WPMS Ch# 16

Seriously, how can you say you’re fine!

You just coughed up blood a moment ago!

“I’ll finish this quickly.”

My brother, after catching his breath for a moment, raised a branch high into the air.

The golden aura wrapped around the branch grew even brighter.

At the same time, I gasped.

‘I can’t let him use any more aura.’

I have to help him somehow.

I can’t just stand here doing nothing.

But… what can I do in this situation?!

Anxiously, I studied the monster.

And then I realized something.

‘Wait, its legs…’

For its massive body, the monster’s legs were disproportionately thin.

If I could somehow bind those legs…

‘Maybe I could create an opening!’

But with this clumsy child’s body, I couldn’t even get close to the monster.

To get near it…

‘I need to turn back into a cat.’

But if I do that, the fact that I’m a familiar will be exposed.

Can I tell Adrian this secret?

The answer was clear.

Before the regression, even in my past life…

…He had kept the secret that I was my sister’s familiar to the very end.

‘Then that’s it!’

I summoned every bit of the magical power my sister had given me.

I felt my body shrink in an instant.

My perspective dropped in a flash.

Fluffy white fur.

Tiny front paws.

“W-Wait, you’re…?!”

Adrian shouted in rare surprise.

But I didn’t answer him.

No, I didn’t have time to.

Because—

“Meow!”

As soon as the transformation was complete, I kicked off the ground and dashed forward!

And just as I slammed my body into the monster’s leg, which had been facing off with my brother—

“Yelp!”

A cry burst out of my mouth.

My brother, horrified, raised his voice.

“Maybel!!”

I was thrown roughly and slammed into the ground.

“Ow…”

It hurts so bad I could die.

I groaned softly.

My vision was spinning from the impact, and it felt like my body could fall apart any second.

But—

‘I did it!’

Lying on the ground, I barely lifted my head, my face lit with joy.

My desperate charge had worked.

The monster, unable to withstand the impact, staggered for a moment!

That brief opening I had created—

My brother didn’t miss it.

The aura-infused branch pierced straight into the monster’s head.

— Screeeeech!!

The monster let out a terrible death cry, then fell silent.

Adrian dropped the branch and ran to me in a panic.

“M-May! Are you okay?!”

He crouched in front of me urgently.

Through my hazy vision, I saw his face filled with worry.

“I told you to run away!”

“…Meow…”

Like I was falling into an endless pit, everything spun in front of me.

The pain that struck my entire body felt distant.

“May? May! Stay with me, okay?!”

And then—

“May!!”

A sharp scream rang out.

It was my sister, Sabina.

‘Oh, great.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly.

‘Now that she’s seen I’m a familiar, she’s going to scold me again…’

That was my last thought before I couldn’t hold on anymore and closed my eyes.

Darkness fell over my vision.

—

—

Sabina suddenly woke up from her sleep.

“Huh?”

She sensed a powerful aura from somewhere.

Sitting up in alarm, Sabina quickly scanned the area.

“May? …Sir Adrian?”

But neither Maybel nor Adrian were nearby.

Everything around her was still and silent.

‘I have a bad feeling…’

Just then—

The air rippled again.

‘Aura.’

Her red eyes sharpened instantly.

Sabina rushed toward the direction the aura had come from.

And what she found collapsed in the distance—

‘A monster?!’

Her eyes widened.

A large, black creature lay sprawled on the ground.

And in front of it, a small cat lay unconscious…

Her mind went blank.

“May!!”

Sabina screamed.

“May, May!!!”

Her fingers trembled uncontrollably.

She rushed to Maybel and gently gathered her up.

“Maybel… oh my god, please…”

No matter how many times she called, Maybel didn’t respond.

No nagging meows, no soft paw swats.

Her eyes remained firmly shut.

“No, no…”

Sabina bit her lower lip until it bled.

And just then—

“Sabina!!”

Someone grabbed her shoulder.

Startled, Sabina slowly looked up, as if slapped.

Standing before her was—

“S-Sir Adrian…?”

“Calm down, okay?”

Adrian gently patted her shoulder.

“She’s not in danger. She’ll be fine.”

“B-But…”

“I checked her. I don’t think she has any major injuries.”

At those words, the trembling in her body slowly began to ease.

Adrian continued in a calm voice.

“Of course, she’s got some bruises, so she’ll need treatment.”

“…”

Only then did Sabina regain her composure.

Her red eyes shifted to Adrian’s bloodied mouth.

Now that she looked, his face was pale.

“Wait. Are you okay, Sir Adrian?”

“Me? I’m fine.”

He shrugged lightly.

But he clearly wasn’t fine.

It was obvious he had used aura while fighting the monster…

“We can talk more when we get back. May needs treatment first.”

Thankfully, Adrian changed the subject.

“Yes, understood.”

Sabina nodded and carefully cradled Maybel in her arms.

A long conversation would surely be needed.

—

—

The group returned immediately to Sabina’s house.

Perhaps due to the shock, Maybel still hadn’t opened her eyes after arriving home.

Even so—

‘Well, it makes sense.’

Sabina looked at Maybel with a tender gaze.

That tiny child had thrown herself at a monster.

‘If Maybel had been seriously hurt—or if she had died…’

Just imagining it made her chest tighten unbearably.

‘No, our May is still alive and well.’

Sabina bit her lower lip gently.

She stroked Maybel’s forehead as she slept, trying to calm her heart.

‘She’s still by my side…’

In a cold world built of snow and ice, she had lived her whole life alone.

Her precious loved ones had long been lost.

Only Maybel had shared warmth with her in that world.

She had erased the bitter loneliness.

So—

‘I’ll never… lose May.’

Sabina took a short breath and steadied herself.

Then, she turned to Adrian, who stood behind her.

Their eyes met, and he smiled warmly.

“How’s May doing?”

“She’s okay.”

She answered, though her heart grew heavier.

‘…He looks worse.’

In truth, Adrian was in far worse condition than Maybel.

His aura heart hadn’t fully healed, but he had pushed himself and used aura again—causing it to collapse further.

They had repaired the damage somewhat when they returned to the mansion, but the state was still dire.

And he had done it all to save Maybel…

“I owe you a great debt, Sir Adrian.”

Sabina finally spoke after a brief pause.

“No need to feel guilty.”

But Adrian simply shrugged.

“It was what I had to do.”

“…Had to?”

Surprised by the unexpected a

nswer, Sabina looked at him.

Adrian nodded calmly.

“A child was in danger. As an adult, I couldn’t just stand by.”

He smiled softly as he continued.

“More importantly, when I was appointed a hero, I made a vow.”

His cheerful voice, unshadowed by doubt, gently echoed in Sabina’s ears.

“To help those in need—as much as my power allows.”

—