Chapter 12 – Swift Flee

Why was this world so inconvenient? Did someone pay for them to appear? These indigent people were waiting right next to this place in the blind hopes that people would appear. Wait. How far did Emil run? There’s no way he would run to the centre of the slums in the town, right?

“H-hey Emil, why did you come here?”

The beggar-clothed thugs were slowly approaching, but I guess they aren’t expecting anything from us since they had a repulsive grins plastered across their scarred face.

“Last time we came to the outdoor markets, my sister told me that there was a hidden garden at the deeper end”.

I looked around. There was a lot of moss on the rundown buildings, which were mostly made up of wood at this point and a small patch of grass. Some hidden garden this was. Whatever!

I’ll deal with Marie’s lie later.

For now, though, do I just try to talk or act?

“Uhm, hi! We’re lost do you know the way out of here?”

I tried saying with a smile on my face.

“Haha, don’t worry lady, just leave the boy to me and follow my friend here, ” The tattooed one replied, pointing towards the man next to him with scars.

Not even offered a chance to bargain.

Is it possible to grow something thorny like a rose with the grass spell?

I try to imagine a thorny elongated rose appearing at the bottom of their feet and wrapping around their hands and legs.

“Grow rose.”

And a rose did grow! Only to the size of an average rose though…

Wait, what if I just do a flash of light? I don’t have a lot of magic in me in the first place, so I hope it doesn’t use too much.

If Emil realises I’m using magic, will I be reported as a mana beast?

I’m overthinking, it should be fine. I can do a simple flashbang type magic without fainting. I hope.

I cover Emil’s eyes before closing mine.

“Flash!”

*bang*

It was a success! Instead of collapsing, it feels like my weight has increased tenfold this time.

The men groaned as I opened my eyes,  seeing them try to recover. Before Emil can even question what happened, I take his arm and run.

“Alice wh-what is happening?”

“Just tell me the way to the market!”