BSPD 13

~Chapter 13~

A bitter taste curled my brow—no surprise, chewing raw Lonna herb was far from pleasant.

Normally diluted in water to temper its near-painful bitterness, I now had no luxury for such care.

Spitting out the chewed herb, I clenched it tightly and approached the wolf.

—Growl, growl…?

Bound tightly and held by Ethan’s firm grip, the wolf seemed utterly confused by its predicament.

“Do not worry. You need not understand… Soon you shall regain consciousness, and I will explain everything then~”

Why did it flinch despite my gentle tone? The wolf struggled to free its muzzle from Ethan’s grasp—but to no avail.

Reaching into its throat, I stuffed the herb inside. Withdrawing my hand swiftly, I called out:

“Luce! Douse the Divine Beast’s mouth with water! Plenty of it!”

No sooner had I spoken than a torrent of water drenched us, soaking my hair.

—Arururrrk!!

The wolf’s throat convulsed relentlessly.

“Lord Kroyt! Seal its mouth now!”

“Yes!”

Ethan was an impeccable aide, immediately clamping the wolf’s jaws shut.

I took a deep breath and placed my mouth against the wolf’s nose.

“Huff!”

Never imagined administering this puppy treatment to a wolf.

Blowing air into its nostrils, the beast’s massive larynx pulsed as it swallowed the herb.

Violent thrashing ensued.

—Grrk! Grrk!! …Whimper!! Whine!!

“Hush, no dramatics now~ Swallow properly! No puking~”

—Kiiing. Kiiing…

I gently scratched behind the wolf’s ear, soothing it. Such courage was impossible before; now, restrained by roots and Ethan’s firm hold, it could not attack even if it wished.

Five minutes passed. Limbs once struggling went limp.

—Gurgle! Gurgle!!

Then its chest began pounding fiercely.

“Everyone stand back! It’s about to vomit—”

—Gwwwaaak!!!

Damn! I dodged swiftly but was soaked head to toe in lukewarm fluid.

—Gwwwaaak!!

“Yes. Vomit it all out. Luce, do you have any electric magic?”

Crackle. Crash!!

Before the question ended, lightning struck a nearby tree, splitting it neatly and filling the air with the scent of burnt wood.

“This?”

“No, not that strong! Something mild, enough to stimulate muscles!”

“Hmm. So as gentle as possible?”

“Yes! Please cast the weakest electric magic on my arm!”

Luce narrowed his eyes and conjured faint sparks.

“Ugh!”

A jolt coursed through me; my fingers twitched involuntarily.

Physical therapy by magic was underway.

“Good! Cast the same strength on the Divine Beast!”

Snap. The sound of snapping fingers preceded a tremendous bolt crashing onto the beast’s head.

Crackle!

The hair on my neck stood on end at the terrifying sound.

“Is it… dead?”

A whispered question. I looked from the motionless beast to Luce.

“Are you insane?! Are you trying to kill the Divine Beast?!”

The mad mage! Was he plotting to brand me a Divine Beast assassin?

Luce eyed my writhing hand indifferently.

“It stinks.”

“St-stinks?”

Ah, right—I was covered in vomit.

While awkwardly standing, a refreshing shower suddenly poured over me.

Luce, seeing my state, used magic to wash the filth away. The water vanished before touching the earth, leaving my hair and clothes dry.

“Thanks—”

“You’ve managed to survive with that memory.”

My gratitude was swallowed by his remark.

“Didn’t you say magic and divine power cancel each other out? Even pouring vast magic over that body couldn’t generate static electricity.”

“Oh.”

I recalled that magic and divine power negate each other. To generate even the slightest electric signal, an enormous lightning bolt was necessary.

Sure enough, the wolf’s fur showed no scorch marks—only twitching limbs.

“Is it… effective?”

I dashed over to examine the beast.

Its blue eyes slowly closed, eyelids drooping.

“Has it fainted?”

“Hmm. More like…”

I lifted its eyelids to check pupils, undeterred by shocked onlookers. The pupils were dilated.

“It must be sensitive to light now; move it to a shaded area.”

“Is the Divine Beast alright?”

“Yes. It is only temporarily poisoned by the Lonna herb.”

“Poisoned? Isn’t that dangerous?”

Rail approached, examining the limp wolf.

“No need for concern. Lonna’s side effects are limited to vomiting and mild cramps. Vomiting the Lapas mushroom is far more critical.”

“I see…”

“But it’s strange. Lapas mushrooms grow in tropical rainforests, mostly in the southern Leon Jungle. They shouldn’t be here in the western forest…”

“And wolves are carnivores. Why would it eat mushrooms?”

Ebel’s questions echoed my own. The oddities mounted.

“For now, best to keep the Divine Beast restrained until it recovers. I will scout the area to verify the presence of Lapas mushrooms.”

Ethan removed his hand from the wolf’s mouth, preparing his sword.

“Going alone is dangerous. I will—”

“I shall go.”

Luce appeared beside me suddenly. Staggering, I grabbed his arm.

“Th-thank you—”

Ignoring my thanks, Luce spoke to Ethan.

“When it wakes, you explain the situation.”

“My subordinates can handle it if not me—”

With a snap of his fingers, the area brightened magically.

“I believe I can be of greater help.”

Ethan pursed his lips and turned away. To Ebel, he commanded:

“Ebel, accompany them.”

“Yes~”

Though his tone was light, Ebel bowed sharply and approached.

“I shall protect you, miss!”

“When did you say you’d be the first to run?”

Glaring at his unsteadiness, Ebel pounded his chest confidently.

“Trust me! I only joked earlier because I thought you might cry again!”

“Oh, I won’t!”

“Do not stray too far. Danger lurks.”

Ignoring Ethan’s admonitions, Ebel and I bantered as we pressed forward.

“Remarkable, miss! To deduce Lapas mushroom poisoning from its scent alone! When you healed our Phini, I suspected you were a genius!”

“Do not tease me.”

“I’m sincere! The administration has gained a true talent!”

“Enough teasing; find the mushrooms!”

“Yes, searching diligently. Yellow mushrooms near the tree roots. And I’m not teasing!”

If not teasing, why the wide grin?

Clenching my fist, I ignored Ebel and focused on finding the Lapas mushrooms.

Yet despite our efforts, none appeared.

“We’ve come far but still no sign of the mushrooms.”

“Indeed…”

While inspecting near tree bases, Luce suddenly stopped.

“…Found it.”

“What? Luce, you found them?! Ebel, Luce found them! …Ebel?”

Calling Ebel yielded no reply. Just as I turned—

“Ugh?!”

A heavy weight fell upon me. Ebel collapsed against me, and unable to bear his weight, I fell backward.

“Ebel! Stop joking! Ebel?”

Ebel was no prankster; his limbs hung lifelessly and his eyes stayed firmly shut.

“Ebel! Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

I slapped his cheek with some force, but he showed no reaction.

“Luce! Ebel is—”

I looked toward Luce’s last known position—but he was gone.

“Where did he go?!”

I was beside myself.

To move Ebel, I had to find Luce. Straining, I leaned Ebel against a tree and searched frantically.

“Luce! Where are you?”

Yet deeper in the forest, not even the hem of Luce’s robe was visible.

“…Has that scoundrel run off to avoid treating my mother?”

A reasonable suspicion. As Rail said, if Luce truly was mad, he might have abandoned me in the depths of the woods.

After all, he had insisted on accompanying me with great enthusiasm!

“Y-you wretched bastard!!”

Grinding my teeth in frustration, the ground suddenly gave way beneath me, and a sensation of falling enveloped me.

I had stepped onto an endless cliff.

I was dying—

“What are you doing here?”

A large, cold hand grasped my waist. My wavering foot held steady.

“Luce…?”

“Is it because you are his daughter? Your magic resistance is formidable.”

Luce, floating in midair, supported me with one hand while brushing his chin with the other, appearing at ease.

“What possessed you to come here? Such recklessness.”

“I came searching for you, Luce! Ah! Don’t loosen your grip! I’ll die!”

I clung to him with all my might.

“Me? Why?”

“Well!”

I could not simply reply that I suspected him of fleeing without treating my mother.

“I was worried! Ebel collapsed, and you could be lying somewhere unconscious!”

A hastily crafted excuse, but sufficient.

Luce’s expression shifted subtly, his violet eyes widening in apparent surprise, shimmering beautifully in the moonlight.

“…You worried about me.”

“Yes.”

I feared he had abandoned my mother and fled.

“You worry for the mage?”

“Are mages not human? Of course I worry!”

Strictly speaking, I sought him because he could cast healing magic.

Well, that was no lie.

“Hm. By the way, where have you been, Luce? You said you found the mushrooms, did you?”

Luce shook his head slowly.

Then he pointed somewhere, and I squinted to focus.

“What is that?”

He indicated a black pit—at first glance a mere hole, but different.

It was wholly black and sinister, chilling enough to send shivers down my spine.

Luce’s hand clutching his robe turned pale. He covered my hand with his own.

“The reaction is quite sensitive. Normally, one would faint without knowing why.”

His cool hand unfolded my clenched fist, and I realized I had gripped it so tightly that my nails dug into my palm.

“Fainting? Is Ebel’s faint related to this?”

“Those without resistance to magic often faint, especially against corrupted magic.”

Corrupted magic?

I could barely follow his words.

At least I knew Luce had been searching for that pit.

“Luce, what is that…?”

“Not yet.”

“Huh?”

“It’s not yet necessary to know. Forget it.”

His reaching hand was the last thing I saw before darkness swallowed me.

I sat amidst the forest, a Lapas mushroom in hand, carefully wrapped in a handkerchief to prevent its poison from spreading.

“…Where did I find this again?”

As I muttered absentmindedly, Ebel laughed aloud.

“Miss, your genius reputation is undeserved! I found it beneath that tree!”

“I’m not called a genius!”

I turned to the tree Ebel indicated and examined its base. Indeed, a cluster of Lapas mushrooms grew there.

“So it was Lapas mushrooms after all…”

“But where’s the mage?”

“Luce? Where could he be?”

Had he fled to avoid treating my mother?!

Just as I stepped forward to search, the snap of a twig announced Luce’s return, his expression indifferent.

“Luce! Where have you been?”

Relieved, I rushed to him, only to see his face subtly change.

“Why?”

“What?”

Because—

Before I could answer, Luce spoke first.

“You worried about me?”

His voice carried a strange hopefulness.