneration spell was the best these students could do.

But this wasn’t enough.

‘The cut is too deep. Medicine or healing magic alone won’t be nearly enough.’

Surgery was needed. Before her breath was completely cut off.

After checking the patient’s condition, Dalia knew she couldn’t perform the surgery alone. Simply put, she needed one more person.

‘But… the kids here…’

The only people available to assist with the surgery in this place where the siege had occurred were first to third-year students.

Though she knew it would be burdensome, she had no choice. As a doctor, she had to ask one of these students who had just fought a bloody battle to help with the surgery.

“I need one person to help. We need to operate immediately.”

“Sur… surgery?”

“Are you talking about the senior who was injured earlier…?”

“…Yes. The surgery you’re thinking of. Cutting the skin, possibly seeing blood and intestines.”

“N-no… not that…”

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

“Uuuwup…!”

“…”

When she arrived at Alcaide Hall, Dalia had noticed that the students’ gazes strangely avoided looking in that direction.

They knew but couldn’t bring themselves to speak of it, deliberately looking away, some even banging their heads against the wall.

Death was before their eyes, but they lacked the mental strength to help, unable to step forward.

Even the student who had retched at the sight of blood was like that. All the students turned away, covering their ears, not wanting to remember.

She understood this too.

How comrades react when they first accept the death of a fellow soldier on the battlefield.

Some cover their mouths or close their eyes, some turn away from reality, and some vomit and faint, eventually going mad. But she couldn’t blame them.

When life is at stake, everyone takes their first steps through fear and trauma.

‘I understand. These children aren’t yet accustomed to seeing people die. But…’

If left unattended, someone would definitely die.

She had to save the person who was dying right now.

Though it might seem harsh, she had to forcibly take someone to help save a life. If the student called Erica died, these students would face an even greater trauma.

They would be left with the bitter and painful shock of having witnessed someone die from being impaled by a magical beast right before their eyes.

The condition was that she needed just one person. One person who could maintain their sanity while seeing blood and intestines during the operation and help hold the flesh in place.

‘Among these children, there must be someone.’

When they could barely even think about it, let alone look at it, there must have been someone who had said not to remove whatever had been lodged in the abdomen.

Then suddenly, a male student caught Dalia’s eye.

‘That child…?’

All the students avoided looking toward where the two patients were. But one person was different.

Black hair that reminded her of someone from the past stood out particularly.

The direction of his black eyes was also telling. Unlike the eyes that were deliberately trying to look away, his were fixed somewhere behind Dalia.

It wasn’t fear or disgust that was reflected in them. Strangely… he looked troubled, if anything.

Thanks to this, Dalia could immediately notice.

‘It was you.’

Junon. The boy who was said to be Muniher’s disciple.

Dalia approached Junon, who had been watching cautiously, and said:

“Could you help me, just this once?”

“…Me?”

“You’ve been looking at where that girl Erica is this whole time.”

If someone were to put a blade to his chin and ask if it was true, he would have answered yes.

He knew that Erica’s condition was quite bad, and since Professor Dalia had come out without treating her, it meant there was a problem.

Having vaguely guessed this, he couldn’t help but watch cautiously.

“That child will die if we don’t operate immediately.”

“…”

“Saving the patient is my wish, but coincidentally, I can’t perform the surgery alone right now. If I did, it would likely fail soon. But if you help me, I could perform a surgery with a much higher success rate.”

“…Why are you asking me?”

“Because I’m in a position to ask. If you refuse… I’ll have no choice but to use a method that might put that child at risk. I might have to force one of these children.”

Doctors are inherently those who save patients. They firmly hold onto reason and never let go of the thread of hope.

They breathe light into firmly closed eyes, make blocked breaths exhale again, and ultimately make hearts that are about to stop beat once more.

Among those doctors, the Empire’s current number one in healing studies and Western medicine was here. And she was asking for help.

As a doctor, she wanted to save the patient and needed his help.

Looking around, there were few students showing normal reactions. No, they were all abnormal.

A person was dying, yet they made excuses like “I don’t want to see it” or “I can’t look at it,” trying to escape from reality.

Only one person was contemplating.

‘If Erica dies like this…’

What would happen to the Tembris Party?

With one self-inquiry, Junon soon had to shake off the shackles of his dilemma.

***

Though people might seem fine on the outside, when they actually see something grotesque and cruel, they often show the opposite reaction. Such cases are not uncommon.

Taking this into account, Dalia warned him again.

“I’ll ask once more. Not only will there be blood flowing, but we might have to cut open human flesh and look at the intestines. If you run away then, this child will surely die. Are you confident you won’t run away?”

“Yes.”

Junon impassively picked up Erica and placed her on the bed that would serve as the operating table.

With an expressionless face, he washed his hands with disinfectant, put on surgical gloves, and completed his preparations.

‘This child… what on earth?’

As a doctor who had seen patients for decades, Junon’s reaction was too impassive.

In a situation where a normal person would harbor fear and possibly disgust, he showed no reaction at all.

It was strange. As if he had seen such things countless times before…

“The surgery. Aren’t you going to proceed?”

“…I’ll open her up. Hold her steady.”

Perhaps she had guessed correctly.

For Junon, who had witnessed the death of comrades before his eyes and had been stabbed to death by a comrade’s blade, the cruelty of human blood and intestines was merely a trifle.