Episode 15

Atri could do nothing but watch as the storm swallowed the soldiers. In the wagon, guilt crashed over her and tears fell.

(It really was my fault. Because I was there, this happened…)

When she looked back, there were only painful memories. As a little girl she should have spent happy days surrounded by kind parents and villagers, but now she could not recall any of it. Before she knew it, no one was around her anymore.

She thought the spark had been the storehouse fire. She strangely remembered nothing of that day, but when her awareness cleared, the storehouse was already burning.

Many adults pressed her with questions, and she searched her memories desperately, but she could answer nothing. The more she tried to remember, the whiter her mind became.

In the end, thanks to the chief’s intercession, the matter passed without incident—yet unhappy events kept coming.

Her once-kind parents were gone. The villagers kept their distance, everything she did backfired, and just existing made others shun her. —It felt as if some unknowable will were at work.

“Nothing ever changes, does it…”

She had tried to change herself.

“I tried so hard.”

She had reflected on herself to be understood by others.

“None of it worked.”

She had wanted people to smile at her like before.

“Why won’t anyone look at me?”

She had only wanted to be together.

“Why won’t anyone talk to me?”

She wanted to be needed by someone.

“Why…”

She wanted someone to say she could stay here.

“Someone…”

She wanted to be found.

“Someone…”

Before she disappeared completely…

“…Please help me.”

A vast black storm raged. It tolerated no one’s existence. As if denying everything, senseless violence filled the plains.

“—Huh?”

The storm still howled. But for an instant, she thought she saw light. She should have seen it every day, yet it felt like the first time in years—a strong light the darkness could not swallow.

An overwhelming radiance was born, unfazed by senseless violence.

Was it chance? Or did someone answer a single girl’s wish? —The world turned pale blue.

In the light, the girl thought: I’m glad I waited.

“For a sideshow, that was well done. …But that’s enough.”

“Ice Procyon.”

An explosion at absolute zero erased the storm. The mass of malice that had raged was scattered to mist in an instant.

“…Captain. Are we dreaming?”

“At the very least, this doesn’t look like the afterlife.”

The spell unleashed via Unison Link should have struck directly, yet the ice wall still stood. How much mana would you have to pour in, in that single instant, to pull that off?

Being protected by the one he should protect—Simon felt disqualified as a soldier and sank with regret, yet pride swelled at the same time.

His lord always looked several moves ahead. …Even if his actual employer was the Fool.

(That was close. Good thing I re-layered it…)

Hiroto sighed with relief inside. His face was cool, but cold sweat beaded in his heart.

“Zeke-sama, they must be out of mana by now. Let’s press the attack and finish them in close quarters.”

“Unnecessary.”

“Sir?”

Simon felt a prickle of doubt. Some soldiers even went pale, thinking they were about to be dismissed.

“Idiots don’t learn unless it hurts. Those villagers and the Breeze Weasels are the same. —They need to be taught reason. Thoroughly.”

Zeke’s fearless grin spread. The soldiers shivered, wondering what he would do next.

As he chanted, tremendous mana welled out of Zeke. Even those without talent for magic understood this abnormal state—an outright difference in the order of life.

Dark clouds covered the sky. The temperature dropped, and their breaths turned white. This was no natural phenomenon but a man-made catastrophe wrought by a person—by Zeke.

“I’ll settle accounts with the past, so begone already. Icicle Ray.”

Cold light poured over the Nordan Plains. Monsters, grasses, and earth froze and turned white. It would be temporary, but it was more than enough to sear the memory into the “idiots,” as Zeke put it.