Chapter 15.2

Red flames licked the air as it danced forth.

“Kiek!”

Ack, it even sounded disgusting!

The sound and burnt smell of grilled meat vibrated in the air. Of all things, it even had to smell like pork.

Holding back the urge to scream, I closed my eyes and continued to draw my magic circle with the intention to finish the monster off in the meantime. Green magic rippled in the air, before the monster disappeared into smoke the next second.

“Huh?”

I wasn’t even done drawing it yet.

I looked despairingly at the incomplete magic circle, my jaw dropping.

“Good work.”

“Sir Linus!”

When I turned around happily, I saw familiar faces. It looked like the magic circle activated while I was fighting.

Relaxing quite a bit, I lowered my hands in relief.

While Linus and Aiden went to aid Noah, I massaged my tingling hand as I leaned against the cave wall.

“Phew.”

As I was dealing with the small monsters that came my way from time to time, I looked over at Noah.

Even though it felt like I’d depleted half my magic, Noah was still doing just fine. Part of it must’ve been because I used noncombatant magic, but this gap in stamina was one that couldn’t be explained by that alone. I felt the difference in our talents in my bones. Goodness, how could he be more skilled than the magicians from the Tower of Magic? That must be what a real genius looked like.

I will have to work very hard from now on.

Throwing flame magic towards a squirming little monster, I sighed slightly.

“Kieeeeeeek!”

An enormous monster that appeared to be the leader screamed in agony.

Riding on top of it, Noah reached inside it with his bare hands with an indifferent face before he pulled out a black, wriggling sphere.

He looked over at Linus and said, “It’s over.”

Golden magic pulled from his hands like thread was bound around the nucleus even then.

Who announced the end of a monster subjugation as if you were saying you just bought fruit from the market outside your house?

“Krek!”

Without its nucleus, the monster began to combust with a strange sound.

All the monsters within the cave, too, starting with the innermost ones, melted like ice. Soon, the ground was covered with a sticky, viscous liquid.

Noah turned in my direction as if to ask if I wasn’t injured anywhere. My eyes met his golden eyes infused with worry, and I gave him a thumbs up to say that I was alright.

“Your sudden disappearance worried us. Would you believe that dozens of monsters mobbed us the moment the trap was broken?” Linus said with a hearty smile.

So there really were a lot outside, too. Perhaps because they were fighting, the two magicians looked a little worse for wear too.

“Good work, Noah. You were amazing.” Shaking off the slime from the soles of my shoes, I sent a sparkling look towards Noah.

I could still remember seeing the countless flashing runes that he’d used. There weren’t many people who could cast more than ten spells at once, so it really was amazing.

Noah coughed a little and turned his head slightly. His ears, peeping out of silver locks of hair, were red.

Don’t tell me, was he embarrassed?

I was tilting my head in thought, when a strange sound came from next to Noah.

I gasped.

A single monster that had not combusted yet was wriggling in.

While I rubbed my eyes to see if I was mistaking myself, it seemed to wake up and was making an attempt to attack. And looking at its trajectory, it was headed exactly towards Noah’s face.

“…!”

My mind blanked-out.

A scar on that face? Absolutely not. That would be a national loss. And if he wanted to do this and that with Flora next semester, he had to keep his face intact.

I will protect Noah’s face.

I ran in almost instinctively and cast a defensive magic circle.

“Not the face!”

With a screech, the monster collided with the magic circle and fell.

It was only then that I realized what I’d said aloud.

“‘Cause the face… is a vital point for survival…”

Along with my weak statement, the magic circle disappeared. I think my voice may have shook a little at the end.

“…”

We remained silent for some time.

I wanted to bash my head open.

Mentally hitting myself over the head dozens of times, I stood there with my eyes tightly closed when I felt like my arm was hot to the point of notice.

“What the.”

At the same time, a drop of blood rolled down my forearm.

Noah’s expression darkened immediately.

***

“Hi, Dad.”

“You, your…!”

Seeing the arm that Noah had urgently administered first aid to, my dad grabbed at the back of his own neck in shock. Blood was evident on the piece of cloth wrapped around my wound.

Understandable, since the daughter he’d sent with trust had come back with an injured arm.

“It’s not that serious,” I mumbled, avoiding eye contact with my dad.

It was only that the tentacles had been a bit sharp, and besides, my arm had only been cut, not cut off. Though that was, of course, different from how painful it actually was.

“What in the world is this…”

“It’s my fault.”

Noah bowed his head towards my dad, whose mouth was wide open in bewilderment.

“Since Katelin was injured while trying to protect me while my thoughts were elsewhere, it really is my fault.”

Aghast, I tried to dissuade him. “Why are you apologizing? It was me who ran in!”

Noah still hadn’t looked my way.

Was he angry?

While I was nervously swallowing with a dry mouth, Linus, too, bowed his head in apology.

“I am the leader of this subjugation. It is also my fault for not being able to take good care of the lady.”

With Noah and Linus both with their heads bowed, only Aiden was standing upright.

And I felt like I was going to die from this very burdensome situation.

“… Let’s get you some medical treatment first.” Dad beckoned, looking slightly uncomfortable.