The Great Fire Of Lakisen (1)

Ten days later. Late at night on a day with the Founding Festival fast approaching.

Cordelia suddenly sensed something and snapped awake in the darkness.

The room was pitch black and silent, the large clock pointing to two in the morning. She thought someone had come to summon her again for a nighttime emergency, but there was no other presence.

She tried to sleep again — yet an inexplicable unease made her rise. She opened the curtains to get some night air, and the sight that jumped into her eyes made her squint.

“…What is that…?”

Despite the late hour, the sky at the edge of the royal capital was dyed crimson. Only a small portion was visible from here, but if it could be seen from this distance, something immense must be happening there.

Quickly throwing on a gown, Cordelia ran with the guards waiting in the corridor toward Isaac’s room. Before reaching it, she encountered Isaac himself in the hallway, leading many knights.

“Your Highness! What on earth—”

“A fire in the slums. …And on a scale never seen before. Please wait in your room.”

His voice was strained. The fact that he was personally heading out showed the severity.

“No, I will go too! There must be injured people. The more who can use Holy Magic, the better. Of course, Hina as well.”

When Cordelia insisted, Isaac grimaced but nodded.

“I will go ahead. Listen — when you come, you must stay with the escort knights. Never act alone.”

“It will be fine. I will bring the strongest guard with me.”

“The strongest guard?”

“Fenrir-sama.”

Cordelia declared confidently.

“Fwaa…”

“Sorry for waking you, it’s an emergency. We can’t locate Fenrir-sama without you — will you help?”

“If Kana-chan says so… I’ll go… mmh…”

‘Why is it only my master’s voice that never reaches me? I tried many things as well.’

A carriage carrying the unusual trio — sleepy-eyed Hina, worried Lily, and Cordelia — sped through the midnight streets. Beside it ran Fenrir, transformed to the size of a horse.

“Still, a great fire is no ordinary matter. Were there no Water Mages at the scene?”

Lily asked anxiously.

Normally, fires rarely became major disasters in the Lakisen Kingdom. Many homes were stone-built, and Water Mages were stationed across the land for immediate response.

“It seems the source is the slums. Many wooden houses remain, and there were probably few Water Mages… Even His Highness being dispatched means it must be serious.”

As she spoke, Cordelia opened the small carriage window curtain. The night sky, which should have been deep blue, was now dyed crimson by roaring flames. She had never seen such a sight.

The stench of burned houses, smoke mixed with soot, and the murmuring of people who lost their homes threw the area into chaos. A woman trembling with her pet dog stuffed into her apron, a large family huddling together — most had no time to carry belongings and were still in nightclothes.

“Well now, aren’t these little kittens?”

As Cordelia looked around for Isaac, a familiar voice spoke.

It was Sphida. As a newspaper reporter, he had apparently rushed here early. Approaching with his usual smile, he suddenly narrowed his eyes.

“Or rather… hmm? Haven’t seen you for a while, but your murky color has faded? Somehow… bleached? Becoming whiter?”

He seemed interested in the color of Cordelia’s aura, but she had no time for that.

“Sphida! Have you seen Prince Isaac!?”

“His Highness is over there.”

“Your Highness!”

He was surrounded by many knights and mages, issuing instructions with a stern face.

“Your Highness, where are the injured? Hina and I will go.”

“Thank you, that helps. The injured should be gathered at that headquarters. I will go extinguish fires with Jean and the others. Please be careful.”

“Understood!”

Cordelia nodded and immediately ran to the place called the relief headquarters.

Water Mages were already treating people there, and Cordelia and Hina were warmly welcomed. Since only Water Mages could fight the fire, they had lacked personnel for treatment.

“Hina, could you handle the lightly injured?”

“Okaaay.”

“Where are the seriously injured? I will go.”

“The severely injured are this way!”

— The sight ahead was something she wanted to cover her eyes from. Some burns were so severe it was miraculous the victims were alive. Among them, Cordelia spotted a familiar face and gasped.

(No… it can’t be him…!)

Unable to believe it, she approached on trembling legs. Peering closely at the face, Cordelia finally screamed in anguish.

“Jack!!!”

— It was the bakery boy who had come to her very first Healing Gathering.