episode_0028

For the first time in a while, I felt out of breath.

However, there was no time to take a breath.

Ignoring the man glaring at me, I immediately looked back.

Grumbling─

The fire was burning hotly, and Estel could be vaguely seen in the center of it.

There didn’t seem to be any major injuries right away.

Should I say that it was rewarding to run with all my might?

I think we arrived before things became irreversible.

I’m glad I didn’t ignore my unexplained anxiety.

Feeling a little relieved, I remembered what happened a little while ago.

***

We need to find Estelle.

With a deep sense of anxiety welling up in my heart, I made that decision.

There is no evidence that anything happened. Maybe, nothing will happen.

Nevertheless, I decided to find Estelle.

If nothing happens, you can just laugh it off.

It’s good that the decision was made, but there was a problem.

The problem is how to find Estelle, who has no idea where she is, in this vast academy.

If something really happens, it will be too late if you don’t take action.

So we need to find her in the most efficient way possible.

But, how?

“… … .”

Nervousness accelerates.

What if something happens to Estelle right now, at this moment?

What if she ends up following the original path?

It was a moment when anxiety and nervousness filled my head.

“Hey, what’s wrong?”

Jack spoke up.

“He said he was going to buy food. No more time?”

The moment I saw Jack looking at me with annoyance in his eyes, a thought flashed in my mind.

“Did something happen? Or any other worries─”

“Jack.”

“─It looks… uh? why? What is it?”

“Can you use tracking magic?”

“… It’s out of the blue. What is it all of a sudden?”

“Can I use it or not?”

Jack answered with a confused look in his eyes.

“… I can write it though.”

“Then… ! … Phew. I want to find someone.”

“… … .”

Jack looked at me quietly and then sighed softly.

“… ha. okay. I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll hear more about it later. First of all, to conclude, it is possible to use tracking magic.”

A blush appeared on my face at Jack’s answer, but Jack added, “but.”, as if it was too early to say that.

“You can’t track something without anything. At the very least, you need something related to that person. The best thing is a body part. For example, hair. If you don’t have something like that, it’s possible to use something like that person’s belongings… Instead, the effect is that much lower.”

I inadvertently frowned at Jack’s words.

Of course, there’s no way he has hair or anything like that.

And there are no related items right now─

“… … .”

No, there is.

I hastily reached into my pocket.

Inside, I felt a hard texture.

I held the item in my hand and took it out.

Then he held it out towards Jack.

What is the object?

“What is it, a ring?”

Yes, it was a ring.

In return for the ring I bought for Estelle, she gave it to me.

Although I received it, I had no intention of wearing it because it was such an eye-catching item, and I kept it in my pocket with the intention of deciding what to do with it later.

At the time I received it, it was just an inconvenience, but now that things are like this, it’s a different story.

“Here, cast a tracking spell.”

“… I really don’t know what is what. Anyway, I understand.”

Jack would have recognized at a glance that the ring was unusual, and he would have also known that it was not something I would want to have.

However, Jack accepted the ring from me without questioning it.

Then, he closed his eyes and began to raise his magic power.

Soon, the magic power flowing from Jack seeped into the ring.

That continued for about a few minutes.

Jack opened his eyes.

And he handed me a ring.

I accepted it right away.

The ring was vibrating slightly.

I felt it. The ring is being drawn somewhere.

“I’m not that skilled at tracking magic, so my accuracy will be a bit low.”

“I understand. Thank you.”

I was about to say hello and turn around when Jack asked me with a rare serious expression.

“… Do you need any help?”

“Uh. It’s okay.”

Now I am acting based on intuition without any solid evidence.

Therefore, it is not possible to grow the business for no reason, so you have to move on your own.

And once I decide to move, the fastest way is to move alone.

I was grateful for Jack, but I couldn’t afford to carry him around right now.

“Yes. Go see it.”

I smiled as I saw Jack nodding his head in greeting.

“I’m sorry. By making me watch the fireworks alone.”

“Watching it alone is a hundred times better than watching it with a guy. Go quickly”

After waving to Jack, who was acting slyly as usual, I started running straight away.

Following the vibration of the ring.

***

From then on I ran as hard as I could.

The anxiety I felt when I found out that the direction the ring was pointing to was a forest was aggravated, and when I entered the forest and encountered the barrier, I gained confidence.

Fortunately, it was a barrier with a strong purpose of concealment and prevention of escape, so it was not difficult to cut down part of it and enter.

And so, we come to now.

I shook off my thoughts, thinking that I would have to repay Jack later.

It’s not too late. However, it was not a very good situation.

It was fortunate that Estelle had no injuries, but her condition was obviously not normal.

Estelle, who was always confident, sits down with her eyes lost in focus, and a fierce fire surrounds her.

‘Magic is… ‘No.’

Reinberg’s arcane magic is famous for its magic that deals with fire.

When I first saw that flame, I thought it was Reinberg’s arcane magic.

It is a well-known fact that Estelle is well versed in arcane magic.

But, when I looked closely, I realized it.

That’s not magic.

So what is its identity?

There was something to be guessed about that too.

A power that is not built up like magic or martial arts, but is literally created as if it were falling from the sky.

It is called a blessing, but at the same time, it is also called a curse.

‘Gift.’

Estelle seemed to have awakened that power.

No one knows what the origin of the gift is or what causes it to come into being.

It just started appearing at some point.

There are basically several types of gifts.

Some gifts give you superhuman strength, while others make your skin as hard as stone.

And, as you can see right now, there will definitely be a gift for controlling fire.

‘I never thought Estelle was the owner of the gift.’

In the original work, she was seen wielding fire, but there was no detailed description of it.

So I thought it was Reinberg’s arcane magic.

But, it seems that wasn’t the case.

Did he have a gift from the beginning?

Or, has he just awakened?

Although I did not watch the entire incident, I thought the latter possibility was more likely.

If someone like her had the gift, word would have spread a long time ago.

So, it would probably be correct to say that the gift has just been awakened by something.

It could be a death crisis, or it could be something else.

Maybe, it could be both.

Anyway, it seemed clear that something unusual had happened.

Estelle wouldn’t end up in that state under any circumstances.

And, there’s a high probability that it has something to do with Renee, who’s writhing in pain on the ground over there.

“… … .”

The rough picture is drawn.

I’m not sure, though.

However, if the speculation is true, it is understandable that Estelle was so distraught.

“… Phew.”

I felt bitterness filling my mouth, but I quickly swallowed it.

Anyway, it doesn’t matter what happened now.

Estelle’s condition is important.

Thanks to the gift, Estelle had survived until now, but she was still in danger.

Paradoxically, because of the gift that has protected her life so far.

If you swing a sharp knife carelessly, you will cut even the owner.

Estelle’s gifts are flooding in right now.

If things continue like this, that flame will try to burn even the owner.

Of course, I had no intention of leaving it that way.

I held my sword tightly.

And then, I pour in my magical power with all my might.

Wow─

The sword let out a low cry, and magical energy began to swirl around the sword.

I swung that sword straight at Estelle.

Huh!

The sword cuts through the wind.

Even the flames split.

“… … !!”

A gasping sound was heard nearby.

But I didn’t even look at them.

Because it was a waste of time to even do that.

I pushed myself straight into the gap created by the fire.

Just like that, I went right in front of Estelle.

However, flames were still constantly surging around Estelle’s body.

This is not something that can be done with a sword.

No matter how much you cut down, the fire will continue to rise.

There is only one way to resolve this situation in the way I want.

Returning Estelle to her original state.

But that wasn’t going to be as easy as it sounds.

Because Estelle’s condition seemed more serious than expected.

You can see that there is no reaction even though the surroundings are so noisy and you are already feeling unusual heat due to the flames around you.

No matter how much I scream at the top of my lungs, it will be impossible to wake her up here.

Therefore, I plunged the left arm that was not holding the sword into the flames.

Chi profit─

“Ugh… … .”

My clothes instantly burned to ashes, and the flames even began to burn my skin.

Even though I prepared in advance and surrounded myself with a lot of magical power.

The pain I feel in my arm pierces my brain.

Order me to stop immediately.

But, I don’t quit.

Push your arms all the way in.

Does not matter.

I can endure this much pain.

Rather than letting Estelle burn.

Rather than having her suffer irreparable wounds and continue down the same path as the original.

I’d rather have one of my arms burn.

Grumble!

The fire raged.

A repulsive force that would normally not be felt by fire made me struggle to push my arm away.

However, it can never be pushed out.

“Keuuu… !”

The pain I felt in my arm became increasingly intense.

And at the same time, the feeling in my arm becomes increasingly faint.

Still, it doesn’t stop.

How long did you have to wrestle with the fire?

Tuk.

My fingertips were blocked by something hard.

I immediately realized that it was some kind of magical shield.

There is no way Estelle could use magic in that state, so this must have been an artifact or magic tool activated.

Perhaps this shield also served to protect Estelle from direct heat.

If you swing a sword, breaking the defense shield is easy.

But then Estelle is exposed to the heat of the flame.

That’s not possible.

then?

‘It’s not breaking, it’s piercing.’

I just concentrated my magic on my fingertips.

In normal conditions, it wouldn’t be impossible to make a hole with a sword.

However, considering the posture and the repulsive force of fire, detailed control is difficult.

In this situation, where a small mistake could lead to a disaster, this would not be a very good choice.

So, I decided to use my hands instead.

By delicately controlling the magical power concentrated at the fingertips, it eats away at the defense shield little by little.

Even though it is strengthened with magical power, it is not easy to break through a shield of this size with bare hands.

If you think about it, it would be close to impossible.

However, now that the shield has been weakened by the flames.

possible.

Wood clatter─

A strange sound rings out from my fingertips.

My faded senses come back to life and I scream.

However, it doesn’t stop.

Keep pushing, pushing.

How long has it been like that?

Kwasik─

Finally, a hole appeared in the defense shield.

I put my hand into the gap and—

Tuk.

Finally, my fingertips reached Estelle.

***

“Estelle, what’s going on?”

Estelle raised her head at the sound of the voice.

Then what I saw was a familiar face.

The face of my father whom I love and respect so much.

“Ugh, it’s nothing!”

Estelle answered cheerfully and smiled.

What was he doing?

It was clear that I was doing something, but I couldn’t quite remember.

However, I felt like I had a bad dream.

A very vain and sad dream.

“Are you sure? If anything happens, should I tell you right away?”

“Yes!”

But a dream is just a dream.

So, you don’t have to worry about it.

That’s right, because reality is this happy.

“Your Majesty is too soft on Estelle.”

At that time, a woman’s sweet voice came between father and daughter.

“Huh. What are you talking about, madam? I am maintaining my standards.”

“Probably the only person who thinks that way is Your Majesty.”

Saying that, my mother glanced at my father.

It was a sight I always saw.

A father who doesn’t say a word of dislike, and a mother who expresses concern about the father’s attitude.

Although her mother sometimes scolded her, Estelle knew that her mother’s attitude was all out of concern for herself.

That is why Estelle loved both her mother and father more than anyone else.

look. Reality is this happy.

So there is nothing to be anxious about.

As long as you have a father and a mother, you can’t be unhappy.

Estelle repeated that.

I had no doubt that these happy days would continue.

but.

“Huh?”

It felt like the surroundings had suddenly become warmer.

I felt the heat.

As if there was a hot fire nearby.

However, no matter how much I looked around, I couldn’t see any fire.

“Estelle? Why are you doing that?”

Estelle’s mother and father looked at her with concern.

“It’s nothing!”

Estelle smiled brightly again.

Because I didn’t want to worry you two.

It would just be an illusion.

If you stay still, it will soon fade away.

That’s what I thought.

However, contrary to her thoughts, the heat did not disappear but instead began to grow stronger.

Soon it went beyond hot and became hot.

It was clearly a strange situation, but Estelle didn’t let the heat bother her anymore.

I decided to turn away.

“Father, mother! Let’s go for a walk!”

“Oh, yes. It’s perfect weather for a walk.”

It’s a happy daily life.

A happy daily life that will last forever.

Just like this, I will continue to be happy with my loving father and mother─

“─Ha.”

“Huh?”

Estelle looked around again.

I felt like I heard a voice.

“Estelle?”

I heard my mother’s curious voice.

Estelle thought she must have heard wrong, and walked after her father and mother who were ahead of her.

However.

“─Ha.”

A voice was heard again.

This time, I felt like things were a little clearer.

A voice I don’t know where it’s coming from.

It was natural for her to feel uncomfortable, but for some reason, Estelle didn’t feel that way.

rather.

Something felt familiar and familiar.

“─Ha.”

The voice became clearer and louder.

Eventually, Estelle listened to the voice and stopped in her tracks.

“Estelle? Are you okay?”

A voice filled with worry was heard.

I have to go now.

Because my parents are worried.

Unidentifiable voices must now be ignored.

With that thought in mind, Estelle was about to take another step.

“Charge.”

The outstretched foot could not move forward.

A voice that I couldn’t tell where it came from just a moment ago came from behind me this time.

That too very clearly.

no.

Don’t turn your head.

Something in my heart cried out.

The voice sounded as if it were crying.

I even felt a sense of desperation.

However, Estelle ignored the shout and turned her head away.

And then I saw it.

“Charge.”

‘Something’ was standing there.

The reason I expressed it as ‘something’ was because I couldn’t quite figure out its identity.

person… It was a being that looked like this.

The shape itself clearly resembled a human.

However, I couldn’t see the face clearly.

The face was painted black, like a canvas painted clumsily by a child.

Only the mouth was visible, and the upper part was barely visible.

It had a strange appearance.

However, strangely enough, Estelle did not feel fear.

“Estelle? What are you doing there?”

“Estelle? If it stays like this, the sun will set.”

The worried voices of my parents came from behind me one after another.

I have to go, but I shouldn’t make you worry.

Even while thinking like that, Estelle couldn’t take her eyes off ‘something’.

Because I felt an unknown familiarity from it.

The ‘something’ that had been standing still and looking at her slowly approached Estelle.

Then, he placed his hand on her shoulder.

I felt like something was flowing through those hands.

Something unfamiliar, yet very warm.

‘Something’ lowered itself.

Then he made eye contact with Estelle.

Slowly, the mouth of ‘something’ opened.

“Please stand up, Your Highness.”

And then the dream ended.