BTCATL 42

 Chapter 42

“Dialune?”

The tower master, who had been restlessly tapping the table with his fingers, only looked up as if regaining his senses when Ldin called his name.

“…Yes. Asila, Ldin. You must head to the Bart Forest immediately.”

We blinked at his serious expression and sudden command.

There shouldn’t have been any remaining requests. I had just confirmed that on the way to his room.

As if reading my thoughts, the tower master let out a weary smile.

“The Chelcia Empire dispatches a monster subjugation force every summer, but this year they delayed it due to the heatwave.”

Chelcia. The name made my expression harden.

“If they were going to change the schedule, they should have at least reported it to the nearest tower. Do they not know that winter monsters are far more dangerous than summer ones?”

The tower master clicked his tongue in frustration and continued.

“Just before you arrived, a black mana flare was launched. Can you go?”

I had been about to respond, but the word “black” made me close my mouth.

When subjugating monsters, nations use standardized mana flares across the continent to quickly indicate the situation.

Among them, black is the worst of the worst.

“We’ll go right away. Asila, if you’d like to rest—”

“No. I’ll go.”

I shook my head.

It had been over a year since I started taking on requests and traveling, but I still wasn’t used to people dying because of monsters.

—“Save me! Aaaaaah!!”

After witnessing the disaster half a year ago, I could no longer stand by while people died.

It was a place where monsters had rarely appeared. People used it freely as a hunting ground—until monsters suddenly tore open a rift and emerged.

The forest was reduced to ruins in an instant.

People screamed as they were devoured.

Blood splattered everywhere.

We killed the monsters on sight, but the carnage that occurred in that short time was horrific.

The haunting memories that tormented me for so long flickered faintly through my mind.

[Going out again?]

As Ldin and I climbed to the rooftop of the tower, the fluttering butterflies asked. I nodded.

If my going meant I could save even one person from a monster, then it was worth going.

A familiar spirit summoner was already waiting on the rooftop.

“I’ll send you off now.”

As I climbed onto the back of the massive spirit, its wide wings stirred a powerful wind, flapping vigorously.

The rush of wind as Jin soared into the air always felt refreshing—but not now. Now, I felt only anxiety.

They said the flare was spotted just after we arrived.

It had been less than 30 minutes. But we couldn’t let our guard down. Horrors always happened in an instant.

“I see it.”

I had been nervously biting my nails when Ldin’s voice made me look up.

One, two… five.

Traces of the dissipating flare were scattered throughout the forest.

It didn’t seem like a particularly violent type of monster, as there weren’t any visibly devastated areas.

Moreover, Bart Forest wasn’t like other forests—it was full of massive trees. Even in winter, Bart Forest was famous for not shedding its leaves.

The dense canopy and thick underbrush muffled all sound.

Even if something happened down there, we couldn’t discern it from above.

I bit my lip.

At this rate, we couldn’t pinpoint the location.

It wasn’t a small-scale flare, so we couldn’t just jump down at random—we’d waste time getting lost in the forest.

The tower master had estimated at least C-rank, and possibly S-rank.

I anxiously scanned the ground, hoping for some kind of clue.

Ldin, too, was staring intently down into the trees.

—Bang!

Just as we were about to leave empty-handed, a thunderous explosion echoed from the forest.

At the same time, another plume of thick black smoke rose.

A flare.

The jet-black smoke shot up rapidly and lingered in the sky.

“Let’s go, Asila.”

“…Yes.”

As the black butterflies dove in unison, Ldin and I leapt off Jin’s back.

The harsh wind slapped my face as we plummeted.

Just as I was about to slam into a tree, a crimson glow surrounded me.

Time seemed to slow down—familiar. I grabbed a thick branch and hung from it, scanning the surroundings, then stiffened.

Even though the towering trees blocked out the sunlight, the ground below glowed a faint red.

The earth should be dark in color. But it was red. Why?

And that wasn’t all. A sickly-sweet scent filled the air.

Weaker monsters emitted foul odors, but powerful ones masked their stench with a sweet fragrance.

Never a good sign.

“A monster nearby seems to be draining all the earth’s energy.”

Ldin had jumped lightly down from a branch and examined the soil, his expression grim.

“It’s not even that close, but the soil is like this… It’s probably at least S-rank.”

I stood silently beside him, biting my lip.

S-rank. Intelligent monster.

If it were C-rank, a knight with decent aura could handle it.

But S-rank—

Ordinary people couldn’t deal with it. The chances of finding a massacre already underway were…

No, stop.

I forced myself to stay calm and think logically.

It hadn’t been long since the flare was launched. At least one person must still be alive.

“Nymphs, can you sense where the monster is?”

[Yeah!]

[Let’s gooo!]

[Follow us, Ldin, Asila!]

The nymphs fluttered forward, and the butterflies followed. Without hesitation, Ldin and I took off after them.

Soon, the spirits began to slow and finally stopped.

The sweet scent still lingered faintly, suggesting we hadn’t reached the source. I looked at them, puzzled, as Ldin approached the base of a tree.

Following his gaze, I saw someone slumped against the trunk—and caught my breath.

A man in armor, likely part of the subjugation team, sat with his head bowed, covered in blood.

One arm was missing—likely torn off by a monster.

Ldin pressed an ear to the man’s chest, checked his pulse, and then shook his head.

…He’s dead.

I spotted the flare launcher still clutched in his hand and exhaled slowly, then gently closed his wide-open eyes.

He had fought death with everything he had until the very end.

“…Let’s go. We haven’t found the monster yet.”

I nodded.

Leaving the dead behind weighed heavily on me, but we had more to do.

Staring at the man as if he were merely asleep, I eventually turned away and followed the spirits once more.

And then—I saw a terrible scene.

“Save… me…”

A knight reached out with a shriveled hand, his skin deflated as if drained of blood. The light in his eyes faded.

Death.

It was horrific.

Branches that looked like small trees twisted and writhed.

Only the monster stood alive amidst the carnage, pulsing with dark energy.

Bodies were everywhere. Some had been drained dry, others torn apart.

“S-someone… please…”

Only one person was still alive.

A knight, blood leaking from his helmet. He looked like he could die at any moment.

Even saving one…

I clenched my jaw and hurriedly removed his helmet. Sticky blood poured from his head.

“Asila, I’ll take the monster.”

Ldin, saying he’d handle it, rushed toward the beast with the nymphs.

As the monster’s roar echoed behind me, I focused on the man.

[Cutting now.]

With Nyx’s help, I sliced open the knight’s armor. My breath caught in my throat.

His black hair was matted with blood. A massive wound in his abdomen bled relentlessly.

His dim eyes were losing their light. I pressed my ear to his chest.

His heartbeat was faint.

What do I do?

“…Damn it.”

The curse slipped out without thought.

If left like this, he’d die. Even with first aid, he was beyond saving.

I tore strips from my clothing and tightly bound his wounds, gritting my teeth.

If only a water spirit summoner had come instead. Damn it.

It would be too late by the time a healing summoner was called.

I stared at the man’s ragged breaths, growing more desperate.

What can I do?

I didn’t want to watch someone die before my eyes.

[Asila.]

I was biting my nails when a butterfly landed gently on my shoulder.

[Asila.]

Only after it called me a second time did I lift my head.

A crimson glow shimmered.

[Do you want to save this human?]

I looked at the flickering spirits and slowly nodded.

[I think we can.]

There’s a way?

The butterflies landed one by one on the man’s body.

Bright red light began to radiate from them—and I felt the mana flow.

The blood shimmered, then slowly flowed back into the wounds. The gaping gashes began to close.

I stared in awe.

Behind me, Ldin had returned and gasped.

“Asila, this is…”

His blue eyes trembled.

—“Every spirit has a unique ability. Whether trivial or great.”

Calios’ words came back to me.

Healing? Was this the butterflies’ unique power?

“Ugh…”

The man opened his eyes. His wounds were fully healed. He looked down in disbelief.

I snapped out of my daze.

He blinked, glancing between me and Ldin.

Something about him felt oddly familiar.

Why?

“…Laze? Ldin?”

At his words, Ldin frowned.

“You know me?”

The man wiped the blood from his eyes, then—

Ldin’s eyes widened.

“…Lertain, Crown Prince?”

Thump. My heart dropped.

The man glanced between the slain monster and his restored body, then looked at me with a complicated expression.

“You two saved me? Are you… a spirit summoner? May I know your name?”

The man—the Crown Prince—looked at me with raw emotion.

I could guess where it came from.

Of course he’d be overwhelmed. He’d just returned from the brink of death.

But the one who saved him—me—rose slowly and stepped back.

Ldin’s expression twisted strangely.

Of course it did. He knew I was a princess.

That man, asking a stranger’s name without even recognizing his own sister.

And me—barely concealing the nausea twisting in my gut as I stepped back.

“Ah—”

“Let’s go.”

Before Ldin could say my name, I cut him off.

I didn’t want my name spoken in front of that man.

The source of my strange familiarity became clear.

There was no mirror, but I knew my eyes must be shaking like mad.

That man—the Crown Prince—

He was my real older brother.