Chapter 11: Prepare for the Inevitable Ruin (3)
“I’m still thinking about it.”
I guess there’s no helping it.
With a long sigh, I looked up at the guy pleading with me. From now on, he’s officially Crybaby.
“Let’s go.”
Crybaby’s eyes widened at my unexpected response.
“…Why?”
“You asked for help, and now you’re backing out?”
“N-No, thank you. Really, thank you, Edith Crowell.”
“I’ll be back. Therion, if anyone asks, tell them I went to assist.”
“Y-Yes… Please be careful.”
I left my safety in the hands of Limos Therion and turned to follow Crybaby.
“Let’s go.”
“Y-Yeah.”
Crybaby turned around to lead the way, then hesitated before speaking.
“…Crowell.”
“What?”
“I didn’t think you’d actually agree. I’m really grateful.”
“Then why did you even ask?”
“Honestly… I came not expecting much.”
“…Yeah.”
Truthfully, I had intended to turn him down.
“…I’m sorry. Even that Cain guy will probably be shocked to find out you came to help.”
“Yes, I imagine he will.”
Not that I came to save him or anything.
I responded silently in my mind, shifting my gaze.
The only reason I decided to show mercy… was because I noticed an Academy professor hiding in the tree just behind Crybaby.
‘How could he not notice that?’
The professors must have sensed the disturbance and sent one out on reconnaissance.
But no one else seemed to notice the professor’s presence, so I pretended not to see him either.
Even then, I hadn’t planned on helping Crybaby or Cain.
…But suddenly, a bad premonition struck.
If a casualty occurred before the real subjugation training even began, the entire training might get canceled.
And that would destroy my only chance of approaching the curse.
‘That’s the only reason.’
There wasn’t a shred of noble justice in me trying to save someone else. I couldn’t even save myself, so why save others?
“This way…”
Crybaby continued leading the way.
‘Hmm?’
But the terrain began to look strange. It was hard not to notice we were near a cliff.
Unable to resist, I asked, “Why did that student named Cain even go this way? It’s obviously a cliff path.”
Crybaby flinched and forced out a reply.
“T-That’s….”
“What?”
“He… wanted to play a prank on you…”
“Sigh. He risked his life just to mess with me?”
Crybaby fell silent, probably realizing he had no defense.
These lunatics.
It seems the fact that I had been stationed at the rear was enough for them to make me their next target.
“H-Here we are.”
We finally arrived at a cliff sparsely lined with trees.
Apparently, other students had already gathered to help. There were quite a few people around the cliff.
“Hold onto the tree tight!”
“How the heck did he even slip down there?”
“Hang on! Behemoth’s son is on his way!”
Crybaby shouted loudly toward them.
“I brought Edith Crowell!!”
“Hah, she actually came?”
“Then we might be okay…!”
A flood of gazes turned my way.
Eyes filled with a mix of hope and unease.
I let out a deliberately exaggerated laugh.
“Oh, for god’s sake…”
I dismounted and looked down the cliff at the ridiculous sight below.
“Ugh…”
One poor guy, battered and bleeding, was trembling while clinging to a large branch jutting out from halfway down the cliff.
I glanced behind me. A horse, tangled in its reins, was snorting, while a mage tried to calm it with a spell.
So he fell off the horse and tumbled down, barely catching that branch. Reflexes of a knight, indeed.
“A-Ah, I can’t…”
The knights tried lowering a makeshift rope made from cloaks, but the guy shook his head, saying his hands might slip.
“This won’t work… Anyone here know flight magic?”
One burly knight gave up and wiped the sweat from his forehead. A freckled mage beside him shook his head.
“I could do it, but… honestly, the distance is too far. If he squirms, he’ll fall.”
“What about Edith Crowell?”
“Nope. I can’t do it either.”
I nodded as we both looked down the cliff.
This wasn’t revenge.
Lifting someone into the air wasn’t hard, but the coward below was so terrified that, just like the mage said, he’d likely flail and fall.
“Coward.”
I came to save him out of necessity, but he looked so pathetic I couldn’t help furrowing my brow and muttering.
“W-What did you say?!”
Even from that distance, the coward picked up on my insult and shouted back.
“I said nothing.”
“No choice then. We’ll have to wait until Lord Ethan arrives… Hey, Cain! Hang in there a little longer!”
The big knight shouted down.
‘That damned Ethan Behemoth…’
I raised my head from surveying the cliff and narrowed my eyes at the knight.
“Hm?”
“Excuse me.”
Sensing my gaze, he looked up and met my eyes. I tossed him a question.
“When Lord Behemoth arrives, is he going to solve this somehow?”
“Huh?”
Flustered, the knight quickly replied.
“Not necessarily, but… maybe he’ll come up with something.”
As expected.
“Does he have the ability to walk on air or something?”
“Well, no, but…”
“Then what? How much are you going to depend on him?”
“What?”
The knight furrowed his brow at my blunt remark.
The freckled mage nervously intervened.
“…Um, Miss Crowell. That was a bit harsh.”
“I’ve heard enough. Edith Crowell, you’re not so special yourself—”
“I said it wouldn’t work with levitation, not that I couldn’t rescue him.”
“What?”
The knight sounded dumbfounded.
I sighed and looked back down the cliff.
The coward was curled up tightly, which would make things easier.
“Just stay like that.”
“What?! Are you mocking me, Edith Crowell?!”
He was shouting again.
“No. I’m serious.”
…Sigh. I still feel sick. Once I save him, he’ll have to pay me back.
Or not. He’s probably going to die soon anyway—maybe I should just leave him.
I glanced around.
“……”
Unfortunately, too many people were watching.
I made up my mind and focused my mana.
Blue light flared beneath my hands, and the freckled mage let out a gasp.
“No way…!”
My goal: carve out a rectangular space around the coward and move the entire thing—branch and all—from the cliffside to the top.
The thick branch was cleanly severed and dropped with a thud onto the cliff top, coward still clinging to it.
It was only about two hand spans high, so despite the loud thump, he was totally fine.
“Ah!”
“Don’t be a baby. There, done. If the march gets delayed too much—”
I was interrupted by a shocked voice.
“What… What was that?”
“Spatial transfer magic!”
The knight’s jaw dropped, and the mage’s hair stood on end.
“When did you learn that?! I still can’t do that!”
“Did you see that?! Edith Crowell just—!”
The voices were too loud to ignore. I sighed and shrugged.
“I just figured it out as I went.”
I wasn’t feeling great, but for a skilled mage like me, this was—
This was…
“Ugh.”
No, it wasn’t fine. My vision swam. This is bad.
I quickly turned around. I needed to leave.
But the coward, now safely rescued, let out an “Ah, ah?” and suddenly stood up.
“Edith Crowell…!”
Don’t come over here.
Just lie back down. I’m about to throw up.
I waved a hand behind me to ward him off, but he grabbed it and pulled me close.
His voice was choked with emotion.
“I… I only ever thought of messing with you, and yet you…!”
“No, it’s really fine—”
No, seriously, I didn’t come here to save you. It just… happened.
The coward ignored me and pulled me into a tight hug.
“Thank you!!”
“Uuegh.”
In the end, I threw up everything I had been holding back.
