Chapter 97
The massive golden beast ran right past Eluana.
The Golden Wolf lunged at one of the monsters Thyn was fighting, biting deep into its neck. Its jaws locked, and when it shook its head, the creature’s body flailed like a leaf in the wind.
“Golden Wolf?”
Thyn muttered in disbelief, stepping back in shock.
It meant another enemy had appeared. True, it was attacking the monsters, so it could seem like an ally—but if it turned on them afterward…
How long could they last?
Even if Kazar and Rhein finished their own fights and joined them, it wouldn’t be easy. First, they had to take down the monster right in front of them.
Two would be hard, but one—one was manageable.
Thyn’s movements grew sharper and quicker.
Kazar and Rhein, while slashing through their own foes, kept a wary eye on the Golden Wolf.
The golden beast did not release its grip until its prey stopped breathing. Growling low, it spat out the limp corpse and fixed its gleaming eyes on Eluana.
Kazar, having just finished his opponent, ran over and stood protectively in front of her, sword raised.
Even as blue aura flickered along the blade’s edge, the Golden Wolf showed no aggression—only continued to stare.
Then, it turned away and disappeared beyond a pile of collapsed rocks.
Eluana called out belatedly,
“Thank you—for helping us!”
Thyn ran over, still breathing hard after slashing the last monster.
“My lady, did you tame the Golden Wolf? It was like watching the founding myth come to life! The knights won’t believe it when they hear. The Golden Wolf is our order’s symbol!”
The terrified children who had been hiding now stared at Eluana with mouths agape.
Even the youngest among them knew the legend of the Golden Wolf—the sacred beast from their kingdom’s founding story. Murmurs of “We’re saved” began to ripple among them.
Eluana almost denied it—but stopped herself.
She didn’t want to shatter the hope glowing behind her.
Then, a man’s unfamiliar voice rang out.
“How did they all get out?”
A mage appeared from nowhere and, upon spotting the escaped children, began to cast a first-circle spell—Magic Arrow.
But before the spell could even form, Thyn’s blade flashed, slicing the mage’s throat.
There was no mercy in him.
Another mage emerged soon after, only to have his heart pierced clean through by Rhein’s dagger.
The children watching all froze in terror.
As Ring stepped forward to guide them, rubble suddenly fell from above—it wasn’t normal.
“Crrrk.”
“It’s starting.”
“Too late.”
The ground trembled violently.
A thunderous rumble shook the entire mine; cracks split through the walls and ceiling. Dust poured down as the ceiling began to collapse—the cave-in had begun.
Realizing they would be buried alive, Rhein looked up anxiously.
“The walls aren’t too thick… maybe I can break through the ceiling. It’ll collapse faster, but it might work.”
“If we’re not too deep, a weapon wrapped in aura could pierce it,” Thyn said grimly. “It’ll make the collapse worse, though.”
They all knew it—reaching the exit was impossible.
Saving everyone was impossible.
A heavy silence fell.
“…At least we have to get Eluana out,” Kazar said firmly.
Hearing his voice, Eluana asked herself—
Can I do it?
Then she realized how meaningless the question was.
It wasn’t about whether she could—she had to. Doing only what she could “manage” wouldn’t save anyone.
She focused on the sensations flowing from the iron mine around her.
“Don’t collapse.”
Her body swayed, almost losing balance.
She steadied herself by pressing a hand to the rough stone wall.
A flood of voices filled her mind—cold, metallic whispers echoing through the rock.
“It’ll all fall.”
“Too late.”
“We can’t stop it.”
“Come play with us.”
The chill crawling from her fingertips made her flinch.
There wasn’t much iron in the rock itself—but there was some. Enough to try.
“Come out. Listen to me.”
She reached into the ore, searching for the trapped iron within the stone.
Slowly, streaks of dull metal shimmered through the dark and red veins of the rock.
“Can we come out?”
“Are we free?”
“Free…”
The iron cried out—its voice filled with a desperation that mirrored the oppression she’d once felt in her own prison cell.
“Come out. Please.”
The trembling iron responded.
The entire mine quivered as the ore resonated, humming a song of obedience.
On her shoulder, the little orb rolled upward and came to rest atop her head.
Cracks began to seal.
As though time itself was reversing, the open fissures were filled with gleaming pure iron.
It didn’t stop there—streams of liquid metal wove together above Eluana, forming a vast, silvery web that spread across the ceiling.
The iron web extended throughout the mine, reinforcing it.
People trapped deeper inside looked up and saw the shining lattice forming above them.
They realized they were alive. The collapse had stopped.
Some cried out Kayren’s name, others thanked the gods.
“What else should we do?”
“Say the word.”
“We’ll do anything.”
Listening to the now-submissive voices, Eluana gazed up at the structure she had created.
Her racing heart slowed, steady once more.
Ash-colored dust drifted gently down over her shoulders.
Kazar, watching from up close, was speechless.
Her straight posture, calm dignity, and resolute face—she looked utterly noble.
“The collapse… stopped,” he said quietly.
And it had.
Only fine dust still fell, but the structure held firm.
The mine was safe.
“Everyone all right?” Eluana asked.
Thyn murmured, “As expected of our lady…”
Rhein closed his gaping mouth.
The children exhaled in relief.
Ring, holding Sally, whispered, “Your sister asked her to save you.”
Hans rubbed his eyes, unable to believe what he’d seen.
Kazar stepped closer, studying her.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine… Why am I fine?”
Eluana herself was surprised. She felt tired, yes—but not to the point of collapse.
Just the sort of fatigue one felt after a long walk.
The little orb rolled back down from her head and nestled into her brooch.
“You’re sure?” Kazar pressed.
Eluana nodded.
“Completely. Let’s move—there were people in the other chamber.”
Not far away was the room with the smelting furnace.
If they all went together, the children would see what had happened inside.
She didn’t want that.
“Only Kazar, Thyn, and I will go. Rhein, stay here and guard the children.”
“Got it. Leave them to me,” Rhein replied confidently, sensing her intention.
Kazar turned the doorknob.
“There were mages inside. Be careful.”
When the door opened, chaos greeted them.
The room was a wreck, crushed by debris.
Eluana inhaled sharply—one of the mages lay dead, pinned under stone.
At least the children who had been tied to the beds were gone.
The snapped ropes suggested they’d escaped during the first collapse.
“There,” Kazar pointed.
A doorway stood open on the opposite wall.
As they moved toward it, a faint moan stopped them.
“Someone’s still alive.”
Between two beds lay a woman clutching a pair of scissors, her leg trapped beneath rubble.
Eluana’s eyes widened.
“Cindy?”
Cindy’s eyelids fluttered open. Seeing Eluana at what she thought was her final moment, she gave a bitter laugh.
“I must be hallucinating. Guess this is punishment for how awful I was to you.”
“You regretting it now?”
Believing she was already dead, Cindy began confessing like a sinner seeking absolution.
“I didn’t mean for things to go this way. After I was kicked out of the duchy, everything fell apart. It’s all your fault. You should’ve told us you could use alchemy! Then I wouldn’t have treated you that way.”
“My fault?” Eluana stared down at her coldly.
Half-conscious, Cindy rambled on.
“My parents worked in the kitchens. They died because poison got into the food supplies. The butler took pity on me, made me a maid. But then you, who were in the same position, got the Lavender Room all to yourself! Of course I resented you. Well… who’s left to blame now? Jane’s dead, and I’ll be soon too.”
Eluana’s tone was icy.
“Jane isn’t dead. She’s in prison. And you’re not dead yet, either.”
Cindy’s eyes snapped open.
She saw Eluana clearly now—with Kazar and Thyn beside her, in the half-collapsed lab.
“How…?”
But that didn’t matter.
Cindy reached out a trembling hand.
“My lady… please. Please save me. I was wrong. I’ll do anything.”
Eluana’s gaze dropped to the scissors in her hand.
“You freed the people who were tied up?”
“I did! And they all ran off, left me here! Ungrateful brats.”
“You’re lucky they didn’t kill you after what you did to them,” Eluana said coldly.
Cindy’s face drained of color.
“H-how do you know…?”
“I saw what you did.”
Cindy bit her lip hard.
She didn’t understand how Eluana could have seen, but she knew denial was useless.
“I had no choice! Better to take their blood than to end up on that table myself. You’re not going to abandon me too, right? You’ll save me?”
“If I take you with me, will you testify?”
“T-testify?”
“I plan to expose the Marquis of Pegimule’s family for this.”
Cindy’s eyes widened.
So Eluana knew who was behind it all. It wasn’t coincidence she was here.
“I’ll testify! I’ll tell them everything—what they did with the children’s blood, the experiments, all of it! I even know the mixing formula!”
She struggled to prove her worth.
Thyn, pressing his boot against the stone pinning her leg, looked to Eluana.
“What should we do?”
“Save her.”
Thyn kicked the rock away, aura flaring.
The force jolted her leg—Cindy screamed in pain.
Thyn pulled her up roughly, glaring.
“So you’re the cheeky maid who leaked information from the Spes mansion. If you can’t walk, we’ll leave you.”
“I—I can walk!”
Limping badly, she grabbed a broom and used it as a crutch.
Kazar watched her coldly. More witnesses meant stronger evidence, and though Maria was already safe at the villa, another couldn’t hurt.
“One more witness, then.”
“An unreliable one,” Eluana muttered.
“Yes, I’m unreliable,” Cindy blurted, nodding desperately.
“Don’t try anything foolish,” Eluana warned. “I don’t want to have to kill you.”
Cindy flinched.
“I won’t. Just—just don’t leave me behind.”
“You’re coming with us,” Eluana said. “But whether you live or die will be decided in court.”
“If I tell them everything, the judge will go easy on me, right?”
Cindy nodded to herself, clinging to that hope—
until a faint voice whispered nearby.
“…Help… me…”
Eluana froze.
The sound grew clearer—a weak but unmistakably human voice.
She followed it, eyes scanning the floor—
and saw a young man lying motionless, barely breathing.
Thyn rushed ahead, knelt, and shouted,
“He’s alive! Hey, kid! Stay with me!”
He tried to lift him, but the man’s body was limp, too weak to move.
Disheveled silver hair spilled over his face.
“Leave him,” Cindy said coldly. “He’ll only slow us down.”
Eluana’s reply was like ice.
“If we leave anyone, it’ll be you.”
Cindy’s mouth snapped shut.
Eluana knelt beside the man.
“Can you hear me?”
His silver-gray lashes fluttered, and beneath them opened eyes the color of pale mint.
He looked straight at Eluana—
and then lost consciousness.
