The Great Fire Of Lakisen (3)

Fenrir and Cordelia ran in the opposite direction of the fleeing crowds. Before long they reached an abandoned area where only burning houses remained.

“Where is it!? Everything here is already burning!”

‘Between the back walls of that house. A child is trapped there. They likely tried to escape from that spot.’

“There? There’s no one else there, right!?”

‘None.’

“In that case… pardon me!”

The moment she said it, Cordelia gathered the dark magic within her body. Though she had not used it in a long time and its quantity had decreased, destroying a corner of the district would be nothing.

With a heavy thud she released dark magic, opening a gap large enough for them to pass. Running through, she found a small girl exactly where Fenrir said. However, she was unconscious, limp and wedged between the walls. It was a miracle the flames had not yet reached her — but it was only a matter of time.

(I want to smash the wall apart, but she’d be crushed… I must carefully remove the surrounding wall and extract only her.)

Adjusting the dark magic, she emitted it from her fingertips like a gas burner, slowly cutting the wall away bit by bit. Once she reached the girl, Cordelia immediately lifted the small body.

(It’s alright! She’s still breathing. Then Holy Magic should heal her…)

“Cordelia! Are you there!?”

Just as she turned to return with the girl, Isaac’s voice echoed.

“Your Highness!”

She lifted her face in relief — and at that instant—

With a rumbling crash, fragments of a collapsing building fell from above. Cordelia instinctively crouched, shielding the girl and bracing for impact.

— Yet the expected blow never came.

“Are you alright!?”

Looking up cautiously, she saw a water-made defensive barrier spread above her — the same magic Isaac had used before.

Isaac rushed over and anxiously embraced Cordelia along with the girl. Wrapped in the faint lavender scent mixed with smoke clinging to him, she finally released the breath she had unknowingly held.

“You don’t appear injured… thank goodness…”

“I was saved thanks to you, Your Highness.”

“I heard you ran off with Fenrir and hurried over… I’m glad I made it in time. I was truly worried.”

‘The boy worries too much. I told you I was with her.’

Fenrir said leisurely.

Looking closer, the debris that had fallen toward Cordelia was floating nearby. Fenrir had subtly protected her as well.

“There is always the chance of misfortune. Fenrir-sama, please call me when you summon her. I do not want her entering dangerous places.”

‘Understood. Next time I will send the boy as my errand runner.’

Even in such a situation Fenrir remained carefree, making Cordelia nearly lose strength in exasperation.

“F-first, let’s find this child’s parents. They must be worried.”

Fortunately, the girl had only inhaled a little smoke and woke quickly after Holy Magic was cast. Carrying her back to headquarters, a young couple with a child — who had been speaking with Jean — ran over crying upon seeing her.

“I was just searching for that child.”

Jean said while watching the family embrace.

Fire magic had little use at a fire scene. Instead, he had been assigned various tasks such as rescuing the injured and searching for people. He continued his report briskly.

“The fire is not fully contained yet, but Water Mages have been dispatched to all locations, so extinguishing it is only a matter of time. With Fenrir-sama’s help we are searching for anyone left behind — so far there are zero casualties.”

“Good. Continue prioritizing rescue efforts.”

Zero casualties. The words relieved Cordelia — unlike Jean, whose face remained grim.

“…However, there is something concerning.”

“What is it?”

Isaac’s gaze immediately sharpened toward Jean, and a tense atmosphere formed.

“We are still investigating, but magical reactions were detected at multiple points where the fires began. — Most likely, the fires were set intentionally.”

Cordelia sharply inhaled. There was only one meaning behind his words.

This great fire was a deliberate indiscriminate incident — a terrorist attack.