BSS 61

Chapter 61

“Hmm? You sit.”
“I’m going to do something important now, so don’t get in the way.”
“Sit? Important thing?”
“Do you know about mental focus?”

From now on, it was a battle against time and mana.
The key was how long I could endure while summoning Undine.

To reduce the amount of mana leaking out, I needed to directly refine the mana flowing out.
It was a sort of pruning process that required extremely high concentration.
How high? High enough that speaking was out of the question.

If someone doesn’t understand why this is difficult, imagine turning on a faucet strongly and trying to block every splash that comes out.

Even with that level of focus, the mana I could conserve wasn’t even 10%.

“Listen carefully. I don’t know when Undine will spot the knights, so I have to save as much mana as possible.
I don’t have much mana, you see. I’m young! But I’m still amazing.”

“Oh, I see….”

“You want to get out of here safely too, right?”

While I tried to concentrate on the flowing mana, a strange boy said something odd.

“Not really… it doesn’t matter to me.”

“What? Are you crazy to be sold as a slave?”

“No one’s waiting for me anyway. They might not even notice if I disappear.”

This guy is getting on my nerves!
Why the pitiful voice?

“Your mom or something?”

“My mother passed away.”

“…Sorry.”

Damn it. I think I touched a nerve I shouldn’t have.

“My father doesn’t like me much. Maybe he even hates me…”

The boy started whining, but my focus was entirely on the mana leaking out.

At just the right time, Undine must have safely exited the building and lifted her invisibility because the mana drain decreased.
So far, so good.

But I couldn’t relax yet.
The further Undine got from me, the faster my mana would deplete.
Whether I could reach here safely and meet the knights was crucial.

My mana had to hold until then—and it had already consumed over 20% in just five minutes.

“Maybe he’s happy that I ran away. I’m useless… When I went to my father’s house, no one welcomed me. My older siblings really hate me.”

“….”

“I even got half-siblings. At first, I was happy… but they hate me too. They called me vulgar.”

Even though I closed my eyes and didn’t respond, the boy continued talking to himself.
He seemed unbearably lonely, anxious, and unhappy.

“My mother was the only one who loved me. But she got very sick… One day she told me I had a father, that I should go to him.
She took me to that house… and told my father that I was his son… then left.”

I wasn’t good at comforting anyone.
Right now wasn’t the time to listen to his story anyway.

But, against my will, I couldn’t help being concerned.
This is bad—I need to focus!

“I was happy living in the forest with my mother… Father’s house is scary. It’s strangely big… too many people. The older siblings working there look at me weird… whisper, talk badly about my mother. Sniff!”

Ugh! He started crying beside me! This guy!

“Sniff… mother… I didn’t… need my father or that big house.
I get lost every day! I have to sleep alone in a room… and study all the time… I hate a house where mother isn’t there.”

Judging by this, it seemed his father was a noble.
Several half-siblings, a big house, and servants all pointed to that.

“I don’t like Father either. I don’t understand why he didn’t come when Mother died? Mother called for him… sniff, sob… Mother…”

Hey, I’m a sensitive girl too. Stop it before I start crying along!

Just as I was about to twitch my lips and say something, a familiar voice spoke.

“That’s unfortunate. So you ran away?”

It was Irue naturally joining the conversation. That girl! When did she wake up?

I ground my teeth, but instead of scolding, I closed my eyes tightly again.
Calm down… calm down… Only 30% of my mana remained.

The leaking mana exploded like a stream meeting a river.
Where on earth are you wandering, Undine?!

“Yes. I secretly wore the clothes I used to wear. When I changed clothes, no one recognized me.”

“Where is your home?”

“In the mountains! I’m going there. That’s where I learned swordsmanship from my mother.”

“No, your current home.”

These guys are leisurely chatting while others suffer.
Can’t they understand the situation?

“That house is in the city, very big. Probably visible from anywhere.”

“Really that big? What’s your father’s name? I can memorize most noble names.
Ah! I introduced myself late. I’m Irue Peiru, Drike Academy Alchemy Class, Early Childhood Division.”

“Irue.”

“This is Ginny. Ginny Crowell.”

Gee, thanks. Even introduced me.

“My name is Epiros. My mother called me Eshi.”

“Epiros? Sounds like a noble family. Your surname?”

“Ah, the one put before the name?”

“No? It goes after.”

“My full name is Eron de von Epiros. Father’s surname is Eron de Khan, his full name is Megaloprophis.”

Megaloprophis… huh? That’s a long name. Eron de… von?

Listening to their conversation, I almost not only failed to control mana but nearly caused it to backflow.

‘Eron de’ is a name belonging to the royal family of Elan.
If ‘von’ is included, it’s direct lineage.

“Cough.”

Flustered, I almost lost my composure and coughed violently.
I quickly recovered, but wasted a lot of mana, and cold sweat ran down my body.
The metallic taste in my mouth was a sign of minor internal injury.

‘No, this clueless kid can’t be royalty. He must just be exaggerating.’

I tried to convince myself, but it wasn’t easy.
There wasn’t a hint of a lie in Eshi’s voice.

Eron de von Epiros.
In royal or noble families, names come after the family name, and surnames come before, indicating closeness to the kingdom over individuality.

“Hey, you’re joking, right?”

“What?”

“That’s the emperor’s name! So you’re a prince? Hahaha, impossible.”

Irue laughed loudly, equally shocked.
Yeah, impossible.
I just stepped on that guy’s back earlier. That gentle murmurer can’t be a prince.
And we’re in a slave trader’s prison… meeting a prince here makes no sense!

“Really? Why don’t you believe me?”

“If you’re a prince, then I’m a dragon!”

“Wow, you’re a dragon?”

I really hate this. I just want to be alone. This place is ridiculous.

“Done!”
“Hmm? What’s with Ginny?”

Without warning, a large amount of mana drained.
About a third of my remaining mana.

If I’m correct, Undine must have sent a message to someone.
I couldn’t help but smile. I could finally relax.

“Undine must have called for help. Someone’s coming! Now we just have to wait!”