Chapter 69: Filled with will

The lingering feeling of…something on my forehead… I rubbed it, even though there was no visible mark.

Linne’s sudden kiss had caught me off guard. A commoner, taking such liberties with a noble lady! And I was the one flustered.

“Haa… I won’t let you get away with this next time.”

I turned away, and Sara looked at me curiously, a strange glint in her usually cold blue eyes.

“Your face is red. What happened?”

“Nothing. So, about that potion…?”

Sara was mixing the remaining liquid with other substances, creating a row of colorful concoctions.

“I’ll figure it out soon. Where did you find this, anyway?”

“I…found it. Why? Is something wrong?”

“The brewing method seems…familiar.”

I noticed a small crystal ball and touched it; my reflection appeared. It was linked to the mirror.

“Don’t touch that!”

“It’s useless. What’s it even for?”

A crystal ball that showed your reflection? It seemed…familiar. Like the mirror Sister gave me. Though that was probably a coincidence. Sister wouldn’t…spy on me.

I’d kept Sister’s gift safely stored away, too precious to use.

“Anyway, I figured it out.”

“Really? What is it?”

Sara hesitated.

“I appreciate you coming to my lab, but…you’re doing this for your benefit, right?”

She wanted something in return. Typical noble.

An idea. I clasped my hands together, my voice soft,

“Sara…please tell me?”

Sara’s face contorted in…pain? She clutched her chest and took a deep breath.

“Ugh…f…fine.”

Yes! Sister’s tactics worked on others!

Sara would tell me everything.

“…But…”

“Yes?”

“…I need a favor.”

My face fell. This was just like Sister… I couldn’t remember what Sister usually asked for, just a vague sense of unease.

“Just tell me.”

“Promise?”

Sara looked at me skeptically.

“It’s…like a monster pheromone. A lure.”

“Similar to? What’s the difference?”

“It’s… unusually potent.”

Unusually potent? What was strange about that? Sara continued,

“Normal lures attract specific types of monsters. This one…attracts all monsters, indiscriminately.”

“All monsters…? You mean…?”

“Yes. It draws them in, as many as possible.”

“How…effective?”

“A few drops, in an open area, will attract monsters from miles away.”

I felt dizzy. I stumbled, and Sara caught me.

“You okay? You’re pale.”

“I’m fine. I have to go.”

I pushed her away and rushed out.

“Wait! You promised!”

I ignored her; I wasn’t going to do her any “favors.”

The sky was darkening.

****

Clang, clang, clang!—

The alarm blared. Intruders.

I ran, my breath ragged. I had to hurry. Explosions echoed in the distance.

“Just hold on…!”

I reached the east gate. A lone student was desperately defending the entrance against a pack of wolves. Another student lay injured among wolf corpses. The remaining student, her red hair familiar, blasted fireballs, but she looked exhausted.

“S…Sister!”

“Ellie? Why…? It’s dangerous! Run!”

Sister’s tone was sharp. A wolf leaped over the boulders and was incinerated.

“But…”

I wanted to protest, but her fierce gaze stopped me. I went to the injured student.

“Is she…?”

It was the girl from earlier, the one pouring the potion on the ground. Why was she here, injured? I looked at her; blood stained her shoulder.

“Hey…wake up…”

“Mmm…”

Her eyes fluttered open, their gaze unfocused.

“Haa…let’s get you to the infirmary.”

I helped her up, my arm around her. I couldn’t just leave her, even though I was worried about Sister. As we walked,

“No!”

Growl!—

A wolf leaped over the boulders, too fast for even Sister to react. It lunged towards us. I turned, shielding the injured girl, ready to sacrifice an arm.

I closed my eyes as the wolf leaped.

Yelp!—

A thud and a yelp. I opened my eyes; the wolf lay dead, a large rock beside it.

Did Sister…? I looked at her; she seemed surprised.

Yelp!—

Another wolf, hit by a flying rock, fell. It was one of the wolves Sister had knocked down earlier.

What was going on? I checked the student; she was unconscious. We had to leave, or we’d be overwhelmed. I continued towards the gate, explosions echoing behind us.

Flying rocks…it didn’t make sense.

I’d seen this before…

“…Ah!”

The falling rocks on the turtle’s back…

Had I done that? A new ability…?

I saw a pebble and reached for it.

“Answer my call!”

I focused, and the pebble would—

…didn’t move.

Of course not. I was just glad no one saw that; how embarrassing.

“Hee hee…”

…Huh?

A soft giggle. The student was awake, her eyes still closed, her lips twitching. I shivered, a growing unease in my stomach.

“Hee…hee…”

Her laughter was unsettling. I bit my lip, the shame almost unbearable.

“Answer…hee hee…my call…! Hee!”

A tear, a single tear of humiliation, rolled down my cheek.